The preceding articles addressed mistaken plays, commonly called “leaks,” in a poker players’ game. Players self-defeat themselves by allowing their bankroll to drain away, or leak from their wallets. Quickly reviewing the list, the first six leaks are:
1. Calling when you know you’re beat because you “have to make sure” your opponent isn’t bluffing. The cure is to trust your reads and, no matter how nice a hand you have, throw it away.
2. Giving your opponent a free (or cheap) card. A free card can supply a miracle for that donkey to trash your hand. Make a rule: No free cards – ever.
3. Starting with a good/great hand but realizing the texture of the flop makes it not so great anymore, but continuing anyway. Hey, A-K suited looks beautiful before the flop, but when 5-6-7 with two suited cards shows up, A-Ks isn’t so attractive anymore…toss it away.
4. Not noticing the game conditions have changed. A loose, rammin’-jammin’ game looses two rookies, now the game is tighter. Or vice-versa. Changes in game conditions require changes in your play.
5. Playing a game where you’re not at your best. If you’re better at a full table but you’ll be No. 6 if you sit down, be careful. Or if Hold’em is your game and you’re offered an Omaha seat – watch out. Play your best game and open up to other games and skills gently and at lower buy-in levels until you get experienced.
6. Playing Ace-x; Ace-little is so weak, any higher kicker will beat you. And claiming justification they were suited just self-proclaims you’re a doofus playing “Wish Poker.”
Concluding this train of thought, I’ll present the last four of this “gang of ten.” Everyone from David Letterman on down (or up, depending on your sense of humor) presents their “Top 10…(whatevers)”; I’ve never seen a “Top Seven” or “Top 16,” so you’ll pardon me following the herd – this time – in keeping this thread to the proverbial “Top Ten.” So without further adieu, I present the last four of this top ten list:
7. Playing small suited connectors under the gun. Playing too many starting hands is a tremendous leak; playing when out of position is worse. Causes range from a lack of discipline, boredom, frustration, overestimating odds of hitting the perfect flop and/or not having a clue to the power – and pitfalls – of position. Early position exposes a player to action they do not want occurring, such as a raise and/or reraise behind. Recall suited connectors play best when a flop is seen cheaply with many players. Playing small suited connectors from early position might work now and then (when the table has been made as loose-passive, meaning you are relatively sure no-one raises before the flop), but as a long-term tactic it’s a great way to allow your chips to be vacuumed off.
8. Playing Ace-King deeper into the hand when it misses on the flop. Applicable to any two high cards when the flop misses, playing further into the hand is just “Wish Poker” (“I wish an Ace would come”). The more players you’re up against the worse off you are; if you’re hoping one of your cards comes on the turn, it may not matter. You very likely are already beat by two pair or even trips. The texture of the flop plays a big part; if straight or flush draws are possible, catching your Ace or King just gave you top pair/top kicker but made the straight/flush for your opponent. In truth, if all you are drawing to with high cards is a high pair – especially against multiple opponents – your cards should be in the muck.
9. Trying to bluff a Calling Station or multiple players. Player X is the proverbial Donation Station and he’s stayed with every hand to the bitter end, win or lose. Do you really believe representing something other than your busted draw will beat this player? Do you really think this person will release their hand to your big bet on the river? Sure, they may stop and agonize, but these are players who can’t lay their hand down for fear of losing face when they’re bluffed (See #1 above). They will call your bluff: You must have something better than nothing when placing a river bet against these players for they will call. And trying to bluff multiple players just doesn’t work, period. Somebody had something to go the distance in this hand; your bet will not force them to retire from the hand, simple as that.
10. Passing up a call on the river when the pot is large. This is pot odds at work; if you’re going to pass up a call after the river you must be sure you are beat, and that means absolutely sure! If there’s any question in your mind whether or not you are beaten, call. You’ll be surprised at the number of times you’ll drag the pot. You might have run into someone overplaying their hand as in number 8 above.
So there they are, the “Top Ten Leaks in a Player’s Game.” Keeping these in mind while poker combat swirls around you takes effort, discipline and the mindset to always be thinking about poker.
