The French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Aug. 15, 1769 – May 5, 1821) was arguably one of the world’s greatest military tacticians. His soldiers often fought opposing forces considerably more numerous, yet through skill at deciphering enemy intent, maneuver, counter-maneuvering, troop placement and force multipliers – most notably artillery – he won battle after battle. Right up until the failed invasion of Russia and of course, Waterloo.
A saying often quoted by later military instructors and strategists goes like this: “Never interrupt your opponent when he’s making a mistake.” Since poker is a civilized form of warfare, this observation is also applicable to the felt battlefield. Implementing this tactic requires realizing your opponent indeed is making a mistake. The goal of every poker player – as stated in several books – is to play your hand in such a way that a better hand is laid down and a worse hand calls. In essence inducing or, said another way – allowing – your opponent to make a mistake. Of course you then capitalize on those mistakes.
This requires awareness of playing styles, betting patterns, hand reading, logic and a little guesswork. All of which is developed and strengthened if one but pays attention to the game, especially when not involved in a hand. It just takes paying attention to the game and players; not the television or to the myriad other possible distractions.
I was at the local arena when midway through a $2/$5 – $100 No-Limit game I found myself with an 8-6 suited. Being in middle position, I elected to just call and watched as three more behind me limped in. The blinds checked and we saw the flop, 8-6-2 rainbow. A nice flop for my hand as no-one appeared to like it. I did not put anyone on a big overpair as there likely would have been a pre-flop raise, so I figured most players for face-card combinations. I became the first bettor when others checked to me of about 60 percent of the pot. I got two callers; the turn brought a four and a reaction from a player to my left. He seemed more intent and alert now than before and I felt the four somehow helped him.
Let’s see: He limped in before the flop, called my bet and after the turn was now mentally very much in the game. As I watched him (surreptitiously), he glanced down at his chip stack. This, according to Mike Caro (the Guru of Tells), is an unconscious movement to ascertain the extent of one’s ammunition supply (chip stack) prior to going into battle (playing further into the hand). I thought my opponent had either tripped up with the four or held a 5-7 for the straight, both of which would tear my two pair to shreds. I made a probing bet of about 20 percent of the pot and he just called. Could he be slow-playing the two possible hands I put him on or could he hold something else, maybe a big pocket pair? Hmmm…
The river brought an eight making me a full house. If my opponent held either of the two possible hands I suspected – a set or a straight – then by slow-playing them to the river he made a big mistake by not raising my turn bet to win the hand then and there. Now the question was how to maximize profit from this guy; how can I capitalize on his mistake? I made a half-the-pot sized bet and he quickly went all-in. I got the feeling he was trying to bully me out of the pot, yet realizing the danger his hand was now in. I called and he showed 5-7 for the straight he had made on the turn. Showing my full house he said, “You got lucky” and to one degree he was correct. I had gotten lucky, however, he had allowed me to get there by making the mistake of not ending the hand after the turn with a large raise. I don’t think I would have called after the read I had gotten on him.
As a side note: Anytime you get a little bent because some doofus called you down to win with a miracle catch on the river, just tap the table and say “Nice hand, Pal” Do NOT let them know how angry you are and especially do not lecture them on how badly they played their hand. Keep in mind, poker lessons are always “tomorrow;” today you’re playing the game. Do not educate the ignorant about how badly they play. You want them to make mistakes; you want them to continue making errors, for in the long run you can capitalize greatly upon their dismal play. You must not educate – or interrupt – your opponent while they’re making a mistake.
Postscript: Years ago, I saw a shirt with the following on the front:
“Nice Hand, Pal”
On the back it said:
“By ‘Nice Hand’ I mean “How could you play that s**t?”
And by ‘Pal’ I mean “A**hole”
Well said, Pal.
