Short blog to start long year: playing the players and the table

Just back from my first final table of the year, a good restart to a bad 6 months of bad play, bad beats, bubble bitchings, etc. Longest dry streak ever.

Its late, so you get a taste. Here's my early triple up hand, but let's start quick with something that I put a lot of emphasis in my live game but don't talk to much about: table position.

For any casino newbies, I'll explain briefly the physical layout of a casino table. Take the pictures of my table and make it a little longer and a lot less nice. In the middle of one long side is a slight indent so the dealer can reach the felt better. The betting line is similarly proportioned to the size of the wood racetrack on mine. Seat one is to the left of the the dealer, and so forth.

Seat one and seat ten have a nice view of most of the players and no view of the players hidden by the dealer: for seat one, we are blind to seats 9 and 10, and can't see their stacks and often have to be reminded it's our turn to act. I hate seat one and seat ten for that reason.

I like seats 2 and three, and 8 and 9, because being on the edge, I have an angled view of most or all faces. It's a greater distance to the centre of the table where the flop is, but this is why I play wearing prescription sunglasses. (I find that simple polarization is the perfect tint for poker, btw) They also have a little more elbow room and room for chips. 2 and 9 are probably the best.

Today I start in seat 5 which is just across from the dealer. From seats 4 through 7, we can't see faces well in the adjacent seats. The flop is right in front of us, but we have to turn our head to see players, making it obvious where we are looking.

Here's how I used seat 5 and a huge flop to bust one player and cripple another.

I am 2nd to act. I have 3500 chips. We are second level 25-50. I have 22 and limp in. There are several callers and no raisers. The table has played a steady, predictable game playing predictable cards predictably.

The flop is JJ2 rainbow. Not only a dream flop, I am certain based on both the nature of the players and the frequency of J high flops so far someone has a J.

Check check from the blinds, 300 or so in the pot, I bet for value, 225. Seat 7 calls and seat 1 also flat calls.

Lets talk about seat 7 and seat 1 and their players.

Seat 7 is an older player. I can't see him and he can't see me. He has been steady, has grinded well and has 2000 more than me. Unflappable guy, steady post flop player who I am not particularly familiar with, but I can easily suspect the kind of hand he would limp in.

Seat 1 is Brian. Brian is a great older guy, loves the game, loves to trap, loves to gab. He is very chatty and high strung though he rarely chats up during a hand he's in. He has resorted to sunglasses and a baseball cap recently because he is aware he has tells due to his high strung nature. He also is still trying to make things happen and only has about 1700 in chips. Think of Uncle Fester without the high voice, you got Brian.

By the way both of these players flat called, I don't just suspect, I know they both have a J in their hand. I STRONGLY suspect it is the kind of mixed-paint hands people limp in with, because they are just not J7 players. Brian likes to trap, and I get a buzz off of him which is a clear tell.

I had bet out because I knew I'd get action. I really liked the action I got, because I know I'll get plenty more. I knew they were slow playing a J because there is no draw on that board, and both made a very deliberate move to flat call which is inconsistent with a wired pair lower than JJ. Their question to themselves, was call or raise, not fold, call or raise.

Seat 7 can't see me to figure why I bet out. Brian, being short, has hit his dream flop and doesn't want his prey to get away. He is tense like a cat ready to strike, which will also work to my advantage.

Turn is 5 of clubs. NO DRAW. NO PAINT. I KNOW I STILL HAVE IT GOOD AND I KNOW THEY WILL PAY ANY BET.

So I make a value bet which looks like a probe: 525. Seat 7 flat calls, and now Brian can't stand it. He throws his 900 over the top all in. I am now in a position to reraise all in, and I don't hesitate: I know seat 7 isn't folding.

But I seal the deal with a comment, as Seat 7 considers his situation. "ARE THE 5 JACKS IN THIS DECK?" I ask.

Now seat 7 has been me play connectors and small cards well in small pots I have shown down 89 off to win a hand with middle pair, for example. I have totally misrepresented to him a hand I actually never play: 10 J.

I get the call, and my reads prove perfect: Seat 7 has QJ, Brian has KJ, and I have 6 pieces of paint (possibly less, there were other limpers) and one card, or 12%. to dodge on the river. Its a 4. I rake. Instant chip leader.

I took advantage of the fact that seat 7 couldn't see me and simply made quiet bets and let him hang himself, building up a big pot so, if necessary, I can make it all about my chips by the river. Having hit the perfect turn, and Brian doing the reraising for me, all it took was that little nudge to push seat 7 over the edge too.

All you get. Night all...0