FORTY DOLLAR NO LIMIT TEXAS HOLD'EM RING GAMES by Kim Isaac Greenblatt, copyright August 2007, All Rights Reserved
Are you starting to see the problem with pocket jacks now? They are somewhat strong but their value diminishes if you still have people in the game. At the forty dollar no limit game - you might not chase anybody else out with your all-in bet if the players are on tilt or looking for action. You'll have a problem then.
If the table has been pretty tight, you could go all in and the chances are that everybody will fold to you - that is everybody except a person holding a pocket pair of twos! Even if he thought you had pocket fives or nines he still will try and take you out because psychologically he thinks he is being sneaky and wants to have silent bragging rights at being a wiley poker player.
So be ready to fold if you are re-raised or seriously think about folding pocket jacks if there is too much action preflop or after the flop...
Here is a true example from a bone-headed play that I made in a NL $40 tournament.
1} Kim G $410 Ac 5h
2) Player 2 $470 2c 4s
3) Player 3 $550 Js Qd
4) Player 4 D $1,015 Jh Qs
5) Player 5 $383 Ks 6s
6) Player 6 $642 Kh Kd
7) Player 7 $500 3h 5d
8) Player 8 $575 9d 6c
9) Player 9 $455 3d Ah
Player 5 posts small blind $10
Player 6 posts big blind $15
Player 7 folds
Player 8 folds
Player 9 folds
Kim G calls $15
Player 2 folds
Player 3 calls $15
Player 4 calls $15
Player 5 raises $80
Player 6 raises $547 (all-in)
Kim G calls $395 (all-in)
Player 3 folds
Player 4 folds
Player 5 folds
Kim G shows Ac 5h
Player 6 shows Kh Kd
FLOP: Ad Qc Th
TURN: Ad Qc Th 9c
RIVER: Ad Qc Th 9c Kc
Player 6 wins $945 with Three of a Kind, Kings
I was knocked out of the tournament and correctly so. In retrospect I was in the early stages of the tournament and I should have folded my cards. Back when I played this, my decision, was a "gut instinct" call.
Consider that before the flop, I figured I would have at least a slightly better than fifty-fifty shot (51%?) of making it through a showdown to try and double up. At the time, I had no clue I was up against pocket kings.
At the flop I was the 67% favorite and then at the turn still about a 64% favorite. And of course, you drop down to 47% with the king or in my case, a ZERO chance of winning against a set of kings!
Would I do that again? In tournament play, I would answer "maybe". If it were early in the tournament, no. In this case, I broke my own rule, I was getting bored.
You should be VERY patient in No Limit nad let the other guy get bored and go in when he or she probably shouldn't.
If it were later on in the tournament and close to the final positions and I need to make a move, yes.
Remember - in our $40 approach, at the lower limits, there are some people who treat their entire $40 stacks as if it were a $1/2 limit game. They want action and they are willing to go after you with junk. The problem is that even junkholders may get cards.
Should we be afraid of large stacks? Depends. Players who have large stacks at the $40 no limit game ring game - and by large I mean $300-500 have had a decent run of luck AND some skill. They may not be intimidated in calling you if you go all in as well. If they got their stack by being lucky, and you will see these types of players obviously winning a lot of gut shot straights, making river flushes, etc, tighten your hand to the best possible winning hand you can have. You will know these players because they always raise, even with junk, or at the very least are calling stations with every hand.
Think back to some of my advice from my other low limit game ring game here: You want to go in with the best shot at winning you can since these wildcats will go ahead and call your all-in call anyways. Trying to bluff them is a waste of time. Don't try and end up heads up with them unless you think you have the best hand or at least a hand that is better than what they might have.
If you have been watching them they either may favor flush draws with any two suited cards, pocket pairs hoping to make trips or a full house, or even any two cards. If the player falls into the any two suited cards to win category, he or she probably isn't getting the odds to try and catch a flush. For a trips chaser, they won't hit it often enough in a no limit ring game to make it worth their while. For a junk player, they will ride it out until their stack starts getting smaller. They may tighten up their game then.
If the player with the very large stack is winning moreso to skill than luck, he or she will NOT call you if you go all in because that person knows that if they can't beat you, they probably aren't getting paid enough to call your hand. They also want to keep every last chip that they are winning - not a bad philosophy that you can adapt yourself!
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10 DIGIT ISBN/SKU: 0977728277
13 DIGIT ISBN Complete: 978-0-9777282-7-5
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The book can be ordered in the U.S. at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
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VISITORS from other countries please order through either Amazon, Amazon UK, or Barnes and Noble. When going to the store please request the book by it's title for ordering "Forty Dollar No Limit Texas Hold'em Ring and Tournament Games" or order the book by it's ISBN number - either the ISBN-10 0-9777282-7-7 or ISBN-13 978-0-9777282-7-5 .
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