FEAR

What would you be IF you weren't afraid?
“In a balance of mutual terror, whoever acts first has the advantage!”

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Laws of Combat (as it relates to Poker)

Updated 2//11/2017
Mr Lucky Poker

Basic Laws of Combat
              (as it relates to Poker)
1. You are not superman.
(Don't expect to win every hand)

2. Suppressive fires -- won't.
(Limping in can get you killed)

3. If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.
(Luck! Even a Donkey wins a hand now and then)

4. Don't look conspicuous -- it draws fire.
(Drawing attention to yourself makes you a target, too bold or too timid will result in challenges)

5. When in doubt, empty the magazine.
 (Go All-In when you smell fear, yours or theirs)

6. Never share a fighting hole with anyone braver than you are.
(Get out of the pot if bigger stacks attack)

7. Never forget your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.
(Limping in can explode on you)

8. If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush.
(Calling stations usually have something)

9. No plan survives the first contact intact.
(After the flop, all hands change)

10. All five second grenade fuses will burn down in three seconds.
(Holding on to draws usually backfires)

11. Try to look unimportant, because the bad guys may be low on ammo.
(Keep a low profile but play your good hands aggressively against low chip stacks)

12. If you are forward of your position, the artillery will fall short.
(First to act may get you shot)

13. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.
(You are being slow played by a better hand)

14. The important things are always simple.
(Don't try to overplay a hand)

15. The simple things are always hard.
(AA doesn't win every hand)

16. The easy way is always mined.
(Catching the flop doesn't mean the Turn or River won't get trapped)

17. If you are short of everything except enemy, you are in combat.
(The less chips you have, the more likely you are to lose)

18. When you have secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy.
(It's OK to declare victory before the river if you have the nuts)

19. Incoming fire has the right-of-way.
(Get out of the way of aggressive action if you don't have the nuts)

20. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.
(Top 10 hands don't always work)

21. If the enemy is in range, so are you.
(You can't avoid the enemy when you are heads-up)

22. Beer math: 37 men times 2 beers each equals 49 cases.
(Chips, you can never have enough of them)

23. Body count math: 3 bad guys plus 1 probable plus 2 pigs = 37 enemy killed in action.
(You must eliminate everyone, limpers and calling stations end up as Collateral damage)

24. Friendly fire - isn't.
(Expect to be attacked by anyone, even friends)

25. Things that must be together to work usually can't be shipped together.
(Most drawing hands don't catch)

26. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support desperately.
(Your friends can't help you when you need them, no insurance)

27. Anything you do can get you shot -- including doing nothing.
(Being too passive is only slightly worse than being too aggressive)

28. If you make it too tough for the enemy to get in, you can't get out.
(Sometimes it's easy to get pot committed with less than the nuts)

29. Tracers work BOTH ways.
(Being too obvious can get you trapped)

30. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
(Your friends will stab you in the back, eventually)

31. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will have more than your fair share to take.
(Build your chip stack by making good choices with good cards and steal some pots)

32. When both sides are convinced they are about to lose, they're both right.
(Calling on the river usually means the worst hand could have won with a bet)

33. Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of amateurs.
(You can't bluff a bad player, suck outs happen at the river)

34. Any significant military action will occur at the junction of two or more map sheets.
(After the flop, any street can turn a winning hand into a losing hand)

35. When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.
(Going All-In doesn't guarantee you a win)

36. Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you.
(Playing out of turn will ruin your game)

37. Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.
(Pay Attention! Looking bored will get you action)


I NEVER BLUFF

Poker Rules Of Engagement

Updated 2/11/2017

ALL POKER IS LIKE WAR
You need to be prepared, but remember that also like war, no plan survives the first shot or engagement.


1. Bring an ACE. Preferably, bring at least two Royalty cards. Bring all of their friends who are connected to Royalty.
2. Anything worth betting on is worth a raise. Aggression is cheap. Passiveness is expensive.
3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.
4. If your image is predictable, you're probably not raising enough nor using position correctly.
5. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend(Unless you have him out gunned, then draw him in for the kill.)
6. If you can choose what to bring to a shootout, bring an ACE and a friend of Royalty.
7. Ten years from now, no one will remember the details of the game, hand, or tactics. They will only remember who won.
8. If you are not betting, you should be observingcounting stacks, and tagging opponents.
9. Aggression is relative. This is a BIG one. (Most aggressive action will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent validity of the hand)
10. Use a position tactic that works every time.  (All skill is in vain when an big stack thinks you are weak)
11. If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Timidity is dangerous, better to enter with boldness. The end is everything.
12. Always Lie; Conceal your intentions. Cultivate an air of unpredictability. 
13. Always have a plan and have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work.
14. Use cover or concealment as much as possible. The visible target should be in FRONT of your gun.
15. Do not give comfort or information to the enemy.
16. Don't drop your guard.
17. Challenge. The risk of never challenging is always greater than the risk of challenging.
18. Create Fear. If your opponents aren’t sure what attacking you will cost, they will not want to find out.
19. Do not fight the LAST battle: Use Guerrilla Warfare of the Mind.
20. If you have the opportunity to eliminate your opponent, you must do itIt is the rule in war!
21. Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
22. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
23. Everyone has a weakness. Find it and exploit it. 

I NEVER BLUFF




Big Fish - Small Pond or Small Fish - Big Pond

Updated 2/11/2017

After all, poker is just another Liar's game of "Go Fish". 
http://www.mrluckypoker.net/2015/05/poker-liars-game-of-go-fish.html
The goal is to be the biggest fish in the pond, no matter how many fish are in the pond and AA is usually the biggest fish in any pond. You could look at the Flop, Turn, and River as food to make you an even bigger fish.

The size of the bet could be considered the bait and it takes a big fish to eat lots of bait. Lots of bait tends to attract some fish and they may just be able to grow into a big enough fish to take all the bait. The action on the Flop, Turn and River will help determine when you should just cut your bait and run.

The first one in the pond usually thinks they can be a big fish, but the more fish there are in the pond, the bigger you have to be. You really don't want to be a small fish, like most drawing hands tend to be, in a big pond, like one with many players. You can also relate the size of the splash in relation to the size of the fish and some players really like to splash their chips into the pond. But is it a big fish splashing or a belly flop, both make big splashes?

The size of the pond is important too. Position helps you determine how big you need to be or if you have the potential to grow into a larger fish. I've seen a few dead whales on the beach, so AA isn't a sure thing, especially in a pond with lots of action. If there is only one other fish in the pond, jump in, the water tends to distort the size of the fish anyway.

I NEVER BLUFF


MISTAKES! I've made a few -- recently!!!

Updated 2/11/2017
Mr Lucky Poker
I swear that the cast from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, will all sit at my table        - sometime. 

I played in the First Annual Hollywood Park Casino Facebook Fan Tournament. Came in late because I was really looking to play some Sit-N-Go games and HPC has the only ones in town. They weren't spreading them because of the Facebook Fan Tournament, so I entered it.

I don't expect much from their tournaments, having played some in the past and even won a couple, but their tournaments are geared to Luck more then skill. Their deep stack tournaments, aren't really; and they also tend to be super fast races where your "M" will go from somewhere around 40 down to about 10 in the first hour.

This one was a little better, with 10,000 starting chips, 25/50 starting blinds and 20 minute levels, you start with an "M" of 200. The Scramble period happened as expected, about level 6, when middle stacks with loose players start trying to build chips. The Minefield happened, also as expected, at about level 11.
I had some good plays, some bad plays, and one ugly play.

OK - I HAVE RULES, AND THEY SERVE ME WELL, 
BUT HERE, I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY GUT OR ADHERE 
  TO MY RULES, AND I PAID THE PRICE!

Golden Rule:  Be Patient! Do not check, call, bet, raise or fold without asking yourself ~ What is this hand’s best possibility to win? Look to the LEFT, that's where the action has yet to come from!
Who is in this hand and what is their play style and stack size? Always try to take the same amount of time to make a decision, call for “Time”, randomly. Randomize Aggression.
  • OK, I BROKE THIS ONE - when I didn't listen to my gut on the last hand I played.
    Got KK, sitting on enough chips to skate into the In-the-Money portion and should have either gone all-in pre-flop, or mucked them when A67 came in on the flop and the chip leader, at my table, made about a half pot sized bet. I didn't believe he was doing anything more than betting an under pair. My instinct said, when I saw my pocket Kings, "hope an Ace doesn't come on the flop". He had A5.
Rule # 1:  Survive! Always try to take the best hand and get heads up with someone or make it expensive for someone to try to complete a draw. Use the Odds, for you and against them!  You can break any rule except the Golden Rule & #1.
  • OK, BROKE THIS ONE ALSO. (same hand, now two rules in play)
    Survive, means, "Get in the MONEY". It's ok to throw away KK or even AA, if you don't have the nuts or your are up against more chips than you have.
Rule #3: Never go all-in on a bluff until the final table and heads-up.
  • BROKE THIS ONE TOO, 'nuf said. Not really a bluff, but, broke it. (Three rules broken on the same hand, who need rules?????)
The Good: Made a couple of timely bluffs, build up chips when able and got lucky once when I got trip Kings, with a 6 vs trip Kings with a 5, and we didn't have to chop.

The Bad: Didn't pay attention by playing out of turn -- twice. One would have doubled me up if I had not played out of turn.

The UGLY: We already talked about that.

All in all, it was a great experience and Hollywood Park Casino has made some nice improvements.

<UPDATE>
Of course the track is gone now and they have changed ownership and the list time I went there, only about half of the tables were being used. I'll have to check it out and play some cash games there to see if the old crowd is back.

I NEVER BLUFF


Loose Table vs Tight Table Strategy

Updated 2/11/2017
mrluckypoker Mr Lucky Poker


Loose / passive table strategy.
There will usually be a gap between the hands that opponents are willing to limp and those that they will call a raise with.
passive opponents are more likely to call raises than re-raise you – so the first point is to tread carefully when you are called. possible to limp with more hands that have high implied odds value such as small pairs and suited connectors. These types of hands play well in multi-way pots.

After you flop a monster hand be careful not to blow your passive opponents out of the pot with big raises. Unless the board is particularly draw-heavy you should instead pick a bet size (see bet sizing) that is likely to be called – building the pot gradually so as to be paid the maximum.

The main problem with playing at passive tables is that it is slightly harder to build big pots.

Playing premium pairs at a passive table should usually involve raising to thin the field. Too small a raise can easily induce several of your loose opponents to enter the pot behind you with speculative holdings.

The ideal strategy to win at a loose / passive table is to become tight and aggressive – yet limp in with those hands with high implied-odds value as the situation warrants.

Loose / Aggressive table strategy. 
The only time you will be able to play small pairs or suited connector type hands is when you in position. Most hands should be folded in early position, because is too much danger of a raise and a re-raise behind you.

Bet your premium hands big. You should be looking to get a large amount of money into the pot before the flop, preferably against a single opponent. With a Loose Aggressive table, 4 or more players looking for the flop, you need to play small ball. If your Loose Aggressive player has possition on you, expect a raise or re-raise, so start with a small ball bet. The higher chance of a re-raise (or even a 4th raise all-in) makes playing these hands positively a profitable move.
http://www.thepokerbank.com/strategy/general/loose-table/

Learn to be aggressive

"I kept getting bet out of the pot!"

I'd have what I thought was a very strong hand, not the absolute nuts, but a good hand, maybe the best hand. I'd make my bet accordingly, say $35 to $50 in a $75 pot, and then someone would raise me to $150 or $200 and I'd fold.

I didn't really know it, but I was what you'd call "scared money". I had trouble risking $150-$200 on a hand that was not the absolute nuts.

Scared money does not win poker chips. I decided right then and there, that if I'm going to play Cash Poker, I absolutely have to be prepared to risk the bet on a single hand or single card. Over time this small change in attitude, my mindset, made all the difference. I soon found my opponents folding to my re-raises. I was winning bigger pots, my plays earned more respect,

Cash Poker takes a different mindset than Tournament Poker, and I finally figured out what it was for me. If I bust my daily Poker bankroll, I'll just go earn some more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6008016


I NEVER BLUFF