Situations...

I have decided that I was overlooking a major component of my game when making decisions that I use all of the time.

For example, in a few previous posts I suggested that I nearly always like to check flops with AK or AQ style hands if I missed or make a hand. Or that I should bet a set on the flop every time. And so on.

The key in poker is that there is no absolute rules for correct play. I rewatched Phil Gordon's DVD recently and it reminded me - Poker is a game of situations, not hard and fast rules. Its critical to alter your play based on table conditions and the types of plays other players are making.

Recently I had a few bad nights where my style was not working. I never hit and hand and was paid off, so I slowly was leaking away money. After a few hours I was down a few hundred and realized that the problem was that players were not playing back at me AND they were playing very tight preflop. I decided to switch gears. I started raising with any ace, any king, any suited cards, and any pair when I was in middle position or later and was opening the pot. Whenever anyone reraised I would fold unless I had a good showdown hand. I was stealing the blinds two or three times every round. I also started betting more flops. People seemed willing to fold - so I obliged them. Soon I was back even and then even ahead. When a lot of ppl started playing back at me - I'd switch again! If people did not notice I had tightened up, it was very easy to push a flop and get paid off.

Now when I play - I sit down and play rock tight/passive for the first hour or so. If I notice that the players are playing tight and passively themselves, I switch gears and tear them apart. If they are playing aggressively - I continue to play sneaky tight and trap, trap, trap. This works much better. :) The key is mixing up play, but then also taking advantage of various situations. One such situation I was missing a lot was the two suited ragged flop. I was leading out preflop with AK and missing and checking the flop, after my opponent had checked. This really should be a bet most of the time. So now, I really only check these if I'm trapping or something about the hand suggests that I am behind...

One thing I like about playing a bit maniacal at times is that you can pull off the flop push play. Basically its the BOW strat in Phil Gordon's book. If I raised or reraised a person perflop, and a flop comes that I think makes me at least 35% to win (at least 9 outs) then I don't mind pushing the flop. I do this with great draws and sets. Usually both of which, in a check raise or reraise. The great thing is, there are plenty of hands that are beating you that will fold, and plenty of hands that you will usually beat that are behind. :)

A great example of this play I made last night. I had AhKh in middle position. A guy in early position limped, I raised 3.5x BB everyone folded to the limper who called. Flop came 8h5h2c. My opponent bet half the pot. I moved all in for 100x BB. My opponent called - showing Qs8c. At this point in the hand I have 15 outs! Any heart, any ace, and any king. With two cards to come, I am actually the favorite! I hit an ace on the turn and a heart on the river. About twenty hands later I flopped a set of tens on a board of AT2 two-suited. I checked, my opponent bet the pot. I moved all-in for 200x BB. My opponent called, showing AK. :)

I especially like making this play against half-buy in stacks. They don't have a ton of chips - so they are inclined to call a lot more in spots where they shouldn't. So If I have two overs with a flush or straight draw - I look to put all the money in on the flop. I am rarely an underdog when I make this play, so getting all the money in is huge +EV play. :)