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BGonline.org Forums
Poker from England
Posted By: Stick
Date: Wednesday, 27 September 2023, at 4:07 p.m.
So while I was in Europe I popped over to see Raj Jansari who many of you might know as he's one of England's strong fishies. While there Raj decided I don't work enough so he proceeded to have me play backgammon one day in a chouette and poker at the casino another night. I play poker (and backgammon) roughly never any more (live, I play bg every day w/XG). I imagine I hadn't played live poker in a couple years and even then it was a private game. I do however watch I'd say 40 minutes of poker on average every single day.
The first fun fact of many fun facts was you couldn't play poker without having a casino card. Ok, fine, whatever, no big deal. I went to get one, gave the guy my ID, and then he starts asking the requisite questions. One of the questions he asked to my surprise was "What do you do for a living?" I replied without hesitation that "I gamble". He kind of laughed and looked at me waiting for a real response. I looked back at him like ... what? He said "No, we need a real profession." So the indignation kicks in quick as it's also blowing my mind someone who works at a casino, even as a desk jockey, doesn't think someone could gamble for a living? I basically told him that's what the US government says I do. He is slightly put off at this point and turns to his boss who is luckily right there and he sorts it out quickly.
Second fun fact, I sit at a 'dealer's choice' game which means the 'dealer', aka the player on the button, gets to call what game we play amongst a few choices. The potential games were PLO4 (regular four card pot limit Omaha), PLO5, and PLO6. While PLO5 is quite common in the US and often called Big O you never really see a PLO6 game. Basically everyone is calling PLO6 because it's what creates the most action.
Now how it normally works in a proper poker room is the dealer calls the game for an entire round. So if it was on me to pick the game I'd pick PLO6 and assuming there were 6 players in the game we'd play 6 hands of it and then it would move on to the next person to call it. So to my utter surprise and befuddlement one hand after I had called PLO6 the dealer deals PLO5 and I remind him after he stops at 5 cards I called PLO6. He tells me it's not my call and proceeds to enlighten me that literally every deal a new player calls the game. How mf exhausting and potentially confusing is that?! I couldn't believe it and everyone else, even the dealer, seemed in agreement but that's apparently the way it is there.
Third fun fact is the only hand I remember. It's not that exciting but since I'm posting why not. We are playing 6 card PLO. I'm in the small blind so I'm out of position for the entire hand. Preflop it is limped and four people see the flop.
My hand: T774
The flop: AT7The table had been quite passive preflop except for one player who raised by far more frequently than anyone else. If he had anything worth looking at he was usually coming in for a raise. In this hand he would have been the under the gun player or first to act preflop and he limped which means there are a lot of hands I can remove from his range.
The pot is 20£ and I lead out for 15£. I only get one caller, the aforementioned generally aggressive player.
Turn: T
So I get lucky and turn a boat. Knowing this player knows what he's doing as far as this crowd is concerned I decided to throw out a bet of the same size as my flop bet, 15£. When a player bets the same on a latter street as he did on a previous street it screams weakness to more seasoned players. Knowing this and knowing this guy probably assumed I'm some random tourist in town to catch all the Harry Potter sites I thought it was a much stronger line than the typical "check to let the other player bluff".
Checking has two weaknesses here. First, players often check when they've just hit the nuts or virtual nuts. If I check after having bet the flop he could very well think I'm slowplaying and check it back. Secondly, even if the check/call line would work it doesn't get as much money in the pot as the lead/raise line does.
So after leading out for 15£ again on the turn he raises to £65. I call.
River: 4
Board: AT7T4
Me: T774I check it over to him again hopefully my weak turn bet is still doing its job and he bets 185£.
Not that we really need the analysis because this is the easiest call in the world but the opponent can't have AA because he didn't raise preflop. The only possible hand he could ever have that actually beats me is AT but in my mind even this is a super duper longshot as generally speaking, any reasonable Axxx holdings he also comes in for a raise. So I call quickly and his cards hit the muck. Talking shortly after he verbalizes what I already knew, my turn bet made him think that I was weak.
Stick
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