Poker Words of Wisdom!

Lafortezza

Got this in an email from a buddy of mine. Words of wisdom relating (some of them just barely!) to poker play.

The mathematically correct play is not always the best play. (Chip Reese) You must maintain a reputation for honor in the gambling business. Your word must be your bond. It’ll be your Ace-in-the hole. (Super System) Crisis management principle: Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin the cat back in. Negotiation principle: Never drop yer gun to hug a grizzly. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. A good horse never comes in a bad color. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day. There's two theories to arguin' with a woman.... Neither one works. Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco. It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep. Always drink upstream from the herd. When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson. When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else. Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but you might need to know what it was... The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket. Never miss a good chance to shut up. There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading. The few that learn by observation. The rest of them that have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.

Poker is an information based game the more you can gather the more it will be worth to you. It will make border line decisions easier and the simple decisions almost automatic. When you are out of the pot you must gather information. That is your job. Now what do you look for? The first thing to notice is how the opponent plays. Is he timid, solid, a maniac, calling station or an aggressive opponent. Next note his bet steps. Does he bet the flop and not the turn when he does not have a made hand. Does he bet the flop the turn and not the river. Or does he just bet all the way.

Note how he bets with a made hand aggressive or almost timidly. Does it change when he is bluffing. Fast to not give you time to think or slow to suck you into the pot. Or does he hesitate extra long with a huge hand. Take notes for later it will come in handy.

Next note how the opponent plays his position. In last position does he bet when he does not have much or does he check waiting for a big hand. You can use this to bet a made hand not giving a free card or check raising to gain and extra bet.

Now the specifics watch him. Start with his hands, then his arm motion and then how he breathes. Look at his face. Look for giveaways. Can he shuffle his chips when he does not have a hand. Is he breathing fully or shallow as when he bluffs. Does he carry a full real smile or a fake corner of the mouth smile. These are the things to notice try to play them in your mind backwards and forwards, all the way through the hand. Relating what you see on the river to his actions. Remember it is almost impossible for an opponent to hide his true intent. One part is going to give him away and it’s either going to be his breathing, shuffling or his smile or any other thing you notice that has changed from his previous actions. This is profiling.