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The All-in Bluff |
Welcome to the new world of No-Limit Poker. The fabulous land where glory is found, fame and fortune is sought, and any pot can be picked up by announcing that you're All-In. At least that's what most new players believe, after watching the bold All-In plays that work on the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour, not realizing that this is only a small representation of the hands played. This play is rapidly becoming the only play that you will see back into a original bettor, at least in the smaller stakes. As you move up higher in altitude, this becomes less the norm, but nevertheless, still prevalent.
There's a reason Mike Sexton always says in his commentary, "That move works every time except for once." He's telling the truth. It may work against the weaker players who don't flop anything and don't have the resistance to fight back to this play. But then, what if they have the hand on lockdown with something they can call with? You're done. Or what if you run into a stronger player who picks up the read on this play? You're done.
There's never a be-all, end-all solution on how to get the chips pushed to you in hands like this. When you get to this mindset, you're not getting a lot out of your sessions other than a repetitive motion when a certain circumstance comes up. That kind of redundancy can break you in the long run, as the better players will pick up on this, and run you over, and the weak players will catch hands, and run you over as well. It takes inventiveness; finding out new ways to pick up loose chips in the pot if there's a way to get them (as you know that there's still the likelihood that your opponent may have the nuts, and your play may end up backfiring), and mixing them up in your game to be absolutely successful.
I recall a situation where I can prove this to be true. I was playing in a league tournament, where the top 10 finishers out of 10 games in points moved on to the finals for a larger prize pool. I was close to the top 10, and I was pumped to get the necessary points to send me to the finals in the last game.
Late into the tournament, I was at the average stack. On one hand, I checked in the Big Blind with KJo after only the Small Blind called. After seeing a low flop, I bet half the pot in an attempt to steal, thinking that the Small Blind didn't catch, and I could pick up the pot, seeing as how he had no information on my holdings other than I had two cards. The small blind then moved all-in on me (did I mention how popular this move was getting?). He was making this move quite often post-flop, if someone bet into him, and every time that he made this play, his opponent folded.
So I sat there for a while, pretending to think. There was no way I was calling this; I just wanted him to sweat a while. I was pretty sure he had nothing, even still, there was no possible way I could call this all-in. I fold, and sure enough, he turns up a worse nothing than me in hopes of making me tilt. Big mistake. Rather than tilt, I remembered this hand. I wanted to exploit this play the next time I was in a hand with him.
And sure enough, the blinds and antes hadn't even raised again before we went to war once more. He once again limps in the SB, and I check in the BB, this time with KJo. The flop comes J-7-2. I have top pair, great kicker, in the same situation as before. This time, I'm certain I'm ahead in the hand. Once again, I bet half the pot, in the severe belief that the SB would once again make the same play. Just as I wished, he, having me now covered, pushed his entire stack into the center, as I quickly followed behind him. After I show my Jacks, king kicker, he sheepishly flips over A5s. The turn and river are no help, and I'm thriving while he's now fledgling.
There's a time and place for every tool in your arsenal to be used at the table. The all-in bluff is a tool just like any other one: effective if used right, but if it's your only tool in your arsenal when you attempt to steal pots, then it's time to pick up some more tools.
The All-in Bluff written by: HangukMiguk
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