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Conservative Players At Poker
Free Cards Cost Money
When you have the best of it, make them pay to draw at you. Don't give them free cards Ancient Norwegian Proverb Ted started with 3-4-5 off suit in low limit High/Low Split, Seven Card Stud (8 or better for low). He caught an eight on Fourth Street. A man showing a six-ace checked and Ted checked along. Three other players who started with low cards had caught paints. The hand was checked around and everyone got a free card. Ted now caught a six and the ace-six got a jack. This man checked, Ted checked, everyone checked! Two free cards!
Timid play does not pay dividends at the poker table. Ted didn't have a great hand, but it was obvious that no one else did, either. He did have a potential sweep hand; if he caught a seven or a deuce, he had a straight. That is a fair hand. A two or an ace would give him a 6-5-4 low. That is a very strong low hand. By checking he was allowing the others to catch up. This is a dangerous practice.
Street Cards Bet
A bet on either fourth or Fifth Street would help him clarify the relative strength of the opponents. A fourth street bet after the A-6 checked would have helped define who had what. In a structured game, the fourth street bet is only half the price of the bets from there on out.
A bet on Fifth Street would also be called for. Ted had the only made low and good drawing possibilities. He was asking to give his money away.
There are many variables in every situation at the poker table. Let's look at this hand as an example. After the fourth street card, Ted had 3-4-5-8 for low and would have to catch two perfect cards to make a straight. Ted was also looking at another player who had an ace-six
showing. However, that person checked! That check had to give Ted a clue. Ted should have factored in whatever information he had about this other player. If that player was a super conservative person who would never bet a good four card low draw, Ted would have to use some caution. However, a bet is still appropriate. |
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| Learn Every Hand
This hand with Glenna illustrates that we can learn something from every hand we play. When we stay alert, when we watch patterns and habits, we can indeed learn something every hand. Some good players keep a written log or journal of what regular and/or dominant players do in certain situations. That way they can refresh themselves about how a certain person plays. They can also note when one of them, like Glenna, makes a change and does something different.
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Other Ingredients
Some super conservative players will fold unless they improve on fourth street. When that player caught a six, it certainly looked like an improvement. But he might have a six in the hole or a pair of jacks and would fold if Ted made a bet on fourth street. Other super-conservative players will never lead-bet or check raise, but will call all bets. They came to play uk poker and, by damn, they will look at all seven cards. If that is the case in this hand, Ted should bet every chance he can in order to get this guy to put more money in the pot.
There is another reason for Ted to bet with that 3-4-5-8. It is only
reasonable that he would win only the low side. Ted should now bet
just to increase the size of the pot. The other players are either
trying for high or have three card low draws, which gives Ted an
advantage, except for that ace six.
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