Talking Yourself Into Calling

[Dizzyg8r 0]

Every once in awhile, I will talk myself into calling despite my gut telling me I am beat. I will sit back, analyze the hand, and despite my initial instinct telling me to fold, go ahead and call. I know we should always take our time and analyze a hand before deciding on whether or not to make a big fold, but is there ever a time to not trust your gut reaction?

[Balloon guy 158]

problem is everytime I trust my gut and fold, the other guy never shows so I never know if it was a good fold or not.So now I call everytime. Yea I lose alot of money, but I know they aren't bluffing now.

[BeaverStyle 1]

problem is everytime I trust my gut and fold, the other guy never shows so I never know if it was a good fold or not.So now I call everytime. Yea I lose alot of money, but I know they aren't bluffing now.

From what I've gathered reading strategy posts in this forum (this forum-strat), I've reallized you can't necessarily think of it as "am i beat now?" but, "how many times in this situation will I be beat?"Replaying the hand in your mind, you have to put the clues together: type of opponent, preflop position, betting style/size... etc.Putting the opponent on a range of hands is necessary, and when you think the opponent's range contains more hands that you can beat than hands you can't, it's a call (unless you have a GOOD read, getting rid of the range.)That's the nub interpretation, anyways.GL-beaver

[mtdesmoines 3]

Replaying the hand in your mind, you have to put the clues together: type of opponent-beaver

Someone who sits at a table for a long time is less likely to be running constant bluffs. If a short timer is making constant runs at pots, I smell a rat.EDIT: I want to add that bluffers can be your own personal chip store, if you play them right. They will always fire the third bullet (which is what makes the bluff tough to call), and a min / check-raise on the river with a good hand is going to pay huge: many of them will re-raise, because they've got so much committed to the their bluff. Bluffers are the best way to instantly double up. But you have to hit them at the right time on the right hand. Hitting a middle straight with non-connectors when there's a high card or two on the board are optimum bluff-killer hands. They won't run at flush hands, and they won't run at connector hands.

[Flack_attack 0]

From what I've gathered reading strategy posts in this forum (this forum-strat), I've reallized you can't necessarily think of it as "am i beat now?" but, "how many times in this situation will I be beat?"Putting the opponent on a range of hands is necessary, and when you think the opponent's range contains more hands that you can beat than hands you can't, it's a call (unless you have a GOOD read, getting rid of the range.)That's the nub interpretation, anyways.GL-beaver

This very good advice. you should also look at the pot size to determine the "odds" you are getting on your call.

[dna4ever 2]

This very good advice. you should also look at the pot size to determine the "odds" you are getting on your call.

odds and range of hands are overrated - just go with your gut.

[Flack_attack 0]

odds and range of hands are overrated - just go with your gut.

How DARE you disagree with Sklansky!i feel you though

[mtdesmoines 3]

How DARE you disagree with Sklansky!i feel you though

I like to lead the Sklansky readers down the trail preflop, post-flop, and at the turn, and then lay the dumbfounding bet on them at the river. By the book players just kill me. They ALWAYS ask, "Why would you X when Y and Z?" (Answer: "To **** you up and take your chips.")

[Mercury69 3]

I like to lead the Sklansky readers down the trail preflop, post-flop, and at the turn, and then lay the dumbfounding bet on them at the river. By the book players just kill me. They ALWAYS ask, "Why would you X when Y and Z?" (Answer: "To **** you up and take your chips.")

Amen, bruttha

[r0llin_game 2]

well i use to be a guy that'd pay to see it for my own entertain esp. in low limits like .50/1$ if the river wasnt too expensive. but now i'm been going with my reads and lemme tell you, gut instict is one of the most important aspects of the game. we have this 2/5NL house game with min. 100 max 300 buyin so money to say the least the game is loose. one nite i lost like a 200$ buyin but was proud w/ how well i played and how spot on my reads were. one hand i had AJ, one of the better players in the game raised to 20, i flat called along w/ another opp. flop came out J high, my instict told me if i was to do anything it'd be check/call even thought that play aint EV+ w/ my holding. the original raiser had bet out 50$, which for the most part might be a conituation bet w/ him. the other guy in the hand thought for a minute or 2 then laid his hand down, i wasn't too worried about him, i was focused on the bettor. it took 5 minutes for me to come up w/ he has AA or KK, i folded it up and we later discussed the hand and he said had KK. and ever since that nite, i've been having a much better feel for my reads at the table. but my best advice is grow more accustomed to m aking those laydowns and going w/ your gut instinct

[mtdesmoines 3]

well i use to be a guy that'd pay to see it for my own entertain esp. in low limits like .50/1$ if the river wasnt too expensive. but now i'm been going with my reads and lemme tell you, gut instict is one of the most important aspects of the game. we have this 2/5NL house game with min. 100 max 300 buyin so money to say the least the game is loose. one nite i lost like a 200$ buyin but was proud w/ how well i played and how spot on my reads were. one hand i had AJ, one of the better players in the game raised to 20, i flat called along w/ another opp. flop came out J high, my instict told me if i was to do anything it'd be check/call even thought that play aint EV+ w/ my holding. the original raiser had bet out 50$, which for the most part might be a conituation bet w/ him. the other guy in the hand thought for a minute or 2 then laid his hand down, i wasn't too worried about him, i was focused on the bettor. it took 5 minutes for me to come up w/ he has AA or KK, i folded it up and we later discussed the hand and he said had KK. and ever since that nite, i've been having a much better feel for my reads at the table. but my best advice is grow more accustomed to m aking those laydowns and going w/ your gut instinct

Online and live, there are some people who are total glass blocks to me ... I know exactly what they're up to every time. And online and live, there are people I can't decipher no matter what... I generally leave them alone.

[Whiskey16 1]

odds and range of hands are overrated - just go with your gut.

As skinny as you are, no wonder your poker game sucks.

[mtdesmoines 3]

odds and range of hands are overrated - just go with your gut.

I have to agree ... the odds that ANY possible hand beats yours is irrelevant. What you have to divine is the answer the question: "Does that hand over there, the one that stayed in and has been calling me down ... does that hand beat mine?"