Question 1: You find yourself on the Button, 9 players still at the table, everyone folds to you… And you have Rockets. What do you do?
Answer: Raise, but not too much. You want some action from the blinds. You raise 3x the Big blind. Both Small and Big call you – game on.
Question 2: Flop comes Ten of Diamonds, King of Diamonds, King of Clubs. SB checks, BB bets 200 (5x Big Blind). If he has a King, you’re screwed and left with 2 outs. What do you do?
Answer: Fold them up? Probably the best play. But you’re stubborn. Your Aces have to win. Hey, there’s only a 15% chance that this guy can win, assuming that he doesn’t have a King and is bluffing. But if he holds the King, there is a 91% chance you are going to lose. You call anyways.
Question 3: Turn shows a 3 of Spades. No help. He checks – a sign of weakness. What do you do?
Answer: You bet. And he calls immediately. He probably does have that King (in which case you are about 5% to win).
The river is dealt. It could be the most glorious card you have ever seen – Ace of Diamonds. You have a boat – Aces full of Kings. You bet 120 (should have bet more), he calls and shows up King-Jack of Spades. You win. You shouldn’t have won, but you did. Lucky Bastard.
Lets not think about the 2 hands that could have destroyed you (pocket kings – giving him 4 of a kind; or Queen-Jack of Diamonds – giving him the elusive Royal Flush).
As a side note, my poker skills have gotten pretty decent. I was totally prepared to fold this hand. In fact, if I was in Vegas, I would have folded. And I would have showed my opponent that I was capable of laying down such a monster hand. And I would have kicked his ass later on a stone cold bluff. Nooch.