Playing the Player

Many people have made this statement many times, but here it is again. Poker is a game about playing people as much as it is about playing the cards. One doesn't always need the best hand to win and if you only wait for the best hand you will not win consistently. Here is an example from a recent bar outing. I am the big blind with a short stack maybe 3000 in chips with blinds at 100-200. A player that can be read like a book raises to 1200. I immediately put her on A-K or A-Q suited. I have 7-8 off. I know that I am going to call as soon as she raises and if the flop doesn't come big cards I know I can push and take the pot down. Flop is 4-6-8. I have flopped top pair and a gut shot. Bettor bets 1200 again. I move all in for 600 more. She of course calls and turns over A-10 suited. Not even as strong as I thought. Turn is a 5, I now have a straight and win hand. Player goes on tilt about me calling her big raise with 7-8. I tell her why I called and that puts her on tilt more. In the next two hands she losses all her chips and goes from chip leader on table to being out of tournament. She had to wait for another player and continues steaming just off the table. This player is one of the most predictable players that I have ever seen and doesn't understand why she is not doing as well as she used to. It's simple. Play all hands the same and it doesn't take long for even bar players to figure it out. Would I have called the raise against two or three other players at the table. Absolutely not. It's an easy fold, but I will play any two cards against a player that I am 90 percent sure that I know what they have and can get them to fold after the flop. The moral is mix it up and play more hands and don't just wait for the monsters. They don't always win.