Deception in No-Limit Hold'em Tournaments

Deception is important in no-limit hold'em tournaments. In the early rounds, it is important because the pots are smaller in relation to the number of chips in play. In the middle rounds, when the action begins to escalate, you can't just sit there with a short to medium stack without making an occasional play. And in the late stages, deceptive play coupled with selective aggression can help you build your stack for a run at the roses at the final table.

A tight image, coupled with an occasional deceptive play, will enable you to take a few more liberties in picking up some blinds here and there. A loose image and a tall stack also can be a frightening combination, because your opponents may not be able to figure out where you're at. With enough chips in your possession to break them, they may become very fearful of you. Whatever your table image is, capitalize on it. But be ready to put on the brakes if you come in with a marginal hand and someone plays with you.

In no-limit hold'em tournaments, you don't want to play in a totally predictable pattern, dubbed "A-B-C" by the pros. Therefore, you may not want to play only A-A, K-K, Q-Q, or A-K from early position - or J-J, 10-10, 9-9, A-Q, or K-Q suited from the middle spots. You want to occasionally mix it up with your hand values. You also may want to keep your standard raise about three to four times the size of the big blind, no matter what the strength of your hand. If you hold the K J in middle position, for example, make the same raise that you would if you held pocket aces. This way, you won't be giving away too much information to your opponents. The idea is to never let the value of your hand dictate the amount of your raise, so as to keep your opponents guessing; when they're guessing, that's good for you.

Of course, some players try to be deceptive in the amount of their raises. With the big blind at $100, they may make a raise of $100, hoping to be played with so that they can play back if they want to. At other times, an opponent may make a small raise just to keep someone else from making a bigger raise. This usually occurs when the raiser has a drawing hand and doesn't want to invest too many chips. He's afraid that an opponent with superior position will make a substantial raise, so he makes a smaller raise to try to fend off a megaraise. If you think a player is trying this maneuver, consider what your optimum strategy might be. If you believe a reraise will cause him to lay down his hand, reraise him. But if he's a tricky opponent who may be willing to call a pot-sized raise, for example, reconsider your best move. Sometimes a player will call your reraise from the blind with a decent holding, or with a short stack if he thinks his hand may be the best one he's going to get - or if he thinks you might be making a move at the pot.

During all the stages of a tournament, you will be rewarded more for aggressive play than for passive, timid play. Checking and calling will not take down the money in no-limit poker. But you must remain on the alert for a player who is willing to call with a medium-strength hand in hope of snapping off your bluff (or semibluff). So, be far less willing to try to bluff him than you would a more reasonable, solid opponent. Sophisticated, solid players are usually far easier to bluff, because they will make an intelligent laydown. Too often, I have seen players literally throw their chips at a much weaker opponent whom they are trying to run over. Time and again, the weaker player ends up with the chips, because he is practically bluff-proof. (This is especially true in low buy-in daily tournaments.) Against this type of unpredictable player, you can value bet, but be very reluctant to throw in a lot of money on a stone-cold steal. Some players just like to sleep well at night, and are willing to become a "sheriff" to do it. But sooner or later, of course, their more knowledgeable adversaries will trap them with legitimate hands by deceiving the sheriffs into thinking they are bluffing when they are not.

In my next column, I will discuss the overbet bluff in no-limit hold'em in more detail. Until then, I hope to meet you in the winner's circle, perhaps at the Four Queens Classic.

Editor's note: Tom McEvoy is the author of Tournament Poker, the all-time bestselling book on how to win at all the games in the World Series of Poker. For more information, visit www.pokerbooks.com.

---

Sign in to your myCardPlayer account to post comments.

User Name:

Password:

Remember Me

 

Need a myCardPlayer account?

Sign Up

Lost User Name or Password?

Get Help

 

Post a comment

Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or links may be removed and may result in the loss of your MyCardPlayer ID (including e-mail). Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.

 

your comment