Hi. Come on in. I've made meatball sandwiches – learned how in a bar in Red Bank, New Jersey, when I was stationed at Fort Monmouth many years ago.
There must be a hundred or so Roy's Rules. Maybe I should sit at my word processor someday and list all of them. On second thought, maybe not. Today I'll pass on a half-dozen or so. Readers who have been with me for the past 15 years know that there are many Roy's Rules, but only one has a number, Roy's Rule No. 1: "Play Happy or Don't Play." All others are No. 2. Let's consider some of them:
"If I Don't Have Time to Prepare Mentally, I Don't Have Time to Go Play." I wouldn't enter a contest that requires physical exertion without first preparing my body. Neither would I enter a poker game – a contest requiring mental exertion – without first preparing my mind. I believe that getting myself into a confident frame of mind is essential. Preparation is first; all else follows.
"Don't Let Them See the Pain." If losing a pot causes you to be upset, you'll probably show that emotion even though you try to hide it. An astute opponent will pick up on your emotional condition and use it to his advantage. If you're upset, don't play. Take a hike until you can calm down (and this takes us right back to Roy's Rule No. 1).
I'll interject here that not all of my rules are for all people. In reference to Roy's Rule No. 1, one of my students told me, "But I'm not a happy guy. Most of the time, I'm angry. If I followed that rule, I'd never get to play." We bent the rule for him.
"Rarely Bluff in Low-Limit Public Poker." The lower the limit, the more this rule applies. It just doesn't pay off. In low-limit poker, you almost always have to show down the best hand to win. Your opponents are going to call you down on most hands.
People used to think that bluffing was a big part of the game because high-limit and no-limit players often did it. As a result, we did it because we wanted to be like them. Now that we've grown up and gotten smarter, we know better. (Our semibluffs are enough.)
"Give the Bluffers a Chance to Bluff." You've reached the end of a hand with a good holding against an opponent who you know is a bluffer. If you bet, he won't call – unless he believes he has you beat. But if you check, he'll take that as a sign of weakness and will attempt his bluff. You can then call and pick up an extra bet.
"Have Patience." If you live in an area of the country where there are public cardrooms, you can come back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. The game will be there when you want to play. You can wait for good hands. The visitor is at a disadvantage because he'll soon be gone. He wants to get into action, so he relaxes his starting-hand values. Wherever you live, don't be a "visitor" – be a "local." Have patience.
"Don't Play on Short Time." Unless you are specifically using a hit-and-run strategy, getting into a poker game when you're short on time is not a good idea. You'll tend to play too many hands because you know you'll have to leave soon.
Allow yourself enough time to play relaxed, so that you're thinking about poker, not the time.
"In a Close Decision Between Calling and Raising, Raise." Anytime you consider calling, consider raising – especially heads up. Build your game plan around betting and raising rather than checking and calling. Aggressive poker is winning poker.
"Don't Play in Shorthanded Games Unless You Have Developed a Shorthanded Game Strategy." Realize that hand values are different in shorthanded games. In seven-card stud, pairs and high unsuited cards increase in value, while hands such as small and medium three-straights and three-flushes decrease. Pairs have a chance to win by themselves, unimproved. A drawing hand must improve to win, and with fewer players, you won't be getting the correct pot odds for the draw.
You should never wear anything white while eating a meatball sandwich. I have a red shirt just for such occasions. Wash your face and kill the light on your way out.
Editor's note: Roy West, author of the bestseller 7 Card Stud, the Complete Course in Winning (available from Card Player), continues to give his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas to both tourists and locals. Ladies are welcome. Get his toll-free 800 number from his ad.