Cat and Mouse

One of the many reasons that I like getting a bridge tournament gig in Tunica, Mississippi, is that one of my favorite poker games is there, pot-limit high Omaha at the Horseshoe. After a recent Saturday bridge session, six of us squeezed into a little Mazda, went to the Gold Strike buffet, and then walked over to the Horseshoe for some serious poker. After about an hour at the fairly tight high Omaha table, with about $1,400 in chips in middle position, I picked up the K J Q Q. The blinds were $10-$25 with one $25 crawler to me. What would you do here with my cards?

If I had a very high pocket pair with not much else (such as "bad aces"), I probably would raise the pot (actually, make it a "smooth $100" to go). But with this very nice hand and five players in back of me, I strongly prefer a small "screening raise," which might keep several players in. So, I made it a "smooth $50" to go, which also just happened to be the most popular opening raise in that particular game. Two players and the big blind called behind me, as did the crawler.

With five-way action, the flop came K-Q-9 rainbow. The big blind checked and the crawler, who had about $2,000 in chips, came to life and bet $100. What would you do here?

Although I liked my set of queens, I have seen many second-high sets go down in flames. And somebody could well have a J-10 nut straight and raise it big time. So, I just called. I was rather surprised when everyone else folded.

The turn card was the 8, which now also gave me a king-high flush draw. Now heads up, the crawler led with a $350 bet. What would you do now?

I might have been chasing a straight, and I was even more afraid of chasing a set of kings. He might even have the nut-diamond draw. I was not at all interested in raising before seeing the last card, but I surely had enough to call.

The river card was the very interesting 10. My opponent tried not to look unhappy and checked to me. I had made the second-nut king-high straight (the board was K-Q-10-9-8), but an A-J would beat me. What would you do here? I had about $900 in chips left, and my opponent had more.

I really had no good feel as to what he had been betting. The worst scenario was that he started with A-J-10 and was now trapping. But since I had only $900 in chips left, he would not be interested in a check-raise; he probably would have bet $500 or more rather than risk a check on my part. So, I was pretty sure that I had him beat, or at least tied. I also sensed that he was unhappy with the board (a very likely straight situation). If I went all in for $900, he might just fold in disgust. So, I decided to make a smaller bet, but how much?

All in all, in these "bargain basement" situations in which you bet a smaller amount to make it easier to call, you have several levels of psychology to anticipate – especially with opponents who might think, "If he was bluffing, he would have bet more." My first inclination was to bet $400 or $500, but that might look like I was making it easier to call. So, I carefully bet $600.

He studied the board, shaking his head, and then said, "I can beat two pair." Since he was obviously fishing and trying to read any voluntary response on my part, I was programmed not to respond. Instead, I looked nonchalant and forced a slight smile (see Law #6, Caro's Book of Tells). Then, he said, "I'm gonna pay you off," and made the losing call with his 10-9-9-7 (a set of nines). So, I managed to eke out an extra $600. Was that all just part of playing poker, or was there another game going on?