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“Mad Genius” ego damage and the nature of poker
Biographical, Image, Motivation, Psychology
A seven-card stud secret from my old note
Manipulation, Other games, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
Advice that works, discussing poker online
Online, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
An unpredictable image can make a difference
ALL (newest first), General, Image, Manipulation, POKER, SPOTLIGHT, Strategy
Another multiple-choice test
ALL (newest first), Bankroll, General, Manipulation, POKER, Psychology, Strategy, Tests
Are you lucky?
ALL (newest first), POKER, Psychology
Bad poker decision illustrated
General, Hold 'em, Manipulation
Bad poker science and a disagreement
ALL (newest first), Image, Manipulation, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
Bad poker: Shifting gears at the wrong time
General, Manipulation
Beating your buddies at poker with tells
Tells
Big profit from poker equity
Image, Manipulation, POKER, Strategy
Bluffing or not? Poker clues revealed
General, Manipulation, Tells
Book (Caro on Gambling) 01. Plodders
Bankroll, Gambling, Image, Motivation
Book (Caro on Gambling) 02. God of Irony
Gambling, Motivation, POKER
Book (Caro on Gambling) 03. Winning attitude
Gambling, Motivation
Brunson: A state of mind
Entries by others, Motivation, Other games
Brunson: Accepting a gift
Entries by others, Hold 'em, Manipulation
Brunson: Dangerous side bets at the poker table
Entries by others, Manipulation, Other games
Brunson: Don’t let weak opponents escape
Entries by others, Manipulation, Motivation, Tournaments
Brunson: Don’t soft play opponents
Entries by others, General, Manipulation
1 2 3 … 30

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≡ Content above: Poker1 Phase2a specification ≡

Yes! I made that stupid play, and I’m proud!

Note: Not at the old Poker1 site. A version of this entry was originally published (1992) in Card Player magazine.

I took a day off and entered the lowball tournament at the Bicycle Club. But this isn’t about lowball.

Let’s make sure everyone can follow today’s example. In lowball, you get five cards, there’s a betting round, and then remaining players get replacements for cards they don’t like before betting one last time. You try for low ranks without a pair. Ace is low, and the best hand is 5-4-3-2-A, followed by 6-4-3-2-A. High card defines the weakness of the hand, so Q-J-10-4-2 beats K-5-4-3-2. Got it?

Usually, a minimum profitable pat hand is an eight, such as 8-7-5-2-A. Unless you’re in a later position, pat nines can be costly, so you usually throw away 9-8-7-3-2.

My first hand. On the very first hand in the tournament, I raised from a fairly early position. Only the blind called, drawing two cards. Instantly, I rapped pat and spread 10-8-4-3-A face up while my opponent was still looking to see what he’d drawn. Unable to beat my pitiful 10-high, he threw his cards away without bothering to check to me. Players probably thought: That’s the Mad Genius, making another crazy play!

But, let’s examine the hand. When I raised the blind, I was correct. I wasn’t raising on the strength of the pat 10-high, but mainly on the strength of the included one-card draw to 8-4-3-A. When my opponent drew two, I was correct to abandon my one-card draw and stand pat.

But, wait! When I spread my miserable 10-high lowball hand face up before my opponent had acted, was that correct, too? Oddly, the answer is yes! Sometime it’s much easier to read an opponent if he knows for sure whether his hand will win! Also, I’ve learned that most opponents don’t bluff often enough into my exposed mediocre hands. Therefore, in the absence of a tell one way or another, I was willing to throw my hand away against a bet.

A sad outcome. True, my I opponent could now safely bet some extra hands, such as 9-8-4-3-2; but, in exchange, he was easier to read, less likely to bluff, and more likely to broadcast tells if he did bluff. Sadly, the final outcome was not quite perfect. My opponent simply threw his hand away without waiting for me to act. If he’d held his hand after declining to bet, I would have bet! That would enhance my image risk free, because a foe declining to bet into an exposed hand must be beat.

Some players think I advertise too much. I don’t. Surprisingly, you can often establish a profitable image inexpensively. Your winning poker image can be smoke and mirrors, my friends. Smoke and mirrors.  — MC

A–Z | Newest | Oldest
“Mad Genius” ego damage and the nature of poker
Biographical, Image, Motivation, Psychology
A seven-card stud secret from my old note
Manipulation, Other games, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
Advice that works, discussing poker online
Online, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
An unpredictable image can make a difference
ALL (newest first), General, Image, Manipulation, POKER, SPOTLIGHT, Strategy
Another multiple-choice test
ALL (newest first), Bankroll, General, Manipulation, POKER, Psychology, Strategy, Tests
Are you lucky?
ALL (newest first), POKER, Psychology
Bad poker decision illustrated
General, Hold 'em, Manipulation
Bad poker science and a disagreement
ALL (newest first), Image, Manipulation, POKER, Psychology, Strategy
Bad poker: Shifting gears at the wrong time
General, Manipulation
Beating your buddies at poker with tells
Tells
Big profit from poker equity
Image, Manipulation, POKER, Strategy
Bluffing or not? Poker clues revealed
General, Manipulation, Tells
Book (Caro on Gambling) 01. Plodders
Bankroll, Gambling, Image, Motivation
Book (Caro on Gambling) 02. God of Irony
Gambling, Motivation, POKER
Book (Caro on Gambling) 03. Winning attitude
Gambling, Motivation
Brunson: A state of mind
Entries by others, Motivation, Other games
Brunson: Accepting a gift
Entries by others, Hold 'em, Manipulation
Brunson: Dangerous side bets at the poker table
Entries by others, Manipulation, Other games
Brunson: Don’t let weak opponents escape
Entries by others, Manipulation, Motivation, Tournaments
Brunson: Don’t soft play opponents
Entries by others, General, Manipulation
1 2 3 … 30

Everything is everywhere

Any Poker1 page takes you anyplace you want to go!

↓ Search Poker1 ↓

Poker1 

Megadex

Poker1 universe —
all in one place.

→ Collections
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→ Browse
Everything at Poker1 in alphabetical order


→ Categories
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— main navigation departments —

Collections

Related groups of Poker1 content

↓ Major collections ↓

Gambling  •  Hold 'em  •  Info  •  Life beyond poker

Poker (all)  •  Poker dictionary  •  Poker psychology

Poker statistics  •  Poker strategy  •  Poker tells

Prediction*  •  Shopping  •  Zone 2*

↓ Tip collections ↓

All*  •  Gambling*  •  Life*  •  Poker*  •  Various*

↓ Contributor collections ↓

Brunson  •  Caro  •  McHaffie  •  Wiesenberg  •  Others*

↓ More collections ↓

Poker1 FAQ  •  Poker-tell videos  •  Review of poker lessons

Sunday sessions*  •  Targeted poker quizzes  •  Tuesday sessions

* Any collection followed by an asterisk ( * ) has no entries yet.

A-to-Z     Library     Collections     Top     Home

Poker1 everything

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Published by

Mike Caro

Visit Mike on   → Twitter   ♠ OR ♠    → FaceBook

Known as the “Mad Genius of Poker,” Mike Caro is generally regarded as today's foremost authority on poker strategy, psychology, and statistics. He is the founder of Mike Caro University of Poker, Gaming, and Life Strategy (MCU). See full bio → HERE.

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