Most people acknowledge that an understanding of math is an asset to play Hold ‘em. They also recognize sometimes you make a good decision and still lose and sometimes you make a bad call and win. Here are two examples from a recent cash game I played in. As the big blind, I checked with an off-suit 9-5. The flop came 9-5-3 rainbow (top two) and I put out a half pot sized bet. Much to my surprise, I was raised all-in. I gave it a lot of thought and came down to two likely hands; a set or a big pair not wanting a draw. Since I would have slow played a set, my conclusion was a pair of Jacks, Queens or Kings, so I called. Bingo, Queens! I was up against a two-outer (92% favorite on the turn and 96% on the river). You probably can guess what happened. Good call but rivered. Three hands later, as a spectator, a bad call illustrated why Hold ‘em is so much fun. What looked like an obvious straight flop was bet, loosely raised, re-raised all-in, and called. It was the nut straight against two pair. The latter was an 8% and 4% dog (drawing to four outs to win). Of course, this time the bad call won. As Doyle Brunson says, “That’s poker, folks.”
By Howard Hian