What is the critical information you need in order to proceed in a hand?
What are the two cards my opponent is holding. In no limit games - whether it be cash or tournament - this information is the holy grail in terms of decision making at the table (of course it's important in Limit games, but I'm excluding Limit for the sake of this particular discussion).
"Getting a read" on your opponent is the process of gathering information in a number of ways that, in sum, can provide the rosetta stone for deciphering the puzzle of a hand. It requires due diligence in observation, concentration and a facility for filing that information away for recall at a later time.
So what are the pieces of the puzzle? Betting patterns - especially online - is probably the major puzzle piece. How your opponent responds at each stage of a hand provides vital information regarding his strength or weakness. If you've witnessed him consistently check a questionable flop, check the turn and fold to a bet, for example, it would be reasonable to assume that this pattern indicates the board missed, he's not prone to bluffing and therefore you could gain the pot by betting even if it missed you.
Another piece of the puzzle lies within the pot odds. A difficult decision is facilitated by calculating your outs, computing the odds of making your hand, and comparing that to the amount the pot is offering - now and potentially on the next streets. If the "pot is right" then continuation is proper if making your hand makes the best hand and will win the pot.
Position is another clue - is your opponent playing positionally? If so, then that pre-flop raise from under the gun mostly likely indicates a strong hand and you're going to need equally strong or better cards to respond. Conversely, someone who's not a positional player is going to be more of a wildcard and while great caution will be required to respond, you may be able to widen your starting requirements accordingly.
The above only scratches the surface....
Ok. I hear you - you're shaking your head and saying "Maudie, Maudie Maudie - this is all basic stuff and, well, gee there are one or two books out there that cover this far better than you ever could." Well, yeah, duh. I only bring this up because a) it's stuff I need to hammer into my feeble brain and b) it leads me to this week's HoT (Hand of the Tournament for those of you who don't read this blog regularly or who have weak memories).
A tournament - Level V and the blinds are 75/150. Seven handed. You're third to act with a low pocket pair - [ 6h 6c ] and T-3000 in chips (hovering around par). It's folded to you and you raise it up 4 times the big blind, a standard raise.. You get called by the big blind, who has been floating among the chip leaders with a very healthy stack - twice what you have - and who, for three levels now, has exhibited fairly tight playing - as have you. You're familiar with this player and know they are, at the very least, knowledgeable.
The flop is [ Th Ts 3h ]. You have a heart in your hand. Your opponent checks and you make a continuation bet of T-750 - a little better than half the pot. Your opponent thinks a moment, and then pushes all in.
What do you do?
I present this hand for feedback because I'm curious as to what different decisions will come of it. I want to know how you put the pieces of the puzzle together, what information is important to you, what hand do you put your opponent on, etc. Make your decision, then post your comment and give me the details of your decision or e-mail me. I'll be back in a few days with the results.
