Talking the Talk

13 APR 06

I’ve talked myself into about $300 over the last 3 sessions, and I feel pretty darn good about it. John talked about it on this blog (referring to his buddy Aaron). The key is variance. Sometimes, when I’m acting strong, I have the worst hand. Other times it’s just the opposite. The key is to make sure people are paying attention, and to show down a couple of hands (be they winners or losers).

Here are a couple of my favorites:

“I’ll show you.”

It’s a 4/8 table and I raise with A 10 after one MP limper just calls. The flop is AA3. Limper checks and I check. The turn is a 6 and the limper bets. I raise and the limper just calls. The river is a Jack, and the limper bets.

I raise saying, “Don’t call, I’ll show you,” then I move my cards over towards her in preparation for showing her my flopped trips (after all, she just limped into this hand – I know she doesn’t have anything better than what I’m holding).

She folds her AK face up.

“This is my wheelhouse.”

It’s 10/20 and I raise in early position with 7 9 (I’m not justifying the move here. Just go with me). The button calls and we see a flop of 7 8 J. I bet and the button raises. I put him on a weak Jack, but he’s capable of making this move with the 9 for the open ender. I call. The turn is blank and I bet. He raises again, and now I put him on QJ or KJ. Maybe AJ. I have 6 outs (two 7’s and four 10’s), so I look at him and say, “This is my wheelhouse. Are you sure you want to bet here?” I see the look of doubt in his eyes, and I think I may be able to steal this pot if any scare card comes out. The river is a 7 and I check raise the river on him. As he’s calling my raise, he says, “Your 7 is good.”

Thanks, but I already knew that.

“You didn’t stay with A x of diamonds, did you?”

This one is more obvious. Experienced players will see this for what it is – calling out your made hand.

Again at 10/20, I complete the big blind into a multiway pot with A8 of diamonds. The flop pairs my 8 with two diamonds. I bet and get raised and called by three others. The turn puts a scary straight card on the board. I check and 3 of us see the river – 2 of diamonds. I’m first to act, and I bet out, saying the question above. My thought is that this may convince the table that I was slow playing my straight, but I’m nervous about the river card. It’s very confusing. The bet represents the flush but the talk represents the straight. Confused players will call out of curiosity. Both players called – one with the straight and one with 2 pair.

That’s why I love this game. The intangibles make it really interesting.