| Example 1: Late in a live tournament,
at the final table, I was faced with a decision for all my chips.
I raised in early positon with Q Q .
I very tight player on the cutoff looked at his hand and pushed
all in. He has slightly more chips than I did so if I lost I would
be out. I was 4th in chips at the time and I knew I was one of the
better players at the table. His push was huge compared to my raise.
He either had a smaller pair JJ-99 or AK. Since my position in the
tournament was just out of the good payoffs I had to make a decision.
I did not want to risk a 50/50 with the to finish in 9th when all
I had to do is sitback and easily slid into 4th gaining much more
prize money. I calming took about 20 seconds, I had to get a read
before my decision. I asked my opponent "I guess your AK doesnt
want a call". In my opinion if this player had AK, AA, or KK
his reaction would be one of quietness. AK wouldn't mind a call
as he realizes by my statement I have a mid pair, AK, or a hand
like AQ so he would be quiet and calm. AA and KK would want me to
call so once again his reaction would be quiet. I know those would
be my 1st reactions if I had any of those 3 hands. The player instead
lit up like he just figured out my hand. I called and my opponent
shows JJ.
His reaction to my question told me everything I wanted to know.
By my statement he knew I didn't have AK nor did he figure me for
a big pair since any other player would quickly call with QQ. He
must have come to the conclusion of a pair like TT or 99. I went
on the win the hand and become chip leader of the table.
This situation is why it is so important that you take your mind
away from the game when you face an opponent with a tough decision.
I would rather look like a fool looking into space than give away
a reaction. Think about dinner, your wife/girlfriend, what your
watching on TV tonight... anything but what this person is asking
you. His reaction to my question told me all the information I wanted
to know to make the right play.
Example 2: In another large live tournament there
was a loose gambling player limping in from from early position
with a large stack. He is actually a decent player that makes good
reads and was running very lucky. A poor loose player on the short
stack pushes all in from the button, the small blind folds and its
up to me in the big blind. I have slightly more than double the
all in player's chips but the early player has me severly out stacked.
I stare down looking at 88.
I take some time to decide what action to take in this situation.
I run the risk of the early player calling both of us. I need to
know both their hands. I decide to tell the player that is all in
"why do I get the feeling you're making a move with a hand
here because I'm pretty sure I have you beat." The same time
I kept an eye to my left. The all in player started acting nervous
and talking gibberish back to me, so I knew my read was right and
he either had 2 bad overs or Ax, maybe even a small pair. The player
to my left picked up this tell and started reaching for chips. By
his reaction I was pretty certain he limped in with 2 paint and
was going to call no matter what. He has done this often in the
tournament with a large chip stack. I promptly folded since I didn't
want to risk my tournament against 2 callers at this point facing
probably 3 overcards to the river. The early player called with
QJ
and the all in player flipped over K 9 .
The all in player flopped 2 pair and won the hand. I would have
lost to the EP player and been out of the tournament as he hit a
Q on the river. In this I avoided a situation for my tournament
live with 2 opponents that had 4 overs.
Talking to the all in player allowed me to get a read on both player's
hand. I could have almost tripled my stack there by reraising all
in but there was no rush at this time. There would be better hands
to gain more chips. If I could tell that the early position player
was going to fold then the pot was the right odds to call with my
hand knowing the information I suspected. One statement revealed
all.
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