Changing mid-swing
I learned a very important lesson the other night while playing at a S&G at Pacific Poker: You've got to know how and when to change your style.I've read about this, and heard the pros talk about the ability to change betting patterns and styles mid-game. I discounted it as something that really only needs to be applied for the "big gamers" or the "high stakes players". Boy, was I wrong.
Up until Sunday night (the S&G at Pacific), I'd pretty much played all my ring and tourney games the same. Tight, build the pot when I have a made hand, but always cautious when someone begain raising me or betting into me.
Sunday night, I made the final 3 at said S&G, and appeared to be playing against much weaker and inferior opponents. I was right on one account, but wrong on the other. I knocked out the guy I was right about, leaving me against the chip leader with his 2-1 chip lead over me. I'd been watching the way he was playing throughout the tourney, and saw that he NEVER raised, but only called. When he did bet, he bet the minimum and would fold to a strong bet. Seeing that I had him "pinned", I went for the kill. I played every two cards I got, and began making a dent in his chip stack.
He was a calling station. I would bet, he would call. I would bet, he would call. I would bet, he would call. I would win the pot, he'd muck. SO, I figured this to be the easiest heads up match ever, and went on auto pilot. At one point I got the chip lead at 3-2, but that didn't last long.
I began getting frustrated because I could never buy him out of a pot. Therefore, bluffing was not working because he would call, and he was beginning to win the pots with sets, straights, flushes, and quads. It was even more frustrating when I would see his hand (said quads) after losing the pot, and realizing that he only bet the minimum into me after nailing his quads.
Well, change my style, I did not. After 10 more minutues of me betting and him calling, I was out of the tourney in 2nd place. It was obvious he saw my style, and played it perfectly. Slowly and surely chipping away my chip stack until I'm forced to bet with less than premimum hands.
I should have became uber tight and played his game when I had the better hands. When I exited the table, I told myself, "you just got your ass kicked all over the felt". It's one thing to lose a tourney when you just didn't get the cards, or ran into some bad beats....but when you get beat like I did, it forces you evaluate and find a way to change.
So, I've now taken it upon myself to change mid-game how I approach the betting and calling. If I've been playing loose and aggressive, I change and become tight. And vice-versa. Changing your betting patterns will confuse and throw-off your opponents read on your cards. This gives you the advantage in a game where advantages win.
It was a good lesson to learn, and I've alrleady seen the benefits of using it at the tables.
posted by jedihog @ 9:59 AM
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