In life and in poker, rules guide us and help us to avoid trouble. But there are always exceptions. No rule can consider every conceivable situation. Sometimes you must use your "better judgment" and make an exception.
In teaching the Hold'em Algorithm-which makes it easier to decide whether to call the blind before the flop-I stress that there are bound to be some exceptions. The most common is when you hold A-x suited in a late position. Even though these hole cards do not meet our criteria for calling, it is proper to play the hand if there are no raises and it is a multi-way pot with three or more opponents staying to see the flop. Those conditions help to make it a reasonable investment. You are hoping to make the nut flush. The minimum investment and potential high implied pot odds make this exception feasible.
But what if you are dealt K-3 of hearts? Is there any way you might justify an exception? Well, that's the hand I was dealt the other night. I was on the button, prepared to fold. When six opponents called the blind and there were no raises, I decided it was worth a "shot." I could see the flop at the minimum price and the potential-the upside-was huge! It was a loose table, so if I connected with the second-nut flush (king-high), I could expect to get paid off. It would be a healthy pot.
I could hardly believe my eyes as the dealer placed the flop on the board:
My hole cards: Kh-3h
The flop: Kc-Ks-5h
Wow!!! Trip kings-almost sure to be a winner! There was a bet on the flop and I called along with several opponents, slow-playing my hand to help build the pot. I certainly didn't want to force anyone to fold. Remember, we want to win lots of chips, not just hands.
Making it even more interesting, the turn was the ace of hearts. Now I also had nine outs to the nut flush. Perhaps better yet, with so many opponents staying in the pot, one or two of them might very well have an ace in the hole, making aces-up. That's a hand that would be hard to toss away no matter how the betting went. There was a bet and two callers when it was my turn to declare. I was quite certain that no one held pocket aces to give him aces-full since no one raised before the flop. I raised and was called by two opponents.
To complete the "drama of the moment," the river was another king. I had quad kings! WOW!!! The nuts in any language! There was a bet and raise when it got to me. I re-raised. The original raiser capped the betting with a third raise. Both showed an ace in the hole for kings-full-of-aces, as the dealer pushed the pot-a huge one-to me.
Yes, there always exceptions to any rule. Just be discreet when you make one. . .
Comments?
George "The Engineer" Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! and Hold'em or Fold'em?-An Algorithm for Making the Key Decision and teaches poker at the Claude Pepper Sr. Citizen Center in Los Angeles. Contact George at geps222@msn.com.
