One of my favorite pieces of chip saving advice when in doubt about how to proceed when confronted by an opponent's bet or raise is... try giving them credit instead of your chips. In the long run it's a whole lot cheaper.
I regularly see players that refuse to be driven off their hand. I believe it is a macho reaction in which these players embrace tenacity as the end all. While being tenacious can be a real positive in many endeavors, it isn't necessarily the most astute course of action in poker. When you have a value-betting opponent many times you should just... give him credit instead of additional chips. These tenacious folks are many times the ones that enter the fray with marginal holdings, hit just a piece of the flop and then cannot seem to muck a hand that is well behind. God love them, I know I do!
The incredible thing about this phenomenon is that so many newcomers play all kinds of marginal hands in hopes of nailing a lucky flop to make a big score. OK... sounds like a plan except if you don't have the discipline to get away from a hand that catches just a little piece of the flop. Then this fisherman's tenacity can really cost them dearly. The foresight and discipline to avoid being trapped with a hand that looks good but could represent a real problem is one of the hallmarks of top players. Let's look at a classic example of getting a free look at a dangerous situation
Imagine sitting in the big blind with small suited connectors such as 6c-5c. An early position player limps in and four additional limpers, including the small blind, call behind him. You, the big blind, rap the table telling the dealer you are foregoing your option to raise and the six of you watch a flop of K-Q-7 with two clubs.
The small blind checks to you and you select "caution" as your default mode even though you hold a flush draw and a backdoor straight draw, so you check too. The initial limper bets, the next limper folds, the bettor is then called by a middle position player, and a late position player raises, which causes the small blind to fold. It is now two bets to you with three players behind you, one of which just raised. What should you do and why?
What you should do is give the raiser credit, not any of your chips. Forget about the back door straight draw and consider whether you really want a third club to fall. Another player could very well be on the same flush draw and if so, it is almost certainly higher than yours. Drawing slim when well behind to an over-pair, two pair, or even a higher flush draw many times equates to the nastiest of poker situations... which is drawing dead.
It is exactly these type situations that separate accomplished players from duffers who lose on a continual basis. Our goal for today's time together is to always focus on your discipline and take the time to put your opponents on a likely range of hands. When that analysis indicates a hill too steep to climb, exercise the discipline to give your opponents credit instead of your chips. Muck that problem hand and wait for a better spot. Remember the sage's advice of a chip saved spends just as well as a chip won!
See you next "TIME"
Tom "Time" Leonard has played poker in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and California for more than 30 years and written about the game since 1994. Contact Tom at thleonard@msn.com.
