In the Land of Plenty: No Foldem Holdem

No fold 'em hold 'em is exactly what it sounds like: Nobody folds. Well, almost nobody. So efforts to protect your good hands by pushing opponents out of the pot are usually futile. Predictably, these games are almost exclusively found at lower limits. Contrary to what many believe, no fold 'em games certainly can be beaten. Actually, they are among the most profitable of all poker games in the long run. But to beat them, you must make the necessary adjustments-and be prepared for some humongous short-term swings.

This last point is important. Because the variance in these games is so massive, any one session can easily end with a big loss. Ridiculous suck-outs are commonplace, and games are custom-made to induce tilt. So before you can conquer the no fold 'em games you must be prepared to endure brutal beats and tough losses, again and again.

In an aggressive no fold 'em game, it's best to tighten up your starting standards and call with fewer hands. However, if the game is passive and you can see a flop for just one bet, it's usually a good idea to expand your starting-hand selection. Since every pot is virtually guaranteed to be multi-way, you should be getting excellent implied odds to try and hit a flop with a wider variety of hands, especially suited connectors.

Premium starting hands, such as big pairs and big aces, seemingly lose much of their value in the no fold'em games. Because there are so many players in every pot, winning hands are generally bigger. Thus, a hand like top pair often won't be good enough. But while it's certainly true that hands such as pocket rockets, cowboys, or Big Slick won't hold up to win nearly as often in these games, it's also true that the pots they do win will be much larger than normal. And in the long run, those larger pots more than compensate for any bad beats.

So premium hands actually gain value in the no fold 'em games. Keep raising with them before the flop. Just be aware that you're raising not so much to thin the field, but for value. Most of your opponents will be limping in with inferior trash, so make them pay. Yeah, sure, sometimes they'll suck out and win with the most ridiculous garbage. Yes, it hurts. But let it roll off your back and raise again the next time you get a quality hand. Eventually-as long as your emotions and your bankroll can hold out against the inevitable swings-it will pay off.

One key to winning lies in knowing when to get away from your hand. In a no fold 'em game, your call-to-the-bitter-end-with-bottom-pair opponents are often playing correctly, simply because the pot odds are so immense. So you must be able to distinguish between those times when it would be correct to call with an iffy hand, on account of the pot odds, and when you should just get out. If the flop is coordinated with straight and flush draws and all you have is one pair with no good draws, save your money. If you have some good outs to go with your pair, like an over-card kicker, then you can stay in and chase so long as the pot odds warrant. But it's essential that you find the right balance. Fold too often and you'll never win enough to make up for your losses. Fold too seldom and you end up calling off all your chips

No fold 'em games are showdown poker. Since you can't win pots by intimidating your opponents into folding, winning in these games is all about maximizing the money that goes into the pot whenever you have an edge, while retaining the discipline and willingness to get away from your hand whenever you don't.

Barbara Connors is a sucker for classic old movies, science fiction, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Her life's ambition is to figure out the unusual behavior patterns of that unique breed of humans who call themselves poker players. Contact her at fyreflye222@yahoo.com.