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Most important lesson i have learned in my poker play

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  1. DoggerPA DoggerPA is offline

    Gilbert, AZ
    United States

    Posts: 727
    Joined: Jul 05

    Dec 1st, 2006 (12/1/2006 11:30am)

    After playing cash games all summer and most of the fall i decided about a month ago to start playing more MTT's. I still am only playing mtt's a few nights a week, but in the limited schedule i have had more successs in the last 6 weeks than the year and a half before when I played a lot more MTT's.

    The biggest lesson I have learned is trust your gut. Last night I was chatting with a friend on IM who was watching me play. I picked up 66 in the BB in a FullTilt 6max $109 buyin tournament. This hand happened soon after we entered the money. UTG limped for 600, mid position raised to 1800, button called and I had a stack around 22k. I only had to call 1200 more and this used to be an instant call for me.

    I folded and my friend asked me why, he said he would have called because im probably ahead. My gut told me the mid position had a hand like TT and i thought i was dominated. The flop came 755, not a bad flop for 66 and i sent a message to him, "that is why I didnt call, i have no idea where I am and it will cost me money to find out."

    Early limper bet 1/2 pot and raiser called and that confirmed I made a good fold. It was a pure gut fold and saved me chips that allowed me to go deep into the money. There was more action on the turn that would have got me to easily fold my hand anyways.

    Turned out the UTG had A7 and the mid position won the pot with 88. OK a 6 came on the river which would have given me a boat but as Seal taught me a long time ago F results.

    Later when we were down to 26 people I was 8th in chips and another at my table was 3rd. A loose player raised about 2.5x bb, i had 77 and knew i could get them to fold so I made a 4x raise of their bet. The big stack at the table mini raised my raise and the first to enter folded. My intial reaction was im dead. Then I thought it may be a move because i had reraised a few times so i decided to call and see a flop. Pot is now about 40k and I have 35k left behind me.

    Flop comes JJ3. I think to myself that is a good flop, i know he doesnt have AJ or something like that, maybe AK. i check and the big stack bets 8k into a 40k pot. It looked weak was telling me i was dead. I took the whole 10 seconds FT gives you and i decided to push. The big stack thought for a while too then called showing AA.... out 26th.

    My gut told me i was dominated, AA or KK probably. I knew it yet didnt listen to it. I am getting better at trusting my gut and making laydowns when i need to and that has helped me get deeper into the money on a more regular basis. If I would have lisened here I would hve went a lot deeper.

    Lesson reinforced last night. Trust your gut. Playing NL cash games taught me this and I think it may be the most valuable lesson any poker player can learn.
  2. Faaantastic Faaantastic is offline

    Highland, NY
    United States

    Posts: 2,746
    Joined: Oct 05

    Dec 1st, 2006 (12/1/2006 11:39am) in reply to DoggerPA

    hmm while I agree it is important to trust your gut, you also need to do a bit of math

    depending on stack sizes, the call with 66 in hand 1 is a must. Shut down if you dont hit a 6, but you're getting insane odds (esp. since the limper will almost always call with 1200 more) and you have a healthy stack
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