Online winner Lucas Rifkin was interviewed in the Card Player magazine shown above (June 17, 2009, casino version).
He was asked: "I see lots of . . . crazy three- and four-betting with air, in and out of position. What's going on?"
Rifkin: A mistake people make is turning valuable hands into bluffs. If someone is opening from early to middle position, some players in late position will three-bet a decent hand like 9-9 or A-J suited. Then, when the original raiser four-bet shoves, they will fold. This isn't a good idea.
The original raiser is going to shove or fold to a three-bet; if they (the early raiser) are going to three-bet or fold, then the late position raiser might as well do that with trash hands instead of with hands that are good enough and profitable to call with and play in position.
So, when three-betting trash hands, the outcome is practically the same as it is with the A-J suited or 9-9. If you can call profitably in position, but your hand isn't strong enough to go all the way preflop, don't turn it into a bluff.
Poker folk are sometines . . well, crude.
ReplyDeleteWe Kansans are tasteful, refined and kind.
We give our fish name's.
Although, I will admit some are not used in polite society. Umm, mixed company, rather.