Saturday Poker Wisdom
October
5
We already wrote about aggressive Omaha Poker play, but this Omaha Hi Pot Limit Poker hand was very specific. Specially by the number of people seeing the river card. Usually it’s one on one situation. Everything was quiet until the turn with some minor betting and calling. Both me and small blind checked, and then the third player pot-raised. He was known by high raiser on high pocket cards, so the guy on the cut-off called. I was, however surprised with the all in re-raise from small blind. I counted my outs and it was not very expensive, so I decided to either call or raise. However, I didn’t want to many players in the pot, so I re-raised with all in. Even bigger surprise was two all in calls from the other two player involved. So, we now have a 4 player showdown.
River card brought me nuts straight King high! So, the pot is mine and I am happy with it. Lets now analyze other player’s hands.
Small blind had a very weak flush draw and weak straight draw (only 4 outs). Guy with pocket aces was a bit loose, but I understand, since the board was off everything. Cut off player was totally mad and I guess pretty inexperienced in Omaha Poker.
In overall I was very happy with the outcome. Omaha Hi Pot Limit Poker is pretty unpredictable.
Omaha Poker is Unpredictable
October
3
Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he’s losing; nobody wants you to quit when you’re ahead.
One of the hardest lessons to learn in Poker is to find the best time to leave the table. Sometimes when you’re ahead, and sometimes when you’re losing.
September
26
Poker, n. A game said to be played with cards for some purpose to this lexicographer unknown.
Ambrose Bierce
There are two theories. Either he never played a game of poker, or he lost some significant sum. One way or another, I love this one very much.
September
19
God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of his own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players [i.e., everybody], to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won’t tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.
Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens, 1991
The fact that Terry Pratchett is mentioning Poker in his book explains the importance and magnitude of the game. And what a mental picture this is - God playing poker. I would like to meet his opponent.
September
12
Is it a reasonable thing, I ask you, for a grown man to run about and hit a ball? Poker’s the only game fit for a grown man. Then, your hand is against every man’s, and every man’s is against yours. Teamwork? Who ever made a fortune by teamwork? There’s only one way to make a fortune, and that’s to down the fellow who’s up against you.
W. Somerset Maugham
You can enjoy poker with your friends, but you’ll have to leave the friendship bits away from the table. Simply, you are on your own.
September
5
Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.
Charles Lamb
No matter if you play poker around the dinning table with your friends, or you are looking at a computer screen - it’s a war. War of mind and personality.
August
29
Poker is… a fascinating, wonderful, intricate adventure on the high seas of human nature.
David A. Daniel
If you think poker is gambling, you’re deluded. It is a battle of minds and character. If you wish to gamble, throw some dices on the table, and forget about Omaha Poker.
August
22
Whether he likes it or not, a mans character is stripped at the poker table; if the other players read him better than he does, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do, flaws and all, he will be a loser in cards, as in life.
Anthony Holden
As soon as you realize your poker face is not that good, the better. If you’re online poker player, be aware that your every move or longer waiting before action is being monitored by other players. So, be careful and good luck!
August
15
I’ve often thought, if I got really hungry for a good milk shake, how much would I pay for one? People will pay a hundred dollars for a bottle of wine; to me that’s not worth it. But I’m not going to say it is foolish or wrong to spend that kind of money, if that’s what you want. So if a guy wants to bet twenty or thirty thousand dollars in a poker game, that is his privilege.
Jack Binion
Very wise words that may be expanded to a philosophy of entire life. However, we can use an excerpt of it in Omaha Poker: If a guy wants to re-raise on the river a Two Pair, that is his priviledge.
August
8
The guy who invented poker was bright, but the guy who invented the chip was a genius.
Unknown Author
To bad we’ll never find out who the author is. Poker without the chips is not a poker. It’s much easier to invest some round, plastic things instead of money, right? And the sound is simply irreplaceable.
