Face Up
Poker is a game of incomplete information. That is annoying as hell if you watch any of the tournament tables that aren’t providing hole card information. When we play or watch we seek tendencies. Those only solidify with complete knowledge. That’s hard and even costly to obtain.
One of the blogs I read is Poker Grump. He’s more predicable in his blog choices than he is at the tables – fortunately. But, it is also capable of challenging one’s ideas and I like that. He does have a seemly unhealthy obsession with another male player. I don’t think his fixation is that unhealthy though. Here’s today’s example:
Tommy Angelo, in Elements of Poker, p. 100.
When you fold face up, the message that is sent to the table, whether you intend it or not, and whether you realize it or not, is this: “Dear table full of people. It is very important to me what you think of me. It is so important that I am willing to give you the most generous gift of information I can–I will show you my cards–just so you know that 1) my decisions were justified, and also that 2) I am unlucky. I know it will cost me money to reveal my cards and feelings to you. But that’s okay. That’s how much I value your opinion of me.”
If you always fold face down without ever showing even one card to anyone, the message that is sent, and received, whether you intend it or not, and whether you realize it or not, is this: “I don’t care what you think about how I play. I don’t even care what I think about how I play. Oh, and by the way, I am impervious to everything.” Fussless folding fortifies.
Early on in articles and blogs, I wrote a lot about basic concepts. It isn’t rocket science but the basics are something we poker players drift away from at time. Part of the reason I write them is to beat myself over the head and ingrain the information further.
I’ve been following the WSOP a bit and noticed any number of examples of basic knowledge being ignored. “So-and-so, folded his QQ face up” or such. This happens with big time pros along with micro-limit donks.
I see it a lot at stud. Somebody folds on the river bet and the toofless winner proceeds to show his ten high flush. Who cares it happened on 6th and 7th street, right? My god! He just has pointed out multiple, major weaknesses to the table? But, he isn’t any dumber than the guy with a 40K WSOP buyin that does it. They both should stay after school.
One of the tempting shows is when you’ve been on a heater and seem to want to prove you’re still a nice guy playing a reasoned game. If it is a good show, that is only to give misdirection. Most of the time those with a table captain image that finally show a hand are announcing to the world, “Look at me; I finally made an actual hand of sorts.”
The worst tell in the world is your tendency. Even if you are able to change gears, tendencies are associated with those varied patterns. Giving out free information is never right. At some tables I run across the guy that seems to show every other hand. Might as well light his cigars with greenbacks. It is similar thinking – use your stupidity to seek approval.
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