There is some great discussion around my last post, and we're talking about the relative merits of taking some chances early on to chip up, or wait for a big hand a little later on, when you may have a good amount of chips, but a an M that hasn't seen the Green Zone since the Lindy Hop was cutting edge and sent parents into a tizzy.A few hours ago, my copy of Harrington on Hold'em Volume Three: The Longest Title In The History of Poker Books arrived, and while I worked through the problems (I'm currently getting an "A", thankyouverymuch) I came across the following bit, which supports my instincts to stay tight early on. I've paraphrased it enough to keep stay within fair use guidelines:
You start with 2000 in chips. You fool around a bit at the beginning with loose calls, and your stack drops to 1600. Now you catch a pair of kings, and get all-in with a big stack at your table, who holds queens. Your hand holds up because you weren't playing CJ, and you double up! Bingo! What's the problem? Come on, Chachi! What's the problem? Are you going to cry, Private Pyle?!
You now have 3200. The problem? You would have had 4000 if you hadn't squandered those chips earlier, numbnuts. Your early loose play has, almost invisibly, cost you 800, or about a quarter of your current stack.
Okay, maybe Dan Harrington doesn't talk like R. Lee Ermey from Full Metal Jacket, but you get the point, right? That's from problem one, on page eight. Obviously, Action Dan thinks there's something to playing smart and tight, so you preserve as many chips as possible to maximize your doubling up, as well as your folding equity. It reminds me of a few times when I've been a tourney, and I've "gotten cute" with a hand that I shouldn't have played, and later on when I have a hand that I could use to make a move, or I've been in a position to double up, I really miss those chips that I "cuted" away.
1. The kings may never come. When you finally get them and cheerfully raise, everyone that has been watching you play tight will put you on a hand and most likely toss their marginal hands into the muck. Some additional food for thought: maybe those initial loose calls created an image that allowed you to double up with your KK--so perhaps you created equity for yourself by participating in the action. I think the real key is to be as pliable as you can based upon the current dynamics of the game. When the game is too loose of course you should hunker down a bit and be aggressive with your good hands.
I think Harrington's style works very well when the cards do come at the opportune time. I think it is an awesome place to start and not get into too much trouble. Personally, I have read his books and am trying to build my strategy up from there.
I'm not saying to play loosey goosey, but you should be looking at a certain percentage of flops on the cheap, particularly when you have position.
Posted at 8:32PM on Jun 12th 2006 by joshman