What I am about to say will probably get me into trouble with the poker world, but I am going to say it anyhow:
Some poker players think too much.
Let me clarify that. Some players think too much when they find themselves in a tournament featuring one of the celebrities of poker -- say Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu, two of the world's most recognizable players.
Let's say you are sitting across the table from Daniel holding a-10. The flop comes A-9-7. Negreanu comes out betting. You call. The next card is a queen. He bets again, less money this time.
You call.
The final card is a king. This time Daniel studied the board and triples or quadruples the size of his bet.
What would you do?
It saddens me to say that many players, including some of the name pros, would fold their hand. That is what a player's celebrity status can do to you.
I have played against some very recognizable players and I can assure you of one thing: most celebrity players are not nearly as good as their celebrity status makes them.
Poker is still poker and poker hands are still poker hands.
Both Ivey and Negreanu will try to stare a player down or, by the sheer size of their bets, cause a player to muck his cards. It's psychology and it works more often than it doesn't or they would not be doing it.
Sometimes a player has to tell himself in advance, 'If he bets I'm calling regardless of the amount.' When you do this, it's easy to make a call -- even if the player happens to go all in.
It's like when I am watching a thoroughbred horse race. I have been keeping track of the odds. A horse whose body language appeals to me is listed at 7/2. The odds on this horse has been as low as 5'2.
I tell myself, 'If that horse drops to 3-1 or less, I am betting on it.'
At one minute to post time, the odds drop to 3-1. I hurry to a seller's window and make my bet. I will win that wager 7 times out of 10.
Don't be intimidated by a player's celebrity status. Whether the player is Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Tilley, Phil Ivey or somebody else you have seen on late-night poker television, he is just a poker player, prone to making the same mistakes as you or any other player.
Talk to yourself. Tell yourself what you are going to do -- and then do it.
When the Travel Channel, Discovery, ESPN or some other network carries a poker tournament, stop what you are doing and observe the players. Really watch the way they raise, how they follow up the raise, how much they bet, and their mannerisms.
They are generally playing against players they know because they have played against them in the past. They don't know you. You are different. They think they can easily intimidate a new player because of who they are.
If you want to give them the satisfaction of being right, fold your cards. If I am in the pot with them, just watch my smoke.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
