Sunday, May 08, 2005
Brick and Morter Poker is Rigged
I've heard a lot of people talking about how online poker is rigged lately. Personally, I've played a lot of hands. Probably somewheres between a quarter and half a million or more. I've played both live and on the internet, and I can honestly say that you'll see the big hands and the beats equally between genres of poker.
Last week I played 2 sessions of $100 Buy-In Live NL Holdem at an indian casino by my house. I did ok, winning $70 and $101 respectfully, playing about 6 hours total. You wouldn't believe some of the hands that hit. Or maybe you will if you've played as much as me. Here are a few samples that stuck in my head.
SB is $1 BB is $2 most preflop raises were $7-12, but only about 25% of hands were raised preflop.
One hand the UTG player moves allin for $23. He got called in 4 spots. Flop was all diamonds 862. An old guy, I'll call him oldfart bets $50 and everyone folds but the allin guy. Allin guy turns over AQo no diamonds, oldfart (who called a $23 allin preflop) had 86o no diamond. Turn was Queen of Diamonds, river was Ace of diamonds. Oldfart swore and slammed the table. The dealer brought all the chips in and began pushing them to the AQ guy. I announced 'split pot' and oldfart turned at me and swore and gave me a dirty look. The dealer looked at me like I was crazy, as did the ENTIRE table. Nobody but me realized that all 5 board cards were diamonds so the flush played for both players.
Oldfart had doubled me a few hands prior. I raised AA to $10 UTG. Oldfart called and a super aggressive idiot made it $20 to go on button (he said later he had A7). I reraised to $60, oldfart called and the aggressive guy folded. I had $130 to start the hand, and when the board came T93 I moved allin for $70. Oldfart thought awile and said something like, "well I can win..." and called. The turn was a scary ten and river was a 4. I showed the bullets and oldfart looked at his hand.. then the board... hand... MY hand... his hand.. .board... went to muck his cards, pulled them back at last second... finally after like 30 seconds a guy next to him says "just turn them over and we'll tell you if you won" oldfart turns over KJo and I win a huge pot with aces against king high.
A little later an older lady sits down at the table and starts by getting involved in a bunch of big pots. She quickly trippled her buyin with IMO sub-par play when this hand came up. A couple limpers including me and oldfart in SB limp in to oldlady's bb. She raised to $10 and just oldfart called. I tell you what they hand now. From BB oldlady made it $10 to go with 86o and Oldfart called with 74o. Flop was 568. So two idiots playing horrible hands for raises both flop monsters. Oldfart of course only bets like $5 on the flop and the oldlady gets another 8 on the turn and they get allin for something like a $375 pot.
One hand I limp with ATo. Flop is T35. The aggressive player I mentioned earlier who reraised with A7 bet $5 saying he had a good feeling about his hand. I raised to $15 and just the two of us saw the turn which was another ten. I bet $25 and he called instantly. River was a brick, a 6. He checks to me and I bet $25 again. He calls with 74o and shows the straight. I almost checked here thinking what can he call me with that I can beat, but I'd seen him make huge calls with 22 on ace high flops etc, so I figured I was valuebetting him all the way. If he had made a pair of 7s on the end instead of hitting his straight I'm sure he'd have called $25 without hesitation.
Now for my favorite hand of the weekend. It was also pretty much the last hand I played. I have black 66 on the button and $97 in chips. Oldlady makes it $4 to go UTG (min raise means what? I dunno), a seemingly tight player makes it $10 to go behind her. I call and so does oldlady. Flop is pretty sweet, A62 with two diamonds. Oldlady bets $10, next guy raises to $20, and I call and so does oldlady. Turn is a 2. Oldlady checks, other guy bets $20, I raise to $50. The oldlady gave me SUCH A NASTY LOOK, you have no idea then finally folds. Other guy calls. I was potcommitted at this point regardless of what came on the river, but when I rivered the 4th 6 giving me quads it made my actions that much easier. I went allin for my last $17 and he called right away. His hand? AJo.
The moral of the story is that poker is a game that attracts action junkies. Most people don't understand why a move they made was wrong or why the math was against them. Today playing online a guy made a bad call and told me it was because he was angry that he lost a big pot so he decided to go for broke with his straight draw. Some people treat poker like a slot machine. Pull the lever, go allin and see where the reels stop. Every once in a while you'll get lucky and win a big pot and leave ahead, but in the long run the house (other players) will just wear you down. Online poker is not rigged, though you could make an argument that the game of poker in general is.
Just something to chew on.
Tad
Last week I played 2 sessions of $100 Buy-In Live NL Holdem at an indian casino by my house. I did ok, winning $70 and $101 respectfully, playing about 6 hours total. You wouldn't believe some of the hands that hit. Or maybe you will if you've played as much as me. Here are a few samples that stuck in my head.
SB is $1 BB is $2 most preflop raises were $7-12, but only about 25% of hands were raised preflop.
One hand the UTG player moves allin for $23. He got called in 4 spots. Flop was all diamonds 862. An old guy, I'll call him oldfart bets $50 and everyone folds but the allin guy. Allin guy turns over AQo no diamonds, oldfart (who called a $23 allin preflop) had 86o no diamond. Turn was Queen of Diamonds, river was Ace of diamonds. Oldfart swore and slammed the table. The dealer brought all the chips in and began pushing them to the AQ guy. I announced 'split pot' and oldfart turned at me and swore and gave me a dirty look. The dealer looked at me like I was crazy, as did the ENTIRE table. Nobody but me realized that all 5 board cards were diamonds so the flush played for both players.
Oldfart had doubled me a few hands prior. I raised AA to $10 UTG. Oldfart called and a super aggressive idiot made it $20 to go on button (he said later he had A7). I reraised to $60, oldfart called and the aggressive guy folded. I had $130 to start the hand, and when the board came T93 I moved allin for $70. Oldfart thought awile and said something like, "well I can win..." and called. The turn was a scary ten and river was a 4. I showed the bullets and oldfart looked at his hand.. then the board... hand... MY hand... his hand.. .board... went to muck his cards, pulled them back at last second... finally after like 30 seconds a guy next to him says "just turn them over and we'll tell you if you won" oldfart turns over KJo and I win a huge pot with aces against king high.
A little later an older lady sits down at the table and starts by getting involved in a bunch of big pots. She quickly trippled her buyin with IMO sub-par play when this hand came up. A couple limpers including me and oldfart in SB limp in to oldlady's bb. She raised to $10 and just oldfart called. I tell you what they hand now. From BB oldlady made it $10 to go with 86o and Oldfart called with 74o. Flop was 568. So two idiots playing horrible hands for raises both flop monsters. Oldfart of course only bets like $5 on the flop and the oldlady gets another 8 on the turn and they get allin for something like a $375 pot.
One hand I limp with ATo. Flop is T35. The aggressive player I mentioned earlier who reraised with A7 bet $5 saying he had a good feeling about his hand. I raised to $15 and just the two of us saw the turn which was another ten. I bet $25 and he called instantly. River was a brick, a 6. He checks to me and I bet $25 again. He calls with 74o and shows the straight. I almost checked here thinking what can he call me with that I can beat, but I'd seen him make huge calls with 22 on ace high flops etc, so I figured I was valuebetting him all the way. If he had made a pair of 7s on the end instead of hitting his straight I'm sure he'd have called $25 without hesitation.
Now for my favorite hand of the weekend. It was also pretty much the last hand I played. I have black 66 on the button and $97 in chips. Oldlady makes it $4 to go UTG (min raise means what? I dunno), a seemingly tight player makes it $10 to go behind her. I call and so does oldlady. Flop is pretty sweet, A62 with two diamonds. Oldlady bets $10, next guy raises to $20, and I call and so does oldlady. Turn is a 2. Oldlady checks, other guy bets $20, I raise to $50. The oldlady gave me SUCH A NASTY LOOK, you have no idea then finally folds. Other guy calls. I was potcommitted at this point regardless of what came on the river, but when I rivered the 4th 6 giving me quads it made my actions that much easier. I went allin for my last $17 and he called right away. His hand? AJo.
The moral of the story is that poker is a game that attracts action junkies. Most people don't understand why a move they made was wrong or why the math was against them. Today playing online a guy made a bad call and told me it was because he was angry that he lost a big pot so he decided to go for broke with his straight draw. Some people treat poker like a slot machine. Pull the lever, go allin and see where the reels stop. Every once in a while you'll get lucky and win a big pot and leave ahead, but in the long run the house (other players) will just wear you down. Online poker is not rigged, though you could make an argument that the game of poker in general is.
Just something to chew on.
Tad
