I noticed something today while I was talking about a pretty simple hand today with a friend. The hand really isn’t all that important but the discussion we had — or at least the process behind the question — was.
The hand itself was pretty boring and would’ve gotten a one word response had I posted it in the forums: bet the flop. Somehow instead though, we got sidetracked on the hypothetical questions that surround a hand, the what ifs, and it turned into something pretty interesting (I think) rather than some simple question/answer format.
- What if I bet the flop, and he raised? What range do I put him on then? How should I play against that?
- What if he’s loose? What should I do on the river? How much should I bet? How about if he’s aggressive?
What was a pretty simple question turned into a 30 minute discussion. About one hand.
Poker’s often a pretty simple game but it gets interesting when you think about the simple changes that can make an interesting hand boring or a boring hand interesting. I think that’s the area where those who are willing to practice hypotheticals really begin to stand out from the crowd. Give it a try the next time you post something in the forums.