[barryg1]

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People in the game I play in would likely be able to beat the games most people play in without looking at their cards until after the flop (if their opponents didn't know).

Barry

For the record, I dispute that as long as we are talking ring games 15-30 or above.

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Actually, if the right crew of big game players will play straight hold'em with Jennifer, she will promise to take every flop. She calls it Jen hold'em. I don't think she's had a losing session at it.

Many years ago, on evenings when the big no limit hold'em game in Northern California wasn't available, I used to do this in the second biggest game. It forced me to take flops and feel out what people were doing. Actually, if I sensed my opponent was weak, I wouldn't look at my cards until the unlikely event that I was called on the river. I had no problem beating the game. It used to look like a magic trick when I would check raise my opponent on the turn or river and show my goofy hand.

Phil Ivey plays pot limit Omaha intending to play almost every flop. This last WSOP, check the hand records: he told me his missed out on ten flops then entire final table and won the event. These occasional folds only happened because it was raised and reraised in front of him.

One of Phil's training techniques is to play low limit and try to win every hand. He feels it teaches him how to bluff more effectively. (When his book comes out, that should be interesting!)

The point is, part of playing at the next level is playing poker without regard to your cards. I haven't had a chance to look at Dan's books yet, but he played poker when he raised with 6-2 offsuit last year knowing that his opponents would fold. I have occasionally been in situations where I knew I could raise the correct amount to make my opponents fold, but I had to check to see if my hand was strong enough that I had to do something to make them call instead.

Barry