Is a weaker hand ever preferable to a stronger one (assymetric info)

[_D&L_]

An interesting assymetric information information problem appeared to me while working on my poker program:

Is it ever possible that you would prefer to be holding a weaker hand so that you can rule out possibilities that your opponent is on.

For instance, if you are holding a pair on showdown (so no draws left) and your opponent bids, would you rather have a better kicker, or maybe a lower kicker that eliminates a few potential straight combinations and maybe is of a different suit - so while not giving you a flush, reduces by 8 combinations the likelihood your opponent is holding a flush.

If your going to call no matter what, u want the better kicker, but if you are at the margin between calling or folding (or alternatively between calling and re-raising), the lower kicker may rule out more straight, flush, etc, combinations than a higher kicker would protect you from hands that would otherwise beat you.

Keep in mind my question isn't how likely you think this scenerio is, but is it possible? For programming purposes, I distain assumptions. So can anyone prove it would never happen? Keep in mind your opponent is not calling you with a random distribution...

[gull]

At first glance, I thought no.

But now that I consdier it, I think you can construct situations where this is true.

For example, you have JJ. The board is 9h 8s 2h 4c 7s. Assume you know from the betting or some read that your opponent must have had a heart flush draw or open-ended straight draw on the flop. Holding JJ significantly increases the chances that your opponent holds two hearts instead of JT. In this case, JJ is better than KK.

[_D&L_]

Also If the board did flush Jacks with a heart, is stronger than two Jacks than when neither has a heart. There's one less heart out there...

[AaronBrown]

Here's an example, although not very likely. The board is:

A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 10[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

If you hold A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], you have four Aces, but can lose to a royal flush if someone holds K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. But if you hold A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], no straight flush or quads are possible, and your Aces full cannot be beaten, only tied (even then, the guy who ties you can't be sure you don't have the royal flush, so you might scare him out of the pot with an all-in bet).

[_D&L_]

great example

[Gonso]

Co-nuts > 2nd nuts

[bobbyi]

There certainly are situations where you would prefer to have a nominally weaker hand.

Suppose the board is 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. You would rather have A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] than A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], even though strictly speaking an ace-king high flush is the stronger hand. In the former case, it is possible that someone else holds the king high flush, which makes it more likely you will get a lot of action.

[exalted]

Also by holding the 3h, you can be sure that you are not against the straight heart flush.

[Gonso]

[ QUOTE ]
Also by holding the 3h, you can be sure that you are not against the straight heart flush.

[/ QUOTE ]
There's no straight flush possible on that board... that 6 is a diamond.

[ChunkaMonka]

^^^^

Big Blind walks into a bar and is dealt K3o. Preflop, Button and Small Blind limp/complete respectively. Flop is AAA, turn the case A, and the river, a five.

As they split the pot Big Blind says, "Looks like we have the ________."