Mike Caro's Small Blind Essay Contest

[RobNottsUk]

Having receieved AA in SB, and played it tricky in a FL game, flopping nut flush draw, only to be shown a 'miracle' flopped str8 by a trash hand, I have to question the deceptive value at low stakes FL.

I tend to play more straightforwardly as per SSHE nowadays.

When you are HU v BB and you have a big hand, you want to build a big pot, you want them to call you, you want them to call you on flop chasing 2 pair, and you want them to hang in there on the turn, and call you with a pair of J's or K's on the river.

You may win fewer pots, but you will in long run win more money.

Raising with big hands, that look like 'steals' means you lose less deception than if you raise UTG or UTG+1 in full ring with AA/KK.

However I'm very sympathetic to Mike's ideas and think often players (especially 2+2 microlimit players actually raise too frequently for muddled purposes against loose players; isolationary raise rarely succeed).

Probably if you want to make money with AT, AJ, AQ in SB, then the deceptive limp, has more value, as the BB will perceive a flop bet as a likely 'steal'. The marginal 60:40 pre-flop advantage over most hands, is likely worth less than pressing a larger advantage on flop and turn, especially as you're likely to be facing tricky overcard play, out of position on flop, against a 'suspicious' opponent. These opponents are unlikely to make the mistake of folding incorrectly.

[Howard Beale]

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From what I am led to believe about Mike Caro, isn't this a shockingly fast turn-around on getting the contest finished, assuming he comes through?

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3 months doesn't seem shockingly fast to me and he says it'll be finished w/i the next 2 issues. Now all I have to do is remember to put up the link.

[Howard Beale]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
From what I am led to believe about Mike Caro, isn't this a shockingly fast turn-around on getting the contest finished, assuming he comes through?

[/ QUOTE ]

3 months doesn't seem shockingly fast to me and he says it'll be finished w/i the next 2 issues. Now all I have to do is remember to put up the link.

[/ QUOTE ]

Link to contest winners article.