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Februaruy 9, 2006
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Poker Lessons)
Poker Lesson: The Pain Barrier
- Manipulating Your Opponent
Author: Joe Beevers
There are many factors that affect your decisions
at the poker table.
Obviously, the cards you're dealt often dictate whether you'll
even consider getting involved in a hand, but they're just one
part of the equation.
Once you're playing, things like your physical state
can also affect your play.
If you're hungry, tired or even a little drunk, you're not likely
to play
your best, and your decisions may not be as smart. Emotion is
a factor too. When you're winning, you often feel like you can
make any hand you need to win a pot. When you're losing, however,
a continued string of beats can seem unbearable. This can lead
to tilt and keep you from playing at the top of your game.
Using this kind of information against your opponents
is one of the keys to becoming a winning player. If you know they're
a little tired or a little tilted, you can determine if they're
likely to call a well-timed bet or bluff.
For example, let's say you river the nuts and want
to induce your opponent to put more money into the pot. What do
you do? The answer often depends on your opponent, and what size
bet you think you can get them to call.
One factor to consider is how well your opponent
is doing in the game. Are they winning or losing? Let's say you
know a player sat down with $500 and they now have $710. This
player is much more likely to call a bet of $140 to $170 on the
river than a bet of $220 or $250, because the additional money
pushes them through what I like to call their "pain barrier".
For your opponent, calling a $170 bet means they'll
still be up for the session, even if they lose the pot. Calling
$220 or more means they'll be down. For many players, the psychological
difference between these two scenarios is huge, even if they don't
realize it.
There are other factors that can help you manipulate
your opponent's pain barrier at the table. For example, a player
who is sitting with case money (i.e., they don't have any more
money in their pocket or stored in the cashier) is much more likely
to be pushed off a hand by a big bet if they're holding any kind
of marginal hand. The pain barrier becomes even more effective
if you know your opponent is about to quit the game. They might
have had a phone call from a spouse or be going to dinner soon;
then the $250 bet in the situation above works even more often,
as most players don't want to finish their session on a losing
note.
Obviously, using the pain barrier won't work every
time but, if used properly, it's a great weapon to have in your
arsenal.
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