Back in Cannon Beach for a week played at the Wednesday night Bayway game. I had been forewarned that it would be hot but anxious to play anyway and see poker friends. Man was it hot. Not Portland heatwave hot but hot enough that they shut down the grill which was sad because most of us arrived hungry. A pizza was ordered but passed on it. No air conditioning, one fan to "cool" the room. Wish my poker game was as hot. I made the final table and ended bubbling in 6th place. Not a great evening.
One of the small pleasures I enjoy is talking poker and visiting with "The Legend" Ray Zee. He is a treasure trove of Vegas history and poker knowledge, but it usually has to be pried from him. He is old school that way. Also he comes up with some very funny stuff at the table, so always fun to be seated next to him, particularly to his left. He was shoving a lot Friday night and got caught light by a big stack who later commented that he saw him raising with average hands. What this new player did not know was how small a game this is to Ray. Not that he does not play to win, but just that the buy in for our tournament is less than the small blind of the games he has played successfully.
So after I bust out of the tournament (my 4/4 small stack shove called by the entire universe), Ray was still hanging out so I sat with him for a while. We talked about a lot of different things, including salmon fishing spots and poker. He contends that "social security beach" is only to the right side of the drive in spot at the Columbia River, while I say it is also to the left. Also, whether plunking or casting is more productive. Some discussion, huh? I am a salmon rookie having caught only 3 last year so what do I know.
Also, compared to Ray, I am a poker rookie. He was successfully playing big Vegas games when I was in college. So, my questions to him revolved around stepping up my game to larger stakes. I am interested in the 5/5 pot limit omaha which he dismisses as a small game and probably not worth playing. Nonetheless I press on. One of my questions is "how much should I buy in for?". My thought is that I will probably get "felted" by these more experienced players so I should buy in small in order to rebuying a few times. But maybe I should max buy as a new player showing no fear and also having more opportunities to felt someone else. I posed the question to Ray. He asked me what my optimal buy in ideally would be. Hmmm. Is this a Yoda like question? I ventured a few guesses.
1. Minimum in order to hold losses.
2. Minimum in order to cheaply chase draws to the river.
3. Maximum, for reasons given above.
4. Somewhere in between.
Nope. According to the guru your absolute best buy in would be............small blind. Why I ask? I give each various guesses including chasing cheap, can't get hurt badly, etc. Finally he says, "Because of the pot odds it offers you". Duh. Since no hand in poker is a huge dog to any random hand, if you get great odds you should take it as this is your true "edge". In fact you should never play in a game that you do not have an edge in. That is the true essence of winning poker. If you are the 9th best player in the world, why would you sit at a game with all 8 of the better players? You have no edge. And, there are so many games out there with worse players.
So now you know.
One of the small pleasures I enjoy is talking poker and visiting with "The Legend" Ray Zee. He is a treasure trove of Vegas history and poker knowledge, but it usually has to be pried from him. He is old school that way. Also he comes up with some very funny stuff at the table, so always fun to be seated next to him, particularly to his left. He was shoving a lot Friday night and got caught light by a big stack who later commented that he saw him raising with average hands. What this new player did not know was how small a game this is to Ray. Not that he does not play to win, but just that the buy in for our tournament is less than the small blind of the games he has played successfully.
So after I bust out of the tournament (my 4/4 small stack shove called by the entire universe), Ray was still hanging out so I sat with him for a while. We talked about a lot of different things, including salmon fishing spots and poker. He contends that "social security beach" is only to the right side of the drive in spot at the Columbia River, while I say it is also to the left. Also, whether plunking or casting is more productive. Some discussion, huh? I am a salmon rookie having caught only 3 last year so what do I know.
Also, compared to Ray, I am a poker rookie. He was successfully playing big Vegas games when I was in college. So, my questions to him revolved around stepping up my game to larger stakes. I am interested in the 5/5 pot limit omaha which he dismisses as a small game and probably not worth playing. Nonetheless I press on. One of my questions is "how much should I buy in for?". My thought is that I will probably get "felted" by these more experienced players so I should buy in small in order to rebuying a few times. But maybe I should max buy as a new player showing no fear and also having more opportunities to felt someone else. I posed the question to Ray. He asked me what my optimal buy in ideally would be. Hmmm. Is this a Yoda like question? I ventured a few guesses.
1. Minimum in order to hold losses.
2. Minimum in order to cheaply chase draws to the river.
3. Maximum, for reasons given above.
4. Somewhere in between.
Nope. According to the guru your absolute best buy in would be............small blind. Why I ask? I give each various guesses including chasing cheap, can't get hurt badly, etc. Finally he says, "Because of the pot odds it offers you". Duh. Since no hand in poker is a huge dog to any random hand, if you get great odds you should take it as this is your true "edge". In fact you should never play in a game that you do not have an edge in. That is the true essence of winning poker. If you are the 9th best player in the world, why would you sit at a game with all 8 of the better players? You have no edge. And, there are so many games out there with worse players.
So now you know.
3 comments:
Sorry I missed you at the Wed game. I was at the clinic that day suffering from dehydration. I had to go to the doctor to tell me to drink more water. DUH. Anyway, it was to damn hot. It was 103 at my place up river. See ya next time, I hope.
Well with all respect to Mr. Zee, that makes no sense to me at all. Most places wouldn't let you buy in that cheaply. Maybe I misread it??
@ Dave sorry to miss you friend. Lots of that dehydration around. Glad you are o.k. Will be back in a couple of weeks, see you then.
@ Dewey The buy in was hypothetical, if you could buy in for any amount, we all realize there are minimums. He was just pointing out the best odds situation. Not sure I agree as lost opportunity (implied odds) are missing.
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