The free player |Poker Strategy|

The free player, who almost always stays in on a high pair or a draw to a straight or flush, and who invariably stays in on two pairs. This is the one style of play, of those described here, that stands to lose in a game in which the majority of the players are more conservative. Then too there is the sucker, who stays in from curiosity and calls "to keep the game honest," Such a player is seldom a problem. It is necessary only to remember not to try to bluff him.

It is probably futile to advise it, because so few players will follow the advice, but it is well worthwhile to keep a written record of the playing habits of each person against whom you play frequently, adding to it each bit of new evidence that has arisen in the most recent game. Writing such data down will probably fix the facts in your memory.

Against a strange opponent it is sometimes worthwhile to make a play that is somewhat unsound, when the information to be gained will offset the additional risk of losing. For example: You open a pot on queens-up. The stranger plays along, and you are the only two in the pot. You draw one card, do not improve, and check. He draws three cards and makes a moderate bet.

You call, though it is a bad call, for you have two extrinsic advantages: (1) You see his hand and learn what sort of strength he bets on in such cases (including the possibility that he is bluffing); and (2) you give him the impression that you are a "small caller" and so discourage him from trying to bluff you on future hands. You will probably lose this pot, and for that reason would not call if his bet were a large one; but you may win. I will have much more to say on the subject of card memory and analysis when I discuss the particular games, which I will now take up one by one.