Bingo? No, but we have limit holdem…

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Most games start with each player getting 2 cards, looking at those, and accessing their strength in relation to the other players on the table. I came across a game in a casino where this wasn’t the standard process. In this game first, they check to see if you have 2 cards. If you do not have 2 cards, fold. If you do and no one else has raised, then raise. Second, if someone has raised, and you do in fact have 2 cards, look at your cards, it doesn’t matter what they are, at this point you should re-raise. From here on out the game looks something like high stakes bingo, with a few confused poker players trying to hold on to their stacks while crazed gamblers push their chips in the middle.

Ever been in a game where there’s a blind cap? Remember those books you read about if someone calls in early position to fold such and such hands? This game was proof that one particular author isn’t a good enough resource to master the game, and you have to overcome and adapt each game every night.

If you read Sklansky or Brunson you might fold your pocket 9s if you are first to act, this would be a big mistake. This hand is nearly as powerful as AA. Every hand is a table dog, but you need to improve to a plurality favorite only. For these games, big cards are playable, but not good. The best hands are hands that make a monster. Any hand that once it makes is unlikely to go down to someone picking-up a river to suck out. The thing is, all your opponents are going to have odds to draw to crazy hands. They play the game this way to give each other odds. But these players play the wrong hands. These games are excessively profitable.

Hands you want to play:
AXs (avoid every ace off that doesn’t make the ace high straight)
Any Pocket Pair
Suited connected and single gapped. (now understand that your flush is far less likely to be the best flush because many of your opponents incorrectly play suited Ks and Qs)
Any 2 suited cards in the ace high straight.
That’s it!

Position goes out the window in this game too. You know you’re getting enough players, doesn’t really matter who or where. Show them a made straight, flush or set. Do not show them less than split 2 pair.

Don’t slow play. It may seem trivial to make your bet, but if you narrow someone out of the pot, good. You want to have a slightly higher chance to take down the already oversized pot. If one of the crazy bettors is attentive enough to notice you bet only made hands, then be happy to get him out of your pot and play against the true gamblers.

It may take hours before you win a pot. Unlike in a tight game, you’re going to see a lot of flops, and lose a lot of money before you hit big most nights. You will fold a lot of winners. Don’t get sucked into bingo though, there are better games for gambling like craps.

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