Hit And Run

Here is a quick question for you. If you rammed your car into another vehicle or, Lord forbid, struck a pedestrian, would you flee from the scene without reporting it?

That's a silly question, I can imagine my readers saying. Of course, I would not do that. It's hit and run and it's illegal.

You are absolutely right. Hit and run don't work on America's highways. But in a gambling casino, it does work and it can pay off -- especially when you are playing poker.

The other day I was playing poker at a casino near Phoenix where I live. Another player sat down at our table. He appeared to be in his late 20s. He played a hand, threw away his cards, and on the second hand, he jammed the pot with a raise.

He came out betting on fourth street and got two callers.

On fifth street he came out betting. One of the callers folded but the second one called him. Obviously, on a bluff, he threw away his cards and left the table. Had he won, I am sure he would have stayed.

But let's say the opposite happens to you. For the sake of argument, let's say that you raise a pot, bet it to the end, and win the pot. Then let's say you win a couple of other hands and rake in big pots so that you triple or quadruple your buy-in.

That often happens to poker players. Most players would hang around the table to see what happens. But what if you decided to leave the table and cash in? Then you sign up for another game. That is hit and run and in a casino setting, it's perfectly legal.

Now poker room managers are not crazy about such a tactic. Most card rooms will not let a hit and run player back into the game he left for at least one hour. But what's to stop him from signing up for another game at another table?

Absolutely nothing.

While I don't do it often, I think there is merit to hit and run tactics in poker. Players can catch onto your style and those early winnings can easily evaporate if you aren't careful. Why not take your winnings, have a drink at the bar or get something to eat, and then return, refreshed and ready to play?

I know I have been in situations where if I had done that it would have made me some good money. Instead, I stayed and watched my earnings vanish and go into the chip stacks of other players.

Now as I said at the beginning of this article, don't commit hit and run on a highway. But if you do it in a poker room, you have my blessings even though you might upset your adversaries. Good luck and let the games begin.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).