Poker Combat

Every now and then a player will find himself in a game where his opponents are out for blood. I call this poker combat.

In most cases, the table is made up of poor or substandard players who gained most of their poker knowledge from the games they see on television. They play low limit poker and rarely consider what people are raising with or even what flops. The only thing that matters to them is their own hands.

Sometimes they In play havoc with good players and win, but in the long run, they lose. There is no way they can sustain such play.

I enjoy poker combat even though it can become costly. The game is challenging and tests my stamina and resolve.

Such games bring out the gamble in players. For example, you may be drawing to an open-ended straight on fourth street. But there are three cards to a flush. Somebody comes out betting and another player, one of the poor ones, puts in a raise.

What do you do? You call the raise, of course. this is combat poker. In rare instances, someone will show a made flush and you will lose, but in most cases, if you make your straight on the river, you'll have a winner.

In poker combat, most players are caught up in gambling fever. There is little or no reason behind some of their moves except their passion for action.

The poker for blood fever will continue until a couple of the action players leave the game and are replaced by normal players. That is when the game will slow down and people will once again return to their normal method of play.

The way to handle such a game is to not let yourself be captured by the gambling fever that is raging. Stick to playing good cards and solid poker. If you feel a need to gamble, you can make some borderline calls, but don't go overboard. It could prove expensive.

You can't force the cards to fall the way you want them to fall. But you will collect the good cards when the odds are in your favor. Remember that and you should end up okay. The bloody noses from poker combat will be suffered by your opposition.

When you suspect a player is caught up in poker combat and you are first to act with good cards, check the bet. When the player fires his chips into the pot, raise him. If he re-raises, cap the bet. That should slow him down, especially if you rake in the pot.

Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to take my pills for my high blood pressure. All this talk about poker combat got me a little excited.

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 ).