Poker Terrorists

It's always fun to interview some of the living legends of poker. One of my favorite people, as members of this website must realize by now, is Doyle Brunson. Doyle, who goes by the nickname of Texas Dolly, is one of the most quotable poker players in the world. He gave me one of the best quotes I ever heard when I asked him his definition of ‘no-limit Texas Hold'em.'

'No-limit Texas Hold'em is hours of boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror,' he said. A more dynamic or true statement was never made. I used the quote in my story, of course. Who wouldn't? But it wasn't until some time later that I realized just how true that quote was.

Let's start with a deck of cards. There are 52 cards and four suits, which can make many thousands of different hands. You may think you have the best hand, but do you? I was playing pot limit Omaha High-Low one evening at BestBet Casinoin Jacksonville, FL and I raised the pot with A-2-3-7. There were

three callers and the flop came A-A-8. I came out betting and got one caller. The turn card was 7, giving me a full house. By now, the pot contained nearly $200 and I bet the pot.

My opponent called me and turned over A-8-2-J.

That was my moment of sheer terror.

This does not just happen sometimes in poker. It often happens -- more often in Omaha High-Low than in Texas Hold'em, by the way. That is one of the reasons the bad beat is so popular.

You can make four of a kind, quads, and still be beat. You can back-door a king or queen-high flush and be beaten by an ace-high flush. You can back-door an ace-three low hand and get whipped by an ace-deuce. Do I make myself clear?

The longer you sit at a poker table, the more you realize that a player rarely has an unbeatable hand. Unless it is the ultimate nuts, you are always in danger of being beaten.

That is why Doyle Brunson is one of my favorite poker players to quote. I have never played against him. It would be fun to do so, but I think my chances of winning would be narrowed down to two:

Slim and none.

The only way to protect yourself from your own excesses is to refrain from being greedy. You don't need to make that raise when you just think you have the best hand. A call will do and it could save you a ton of money.

The only way to protect yourself from your own excess is to refrain from being greedy. You don't need to make that raise when you simply think you have the best hand. A call will do and it could save you a ton of money. Yes, you should bet a hand for value on the river if you think you have analyzed the play correctly. However, you could be wrong and if the other player comes over the top with a huge rage, that is the time in which terror strikes. Then, you will have to decide whether to call the raise or muck your hand.

Poker terrorists are real. If you don't want to walk into one of their traps, be careful and think the play through otherwise, good luck and may the best hand win.

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 ).