Ace rag

Friday, 18 December 2009 07:03

Written by Simon Olsen

0 Comments

I'm still amazed at the number of times I watch people confidently raise with Ace plus anything lower than 9, then easily win, often in a showdown. The only time I can play it is in big or small blind, and even then I'm ready to do the Snoop Dogg and "Drop it like it's hoooot!"

Last night at Bowlers I was sitting next to a guy claiming he doesn't play very much, just after he re-raised me triple my raise three times the blind, pre-flop. After I called, mainly because it was early and I had to establish confidence in my hole cards, a rainbow flop 3-J-9 is followed by his over-bet, not quite all-in. I drop my hole cards, taking a considerable whack to my clay bank account.

After not showing his cards, others asked him what he had, and he claimed A-9. "Yeah, buddy! You re-raised me pre-flop and you over-push post-flop with 2nd-top pair. AND you hardly play poker. Rrrrriiiiggghhhht!"

Funnily enough, he dealt next, and tried to get the cards split with the player on his right, rather than on his left as you do in APL. Pretty much a tell-tale sign he frequently plays NPL or Oz-Poker.

But as the game progressed, he kept winning massive pots with A-crap, showing us all as he did. One guy pushes all-in in early position with pocket 10s (he had been struggling to start, but this seemed pretty desperate), and this A-rag guy calls with A-4 hearts.

He confidently cheers for hearts to give him a flush, like his odds were actually good.

He gets his flush, on the river of course.

Soon after he and another regular, The Professor, re-raise each other pre-flop until they're both all-in. Prof turns over K-K, and this guy turns over A-8 unsuited???

All of us at the table couldn't believe all-in had been reached with one player having high pockets and another with A-rag.

Sure enough. A is first card out on the flop. Top two chip leaders became one donkey chip-leader with a whole table whose only conversation with him consisted of dessert-spoons of sarcasm. "Yeah, you're odds were awesome! That's an insta-call. Well played." Pffft!

After seeing the hands that had just unfolded, I realised he DEFINITELY had A-9 that hand before when he chunked my stack!

I will say this. I do come from this school of thought: They're your two cards, you can do what you like with them. And I sit down at the table knowing the rules like everyone else. These things happen, and if they phase you that much, then seriously, you shouldn't bother playing.

What I can't understand is how these A-rag toters do it. Pushing confidently and get the pay-off, even in a showdown, with single-digit percent odds.

And it's not just the bananas. I've seen players who I respect push hard with them too. Is it because it's a free-roll? Are As more likely to flop?

Every time I try this method of play, I waste my time and chips. 19 times out of 20 I'll never hit one of those three As possibly left in the deck. And even when it happens, I'm wide open to be out-kicked with A-J or A-K.

Is it my confidence? Am I just unlucky? Am I just focusing on the times I see it win and not noticing the times these players lose with it, much like when you remember every time As get beaten, but don't remember the winners because you expect them to win?

If anyone can shed some light on this, leave me a comment below.

Happy raising, players!