At a recent pizza party for my son’s basketball team, my wife happened to mention to a couple of fellow dads that I had played poker professionally back when we first met. It’s something that I don’t bring up often because, in the right crowd, it has a way of dominating the conversation as it did on this night.
Hearing the news, one of the dads immediately perked up and began peppering me with questions. Through the ensuing conversation, I learned he was slated to play in a 500-person corporate poker tournament organized by one of the largest real estate companies in the country. As a recreational player with some experience but no defined strategy, he saw an opportunity to get a leg up on his coworkers and wasn’t shy about squeezing every bit of advice he could out of me for the remainder of the night (thanks, honey!) Of course, as a lover of the game, I understood his excitement and did my best to offer whatever advice I could to help him maximize his chances of success.
So for anyone playing in a similar event, or just wading into an ocean of amateur players at their local poker tournament, here are three tips I shared with my fellow basketball dad that may be helpful to you as well.
TAG Is Right
As a poker amateur playing against other amateurs, the simplest and most effective style of play is “TAG,” or tight-aggressive.
The TAG philosophy is simple: play good hands, in good position, and play them as aggressively as possible without becoming maniacal.
Although entire books can and have been written about the specifics of that advice, the simplest place to start is by using a standard poker tournament starting-hand chart (all the major coaching websites have them and they’re all good enough). Once you’ve got a good sense of what hands to play from what position, the goal becomes to expand and contract those ranges very gently, especially from later position, based on your comfort level and your opponents’ style and skill-level.
So resist the urge to splash around like many of your alcohol-fueled tablemates will be, and avoid complicated scenarios by reminding yourself of the TAG motto: patience, precision, aggression.
Suckouts Are Opportunities
It’s fascinating how the first thing an amateur poker player will tell you is, without fail, a bad beat story. This proved true once again with the dad I was speaking to, who after sharing a story I’ve already forgotten the details of asked: how can you beat someone who plays bad cards and draws at everything? It drives me crazy!
Here’s what I said.
As long as you’ve still got chips, getting to see a player making a huge theoretical mistake, like playing a bad hand and drawing without the right odds to, is not something that should enrage you, it is a gift.
Your opponent has just identified themselves as a mark; don’t think ****, think YIPEE!
You now have an evidence-supported opportunity to expand your hand ranges (gently) and begin value-betting much more aggressively. Avoid bluffing, fold to their river shoves when the obvious draw comes in, and bide your time for the payoff.
The guy in seat 6 who played 94s to a raise from middle position is always welcome at my poker game, and he should be at yours too. So rather than feeling dejected at facing a river suckout, smile and remind yourself: I’m going to get those chips back with interest.
Personality Is A Skill Too
Speaking of treating your tablemates like welcomed guests, if you’ve generally been a quiet player at the table, as this dad admitted to being, and want to give yourself an “easy” edge, try becoming the most likable person in the game for a change and just observe the results. Think of it as a science experiment. Chat with your neighbors, share a laugh at a ridiculous runout, and build rapport with as many of the other players as possible. You’ll be amazed at how much more leeway you get at the table when everyone is enjoying your presence.
At all but the highest levels, poker tournaments, especially corporate ones, are as much about socializing as they are about cards. So make the most of the experience by enjoying your time at the table in a way that helps others enjoy their time too. Not only will your bets be given respect they haven’t yet earned, you will open the door to creating new relationships, any one of which has the potential to be far more valuable—be it professionally or personally—than any prize money you stand to win.
Play good hands in good position, use setbacks as opportunities, and uplift the energy of the table. Do that and you won’t just put yourself in the best position to win the tournament, you’ll ensure the experience is a rewarding one, no matter the results.
Will Watson is a writer, poker player and enthusiastic student of the human mind.
Contact me at: willwatsonpoker@gmail.com
