Anthony Martino
Royal Flush
So a number of you have played with me and I will ask an opponent who has bet into me:
"If I show, will you fold?"
It's the opposite of the question people typically expect, and it causes your opponent to pause, process what was actually said vs what their brain wants them to think was said, and then they usually provide you with a tell in the form of their sincerity.
If your opponent is comfortable with their hand and the situation, their smile and response will be genuine. If the opposite is true, their response and smile are generally forced and insincere.
Last night I'm playing 1/2 NL with a 200 max buyin. It's my button and I've straddled to $4. The player in the BB tried to restraddle to $8 but that's not permitted from his position, and he seemed flustered by it. So after the SB folds he raises to $8
Already he's told me he likes to gamble and try to take control of spots. Folds to me and on my button I look down at
and make the call with position on Mr Aggressive
Flop is
Pot: $17
Villain bets $15
I ask him "if I show, will you fold?" and he takes a second to process what was said, and then when he starts to speak it's clear it's forced and not genuine, like he's putting on an act with his response. I make the call
Turn:
Pot: $47
Villain checks, I check behind.
River
Pot: $47
Now Villain perks up and starts acting strong "oh no, no checking!" and slams $50 down as his bet. Well now he's giving me another tell. He's acting strong when weak, and his bet size makes little sense. If I had an Ace I'm likely betting the turn when he checks to protect it from the draws, but I didn't do that.
So if I don't have an Ace, and I'm supposed to believe he just hit three of a kind deuces, how am I supposed to pay off his larger than the pot bet? It makes no sense. If he wanted value from me he'd size it much smaller, as my turn check behind gives no indication I can call such a large river bet.
As such his bet is telling me he doesn't want a call, and has sized it appropriately. As Mike Caro says, find out what your opponent wants you to do and then disappoint them. So I make the call and he immediately looks downtrodden and says "good call" in a sad voice and doesn't show, and I flip over my 8's and scoop a nice pot.
He starts muttering "you called with 8's with an Ace out there?!"
I managed to make $221 profit in the cash game last night in just a couple of hours (had also played a satellite tournament but bubbled, not sure I made the right play on that one, posted another strat thread about it)
"If I show, will you fold?"
It's the opposite of the question people typically expect, and it causes your opponent to pause, process what was actually said vs what their brain wants them to think was said, and then they usually provide you with a tell in the form of their sincerity.
If your opponent is comfortable with their hand and the situation, their smile and response will be genuine. If the opposite is true, their response and smile are generally forced and insincere.
Last night I'm playing 1/2 NL with a 200 max buyin. It's my button and I've straddled to $4. The player in the BB tried to restraddle to $8 but that's not permitted from his position, and he seemed flustered by it. So after the SB folds he raises to $8
Already he's told me he likes to gamble and try to take control of spots. Folds to me and on my button I look down at
and make the call with position on Mr AggressiveFlop is
Pot: $17
Villain bets $15
I ask him "if I show, will you fold?" and he takes a second to process what was said, and then when he starts to speak it's clear it's forced and not genuine, like he's putting on an act with his response. I make the call
Turn:
Pot: $47
Villain checks, I check behind.
River
Pot: $47
Now Villain perks up and starts acting strong "oh no, no checking!" and slams $50 down as his bet. Well now he's giving me another tell. He's acting strong when weak, and his bet size makes little sense. If I had an Ace I'm likely betting the turn when he checks to protect it from the draws, but I didn't do that.
So if I don't have an Ace, and I'm supposed to believe he just hit three of a kind deuces, how am I supposed to pay off his larger than the pot bet? It makes no sense. If he wanted value from me he'd size it much smaller, as my turn check behind gives no indication I can call such a large river bet.
As such his bet is telling me he doesn't want a call, and has sized it appropriately. As Mike Caro says, find out what your opponent wants you to do and then disappoint them. So I make the call and he immediately looks downtrodden and says "good call" in a sad voice and doesn't show, and I flip over my 8's and scoop a nice pot.
He starts muttering "you called with 8's with an Ace out there?!"
I managed to make $221 profit in the cash game last night in just a couple of hours (had also played a satellite tournament but bubbled, not sure I made the right play on that one, posted another strat thread about it)
I played 10/4 off and flopped a boat. I had to be shook by the player on my right. "Craig - wake up, you won and now cash us out." 
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