Phil Gordon
To simplify me life, whenever that comes my turn to play, I try to repeat the same questions in my head:
- Is what my opponent plays conservatively? Aggressively? Timidly?
- What are the hands my opponent might have?
- - What does my opponent think I have?
Once I have the answer to the first question and I feel confident with my answers to the second and third questions, I go with the most important issues:
Should I bet or raise?
If I think I have the best hand, I almost always answer 'Yes' and I bet or I raise.
If I think I can result in weak players outside the pot with this update or a future bet, I'll almost always answer 'Yes' and I bet or I raise.
If I do not think that bet or raiser is the right decision, I go with the last question:
Should I checker or folder?
If I believe that I have the worst hand, I almost always answer 'Yes' and I check or I fold.
If I think that my opponent is strong, I will always answer 'Yes' and checker or folder.
After a careful analysis, if I am not sure of my choice between raise and folder, I tell myself to caller a bet (or checker) should be correct.
I ask myself these questions and, even in the most obvious situations, and I often see players that do not ask these questions, thus committing costly mistakes.
And by asking the question of the "raise" prior to that of the 'fold' and 'call', I make sure to play aggressive and winning manner.
Try to ask yourself the same questions the next time you sit down at a table and see how these issues will facilitate you the task in your decision-making while complicating that of your opponents.
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