POTD #258 Jorryt Van Hoof Takes me to the Cleaners
Put leaves me with enough to stay in the tournament.
“They’re not supposed to do that” is one of the worst thoughts you can have in a poker hand— unless they exposed their hand in a multiway pot, or string raised, or started drinking your coffee, in which case your outrage would be justified. When someone makes a poker play they’re not supposed to make, it should not be met with contempt or outrage, but enthusiasm. They did something wrong— it’s time to pounce. A throughline of Idiot Week is that when I see a play I don’t believe should be made, I am more focused on my vanity than solving the hand in front of me. It does not matter if I know better than my opponent; what matters is that I play the hand to the best of my ability.
They’re not supposed to do that, but they just did. I can’t call the floor over and patiently explain that this is an overbet-or-check situation and his full-pot bet should not stand. It’s an ugly thought to find yourself having in a hand because you are more concerned with showing off your poker knowledge than winning money. Your opponents are allowed to do whatever they want, within the rules (and in the case of certain VIPs, within their special set of rules). That they make unconventional plays is the reason you can make money. When met with a play like this, it’s your time to shine. Why did they pick an unconventional play? What led them to do something I’d never do, and what’s my best counter-adjustment? In today’s hand, I was expecting one thing on the river and got another, and it tricked me into making a big call with a bad hand.
EPT Prague 2022 Mystery Bounty €10,200
(500/1k/1k). 100k Starting Stack. Registration is Open. Bounties are not in play.
It folds to Jorryt Van Hoof (104k) on the button who makes it 2.5k, I (108.5k) call in the SB with 6♦️5♦️, the BB (99k) calls.
Flop (8.5k) K♥️J♣️5♠️: I check, the BB checks, Jorryt bets 2.5k, I make it 8k, BB folds, Jorryt calls.
Turn (24.5k) 3♦️: I bet 20k, Jorryt calls.
River (64.5k) J♥️: I check, Jorryt bets 45k of my remaining 78k. I call and he shows me A♠️K♠️.
