Master The Cards Or The Cards Will Master You

Control is something we all want. Control of our destiny, control of our income, control of the automobile, even control of our relationships. When we have control, we feel safe. Feeling safe is good. We like that feeling.

In a poker game, controlling or mastering the cards is difficult, but achievable. In fact, if we do not control or master the cards we play, we will lose.

What does it mean to master the cards? It doesn't mean to control the cards that are dealt to you. No one can do that. Controlling the cards means to control which cards we play from which positions. For instance, I was dealt a pair of split nines in a Seven Card Stud game. The lady to my right had the low card showing and was forced to bring it in for one dollar. I checked the board, and there were no nines showing. However, this table had some loose players who liked to raise on almost any kind of draw. There was an ace, a king and two queens showing and yet to act. I threw my hand away. Normally I will play those nines, but I don't want to call a raise with them. My position was most precarious, and it was my choice to abandon the hand and not risk a raise or even two raises to see the next card. If I had been in late position, say the forced opener was to my left and there were no raises, I would certainly have called, maybe even raised if I sensed weakness around the table. This scenario is an example of control.

Some players will automatically call with any pair, large or small. If they have that automatic reaction, they are allowing the cards to control them, not the other way around. They are reacting to the cards. The decisions we make to play or not to play, to raise or to fold, should be based on our experience and judgment. If we have some automatic calls, we are not in control.

MAKE THE CARDS YOUR SERVANTS

Another example of automatic betting is the inability to lay down a hand that is beaten. Playing a pair of queens against a pair of aces or kings is an example of being out of control. I remember a dear lady named Margaret who took a poker class from me. We were playing Seven Card Stud in class and she caught an open pair of queens. Another player had an open pair of kings. She called his bet. I asked her why. She replied, "Maybe I will catch another queen." I carefully explained to her that the other player had the exact same chance to catch another king as she had to catch a queen. I told her, "When you are beaten, get out!" To retire from the action is the move to control the cards and your game. Sure, those queens look great, but when they are beaten, they look like costly possessions. Very costly possessions. Play the cards, control the cards, master the cards and they will be very kind to you.