What Influences Your Poker Decisions?

Poker Discussion
1

Shits hands X 2JPG
Shits hands X 2JPG1898×766 198 KB

I was playing two tables simultaneously last night (always a recipe for losing, for me). I observed that my hole cards at both tables were the same. You’ll see that they’re lousy hole cards, but at one table the odds are not too bad for me. At the other table, there’s no additional information–yet.

The one table shouldn’t influence my behavior in the other game, but I wonder if it actually might, subtly, tempt me to stay in the hand. Leading me to this question:

What influences you to play a hand you generally wouldn’t consider? Asking for a friend.

3 Likes
2

If it’s an MTT or a SNG and how many players are left at the table. ( I haven’t played Ring in years ).

2 Likes
3

Gin and Tonic :slight_smile:

6 Likes
4

Me too!

3 Likes
5

image
image750×808 84.1 KB

3 Likes
6

Ouija Board :eyes:

3 Likes
7

Occasionally I will get hunches to play a hand. I usually ignore hunches, but I often regret doing so because it usually happens that I miss out on a full house or a straight. I don’t believe in psychic predictions, but I notice this happens a bit more often than chance would expect that these hunches turn out to be right. I’m trying to play more scientifically and less superstitious. Apart from believing in the “Curse” that I’ve been dealing with from the past year or so, I think staying disciplined is best for the long term. But sometimes opponents behavior may influence me to do things like call wide against a loose aggressive player with too many bluffs. But that doesn’t often work out too great for me either.

2 Likes
8

I’m often modifying my default starting ranges for each seat, but assuming those are static, all of the following will cause me to modify those default ranges.

  • lower rake relative to the blinds will cause me to expand the number of hands I play per seat, and begin to see me shift from a raise or fold only strategy in most seats, to limping or calling with somewhat more hands
  • passive players behind me will see me expand my limp behind range, and sometimes open limp a few hands
  • players that don’t 3 bet often will expand my raising range
  • players that seem willing to commit all of their chips post flop with top pair or even worse will have me expanding my ranges
  • similar to the point above, if I think a player is on tilt, I’m more interested in seeing a flop
  • if I think I have a large post flop edge against most of the players likely to continue, I will expand my ranges

That said, 32 off suit is a hand that won’t usually make the cut, even with several factors expanding my ranges, especially from early position

Edit: and in all fairness, Craig’s point should be on my list, too, as that can definitely start to modify my ranges.

3 Likes