Daylight Robbery

All to often we find ourselves at a table grinding away, waiting for playable hands, only to discover that the clock keeps ticking and our stacks keep dwindling. Most serious cash game players are very sensitive to wasting time at the table.

They are on an ‘hourly rate’ (their anticipated net return per hour) and need to make the time investment count. So when the cards are just not coming, what do we do? The answer is simple: we steal.

There are several factors to consider when contemplating a steal in a cash game. Image is first and foremost. Have you established yourself at the table? Are you being taken seriously? Are other players hesitant to tangle with you? If the answers to these questions are yes, then you can proceed with your steal. Secondly, what’s your read on the table? Who are the tight players? Who are the overly aggressive ones? Who is on scared money?

All of these could be obvious targets at the appropriate time. Last, but certainly not least, you have to take into account position. Do you have position on your chosen target? Are you clearly out of position and will this assist your endeavour? How has the target been reacting to being check-raised, or reraised? This is all critical information.

So now we’ve established that you are suitably well informed, let’s begin the process of selecting a target.

MR CONSERVATIVE

The first and most obvious type of player is the tight-conservative type that cherrypicks premium hands and likes to take the lead in the action. This player is very conscious of position and will only play certain hands when he is one of the first couple of players to act. This is a perfect target, especially if he limps.

You can probably put him on a hand like A-Q, A-J, A-10 or a mid-pair, but certainly nothing more powerful on a limp. This type of player would definitely raise with hands like A-A, K-K and Q-Q, as he would want to ensure isolation rather than go to the flop with two or three other players. He limps, you raise; 70% of the time the action will end there and you will take down the pot.

MR TEXTBOOK

The second type of player is the one that likes to play ‘textbook’ poker. This player will usually raise any unraised pots when acting in late position, especially on the button. This one I really like, as he is usually on a move and will get away from the hand when faced with significant pre-flop resistance, especially from a solid player that he really does not want to dance with. Once again, the ratio is about the same as with Mr Conservative, so it’s a play that pays.

MR AGGRESSIVE

The last type of player – and my favourite – is the young over-aggressive one that most people would avoid as a target. Then again, this is the primary reason this type of player is my favourite target, as, with his aggressive nature, he is not expecting it. Most of the time, if you are willing to tangle with this type of player early on in a hand, the perception is that you must be holding a monster.

Although this can be a rewarding confrontation, it certainly will not be an inexpensive one. This type of player really likes to put you to the test and will not hesitate in the least to put you immediately to the test. This is when you need to have confidence in your read and be willing to stand by your convictions.

Let’s look at an example from the tables. At the Bellagio earlier this year I found myself at the table with Michael Mizrachi. Michael was consistently aggressive, especially when acting from late position and was uncontested for the better part of half an hour.

In one particular hand I was in middle position, while Michael was on the button, and I decided to limp, knowing that I would be immediately raised when the action got to him. The game was $50/$100 nolimit hold’em. One other player from the cut-off also decided to limp and Mizrachi immediately raised, making the bet $600.

The two blinds folded around to me. With only one other player to act, I re-raised to $1,600. The cut-off folded to Michael, who then decided to immediately put me to the test. He raised to $3,600 without hesitation. I pretended to think about it for a bit, then raised to $9,000. Michael mucked immediately and I took down the pot.

None of this was unpredictable, especially when facing an aggressive player. I would have been far more nervous and surprised had he simply called the re-raise. The hand played out exactly as it should have and my conviction allowed me to take a nice pot.

WE CAN WORK IT OUT

But what happens when things go wrong? I guess that depends on your interpretation of what is ‘wrong’. Getting re-raised pre-flop by an ultraconservative player is usually not a good thing. Getting called, however, is not the end of the world. A call does not necessarily mean that your plan has failed. But to complete the task at hand takes a little more skill and a few more chips. Let’s assume the call came from a tight player who had limped from early position. You raised pre-flop from the cut-off and he decided to call.

Players like this are predictable and you should be able to put them on a hand. The texture of the flop should tell you a lot, especially if it does not appear to have helped the variety of hands you put him on. Now, he may lead out and bet first.

Keep in mind that he is out of position and is probably aware of the fact that a check would provide no information as to where he stands in the hand. When facing a harmless looking flop, I would raise post-flop immediately regardless of my opponent’s bet.

It’s good to put him to the test again with only two cards to come. Keep in mind, you were the preflop aggressor and the fact that he led out and bet should not deter you. If he calls or raises, consider this a good time to cut your losses. However, if your read was correct you will win the pot the majority of the time.

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

If your attempt fails, do not despair. In fact, get back on the horse as soon as possible. That could mean the very next hand, as long as you’re facing the right kind of opponent. No one will put you on a steal attempt in back-to-back hands, especially when you have established a sound table image and are winning the showdowns. In fact, if the opportunity against the same player presents itself, do not hesitate to take it.

Make sure you constantly change it up and keep your opponents guessing. If you attempted a steal from late position, fire out from early position. Limp and raise. Raise and re-raise. Change the amounts of the raises on every raise, unless you are always raising the exact same amount, which, personally, is a strategy I do not like. I hate to be too predictable.

Some players ascribe to this religiously, but I recommend you implement a more complex strategy. It can only help you.

You may have noticed that I have not made any mention of what your hands may have been in each situation – and I will make no mention. It is information that’s important when stealing. The cards are irrelevant. When deciding to execute this strategy, you have to first make the commitment to stop playing cards and start playing poker.