ALL THE Aces

OVER-COMPLICATING?

‘Pride comes before a fall,’ is an expression made for poker because, like politicians, drivers, and lovers, poker players nearly always think they are better than they really are. Mike Caro was the first to identify ‘Fancy Play Syndrome’ (FPS), describing it as that situation in which a player thinks he is so much smarter than his opposition that he begins to “play backwards”.

TOO FANCY?

By that Caro meant betting when you should be calling, checking when you should be raising, calling when you should be folding, and trying too hard to out-play and out-fox your opponents with sneaky poker tactics. FPS goes against the long-term proven ways of playing poker profitably. It’s seductive because, when you do throw the occasional ‘fancy’ move in to trick your opponents into yielding their chips, it feels wonderful. You get a massive kick of endorphins and feel like you are God’s gift to poker.

ROAD TO RUIN?

Herein lies the addictive road to ruin Caro warns, as the temptation is to repeat your trick more often than is wise. The occasional becomes the habitual and before you know it, you have adopted a raft of bad poker habits. If you spot FPS players, take advantage of them. Often their calls mean big hands, while bets often indicate draws or nothing hands, and checks suggest they may be slowplaying you.