Cash Game Pro Discusses Risk Taking in Poker

Sometimes you put your entire stack at risk with kings in a no-limit hold 'em tournament, even when you think that you're going against aces because sometimes you have to gamble.

Mark Gregorich, a Las Vegas cash-game pro and tournament player, found himself with that decision at the World Poker Tour's 2006 L.A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino. The blinds were $500-$1,000 with a $100 ante when Gregorich drew K-K in the big blind. The player under the gun raised to $3,000. In middle position, John Esposito re-raised to $8,000. A player in late position re-reraised to $16,000.

"He's the one I'm worried about because usually the third raise is going to be aces," Gregorich said. One of the factors in Gregorich's decision was that he had only $15,000, a short stack at this point in the tournament. Plus, he was in the blind, so he felt he had some investment in the pot.

"I don't know for sure that he has aces," said Gregorich, a columnist for Card Player magazine, "and it's a huge mistake to fold if I have the best hand because I'm short-stacked, and I need to gamble and try to get some chips and get myself competitive."

Gregorich was getting about 2-1 on his money if he called, more if other players called the late-position player's raise. "And it's hard to pick up hands like kings, which tend to be a monster favorite if you're ahead," Gregorich said.

If his kings were up against queens, he was more than a 4-1 favorite. A monster hand, indeed. But if he was up against aces, Gregorich was more than a 4-1 underdog. In poker terms, that's being dominated. He called, as did Esposito, and as it turned out, Gregorich was up against both. Esposito, who had re-raised to $8,000, held Q-Q. But Player X in late position who re-re-raised to $16,000, indeed had A-A.

Other than a run of flush or straight cards, Gregorich's tournament life was down to two outs, the two unseen kings. And he hit one of them when the flop came K-10-4, all clubs. Gregorich made a set, but Player X had the ace of clubs, so he suddenly had the nut flush draw.

The turn came the queen of hearts, giving Esposito a set of queens and giving the player holding aces additional outs because he was a jack away from a straight. But a blank on the river gave the main pot to Gregorich, who busted Esposito.

July 2, 2006
Posted By Susan Torres
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!

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