Monday, December 29, 2014

You have to believe

It's been a while, so maybe it's time for a refresher course on the key factor in successfully playing The Mighty Deuce-Four.

Last night I was at Harrah's Cherokee, using the PokerPro tables for some $1-2 NLHE. I had started with $300, and after about two hours was down to about $200, when I caught 2-4 for the first time--offsuit, both black.

I was in the small blind. We had three limpers including the cutoff. Button raised to $16. I called, BB called.

Now it got weird: Cutoff, who had the biggest stack of around $600, reraised to $37.  A limp-reraise from late position? Who does that? I think I've seen only two kinds of hands played that way: A-K and medium pairs. I assume that in both cases, these players are thinking roughly along these lines: "This is a hand that is hard to play after the flop unless it improves in a very specific way, which it usually doesn't. Therefore, I'd either like to play it very cheaply, or put in a prohibitive pre-flop raise and end the hand." I don't recall ever seeing anybody play K-K or A-A like this from late position.

Anyway, the button called. I called, of course, since I had the best hand. Besides, I felt in my bones that I was going to flop big. In my bones, I tell you.

Surprisingly, the BB called, too, making the pot a bloated $145 or so before we even had a flop out.

Flop: A-4-4 rainbow.

Of course.

I pleaded with the poker gods: "Oh, please let him have A-K, not a medium pair."

I checked. BB checked. Cutoff bet $50. Button folded. I called. BB folded.

Turn: 7 of the fourth suit. Excellent.

I checked. Cutoff bet $75. I had $112 left. I figured he was thoroughly pot-committed. With me all-in, the pot would be about $430, and he'd only have to call $37 more to stay in. He should do that with just about anything. And he did. The computer revealed our hands. He had J-J. Two outs.

River: King. My old friend the Deuce-Four had done it for me again.

I heard the murmurings around the table: "Are you kidding me?" "I did not expect to see those two hands." "Wow." I just took it in stride. I couldn't feign surprise, since I had known I would win.

When people tell me that they have lost with 2-4, I usually tell them that they didn't play it right. Most often what they do wrong is fail to believe in it. My stock reply is this: "Does Santa bring presents to little boys and girls who do not believe in him? No, he does not. It's the same with Deuce-Four. You have to believe in it for it to work."

I believe.

10 comments:

Lester said...

On an electronic table you miss out on the mighty rolling over of the mighty 2-4off physical cards but I imagine you still had the IRL chit eatin' grin!

Memphis MOJO said...

My problem when I play the 2-4, is that I must do it with too much confidence. They almost always fold to my big raise and I don't get value from it. Should I slow-play it more?

Rakewell said...

Tough problem. I do recommend disguising its strength by whatever means necessary.

Pete P. Peters said...

I'm yet to win with "the Grump." Ever. I think all these stories and hand histories are "fan fiction . . ." It's impossible to win with 2-4. It's never before happened. No way.

Memphis MOJO said...

PPP, does the word heresy mean anything to you? Let's try infidel, then.

lightning36 said...

Grump always accuses me of misplaying 2-4. I must admit that every time I see it am tempted to play it. I guess I am just a 2-4 heathen.

angerisagift said...

yesssss!!!!!!! a poker post then a post u r moving to vegas/florida back to grinding #babysteps p.s whatever happen with the car?? totalled?? fixed??

Rakewell said...

Car was totaled. The other guy's insurance company paid me a little more than it was probably actually worth. I took that money and bought a 2015 Honda Fit in the same bright red color as the 2013 Fit had been. So it all worked out fine in the end.

cokeboy99 said...

Maybe you should teach rob to believe in the dreaded pocket kings so he wins with them more often? Lol

Nicely done. Always love playing 2-4 and seeing the expressions of others when it hits!!

ManInBlack said...

lol. 2-4 strikes again. When will they learn