If you are sitting at home reading this article, chances are you’re just like me – you can’t get enough of online poker. Whether you’re in it for the thrill of the game or you’re trying to make a living, playing online offers several distinct advantages over the “live” game. The online game is a faster game, which essentially means more and potentially larger pots and more risks per hour than a standard B&M (brick and mortar) game. When you see a larger volume of hands, chances are that during each session you play, you are bound to see something that leaves you speechless, shaking your head, mystified, or (shudder at the thought) having to re-buy. In this column, each week we will take a look at a different hand that fits the previously mentioned criteria. My involvement in the hand notwithstanding, I will try to remain as impartial as possible, and for the hands that I didn’t win, I will keep my bitterness to a minimum. (At least, this is my intent)

Online poker, its faaaan-tastic. Is that how the saying goes? Yes, you’re right, that’s actually the NBA’s slogan. But the same holds true for the game of poker. It is a great game. It’s important to play solid fundamental poker to have long term success but it is just as important to change things up once in a while as well. If you are seen as a tight player who only plays good cards, whenever you raise people will figure you to have premium cards or a high pocket pair. If you allow yourself to become predictable you could miss out on many solid money making opportunities as people will never pay you off and just look to crack your big hands. So you need to mix it up every once in a while just to keep your opponents off balance. Doing so properly will lead to a more positive expectation with your bankroll. I recommend every once in a while to raise with your suited connectors and see what develops. On that note, here comes this week’s hand of the week.

I was playing online at a $2-$4 no limit table where the max buy in was $400. I had been playing for about 30 minutes or so only raising preflop with premium cards and then showing my hand for all to see once it was over. Why give out valuable information? Well, there was a reason for my actions. I wanted to give the impression that I only raise with big cards. By doing so, I would be setting them up for later when the following hand came up. I was in the cutoff seat looking down at the 9s-10s, nice suited connectors. I decided I would throw my opponents a changeup. I made a raise to $16 to see what happens. I was called by 3 players. The flop came down and it was the 6s-7s-4d giving me an inside straight flush draw. Pretty decent flop for me as I did have outs. With $64 in the pot and 3 players, I decided to make a stab at the pot with a semi-bluff. I bet $40 and was called by 2 players. I immediately put them on draws as well though I didn’t know which kind.

Then came the Turn and what a card it was. It was the beautiful 8 of hearts! This obviously gave me the nut straight. Again, it was checked to me. With $128 in the pot, I bet out $60. I was raised to $120 by one player and the other went all in for $280 total. How crazy was this, here I am holding the stone cold nuts. I pushed in my remaining $400 and the last player called too! There was over $1000 in the pot by this point and our cards were flipped over. My only possible fear was a nut flush draw.

Turns out, I had nothing to fear at all. Neither of my opponents had a single spade. Both of them had 5’s giving them straights to the 8. That’s what they get for calling with bad preflop hands. They were drawing dead so when the River brought a harmless Q, the chips floated to my icon. Not a bad payoff for suited connectors huh?

On that not, here comes this weeks hand of the week.
Until next time, may the chips fall your way.

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