Poker is About Pot

August 21, 2008

When playing poker, most of the pros realize that the most important thing you can do for yourself is to know how to manage the pot size. The antes are the things that make the poker tournament what it is, and when the starting pots start to grow, it goes to a whole new level of play.

Early in, they have to manage the pot size and measure it against how they are playing. They don’t want to be too aggressive, because they will be out before they know it, but they don’t want to be too laid back either. They have to read their opponents and know when to strike.

Take for example the 2007 World Series of Poker. It is a $10,000 main event with blinds at the opening level of $50-$100. Their starting stacks are around $20,000 in chips, and players know that they have to be just cautious enough to progress further on in the game. Watching the players, you can see them sizing each other up – wondering who will be the first to go.

Amnon Filippi knows better than others that how you play a hand will determine if you are around to play another one or not. He won the pot but only because he played it safe. Had he played it aggressively then he would not have stayed in the game. He played the pot just the right way, and took it – but it could have easily gone the other way.