In poker, it just might pay to pay attention

When playing in tournaments with massive fields, pay attention even if you're not involved in a hand.

You're probably playing against strangers, so you need to figure out how they play and what their bets mean. A perfect example came from the late Chip Reese. At the 2007 World Series of Poker, with blinds at $100-$200, Seat 2 raised to $600 from early position. Seat 3 called. In the big blind, Reese merely called with pocket kings, hoping to trap someone.

The flop came 10-king-3, two clubs, giving Reese top set and creating flush and straight draws. Reese and Seat 2 checked. Seat 3 bet $800, less than half the pot.

"That was a really interesting bet," Reese said. "About two or three hands before, he had raised it coming in, I called the raise and another guy called the raise. The flop came Q-9-3, and he bet $800 in that hand too. It was a cheap bet. I folded, but I watched the hand, and it turned out he broke the other guy because he had flopped top set.

"I made a mental note of it. The bet was too cheap and I got to see the hand. He had flopped a big hand. So when he bet $800 into this flop of king-10-3, I felt he's got a hand. I had two kings, and I know he's never going to put me on that hand because I just called the $400 in the big blind. . . . So he bets $800, and I want to play the hand right there."

Reese raised to $2,500. Seat 2 folded. Seat 3 re-raised to $5,500.



"I think he's got three
10s, or it's possible he had two aces," Reese said. "So I moved in because I know if he's flopped a set there, I'm going to get all his chips."
Reese's opponent folded.

News Added: 29 February, 2008

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