THE WORLD'S #1 POKER MANUAL - Card Games

Poker Book, Techniques
John Finn has a big psychological advantage over his opponents. He confuses, shocks, bullies,
frightens, and worries them into focusing their attention on him. They react strongly to his
actions. Their moves and bets are often distorted because they base them on trivial moves by John,
while ignoring significant moves by other players. Knowing how they will react to his moves, John
can often make them do what he wants, while he alone retains a balanced view of the game. The
results? He controls the game.... This is how that control works:
Immediately after bluffing Sid Bennett (in the previous chapter), John spreads his cards face-up
across the table. Seeing John's four hearts with a big black club right in the middle, Sid moans
and groans as the other players laugh at him. With his face blushing red, he mutters, "I'll sleep in
the street before you bluff me out again."
The players are still talking about John's bluff as Scotty Nichols starts the next deal. Ted opens for
$25. Sid fumbles with his money ... an indication that he wants to raise. John has a pair of aces
that could be played with good investment odds if he can gain an offensive betting position and
prevent Sid's raise. That is an easy problem for John. He just throws some confusion at the
players by making a weird $3 raise.
Sid drops the money he was fingering. "What's Finn up to?" he says, wrinkling his nose. "He's
either got nothing or a powerhouse. Uh . . . probably hoping for a raise."
Perfect. That is exactly the reaction John wanted. The silent players stare at him as they try to
figure out his bet. The result? Everyone just calls and then anxiously awaits John's next move.
With that $3 bet, John prevents any raising, gets everyone's attention, and assumes the offensive
betting position.
Now the draw. John Finn takes three cards--Sid frowns at him. Immediately John looks at his
draw. He catches a pair of jacks to give him aces-up two pair. His expression remains unchanged.
Sid draws one card, glances at it, and then grunts, "I had John beat all the time. Should've raised
him out of his seat."
A convenient statement for John ... it verifies that Sid still has two pair. Scotty also draws one
card. By knowing his betting and playing habits, John reads him for two pair also. Ted draws one
card; his freckled face stiffens as he slowly squeezes his cards apart. Then with a burst of swear
words, he flings the cards across the table.
"Miss your flush?" Quintin Merck asks, smiling with a fluttering mustache. Ted just pouts his lip
and looks at the ceiling.
John makes a nominal $1 bet. Sid, still mumbling about being bluffed out of the previous hand
and then being tricked out of the first-round raise, reacts emotionally, "You ain't getting off cheap
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