Image is Everything

Well maybe not everything, in poker being able to walk the walk and talk the talk can be very helpful but, you have to remember that all the gold chains, Rolex’s and other kinds of bling won’t make you a poker player any more than scalpel will turn a tree surgeon into a brain surgeon. You’ve got to be able to play the game to win. But in the tactical play, image is sometimes all you’ve got at your disposal to win pot. It may be all you have to get your opponent the false sense of comfort he needs to bet into your power-house.

Last time I played Funk Poker I was able to secure a wild and crazy player image. I decided that by using this image it would give out a completely opposite image from my regular rock like facade. So when I returned this week and played the same game against predominantly the same players I had ALL my value bets paid off as well as most of my premium hands. And I also managed to obtain a place in the payouts. I was knocked out going against the big stack with JJ vs. 66.

Certain images can be a little too much for some players. Last week I also realised that pointers I gave the volunteer dealer at my new table could have put that player on tilt, let me explain.

The image of a jobs-worth

In 1995, when the late Ken Flaton was contending for the championship title in Atlantic City he was given a choice and his decision made him very unpopular. One of the players at the final table, a veteran player, suddenly needed to relieve himself in the bathroom. He kindly asked the other players permission to step out since the tournament rules did not allow for the clock to be stopped before the end of the hour. All players except ken agreed, he said no and explain later that this man knew from experience how to pace himself. He should have known not t drink so much coffee. If he had to go while the game played on he was free to do that, but the tournament did not have to stop for him. The blinds were high and the championship was at stake. What happened was that the other players at the table, as a favour played slowly so that the man did have time to go and return. The man came back angry at Ken and on tilt. Ken ended up winning the tournament. Ken looked at this as an example of using the rules to your advantage. If enforcing the rules puts another player on tilt, so much the better.