You might wonder why I would put A9 vs 72 in this category. Well...I put it in for a few reasons, one for the timing of the hand, two because of the odds presented by the hand, and three, because its a real actual hand that was played live and I got the raw end of the deal. Let me set it up.
The game started with around 25 players and we were now down to, I believe, right about 10 players on two tables. It was late in the game with the blinds at 2000/4000. Starting chips for the game are 10k. I got to the game a little late so my starting stack was 9500. After winning a whole two hands the entire game, both all in hands, I felt I had done pretty well to still be in with 9500 chips. However, it was down to crunch time with my meager stack as I was UTG (under the gun, first to act) and the big blind was next hand. I would have been committed with almost any two cards. I was really hoping for something playable, (any ace, high connectors, any pair) despite my poor position.
I looked down to see A9 suited. Woo Hoo! That's way better than any two cards at this short handed table. I pushed my 9500 chips into the pot. The table folded around to the big blind. David C. Yes, I say his name as if its a cuss word (jokingly). Actually, I really enjoy David. He is fun to play with and usually I get the better end of the deal. (He doesn't disagree.) The pot at this point is 9500 on my bet plus the small blind of 2000, plus his big blind of 4000. 15500 chips. David at this point need only put in 5500 chips to call which is just under 3 to 1. 5500 to call for 15500. I turned over my A9 suited and David turns over 72 suited. Most of us know 72 is one of the worst odds hands, with 72 off being the worst, so it can be very difficult to call no matter what the chip count is. Many people would say and others agree, that it was a horrible call to risk 5500 chips, but was it? We know his pot odds were just under 3 to 1, so what about the hand odds.
To know if something is a good or bad call, you have to consider the hands. If I had an over pair to his hand, say 10s, his odds would be near 4 to 1 on the wrong end. If I had two overs like I did, his odds are right about 2 to 1 against (a little worse with 72 suited or not). Yes it is possible I could have had an over pair, but at the same time, my stack was low and I was UTG, so the chances that I was pushing in with something less than an over pair were pretty good. Comparing his pot odds to his hand odds, it was the right call. He was getting the chance to win more chips than his odds to win the hand needed to make the call. 3 to 1 in the pot, 2 to 1 against. If his odds against were 4 to 1 to win the hand, it would not have been a good call, but since his odds were better than it took to make the call in chips, it is the right play.
I had few opportunities to get my chips in with the best hand and in this case, I did, with very good odds to win as well. I will win this hand 65 percent (or so) of the time. However, David hit his deuce on the flop and I did not improve my Ace high hand. Even though David gave me the cursory, "well, umm...they were suited" later, and while I certainly was gonna give him a hard time about playing such a rotten hand, I cannot say that it was a poor play, because it was not. He had the right odds the whole way to be able to do it. Remember, that your hand and playing properly is not all about having the best cards, it is often about having the right odds. Get your chips in with the best hand under the right circumstances, or, get your chips in with the worst hand and the right odds in the right circumstances. If you can do this, ignore the people that call you a donkey when they have no idea about odds play, you will win your share of hands.
I'll get ya back David!
