An Embarrassing Poker Story and The Leave Something Behind Re-Raise

An Embarrassing Poker Story and The Leave Something Behind Re-Raise

This is part of an email I sent to Mark at the Pokerbankrollblog.

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The Leave Something Behind Re-Raise
The Leave something behind re-raise pre-flop is a move that I had never seen before–but tried it at one event by accident! In this tournament I had intended to move all-in as a bluff after a player raised pre-flop. After I made the bet, I noticed I had a couple of chips left and felt really stupid. Well…my opponent noticed those chips and appeared confused. He folded…and I decided I should try this play again. It worked and I won a big pot.

One of the times I used this move was in a $500 buy-in tournament in Reno. I only took third place or the story would have been better.

It was the middle of the event. And I was card dead. My image had to be of a very tight player. My chips were bleeding out. The under the gun player put in a standard 3x blind raise….this player and I compete all the time in the Bay Area, so I know he thinks I only re-raise with the nuts. I also know his image–and he likes making moves under the gun with good but not great cards.

A player in middle position calls. I have 9-7 suited on the button. I make a re-raise--about 4x’s the initial raise, which puts about all my chips in…probably 90% of my stack. The reason is that if I move all-in I know I will get a call by one of my opponents. The blinds fold. The guy I knew looks at me, looks at those few chips behind the line and asks, “What are you going to do with those?” I don’t respond. He thinks for a while and mucks. The player in middle position thinks for a long time. I’m thinking to myself, “Fold. Can’t you see I want action with those chips I left behind?” Finally, he shows pocket 9’s and folds. That hand was a big increase in chips for me, at the right time.

An Embarrassing Poker Story
Ok..now to give you full disclosure…later on in the event. I’ve never told this story, because it is rather embarrassing. We are down to 3 tables. I’m in the small blind and the timer says it is break time–but the dealer had shuffled so the hand is being dealt. I am dying to take a leak…I mean I had been holding back for a long, long time! The under the gun player limps, the next player limps..and everyone except for one player limps in. I’m in the small blind and I have to go…I really do…I look at K-5 offsuit. I fold and get up to leave. One player says to me, “Wow, you must’ve had real junk to fold there.” I nodded. As I leave, I see the flop…K-5-5!!! No!!! Damn you Red Bull!!

Uh oh. Did I just lose any chance of an endorsement deal with Red Bull? :-)