THE PLAYER IN SEAT 4..

Sometimes the best poker move is the one you make before your opponent has time to think.

In this $1/$3 No-Limit Texas Hold’em hand, “Dimes” picks up pocket tens (TT) in the cutoff with about $165 behind. The small blind, holding A-K offsuit, is known as a maniac and has roughly $400. Dimes raises to $12 preflop, and the small blind makes the call.

The flop comes J-4-2 rainbow. Not exactly a scary board for pocket tens, but there is a problem: Dimes knows the player in the small blind is capable of making aggressive and unpredictable plays. Rather than allowing AK to see another card cheaply—or giving the maniac an opportunity to make a move—Dimes quickly moves all-in for roughly $153.

Maybe the shove came a little too quickly. Dimes later admitted the thought was essentially, “Get him out of here before he decides to do something crazy.” Instead, the maniac goes into the tank for nearly two minutes before finally making the call with A-K high.

Now Dimes has to sweat it out.

The Q♥ hits the turn, creating a brief moment of panic. But the river brings another J, pairing the board and leaving pocket tens ahead. Dimes doubles up to roughly $330.

The Poker Lesson

The lesson isn’t that you should automatically shove pocket tens on every J-4-2 flop. The important factors were stack size, opponent tendencies, and table dynamics.

Against a predictable player, there may be plenty of reasons to take a slower approach. Against a maniac with a wide range, however, putting maximum pressure on a relatively dry board can sometimes prevent your opponent from turning a missed hand into a difficult decision for you.

The other interesting question is whether Dimes shoved too quickly. Speed can sometimes reveal confidence, but it can also look suspiciously like a player who desperately wants a call to disappear.

Either way, the plan worked.

Dimes shoved. AK called. The tens held.

Sometimes poker doesn’t require magic.

Sometimes you just need Dimes. 🃏💰

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