A ‘nothing’ hand takes thought
“A nothing hand,” feared pro Howard Lederer called it. He folded pocket 9s to a river bet while out of position at the $25,000-buy-in World Poker Tour Championship at Las Vegas’ Bellagio in 2009. No big deal.
Thing is, the kind of analytical thinking required to label a hand as “nothing” is part of the education of a tournament player.
With blinds at $400-$800 plus a $100 ante, Lederer, a winner of WPT and World Series of Poker events, raised to $2,200 with his wired 9s from the cutoff seat. Noted pro Peter Feldman re-raised to $6,600 on the button.
“I don’t love it,” Lederer said, “but we’re really deep-stacked, and if I flop a 9 and he has a big hand, I can win a big pot. If he has a bigger hand, then I probably won’t lose a lot of money.”
Lederer called, and the two players took a flop of J-6-6. Lederer checked, as did Feldman.
“His check is a little weird,” said Lederer, one of the pros from the Full Tilt Poker online site. “He could have jacks full. He could have A-K. He could have 8s. Still a wide range. That check has polarized his range. I think I’m either way behind or well ahead.
“I don’t think he has 4-high or something because he would’ve bet. It makes it more likely he has jacks full or aces because those are the kinds of hands that will check. But when he bets, there are a lot of hands where he could have complete air. So he doesn’t have complete air. He could have overcard air -- ace-king, ace-queen.”
The turn came the 7 of spades. Lederer made it $9,000.
“He called, and I’m pretty sick about it,” Lederer said. “I think I’m beat.”
The river came the ace of spades. Lederer checked. Feldman bet $16,000. Lederer folded, but not without the kind of analysis that’s routine for players at his level but likely enlightening for those trying to get there.
“I didn’t think the ace hit him,” Lederer said. “I think he had queens, and he knew they were good. He could’ve had jacks full. An overpair to my 9s is his likely hand after he calls on the turn.
“Plus, when the ace hits on the river and I check, it isn’t going to scare him into not trying to extract a little value with kings or queens or aces.
“There is a scenario where he’s making a really nice play with 8s. There are hands where he calls the turn where I’m bluffing, then the ace hits and he can’t beat anything, but he knows I’ll lay down hands like 9s or 10s. I’m not going to lay down kings or queens. I could’ve folded the best hand. It happens.
“That was a nothing hand, but having discussed it, that just shows how much goes into even a nothing hand.”
Table talk
Air: A hand with little or no value.
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