The Five C's of Poker

by Matches Malone

Having recently completed a discourse at church of the five C's of The Bible, I felt it only natural that Poker may have the same five C's: Confidence, Character, Connection, Compassion, and Commitment.

Confidence

I believe that I'm the best player at any table that I sit down at. It may or may not be true, however, it's what I believe. You may believe that you're the best player at the table, and if I'm not there, it might be true as well. Someone has to be the best, it might as well be me. Call this what you want, hubris, arrogance, or smugness. Call it what you want. I call it confidence. This part of the game goes to what some call the third level of play, "What can I make you think that I have?" Confidence shows at the table in the way you act, the way you look at your cards, and how you bet, among other things. And it's very tied into the next C.

Character

There's a scene at the beginning of Batman, the one with Michael Keaton as the title character. Without going into the relative merits of the movie itself, Batman has just apprehended a purse snatcher, and lifts him up into the air, atop a five story building. The criminal believes he's about to die, and pleads for his life. In what he thinks will be his last breath, he looks Batman in the eyes and screeches, "Who are you?" Now at this point, it should be obvious to everyone in Gotham City, not to mention the movie going audience, that he is indeed, Batman. For emphasis, he throws the criminal onto the roof, spreads his cape like wings, casts an ominous shadow on the far wall and utters, "I'm Batman." He knows who he is, and he's not afraid to let everyone else know, either. When I sit at the table, everyone knows, it's me, including myself. Know who you are, and why you're there. I'm there to win the tournament. Which brings me to

Commitment

You're dealt two cards. Look at them. Remember them. They won't change for that hand. You don't need to look at them again. When the action comes to you, you have three choices, depending on how strong you believe your hand to be. Call, raise, or fold. I believe any starting hand worth a call is worth a raise, so, for me, I'm committed to one of two choices, raise or fold. Most of the time, I fold. Why? My hand isn't up to snuff, relative to my position, size of the blinds, and the bet before me. However, if I do raise, I'm committed to the flop, and maybe beyond. This commitment goes further, if it's the first hand I play. I go all the way to the end, and make sure everyone else at the table knows that I can't be bluffed out. This allows me to project a certain table image that I spoke of above. It also allows me to connect.

Connection

You've committed to your hand. The flop comes down, and hopefully it connects. But that's not all. Are you connected to what's going on around you? Did someone have a bad reaction to the flop? A minor nuance, a faint smile or frown. Did they blink or shrug? Are they talking a lot, and suddenly, clam up? If you're not aware of what's going on around you, you're not connected, and you have no business being at the table. If it's not a tournament, put your chips back in the rack, get up, and walk away. You're probably having an off day, since you are the best player at the table, right? I only play in tournaments, so, I can't do this. If I don't feel connected, I better get back in it fast. The last time I felt this way, I got up from the table, went outside, and took a walk around the casino, before I sat back down. This gave me time to eat an orange, and refocus. I missed two hands, however, I didn't lose any blinds, and was able to reconnect, and go on to win the tournament. How did this make me feel?

Compassion

There's no room for this at the poker table. Except when you bust out your fellow player, as you shouldn't throw it in his face. Get up, shake his hand, and be cordial. Alternatively, if you get busted out, go over to the other player, and congratulate him. In between, take them for all they're worth. With the proper table image, again, what I spoke of previously, you can even get them to smile as they give you the last of their chips. Remember to shake their hand.

Conclusion

Ok, this is a sixth C. However, it's not really part of the other five. To review, your character will promote confidence that your connection and commitment will allow you to have compassion.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Next time, I'll write about poker. Be there. Aloha.

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net