Razz

I have been playing Razz for maybe a bit over a week now. I blame Easycure and Zeem for getting me there. I was minding my own business when they goaded me into playing 1/2 Razz. Since then I have dropped back to .50/1 because I think its a bit more in line with where I should be. I play like a rock. I seldom bluff and I am marginally profitable. By marginally I mean 4-5 BB's per session so far. Or around 4 BB's/100 hands. I don't know what Razz stats should look like, but this is better than being down.

I find that Razz is easier to read than Stud. The boards register more quickly in my mind. "He has a pair and a card higher than me on 5th, I am waaaaay ahead." I haven't yet started looking to see what my opponent is drawing to, basically I have just been comparing our current boards to determine if I am ahead or not. If I think I am ahead, I bet, if not I check. If I don't know I might check, call. I have made a few moves with 4 to a wheel or a smooth 7 when I show a brick I have check raised. I think my savior to this point has been that most of the competition is bluffing with an A or 2 as a door card, they complete and I come along for the ride. They end up showing KQJ in the hole and I take another pot.

Razz is a drawing game, but you really need to start with 3 to a wheel. You are not going to catch 4 perfect to go along with your (JT)A. You need to be able to have a hand that can brick horribly on 5th and give yourself the opprotunity to peel one more off. This is somewhat like floating in holdem. Yes I would describe my Razz play as ABC. However, much like LHE, I think this is the best way to start. Why bluff? There is no need. Besides, your opponents aren't smart enough to see what you're representing and fold.

It should be noted that all of the above is base purely on my experience playing .50/1 Razz. I have yet to read an article or take a huge beating. Please, F-Train, Zeem, Easy, all of you real Razz players, don't come looking for me. I know I am a donor to you.
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Razz can be frustrating. You start off A2(3) and fourth street brings you a 4. Then you brick, brick, brick. You can pull it out if the bricks are and A and a 2. Coming KKK really sucks. I feel like that this morning. It just seems like everything is lined up and going great and then I keep hitting walls. On the up side, last night Drizz told me he thought I weighed 235#. Not since 1996 Drizz. The feeling of bricking is all an illusion. In reality everything is great, its just that great things are never easy.

I am reading a book that had an analogy that made a lot of sense. It basically says that you always see people jogging that don't look like they need to jog. Thats the point, they keep at it so it comes easy for them.

Do you ever feel like you do too much introspection and not enough acting? Do you spend too much time thinking about how things could be different and making plans for change instead of getting up and just doing something, anything?

A weird thing about myself. I have a great ability at recalling written words and faces. But I forget names if they are not re-enforced. I am one of those people that has to repeat your name back to you or I will forget it. Also I can't tell you the name of the actor on that show, but I can tell you what other shows I have seen them in. If that other show was on the air between 1980 and 1988 I can tell you the day, time slot and network too. I tried to turn this into a drinking game a few years ago, but nobody wanted to play with me.

My recall allowed me to skate by in high school. I seldom did more than skim assignments and take tests. I could wing it and make out alright. I was about 90 minutes/week away from being at the top of my class, but 90 minutes is a lot. For instance, I don't recall ever once doing homework for my Calculus class senior year. I skated by and received B's. The hyperactive super achievers did their homework, put problems on the board and earned the extra points for an A or to cushion poor test results. I always just made it a point to paint myself into a corner where I had to perform well on the test. Random trivia, my high school calc teacher drove a 1978 Corvette Pace Car and carried a .44. There is a photo in my Senior yearbook of the calc class in front of the Corvette, no gun is visible.

So why do I play poker? It keeps me sane. I love competition and I love o win. I guess I don't really enjoy gambling because I have never been much into blackjack.