Helpful Hints Dealing with Misère Pots

There are important points to ponder upon dealing Misère Pots.

Your position at the table is of the utmost importance. If you are first to speak, you will need a really good hand to open on.

In games where 'sandbagging' is frowned upon, many players are in the habit of 'passing blind' ) say, without looking at their cards).

This is certainly nonsensical. In some instances, a player abandoned this practice in a deal where after he had passed blind, everyone else passed also.

He then looked at his hand and found that he had been dealt a Royal. A practice which a player should follow is to look at four of his cards; if he has a promising holding such as 7 4 2 A, he should pass.

A likely trick--- try and look at the fifth card after the pot has been opened.

But normally, one will want to see all one's cards. One should play, first to speak, on any hand which is eight-high or better.

Unless it is a very poor eight--- for example, 8 7 6 4 2--- it's more likely than not to win the pot.

A hand which is nine-high is a more difficult proposition. It may well win the pot, and a really good nine-high hand (say, 9 5 3 2 A) is worth opening on.

Poor nine-high hands should be passed; one can always enter the pot later if one or the other six players has opened it.

The player who is second to speak is in a slightly better position, and each subsequent speaker can view his cards more optimistically if those before him have passed.

After four passes, one would not only open on any nine-high hand; one might consider occasionally a good 10-high hand.

You are dealt, say, 10 6 4 2 A. Four players have passed; you open. Against two or three players, you stand a good chance of winning by standing pat.

But if one of the players who has passed doubles you, you can always throw your to and draw with excellent prospects to your 6 4 2 A.

Now, on playing after the Pot has been opened, one should always play if one has a one-card draw to a good eight, or a respectable pat nine.

On better hands (for instance, a good eight pat) one should raise the opener, and normally, stay for a re-raise.

Where a hand has been opened and doubled, it is inadvisable to come in on a worse hand than a pat seven, while a pat six is worth another double.

To give just one example, suppose that a pot has been opened and doubled and that you hold 9 6 4 2 A. Apparently, a hand that isn't usually credible to succeed in winning a pot.

But against two players who are playing a fairly free game there is something to be said for another double from you if you are the last player to receive cards.

The opener of the pot (if he has accepted a re-raise) may have a pat eight, or he may hold 6 3 2 A and one high card.

In the former case, he will stand pat, in which case you draw. The second player may be similarly placed, and the same considerations apply.

If both players draw one card and check, you stand pat and double again, and there's a good chance that both the players will throw in.