Here was the first field test of the Fish System, and I was eager to find out how it would work. I had to remind myself not to be too excited, because I knew going in I would be folding a lot of hands, and keeping my interest up was important. Starting with $1,000 with an average of seven players, I folded all but five hands over the course of an hour. Blinds were $5/$10. Here are those five hands.
Hand One
Pocket Cards:
This was after about ten hands of folding, so I was very happy to call a raise to $40. The bets went around the table and some smart guy went all in with $900. If my hand were KK or even JJ the Fish System says to keep raising, so I would have called the big raise… but it wasn’t, so I folded.
Result: Down $40.
Hand Two
Pocket Cards:
Now, this isn’t one of the top 24 starting hands, but I was the Big Blind and no one raised, so I got to check and see the flop.
The Flop:
Now I had a gut-shot straight draw, and since the field was weak pre-flop I bet. Because I was early position I didn’t want to commit much, so I just bet $10. When a player in a later position bet heavy, I folded, as did the rest of the table.
Result: Down $20.
Hand Three
Pocket Cards:
This was about twenty hands in and I was ready to play. I only bet $10, however, and got three callers.
The Flop:
I checked to see what everyone would do. When they all checked back to me, I bet $10 and got three callers again.
The Turn: 8. This time I bet $80 and everyone folded.
Result: Added $70 to my chip stack.
Hand Four
Pocket Cards:
This is the lowest of the hands I was allowed to play, but I was happy to be in another hand. I called a $30 bet to see the flop.
The Flop:
With nothing to speak of, I folded when a $100 bet came to me.
Result: Down $30.
Hand Five
Pocket Cards:
I called the big blind, as did two other players.
The Flop:
I bet $90, everyone folded.
Result: Added $40.
In the end, my $1000 was down to $885, but it was only an hour of play. I dutifully complied my notes and thought about the game. It was painful when I had to fold a K, 10 off suit early in the game, and even more so when I had to fold an Ace Ten off suit. My biggest take away from this field test was: the Fish System is going to take a lot of patience and discipline.
Hand One
Pocket Cards:
This was after about ten hands of folding, so I was very happy to call a raise to $40. The bets went around the table and some smart guy went all in with $900. If my hand were KK or even JJ the Fish System says to keep raising, so I would have called the big raise… but it wasn’t, so I folded.
Result: Down $40.
Hand Two
Pocket Cards:
Now, this isn’t one of the top 24 starting hands, but I was the Big Blind and no one raised, so I got to check and see the flop.
The Flop:
Now I had a gut-shot straight draw, and since the field was weak pre-flop I bet. Because I was early position I didn’t want to commit much, so I just bet $10. When a player in a later position bet heavy, I folded, as did the rest of the table.
Result: Down $20.
Hand Three
Pocket Cards:
This was about twenty hands in and I was ready to play. I only bet $10, however, and got three callers.
The Flop:
I checked to see what everyone would do. When they all checked back to me, I bet $10 and got three callers again.
The Turn: 8. This time I bet $80 and everyone folded.
Result: Added $70 to my chip stack.
Hand Four
Pocket Cards:
This is the lowest of the hands I was allowed to play, but I was happy to be in another hand. I called a $30 bet to see the flop.
The Flop:
With nothing to speak of, I folded when a $100 bet came to me.
Result: Down $30.
Hand Five
Pocket Cards:
I called the big blind, as did two other players.
The Flop:
I bet $90, everyone folded.
Result: Added $40.
In the end, my $1000 was down to $885, but it was only an hour of play. I dutifully complied my notes and thought about the game. It was painful when I had to fold a K, 10 off suit early in the game, and even more so when I had to fold an Ace Ten off suit. My biggest take away from this field test was: the Fish System is going to take a lot of patience and discipline.
