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Because killing the pot causes a wide range of reactions, don't assume that anyone (including you) will play the same old way. Instead, observe everyone (including yourself) more closely, think about why they have (or have not) changed, and then adjust to each opponent's reactions. Previous articles analyzed how and why the action often changes when the pot is killed. The most important changes for you to consider are:

1. The blinds and kill often become dead money.
2. Some players become tighter and less aggressive.
3. Some players gamble more.
4. Most players are very reluctant to cold-call raises.
5. Fewer hands get to every stage.

How Do Your Opponents Feel About Killed Pots?

The answer to that question should greatly influence your strategy. Their feelings suggest what kind of players they are and how they will adjust. An earlier article borrowed two terms from my friend, Nick Christenson:

• Killophiles love killed pots and gamble much more in them.
• Killophobes hate killed pots and become much more cautious in them.

Of course, most people are neither extreme type, but most lean in one direction or the other. Because this information is so valuable, make special efforts to learn how each opponent reacts. First, every time the pot is killed look attentively for changes in betting patterns and body language. You will see that some people gamble more, while others become more timid.

The timid reaction is more common, but some players like raising the stakes occasionally. They may just want to gamble more without taking the risks of moving to a larger game. They may also run over opponents who are uncomfortable with the higher stakes.

A few people may show their desire to gamble by leaning forward, becoming more alert, or even saying something like, "Now we're gambling!" Others may show their fears by folding more quickly and emphatically. They don’t even want to think about playing marginal cards, and they may redefine "marginal" to include hands they would normally play.

Second, ask direct questions. Most people are too timid to ask, but simple questions can yield information you wouldn't get any other way. If you ask a few questions, you may be pleasantly surprised by how much you learn.

You'll get better answers if you first say how you feel (even if you’re stretching the truth). For example, you can say, “I love killed pots. I don’t play in bigger games, but occasionally doubling the stakes makes things more interesting and exciting.” Some people may then tell you how they feel. One may say, “I feel the same way.” Another may object, “I dislike killed pots because they make my results too dependent upon a few big pots."

If nobody volunteers any information, follow up by asking, “How do you feel about killed pots?” Since you told them, some people will answer. If they don't, you haven't lost anything.
           
Occasionally, just observing carefully will tell you how people feel. Either the game is just starting, or you have been playing without a kill, and someone suggests adding one. Pay close attention for the next few minutes to answer these questions:

• Who suggested killing the game?
• Who was enthusiastic about killing it?
• Who was reluctant to kill it?

Your answers should tell you a lot about how they feel and how you should adjust to various players:

1. If a heavy loser made the suggestion, he may ache to get even and gamble foolishly. Look for opportunities to attack him, especially when you have position. Don't give much respect to his bets and raises, don't try many bluffs or free card plays, but value bet more frequently.
2. Anyone who suggests or is enthusiastic about killing the game wants more action. Expect him to gamble more than most opponents, but a bit less than a heavy loser who wants the game killed. Make similar, but somewhat smaller adjustments.
3. If a solid, winning player made or enthusiastically supports the suggestion, he will probably adjust well. Until you see contrary evidence, assume that he knows how to adjust and be careful against him.
4. Anyone who is reluctant to kill the game doesn't want more action. Since he will probably become more conservative, perhaps even timid, give more respect to his bets and raises, but steal his blinds and kills, bluff, and semi-bluff more often, and make more free card plays.

How Should You Evaluate Your Opponents?

The primary theme of my book, The Psychology of Poker, was evaluating and adjusting to different types of players. It didn’t discuss killed games because we didn’t have them in Atlantic City when I wrote it. You should learn how all your opponents normally play and how their style changes when the pot is killed.

• If they play the same way, they are stupid, rigid, oblivious, or all three. Target them to exploit their weaknesses.
• If they tighten up, they are either intelligent or timid. Determine which by seeing whether they become both tighter and more aggressive or just tighter. Then adjust accordingly. Be more careful with the ones who have become tighter and more aggressive, and exploit the fears of the timid ones.
• If they become looser and more aggressive, they are action lovers. Since I thoroughly analyzed how to adjust to them in The Psychology of Poker,² and just suggested a few adjustments, I won't repeat myself.
• Most players' natural tendencies become more pronounced when the pots are killed. Loose-aggressive gamblers become wilder, while tight-passive ones become more conservative, even timid.

Who is the Killer and How Does He Play?

Always ask those questions. Because he has already posted a double big blind (and may not realize that defending it is foolish), the killer is your most likely opponent. You should therefore adjust your play to his style. Of course, you can’t ignore the others, but focus closely on him. The Psychology of Poker recommended general principles for adjusting to various types of players, but adjusting to killers requires some refinements.

Identifying and adjusting well to loose players is particularly important because they become the killer far more often than tight ones.³ First, they play more pots and chase more foolishly. Second, they generally think less than tighter players, which means that they are less likely to adjust correctly. More thoughtful players tighten up because they recognize that they will have to post a double large blind if they win the pot. Loose players may not even think about that point, and some killophiles will make bad plays because they want to become the killer.

The probability of becoming the killer progressively decreases from loose-aggressive, to loose-passive, to average, to tight-aggressive, to tight-passive. Each type requires different adjustments.

Loose-aggressive players (LAP)

They will kill far more pots than anyone else. They play more hands and chase more foolishly than everyone except loose-passive ones, but they win more pots because they don't need the best hand to take down a pot:

• They win some pots without a showdown by betting, raising, and bluffing opponents off hands.
• Even if the hand goes to a showdown, they are more likely to win it than loose-passive players because their aggression causes some opponents to fold.
• They are especially likely to make the mistake of regarding the kill button as an asset. Because they love action, they want the next pot to be killed, even if they have to post extra chips.

Don't try to steal kills from LAP without good cards. In fact, you should be more conservative than usual, especially if he is behind you. If you raise with marginal cards, either the killer or someone who wants to gamble with him, will often three-bet. You don't want to be put in three double-sized bets (plus face three more rounds of double-sized bets) without good cards.

Loose-passive players (LPP)

They are the second most frequent killers because they play so many hands and chase so often. However, since they usually need the best hand, they win fewer pots than loose-aggressive ones.

They are almost ideal killers (for you), especially if you have position. In most situations they are the softest opponents. Steals and bluffs don't work well, but you can win much more from them than from others whenever you have good cards. Even with only fair cards you can sometimes make profitable isolation and other plays against them that you should not try against stronger players.

Average Players (AP)

As you would expect, they are in the middle. They become killers more often than tight players, but less often than loose ones. They are also less likely to react emotionally to the doubled stakes. In fact, many of them don't adjust at all. Because they don't think that much about strategy, many AP will play killed pots about the same as normal ones.

Tight-aggressive players (TAP)

All tight players become killers less frequently than loose or average ones. They don't play many pots or chase foolishly. When they have a leg up, they become even tighter because they don't want to post a double blind. TAP win more pots than tight-passive ones because they bet, raise, and bluff opponents off hands.

If the killer is a TAP and you have position, you can frequently steal his kill. He is normally tight, and he won't defend the chips he has posted it without good cards. He knows he will have to post the same number of chips if he wins this pot.

However, if a TAP killer has position on you, don't try to steal his kill with marginal cards. You will often succeed, but the few times that you fail can be expensive. TAP are generally strong players, and many of them are deceptive. You don’t want to play marginal cards for doubled stakes when you are out of position against a strong, aggressive, and deceptive player.

Tight-passive Players (TPP)

They will almost never become the killer. First, they play few hands. Second, they rarely chase. Third, they need the best hand to win because they don't bet, raise, or bluff that often. Fourth, because they are naturally "stingy," they probably understand that the kill button is a liability. When they have a leg up, they will become even tighter. They don't like putting money in the pot, especially not before seeing their cards.

If the killer is a TPP, steal his kill with almost anything (if you're first in, and the players behind you are unlikely to cold-call a raise). He probably won't defend it without a premium hand, especially if you have position on him. Even if he calls your preflop raise, you can often bluff him out on the flop. TPP look for excuses to fold, and a scary board and a bet will often give him all the excuses he needs. However, if he calls your flop bet, stop bluffing. He probably has you beaten and will call you down.

Where Should You Sit?

Ray Zee, a great player and author, said that poor seat selection is a major reason for losing. "If you don’t accurately appraise how well you and others play, and you don’t understand how your style relates to those of the other players, you will have position on the wrong people, and let the wrong people have position on you.” ⁴

Seat selection becomes more important in killed pots, and you obviously must choose your seat before the pot is killed. Select seats to the left of the players who kill the most pots. You nearly always want the loose and aggressive players to your right, and the tight and passive ones to your left. The action and surprises will usually occur before you commit your chips.

Sitting behind the action and ahead of the tight and passive players provides another benefit when the pot is killed. You will frequently have position on the killer, and the players to your left will rarely cold-call your raises when you steal blinds and kills or make isolation with position plays.

Future articles will get discuss additional strategic adjustments when you or an opponent is the killer.