Intimidation factor or not? (2 Viewers)

[SixSpeedFury]

Played in an underground tournament two days ago. At the table there were a few players who were making large bets with small denoms (i.e., 20 chips of 100 as opposed to 2 of 1000) and they stated that it's good strategy because of the intimidating factor, thus making people fold when they see all those chips being pushed foward. This despite the fact that they had boatloads of 1000 in their stacks. Agree or disagree?

 

[derekdd23]

It will work sometimes against players with less experience, people who cant hear due to headphones, and people not paying too much attention. I have seen it happen in all of those situations. but definitely not always.

I also know people who hate small chips and will bet like this to try to get rid of them when they have weak or drawing hands.

 

[jbutler]

not sure whether it would have the same impact in tournaments, but i've heard it recommended and seen it practiced in cash games the other way around: bet with big denominations to better clue opponents in to the size of the pot in order to elicit calls that you might not otherwise have gotten.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Honestly, I suspect the attitude assumed by the person making the bet matters more than the physical chips... for someone for whom pushing a big stack feels more aggressive, the big stack will work better, and for someone who feels a single big chip is more aggressive, the big chip will work better.

So, in the end... do the move you believe in, and you're probably right!

Now, as far as betting that hand so hard...

 

[DrStrange]

Yes betting this way could be intimidating but the flip side is Hero is giving a tell by how he packages his bet (or his call).

I would encourage Hero to be more afraid of giving off a tell than he is eager to intimidate an opponent.

DrStrange

 

[Ronoh]

It always worked wonders on PokerStars... blinds 300/600 a raise to 1689 would absolutely get more folds than a raise to 1800. Rule #1.

 

[Mr Tree]

Yes betting this way could be intimidating but the flip side is Hero is giving a tell by how he packages his bet (or his call).

I would encourage Hero to be more afraid of giving off a tell than he is eager to intimidate an opponent.

DrStrange

Not to mention you give yourself some adverse selection. Fooling the bad players and providing extra information to the good ones.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Not to mention you give yourself some adverse selection. Fooling the bad players and providing extra information to the good ones.

I would encourage Hero to be more afraid of giving off a tell than he is eager to intimidate an opponent.

Both sound suggestions, IMO.