|
I haven't read that book, but I've read other work by Caro.
I don't think you're getting his method if you describe it as "loosening up your game in order to increase profits." Maybe he says that specifically in this book, so grain of salt if you disagree.
In my understanding, Caro's overriding point is that poker is a psychological game. Doing "zany" things to get in your opponents' heads can turn a profit if you play ridiculously tight for a couple - few hours in between your highly calculated "zaniness."
It's not about loosening up your play. It's about taking advantage of the fact that people remember the thing that stands out. If they see you make what they consider a "bad play" and you compound that by saying or doing something that confirms their assumption, then you can capitalize on that assumption over and over in the future.
Something Caro might suggest is this:
By the end of the hand, the pot has not grown much, and he thinks Villain will has showdown value. He also thinks that this Villain is going to remain sitting at the table for the next few hours. He decides that this is a good time for zaniness. He might pull a scrap of paper out of his pocket and chuckle, then stuff the paper back and look all serious, then announce a small to moderate bet. If Villain takes more than a second to call, he chuckles again or says something to induce a call, that looks like it is NOT intended to be inducing anything. This encourages Villain to call. Caro shows his weak hand and laments that he didn't bet enough to make a believable bluff.
NOW maybe not everyone saw him do this squirmy behavior before he bet. Everyone definitely heard him say that he will make a big bet to bluff on the river. Everyone remember that this odd guy bluffs big on the river.
Did Caro ever run a big bluff on the river? No. He acted in such a way as to implant the idea in everyone's head that he does, though. They'll be calling his big bets for a good long while as he sits there being mostly unassuming. They will remember the show. That's what sticks out. They want to be the one to catch his big bluff. Even though they have never seen him run a big bluff.
TL;DR
It's not about loosening up your play. It's about making everyone believe you're playing loose when you're really the tightest at the table.
|