Meanwhile regulars in these games will to varying degrees think at Level 2 and also take into account what two cards you have. The vast majority of your opponents in small and stakes games (and at the “micros” online) are only thinking at what is often called “Level 1.” This means that they are only concerned with the two cards in their own hand and how they relate to the board. Fancy Play Syndrome Definedįirst defined by poker author Mike Caro, fancy play syndrome refers to any action at the poker table which is based on a higher level of thinking than your opponent is capable of reaching.
Whatever the cause may be, in this article I am going to discuss why fancy play syndrome is such a mistake in the lower-limit cash games and what you should be doing to achieve big success instead. Sometimes it is just sheer boredom or frustration that leads people to go for that river raise-bluff against the recreational player who will call with any pair. They destroy their win rate by constantly trying to make sophisticated plays that fly way over the heads of their opponents. If there is one mistake I see people making over and over again in low stakes cash games it is fancy play syndrome.
