Blind man's bluff

So it's a little late in the evening at Poker Cats Arena yesterday when Matt calls "Indian" -- also called Blind Man's Bluff -- for his deal.

Of course, I have no idea what I have but looking at everyone's high cards, I feel like no one has hit the board of 234. It's bet out. I call, Doug calls, Josh folds and reacts to seeing his AK like it's electricity.

The turn is a 3, pairing the board. Matt bets it out, I raise to $4. Doug folds. And Matt is now all-in with his T7o.

It doesn't usually get called too much but when it does, I love Indian poker as a way to practice gauging the strength of hands and reads.

I usually start by thinking that my hand is a random hand, like J3o. I look at everyone's cards but do not look at them a second time. Sometimes multiple looks at your cards can be the tell you need to know that your hand is a monster. Or is not.

J3, if that's what my hand is, so crushes T7o that it's not even funny.

So I call for about $14 more. I find I'm way in the lead with K9o.

River is a 7, so I lose the pot to Matt's pair. But with a $12.32 positive expectation for calling when I'm way ahead, I'll make that bet every time.

POKER CATS' NOTEBOOK: Last night's game was the first host in a few months for me. Ended up down $1.50 (Rue21 0-1) for the evening; I came back after Matt's Indian win by making runner-runner flush with the "machine gun" flop in reverse-flop Omaha High against Ben. Kuro, who's normally shy, came out to see the crew playing poker and the new room set up really seemed to work out well.