Poker: The pair at big tournaments show the sloppiness of recreational players

 On poker: Pairs at large tournaments are a sign of sloppiness by recreation players

Las Vegas welcomes the World Series of Poker, which brings with it thousands of poker players all over the globe. You may not see the same crazy game dynamics during the rest the year because of the mix of styles and players.

Sometimes you'll see the kind of poker that could be played on a Tuesday afternoon, January. Two recreational players were playing this hand in the WSOP seniors weekend.

It was a $2-5 game and both of the players had stacks in excess of $500. A player four of the buttons -- let's call him Player A -- opened for $25. "Player B," the next player called and everyone folded.

Kd 8c3s was the flop. Player A bet $25 and Player B called.

The turn came at 7c. Player A bet $80 and Player C called.

The river was 8d. Player A checked, Player Player B placed $100 into a pot worth $267. Player A immediately called Player A. Player B replied, "Nice Call", and showed the 10c-9c for a straight flush draw. It busted on the river. Player A showed A-K.

Because each player made the same errors as recreational $2-$5 gamers, this hand stood out to me.

The first error was made preflop. Player A made it $25 to the finish -- a bet-sizing error, considering he had raised earlier pots to $15 or $20. His $25 raise indicated that he was particularly strong. This was A-K. However, it could have been JJ, 10-10, Q-Q, or worse. It was unlikely that the weaker hand, such as KQ or 8-8, would be involved. It's a mistake not to share so much information early.

Player A placed a bet of $25 on the flop. Player B called. Both plays were flawless. Both plays were fine. Player B's call was smart because it created a potential bluff if Player C showed weakness.

Player A bet $80 on the turn. Another bet-sizing tip. The leap from $25 to $80 was a clear sign of a strong hand. This hand is not something a recreational player would be able to play with. Player B called with his big draw.

The river failed to draw the draws but paired the 8 on the flop. Player A checked. Although I would probably have placed a wager, a check was acceptable if Player B was trying to win a bluff.

Player B made a bet of $100 against a preflop raiser with a strong hand. Player B could as well set a $100 bill on fire. I would have simply checked it. But if Player A wanted to make three 8s and place a wager, he had to risk $370. Player A might have had something to consider. (Even though he might have called anyway, I am fairly certain.

These are all very common errors. The one player is giving away too much information and sloppy bet size. The other player ignores all this information and makes a desperate, half-hearted river bet. It is just another day at Vegas. MVC Poker Strategy - 5 Great Tips For Your Next Poker Tournament