>as a significant other:
>
>Suppose you are in middle position with 8h9h. Your wife is on the big
>blind. You open-call, everyone else folds to the small blind, who calls.
>Your wife raises from the big blind, you call, and the small blind calls.
>The flop comes JhTs3s. Small blind bets, your wife raises.
>
>You know your wife well enough that you figure she's probably on AA, KK,
or
>AsKs. (Actually, she doesn't need to be your wife for you to guess these
>hands, but that's beside the point.) It's your turn to bet.
>
>Here's the question: are you more likely to reraise in this situation
than
>if the person in your wife's position were a stranger?
>
>I consider myself an ethical player, and I don't even think I could answer
>this question with a "No". I might reraise here 20% of the time in any
>event, because it's not *that* bad a play in the right company. I
>represent two-pair, which scares AA or KK, and I hope to get a free turn.
>Also, if the small blind folds here and the big blind has AK and doesn't
>improve, I can steal on the river. The cons are that I may be in trouble
>if a Q hits, and, of course, I may be up against AA or KK, against which I
>cannot steal. But if I know, even subconsciously, that the worst I can do
>is lose to my wife, I believe I'll be somewhat more likely to reraise,
>which might cause a small-blind hand as good as QsJs to fold.
>
>-Bozo
>
I'm going to pass on commenting on specific hypothetical situations because
I want to reiterate that I RARELY play at the same table as my wife. Even
when I do it is not common to find the VERY SPECIFIC instance I am talking
about. Like when I believe she has top set and I have a nut straight or
flush draw to re-raise with. I don't want to give the impression by
harping on this subject that this is the "secret of my success" at the
poker table. I was merely giving others a caution as to the potential
problems that exist when playing with a married couple.
David