Method or madness?

[TightEnd]

After a week of playing Ali Mallu i thought I would try and analyse the unanalysable.

Here's the result

http://www.blondepoker.com/index.php?q=node/3581


Interested in your thoughts on a player like this.....

[GlasgowBandit]

Excellent piece Tighty.

I hate playing against players like Mallu, I just never know what to do.  I have come up against 4 players of this ilk 3 of them also happen to be Asian guys and at first I thought the moves where down to their first to gamble.  The other is Fergus8 who posts on here, others who have played him either in tourneys or cash games will understand the frustration he causes you when you see the muck he plays with.  Moreover, he always seems to win playing silly hands.

I have in the past tried to play this wreckless game, but I can't seem to master it.  Each time I do it I always seem to get caught out by a big hand and never get any help from the deck.

I really don't know what drives people to make these plays.  I once heard Greg Raymer say that when he is playing and has monster stacks he likes to limp with hands like 8 - 3, J - 4, 10 - 5 his reasoning behind this was when he can afford to do it he will flop a monster and come up against a player holding big down cards in the shape of AA, KK, QQ, AK and he may flop trips or a full house and can come over the top and take lots of chips.

Kamikaze Poker I call it.  When we play up in the Stanley in Glasgow in the £10 rebuy the plan is always play your big hands get your chips in the middle because no matter what your opponent has you will get one caller at the table.  At a table I was at other night there was one guy who after about 8 rebuys, seemed to be all in every hand with crazy stuff like Q 4, 2 - 9, J - 7, K - 3 he busted but his game was clearly rubbing off on his mate who at first was playing tha typical ABC poker without much success and eventually his mate started playing the same way and at the break had accumulated a monster number of chips only too loose them all within 3 hands of the restart.

[tikay]

A wonderful piece by Tighty.

Ali Mallu? He's not as daft as some think, his record is awesome.

He categorizes the players on his table, & bullies accordingly. His play against me in the Main Event at Luton last week was typical. He limps, I make it 3,500 with JJ (blinds 400-800), he makes it 29,000.....! He KNOWS I'm a weak player & can be pushed off my hand, & it's his way of saying "your tourney is on the line if you call, Sunshine". Her had the miserly A-T & hit but that misses the point - Plan A was to force me to Pass. If A fails, it's Plan B, "hit"!

By contrast, I played the £100 PL Freezeout on Sunday, & check-Raised a Gentleman with my AK to send him a signal, "I'm not going away, I have a big hand", & he CALLED with A-T! Chalk & cheese.

Ali understands poker, & players, better than most.

[The_nun]

Having had the pleasure of sitting down with this man and having albeit short disscusions with him I highly regard his play, although , I think he should  change gear and slow down towards the end when he is massivly stacked, unlike the usualy play in general of one should move up a gear. Ever seen him on Black Jack.. ?

[londonpokergirl]

Having had the pleasure of sitting down with this man and having albeit short disscusions with him I highly regard his play, although , I think he should  change gear and slow down towards the end when he is massivly stacked, unlike the usualy play in general of one should move up a gear. Ever seen him on Black Jack.. ?

Hes a fantastic chip getter and a thoroughly nice guy.  He gave me a pep talk at Luton
and every word he said was genious  

Upmost respect for him

[The_nun]

Having had the pleasure of sitting down with this man and having albeit short disscusions with him I highly regard his play, although , I think he should  change gear and slow down towards the end when he is massivly stacked, unlike the usualy play in general of one should move up a gear. Ever seen him on Black Jack.. ?

Hes a fantastic chip getter and a thoroughly nice guy.  He gave me a pep talk at Luton
and every word he said was genious  

Upmost respect for him

Pep talk..is that what you young un's of today call it .

[nirvana]

Great reading - thank you !

[londonpokergirl]

Having had the pleasure of sitting down with this man and having albeit short disscusions with him I highly regard his play, although , I think he should  change gear and slow down towards the end when he is massivly stacked, unlike the usualy play in general of one should move up a gear. Ever seen him on Black Jack.. ?

Hes a fantastic chip getter and a thoroughly nice guy.  He gave me a pep talk at Luton
and every word he said was genious  

Upmost respect for him

Pep talk..is that what you young un's of today call it .

Maureen I love u   you called me young   WOOHOO!!! 

[thetank]

Played with him once, didn't know who he was at the time.

Within half an hour I had him down as a nutter. Within an hour he'd cleaned my clocks with the best hand.

Off to the rail to scratch my head.

[riverdave]

Ali 'In Every Coup' Mallu very nice guy who always has a good word or friendly piece of advice. I always enjoy the challenge of playing with Ali and no one should underestimate how good a poker player Ali is on his game, he is probably one of the most prolific players on the circuit. If he had a downshift in gears, at the right time, when he gets the big stack he could easily be the best player on the circuit. I'm sure it's been documented before that DC has him down as the most under-rated player on the circuit praise doesn't come mcuh higher than that. Not sure about the bankroll comments though Tighty, he plays his Blackjack just like his Poker get the lot or go down all guns blazing.

[snoopy1239]

If he had a downshift in gears, at the right time, when he gets the big stack he could easily be the best player on the circuit.

His Q-8 vs Courtney's A-A all-in preflop to take 100k out of his own 250k stack and make Courtney the chip leader was unnecessary beyond belief.

[TightEnd]

Not sure about the bankroll comments though Tighty, he plays his Blackjack just like his Poker get the lot or go down all guns blazing.

Dave, I hardly know Ali so my point about bankroll is mere conjecture/speculation as I say in the article

I agree with the comments about the need for a slower gear when he has massive chips...I suspect though that for Ali the buzz and adrenalin in continuing to steamroller a table is more important...but again that's conjecture

A wonderful player to watch "up close" though....in my opinion there is a lot of thought in his game that is inderestimated. I tried to bring a sense of that in my article

[NoflopsHomer]

I think that's the best article you've written so far Tighty.

 

[RED-DOG]

It's a teriffic article, and very thought provoking. (I think about Ali Mallu a lot)

[ifm]

It's a teriffic article, and very thought provoking. (I think about Ali Mallu a lot)

He is terrifying, the first time i was on his table i was doing ok, chugging along, no worries.
THEN........someone says "he's mad he is"
"who?" i say
"Ali Mallu"
"IS THAT HIM??!!"
"yes"
From then on i was literally petrified, just wouldn't play a hand!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a while back and now i really don't know what i'd do now, i like to think i wouldn't rock up but i think i probably would