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Monster -
1. A very strong hand.
2. A very large pot.
3. A very powerful draw.
Poker is often a game of small edges, but it can also be a game of massive dominance. There will be times when the strength of your
hand is virtually equal to that of your opponents, leaving neither of you a favorite. At other times your hand will be so weak that
there will be literally no combination of cards that you can catch in order to beat your opponent. This is called “drawing dead,” a
highly undesirable position to be in. At still other times, of course, it will be that you have your opponent drawing slim or dead.
Because of this variability, poker players tend to be very descriptive about their competitive situation.
The word “monster” is frequently used as a descriptive term in the poker world. It can be used in several situations. When you have a
very strong hand, or a very favorable situation over your opponent, it is sometimes referred to as a “monster hand.” Similarly, a
large pot is sometimes referred to as a “monster pot,” and a powerful draw can be called a “monster draw.” Sometimes, when you have a
huge hand or win a giant pot, it is just referred to as simply a “monster.”
Monster draws are a common occurrence in both Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo Split. This is because in these games, each player is dealt four
hole cards, from which they may form their hand in six different ways This drawing power frequently results in multi-way draws and
straight wraps, with some draws having twenty outs or more. While made hands are typically stronger than drawing hands in most poker
games, the opposite tends to be true in Omaha. Because of the high completion rate of multi-way draws in Omaha, monster draws are
often preferable to made hands. In many situations, your Omaha draw will be so strong that you should raise and reraise against the
made hand.
Sometimes a hand can be called a monster based upon its strength alone, without any help from the board. Pocket aces are frequently
referred to as a monster. Sometimes a monster hand requires help from the
board. Any two hole cards can turn into a monster with the
right help from the community cards on the board.
While the term monster is most frequently used to describe an extremely powerful or profitable hand, it is also sometimes used
sarcastically to describe an extremely weak hand. Seven deuce off suit is widely regarded as the worst starting hand in Texas Holdem.
Many players jokingly refer to seven-deuce, and other such trash, as monsters.
Winning monster pots is partially based on luck, and partially on your ability to build big pots at the right times. Players who bet
and raise aggressively will build, and ultimately win, more monster pots than a tight, passive player. Of course, if you want to have
success over the long run, you will need to do more than just bet and raise aggressively so that you can win big pots. You will have
to choose your spots and be selective, only giving action on the pots which you stand a strong chance of winning. How you build pots
makes a major difference to your bottom line. Players who are able to consistently build large pots when they have the best of it,
will have the most success over the long run. Monster pots are crucial to winning sessions. A monster pot can either cover a lot of
losses, or be the starting point for a substantial win. Frequently, one monster pot can make the difference between a winning session
and a losing session.
Usage: Monster Hand, Was Dealt A Monster, Monster Draw, Flopped A Monster
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