Do You Suffer from Fancy Play Syndrome?

Often a “good” rounder or grinder discovers he has caught a debilitating disease. However, unlike most diseases, this one cannot be cured with antibiotics or bed rest. The only way to overcome it is with concentration, discipline, and mental strength. And while its causes are myriad, the main culprits are overestimating yourself and overestimating your opponents. This disease that I speak of is known to most as Fancy Play Syndrome or simply FPS.

How do you know if you suffer from FPS? I offer a simple test.



Engelke’s Patented FPS Diagnostic Exam



You pick up A-K off-suit 6 spots after the big blind in a ten handed no limit holdem game. You have $22.35 sitting in front of you. UTG raises to fifty cents. Doubling the blind. The next player raises 4 times that amount to two dollars. The player after that raises to $7.25. What do you do and what do you think they have?

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Got your answer yet?

If you said, “I don’t know what they have. But I have ace-king so I am either calling or pushing all in.” there is good news and bad news. The good news is that you are healthy. No FPS in you. The bad news? I’ll tell you if you come play poker with me.

If you said, “Someone probably has aces or kings. At worst, pocket queens. I’d need more information to know for sure, but in a vacuum that’s a good bet. Also, someone probably has a couple of my outs in their hand. Therefore I’d fold and choose a better spot.” Congratulations. No FPS in you either. However, you aren’t invited to play with me.

If you said, “Well the first person bet weakly so he probably has a weak hand. The second person realized this and raised to force this “weak” player off his hand. The third player saw that the second player raised because the first player was weak. He thus recognized that the second players hand may in fact not be strong either and raised to push him off of his hand. My ace king is probably good here since the third player was also just raising weakness. I would go all in.” I'm sorry. You are sick. Granted there are some situations where this may be the case (I want my money back Jun). Most of the time, however, you are overestimating your opponents. You are suffering from fancy play syndrome and I wish you the best. You too are invited to my table.





**Disclaimer – Results are not 100% accurate. If you gave answer #2, you may still be suffering from FPS. Also, if your answer most closely approximated answer #3, you are probably infected but once again there are times where this may be the reality of the situation. Thus you may be disease free but I wouldn’t count on it. Finally, if you provided us with the first answer, you are either an idiot or you just aren’t very good at poker yet. Please, please come play with me. And bring lots of money. I like to play for very high stakes. But don’t worry. I’ll take you to McDonalds afterwards if you like. Also, this only tests the particular strain of FPS that arises due to overestimating the abilities of your opponents. If you have a different strain of FPS, these results are null and void. And once again, even if you have this particular strain, the results are far from acccurate. Finally, I, my co-blogger Jamin B., the blog "Grind or Gamble?", and anyone affiliated or associated with us cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in the results of the test or with any harm or displeasure that follows after taking the test. You, the test taker assumes all risk and we, the author and the blog, assumes zero responsibility.**