Who is The Best Tournament Poker Player?

Who is The Best Tournament Poker Player?

I have played against some but not all of the top tournament poker players. Here is my ranking as to the top 5 players:

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

1. Phil Hellmuth.
I know he does the brat routine for the TV cameras, but I think Phil is the best tournament poker player I have ever played against. He is smart, aggressive, tricky, and knows how to take control of a table. The thing about Phil is that he works hard at getting better each year, and I think it shows.

2. Phil Ivey.
This guy is so intimidating. He lets his chips do the talking. You just want to fold when Phil Ivey comes in raising pre-flop. I mean do you really think you are going to outplay him on the flop, or turn, or river? Phil may be the best reader of his opponents hand strength. Since he doesn't speak at the table, this is something that casual poker players don't get to see. Maybe we will learn more about Phil's poker playing skills at this year's final table.

3. David Pham.
David is one of those players who doesn't stop raising pre-flop. He is so relentless. He doesn't get much TV time, but he always seems to be one of the top ten finalists each year in the CardPlayer Player of the Year.

4. Layne Flack.
Layne Flack can play any two cards and win. He is aggressive and smart. Layne has different speeds, meaning he knows how to change his style of play in the middle of a tournament. The one thing going against Layne is that he doesn't have that same intimidation factor that the other top Pros tend to have.

5. Erick Lindgren.
Erick is one of those players who I would describe as brutal. The guy is not just out to beat you, he is out to take all of your chips. He is smart, aggressive, and a great poker player.

The Common Ingredients of a Top Tournament Poker Player
Aggressive.
Forget about terms like loose aggressive or tight aggressive. They use sheer aggression to win.

Intimidating.
When you sit down at a poker table against these guys, they have an immediate edge. They are pros and intimidate the hell out of you. But it's not their celebrity that intimidates, it is their overall level of play.

Play their opponents more than their cards.
Maybe its instinct, but the top players know how to get a read on their opponent's strength. My belief is that they read betting patterns a lot more than they trust poker tells; although, they certainly can spot tells.

Smart.
They know when to take a risk, and when to put an opponent at risk. They know the odds and the percentages. They know more poker moves than the rest of us. Most importantly, they understand that the fame and fortune comes about from winning.

Tricky.
The pros know how to take advantage of situations. They know who to trap and how to trap. They know who to bluff and who not to bluff.

Great timing.
The pros often seem to have more card luck than the rest of us. This could be their positive outlook to the game. Or, it could be that they play every day so they just have more experience and card sense than the rest of us. Most likely, it is all of the above.

Who is the best tournament poker player you have ever played against and why?

Tournament Poker: Only 3 Tables left...

Tournament Poker: Only 3 Tables left...
(photo of David Pham)

This is part 4...the prior posts are parts 1-3. I am playing for a possible first place win of $80,000.

Image via Wikipedia

It is now down to 3 tables and I get moved. I end up at a new table sitting to the left of Layne Flack. Frankly, I'm not happy about this at all. Layne is a better player than me.

Layne and one other pro at this table start to beat up on us amateurs by raising and betting and raising and betting. My stack is starting to dwindle because they are so aggressive and I've been dealt zip.

Finally, it comes to a point where my chips are getting lower than I want and I decide to make a play in the next few hands before the blinds go up again.

I get 5-5 under the gun. I raise 4x's the big blind wanting everyone to fold. Everyone folds except for Layne Flack. He calls. The flop comes K-7-4. Layne checks and I move all-in. Layne insta-calls. He trapped me! He has K-5! He calls my raise with K freaking 5!

I am about to go out in 27th place and win $200. I push back my chair to leave. The turn card is a spade which puts three spades on the board. A few players make some noise which I don't really discern. I am too busy readying myself to be eliminated.

I get up as the river card hits--another spade. Everyone at the table does that sound when a player has sucked out. I quickly glance down and realize that I have a spade and Layne does not! I end up doubling up!

8 hands later everyone folds to Layne on the small blind. He raises big, but this time I decide I may be able to trap him since I have K-J. The flop comes K-5-3. Layne moves all-in! Oh no! If I call that bet and I am wrong, I will be out. So I think and think..and it hits me that Layne is a pro. Pros don't move all-in on the flop unless it is to get you out. If he had A-K or a set, there is no way he moves all-in. He might have second pair. I call.

Layne is bummed. He shows 7-7 and I double up again!

Sure enough, the next time around, it is the same situation. Layne is in the small blind and I'm in the big blind. Everyone folds to Layne and he moves all-in. It won't cost me much to call as Layne only has 1.5 times my big blind. I turn over J-9 believing that Layne probably has nothing. Wrong! Layne shows A-Q.

Neither one of us get any help on the flop or turn. On the river, a J hits and I knock out Layne Flack.

Layne leaves the table and I could hear the sigh of relief from all the players at the table. The guy to my left actually reaches out with his right hand to shake my hand. He says, "Good job." It's not a good job, really. I just got lucky.

I walk over to Layne and admit to him I got lucky. Layne smiles back at me and says, "No, you're playing good." It was really classy of him.

It is down to 2 tables.

And now another pro to deal with...it is David Pham. If you don't know David Pham you should. I'd read his book if he wrote one. He won the Cardplayer player of the year award once and he often gets close to winning many times. David is sitting to the seat next to me--yeah, on my right.

David is similar to Layne in that he is super aggressive. He raises me three times in a row when it gets folded to him pre-flop. I fold each time. Here we go again!

These pros are like flies that keep buzzing you and won't go away. Time to swat them away, right?

I decide I have to stop this the 4th time or it will go on forever. Sure enough, everyone folds to David and he raises me again. I couldn't help myself. I just started laughing. I ask him, "do you always have a hand?"

Of course, he is stoic. I look at my hole cards. A-10. It's a monster. Okay, good enough. All-in. David doesn't fold right away. He thinks and thinks and thinks some more. I have a big chip stack and he has a slightly bigger one. No way do I think he will call, right? He folds. Phew!

The next time around, everyone folds to him. He just calls on the button. Huh? Now a limp from him is very suspicious to me. I look down and find A-Q. I raise 3x's my big blind. Pham calls.
When he calls, I am done with this hand. I am not going to bet this hand since I don't want to walk into a trap.

The flop is K-4-2. We both check. The turn is a 9. We both check. The river is J. I check and he bets. I fold. He shows pocket 2's--he flopped a set. I chuckle.

The tournament director stops the action to even out the final two tables. I get up to stretch my legs nearby. David Pham calls me over and asks for my name. I tell him. I don't know why I did this, except maybe to amuse myself, I ask him his name. He tells me.

It is down to 14 players.

I get moved to the other table to even the number of players at each table. This table is so much easier--there are no pros at the table. If anyone checks, I bet and win. My chips grow at this table.

We are now down to 1 table. And it seems that the pros TJ Cloutier and David Pham have made it to the final 9. Also, Tony Lee, the local pro is at the table as well. The other players I really don't know and don't pay much attention to them.

To be continued...next is the finale!

Tournament Poker: The Game Continues

Tournament Poker: The Game Continues
(photo of Layne Flack)

This is part 3 in reviewing the Reno Hilton $1,000 event. Part 1 and 2 are the prior posts.

It is down to 6 tables...

Image by larrykang via Flickr

We are down to 6 tables and TJ Cloutier sits down at my table. TJ is a pro and an incredibly nice guy. He teaches the game of poker and he wrote what many people considered, at the time, the bible for No Limit Tournaments.

There is another pro at the table and I focus on him by using my tight image and his aggressive image into my play/decisions. I beat him over and over when he tries to steal my big blinds by moving all-in or re-raising him back. I don't do it every time or it looks suspicious.

I get dealt A-Q suited under the gun and raise 3x's the big blind. TJ re-raises me 3x's my bet. It's folded back to me. I think to myself that I have to fold since TJ's book is about playing real tight pre-flop. I say to TJ, "I read this poker book that says in this situation I have to fold." He smiles. I fold. He asks me, "What do you think of that book?" I reply to TJ, "It's great but it has your picture all throughout the book."

And then TJ says something that surprises me. He says, "I haven't played against you for a long time."

Wow! The only other time we played against each other was in a WSOP event almost two years ago! Does he really recall playing against me?

It is down to 5 tables

We are now down to 5 tables and I get moved to a new table with the pro, Layne Flack. At the time, Layne was considered one of the top 10 no limit players as he recently won back-to-back bracelets in the WSOP. That became his nickname for a while, "back-to-back" Flack.

I watch Layne play and he is the most aggressive player I've ever seen. He is super aggressive and bets and bets and bets. He keeps coming at you. As interesting as Layne is to watch playing poker, it is even more interesting to see how the other players are so intimidated by him. I am, too.

I play against Layne three times at that table and it is very challenging. The first time I check the flop, he bets and I fold. The next time I bet into him on the flop and he folds. Frankly, I was still intimidated by his game. Because the third time when I missed the flop, he bet and yeah, I just mucked. No way I wanted to get trapped by him by doing something stupid.

I decide to focus my play against the weaker players. I'll let Layne's aggressive come into play later on, if needed, and trap him! Ha! That thought did indeed come into play later--but not quite in the way I expected.

Key hand...I raise with A-K and get called by the guy to my left. This player thinks he is as good as Layne Flack by being real aggressive. But he's not close. He will be easy to trap with the right flop. The flop comes A high and I figure he will bet whether he did or did not have an Ace--to be like Layne.

He bets and I raise. He re-raises me all-in. Easy call for me. He shows A-10 and loses. How did he get this far in the event playing this way?

Fortunately, I get moved away from Layne's table so I can play against other weaker opponents. I am able to make a few moves, but overall I am now card dead. At these times, though, I decide to attack the blinds of the players who never defend their big blind. It works almost every time..often enough, to keep me in good chip shape.

It is now down to 3 tables and I get moved. I end up at a new table sitting to the left of Layne Flack. Frankly, I'm not happy about this at all. Layne is a better player than me and is going to bullying me.

To be continued...

My Biggest Tournament Poker Win: Learning...

My Biggest Tournament Poker Win: Recap and Learning

I thought I would share with you my notes that are a recap from my biggest cash at a poker tournament. My objective is that it may help you improve your game. (As I have suggested, it is important to write down your learning from playing--and I do practice what I preach.) This recap is rather long, so I will break it up to make it easier to read.

It was the the day before the WPT main event at the Reno Hilton many years ago. It was a $1,000 No limit buy-in. First place was $80,000. To get into this event, I chopped a one table satellite the night before.

It began on a Monday at noon. There were about 250 players. A number of the pros were in town early and played in this event as well.

Part 1

Image via Wikipedia

"The first 2 hours, I don't recall playing a hand. But that was okay since the rounds were 50 minutes long, and I had $1,500 in chips to start.

Key hand... I am on the big blind, and Hon Lee--a pro--and another player called my big blind. I had K-8. The flop came 8-6-5 with 2 spades. I bet $100. Hon Lee raised to $400 and the other player called. I thought for a while and decided the best play was to move in...and gamble here.

Why?

1. Both player knew I was a tight card player and wouldn't make this move unless I had a big hand.
2. I needed some chips--I was down to $1,100.
3. Hon Lee had about $1,000 chips..and would not want to go out of the event on a hand like this.
4. Hon Lee is a pro and will be aggressive when a flop looks scary.
5. The other player I thought was on a flush draw--and had lots of chips.
6. On an unraised hand, the big blind (me) could have anything---even the nut straight.
7. It is almost always better to raise or fold, and not call in poker.

Anyway, Hon Lee took a lot of time, and decided to fold. The other player says, "well if he called, I would have called." Yes, he was on the draw. Big win for me.

So, I start to get a few hands and play the players and not my cards. How?

There were three general types of players at this event:

1. Pros--who are aggressive and take chances. They will almost always raise on the button or small blind if first in the hand. But, they don't want to be taken out of the event and will lay down their hand if you re-raise them...why? Because they understand table image and saw or thought I was a card player--tight and only play my cards.

(Actually, in the entire event, if I raised pre-flop and a player re-raised me, I folded...there will always be another hand.)

Also, there are some variations on a theme among the Pros:
-Some pros defend their blinds with zeal/
-Some pros like TJ Cloutier play like his book before the flop--but changes from the flop on.
-Some pros like Layne Flack will look to play almost any 2 cards--even calling a raise with bad cards--hoping to hit his flop...or if his opponent checks (a sign of weakness) he will bet and win.
-All pros try to intimidate you with their bets--if you show any weakness on the flop--and they've never seen you check raise on the flop--they will bet.
-All pros will attack your blinds--so, attack back once in a while and they will behave. Again, raise or fold.

A general rule with Pros--they don't like moving all-in on the flop, unless they are trying to get you out of a pot thru intimidation..it is not that they don't have a hand, but they know they probably don't have the best hand at the moment and prefer you would fold.

2. Card players who are solid, smart players and are aware of what is happening to them--they are slowly losing because they are not getting cards, but they don't adjust their game to this fact.

When these players raise before the flop, fold. They have a hand..they play by the book. If it cost more than 5% of your chips or you are out of position, don't even bother calling then with a pair.

They like to think they are smart by mimicking the pros and raising on the button as a steal--if you think he/she is doing this--just re-raise them and they will fold. Or call, and see what happens on the flop...but when someone else bets into them on the flop, and they missed, they fold.

3. Card players--these guys not only play by the book, but you know where they are based on how they bet. If they bet on the flop, they hit their hand. If not, you bet...they fold.

I used the above knowledge to win pots when I am in a hand. In fact, I notice that I almost win every pot I enter...by playing the players and not my cards. Of course, I don't need to enter a lot of pots since if I play only a few hands, I get lots of respect whether I raise 2x's or 3x's the big blind. How much respect? I get 5-6 suited under the gun--and raise 2x's the big blind--everyone folds!

In fact, it was funny, but later in the event when I was building my chips, one player turns to the player to his left and says, "I wish I had his seat, he is getting all the card." Funny thing was that most of the time, no one even saw my starting hands...I just made them think that I had a big hand, because I was always betting the flops as if they were hitting my hand.

To be continued...

Answer to Yesterday's Tournament Poker Quiz Question

The Countdown to the WSOP continues...

Thanks for all your answers on my blog (previous post) and on Twitter. When you read what actually happened and the analysis, compare it to your thinking.

Question & Answer

This hand is taken from the final table of a $10,000 buy-in event at The Plaza in 2004.
The player with the 8c-5c was Layne Flack and his opponent was Daniel Negreanu. While everyone has seen Daniel's game on TV, few know much about Layne. Layne Flack is an aggressive player, and likes to raise pre-flop with a range of hands.

The hand was featured in a CardPlayer article and analyzed by Roy Winston and Michael Binger.

Main Event
$10,000 buy-in.
First place over $1 million.
You are one of the final 6 players.
You are Layne Flack.
I am Daniel Negreanu (without the cash wins, of course:))

Blinds are $1,500-$3,000 with a $500 ante

You have $110,000 and are under the gun. You find 8c-5c. You limp in for $3,000. Another player limps. I am in the small blind with $130,000 and call. The big blind also calls. There is $15,000 in the pot.

(Michael: Flack had 110,000 and the total of the blinds and antes was 10,500, which gave Flack an M of about 10. Either fold 8-5 suited or come in for a raise of about 8,000.)

(My comment: Six handed I like to raise with this suited connector hand because there is $10,500 in the pot to steal. Online a min raise can work to get your opponents to fold, while live play a 2.5 times the big blind raise has a better chance. Against top Pros, the reality is that you will be called when you come in with almost any raise.)

The flop is Ac-9c-6c. You hit your flush!

You bet $12,000. The first player calls and I call. The big blind folds. There is $51,000 in the pot.

(Michael: Likes the bet size as it may make your opponents think you are bluffing, betting top pair, or betting a monster. Betting 80 percent of the pot keeps them guessing.)

(Roy: Should have bet more on the flop.)

(My comment: I agree with Michael.)

The turn is a Kd. You bet $22,000 and only I call. The pot is $95,000.

(Michael: Bet half the pot, maybe $25,000-$30,000.)

(Roy: A $22,000 bet prices in your opponent. Bet more.)

(My comment: This is where I totally disagree. Here is why: there is $51,000 in the pot. You have $95,000 left. If you bet the pot and get called, you will have only $44,000 left which is not enough to make a pot sized bet on the river. After reading Gus Hansen's book, I would move all-in on the the turn. Gus will shut out action on the turn and not give his opponent the opportunity to draw out on him on the river.)

The river is a 10c. You check and I bet $14,000.

(Michael: You have to call with 8-1 odds.)

(Roy: If you know your beat, just fold.)

(My comment: I don't want to see the river.)

In the actual hand, Daniel revealed the Kc-10h for a bigger flush. Layne said that the only thing he would change is that he might not make the river call.

As you can tell, some Pros like to extract more value on the turn with smaller bets. However, given the chip stacks I would try to close things out on the turn and not give my opponent an opportunity to beat me.

For the full analysis go to the original article: http://snipurl.com/h9o6a