Humor: Why do poker players make crazy calls...

Humor: Why do poker players make crazy calls...

knowing they are on a draw and they are not getting the right odds to call? Because....

"I won over $100,000 at the 2011 WSOP Main Event & I could've cried!"

After playing poker for 6 days and over 60 hours, I got knocked out of the biggest event in poker, the World Series of Poker Main Event. I was one day away from the final table. Getting to the final table would have meant at least $750,000 and a shot at winning over $8 million.

Do you want to find out how you can win your next poker tournament?

Let me be very clear: I am not a professional poker player. Tournament poker is a game I love to play. It is a hobby. Like you, I have a real life outside of poker.

By 2008, I had played in over 500 live poker tournaments in my local card rooms for over 10 years. During that time, I had taken hundreds of pages of notes from reading poker books and magazines, watching poker on TV, studying at online poker schools and even attending a poker conference.

I had gathered the "best of the best" information on poker plays the pros use to win tournaments. I decided to organize and summarize my notes in order to improve my poker game. When I was done, I realized that I could help other beginning and intermediate level poker players by turning my work into a book on winning tournament poker plays.

There was no poker tournament reference book on poker plays. And, my notes were all about winning moves that I found from 20 years worth of materials. I figured that it would cost someone else $1,000+ and months of searching to find everything I had compiled.

To make my book even more valuable, I included a section on poker tells, poker odds, and poker facts. There are even a few fun stories based on my play again Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, David Pham, and other top pros.

Improve your poker game with these poker moves.

My book is Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves. Expert Plays for No Limit Tournaments. When I finished my book I did not expect it to get much notice--after all, I am not a poker star.

But, I was pleasantly surprised when players wrote to me on how much my book had helped them improve their tournament poker game, and I was grateful when players wrote positive reviews on amazon. (Yeah, there are a couple of negative reviews--but to be clear, I did not invent these plays--they are from poker pros--and no, there is not one review from someone I know).

My poker book became a #1 best seller in it's category on Amazon!

Frankly, after writing my book my tournament poker results improved as well.

What happened at the WSOP Main Event.

The buy-in for the Main Event is $10,000. I won a satellite to get a seat into the tournament.

I read and re-read my poker book before I played each day. There is a lot to recall and I wanted to be ready to make a winning move or two or three.

At the start of the Main Event, there are so many players they break up Day 1 into four starting days. I believe there are 150+ tables in the Rio Pavilion; a room the size of a football field. Over 6,800 players entered this main event.

When it got to Day 6, there were only about 100 players left. Imagine what 11 poker tables would look like on a football field. Pretty empty. But, with the spectators, the press and the ESPN camera crews, things were in constant movement.

It was a few minutes before the dinner break, when I was on the big blind. A player in middle position raised. It was folded to me. I peeked at my cards and found pocket Kings. I three bet (re-raised).

My opponent went into the tank. I used a reverse tell to appear weak. He picked up on the tell and moved all-in. I insta-called and he moaned. He turned over A-10 offsuit. I turned over K-K. He had me covered; meaning he had more chips than me.

The camera crew came over to the table to film the action. The flop--all rags. I was now a big favorite to win the hand. The turn.....oh, no....an Ace. I got no help on the river.

71st place, cashing over $100,000, and feeling so....bummed.

Anyone can win a tournament, even the Main Event

Anyone can win the WSOP Main Event! Yes, even you! And, you can win any poker tournament if you know the moves that accumulate chips and embrace my winning philosophy: "Risk is Good!"

"Your book is SUPERB! Even after reading Harrington and Sklanksy, I wasn’t very good. Your book showed me the way. I now play a very aggressive game and it works. People at the local casinos tell me I play like Gus Hansen, which is never a bad thing." -Jules Carter

"I wanted to thank you for your book "Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves." After studying your book I finally made my first breakthrough and cashed in the 2008 WSOP, Event #32, $1500 No Limit Hold'em, finishing in 181st place out of 2300 players. While this is a modest success it is a positive step forward and I just wanted to thank you." -Thanks William B.

"This is a new diamond-in-the rough - not a lot of publicity, but a truly good, comprehensive look at various moves that good players tend to use often. Some of these are very basic, but others are quite advanced and have not been outlined in such a clear-cut, easy-to-digest format in other books." -VW

"Not only will this book help you to incorporate more power moves into your tournament poker game, it will also help you spot when opponents are making these moves on you! You'll be able to effectively counter their moves and foil their plans. My verdict: Ship it!" -Blog: What're the Odds?

Why Buy Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves

Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves has 101 expert plays for no limit poker tournaments. Do you know the "no-look" blind steal, the defense against a continuation bet, the probe bet, and the value bet? What about the stop-and-go, steal flops, and the blocking bet?

Discover 40 pre-flop moves like the min-raise, isolation play, squeeze, and how to vary your raises.

Intimidate your opponents with 30 flop moves such as the continuation bet, the blocking bet, and floating.

Scoop the pot with over 20 turn and river moves including the delayed continuation bet, the action-inducing bet, scare card moves, and the naked ace bluff.

Walk away the champion with winning moves for your head-to-head battle at the final table.

I know my poker book will change your approach to poker tournaments. It will result in you achieving more cashes and more wins. The book has worked for thousands of other poker players, so give it a try now. You won't be disappointed.

"I have read over thirty poker books in my life and I can honestly say that this is the most important one of them all. I only wish I could have read this sooner!" -Dayton2Vegas.com

How To Improve Your Poker Tournament Results

Image via WikipediaHow To Improve Your Poker Tournament Results

Let me share with you a way to improve your tournament poker results. It may change the way you think about your tournament game and how you play in your next event.

Here is a question for you:

Let's say you enter your local poker tournament. The event has 80 entrants. You start with 8,000 in chips. The blinds are 25-50. The rounds are 20 minutes. (This is a typical structure in SF Bay Area ). First place is $5,000.

It is the first hand. You have Kc-6s in the big blind. Everyone folds to the small blind. He picks up his cards to see what he holds. When he lifts his cards up, he holds them so high that you can see that he has 9h-8h.

He calls. You check.

The flop is Kd-4h-2h. You have top pair. Your opponent checks. You bet 100. Your opponent moves all-in with his flush draw. What should you do?

You state aloud. "I have to call."

You call as you are a big favorite with your top pair. The turn card is not a heart, but the river is a heart and you are eliminated. You shake your head, walk away from the table, and tell anyone who will listen about your "bad beat."

Does this sound familiar? Maybe this has happened to you?

I believe you made a mistake if you called this all-in bet. Let me explain why.

Risk in Poker: Don't Worry No Numbers Here!

When evaluating stocks in a portfolio, there are different kinds of risks that are measured to determine it's performance.

One kind of risk is market risk. This is the risk of the entire mutual fund compared to the market as a whole. Called Alpha.

A second kind of risk is specific stock risk. This is the risk that is specific to a given stock compared to the market as a whole. Called Beta.

I believe in poker, there is an analogy which will help you make the "right decision" at any point in time of an event.

Think of market risk as the "tournament risk" you are taking that uses your relative chip count and the number of chips you will win as it compares to your chances of winning the event.(Lets call this your PokerAlpha)

While specific stock risk is the "hand risk" you have or probability of winning a specific hand of poker. (Lets call this your Poker Beta).

How to Use These Risks in Poker

Lets take that poker hand where you flopped top pair and you knew your opponent was on a flush draw. Your probability of winning a specific hand of poker was very favorable--about a 66% favorite.

But, your market risk was extremely high: If you lost the hand, you are eliminated. And, you have only increased your chance of winning the event by a small margin if you win the hand.

Given this risk analysis, I believe the best decision is to fold.

Now, if you think your opponents are much better than you, you should forget about using the Poker Alpha. Just evaluate your odds of winning a specific hand and play accordingly. But, if you think you are as good or better than your opponents, consider both types of risk.

As you get deeper in a tournament, your risk assessment will change. In fact, that is why it is often best to move all-in when your stack is low relative to the big blind; for example, 10x's or less. Your tournament risk is such that it is better to make a move all-in now and take the hand risk to double-up.

Does this Poker Risk Concept Work?

Yes.

I used this concept in making my poker decisions at the WSOP Main Event.

For example, on day 2, I was under the gun and raised pre-flop. Only the big blind called. I flopped top pair, and after I bet the flop, I was check raised all-in. Even though I was 90% sure my opponent was on a flush draw, I knew that losing this hand would cripple my stack. I folded.

I believed that I was one of the better players at my table and I would get these chips back. (It turned out that I won those chips back and more from that same opponent later that day.)

Does this Translate to Online Poker?

Yes.

If you play online poker, your risk reward analysis is very different than a live event. Online, you may be playing multiple events and you know you can enter a new tournament in seconds. This means that the overall tournament risk is practically nil early in an online event.

I know others have written about risk in poker before, but I wanted to provide for a simpler and possibly a new way for players to understand them.

By the way, if you don't agree with this post, don't use it in your game.

Good luck!

How to Win A Poker Tournament: 10 Concepts You Must Master

How to Win A Poker Tournament: 10 Concepts You Must Master

After doing well at the WSOP Main Event, I am getting more questions than usual from people about how to improve their tournament poker game. I have outlined 10 concepts below that should help your game.

1. Understand how the structure of a tournament influences your play.

The WSOP Main Event may be the most favorable structure in the world as it gives you 30,000 in chips, 2-hour rounds, and a slow increase in blinds. Your local event probably provides 5-10,000 in chips, 20 minute rounds, and a a level or two where the blinds jump up.

Adjust your game to the structure of your game.

2. Poker is about the players and not just about your cards.

Your cards are important, but knowing the players is just as or possibly more important. You need to figure out how your opponents play. Are they aggressive or passive? How do they play on each street as a pre-flop raiser or caller? Do they always make a c-bet? Do they 3-bet with a range of cards or does it only mean they have a premium hand?

Do not assume your opponents play like you.

3. Get out of your comfort zone.

When you started playing poker, you may have seen charts of which starting hands to play and from what position. If you follow these charts, I can promise you will never win a poker tournament. Why? You won't be dealt enough of these hands in the right position to make it to the end of an event.

You must learn to open up your game. The way to do this is test different moves or ideas, and to learn by watching or reading from others. For example, have you ever 3-bet an opponent pre-flop without a premium hand? If not, try it. In fact, if you are going to 3 bet an opponent in may be best to try it with a trash hand than a hand like K-J. (Do you know why?)

Now, if you've played a lot of poker, you may think you play good enough to win. But, you are not winning. Why? You may have a better understanding of the game, and a new comfort zone, but you need to continue to work at your game.

If you are not one of the November Nine, I can promise you that you have a lot more to learn. I know I do.

4. Know your own table image.

Players who are good at getting a read on their opponents, forget about how other players are viewing their style. If you know how an opponent will read your playing style, you can take advantage of that information.

And, you should realize that not all opponents will read you the same way. Oh yeah, there are even a few players who don't even care.

5. Chip Stacks

Always be aware of your stack size and those of your opponents. It is important in so many decisions you have to make at the table.

I will give you an obvious example that too many players still don't get it. Let's say the small blind has 1,000 and the blinds are 200-400. The big blind has 30,000. The small blinds moves all-in when everyone folds to him. What should the big blind do? Hint: The big blind peeks at his cards and finds 7-2 offsuit.

Answer:

Call. It doesn't matter what the big blind is holding.

6. Variance

Simply, you want to manage your risk based on the stage of the tournament and your chip stack. Early in an event you want to reduce your risk, since you can't accumulate enough chips to win an event in early round. Later in the event, you can take on greater risk if your stack size declines too much or you see an opportunity to win a big pot.

7. Position

Position is always important. And, a back position is a favorable one since it allows you to risk less, and win. Some examples:

If you are in a back position, and everyone folds to you preflop, you should look to raise.

If you are on the button, and have a speculative hand, it may be a good play to call a pre-flop raise. Why? Because even if you miss the flop, if other players flop, your bet her may win.

If you want to squeeze players with a 3 bet, it is easier to do it in a back position.

You can also float an opponent by calling a raise from a back position.

Of course, if you are in the small or big blind, you will be out of position which will make it more difficult to play a hand.

8. Learn how to play with a short stack

I took one chip in a WSOP satellite and turned it into finishing 71st in the Main Event. Did I get lucky? Of course. But, I also have a good understanding of short stack play.

To me a short stack is when you have to decide to move all-in or fold. Here are some things to consider:

First, have an idea of what is a short stack in your game. Is it when you are 20x's the big blind ? 15x's? 10x's? This is the time, where you have to move all-in or fold?

Second, you need to have your own guidelines as to when to move all-in by your position at the table.

Third, you should determine if you need to adjust these guidelines if there is any action that happens in front of you.

Here is an example that I witnessed the other day. This event pays out 14 places. We are down to 20 players. The blinds are 400-800 with a 100 ante. The player under the gun has 6000 and raises to 2000. It is folded to the big blind who moves all-in (he has 10,000). The under the gun player folds! He shows K-Q, and the big blind shows J-J.

The under the gun player's mistake is that he had a short stack with less than 8x's the big blind and only raised. He has to move all-in or fold.

Too many players make raises pre-flop short stacked and then fold to an all-in move. This is a major leak.

9. Tells

If you know if your opponent is strong or weak, it would help your game immensely, right?Most poker players do things either consciously or subconsciously that give you this answer. You have to work at developing your skill. But, frankly, it can be a lot of fun and very profitable.

Caro and Navarro are two authors who have written excellent books on spotting tells. I have written a lot about how to spot tells, and how to get better at it.

Here is one simple exercise: Look at your opponent seated to your left. Find out what he does pre-flop to signal if he will or will not enter a hand. Now, you will find times where you can alter your play based on knowing his actions.

10. Play to win, and not just to cash.

The money in most events are in the first three spots. If you are playing to survive in order to cash, you are not understanding how payouts work. It may be why that player folded his K-Q in the example above (Note: he did not cash in that event).

The next time you play in a tournament, look at the payouts. Let's say you finish 10th, 10 times in a row. Now, look at how that compares to one win.

I hope this helps!

Is Poker Luck, Skill or ...?

Is Poker Luck, Skill or ...?



What do you think?

Oh--and what do you think of the video?

Tournament Poker: Do You Know This? I Didn't!

Image via WikipediaTournament Poker: Do You Know This? I Didn't!

Yesterday, I was playing in the Oaks tournament and my game plan was working very well.
We were down to 20 players, the blinds were $1,000-$1,500 with $200 antes, I had $30,000 and I was in a middle position.

With pocket 7's, I raised to $4,500. A tight player smooth called, and another tight player moved all-in for $12,000.

What should I do? What would you do?

The first thing I did was to put my opponents on a range of hands. I put the first player with a middle pocket pair like 8's, 9's or 10's or A-Q, A-J. The second player, I put on QQ, KK, AA or AK.

The second thing I did was look at the odds. It was going to cost me $7,500 to call. So if I called and the first player called, I was betting $7,500 to win the blinds (2500), the antes (3000), my bet (4500), the all-in bet (12000), and the first player's bet of (12000) for a total of $32,000. Therefore, it would cost me $7500 to $32000 or about 4+ to 1.

The final thing I did was look at how many chips the first caller had left. He had $10,000 more, so I thought I would probably have to call this amount as well. This reduced my odds a lot.

I figured my odds of winning this hand was now really poor, especially given the pot odds, so I folded.

What happened...

The first caller had pocket 10's, and the all-in player had pocket Kings. I felt like I made the right play. On the flop a 10 showed up, and I felt really smart. Of course, that changed when the turn and river revealed that I would have hit a runner-runner straight..Doh!

What I did not know....

I know that in a pair versus pair situation, the bigger pair is an 80% favorite. What I didn't know are the odds in a pair versus pair versus pair situation. I checked the Cardplayer hold'em calculator for the answer using the above situation:

KK: 66%
TT: 19%
77: 15%

My odds are 5-1...a lot higher than I thought.

Given this learning, do you think I made the right decision?

I did cash in the event, and my system is now 2 for 9, with one win.

Suggestion for a New Tournament Poker Rule

Image by aboutmattlaw via FlickrSuggestion for a New Tournament Poker Rule

The Bad Beat Re-entry Rule

This rule only applies in a heads-up situation where both players have a pocket pair, and one or both player's are all-in in pre-flop so no more betting is possible. When both players have a pocket pair, if the player with the higher ranking pair loses and gets knocked out of the tournament, she/he is allowed to re-enter the event.

To re-enter the event, the player must pay the entry fee again and only receives the amount of chips a player gets when entering this event.

Note: If it is a rebuy event, and the tournament is pass the point where more rebuys are allowed, this player also is not allowed any rebuys.

Example of the rule in action:

You enter a tournament for $100 and get $2,500 in chips. It is late in the event, you have $5,000 in chips, and you get dealt pocket Kings under the gun. You raise the $50-$100 blind to $300. Everyone folds to the big blind, who moves all-in for $7,000. You call all-in.

Your opponent shows pocket Jacks. You have pocket Kings. While you are an 80% favorite to win, if you lose you will be knocked out of the tournament.

The common cards are dealt out, and a Jack hits the river. You lose the hand and you can not continue to play as you have no more chips.

With the Bad Beat Re-entry rule, you are given the option to re-enter the event. To re-enter this event, you would pay $100 and get $2,500 in chips to continue to play.

What do you think?

Why You Should Not Play In Another Poker Tournament

Image via WikipediaWhy You Should Not Play In Another Poker Tournament

I believe that no limit tournament poker has changed for good and if you don't understand what is going on, you shouldn't bother to enter one ever again.

I would describe the key change as Blind Aggression. Players are willing to take on significantly more risk than ever before and make plays without (what appears as) much thought. Some examples...

• Players who will raise and re-raise preflop with inferior holdings.
• Players that will call a pre-flop raise with any two cards.
• Players who make big bets or move all-in on the flop or turn even though they know they are behind.

I describe this aggression as being blind because these players will suck out to win and often declare "I knew I was behind." And, these players will often be the ones with huge chip stacks at start, middle and at the end of an event.

Why the Shift to Take on More Risk

1. More players.

With more players come a bigger disparity in skill levels. Many inexperienced players need to find a way to counter the advantage of more skilled players. The best way to beat a pro is to move all-in pre-flop. It is high risk, but one that eliminates his opponent's advantage on other streets.

2. Online poker.

While online poker allows players to experiment and quickly gain experience, the key is the ability to multi-table. A player who is in 6 events at the same time, has a goal of building a big stack in one event. This allows for blind aggression since more risk leads to more rewards/bigger stacks. With multi-tabling, you can now place your bets on more games, and if you can build that a big stack in one event, you can even afford to slow down. In tournament poker, always remember that it is better to win one event than to take home small wins in all six.

3. Poker on TV.

To make viewers at home more likely to watch poker, the program needs to be exciting. What is more than watching a bad beat (assuming you are not the player taking one)? When a poker player sees the worst hand winning often enough, it leads to thinking that a) any two cards can win b) they are a better player than the ones on TV.

There our other factors in this shift to take on significantly more risk, such as: blind levels increasing too fast, fewer starting chips, "tells" being of less value online, personally experiencing bad beats as the giver and the taker, and the desire to be noticed.

Go Big or Go Home

When it comes to tournament poker you need to realize that you must go for the win. Be bold.

"Risk is good" is the underlying principle in my tournament poker book with 101 winning moves. But, risk in my book is about knowing how to manage it. The game today has taken the level of risk to a higher level.

My advice: Be bolder than you've ever been before. Someone is giving other poker players bad beats. Why shouldn't it be you?

I recommend you try this new approach to poker, since it may open your eyes to the way the game is being played today. You may decide this style is one you want to adopt as your own.
Or, you can try my new approach.

My New Strategic Approach to Tournament Poker

I have been working on a way to counter this blind aggression. To date, I have used my strategy in five events and won one. My strategy is higher risk than before, but it still provides for a way to manage it.

While I have written about it in my previous post, let me give you a brief overview:

1. Early Stage: You play a solid game. Understand implied odds; that is, how you can come in with suited connectors and other drawing hands to win a big pot. Slowplay premium hands. Minimize the A-K losses.
2. Middle and Late Stages: Open up your game and be more aggressive. Look to raise or fold, preflop. You can't win by calling. If you get a top hand, even if you are almost 100% sure your opponent has you beat when he moves all-in, you have to go with it when your stack is declining and this hand may be the best you'll see.
3. Final Table: Play tight until 4 players have been eliminated.

By the way, I know that this blind aggression in tournament poker has been part of the game for the past year or so. However, I really had not figured out a smart way to counter it. I believe my new approach may be the answer. It attempts to counter blind aggression with smart aggression. Give it a try...

Please let me know what you think.

Putting My New Tournament Poker Approach to the Test: #1

Image via Wikipedia

Putting My New Tournament Poker Approach to the Test: #1

Sunday I went to Lucky Chances for $225 buy-in $10,000 first place guarantee event. I wanted to try out my new approach to tournaments. Unlike most events, the Lucky Chances tourney is a Re-entry one" that is, if you get knocked out in the first 4 rounds, you can buy back in. It is not your traditional rebuy format.

There were over 120 players that entered. I was lucky to start out at the "final table" since it is less likely I will be moved. I was in table 1, seat 1.

Early Stages

My starting style was to be totally passive pre-flop with all my hands, even the premium starting hands. My objective was to take on more risk, to get more chips.

The first hand: I am in the small blind for $25. They give you $5,000 to start.
Everyone folds to me. I peek at my cards and almost fall off my chair. I have QQ. I call the $50 big blind.

The big blind raises me to $125. I call.

The flop is 2-4-5 with 2 spades. I check and call a $125 bet.

The turn is another 4. I check. My opponent bets.

I figure this is the time to raise. I raise his $200 bet to $600.

He re-raises me to $1,500!! Oh no! Disaster on hand one. I make a reluctant call.

The river is a J. We both check. He shows Q-4. I lose almost half my stack on the first hand.

I continue to limp, even with A-K. I keep missing. My stack is getting lower and lower.

However, right before the break, I get back to even thanks to two key hands:

I win some chips when my Q-J gets raised by the weakest player at the table and I call. The flop comes J high. I check, call. On the turn it's check, check. And on the river since my pair is still high, I bet. My opponent folds and shows A-K.

A few hands later I'm dealt the Ac-10c in back position. I limp and the weak player on the big blind calls, as does one other player. The flop is 8 high with 2 clubs. They check, I bet and only the weak player calls. The turn is another club, giving me the nut flush. I check after my opponent. The river is a rag.

I am going to bet small hoping my opponent will call, when I notice he seems eager to call any bet. I bet the pot or $1,500 and he insta-calls. He has A-K.

Middle Rounds

In the middle rounds, my approach is not to call. Raise or fold. It works quite well and I build a nice stack.

I get lucky when I raise pre-flop with A-A and an opponent makes a move all-in with K-Q suited. I double up.

I am able to move my stack up to $15,000 in chips and we are at the $300-$600 level.

Late Rounds

After the break, we are down to 4 tables. I need to build my stack since the blinds are now at $600-$1,200 with $100 ante. I still have about $15,000.

Under the gun, I am dealt K-K. I raise to $3,700. A player on the button with $20,000 pushes all-in. What do you think he has to make this move?

I call.

He shows Ad-Td. Oh my! What hand did he think he could beat with that play?

I am feeling good when the flop is 7-7-J with no diamonds.

I am feeling even better when the turn is a 2 of spades.

When the river is an Ace....well, I'm sick.

Conclusion

I'm not sure I can take away too much from this experience. Except for the fact that the construction near the Golden Gate Bridge is so bad, it took my almost 2 hours to make a 30 minute trip back home. I may avoid Lucky Chances, and head back to the Oaks.

One final note. If I had a hand like pocket Jacks I would simply move in that last hand. The reason is that I don't mind someone going over the top when I have Kings. When I have Jacks, if I'm going to call a move all-in, it's better to move-in first.

New Series: Do You Make This Tournament Poker Mistake #1?

New Series: Do You Make This Tournament Poker Mistake #1?

Image by emilydickinsonridesabmx via Flickr

I am going to write a series of blog posts on tournament poker mistakes I see players making all of the time. Here is the first in that series.

One of the key mistakes players make in a tournament is always making a continuation bet. For some reason, ever since Harrington made this move popular, every single poker player believes he/she should make a continuation bet. Heck, not even Harrington recommends that approach.

What is a continuation bet?

A player who raises pre-flop and gets called by one or more opponents, makes a "continuation" bet on the flop hoping to get his opponents to fold.

Let's review some reasons why you should not always make a continuation bet and the move in general.

1. You must not be predictable.

One of the most important keys in playing winning poker is to be unpredictable. If your opponent always knows that you are going to make a continuation bet, it becomes very easy to take advantage of your play. For example:

He can float you. He can call your flop bet, and bet when you check the turn. OR
He can raise your bet on the flop, to get you to fold.

2. A continuation bet works best when you are heads-up.

If you have two opponents, it increases the likelihood you will get called in one place. And, if you have three or more opponents, you are asking for trouble.

3. Flops that are not coordinated are best.

If the flop is 8-9-10, all spades, then it is more likely you will get called. If the flop is K-7-2 rainbow, it is a lot safer to make that continuation bet.

4. If you flop a draw, be more likely to check behind your opponents.

The reason is that if you bet and get raised, you are not going to have the odds to make the call. A check would allow you to see the turn for free.

5. There is no embarrassment in folding a losing hand.

A good fold is a good thing. You raised pre-flop from the button with Ad-Kd and four opponents called your bet. The flop comes 7s-8s-9s. Everyone checks to you. What should you do?

Check!

It is nuts to make a continuation bet here. Yet, I have actually witnessed more than one player betting the flop and turn with his A-K...and losing big! It's bad poker.

The next time you raise pre-flop, do not automatically bet on the flop. Assess your situation and opponents. And when the flop hits the board, it is time to decide if you will make that continuation bet.

Don't put that move on auto-pilot. It is a mistake.

Cute Dog Photo: Poker Tournaments and Dogs...What would you do?

Poker Tournaments and Dogs...

Last night I entered a poker tournament at the Oaks. It was a $100 buy-in plus an $80 rebuy event. There were some things that happened last night that I thought were interesting.

The First Table

The first table was rather strange in that there were 3 players who acted like you could win an event in the first few levels of play. These players moved all-in way too often, and called all-in when their raises were re-raised all-in.

Now, these three players are generally good poker players but they believed the key to winning was getting lucky and accumulating lots and lots of chips early, so they could apply pressure throughout the event.

It was annoying to say the least, especially since they were winning hands uncontested or sucking out. I kept thinking that they were going to be dog meat eventually. I started thinking of that famous illustration of the dogs playing poker.

I had to fold hands to one of them twice:

I had A-J, raised preflop, and he pushed all-in. I folded.

A few hands later I raised preflop with K-Q, and the pushed all-in. I folded again.

I figured that I would trap him when I got a big hand.

Sure enough, a few hands later, I was dealt pocket Kings and just called in middle position. I got raised by a player who was predictable and seated in front of these three....they folded.

When the play got back to me, I moved all-in. To my surprise, the predictable called me with A-J. Bad play on his part. I doubled up.

However, later on I was on the button and raised the predictable player. I had Q-6. He called my raise. The flop was 10-6-3. He checked raised me a small amount. I called. The Q hit on the turn. He moved all in. I called.

He turned over 10-3. Yeah, a 3 hit the river crippling my stack.

At the end of the first 4 levels, I had a low stack and those dogs had big stacks.

Post Re-buy & A Cheat?

As I predicted, those three players got hammered later on and lost all their chips.

The player who moved all-in on me twice got knocked out when he moved all-in after another player raised with KK.

They just played nuts throughout. I understand why they play this way early on. But, if it works, I think it would be wise to change. Otherwise, they are counting on being lucky throughout the event since their play is predicatable.

Anyway, I turned things around and I was able to build my stack. I won an all-in pot with KK, and another one with A-Q. In both cases, I was all-in as the favorite.

When it got down to three tables, I was moved. At my new table, there were two players to my right who I had never seen before. The player two to my right, who is Asian, didn't seem to understand English very well and/or didn't play much live poker.

While the dealer was collecting antes, the player next to me quietly asked the Asian guy for change for his $1,000 chip. I believed the Asian gave him 4 $500 chips instead of just 2 $500. But, I wasn't sure what I had just seen. I recalled Prahlad Friedman accusing a player of not anteing and I didn't want to make an issue out of something I was wrong about.

The cards were dealt out, so my attention shifted to my hand. Still I wasn't sure how or if it was my responsibility to say something.

After the hand, I asked the tournament director about it. He said he could go to the tape, if someone called it out. I didn't want to stop the game, so I let it go.

Did I do the right or wrong thing?

Down to 30 Players

I got moved to the big blind to even up the last three tables. I played a few hands with nothing happening, when we broke it down to 2 tables.

To my dismay, I was moved back into the big blind! But, it looked like I was moving into a position that should sit out one hand. Since taking the big blind was really going to hurt my stack I asked the Tournament Director. He said yes.

Then, a player moved into the seat of the small blind. So, I called over the Tournament Director again. He said yes, I am in the big blind.

Bummer. I was unhappy, until...

The player under the gun raised. Everyone folded, and I found QQ! I moved all-in and doubled up.

When it was down to 12 players, I was in the big blind with $30,000. The blinds were $2,000-$4,000.

Everyone folded to the small blind who raised me to $10,000. He had $20,000 left.

I had A-4 offsuit. Should I call or fold?

Given my table image, the way my opponent plays, and that I had folded to a similar raise to him before, I moved all-in.

He thought a long time before folding.

It was a key hand since it got me to $40,000 and a decent stack at the final table.

Final Table

I am at the final table. Last time I played, I was at the final table. Made a move with A-10 and ran into pocket Aces.

Here, I didn't get a hand.

The first 4 all-in hands were funny and sad for me. Each time the player who was all-in was also the underdog. But each time, he or she hit a 2, 3 or 4 outer to win.

I was card dead and players kept pre-flop raising before me, so I didn't have an opportunity to make a move.

I ended up in 8th place--after 6 hours of play.

Oh well....till next time.

Poker Quiz: What would you do?

Image by gak via Flickr

Poker Quiz: What would you do?

Since I've been getting a few emails about the poker hand in my last blog post, I thought it would be interesting to review different options players have suggested. See what you think. If you have additional moves you'd make, please let me know.

To Review: Pre-Flop

It is a multiple table tournament. The blinds are $100-$200 with a $25 ante. There are 10 players at the table. The player under the gun, with Q-10 suited, of spades, limps. He has $10,000 in chips.

The player to his right with A-Q and $7,000 in chips raises to $900.

It is folded to the big blind who has pocket 8's. He has $14,000 in chips. He calls and the limper calls. There is $2,800 in the pot.

The Flop: What would you do?

The flop is 6-6-5 with two spades.

If you are in the big blind, do you lead out? I think leading out is a good play since you may win the pot and at the very least, it may define the strength of your opponent's hand. But if you bet too small...you will get callers.

What sze bet would you make here? Often, players auto-check to the pre-flop raiser. And often, the player in the blind auto-checks on the flop.

However, let's say, the big blind bets $1,400 into the $2,800 pot and you are the pre-flop limper. What would you do? While the pot odds are unfavorable, how about the implied odds? But, you do have one player behind you who may have a premium pair. You can't put the big blind on a trips or a premium pair with a $1,400 bet, right or wrong?

If you are the original pre-flop raiser, I think you will fold to a half-pot sized bet from the big blind. And if the limper calls, you are going to fold for sure, right?

An Alternative Line of Thinking

Let's say the big blind checks. The limper makes a small bet of $600 into the $2,800 pot.
If you are the pre-flop raiser, what would you do? At the very least you'd have to call. What about raise? A $600 bet can be a sign of strength or a defensive bet. I'd lean toward the defensive bet. Will a raise get rid of the big blind?

Let's say the player with A-Q raises to $1,800. If you had pocket 8's would you fold?

The pot is $5,400, and the cost is $1,800...nice odds except you may need to hit an eight on the turn to win. Let's say the big blind folds. If you are the limper, do you fold to this bet?

The limper only has to call $1,200. I think the odds are $1,200 to win $5,400 or over 4 to 1, so it seems to me that calling is the right play.

Now, when the turn is a 3 of diamonds, the limper will check to the raiser. If you are the player who made the $1,800 raise, do you bet the turn? Or are you afraid that your opponent has a better hand.

If you check the turn, your opponent can lead out on the river and take the pot away. If you bet here, you are now risking a large part of your remaining stack...but it may be your best chance of winning the pot with your Ace high.

One more scenario

On the flop, let's say the big blind checks, and the limper bets $600. The pre-flop raiser calls.

Now, you are the big blind. What would you do here?

Well, the small bet by the limper and the weak call by the other player, may seem like you have the best hand with your pocket 8's. Would you check-raise here? If so, how much?

If the big blind check raises to $1,800, and you are the player with the flush draw will you fold?

If you are the pre-flop raiser, are you going to fold to this check raise with A-Q? I think that A-Q is a folding hand with a check raise.

Reality

What really happened is that the pre-flop limper bet on the flop for $600 and got both players to call. When the 3 of diamonds hit the turn, the big blind checked and the player with the flush draw bet $2,400 into the $4,800. The result was that both opponents folded; opponents who both had a better hand.

Conclusion

It's always easier to make decisions when you know what everyone is holding. However, as you can see from the above, even a simple hand can end up with many different outcomes. What do you think? Maybe even discuss this hand with your friends. Better yet, what is your line of thinking on this hand? Thanks!

My New Poker Rule: What do you think? Do you have a new rule?

Here is a new poker rule I think needs to be added into tournament play.

You are all-in pre-flop against one or more opponents who are also all-in. The hole cards are revealed and you are clearly ahead. For example, pocket Kings against pocket 10's.

If a player who is not in the hand makes a comment to you like "nice hand," "I like your hand," or "you're ahead." And, you subsequently lose the hand, you are allowed to penalize the player who spoke by the following:

a) Penalizing that player who spoke one round
b) Using that player's chips instead of your own to payoff the loss
c) Smacking that player who spoke across the head
d) All of the above

I will let you decide the penalty. Yeah, getting all-in pre-flop and losing after someone tells me how they like my hand is happening way too often and making me ill. And, no, I have not said a word to the player who spoke those words above.

In fact, I think we should extend this rule to all-in on the flop or turn as well.

Any other new tournament poker rules that you think should be added into the game?

Tournament Poker: A Checklist for your next event

The countdown continues...

Here are some guidelines to help you win your next tournament.

1. You need to get lucky to win.

2. You need to avoid getting unlucky to win.

3. Play the player and not your cards.

4. Pre-flop it is usually better to raise or re-raise
than to call.

5. Pocket Aces are the nuts pre-flop. If you can get your
opponents all-in when you hold Aces pre-flop do it.

6. A-K is not the nuts pre-flop. Raise and re-raise
pre-flop with A-K. But be careful not to play this drawing
hand as the nuts.

7. Look for a reason to play a hand, and not fold a hand.

8. Learn which opponents you can float based on their betting
tendencies.

9. Identify the table image of your opponents and play against them.

10. Identify what your opponent's think your table image is, and do the
opposite.

11. Play the flop, your opponents and not your cards.

12. Look to play steal flops.

1x. If you have superstitions, this number is missing.

14. Look to bluff on the turn when a scare card hits.

15. Take weak bets as weak hands on the flop, turn and river..so raise.

16. Get out of your comfort zone--loosen up your starting hands, look for
ways to win with a bet on the flop, and/or a bluff on the turn.

17. Don't hesitate to put your opponent all-in on the turn if you know you
are ahead, and your opponent is drawing.

18. While expected value is a fine cash game strategy, avoid it in tournament
play. Instead, try the concept of unexpected value.

19. Know your pot odds and your implied odds pre-flop.

20. If your pot odds of winning is better than the pot odds you are getting,
you should lean toward calling or raising. However, make sure you know
what it will cost you if you are wrong.

21. Being an aggressive player will be a better strategy than trying to
outplay all your opponents, all the time.

22. Some players make the wrong move at the right time. Don't let it get you
on tilt.

23. Making the right move at the wrong time can also put you on tilt. Don't
let it.

24. If you feel like you are on tilt, take a break away from the table.

25. You don't want to be eliminated with one Queen in your hand.

26. A ten on the flop is an invitation for action.

27. All cards lower than a 9 on the flop is an invitation for a bluff.

28. It is easier to play against one opponent than multiple opponents.

29. When the antes come into the game, look to make your raises larger
than the standard 3x raise.

30 Stealing antes and blinds is a key strategy to winning tournament play.

Tournament Poker Strategy, Superstitions, Signs, Shorthanded and yes, I used the "F-bomb"

The Countdown continues...

Background
I drove up to Reno to play in a tournament where the rounds are longer (40 minutes) and the blinds increase more evenly. It was a way to prepare for live play for the WSOP.

Strategy: I have learned a lot more about poker since the book and the blog, and I wanted to put that into action in a live game. I will share some more strategy in this post.

Superstitions: I am a very superstitious person, especially when it comes to poker. It may be stupid to you, but it is real to me. Superstitions are things that other people do that bring me an unfavorable or favorable outcome. For example, I believe some seats are lucky and others are unlucky. Other people say they play a hand like K-10 because it is their "lucky" hand, forgetting all the times this hand has knocked them out of a tournament.

My superstitions are not about my starting hands but everything else!

One last thing about these poker superstitions is that you can't purposely use them against a player, or it results in bad karma.

Signs: No, not the movie. Signs are things that occur that foreshadow what will happen next. Foreshadowing occurs in movies all the time, but most people don't notice them. The same is true in life and in poker. An example: Years ago, I was driving to the airport to take the flight from Oakland to Vegas to enter the WSOP. On the way I get a flat tire. As I'm repairing the tire, I know this is a sign of a bad showing in the WSOP--and not the tire needed replacing (it only had 28,000 miles on it.)

The "F-bomb:" I don't believe in cursing. I curse when I take another farking bad beat while playing online poker, but I've never used it at a live game...until the other night.

The Event
It was a $225 buy-in event and only 98 players entered. 1st place was only $6,000. I was confident since in my life I've played in 8 events in Reno and cashed in 3 of them. It's not because I'm that great a player, either.

For the first two hours, I did not get a hand. The best hands I was dealt was 6-6 and A-4. It was sick. However, I was able to stay even with some late position ante steals. The key was I got a sign. The player seated to my left was telling me if he would play a hand or not before I acted. He would place his card protector on his starting cards, if he had an interest in playing. If not, he was ready to fold. It's easy to steal in the small blind when you know your opponent in the big blind is going to fold.

Having an average stack was not going to win the event. I needed something else to help me...like some good cards! And then something good happened for me...a player spotted a mark on the back of a card. The dealer asked for a new deck. Superstition: If I go card dead, a new deck will bring me luck.

Of course, the new deck gave me much better cards and I was able to build my stack above average. The one strategy which was costing me chips was making pot odds based calls on the big blind. If I was getting better than 2-1, I was calling raises on the big blind and losing.

Playing 7 Handed Poker
Next, to my surprise, the director allowed the tables to play 7 handed for a long length of time. This was a huge advantage to me since most players don't adjust their starting hands for the reduction in players. As Gus Hansen mentions, you should be playing about 30% of your hands in a 6 or 7 handed game.

With my tight image from not playing many pots, I started to raise with a wide range of starting hands. If it wasn't clear that I was stealing a lot, one opponent finally stated after another one of my raises, "The blaster raising it again." It didn't matter what he said, since players kept folding.

And when one opponent called, I would almost always bet the flop since the flops looked safe almost every time.

Another Sign
At the third break, I got a good sign. I received a free $5 to play the slots. I had forgotten about this offer until there were about 5 minutes in the break. I went over to a slot machine, getting ready to lose the free cash. I didn't even bother to sit down. The machine gave me a few small wins and a few more loses. There was about a minute left and I had one more pull left. It hits for a $40 win. I took the ticket and went back to the game. Winning at the slot machine was a good sign.

A good sign that allowed me to get lucky. I hit a set with pocket 10's and doubled up. I was getting some premium hands like A-K and pocket Kings twice. Even when the flop came A-10-10 with my K-K,I bet and won against my opponent with J-J.

I was now way above average as we got our dinner break.

I don't want to reveal my biggest superstition--because it always brings me bad results. I got a double dose of it, and I was not happy as I was going to have to fight off this bad superstition.

Final 3 Tables
I was up to $20,000 and the blinds were $400-$800. I raised with A-K suited, and a new opponent at the table moved all in on me. Uggh! It was going to cost me half my stack to call. I knew Gus would make this call, but I did not want to risk half my stack at this stage of the event. I tried to get a tell on my opponent, but I got a mixed message. I figured that he most likely had a pocket pair and I would be a 57/43 dog. I folded, thinking my "unexpected value" concept is a good one to follow here.

It appeared to be a good play. I quickly got over $24,000 and I was in charge of the table as we got down to 7 handed play.

I raised with A-9 and a new player seated to my left moved all-in. Uggh! It would cost me most of my chips to call. Plus, a few hands earlier I overheard him telling a friend he folded A-J pre-flop. I figured I was beat and folded.

I raised a few hands later with A-4, and again this guy moved all-in. I had to fold.

We were down to 6 handed play, when everyone folded to me in the small blind. I didn't want to deal with another all-in from my opponent so I moved all-in with A-9. He thought about his decision for a while. He had taken a few beats and was down to $8,000. He called with A-7. I was feeling pretty good until....

The player to my right gave me the jinx comment "I like your hand." Another superstition, another time I wanted to vomit....and yeah, the window card was a 7! For good measure so was the river card.

It was only the 2nd bad beat at the table all day (7 hours of play!), unlike what you experience at online poker. I was not a happy camper.

The Final Moments
I was down to $6,000 with the blinds at $500-$1,000 plus the $100 ante. Everyone folded to me again in the small blind. No need to look. I pushed all-in against Mr. A-7. After about 30 seconds, he called. He had 8-6 and I turned over 10-7. The 7 hit and I was given some life.

We were now down to the final two tables, and 17 players left. I was at $9,000 with the blinds about to go to $1,000-$1,500. Everyone folded to me on the button. The blinds were tight players. I just needed Q-6 or better--it was Q-6 and I pushed.

The small blind folded. The big blind asked for a count. This was the same player who I folded that A-K suited to a couple of hours earlier. He called my all-in and turned over A-K. I was covered. The flop was 6-7-8 giving me the lead. The turn was a 2.

Before the dealer turned over the river card, my opponent grunted something...giving up on his hand. River card...Ace. He shouted "yes!" I yelled "F-me." I left the casino.

I was so angry that I didn't bother playing the next day.

I Made A Mistake In Poker That Cost Me

The Countdown Continues....

Full Tilt-Rebuy/Add on Event

I entered a Full Tilt Tournament the other night. There were over 200 players. It was a rebuy and add-on event.

One of the things about online poker tournaments is that most players are too tight. Playing tight is not right! I know the books say to play tight aggressive poker, but really the books are wrong. The reason is that when you play tight aggressive you are simply telling your opponents what you have when you raise so infrequently; a premium hand.

I like to play loose aggressive pre-flop. I will open with a raise pre-flop with a wide range of hands, and make a continuation bet about 80-90% of the time. In fact, I am opening with just a 2 times big blind raise when my opponents are so quick to fold.

Of course, you can't mindlessly take this plan of action into the final stages of an event because your better opponents will beat you up. That happened to me.

I was building and building a nice chip stack, when two of my opponents (to my left) realized my game plan, and re-raised my min raises. It is difficult to call off a big percentage of your chips with 7-5 suited when someone re-raises you pre-flop.

As a result, I had to slow down and tighten up. I also wanted to set a trap since I knew what they were doing. In fact, I won a big pot when I made my standard min raise with K-K and one of these players re-raised me. I just called. The flop came Q high, and I check raised my opponent. He folded and I won a big pot.

My Mistake

The game continued and I went totally card dead. I wanted to put in those min raises but while I slowed one opponent down, the other player kept it up. My chip stack was down to $12,000 and the blinds were $250-$500. We were two players away from the money (27 got paid).

I hate when I make a mistake playing poker. I don't mind if I lay down the winning hand, but I don't like when I make the wrong play. Here is the hand....

I get dealt pocket 6's in middle position. The player under the gun raises to $1,500. Another opponent calls. I call. The big blind re-raises to $4,500.

What should I do?

I have $10,500 left, and I know I am beat, so I hit the fold button since I don't want to risk another 30% of my stack as a dog. And there are only two places to go before the money. To my surprise, the other two players insta-call. And before I can think through this situation, I am folded.

I hated my fold for three reasons:
1. The pot now had over $15,000 and I had great implied odds if I hit my set.
2. I selected to auto-fold without waiting for my turn because I was close to the money. Who wants to play 3 hours and not get paid off? But, the most important thing in poker is to play to win, not to cash!!!!
3. The 6 hit the flop and two players went all-in on the flop. I would have won a huge pot and given myself a great opportunity to wn.

The End Result

I was able to build my stack up to about $30,000 and we were down to 15 players. I was dealt pocket Aces and made a min raise. I got called in two places. The flop was
Q-8-4 with two clubs. I had the Ace of clubs. I bet the pot, and my opponent raised me. I moved all-in, and he turned over 8-8....doh!

I win $40 for 4 hours of play....awful!

The moral of the story: Play to win and not just to cash!

Poker Quiz and Answer: One Hand of Tournament Poker

The countdown continues to the WSOP....

Here is an actual hand of poker played at the Bellagio. You decide what the best course of action is based on the information provided below.

This hand is taken from a past issue of CardPlayer with analysis from Roy Winston and Michael Binger. I don't know Roy Winston, but I have played against Michael Binger. If there is one player I'd like to talk poker with one day it is with Michael.


Bellagio
First place is over $1 million.
No limit MTT
$15,000 Buy-in
There are 74 players left.

The blinds are $4,000-$8,000 with a $1,000 ante.
You have $430,000 and are in early position.
The big blind has $440,000.

The player under the gun who is extremely tight and has $225,000, raises for $23,000. The next player folds. It is your turn and you have 10d-10h. You call. Everyone folds to the player in the big blind. He calls. The pot is $82,000 with three players taking the flop.

(Michael: Calling is the right play. A re-raise turns your hand into a bluff and puts you into a difficult decision if you are re-raised all-in.)

(Roy: Re-raise)

(My comment: If your read is that the player under the gun is extremely tight, I would just call the raise. Before the flop, I would be putting both my opponents on a range of hands. The raiser will have a big hand, such as A-K. While the caller will have a pair or suited connectors.)

The flop is Jd-10c-7d.

The big blind checks. The initial raiser checks. You have a set and bet $60,000. The big blind calls. The initial raiser folds. The pot is now $202,000. (You have $347,000 left.)

(Michael: Agrees with bet. Wants callers with a set.)

(Roy: Should have made a bigger raise to end the hand here.)

(My comment: I have a set, but I don't like this coordinated a flop. My opponent may have a straight or a flush draw. If I bet here and get called, I no longer like my hand unless I hit a boat. If I bet the pot, my opponent will call given the implied odds. If I bet a little less, the same things will happen. I lean towards agreeing with Michael, especially if I'm just destined to lose this hand.

When I get called by the big blind, if the wrong card hits the turn, I will have to ry to get to the river as cheaply as possible.)

The turn is 2d. A possible flush, but you do have the 10d.

The big blind bets $80,000. You call. The pot is now $362,000. (You have $267,000 left.)

(In the actual hand, the player with pocket 10's did not call. He moved all-in and lost all of his chips. However, to me, that line of thinking is not very instructive, so I changed the play to a call.)

(Michael: You are priced-in to make the call here.)

(Roy: Call or fold.)

(My comment: No way I can fold to such a small bet, with the chance of hitting a boat on the river.)

The river is the 3s.

If the big blind moves all in, what would you do? If the big blind bets $140,000, what would you do?

(It seems to me that Michael and Roy would fold to either sized bet absent any other information about the opponent. The reason for the fold is that they want to save their chips for a better situation. If a call is made, and the call is the wrong decision, it is over.)

What did the big blind actually have in this hand?

5d-4d. He hit the flush on the turn.

Finally, they asked the player who lost with the set of tens, what he should have done. He agreed with Roy Winston. He said he should have re-raised preflop, which would have gotten the big blind to fold. And given the flop texture, he would bet more on the flop.

My comment: Hindsight is 20/20. Overall, though, I found this to be an interesting situation and one that we all face playing poker.

You can read the entire column here.

A Simple Exercise to Improve Your Tournament Poker Game

The countdown continues...

Here is a simple exercise to improve your game playing online poker.

Raise or Fold

Enter a MTT event online. You are going to do the following:

1. The first two rounds play tight
2. After the first two rounds, you will have the following decision pre-flop; You will raise, re-raise or fold. The only exception will be in the big blind where you may end up being in a hand when no one raises.
3. On the flop, play the player and the texture of the board.

How will this improve your game?

It show you the power of raising and re-raising.

For example, if a player raises on the cut-off (one to the right of the button) and you have pocket 6's, re-raise instead of calling or folding. If you get called, lean towards following through with a continuation bet on the flop.

You will also be surprised at how well this simple exercise works in accumulating a large stack of chips if you get a little luck in the first hour of play.

Give it a shot and it will show you the power of aggression.

Poker Quiz: How Good Of A Player Are You?

The countdown continues to the WSOP....

Here is an actual hand of poker played at the Bellagio. You decide what the best course of action is based on the information provided below. You are going to be playing against me. Oh yeah, you are playing for over $1 million! Good luck!

Bellagio
First place is over $1 million.
No limit MTT
$15,000 Buy-in
There are 74 players left.

The blinds are $4,000-$8,000 with a $1,000 ante.
You have $430,000 and are in early position.
I am the player in the big blind with $440,000.

The player under the gun who is extremely tight and has $225,000, raises for $23,000. The next player folds. It is your turn and you have 10d-10h. You call. Everyone folds to me in the big blind. I call. The pot is $82,000 with three of us taking the flop.

The flop is Jd-10c-7d.

I check. The initial raiser checks. You have a set and bet $60,000. I call. The initial raiser folds. The pot is now $202,000. (You have $347,000 left.)

The turn is 2d. A possible flush, and you have the 10d.

I bet $80,000. You call. The pot is now $362,000. (You have $267,000 left.)

The river is the 3s.

Questions:

1. If I move all in, what would you do?

2. If I bet $140,000, what would you do?

3. Would you have played any of the above streets any differently? If so, why?

The answers will be provided tomorrow.

New Testimonial For My Tournament Poker Book

The following testimonial for my book Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves just arrived in my email...it is another great one!

"I am fairly new to no limit hold 'em, having only started playing last year. I quickly learned that I knew a whole lot less than nothing.

After deciding I needed some assistance and not having any family or friends who played, I started some 'home study'.

I bought the usual books, some Harrington, some Sklansky etc - all very informative, boring, tight and not very effective in the hands of a newbie.

Your book is a revelation. It is like all the best bits from the dozen or so books I have already read all in the one volume with thought provoking sample hands to demonstrate application of the technique being discussed.

I would like to give balanced feedback and state that there are a number of typos appearing throughout the book which can be a little distracting however the meaning is not lost. (For what it's worth I am willing to send you a list of them if you are interested.)

All in all this is the best NL tournament book I've read. It has definitely improved my play and my awareness of when moves are being made on me. I can't wait for you to publish Vol II !!!"

Regards,
Mark Shuetrim (Australia)