Playing Big Pairs in Holdem Texas Poker

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Playing Big Pairs in Holdem Texas Poker

It is always great to see a big pocket pair like AA, KK or QQ when you look down at your holecards in Texas Holdem. These top 3 pocket pairs are the best possible hands you can be dealt before the flop, and so you should expect to make a hefty amount of money from them throughout your poker-playing career. However, if you are not careful with these big pairs and if you do not exercise good strategy with them, these types of cards can easily lose you money when not play them correctly.

One of the biggest mistakes novice players make when playing big pairs is that they tend to slowplay them at every opportunity. Whilst it may be a good idea to play very strong hands on the odd occasion in poker, it is far too early to start slowplaying a hand before the flop, and by doing so you will just be allowing your opponents to improve on the flop and on future streets. Therefore whenever you are dealt a big pocket pair you should almost always raise before the flop to thin out the number of opponents and build the pot to increase the amount of money that you can win.

Now although AA, KK and QQ have been lumped into the same category here, I am going to split these hands up into two, and give a few basic strategy tips whilst playing them. I will firstly go through a good strategy for AA, and then I will go through tips on how to play KK and QQ well. The KK and QQ have been grouped together due to the fact that there is the possibility that overcards can appear on the flop, whereas this is not possible whilst holding AA. So lets move onto the strategy for each of these hands…

With a hand like AA, you always want to be looking to raise or re-raise before the flop. It is never good Texas Holdem strategy with AA to limp or simply call a raise because you are missing the opportunity to get more money into the pot with the best hand, and you are giving weaker hands the opportunity to overtake you on the flop. You shouldn’t be worried about the fact that players might fold and you win the pot uncontested at this point, as it is always better to win a small pot than lose a big one.

After the flop you should again look to keep the action flowing by betting and raising. You do not want to give anyone the correct odds to call for any straights, flushes or drawing hands at this point, so make sure you put them to a tough decision for their chips. However, there could be the possibility that one of your opponents has made a better hand than you on the flop, and so you should always be aware of the fact that you may no longer hold the best hand. But in spite of this, you will normally still be ahead and so you should continue to build the pot unless you have reason to believe otherwise.

When playing hands like KK and QQ, you should again be looking to bet and raise before the flop. It is very rare to come up against a better hand before the flop when holding either of these hands, so be happy to be betting and raising to reduce the number of players that will be joining you to see a flop. Many players say that you should never fold KK before the flop because by doing so you are losing money in the long run, and I have to say that I agree. You especially want to be limiting the number of players that you are up against with either of these hands because of the fact that opponents can easily make a better hand than you be hitting an overcard like an Aces to make a bigger pair.

Now on the flop you will be in one of two situations; you will either be facing overcards or you won’t. If there are no overcards on the flop, you should continue to play the hand like you would do if you were holding aces, as both situations are quite similar. However, playing a big pocket pair when there are overcards on the board can be a little tricky. A good way to play is to bet like you feel you still have the best hand, and then evaluate where you stand after your opponent responds. It is unlikely that you will be winning a big pot any more in this situation, and if the pot does get big it is likely that you will be on the losing end. So be prepared to let the hand go if you come up against a lot of action.

On the final few streets with big pairs you should continue to build the pot unless you are quite sure that you are no longer ahead. If you haven’t improved by the turn or the river, you should remember that you still only hold 1 pair, which is by no means a monster hand. It is important to never get ‘married to the hand’ when you have a big pair, as they are by no means invincible. Always consider the possibility that your opponent could have a better hand than you if they are also playing aggressively by betting and raising too. It is not easy to lay down a big pair, but you have to learn to do so when you genuinely believe that you no longer hold the winning hand.

Visit my blog at http://slysreviews.blogspot.com for more strategies!

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Famous Poker Quotes...

"I never saw a poker player’s money that I did not like."

----------------- Oklahoma Johnny Hale

Borgata Summer Open

For all those who aren't in Vegas this summer, I'll be helping some really talented writers/bloggers cover the Borgata Summer Open from June 7-30. Follow all the action LIVE from the official Borgata Poker Blog.

** Anybody playing this event, contact me and I'll make sure you get some good poker coverage.

Famous Poker Quotes...

“I think that we are all in the right place at the right time almost every day. It’s the people who are prepared to be lucky who can take advantage of being there.”


---------------Phil Hellmuth

Full Tilt Poker Million Dollar Cash Game - Chris Ferguson vs Patrik Antonius

Famous Poker Quotes...

“If they’re helpless and they can’t defend themselves, you’re in the right game.”

---------------Mike Caro

Famous Poker Quotes...

"You call this one and it's all over, baby."


-----------------Scotty Nguyen, during the 1998 World Series of Poker. Down to him and Kevin McBride, Scotty said this to his opponent who called, and it was all over

Famous Poker Quotes...

"You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once."

---------------Amarillo Slim

Poker Million Dollar Cash Game Phil Ivey vs Patrik Antonius

Royal Flush at World Series of Poker 2007

High Stakes Poker Season 1 Episode 1

Join the PPA Today for a Chance to Win a $10k Seat in the WSOP Main Event

Are you a 2009 Premium Member of the Poker Players Alliance? Well, now is the time to join! For a very limited time the PPA is offering both poker players who renew their PPA Premium memberships and new PPA Premium members a shot at winning a Main Event Seat in this year's World Series of Poker. That's right, for a $20 membership you can win a $10,000.00 seat in poker's most prestigious event.

By supporting the PPA you are not only dealing yourself into a seat at the Main Event, you are also contributing to the fight to defend and promote the game of poker. The PPA is active in all 50 states and in Washington DC. This year alone we have scored a number of legal and legislative victories. Just go to our website www.pokerplayersalliance.org and see for yourself what we are accomplishing for poker and the people who play. We cannot continue to succeed without your help. So please don't hesitate a moment longer and become a Premium PPA member.

For only $20 it's the best bet in poker. Thank you for your commitment and we appreciate your support

Sincerely,Alfonse D'Amato
Chairman Poker Players Alliance

P.S. Join as a Premium Member of the Poker Players Alliance - pokers' largest grassroots advocacy organization - today, and your name will be entered into a drawing for a $10,000.00 Main Event seat.*

DISCLAIMER: All entrants into the WSOP Main Event seat contest must be over the age of 21 and the prize winner must show proof thereof. The winner is responsible for paying any taxes associated with the prize. Contest expires 12:00 AM EDT, June 15th, 2009. No purchase necessary to be included in the drawing click here for details. PPA employees, PPA Board Members, Harrah's employees and members of their immediate families are not eligible to win the WSOP Main Event seat. Void where prohibited by law.

Click here to check out the new and improved PPA Poker Calculator.

Borgata 500k Deepstack Event May 17 - 20

I'll be covering the Borgata 500K Deepstack Event from May 17 - May 20. You can follow all the action LIVE on the Borgata Poker Blog, good luck to the field.

run good, play better
Bradley

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 11

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 10

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 9

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 8

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Episode 7 Part 1 REVISED

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Episode 7 Part 1

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Episode 7 Part 2

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Episode 7 Part 3

Donald Brashear Cheap Shots Blair Betts 4/26/2009

'BLAZING GUNS' wound two in Franklin County shoot-out

Copied from www.wral.com
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5021091/


'Blazing guns' wound two in Franklin County shoot-out
Posted: Apr. 24 5:02 p.m.
Updated: Apr. 24 11:11 p.m.

Gunmen dressed as police officers burst into a house in the Pilot community in southern Franklin County, sparking a shoot-out that injured two people late Wednesday, authorities said.

WATCH VIDEOFranklin County shoot-out injures two

Investigators said that a man was standing on the front porch of a house in the 8300 block of N.C. Highway 39 making a personal call on a cell phone around 9 p.m. when two gunmen approached him.

"One had a police hat on, handcuffs and a badge, dressed in dark clothing," said Capt. Tim Strickland, with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

The gunmen held the man at gunpoint and then burst into the house, planning to rob those inside, investigators said.

"It's just like the old saying 'Guns blazing.' That's how they went inside," Strickland.

WATCH VIDEOSurveillance video of Franklin County shoot-out

A surveillance camera over the front door, though, had already alerted those inside the house that gunmen were outside.

"The patrons on the inside can actually see what's going on on the outside, so they knew they were getting robbed," Strickland said. "Once the door flew open, one of the robbers screamed, 'This is a robbery.' One of the patrons said, 'No, it's not,' and they started exchanging gunfire."

One of the robbers was shot in the shoulder during the shoot-out, and the surveillance video shows the gunmen quickly running out of the house soon after they entered it.

They chased down one man in the parking lot and shot him in the buttocks, Strickland said. Authorities believe the gunmen made off with about $2,000 from that victim.

The victim was treated and released from at a hospital. Investigators contacted local hospitals, but none reported treating any other patients with gunshot wounds.

Investigators said that poker games might have been going on at the house. Tables were set up in the house when deputies arrived, but no cards or money were present.

"It's pretty secluded. We don't even know how they found out about the place," Strickland said.

Investigators said that they are treating the property owners as victims and that their priority is identifying gunmen posing as cops.

"This probably wasn't their first trip. These guys are dangerous. They're not afraid of firing a weapon," Strickland said.

Reporter: Dan Bowens
Photographer: Greg Hutchinson
Web Editor: Anne Johnson

Copied from www.wral.com
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5021091/

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 6 Part 1

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 6 Part 2 900k Pot

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Episode 6 Part 3

HIGH STAKES POKER SEASON 5 Exclusive Behind the Scenes

To play them all or specialize in just a few...

There was a response, and advice, to my post from earlier today and it got me thinking about rather to specialize or diversify. The writer didn't say not to diversify but said to specialize for 6 months on one game before moving on but he also mentioned to primarily focus on PLO and NLHE. Games come and go but poker will always be here and by specializing in just the hottest games around limits your long term growth and ability to adapt however mastering the hot games allows you to earn (hopefully) massive profits short term. To me the downside of only fully grasping just a couple of games (at just one time) is that your game selection and pool of dead money shrinks at certain levels. Obviously you're going to have fish play but they're harder to find as you move up and you're dependent on them short term bc either they'll get better, not play you or just quit the game completely. This is for any game at any level rather it be NLHE, PLO, heads up, full ring, razz, or whatever the game may be, you're solely dependent on the need for a wave of constantly new players to play against bc if you're good and specialize at just a few games, after a while you'll either win everyone's money or there will be no one to play against bc they fear you. One point that I should make is that this argument is based on playing mid to higher stakes which already have a smaller pool of players. If someone is willing to grind out 1/2, 2/4, even maybe up to 10/20 (which I think is starting to push it somewhat) then there will always be enough weaker players to be profitable, as long as those games are popular but here's the thing, everyone else is focusing on just hold'em and plo too so the games are getting harder by the day and you have to be very selective about when and where you play and most players are not willing to step down in stakes and play with the same focus and edge as they would at their normal levels.

Sidenote: Let me point out that the writer's advice, from his experience if he had to do it all over again, is to take 6 months and focus on one game only. The only problem I see is that once you get that far into a game and start building your bankroll you really have little interest in branching out to learn and play other games since you'll have to drop down in stakes to learn the game without risking too much.

On the other hand if you build an even foundation of playing all games at certain levels, understanding them and growing as you move up in stakes it not only allows you to have a more broader game choice but makes you better at every other game you play by understanding more concepts and understanding far more situations. That's not to say that if you start playing PLO and it just click's inside you that you should not move up and be as profitable as possible. Oh and btw, just bc you win doesn't mean that you're playing it right. So many times someone may go on a sick heater and just crush the game and before too long they start losing and don't understand why. Luck got them there, but understanding the game and having skills are far behind them. Anyway back to topic...if a player can learn various forms of poker then he should have an advantage over a specialist when it comes to game selection. Let's say I sit down online or go to a local game or a casino, the first thing I am going to do is look around and see where the juiciest games are at. I am able to pick chose from a multitude of options that will make me more profitable with less risk to my bankroll. As I type this I'm skimming over the games at PokerStars and right now seeing 12 tables of FLHE filled with regulars, the NLHE 2/4 & 3/6 is filled with grinders, the heads up NL tables just have sharks waiting for prey, there's just a few open sits on the PLO tables starting at 1/2 (which has some very nice stacks up there so its very tempting to sit down and play there), the O8 tables are filled with novice players it looks like by just glancing at the names and stats, the razz 1/2 & 5/10 tables are split between solid and poor players, i got a hard on looking at the 5/10 badugi table bc I know that just a couple of those guys are regulars and the others are really making some very bad plays, and on triple draw it looks pretty lame right now. From all of this I can sit down and pick and choose from an 100+ tables.

I should also mention that the absolute biggest factor in whatever a player decides to do is personal preference. Some players may be focused on short term domination and profits, others may be focused on playing a ton of hands and tables and be robots since they know what their roi is and the more hands/tables they play the more they make. Others may not care at all and just want to play cards. Some may just want to learn as much as possible. There really is no wrong answer but if you put a deck of cards in front of me, rather it be heads up, 6 max, a full table, mtt, sng, gin, gin rummy, free cell, solitaire, baseball, 357, I don't care just give me some cards and a game to play I can do it. I just want to play cards. To me when you look at who the great poker players are they all can play any game.

Understand that this wasn't a direct response to wait the writer said but a spin off what concepts that he and myself touched on. So what advice do you have? What are your thoughts?

Let's Play!

Saving Grace - Everlast

Starting to play again....

Well its that time of year again. The birds are chirping, the days are warmer, the sun stays out longer which means it time to stay inside and play online again...lol! I've had to take a break from playing anywhere due to personal reasons but I am ready to start playing again. During this hiatus I've been doing a ton of studying and learning about really focusing on my game and being able to hopefully become a profitable player again online. One big change from last year is that I'm going to start grinding low limit sit and go's which will hopefully be the smart way to build up my bankroll. I've joined a coaching site, Deuces Cracked which has really helped me find some leaks in my sng game and will allow me to play more tables which in turn will increase my bankroll. Also, I've also gotten my hands on a tracking program that I can break down my badugi and triple draw 2-7 hands which has been very helpful too. Plus I plan to get back to playing S8 and Razz again which I was pretty solid at and add Stud so that I can play in the weekly HORSE tournaments since the fields are so small with a top heavy payout structure.

With all of this going on, I just hope I don't push myself too soon too fast. Guess there's only one way to find out! Let's Play!

HIGH STAKES POKER S5 Ep5

David 'Chino' Rheem WSOP, WPT, APT - Aussie Millions 2009

"Family Guy" - Seth MacFarlane Interview

Seth MacFarlane's Hulu commercial

HIGH STAKES POKER S5 Ep1

High Stakes Poker S5 Ep2

High Stakes Poker S5 Ep3

HSP S5 Ep4

The challenges of becoming successful at poker

The challenges of becoming successful at poker

All you have to do to beat the game of poker in the long-run is to be diligent enough to learn all the strategies which the various levels of poker thought consist of, right? Wrong. Even though being diligent in your poker-related studies will certainly help you propel your game to a higher level, it won’t be enough to secure your staying ahead of the rest of the pack. The internet features more and more poker articles each day, and what’s even more relevant: it features more useful articles each day too. That means it takes less and less effort on players’ part to seek out the right information and to improve their game.

The game of poker is a living entity. It evolves continuously, and in order to stay ahead of the crowds and to preserve your edges, you too need to be a flexible, evolving player readily taking in the newest trends and acting to adjust your game accordingly.

Take the notion of calling vs raising for instance. Only a few years ago, it was clear that fish called and sharks raised. It was an axiom, a general truth which you could always rely on. Nowadays, that statement is a much trickier one. People read and people watch poker on TV and the internet. The same article that stated the above named axiom a few years ago, may well have been the reason for quite a few people to re-think their calling and raising ways: nowadays, it’s not just the sharks who raise anymore.

Online players – who are usually suffering from a dire overconfidence syndrome anyway – would do anything to play like the greats, and they do attempt to ape them in every possible way. In order to stay ahead of the game, a good player needs to be continuously on the move, taking his game to newer and newer heights all the time.

Let’s take a look at the calling vs raising issue again, this time from a fresh perspective. Calling used to mean weakness. This is generally the same these days as well, but there’s a different meaning behind weakness now. With all the average skilled players going out of their way to be as aggressive as they can be, there’s newfound value in exhibiting weakness now. When you know you have the nuts, merely calling will often prompt your trendily aggressive opponents to try to push you out of the hand by repeatedly betting into you on the wrong read. Add to this the fact that ‘trendy’ players are also likely to put opponents on hands, again – with limited skills – and you have some excellent value in this setup.
These days however, calling can also be a sign of strength. When you are faced with good players, who understand these new levels of aggression, calling in order to show weakness will simply not work, especially not if they understand that you are a higher thought level player yourself.

In these cases, your call will ring a whole bunch of alarm bells, because your opponents will know that your aggression usually means defense of a good yet vulnerable hand, or the creation of better odds through the elimination of opponents who are not willing to face you through hell or high water.

Your call will tell them that you have a hand which doesn’t need exceptionally good pot odds, fold equity or protection.

By raising, you’ll still assert control of the pot. Pot control will enable you to keep the pot size small when you’re working on marginal hands or to increase it when you’re holding the nuts.
One thing that remains static about poker is the rake. This is why you should sign up for rakeback whenever you play in real money cash games or tournaments. Cash games produce more rake (you may even want to consider a poker prop deal here), but you’ll get a rake rebate on your tournament fees as well.

Triangle Poker Journal *** FOR SALE *** www.trianglepokerjournal.com

Yep, I hate it, but it has been a really bad year for me health-wise and I just haven't been able to dedicate the time and creativity to it that I feel it deserves. The TPJ and the TPJ blogsite
have a reasonable daily hit rate and an attractive mailing list and the right person with the
right circumstances could really make a go of it.

What is for sale are all web -related sites and accesses as well as the google groups
distribution list which is in excess of 600 members.

Bids will start at $5,000 and the highest bidder gets it all.

The bidding process will be managed through ebay.

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I do wish that it wasn't necessary to sell the site. I believe that when/if the state of NC government decides appropriately to legalize poker, it could be huge for the TPJ and whoever owns the site.

Please feel free to email me at charles@trianglepokerjournal.com with any questions. Thank you and good luck bidding!

https://webmailcluster.perfora.net/xml/deref?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trianglepokerjournal.com
https://webmailcluster.perfora.net/xml/deref?link=http%3A%2F%2Fbadbeatsandgreathands.blogspot.com
And the following domain names are included as well.
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https://webmailcluster.perfora.net/xml/deref?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trianglepoker.com

Thanks for your interest and support of the TPJ. I'm sure I'll still be blogging.

Charles E. Richards
Triangle Poker Journal

Poker Coverage

Elon University alum, Don Peters, is currently covering the WSOPC Event in Atlantic City (Caesars) for Pokernews. You can find current chip counts and post up to date messages in the Shoutbox here:

http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2009-wsopc-caesars-ac/main-event/day1/

Don's Blog, Ramblings from an East Coast grinder, can be seen here:

http://my.pokernews.com/donpeters/blog/



Evereybody in the TPJ run good this weekend, have a Happy St. Patty's Day and root for the Blue Devils to win the ACC tournament...

Bradley

Insufficient Funds? A Letter to the Bank!

Dear Sirs:

In light of what seems to be happening internationally with banks at the moment, I was wondering if you could advise me. If one of my checks is returned marked "Insufficient Funds," how do I know whether it is referring to me or to you?

Playing Against Weak Opposition

Often, you’ll hear players complain about the level of the competition they have to go up against at the online tables. These people are usually not complaining about how good and difficult to beat their opponents are, of all things they’re discontent with the fact that the opposition they’re facing makes bad calls pretty much all the time and yet manages to keep them frustrated.
Never complain about how badly your opponents play. In poker, you’re supposed to make your money off your opponent’s mistakes, and in the long-run, the more mistakes they make, the more you’ll walk away with, regardless of the short-term streaks and bad beats.

You need to understand that Texas Hold'em is a game of high short term variance. The luck factor will throw wild swings at you pretty much all the time, making it appear that weak calls and bad players are getting the better of you. In the long-run however, playing against such bad calls is exactly what you should be looking for. It is statistically proven that – provided you come into the game on a hefty enough bankroll – you will beat the short term variance if you stick to EV+ and remain disciplined.

Here’s a small example: you pick up an A,A and some player calls you down with 7,8o to hit a straight on the river. Does this mean you’ve made a bad call? Not by a longshot. As a matter of fact you should be looking to make such calls as often as possible and let your pocket rockets tackle those 7,8,os as often as possible. There’s no starting hand in poker which can guarantee you a 100% win-rate, but if you get over 50% on your hand, you’re already in the EV+ zone. In the long-run, you will make a profit on such calls.

If you play against skilled opponents, who will fold their 8,7o when faced with your K,K every time, and call you only when they have A,A, you will take down a few small pots and give up several huge ones. That is absolutely not the way to go about making money at the poker table.
If you sense you’re unable to handle the short term variance of Texas Holdem without going on a tilt and wasting all your money, maybe you should think about taking up Omaha or Stud instead. The short term variance and the luck factor are much smaller issues there, while schooling (several bad calls ganging up on your good hand to cut down your odds) won’t happen at all.

Here are some of the mistakes bad players usually make and you should be looking to exploit:
They misread the board sometimes. OK, that’s not something you can consistently capitalize on, but there are plenty of other opportunities.

Weak players and beginners often bluff senselessly. They just fire out a bluff because they know the game of poker is supposed to feature bluffs too. They have no idea of the intricacies behind properly setting up a bluff.

These bluffs are called donk bluffs or dark tunnel bluffs and they represent one of the best sources of revenue for experienced players.

Beginners will often play well above their skill level. Since poker is a lot like driving – everybody thinks they’re better than average – beginners will often outplay themselves. It is all too easy for a beginner to fall into this trap, because without understanding the majority of strategic subtleties they will more often than not spring the trap for themselves through fancy play.
Getting married to their hands or taking losing hands way too far are also typical beginner mistakes which are highly exploitable.

If you find a weak table with players calling your set all-in with straight and flush draws time and time again you know you’ve struck a gold-mine. To avoid being frustrated by lucky draws, focus on your Sklansky dollars instead of the real money and don’t forget to sign up for rakeback. Most poker rooms give you 30% of your rake back, but some rakeback deals, like the PowerPoker rakeback are more generous.

Poker at Harrah's Cherokee

For anyone interested I understand that Harrah's Cherokee will be debuting five electronic Poker Tek tables tomorrow. They were supposed to open a live poker room a few years back but could never reach an agreement with the state and it never happened so looks like they decided to go electronic for now. Of course this won't be as good as actual live games but it's better than nothing and is at least a step in the right direction. Considering this will be the only actual legal live poker in a large area I would expect even these electronic tables to be popular. It appears the tables will be three 1/2 NL, one 2/5 NL, and one 3/6 Limt to begin with.

Famous Poker Quotes...

"Poker... I hardly even know her!"

----------------- Jack Styles

HSP is back!

Sik life...

Not sure of how many of you keep up with the online scene but there is a sick challenge going on right now offered up by Durrrr (Tom Dwan) who pretty much said that he would take on anyone, with the exception of Phil G, for a heads up 50k hand match of minimum 4tables playing at least 200/400 PLO or NLHE. If, after the rake, PA is up at least $1 Durrrr will pay him $1.5 million plus PA keeps anything he's won. If Durrrr is up PA will pay him $500k and he keeps anything he's won. When this was first mentioned late last month the online world was non-stop about this. Barry Greenstein has a site pokerroad.com and has a segment with Phil Ivey where they spoke about it. Ivey has stated that he too wants to play Durrrr but will have to wait till after PA plays him. However, Ivey and BG think that it is possible for a player to loss upwards of $8-10 mil in such a match, Durrrr himself has said that the swings will be/could be immense. Now rather or not they will be is obviously to be determined but as long as Durrrr is up $1 then he wins $1.5mil from PA so that's pretty +EV. The match has already start earlier this week and after only two sessions Durrrr is up $135k after 1,500 hands. It is expected for this to take about two-three months to complete. What is interesting is the press that Full Tilt is giving this. They've created (8) 200/400 PLO heads up tables, (1) 500/1000 PLO heads up table, (1) 500/1000 6 max NLHE table, and a PLO/NLHE 500/1000 deep stack {min 200k buy in} 6 max table all for Durrrr. Also they've set up a link that will publicly track the results during this match. This is all interesting since Dwan isn't a FTP Pro like PA and Ivey so it's only a guess as to what all this is leading to for Dwan.

Here's some links if interested:

http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/durrrr-plays-full-tilt-pros
http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/durrrr-vs-antonius
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/news-views-gossip/results-durrrr-v-pa-challenge-416117/

Another quick story about Durrrr is this one that he tells himself:

"i had no charger for my laptop, but was in 500/1k games on my flight from vegas to nyc. This was about 2hrs ago. I decided to ask the guy in front of me to borrow his. He was super nice abt it and said ok before even asking y i needed it. I then asked a friend what i should give him in exchange. Before she answered i decided a .5% freeroll. Now i need to give him 900$, im wondering if he will laugh **** or go blind. I think 2 and 3.

sik life."

Wow! Imagine some 22 year old asking you to borrow your charger and then you walk away with $900! Durrrr does live a sik life!

Btw, did I mention that Tom is only 22? Oh to be a multi-millioniare many time over and to live such a life...

The right play...

Hmmmm. What a subject! For the most part, my feeling is, and always has been.... you'll know if you made the right play or not because you'll be dragging the pot. Maybe, maybe not. How many times have you seen a donkey make the wrong call, the wrong bet and drag the pot? LOL. I always tell them it was a great play, the right call, the right bet because I want them to keep making those donkey moves because in the long run that donkey call will bust them. It is painful however to see the donkey doing very well in the here and now.

Now having said that, the only "correct" way to play poker is the way that consistently wins you money. Even if that goes against what you see on TV, in the books and magazines and from your friends. There appears to be some people, some circumstances where, for whatever reason, you feel compelled to make the play and, more often than not, it works out. Well, I'd do it if I were you....

Online at Absolute

I was playing some $5/$10 Omaha 8 at Absolute and ran into a young man who liked to raise every time the action got to him... I watched him a couple of rounds and figured I would catch a decent hand and try to isolate him. And (I'm certain that Rick would probab argue with me) but I floped a monster!

Blinds are $3/$5 and I'm in early position and know that Maizito bets every time so I just call to with double suited connectors. The other players aren't blind and have picked up on M's aggression. So pre-flop there's about $90 or so in the pot.

My hand:






Maizito:








The flop:

I love this flop... it gives me an open-ended straight draw, 3rd nut flush draw and runner-runner low possibilities. So I lead out with with a $5 bet and M raises, Palos re-raises and I cap it at $20.

The turn:






Now that gives me open-ended straight draws to go along with my flush draw and an Ace gives me the wheel. So lead out with a $10 bet, its raised, re-raised and I cap it again.

The river:






The river is beautiful giving me the nut high and a decent low so I lead out with a bet and get 2 callers including M, of course.

But the good news is that, fortunately for me, I was apparently behind right up to the river when I got the nuts. Whee! And the scoop!

Let the suck outs begin!

The Man Rules

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down
Finally , the guys' side of the story.
( I must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear " the rules"
From the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules!
Please note.. these are all numbered "1 " ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports: It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1.. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you
sad or angry, we meant the other one .

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done.
Not both.

If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials...
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...
Really .
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this.

Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Pass this to as many men as you can -
to give them a laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can -
to give them a bigger laugh.

The Juice's Roll Comes to an End!

Well, at least I think so... For about the past 3 weeks, the Juice has been on a tear! And it goes something like this....

Nothing! (pre-flop)... Nothing (on the flop)... Nothing (on the turn)... Nuts! And if that isn't it, it's close! He has been hitting the draws like crazy!

Last week, in what must have been a $12K pot or so... he flops top set, Kings on a K, J, 10 (and 2 hearts) board, he makes a big bet, 2 callers and an all-in push... I am pretty certain that the other callers already had straights and one nut flush draw. The turn, the fourth King and he scoops 4 players chips in one hand! Like I said, he's been on a roll!

When we played earlier this week, it did appear that he was still riding the rush. Within an hour or so, he had quadrupled up and was the big stack at the table... and he does like to push people around with the big stack.

In this particular hand, I was the big blind in our usual game of $5/$10 No Limit Omaha 8... not a very rational game even if you're playing with rational people! Yeah, but we've got Dave, Bart, Jr. and Turley... lots of rational minds --- and then you can throw Rick in to the mix. Yep. Not rational at all. So... as the table turns Rick is on my left and calls the big blind, then there's Turley, Dave, (Bart had already vacated the next seat mumbling something about not being able to play with people who didn't care anything about money)... hmmm, I always thought that was who I wanted to have at the table, and then Jr. and then me. So every one has called and when it gets to the Juice, he raises it and makes it an even $100 to see the flop -AND- I believe that everyone called again.

My hole cards:

Dave's hole cards: (I think)

So when the flop hits, I really like it, but I KNOW that the Juice is going to bet and I almost checked, but I decided to try something different.

The flop:

I lead out with a $100 bet, Rick folds, Turley calls and the Juice raises it $100. The table folds around to me and I re-raise $200, Turley calls and Dave re-raises it $200... nice! I figured that he had the nut straight but he could just as easily have had an over pair -- LOL. When it gets back to me, Dave is mumbling about how he knows what I've got ---- yada yada yada ---- so I push all in (approximately another $1100 over Dave's $200 re-raise)... Turley folds and the Juice insta-calls. I turn over my hand and I've got him quartered.

The turn: (a brick---not something we're used to seeing at this table)

And the river tried to poke-chop me...

The river:

It took us a couple of minutes to figure out that the river had no real impact on the outcome since I was still playing to the 6 for the low which was good for the low and to quarter Dave only because I did the reraise to push out Turley who was playing 2, 5 and would have made the wheel. Thank you Turley.

Unfortunately I didn't get play much longer since I had a big day at the office the next day. I felt compelled to leave when I folded what would have been quads to a $25 straddle which turned into a $100 bet pre-flop. Dave isolated Turley heads up and pushed all-in when the flop came 9x, 9x, Jx. Yep... that was definitely the one that got away!

Oh... please don't let the suck outs begin!

KK vs 88 vs 33

I'm pretty certain that Corey was dealing!

WSOP 2008 A/Q Vs 10/9

High Stakes Poker - Ye Olde One Outer

High Stakes Poker - Great Call, Bad Beat

WSOP Poker BAD BEAT (4 Aces Vs Royal Flush)

All's You Got to Do...

Well, it has long been the curse of those who are ahead in a hand at the Juice's game for someone to say something like... "you've only got one or two outs" or something like "you would only need to go runner/runner" and guess what happens...

PokerStars.Tv - High Stakes Cash Poker

Will Online-gambling Laws Change with Democrats in the White House?

Will Online-gambling Laws Change with Democrats in the White House?
Opinions and written by www.learn-texas-holdem.com
as posted on www.trianglepokerjournal.com

Currently, it is illegal for computer users in the US to gamble using the Internet. This is unfortunate for a lot of gamers who would like to play casino games or online Texas holdem poker and have the ability to gamble from their own homes. But because gambling has always been a touchy issue state to state in the US , the federal government made it illegal for anyone to transfer money via a US based Internet connection if the money being sent was for betting purposes. With no money trading hands, it is a bare market for people who want to gamble on online games like poker and such. But that law was given its teeth by the republicans who have been in power for the last several years. And with the Democrats poised to assume power, the law could change.

Shift in Sentiment

Change is definitely in the air in Washington DC , and as Barack Obama and the Democrats prepare to take power in the capital, online gambling laws could be among one of the things lawmakers see fit to do away with in their quest to try and reverse a lot of the policies enacted by their republican predecessors. But while the sentiment is all about change in reaction to Republicans, Democrats may not be the best party to turn to for support when it comes to Internet gambling. Just like many Democrats support limiting what can be said on TV or the Internet for the sake of children, many will likely support the continued law against Internet gambling.

Economic Factors

One consequence of economic downturn is that everyone, including state and federal governments, feel the pinch, and they look for any means available to increase revenue. Historically, gambling has offered people the hope of some quick cash. Either in the form of tax revenue from gambling or from the little guy’s hope of winning it big, gambling offers another opportunity for government to collect money in an already cash strapped environment. If the federal government allowed Internet gambling to happen, then there would be millions in potential taxes collected from those operations.

Desire for Regulation

One other consequence of the economic downturn and the Democrats’ rise to power is a public desire for more regulation, not less. So in that respect, the laws that forbid Internet gambling in the US may only be kept or even strengthened.

No One Really Knows

There are a whole host of other issues facing the government, and the Democrats may not think that changing the laws governing Internet gambling are worth readdressing. Only time will tell.


Will Online-gambling Laws Change with Democrats in the White House?
Opinions and written by www.learn-texas-holdem.com
as posted on www.trianglepokerjournal.com

Famous Poker Quotes...

"Maybe poker's just not your game Ike. I know! Let's have a spelling contest!"

------------Doc Holliday, Tombstone (one of the most quotable movies ever)

The Most Recent Assault on Poker Rules & Etiquette

Yep... its not a matter of "if" there's some violation of poker rules and etiquette when you play at the Juice's game, it's "when" is it going to happen! There's an entire assortment of rule violations and all around poor table etiquette that you can and should expect when you play with the Juice... it ranges from outrageous rakes, to showing your live cards to others at the table (some times when there are people behind you yet to act), to showing your live cards to others at the table who aren't in the hand (but you can pick up some input from them to help guide you on your action). Now the most recent attack comes from the combined brain-merge of the Juice & SuperPlaya... a scary combination on the best of nights... this particular night, SP was trying to see if he could somehow equalize the alcohol content in his blood to 50/50... I think he almost made it. Now in all fairness to SP, he seems in most instances to actually know the rules, but is such an antagonist that he will disagree with the rules just to create an argument and slow down the game. The Juice on the other hand wouldn't know an authentic rule if it showed up and turned off his illegal porn.


The rule/etiquette that they are choosing to focus on this evening is when does someone HAVE to show their cards. This rule/etiquette changes based on the circumstances and by poker room.


Here are some of the scenarios (most of these would apply to cash games)...

1) Player A raises all in and Player B calls -

the way that I've always played this one is that Player A MUST show his cards and it is optional as to whether Player B ever shows his cards or not. He, of course, will show his cards IF he has a better hand after all the board cards are displayed, but if he feels he has lost, he can muck and no one will ever know what his cards were when he called. In most cases, when you are playing no limit omaha hi-lo, you should probably show them just so there are others helping you figure out whether you have a winning hand or not...


2) Player A raises all in and Players B & C call and both Players B & C have more chips than Player A -

Player A should not show his cards till the hand is over and all board cards have been displayed and all betting between the other players has ceased. Player A SHOULD open his hand, but if the other players have continued betting and have displayed their hands and Player A's hand is beat, he can muck quietly and re-buy.

Enter SP the Antagonist.... here's the variation that SP & the Juice tried to implement last night...

3) Player A raises all in and Players B & C call for less -

Player A MUST open his hand but it is optional for Players B & C to open their hands.

Now what SP was trying to say is that Player B, who simply called the all in move by Player A which put all of Player B's chips in the pot, MUST open his hand but Player C (since he was the last one to call) didn't have to display his cards. And of course, the brain-power-challenged Juice wanted to agree with SP and try to inforce it. Good luck with that... I feel that I have "donked" off my chips that I should be able to muck my cards quietly with as little shame as possible.


There are some other variations as well and I know that it varies by poker room and whether you're playing in a cash game or a tournament. Unfortunately at the Juice's game, the rule book would not only have to be date-stamped, but time-stamped... since he likes to change them based on who is in the hand.

One of my peeves is that I believe there should only be "one-player-to-a-hand" and that you shouldn't show your cards to anyone while there is play in that hand. Your show and their reaction can all be viewed as assistance with the decisions that you and others can make about that hand and so it should NOT be done. The problem is that is the Juice's game and he will always make/play rules that work for him and/or that annoys me. Of course, I pointed it out last night and I knew when I did it that it would do no good... I believe the analogy that I TRIED to use was the old quote about trying to teach a pig to sing... of course my feeble memory couldn't quote it correctly, but I looked it up and here you go...


"never try to teach a pig to sing; it just wastes your time and it annoys the pig."


That, my friend, is how it is when you are trying to explain the rules and etiquette to the Juice... because he really doesn't care what is correct, only that he does it the way that he wants to do it. For those of you that know him, I apologize for pointing out the obvious.

Me, Rick, SuperPlaya and the Juice!

It was a slow night with the Juice. Short table most of the night... As it is getting late, I pick up a pretty good hand except for the dangler (but it was suited). And I believe the table at this point was me on the button, Junior is the small blind, Sai is the big blind, Rick has straddled the $5/$10 blinds to $25 and then its SuperPlaya and the Juice... If Rick has anything better than quads in his hand, he'll usually bet and this hand is no different... he raises pre-flop to $75 and I believe that everyone except Junior and Sai calls this obvious bluff.


Here is the flop...

Rick is now first to act and leads out with a $100 bet.... SuperPlaya, Dave and I call.

The turn is pretty good...

Yep.. that's a pretty good card.... but while I put Rick on some sort of broadway draw and I've got plenty of outs to whatever he has... I sense he is trying to trap when he checks. Shirk and the Juice both check as well. I know... I know that if I bet here, Rick is coming over the top and although I would probably call any bet he would make, but I decide to see what the river brings too. So I check as well....



The river...












Everyone checks and I bet $175. Rick quickly folds. SP and the Juice talk about how they both know that I am bluffing, but fold as well. Not a monster pot, but I liked it.



Here's my hand...

So I flopped nut-flush draw and a gut shot straight... I turned a set of queens to go along with it and rivered the nuts. I definitely could have won more chips had I bet the turn, but my guess is that Rick turned the nuts and I would have had to put all my chips at risk to see the last card. Now if Rick bets there, there's a good chance that the Juice will call or go all in as well as he just likes to give his chips to Rick for some reason... probably sexual. That's my guess and don't ask me how, but if I bet the turn and Rick goes all in and the Juice calls, the river card would somehow have magically turned in to a brick and Rick would have scooped with broadway.

It appears to be in the stars...

Let the suck outs begin!

Tell Obama To Support Poker

President-elect Obama has asked the American people for input. He wants us to tell him what we would like to see him do over the next four years. To facilitate this, his transition team has set up an area on their website for input.

Tell President-elect Obama that you want your right to play online poker in a safe and legal environment respected and protected, please follow the simple instructions below.

Together, we can all let Obama know that we demand our rights!

1. Go to: http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/

2. Create an account if you do not already have one:

3. After you complete your account you will be redirected to the front page. You are now logged in. Do a search for "UIGEA"or go to: http://snipurl.com/ppachange

4. Click the title "Boost America's Economy with Legal Online Poker"

5. Click the "Up Arrow" to vote and add a comment on the bottom of the page:Forward your friends this email or send them this link: http://snipurl.com/ppavote

PokerStars TV ** Hand analysis from 2008 Final Table

Could someone turn on the close captioning?

Dave Letterman's Top Ten Favorite George W. Bush Moments

What will late night TV shows do... it'll be interesting!

Top Ten Signs Your Kid Is Addicted To Gambling from April 1995

Top Ten Signs Your Kid Is Addicted To Gambling

10. Keeps asking if he can double down on some cookies
9. Has converted hamster's treadmill into a crude roulette wheel
8. For a six year old, he seems to know too much about jai-alai
7. His school lunches are comped
6. Knows the Vegas odds on where Waldo might be
5. There's a bookie sleeping in his tree-house
4. Changed his middle name to "The Greek"
3. He's 9 and he's dating a showgirl
2. Says things like "Daddy needs a new skateboard"

And the number one Sign that you kid is addicted to Gambling

1. He likes to ride Amtrak

Dave Letterman's Top Ten Casino Ad Slogans from June 1999

10. Let lady luck knee you in the groin!
9. Betcha can't lose just one paycheck!
8. Because actually flushing money down a toilet can clog the drain.
7. Come play video poker the traditional native American way!
6. Now only 98% mafia run.
5. Who needs Mickey Mouse when you can see a drunk Jimmy Caan slumpled over a baccarat table?
4. You could be the next Mrs. Trump.
3. Financial ruin + Wayne Newton = Fun!
2. From the moment a mediocre ex-heavyweight greets you at the door to the moment a weeping hooker bids you farewell, we'll take good care of you.

And the number one Casino Ad Slogan.....

1. We can't spell "SUCKER" without "U".

Bobby Ryan Hat Trick Goal January 8, 2009

I know this is supposed to be about poker, but this goal is awesome!

Chips for Charity Poker Tournament

On January 10, 2009 at the Marriott at RTP, there will be a charity tournament, All-In For Youth Poker Tournament presented by Chips For Charity. Chips For Charity is a local non-profit organization that assists numerous charities throughout the country raise money and awareness for their important causes. On Saturday, January 10, 2009, Chips For Charity will be hosting a charity tournament in Durham, NC to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill and Volunteers For Youth.

Chips For Charity will be awarding 2 tickets to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, FL to the winner of this event. In addition 3 lucky participants will have a chance to win a 2009 Cadillac CTS or $15,000 cash! This is a phenomenal event and I am extremely excited to be a taking part in it.

Entry fee to the event is $75 and participation will be limited to the first 300 players who register online at www.chipsforcharity.org. Again, all proceeds are going to benefit two wonderful charities. This will undoubtedly be a tremendous event and I would love to see you there.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!!

Jeannette Low

New Year's Maintenance

As I will periodically do, I have moved all the "drafts" out to a future date. This time I moved them to 12/31/2009. For those of you who are new, "drafts" are created when you begin a blog, but for some reason do not finish it at that time and save it ''unpublished" for a time when you will come back and finish the article/blog and "publish" it to the website. By moving all the drafts out to 12/31/2009, when you log into the site to blog, all of your drafts will be saved to the top and you won't have to search for them.

Thanks for your visits and make a New Year's resolution to contribute more of your hands to the site. We want to hear from you!

Thanks again and good luck at the tables.