10 Mar 09 Picking Your Spots
A major component of any poker session is being able to pick the right spots. This aspect is especially critical in bluffing. As stated before, you should never bluff just to bluff; it should be profitable to do so. If it doesn’t seem like it would be profitable, you shouldn’t do it. There was a hand that I witnessed recently where there was a total of 4 bets in the pot. No one seemed to be especially interested in the pot, as everyone (more…)
30 Jan 09 Mixing Up Your Play
Can you never maximize profit in a hand because your opponents always seem to know when you’re holding the best of it and when you are bluffing? Playing predictably is something that all poker players have to worry about, as it pretty much kills any action we can expect from a hand. If the table sees you fold 12 hands in a row, and then turn up pocket aces in the hand you finally do play, you’re already sending a message that you are a (more…)
27 Jan 09 Tracking Your Wins/Losses
If I asked you right now whether you’re up or down in your lifetime poker winnings, do you know the answer? The guys that do this for a living could almost tell you the exact number, but for casual players, you should at least have a concept of where you sit financially. This isn’t just for the benefit of tracking your success, but also to see where your biggest wins and losses are coming from.
A typical grinder that makes a (more…)
02 Jan 09 Hand Analysis: Using Your Image in High Risk Situations- Part II
Knowing that SB is playing a big pocket pair, and MP could be playing any two cards, there are three ways to play this hand. 1. Fold and wait for a better position. 2. Call and hope to hit your 7 for a full house. 3. Prepare yourself to play a big pot in which you can bluff your opponent off his hand. In my opinion, option 2 should never be an option. I would fold here if I thought that the SB would not be able to lay down his over pair. (more…)
Tags: Analysis, Hand, High, Image, part, Risk, Situations, Using, Your
30 Dec 08 Hand Analysis: Using Your Image in High Risk Situations- Part I
I recently had someone e-mail me a question about a hand they were involved in; this hand really shows the importance of being aware of what your image is and what the other players on your table are doing. If you stay aware of the way that they play in hands you are not involved in, it can give you a lot of information about a hand you do tango with. The e-mail begins as follows:
I’m playing 5/10 NL Hold’em and the small (more…)
Tags: Analysis, Hand, High, Image, part, Risk, Situations, Using, Your
24 Dec 08 Knowing When to Keep Your Mouth Shut
I was recently sitting say anything in the event that the players didn’t catch it. After another minute of consideration the opponent called the $500, and after a weak bet from Tim on the river, went all in to take the pot down. Tim was fuming and proceeded to at a 5/10 live game in Las Vegas. For the sake of this story, I have given some of the players fake names to make it easier to understand. Player Tim had gotten into a bit of an (more…)
03 Dec 08 Confidence in Your Mental Game
Confidence is a weapon that most poker players overlook when they go to the tables. However, it will directly affect the way you play and how other players perceive you. Having confidence in your playing ability and the level you are playing is going to give off a vibe to players that you are in control and a force to reckon with. If you are apprehensive mentally, other players will catch on and try to push you (more…)
Tags: Confidence, Game, Mental, Your
23 Nov 08 Bodog is your best bet in May
Bodog has been in the online poker news a lot lately. First they had some domain dramas with patent pirates, then their boss retires to live in up in the Caribbean.
Then this week their longest serving pro, Josh Arieh, announced he has decided to move on and they have signed online poker phenom, ZeeJustin to take his place in Team Bodog. A very successful online player at a young age, Justin Bonomo did some controversial (more…)
