Honestly I can probably even fold the flop. Granted I have one of the best bluff-catching hands, but it’s just so unlikely Villain is bluffing here. Calling the flop to see what he does on the turn reduces the chance that I end up folding to trips with a worse kicker, but he’s one of the better Rush players, so I kind of doubt he’s overvaluing such a hand this way in the first place.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (9 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

MP3 ($648.60)
CO ($602.05)
Button ($160.90)
Hero (SB) ($420)
BB ($413.50)
UTG ($452.90)
UTG+1 ($219)
MP1 ($400)
MP2 ($860.90)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7, 8
5 folds, CO calls $4, Button calls $4, Hero calls $2, BB checks

Flop: ($16) 8, 4, 8 (4 players)
Hero bets $16, BB raises to $48, 2 folds, Hero calls $32  Read the complete post...

This first hand is an interesting juxtaposition to the failed bluff that I posted yesterday. On the one hand, this player was more of a known quantity than was yesterday’s Villain. On the other hand, my range is way wider in this situation, and I think calling with something like 99 is far more justifiable:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (9 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($400)

Hero (UTG+1) ($456)

MP1 ($1143.80)

MP2 ($650.90)

MP3 ($451.50)

CO ($58.30)

Button ($197.10)

SB ($446.20)

BB ($960.50)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with A, K

1 fold, Hero bets $16, 5 folds, SB calls $14, 1 fold

Flop: ($36) Q, Q, 6 (2 players)

SB checks, Hero bets $30, SB calls $30

Turn: ($96) 3 (2 players)

SB checks, Hero bets $77, SB calls $77

River: ($250) 8 (2 players)  Read the complete post...

Well, I was right about everything except this player’s ability to read hands/make a remotely disciplined fold. Zeebo Theorem FTW:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, 700 Tournament, 10/20 Blinds (8 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button (t3000)
SB (t3000)
BB (t3000)
UTG (t3000)
UTG+1 (t3000)
Hero (MP1) (t3000)
MP2 (t3000)
CO (t3000)

Hero’s M: 100.00

Preflop: Hero is MP1 with K, A
2 folds, Hero bets t60, 3 folds, SB calls t50, BB calls t40

Flop: (t180) 2, 4, 4 (3 players)
SB bets t120, 1 fold, Hero calls t120

Turn: (t420) 3 (2 players)
SB bets t300, Hero calls t300

River: (t1020) 4 (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t1020, SB calls t1020

Total pot: t3060

Results:
SB had 8, 8 (full house, fours over eights).
Hero had K, A (three of a kind, fours).
Outcome: SB won t3060

The problem: I’ve usually got the best hand, but I don’t think a bet is getting called by worse.

The solution: Bet small and call the check-raise.

The catch: They always have it.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (5 handed) – Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (Button) ($5810)
SB ($5107)
BB ($13717)
UTG ($10095)
MP ($5000)

Preflop: Hero is Button with K, Q
UTG bets $150, 1 fold, Hero calls $150, 2 folds

Flop: ($375) 9, 8, Q (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks

Turn: ($375) K (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $123, UTG calls $123

River: ($621) 10 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $222, UTG raises to $1140, Hero calls $918

Total pot: $2901 | Rake: $2

Results:
Hero mucked K, Q (two pair, Kings and Queens).
UTG had J, Q (straight, King high).
Outcome: UTG won $2899  Read the complete post...

I’ve never been a professional teacher, but I’ve done a lot of teaching, in a wide variety of settings, and I’ve observed and worked with a lot of professional educators. I’ve come to believe that there’s a lot more to teaching than being smart or even being able to explain things very clearly. Teaching is also about empathy. It’s about understanding where your students are coming from and presenting material in a way that guides them toward greater understanding. I think this is what people mean when they talk about “getting through” to someone.  Read the complete post...

I’m trying to make as thorough of a list as I can of reasons for betting or raising, and I’d appreciate your help. Obviously this isn’t an exact science, but I’m very interested in your feedback regarding the following list:

1. Value- To get called or raised by worse hands.

2. Bluff- To fold out better hands.

3. Protection- To fold out worse hands that have some equity in the pot.

4. Information- To make decisions easier on future streets

5. Deception- To increase the profitability of future bets in similar situations

6. [Insert Catchy Name Here]- To set up a multi-barrel bluff

7. Isolation- To get the pot heads up with a particular player

8. Position- To drive out players who will have position on you later in the hand

9. Blocking- To prevent an opponent from putting you to a difficult decision  Read the complete post...

Oddly, as much thought as I’ve put into the more than 100 instructional poker videos I’ve made and the many more I plan to make, I’ve never actually asked my audience what they like to see in a poker video.

So… I’m doing that now. In your opinion, what makes for a good poker video? Do you learn more from hand examples, power points, theory discussions, watching a full session, etc.? What do you want to see more of? What feels like a waste of time? What makes you turn off a video without finishing it? I’m interested in any and all comments, criticism, and advice. Thanks!

I won’t be a back-to-back champion in the $2000 2-day FTOPS. I actually had quite good luck with my table draws, recognizing no one at my starting table and only two players over the course of the three and a half hours I played: Eric Froehlich and Tmay. The two big pots I lost were with AA and KK:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em Tournament, 30/60 Blinds 7 Ante (6 handed) – Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB (t1851)
BB (t2250)
UTG (t8364)
MP (t15220)
CO (t6557)
Hero (Button) (t5577)

Hero’s M: 42.25

Preflop: Hero is Button with A, A
UTG bets t150, 2 folds, Hero raises to t444, 2 folds, UTG raises to t1095, Hero calls t651

Flop: (t2322) 4, 9, 8 (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets t777, UTG calls t777

Turn: (t3876) K (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero checks

River: (t3876) A (2 players)
UTG bets t3876, Hero folds  Read the complete post...