Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Plan? Flopped Straight, Board Pairs on Turn.
The Action So Far
Despite having somewhat better reads on my opponents and their timing than I sometimes do in these posts, I didn’t believe I could eliminate too many of the relevant hands … Read full post
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“Ike” Haxton, the newest member of PokerStars Team Online joins us for one of our most wide-ranging interviews, covering his lifelong love of games, his first job in a spring factory, his days as a limit hold ’em grinder, his current life … Read full post
The Game: $1/$3/$6 no-limit hold ’em. Plays loose-passive pre-flop but gets progressively more tight-passive as pots get larger.
Villain 1 ($1800): Best of the regulars in this Hero’s opinion. He’s 30ish, seems comfortable playing 200+ BB pots when it’s warranted, capable of bluffing, calling down, and folding in … Read full post
Wow, thanks for all the comments on What’s His Hand? Nit vs LAG! For whatever reason this post generated more guesses and discussion than any other WYP. And sorry for the delay in getting results up – I just ran out of time yesterday.
Hero’s Hand
I’ll start by … Read full post
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Ryan Hall has a full-time job teaching high school in Ontario, but that hasn’t stopped him from staying on top of the MTT world for six years and counting. Ryan has amassed more than $2 million in online winnings and an FTOPS … Read full post
In honor of my first video series at Tournament Poker Edge, here’s a twist on the “What’s Your Play?” theme with an emphasis on hand reading.
Five-handed $5/$5 no-limit hold ’em game. Villain bought in about an hour ago for $500 and is down to about $440. He’s a … Read full post
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Derek “Killingbird” Tenbusch is a founder and owner of Tournament Poker Edge, the video training site for which I now make videos, and a host of the Tournament Poker Edge Strategy Podcast. Tournament Poker Edge Live and The Chirp Herm … Read full post
Several weeks after his appearance on The Thinking Poker Podcast, I finally got around to publishing my review of Zachary Ellwood’s Reading Poker Tells. In short, it’s one of the most helpful poker books I’ve read.
Ellwood covers his subject clearly and thoroughly, and his book is well-organized … Read full post
Nate and I are going to start releasing new episodes of The Thinking Poker Podcast on Wednesdays rather than Mondays as we’ve been doing (in theory). That means the next one will be out in two days, but in the meantime you can get caught up on old episodes with … Read full post
Just as I take my seat in the $1/$3/$6 game, I see a player curse, hurl his cards angrily into the muck, leap out of his chair, curse again, and kick the wall. Naturally curious, I look to the board to see what has happened and am surprised to find … Read full post
Thanks to those who commented on this week’s “What’s Your Play?”. I think this may have been the liveliest discussion yet, and I’d encourage everyone who hasn’t to read those comments, because I think those conversations are at least as valuable as what I’m going to say here.
I’ll … Read full post
Live $10/$25 NLHE cash game at the PCA, playing seven-handed at the moment. I haven’t been involved in many pots but may have an aggro image anyway because of a hand that went to showdown where I raised K6s, bet a backdoor flush draw on the flop, barreled a turned … Read full post
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Q: I thought Russ Fox was a cool guest to have on the show! I have played both live and online poker for many years. About 5 months ago I began to read, watch videos, and listen to podcasts related to poker strategy and have quickly become a winning online … Read full post
I suppose the Atlantis resort is an appropriate place for a poker tournament, because the whole place is built on value betting the shit out of rich fish. Everywhere the trappings of luxury convince people to fork over absurd sums of money for silly baubles, bad food, and tacky experiences.… Read full post
I took my seat and immediately recognized Lee Markholt two seats to my left and Dani Stern two seats to his left. I never learned the names of the rest of my opponents, but they proved nearly as capable, and it was probably one of the toughest tournament tables I’ve … Read full post
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Zachary Ellwood is a former professional poker player and author of “Reading Poker Tells“. We recorded this episode on the assumption that I would have already published a review of the book, which unfortunately I haven’t gotten around to doing … Read full post
Sorry I’ve been so self-promotional these last few days, it’s just that I’ve had a lot to promote and not much time to write about anything else. First I was showing Miklos, my Hungarian PCA roommate, around DC and Baltimore. Although he’s a few years older than I and grew … Read full post
My latest poker strategy article, “Way Ahead/Way Behind and Other Common Situations“, is now appearing in the January edition of Two Plus Two Magazine. It re-examines the standard advice for way ahead/way behind situations and then applies that logic to similar sorts of situations:
… Read full postThe term “way ahead/way
In case you haven’t heard the announcement on the podcast yet, I’m pleased to let you know that I’m now producing poker strategy videos for Tournament Poker Edge. My first series focuses on hand reading and is essentially a much more in-depth version of my very popular Hand Reading … Read full post
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Russ Fox is an Enrolled Agent and author of the Taxable Talk blog, which often addresses issues related to poker and gambling. With Scott Harker, Russ is the author of Why You Lose at Poker and Mastering No-Limit Hold ‘Em, and … Read full post
Sorry for the lack of updates – holidays and such, you know. It’s going to continue to be spotty through mid-January, as I’ve got a guest visiting for the next few days, then I’ll be visiting friends for a few days, then I’ll be at the PCA where internet may … Read full post
Nate and I are both busy with family and travel this week, so there’s no new episode of the Thinking Poker Podcast. We’ll be back with a new episode next week. Merry Christmas!
Q:Game is 2/5 and involves three players:
A-$350(SB)
B-$500(hero, MP)T/T
C-$650(Button)
action is limped by1 player(B) to Button that raises to $25, folds to BB and he re pops it for $85 total… now here is the question, given a hero read of extremely strong ranges on at the … Read full post
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Our guest is PokerStars Team Online member, occupational therapist, and all-around delightful poker player Adrienne Rowsome. She talks to us about getting more women into the game, getting everyone to have more fun at the table, taking a shot at a 300/600 … Read full post
Update: Thanks for the enthusiastic response! Everything I want to sell is spoken for, so if you haven’t contacted me about this already, sorry but there’s no more action for sale. Hope you’ll root for me anyway though!
I decided, at the last minute as usual, to play the … Read full post
Not too much controversy surrounding this week’s “What’s Your Play?”, but interestingly I think it nevertheless generated some of the best comments. Nearly everyone advocated folding, so let’s start by considering the alternatives:
Shoving
Hero risks, roughly, 800 to win 1750, so we’d need 46% equity against his calling … Read full post
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Due to some logistical conflicts we found ourselves without a guest this week, but what you get instead is lots of strategy talk and a cameo from Gareth Chantler. Here’s what to expect and when:
0:23 — Hello! Nate on preparing … Read full post
Edit: Villain is the BB (the $3 blind).
Ten-handed live $1/$3/$6 game. Hero is the only player at the table with a pre-flop raise percent greater 5 (it’s close to 15). As such, I’m perceived as an insanely aggressive bully even though I’ve mostly shown big hands in big pots … Read full post
China Paul
I played some $1/$3/$6 last night. China Paul was already in the game when I got my seat, sitting two to the left of the player who’d spearheaded last weekend’s sit-out. After half an hour, I was about to tweet that they were coexisting peacefully when suddenly … Read full post
This happened the same night as the first one. The $1/$3/$6 game is up and running again. There are a couple of limps, so I limp behind with 85s in the HJ. The CO limps, the BB completes, and then the $6 blind (not sure what to call that) … Read full post
I’m at the card room sitting in a $1/$3 game while I wait for a seat in the $1/$3/$6 when the player on my left mutters, “What the fuck?” and turns to stare at the entrance to the poker room, where a slander Asian man clad all in black and … Read full post
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Leo Wolpert, a true grinder and a good friend, joins us on the 10th episode. Leo has a WSOP bracelet, a law degree, a Quiz Bowl pedigree, and a Jeopardy! appearance to his name, and he finished 50th in the 2012 … Read full post
My latest poker strategy article, Capping Ranges in Live Poker, has just been published in 2+2 Magazine. Using examples from the Borgata Poker Open, I demonstrate what you can get away with when your opponents are kind enough to broadcast the upper limits of their hand strength via bet … Read full post
Gareth Chantler is back in South America, and he’s chronicled the start of his journey, in Cartagena, Colombia, for the PokerStars blog. I can’t recommend it highly enough, it’s literally the best poker narrative I’ve read in years. In a few hundred words, the author tells you a lot … Read full post
I’ve just published a review of Jonathan Little’s Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker Volume 2. Here’s the synopsis:
… Read full postThe book is subtitled “Stages of the Tournament”, but fewer than half of the book’s 270 pages are dedicated to this topic. Ironically, much of the book addresses topics on which Little
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Lee Jones joins us on the show to talk about the past, present, and future of poker and PokerStars. Lee’s an interesting guy with an interesting story, and his PokerStars blog is pretty interesting too. You can learn more about the Rec.Gambling.Poker … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on this week’s What’s Your Play? from the Borgata Poker Open. Sorry I was late in posting this, I ended up making a last-minute trip to see my family for Thanksgiving. I also played the $1000 Pittsburgh Poker Open all day yesterday and will hopefully … Read full post
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Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky is an MTT superstar with an EPT title and over $3 million in online tournament cashes, but that’s not why we asked him to come on the show (though it is why we asked him to stick around for … Read full post
Sorry for the delay, new podcast episode should be up tomorrow. Here’s something to keep you busy in the meantime.
Shortly after dinner break at the $2500 Borgata Poker Open, re-entry period is over. Table is reasonably tough for this event, we’re ten-handed with three opponents I consider competent and … Read full post
Edit: Wow somehow this was up for more than three days without anyone asking what my hand was? Sorry I forgot to include it, as I hinted in some of my responses to comments, it was kind of relevant. I had AJo, so two blockers to some hands I thought … Read full post
I’m playing the Main Event Day 1B on Monday, getting into Atlantic City Sunday evening. If any readers are going to be in AC for the tournament or any other reason, drop me a line and maybe we can get a beer or something.… Read full post
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Matt Parvis of Poker News joins us to talk about how his interview with Howard Lederer came about, how he prepared for it, and what he wishes he’d done differently. Matt’s excellent blog post on the same subjects is what inspired us … Read full post
I had the idea of seeking out some good interview-based podcasts, partly to help me get better at interviewing for the Thinking Poker Podcast and partly because I like that stuff. Then I listened to one episode of WTF With Mark Maron and was blown away so I’m now I’m … Read full post
Nate and my recent conversation with Gareth Chantler inspired me to continue chronicling here my travels in Europe earlier this year. When last we left off, Emily and I were in Paris. Our next destination was Munich, but I think we both liked that the least of all the … Read full post
My latest article for the 2+2 Magazine, An Old School Home Game, is a bit of a departure from the standard fare. It’s about a very interesting home game to which I was recently invited, and while it contains some strategy content, even that is mostly concerned with the … Read full post
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Gareth Chantler will be a familiar name if you’re a regular “What’s Your Play?” participant. He’s the guy whose comments always knock it out of the ballpark and make you feel like an ass for posting anything different. If that’s … Read full post
Q: My son and I have different opinions on a hand I played this week and would love to here your take. The game is live 1-2 and I have been running crazy good and only showing down big hands. My stack is at $1200.
Villan is young aggressive and … Read full post
I think my jack-o-lantern looks cool, but not quite like the image I was going for. I did a better job of that last year. Try to figure it out, but if you’re still uncertain, you can click here.
Emily’s jack-o-lantern is a tribute to our Europe trip:… Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Play? Out of Position With a Flush Draw.
Pre-Flop
A few people questioned/criticized the pre-flop call, and rightfully so. I don’t think it’s bad, but it’s literally marginal, meaning it’s a close decision that’s extremely sensitive to small changes in a … Read full post
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Does Vanessa Selbst really require an introduction? Not only is she a graduate of Yale Law School and a member of Team PokerStars with two WSOP bracelets and a two-for-two record in the NAPT Mohegan Sun, but since recording this interview, she … Read full post
Early in the $320 6-max WCOOP event. Hero has been an unremarkable TAG so far, and Villain even more so. Villain, over a small sample of hands, is 15/10 with 22% Attempt to Steal.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, 320 Tournament, 15/30 Blinds (6 handed) – PokerStars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
SB … Read full post
In my essay Gray Friday, I talked about how online poker has contributed to my increasingly heavy reliance on the internet:
… Read full post“The more time I spend on the internet, the more disdainful I become of the physical world. I work online, I play online, I shop online, and I
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Martin Harris is better known in the poker world as Short-Stacked Shamus, author of the Hard-Boiled Poker blog. Martin is also a freelance writer, contributing to both Poker News‘ WSOP coverage and the PokerStars blog, and an adjunct associate professor … Read full post
If you’ve been following my WCOOP posts, then you know that there were definitely times when I got impatient and tried to force things: questionable bluffs, ambitious value bets, spazzy shoves, excessively heroic calls, I made every mistake in the book at some point in the … Read full post
My latest poker strategy article, Winning in a Tight Game, is now available from the Card Player website. As the name suggests, it draws on some of my recent experiences in nitty live games to talk about how and why such games can be profitable:
… Read full post“I was up nearly
The last Friday of WCOOP was also my birthday. For the second year in a row, I spend it in a foreign country playing a card game online. Specifically, this was my 30th birthday, and while I don’t generally put much stock in such things, it would’ve been nice if … Read full post
The $300 NLHE started at 6AM, so I let myself wake up whenever I woke up and then late registered it. I mentioned having a bit of a revelation on Sunday that I wasn’t adapting well to the amount of 3-betting I was encountering in these tournaments. I think I … Read full post
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Edit: Sorry, I didn’t properly embed the file last night. The player/download tool on this page works now. Not sure how long it will take for the change to propagate to iTunes. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Our guest this week is Jason … Read full post
After bubbling the final table of the $300 2x Chance, I took the rest of Tuesday off, choosing Boardwalk Empire and the last of my Quebecois microbrews over the $1K NLHE. So, I woke up refreshed and ready for a long day on Wednesday, which is what I got … Read full post
Earlier year this year I wrote about the recent introduction of legalized casino gambling in my home state of Maryland:
… Read full post“Don’t insult me with those ridiculous claims like “the money is for education!” Money is fungible, and education is already a high-priority budget item. Money raised from slot machines
Thanks for all the comments on this week’s “What’s Your Play?”. You all asked some thought-provoking questions as well, and I’m sorry that I haven’t responded to all of them. Hopefully this post will address the ones I’ve missed.
Flop Action
This was probably a tough hand to analyze … Read full post
My latest poker strategy article, Telling a Story With Your Value Bets, is now appearing in the 2+2 Magazine. Drawing on examples from the WCOOP, it explores the corollary of that old saw about telling a story with your bluffs:
“if you wish to get maximum value from your … Read full post
This was actually the third Sunday of the WCOOP, but since I didn’t get to Montreal until Tuesday of the first week, it was my second. It was also my thirteenth day without a break, which would have been a lot for me at any point in my career but … Read full post
Round 1 vs. Liv Boeree
I wish I had a specific example of this to give – perhaps the hand below will serve – but I got the distinct impression during our match that Liv was capable of playing extremely well but had for some reason decided to treat me … Read full post
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This week’s guest is Tommy Angelo, the great poker player, writer, philosopher, psychologist, humorist… the list goes on. Tommy’s two books, Elements of Poker and A Rubber Band Story (follow links to read my reviews) are available for purchase from Amazon or … Read full post