In retrospect, I think that What’s Your Play? Turned an Underfull was a poor choice for this feature. The things I have to say about it are much too specific to a certain type of player, and to make matters worse I didn’t establish very well in the original … Read full post
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Sean Lango is the editor of the Thinking Poker Podcast and a member of Palmyra, the band you’ve been hearing on the show for the last few weeks. He’s also a professional musician who supplements his income with poker. We … Read full post
This is another $1/$2 Zoom hand. Villain has TAGgish stats over a small sample, 21/18 with a 3-bet of 11, with all of his 3-bets so far have come from the button or the blinds. Hero’s own stats are actually even tighter than that, though I don’t have any insight … Read full post
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After some brief reminiscences, Nate and Andrew dive into a strategy-rich show. Even if you’ve never heard of Courchevel before, you’ll want to hear what it can teach you about poker in general. If it piques your interest, you can read more … Read full post
One of the biggest leaks I see, especially but certainly not exclusively among tournament players, is a failure to build big pots with big hands. I made a series about this called Getting Paid for Tournament Poker Edge that I think is worth watching even if you aren’t a tournament … Read full post
This is from the Sunday $500 on PokerStars, a tournament that tends to draw a field of MTT specialists of varying skill. In the first hour, Villain 1, in middle position, has played 16% of his hands, 12% of them as the pre-flop raiser, and mostly in late position. Villain … Read full post
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Carlos Welch was one of our most popular guests, and he’s back to talk about his new life as a professional poker player. Find out why he didn’t move to Jamaica, what he’s doing instead, and how he’s dealing with a downswing. … Read full post
The situation in What’s Your Play? Weak Overpair, Four-Bet Pot demonstrates the importance of starting your hand reading early. If you aren’t already thinking about your opponents’ ranges pre-flop, it’s easy to misjudge once you see the flop and the action. The question to ask is not, “What hands will … Read full post
Get a leg-up in this year’s WCOOP by watching me face off against four very different opponent’s in last year’s $700 heads-up no-limit hold ’em tournament. Part 1 of the new series is up now at Tournament Poker Edge, and Part 2 will go up tomorrow, with the rest … Read full post
I’ve been playing some small-stakes ZOOM alongside my tournaments whenever I’ve got spare screen space, and this is the most interesting spot I’ve encountered in any of my games in my first two days playing. I had to reformat my database, so I didn’t have a HUD running while I … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Strategy? Overbetting Fiend. This is an extreme example of how important it is to adapt to your opponents. Although your “normal” game will surely have a positive expectation against this player, there is potential to do much much better if you … Read full post
Part 3 of my trip report from the 2013 WSOP is now appearing in the Two Plus Two Magazine. It deals with the only two preliminary events in which I made Day 2: the $3000 Mixed Max and the $1500 PLO8:
… Read full post“By the end of Day 1, I was playing
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Jennifer Newell, @WriterJen on Twitter, is a freelance writer who frequently covers the world of poker for Poker Scout, PokerStars Women, and others. Though she doesn’t play much herself, she loves the many colorful personalities and fascinating stories of the … Read full post
It’s level one of a small-field, $555 MTT at the local card room. The field will be extremely soft, re-entries are allowed for the first two hours, and including re-entries there will likely be fewer than 75 total entries.
Hero’s table is currently four handed with six stacks getting blinded … Read full post
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Mike Stein, author of the excellent Quantitative Poker blog, joins us to talk about skill vs luck in poker, how tax implications and the declining utility of money should affect your game selection, and game theoretically optimal bluffing strategy across … Read full post
I’ve been toying around with this situation for a while, and although I want to retain some measure of caution simply because I have a history of making mistakes with this sort of thing, I’m pretty sure I’ve determined that the optimal bluffing frequency for Hero doesn’t change even if … Read full post
I know I promised earlier this week that I’d follow-up with more on optimal multi-street bluffing frequency. It proved to be a more thorny problem than I anticipated, and while I still don’t have a definitive answer, you’ll get a chance to hear me discuss the problem with two very … Read full post
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Leo Wolpert, who’s been both an interviewee and guest host on the show before, returns in the latter capacity. We talk cold war politics, getting value from maniacs, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? strategy, and the difference between good and great … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Play? Worst Card to Bluff, and sorry that I’ve been slow in getting this results post up. It’s possibly a result of the fact that I’ve been driving back across the country this week and not online much, and possibly a matter … Read full post
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It’s our first Pot Limit Omaha-centric episode, with guest John “KasinoKrime” Beauprez. John is a professional poker player who specialized in PLO and the author of the PLO QuickPro Manual. He won his first WSOP bracelet in the 2013 $1500 six-handed … Read full post
This one comes from a $5/$10 no-limit hold ’em game at the Venetian. I’m new to the table, initially bought in for $1000 but relatively quickly decided to load up enough to cover the table. I don’t think I’ve done anything else of note since I’ve been here, but that … Read full post
I’ve finally finished reviewing John Beauprez’s PLO QuickPro Manual, though I feel I’ve only begun reading it. It’s an extremely dense and thorough book, which is what you deserve for shelling out $297 though not always what the authors of expensive poker books deliver. If you’re willing to invest … Read full post
Pardon the spammy title, but I’ve got some seriously good material to share with you. First and foremost is the second installment in a series of free coaching videos I’m making with Andre Coimbra. Together we review his deep run in a Big $16.50 on PokerStars. This video, nearly … Read full post
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Faraz Jaka is one of the most consistent tournament players in the game. He was the 2009 – 2010 World Poker Tour Player of the Year and continues to appear at major final tables around the world.
He’s also one of the … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on this week’s What’s Your Play?, and sorry that I’m late in getting results up. My weekend turned out to be a lot busier – in a good way – than I’d anticipated.
Preflop
I’ll start with a quick note on the raise vs … Read full post
The second installment of my WSOP trip report is now appearing in Two Plus Two Magazine. After a disappointing start to the series, my next few tournaments offer me some opportunities to regain confidence:
… Read full post“Phil probably forgot about this hand seconds after it happened, but although it was in some
Edit: I awarded John a bracelet in the wrong event.
John “KasinoKrime” Beauprez, winner of the 2013 $5000 pot-limit omaha $1500 no-limt hold ’em 6-max WSOP event, will be our guest on Episode 43 of the podcast. In addition to talking to him about his poker career and the excitement … Read full post
Edit: Thanks to ThereYouGoAgain and others who pointed out the errors in my original post. Sorry for the confusion – Villain 1 (the open limper) did overcall the raise, and three of us saw the flop and turn (where pot size was wrong).
This hand comes from a $2/$5 no-limit … Read full post
I’ve got a new video series going up on Tournament Poker Edge which deals with strategy for playing the final table bubble. It will be a three-part series, with one part dedicated to each of big-, medium-, and short-stacked play. Check it out, and if you’re not already a … Read full post
Thanks for all the great comments on this week’s What’s Your Play? As I’d hoped, your suggestions have helped me to think more about both the river decision and my play on earlier streets.
One point I want to emphasize up front about playing against tough/tricky opponents is that I’m … Read full post
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Gareth Chantler talks about Norwegian family politics and covering tournaments for the PokerStars Blog. He also joins in discussions of the ethics of accepting an unsolicited chip dump, playing second pair in a limped pot, and playing Kings when an Ace flops, … Read full post
I’ve got a tough one for you this week. This is one of the trickier spots I’ve been in of late, and I’ll tell you up front that I’m not 100% sure about my play or my plan at multiple points in the hand. So with that said, we’ll zero … Read full post
I was very happy with the comments on What’s Your Play? Underrepresented Top Pair. Some of you thought it was an “easy call”, some an easy fold, and a few even wanted to raise, though I don’t recall anyone considering that an obvious or easy choice. So what’s my … Read full post
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Bill Ordine is the editor of PhillyGambles.com, an editor and writer for PressBox, and a former reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Baltimore Sun. In his capacity as a sports writer, Bill pushed for greater poker coverage in the … Read full post
My main event run came to an end early on Day 3 in unspectacular fashion. I do, however, currently have an above average stack going into the $5000 Venetian Deep Stacks main event. I don’t think any hands from those tournaments are as instructive as this one, though.
This is … Read full post
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Carlos “loxxii” Welch is a grinder if ever there were one. The former math teacher was happily learning the game playing small-stakes online tournaments until Black Friday complicated that plan. Undeterred, he now travels to casinos, sleeping in his truck or on … Read full post
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In honor of Andrew’s deep run in the $1500 WSOP PLO8 episode, this show is dedicated to that beautiful game. Nate and Andrew discuss general strategy for the game, tournament-specific adaptations, and a number of hands from Andrew’s tournament.
Since recording this … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on this week’s What’s Your Play? In this post I’m going to talk a lot about a concept that I call Value Targeting. Hopefully it will make sense just from what I say here, but if you want to learn more about it, you can … Read full post
I left Vegas a week ago, but that week has been even more hectic than the weeks I was in Vegas, so I’m just now getting back to my tournament write-ups:
I arrived at the Venetian DSE area, which is actually in the Palazzo, at the stroke of noon. I … Read full post
It’s early in a $1500 WSOP event, and we’re playing 10-handed. Hero has been one of the more active players at the table but hasn’t done anything especially crazy or noteworthy. Villain is a middle-aged white woman, pretty clearly an amateur and seems a little scared/concerned about doing well in … Read full post
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Nate and Andrew discuss Andrew’s second week in Las Vegas, dealing with dealer errors, tricky decisions for the floor, a big bluff, a big call, and a big fold.
Timestamps
0:30 Hello and welcome
7:10 Table manners and procedure
44:00 Mailbag: Staking … Read full post
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Ray J has been dealing for nearly 20 years and now, much like a professional poker player, follows the tournament circuit around the country plying his trade. He talks to us about the life of a traveling dealer, the rewards and frustrations … Read full post
The $2500 six-handed event got off to a good start for me. It seemed like a pretty tough field overall, so I was pleased with my starting table at which there was only one truly tough player, seated across from me.
Even better, I took a big bite out of … Read full post
Someone flopped a set against my Aces in a four-bet pot. Stack-to-ratio was less than three when we saw the flop. If I put it to you like that, it sounds like a cooler plain and simple, like I was simply destined to go broke. And maybe I was. But … Read full post
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No interview this week, but Gareth Chantler makes an extended appearance to share his on-the-ground experience with the civil unrest in Istanbul and his thoughts on The Mental Game of Poker 2. Plus Nate and Andrew discuss the ethics of mark-up and … Read full post
I’ve got a new series going up on Tournament Poker Edge. It’s a continuation of my hand history review from the $300 2x Chance WCOOP, with a new emphasis on late game play and stealing and restealing dynamics.
I also just published an article entitled Open-Minded About Open Limping… Read full post
The Millionaire Maker is like the PokerStars Sunday Million on crack, drawing a field of thousands with a relatively affordable buyin and the distant prospect of a life-changing score. It ended up drawing a field of 6343, making it roughly the size of the Main Event for about 1/7 the … Read full post
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Taylor Caby, playing as “Green Plastic”, was one of the first superstars of online poker. He’s also one of the only self-described entrepreneurs in the poker world who has actually founded several successful businesses. The first was Cardrunners, which launched the … Read full post
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Jared Tendler, author of May book club book The Mental Game of Poker 2, talks about his transition from aspiring pro golfer to psychology student to mental game coach. Then talk turns to his new book and your questions!
Timestamps
0:39 … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on this week’s What’s Your Play?, and sorry that I’m late in getting up the results. My girlfriend and I are about to embark on a cross-country roadtrip, ending (for me) in Las Vegas, so we’ve been busy getting ready for that.
I want … Read full post
The World Series of Poker is unique among poker events. In no other tournaments will you encounter such a wide variety of opponents, from those who barely know the rules to the very best in the world. This seminar will discuss a number of strategic adaptations for dealing with various … Read full post
Villain is in his early 20s. I’ve never seen before, but he gives off a distinct air of “I used to play on the internet and I wasn’t too bad at it.” He just joined the table 10 hands ago, and when he sat down he asked what was the … Read full post
My latest article, which is something like half tournament poker strategy and half navel-gazing in the tradition of Gray Friday and Three Days in Madrid, is now appearing in 2+2 Magazine:
… Read full postA lot of people, in the wake of the Boston bombing, seem deeply troubled by the question
Podcast listeners may remember that, when Andre was a guest on the show, I suggested that he and I record some coaching sessions to post online. Well, the first one is up! In this hand-by-hand review of a deep run he made in a $50 MTT, we talk … Read full post
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Jussi Palomäki is a cognitive scientist who’s published several studies on the subject of tilt. He discusses his findings, opines on Angelo’s and Tendler’s treatments of the subject, and even proves capable of discoursing on ancient philosophy. He also shares the … Read full post
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Listener (and host) favorite Tommy Angelo returns to the podcast to discuss Elements of Poker. If you enjoy this one, be sure to check out his previous appearance as well. And if you like the mailbag segment, there’s more discussion about … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Play? Kings on an Ace River.
Needless to say, a lot depends on how you interpret Villain’s actions up to this point. If you believe he has a polarized range for raising flop and betting turn – meaning probably two pair … Read full post
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Olivier Busquet is back for more (actually he never left, we just chopped up our interview with him). This time around, we talk about televised poker commentary, the quality of political discourse in America, Olivier’s Toronto poker pad, and the possibility of
Whether you enjoyed my theory videos on Tournament Poker Edge, or if theory videos aren’t your thing, you might be interested to know that I’ve now got a new series going up there that is in the form of a full hand history review. You can follow me … Read full post
Edit: Hey look, a mistake in a WYP post! Been a while since that happened… At least this was a minor one. My preflop raise was to 150, and I’ve adjusted pot size to reflect that. Sorry for any confusion.
It’s early in the $2500 Borgata Spring Poker Open Main … Read full post
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Olivier Busquet, AKA high-stakes heads up sit-and-go boss livb112, joins us from his poker refugee pad in Toronto. With remarkable candor, he talks about his frustrations and his strategy for staying on top of his chosen format. You can follow @OlivierBusquet on … Read full post
Card Player just published one of my articles about a challenge that I gave myself at the casino one night when it became clear that the game I wanted to play wasn’t going to go off:
… Read full postRather than leave immediately, though, I gave myself a challenge. I had to pay
In the results post for What’s Your Play? Overpair on Dry Flop, I cited a quote from Zach Ellwood, author of Reading Poker Tells, about opponents who comment on the texture of the board: “players who actually connect with the board will not want to draw attention to … Read full post
Thanks for all the comments on What’s Your Play? Rivered Top Pair. This was an interesting one for me because although there were quite a few different opinions, no one suggested what I consider to be the best play. I do think many options are close, but that doesn’t … Read full post
This is the fourth hand of a six-max tournament on a .FR site. Hero (who is not me) and Villain are both readless on each other. Blinds are 50/100, both players have roughly 20K to start the hand.
Villain opens to 205 from the HJ, Hero calls with As Th … Read full post
Thanks to everyone who commented on What’s Your Play? Overpair on Dry Flop. I realize that in some sense this isn’t a very interesting spot, because nothing out of the ordinary has happened and I’m not going to advocate some bizarre play like betting 4x pot. In another sense, … Read full post