A Disgraceful Slowroll

  

Welcome back, I know I have to talk about the turn stage of betting, don't worry, that will be my next blog.  This blog, I must discuss an incident that happened in the Irish Poker Open.   To me, this is horrible poker Slowroll as well as very poor poker editic. Donnacha, who is one of the most respected poker players in the world raised Preflop 100,000 with ace-six of clubs.  Andreas, who is an amateur called after some thought with king-queen of diamonds.  The flop came A-6-8 all diamonds.   Donnacha goes all in, Andreas after over a min or two calls and slowly turns over a nut flush.   Everyone was looking and was pissed at him for that awful Slowroll display.  The turn was blank and the river was a 6.  Once the six hit to give Donnacha a full house, the entire place went crazy.   Good for Andreas to lose on the river, it was poker justice right there talking.  Just goes to show you never Slowroll because it could hit you hard.  Bottom line, show some class on the felt.  Thank you for your attention. If you would like see the video, please feel free to email me at pokerplayer752@gmail.com  And I promise that my next blog will discuss the turn bet stage.  

Stage Two: Post Flop Betting

Welcome back everyone, my last blog discussed about Preflop betting.  Now, we will get into what to do after the flop.  The general rules for betting after the flop are simple……..if you are the raiser Preflop, then you bet after the flop regardless if you hit the flop or not.  The best amount to bet is anywhere between two-thirds the size of the pot to the full amount of the pot.  The pot is simply how many chips are in the center of the felt after the flop.  For example, if there is 50 dollars in the pot after the flop, then the right bet size would be between 35 and 50 dollars.  

Exception:  the only time you would not continue with a continuation bet is if you have ace king for example, and you see a flop of a three card flush draw or a three card straight draw and you don't have a flush or straight draw at all.

If you are the caller Preflop, then for purposes of just starting out, fold the hand if the flop misses your hand all together.  Raise if you flop a monster hand or a monster draw.  Monster draw consist of a pair with a flush or straight draw or both.  Call if you have a straight or flush draw as well as top pair with a weak kicker.   

That in a nutshell is the best way for a poker player who is just starting out to begin playing post flop.  Next blog will discuss the turn stage of Betting.   Thank you and goodnight.  :)

The Four Stages of Betting

Good evening everyone, I do apologies for delaying my blog writing.  I have been getting ready for my next poker trip coming up next month.  This blog will contain the what the stages of betting are as well as discuss in more detail the first stage.  Each blog will discuss in more detail each stage of betting.  With that said, here are the four stages of betting:

1. Preflop Betting

2. Post flop Betting

3. Turn Betting

4. River Betting 

Preflop betting begins once all the players are dealt two cards face down.  Once the cards are dealt, each player must decide if they will call the big blind bet, raise the bet, or fold the hand.  For those of u starting out, there is a very good beginners strategy in which I used personally when I first started out:

A. When in early position (under the gun and two spots after that), raise with any pair as well as A-Q, and A-K.  All other hands fold.  No limping. 

B. When in middle position (sixth and seventh position) raise with all hands previously mentioned as well as all over card combinations. Again no limping. 

C.  When in late position (dealer position and just before dealer position), raise with all hands previously mentioned as well as any suited connectors combos as well as any ace-? Hand. Again, no limping.  

**There is a reason to my madness about no limping.  When you start out, you have to learn to be aggressive and limping in my opinion dampens your aggression.  You need to be aggressive from start to finish. The more you bet and raise, the more aggressive you are.  

If someone reraises, then only get involved if you have aces, Kings, queens or ace king.  By involved, I mean reraise and if that means going all in, then so be it.  Look at it this way, if you will lose, you will lose with a superior hand, not an inferior hand.  

The amount to raise is 5 times the big blind if no one limps in and 7 times the big blind if someone limps in.  

My next blog will discuss post flop betting in more detail.  Thank you and good night.  :)

Ideas for WSOP Main Event

Ideas for the World Series of Poker Main Event

      

     Good evening everyone, this blog this evening will focus on changes that I would like to see happen in the WSOP main event:

1.  Starting chip stack:  100,000:  this will help make the main event leading to the final table last longer and will add additional TV coverage.  Also, it will help show that skill plays a major role in winning the main event and not luck.

2. When the main event is down to the final nine tables, the format should switch to a sit and go event.  The chip counts will not be effected.  But each player will draw new seats before continuing play.   Each table will continue playing but the final nine will be determined by the winners of each sit and go table.   Consider the sit and go format as the playoffs of the WSOP main event leading into the final nine.

3. The playoffs would be a three day event in which three sit and go tables will be played each day until the final nine is revealed. 

4. Finally, once the final nine is determined, the final table will take place two weeks later like the super bowl instead of a few months later. 

This is my opinion of the main event.  Please feel free to comment and tell me what you think.  I would love to hear from all of you.  :)

Starting Point to Learning Holdem

Good evening, welcome to my first piece advice.  As mentioned in my last blog, my blogs will now contain advice such as playing styles, pot odds, hand analysis, information about my own style and how it came about.  I will also comment on poker news and issues that take place.  

Mike sexton says, “holdem takes a minute to Learn and a lifetime to master”.  There are a number of ways to learn:

1. Pick up a good three or four books and start reading and understanding what the author is saying.  My personal favorite books are:  Doyle Brunson’s Super System 2 book, theory of poker by David Skalansky, Daniel Negreanu’s  Power Holdem Strategy Book, and finally, Gus Hansen’s every hand revealed book.  These books are good starting point for understanding the rules of the game as well as developing a good starting point on how

       to play holdem and build it up from there. Finally, these books will take you inside the mind of these players as well as hand analysis.  

2. Play online if u can or play in casinos that have poker rooms and get the hands on experience necessary to become as time goes on a professional poker player.  

3. Read poker magazines like bluff magazine or my personal favorite card player to learn different strategies, news and updates around the poker world.

That's it for one night.  Have a goodnight everyone, I'll be writing again soon.  And keep bringing in your comments and questions.  My blog is also on Facebook as well as Twitter.  Please feel to contact me there as well.  Please find on the bottom of this blog the four poker books I referred to earlier.   Good night.  😄

       

My First Poker Trip in Las Vegas

          I will never forget the first time I played poker in Vegas.  It was the summer of 2005, I went to Vegas with my dad for a few days.  I remember thinking to myself that I will finally be playing in the city in which the World Series of Poker was born.  I was thinking throughout the plane ride which hotel will I play no limit at first, then it came to me…..  I knew I was going to play a cash game, and what better to play at than the hotel in which the highest cash games are played on a regular basis.  Also, a poker room in which they have an area known as Doyle’s room dedicated to none other than the grandfather of poker Doyle Brunson himself.  When I first walked in, I was so amazed on the size of the poker as well as how beautiful the poker room is. Also, the players are competitive, which suits me just fine because it helps bring out my competitive nature that much easier.  It was a fantastic night for me because not only did I win on my first time playing in Vegas, but I got to play at one of the most famous poker rooms in Vegas.  

 In the shortest and clearest terms is my poker profile.  My blogs from this point will contain either advice for poker players as well as comments regarding major poker issues.  Finally, any questions you all may have regarding poker, I will answer any and all questions.  Have a goodnight poker community.  :)

How I Started Playing Poker

I started playing poker in the summer of 2004. It was right around the time I broke it off with my ex.  I was back home just chill-in on my bed flicking some channels when I saw the World Series of poker on ESPN and witnessing Chris Moneymaker at the final table going up against some of the best poker players in the world.  Watching him take down the field and then go up against Sam Farha, bluffing him and soon after take him down and win the main event and cash in for two and a half million dollars was something that was amazing!!!  I thought if a man who never played a live tournament before and enter a 42 dollar satellite to win the right to enter the main event and then win it all, why can’t I?  A few days later, I went to Barnes and Noble in the city in midtown, and I read Doyle Brunson’s Super System, and also the Theory of Poker by David Skalansky.  Soon after doing some good solid reading and having a better understanding the game and concept known as poker better, I decided to take what I have learned to the test.  So I went to Atlantic city to play poker for the first time.  I took the greyhound bus from New York to Atlantic City and the bus dropped me off at Caesars Once I arrived after I used my casino bonus, I decided to go play 2-4 limit holdem.  From my very first hand I played, I was hooked.  I will admit that I lost my buy of 50 bucks, but just the feeling of playing on the felt for the first time was a dream come true for me.