All-In Poker Blog

Myths - Not Truths!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:08:18 +0000

Most games are shrouded by certain myths - misconceptions that drive people away. There are a few myths about poker games too, especially when the game in question is Omaha. A lot of people shy away from this game because they assume the myths to be true.

One of the biggest myths about Omaha is that it is a complicated game. One agrees that all games have different levels of complexity. However, when you compare Omaha and another very similar game Texas Hold'em, you would find that Omaha is much easier to play. Texas Hold'em is characterized by its unpredictability and randomness that arise from the fact that no single player has a significant advantage. Usually in Omaha, you rarely play a hand head-up on the flop. Moreover, if there are three or more players in a pot, one among them will have a clear advantage over the rest or more than one player might have a strong hand. Additionally, any bet from any of the players can win the pot on a bluff. And Omaha has a lot more ways to connect with the flop.

Quite often, Omaha hands involve analyzing the possibilities of winning all or a part of the pot. It comes down to manipulation of the pot size through your bets. However, uncertain situations do emerge in Omaha. Nevertheless, right play in these situations can help you win. And this is precisely why good players manage to win most of the time. Most of this game's situations involve calculating one's 'outs' or in simpler terms, counting the cards that make your hand and representing them as a percentage. Although there are occasional tough situations, Omaha games are usually simple.

Another common myth about Omaha is that starting hands run close in their value. This can sound very ridiculous to players who play this game regularly. The reason for this myth can be traced to the fact that Omaha hands played head-up are similar in their dominating nature to the AA against A7 in hold'em. As a situational consequence, you would be forced to liberally defend a big blind against a single raiser in case you have a reasonable hand. This will offer you right pot equity. However, this doesn't mean hands run close together in their value. An A23K will always be better than J965.

You can believe in myths and not play Omaha or ignore these misconceptions and play one of the most exciting games in Poker. The ultimate choice is yours. A myth need not be true always and in this case, it definitely isn't.

Limits - Up or Down?

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:58:59 +0000

One of the most critical aspects of poker is the knowledge of what limit to play with. When you have been playing poker for a while, it wouldn't be difficult for you to decide when to move your limits up and when to bring them down. Knowledge of limits is a must if you're looking to play poker the right way. When you are choosing what limit to play, there are several factors that you must consider. These include your bankroll, an assessment of your skills and general game play, and your tendency of risk-taking. For good players, evaluation of these factors comes naturally. You can be the richest man on earth with a lot of money to burn. However, when you are playing poker for the first time, it is better to start with lower limits. Poker involves risk-taking, but your risks have to be calculated not reckless. The opponents you will be playing initially will be easy to play against. Not many poker pros play low limit games. This makes it a safe option to start with. If you think your reputation is at stake, rest assured. In online poker, people know just your screen name and nothing else. They wouldn't care less for who you are and how much you're worth. The most important aspect of choosing a limit is deciding whether to move it up or down. Poker experts recommend moving your limits up only when you are at ease playing a particular limit for 7 or more sessions. If you are not comfortable with a higher limit, do not opt for it. Poker is a game that offers you fun and not apprehensions about losing your money. Fear has always been equated with failure and if you are afraid playing at higher limits, continue with your original limits. Moreover, higher limits require a higher bankroll. So, you should also consider this factor before taking a decision to move a limit higher. You might be able to survive a couple of sessions in a higher limit, but it offers no guarantee that you would not lose money in the following sessions. In case you have moved to a higher limit, it wouldn't be bad if you move to a lower limit. However, do not lower the limits when you feel the game is too easy for you and is hardly exciting. In case you have moved to limits such as $25-$50 from a limit of $10-$20, it doesn't make sense for you to move very low to $1-$2 when you find the higher limit uncomfortable. When the limits are too low, people indulge in loose play. Choose limits that make your game exciting and entertaining.

Focus on Long Term Goals

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:00:41 +0000

Casual poker players would perceive poker as a game that involves short-term decisions and instant winnings. They overlook the long-term aspect of the game. People play for the fun, excitement and the attractive monetary rewards associated with this game. Since pots are won frequently, they hardly ever bother about a long-term strategy that would help them win games in future. This is the shortest and the surest path to failure.

When you are playing poker, always plan for the future. There can be no arguments against the fact that poker is thrilling and offers huge rewards every moment, but this can mislead you into believing that you stand a chance to win every game you play. It is high time you got disillusioned. You have a better chance of losing than winning if you are only looking at the momentary pleasure of winning. Talented players have, many a time, gone astray because of the lure of winning fast and big money. An attitude such as this drives people to doing stupid things that make them highly prone to mistake. Wins and losses are a part of the game. A roller coaster ride is exciting only when there is a slide downwards. A desperate player bets recklessly and eventually loses a fortune.

Focus on the ultimate prize is what keeps good players going. They do not focus on what is right in front of their eyes, but look beyond what they perceive as either a win or a loss. Luck does play a significant role in poker and even good players would have had a string of losses, which could perhaps be attributed to luck. However, very few good players believe that luck supersedes skill in poker. The first skill that good players learn is perseverance. They understand the need to keep going regardless of the circumstances. However, they do take risks whenever they feel they can justify it. Reckless play is not appreciated, but calculated risks are. There have been times when good players have put down the opportunity of a momentary win to focus on the bigger prize ahead.

A common observation made in tournaments is the tendency of players to put in heavy bets after a spate of good luck and excellent hands. They lead the table and start believing that they can translate the momentary fortune into great winnings. Sometimes, they do win with such reckless play. Fortune is a fickle mistress, they say. One moment, you are extremely lucky and you race ahead and the next moment, you could be the least fortunate person under the sun. These circumstances are unpredictable and it would be inane to assume that you cannot be defeated after a sizeable lead. People who assume this are the ones that blunder most of the time. It is a natural tendency to pile up more chips when you are doing well. However, the point made here is - do not go overboard with your illusion of invincibility. The ones that keep persevering regardless of how bad their situation is are people who taste success in the long-run. They are always disillusioned and never go overboard when they are fortunate enough to win a few games. They sustain their focus till the very end, neither faltering nor playing recklessly. They are the players who play sharp and play with an intention of bagging the big prize. Momentary wins do not distract them at any point of time.

Poker is a game of patience and perseverance. You might sit pretty at some stage in the game with big earnings. However, remember not to take your eye off the ultimate prize. If you instill this thought in you early on, there is no way you would be a short-term winner.

Limits - Up or Down

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:57:59 +0000

You can be the richest man on earth with a lot of money to burn. However, when you are playing poker for the first time, it is better to start with lower limits. Poker involves risk-taking, but your risks have to be calculated not reckless. The opponents you will be playing initially will be easy to play against. Not many poker pros play low limit games. This makes it a safe option to start with. If you think your reputation is at stake, rest assured. In online poker, people know just your screen name and nothing else. They wouldn't care less for who you are and how much you're worth.

The most important aspect of choosing a limit is deciding whether to move it up or down. Poker experts recommend moving your limits up only when you are at ease playing a particular limit for 7 or more sessions. If you are not comfortable with a higher limit, do not opt for it. Poker is a game that offers you fun and not apprehensions about losing your money. Fear has always been equated with failure and if you are afraid playing at higher limits, continue with your original limits. Moreover, higher limits require a higher bankroll. So, you should also consider this factor before taking a decision to move a limit higher. You might be able to survive a couple of sessions in a higher limit, but it offers no guarantee that you would not lose money in the following sessions.

In case you have moved to a higher limit, it wouldn't be bad if you move to a lower limit. However, do not lower the limits when you feel the game is too easy for you and is hardly exciting. In case you have moved to limits such as $25-$50 from a limit of $10-$20, it doesn't make sense for you to move very low to $1-$2 when you find the higher limit uncomfortable. When the limits are too low, people indulge in loose play. Choose limits that make your game exciting and entertaining.

Bluff Sensibly, not Recklessly

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:49:40 +0000

Bluffing is the most exciting of all Poker strategies. It is an audacious move, when done rightly. Otherwise, it can turn out to be an extremely stupid tactic. You need to attain absolute perfection with this art if you are looking to use this to gain an edge over your opponents. If you never get caught bluffing, it is almost certain that you have never bluffed. It is always good to get caught bluffing once in a while. However, bluffing too often can lead to worthless bankroll swings.

A player who plays two hands and wins one and loses the other will most certainly be on a lower psychological level than a person who has played neither hand. Losing money is definitely as unpleasant, if not more, as winning the same amount of money is pleasant. A $20/40 player who loses $1000 in a single day will surely be more annoyed than he is happy when he wins $1000 in a day. It is a natural tendency among players to try to ‘get even’ if they are losing four or five bets. They might even risk all their winnings to get those five bets. On the other hand, if they are winning five bets, then winning another five bets would not make much of a difference to them. It is quite strange to see how people have different perspectives for two things of equal value.

Before you decide to bluff, you must take into consideration the psychological effect that might be caused by the bluff. Bluffing can be a dangerous move and if you don’t handle loss sensibly, it is better not to bluff at all. There is hardly any doubt about the fact that bluffing is a good tactic. However, going overboard with your bluffing is definitely not good. A person who bluffs actually tries to compensate for the lack of objective assets of his cards with his boldness.

When your bluffs earn you money, it is good. When you realize that you are not getting anywhere by doing it, there is no way people are going to appreciate you for your audacity. Reckless or foolish bluffing is a strict no-no. Do not do it because you enjoy doing it. Do it as an effort to increase your chances of winning.

Bluffing is a good tactic so long as you do it well. Bluffing can win you games. At the same time, you are risking losing a game. So bluff sensibly.

That's the one

Be careful with poker tells

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:39:53 +0000

One of the crucial skills required in poker is that of bluffing - the ability to make your opponents believe that you have a much stronger hand than you actually have and inducing them to fold. It follows that the skill should also include the ability to tell when your opponent is bluffing. The proverbial poker face is quite rare. Expert player can discern tell tale signs made by their opponents. These signs reveal what the opponents think of their own hands. In poker parlance these signs are known as 'tells'.

There are many common tells. Eyes are dead give-aways. A good hand warrants a longer look. Players want to make sure that they have seen right. A body tic, especially on the face is usually an indication of a weak hand. Some players exhibit tells when they are bluffing. Flexing of muscles, eye pupil dilation and raised voices are common behaviour when bluffing. But players who exhibit such tells know that they are exhibiting tells. Hence they develop antidotes for the tell. They induce such behaviour at times even when they actually have good cards.

Consider the following scenario. A player knows that his index finger twitches when he bluffs. On two occasions he bluffs with a weak hand. The opponents observe the finger twitching and realise that it is a tell. Then some time later he gets a good hand. He induces the finger to twitch. The opponents think he is bluffing and keep betting. The player makes a killing. The seeds of doubt are sown. Next time the finger twitches the opponents will not know if it is a real tell or an induced tell.

This is precisely what happened in the 2006 version of Casino Royale. James Bond identifies a tell in Le Chiffre's behaviour. But Bond reckons that Le Chiffre is too seasoned a player to have a tell and thinks that Le Chiffre is bluffing with a weak hand. Bond bets to the hilt and gets cleaned out. Bond, being Bond, gets a buy back in and beats Le Chiffre the second time round.

There have been other movies that revolve around tells in poker games. David Mamet's House of Games (1987) is a class example. A gambler called Billy visits an eminent psychologist Margaret. He is in danger of being killed by a gangster Mike to whom he owes money. Billy takes Margaret to Mike, who offers to waive Billy's debt if Margaret accompanies him to a poker game and read his rival's tell. Margaret's professional instincts are aroused and she agrees. While the game is on she is sure that she has identified the tell. In a later deal she asks Mike to go all out and even funds him with $6000 of her own. As expected she loses. Later she finds out that all this was a con, including Billy's visit to her clinic. Rounders, a 1998 movie revolves entirely around poker. In the climax, the protagonist Mike needs to win a large some of money quickly from a KGB agent. Mike identifies the agent's tell and is up $60000 but needs to win much more. He informs the KGB agent that he has read his tell. This infuriates the KGB agent and put him in a state that poker players call a 'tilt'. The player then is incapable of playing rationally. In the last deal Mike holds an 8 and 9, while the flop is 6, 7 and 10. Mike slow pedals his bets and goads the JGB agent into wagering his entire bankroll. Thereby Mike wins in grand style.

Positional Advantage is not a trivial concept

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:02:07 +0000

A lot of players underestimate the value of position in Poker. Positional advantage is an important factor that helps you win games.

In Texas Hold'em, the value of position is quite obvious. As a player, you want your opponents to decide before you so that you can have the final say. In Hold'em, no player has an absolute advantage over the rest. The decisions you take are based on any little advantage that you get to outplay others to win the pot. Although a superior position by itself can't help you win a game, it can certainly help you make better bets. It is the familiarity of the situation that gives you the edge over your opponents.

Position in Texas Hold'em is a simple concept. If there are two players in a pot, you would want to be the last. You always have a positional advantage when you are seated first or second behind a maniac, or in front of him. All good players have a tendency of playing more hands in a late position and far less hands when they are in an early position.

Position in Seven Card Stud and Stud High-Low is different from Hold'em. Here, positional advantage tends to vary. The highest board showing acts first, starting from fourth street. Hence, if a king high bets first on fourth street, another player with an ace or pairs deuces might act first on fifth street. You might still have an advantage over the player to your immediate right. However, positional considerations in stud games are not as simplistic as in Hold'em. Some hands are more playable if you are not the high hand, while representing a hand is a lot more important when you act first. Certain hands can be played more aggressively if another player shows a king or ace, which means they are more likely to be forced to act first all through the hand.

The greatest difference in positional advantage is between Omaha HiLo and Holdem. If you are seated last you have some general advantages, but there are certain disadvantages too. For example, if you are bluffing from the last position, you are committing suicide against good players. You just cannot bluff when you are in the last position. Middle position is the most important bluffing position in Omaha, but it is rarely advantageous in Holdem.

Positional advantage is a key skill that Hold'em players need to develop when they are looking to move to other games. Position offers you significant advantages in a game, so do not trivialize it.

Winners of Ante Up for Africa tournament give away winnings to charities of Darfur

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 07:54:59 +0000

This year saw a first in the world of poker when two players decided to give away their all of their winnings to a worthy cause - the Ante Up for Africa. The two players Dan Shak and Brandon Moran made a public announcement at the World Series of Poker that they would give away al of their winnings to the charities affiliated with the Ante Up for Africa .

This remarkable day was the 5th of July of the year 2007 and at 22:40 an amazing thing happened in Las Vegas. Players Dan Shak and Brandon Moran were the two generous poker players who made this decision at the WSOP or the World Series of Poker in front of a live audience of thousands and numerous others watching via the media coverage. The Ante Up for Africa was a special tournament organized by Don Cheadle and Annie Duke and was presented at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

The World Series of Poker is one of the most highly popular tournaments known to poker enthusiasts all over the globe. The WSOP has a yearly giveaway of over 12 million dollars in The World Series of Poker tournament prize money. This year Dan Shak and Brandon Moran who were the finalists of the tournament stopped the entire audience at the WSOP short when they made their announcements.

Almost at the finish of the tournament Dan Shak , one of the last two of a collective number of 167 contestants, stood up from the table and said that he would give away every cent of any prize money that he won to the "Ante Up for Africa" and its designated charities which were the Enough Project and the International Rescue Committee. Brandon Moran, who was Shak's opposition soon followed the other player's announcement with a similar one of his own. He also made a pledge that he would donate the entire 100 percent of all the money he won to the Ante Up for Africa charities for Darfur .

These announcements ended the tournament rather abruptly and both the men were awarded first place in the World Series of Poker. The total amount of prize money that was won by these two players Dan Shak and Brandon Moran alone amounted to $386,738. All this money will go to the "Ante Up for Africa" and all the other charities tied into it namely, the Enough Project and the International Rescue Committee.

The entire program, Ante Up for Africa" was the result of a collaborative effort between Don Cheadle, an Oscar nominated actor and Annie Duke a poker professional. The project was embraced and encouraged by Jeffrey Pollack who is the Commissioner for the World Series of Poker. The special tournament Ante Up for Africa" was presented by Milwaukee's Best Light and the tournament participants were required to provide $5,000 each to play in the event.

However, all this money went into the Poker pool and could be won as a personal prize at the tournament. This was because the goal of the organizers, Don Cheadle and Annie Duke was not to take the winnings as a donation but rather for the entire program to be a means of creating public awareness of the severe humanitarian crisis situation that is very dire in Darfur where more than 2 million people have been driven out from their homes and are suffering under extreme difficulties. A large number of Hollywood celebrities, among who were Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as well as various sports personalities who also did their part to help.

The Winning Hand at Omaha Hold'em

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:34:32 +0000

To win in full ring, limit Omaha, it takes a 'nut' hand. If you don't have a 'nut' hand, you should have at least something close to that. Are you wondering what the 'nut' hand is? It is a hand that can be beaten only by hidden quads or straight flushes, the pure killer 'nuts'. You don't win always with two pairs and trips in this game. So, go for the nut straight, nut flush, or nut full house most of the time.

Ideally, Omaha players start with four cards, where each four card hand has six Hold'em hands. You must remember that one or two good hold'em hands is not a very good starting hand in Omaha, though you may be tempted to play them. The higher payoffs are quite advantageous when you start with hands that contain four cards interacting with each other.

The best starting hand strategies involve a quick assessment of the type of hand and the six Hold'em hands in your four card Omaha hand. At all times, look out for nut hand opportunities. And, as the board develops, try to identify the three best hand possibilities and the potential for change on the next card. Do not forget that a high pair with an overcard is a good flop in Hold'em but not in Omaha. In Omaha, you have to flop two pairs, a set, or better.

Try as much as possible not to raise before the flop, when you are not holding Aces or Kings. When you hold these cards, you are in a position to narrow the field. It is also good to raise when you are unraised on the button and hold a strong hand. Ensure that you do not let the blinds play bad hands for cheap.

Try to fold your straight or straight draw if that is all you hold. When you get the right kind of flop, bet or raise to put off the back door flush draws. And make sure that you don't over value low pairs. A low set on the flop is usually not a strong hand in Omaha. However, a pair of fours in your starting hand is useful when it flops a set.

Card games are most often decided by expert opponent analysis. Whenever possible, try to look at your opponent and note any tell-tale signs that would divulge useful information about their hands.

7 Card Stud Poker - strategies for a winning hand

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:03:23 +0000

In High card games such as the Seven Card Stud Poker, winning hands are determined by highest pairs or highest pairs of two rather than by straights, flushes and other big hands.

So, the best strategies in a seven card stud poker involve starting with a high pair and rapidly eliminating as many players as possible. Alternately, you can start slow play and drawing hands such as three to a straight or a flush. Through this, you ensure that other players are building the pot odds. You can also employ slow play starting trips till the 5th card. With this strong starting card, you have some players around.

It is always best if you avoid beginning with a small pair if they are not concealed or when you feel your sidecard is potent enough to beat the board. Ensure that you do not play three to a low straight or a low flush. Keep a close watch on the board to identify key cards that have the potential for negating your chances of making a good hand and also keep an eye on potentially dangerous opponent hands. If you realise that you are staring down the barrel, fold out early. Be cautious at all times.

You must understand that the first four cards are crucial to your winning chances. When your execute your plan and play your starting hands to tie in with the plans, you stand a very high chance of winning.

Stay alert for the paired door card. There are higher chances of the opponent having a door card in his pair when he is playing a pair in his starting hand and pairs the door card. A paired door card indicates that the opponent is holding a dangerous set of trips. If you are not playing a strong draw hand, try to fold when your complete hand is routed on the board by your opponent's upcards.

Keep a watch on you opponents and study them keenly when you are not playing hands. Reason if they find more hands to play than they fold. Try to examine if they are bluffing. Strategise if they can be bluffed. Look for tell-tale signs on their face and actions of the information about their hands and other useful indicators.

To throw your opponents off-guard, bluff once a while and get caught. That way, they would find it hard to study you and you can bring about variations in your game-play.

The worst way to play a limited bankroll

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:25:40 +0000

OK, so you're used to playing high stakes poker but have had a run of bad beats and lady luck has upped and left. The result is a sorry looking bankroll that could maybe afford you another game or two at the usual level. So, the obvious choice is to go play a lower stake table and win back some money, right? Wrong!

This may be a tempting sounding offer but if you are best at high stake games, that is where you should stay! The lower stake tables mean exactly that...there is less money at stake and so they attract lots of beginners and a lower level game. Moving to a lower ability table means more fish, more unpredictable calls, and in other words, more loss! Out goes pot odds and in comes all-ins with any slight sniff of a picture card. Plus the profit will only be small...so don't get reeled in!

You may get more play for your money on a lower stake table, but you are more likely to throw away winning hands, and become frustrated with the game...possibly going on tilt and walking away with nothing? Stick to your favourite game and play with determination and confidence. You are then more likely to reap rewards.

The Worst Thing About Poker: Bubbling!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 17:55:44 +0000

No, it's not fish, despite what some of you might think.

Fish are actually the BEST thing about poker - they're what makes the game so profitable. Think about it.

Poker is a game of numbers, timing, bluffing, cards and chips, but ultimately it's about your edge over the other players. The worse those players, the greater your edge over time.

Fish (otherwise known as donkeys, newbies, "YOU ..... IDIOT!" amongst other names) are the worst of the worst, hence your edge is highest over them.

Anyway..

Bubbling is the worst. Knowing that had that hand gone your way, had Lady Luck smiled on you just that once, had chance decided to throw you a bone - your life in this tournament would be totally different.

You might still lose and go out later on, but knowing that you hit the top 10% because you were better than the other 90% is a great feeling.

It is equally as great as the feeling of being beaten unfairly or improperly is a terrible feeling, and one that still haunts me.

Still, the bubble is something that we have to live with as poker players. Has there ever been a time when you felt like jacking it all in because of an untimely dismissal from the table?

If Superheros Played Poker

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:37:10 +0000

Would it look anything like this?

Fake Poker Tells.. Or How To Look Like A Fish!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:52:39 +0000

The art of giving off fake poker tells is a difficult one to master, but the main reason behind doing so is clear: to fool your opponents into thinking you're either bluffing, not bluffing, or that you're a moron with no idea what game you're playing.

Either way, you want them to think the opposite of the truth, so you get a bit more of a headstart over them on the felt. I was reading PokerPlayer today and came across a hilarious letter sent in by Benji Bowen, which I will reprint here.

Benji's tips on how to look like a fish:

When you sit down at a cash game ask, "What does first place pay?", followed later by, "When are the blinds going up?"
Ask the dealer if bluffing is allowed. When they give you a weird look and say that it is, rub your hands together and chuckle to yourself.
Ask what the most you can bet is (especially when playing no-limit), and ask it often.
When you go to bet say "raise", when you go to raise say "re-raise", and when you check, simply say "call".
When the flop comes out, clap your hands together, start rubbing them and laughing to yourself. Then stop, look around, and solemnly check.

I was in stitches for almost 10 minutes at the last one, especially when I realised I used to do just that!

Thanks Benji :)

Staking Poker Players - Would You?

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:43:10 +0000

I don't remember if I've ever mentioned this before, but anyway.

Would you consider staking a poker player that you knew what pretty good?

It would work like this: you offer up a percentage of the buyin in exchange for either the same or similar percentage of any winnings.

If you could get a few good players on the books, and a few rich backers, it's a bit like HYIPs (High Yield Investment Programs), but in my eyes: better, since Poker is a lot more predictable that the stock market.

I guess it hasn't happened yet because the good players that are worth backing can afford it by themselves, since they're good.

There is always going to be a game they can't afford to get into though, especially if they're just starting out or have a small bankroll. In that case, why hasn't someone setup a (legitimate) site or service offering backing?

If there is already such a site, why the heck don't I know about it yet?! :)

Texas Hold-Em, Razz, Omaha, Stud

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:49:28 +0000

What am I on about? Online poker of course, durrrr ;)

In case you didn't see it, I've got a poll running in right right hand navbar over there, and the question is:

"Which is your most profitable poker variation when playing online?"

Well the votes are in. They've been counted, recounted and were not at all affected by the Bush administration (*cough* Florida *cough*)

Unsurprisingly, Texas Hold'Em is the clear winner (50%), but it is closely followed by Razz (29%), Omaha (14%) and Seven Card Stud (7%.. ooh, spooky).

I haven't been on many poker forums recently, but I do remember there being a huge upsurge in the number of players tinkering with Omaha - mainly because many newbies had no idea how to play, so were leaking cash.

Plus many Hold'Em players are getting pretty good, so the hot streaks aren't coming so easily - why not move to fields anew?

Well, perhaps the same is now true of Razz. I'll be the first to put my hand up and say I have no freaking idea how it works, but luckily I'm blessed with the wisdom not to flutter away my money by trying to learn.

Online poker is changing - the new variations are gaining a foothold. Perhaps a worthwhile New Year's resolution? Learn how to play Razz.

Tony G - Maybe Hes Not All That Bad...

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:42:56 +0000

This post is sponsored by Incredible Web Hosting

It looks like Tony G is maybe not as bad as I previously thought. When he recently won the Betfair Asian Poker Tour, he donated half his winnings (approximately $225,000) to a local charity, and then the winners trophy to the second place player, Joshua Ang!

Tony was quoted as saying, "so it can stay in Singapore". What a nice man :)

I take back everything I said. That's a seriously great thing to do, and it shows that his table image really is just that - a table image. Of course, that doesn't mean that it's necessarily a good table image to have... but I'll leave that for another day.

New Years Resolutions

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:41:05 +0000

So.. now that new year has come around, I should probably make some resolutions. I've already made some for the world outside of poker (there is one you know!), but I need to shuffle up my ideas on the felt.

Honestly, I've been neglecting poker a bit recently, since I haven't had much time to play. I do still enjoy watching re-runs of the WSOP on TV, and checking out the odd weird and wonderful clip of some fools (usually American) at home who think poker is some kind of drinking game.

So er.. here goes:

Play more poker. Kind of obvious I suppose, but it needs saying. 99% of poker is in the playing. The cards.. the chips.. and the opponents. Without those, I'm pretty much pokerless - although that being said, poker is widely recognised as a pretty decent spectator sport. Especially when tools like Tony G are playing.
Play more poker. Offline. Due to moving I have been unable to keep up my weekly homegame, so I need to find a new one I can clean up at. I've been reading up on Derren Brown (a British magical entertainer, and a bloody good one too) and he uses some psychological techniques that will come in mighty handy.
Win a decent sized tournament. I've won a few MTT freerolls, plenty of STTs, a few SNGs and even the odd real cash MTT, but nothing huge. I think a victory at $10, $50 and $100 would be a decent target, and attainable.
Sort out my bankroll. Playing poker well is all about the bankroll, so I need to get mine sorted. At the moment it's a bit pitiful because I haven't been playing much, but I'm considering simply depositing a larger roll to get going with. I just have to convince myself that it's an investment, and not a waste of money. Perhaps I should read "poker and money" again...

Right, I reckon that's enough for now. Play more, win more, buy myself some bling. Bo!

What are your poker resolutions?

Happy New Year!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 12:36:29 +0000

Happy New Year!

So many holidays all at once... not to mention my birthday on the 31st :)

Just a short post today, since I've got lots of left over holiday treats to scoff.

A while back I mentioned spam comments on this blog, and was forced to install a human moderation system.

This hasn't put off spammers like "TramadolDog" who leaves daily messages about how dull his life is (seriously!).

There's also many spammers who leave innocuous comments like "Nice site, useful information". I know they're not real comments because there's 10 at a time...

My favourite though, has got to be:

"Your guestbook is example of middle-class guestbooks"

Brilliant! Utterly, utterly pointless. Why spam me with 10 of these a day? No sales pitch, no link, no clever JavaScript redirects (congratulations to whoever landed that one on me).

I suppose the next step is installing a CAPTCHA system - it would certainly save me a heck of a lot of time.

I will post again tomorrow about new year's resolutions, a favourite topic at this time of year.

May all your outs be live.

3D Online Poker - The Future?

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 13:01:11 +0000

Taken from 3D Poker Room:

So there are now 4.3 million results on Google for "3d poker". Perhaps that means 2007 is going to be a whole lot different to 2006 when it comes to burning through a few chips at 3am on a Friday night..

Here's some of the big boys from that search on the almighty G:

Personally I haven't played on any of them, but with the lines between TV, DVDs, video games and the internet becoming ever increasingly blurry - I don't think that virtual reality poker is far off.

I have so far avoided the lures of a more physical poker table because I think it will seriously distract me from the mechanics of actually playing the game.

Sites like PKR boast that you can customize your avatar and their actions, which leads to a worrying thought.

Instead of worrying about whether or not the Terminator sitting across the table from me is bluffing or not, I'll be concetrating on how effectively he is disembowelling the puny human sitting beside him.

With more and more players moving offline, will this beefing up of the online scene bring them back? It strikes me as being an effort to make online poker more like offline (or live) poker, to try and make playing online feel less geeky and solitary.

Do you play on the 3D sites? If so, how is it? Do you get distracted by the wittering avatars, or do they bring a much needed sense of realism to the game?

Happy Christmas!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 17:48:22 +0000

To anyone that celebrates this holiday, for reasons of religion (or in my case, cake and beer!):

Happy Christmas!

Enjoy the day, and eat as much as you like :)

Online Poker Is Rigged: Proof!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 22:27:21 +0000

Bet that got your attention eh?

Of course online poker isn't rigged. Besides the obvious point that it's not in the companies interest to rig it (ie, they're already making more than enough money since their costs are virtually nothing), it would be far too complicated to do it properly, and if done properly - we would know about it by now.

I think I've posted about this before, but there was a recent thread on PokerNews forum that cracked me up.

http://www.pokernews.com/poker-forum/topic1448/

This guy has a study of 5,000 hands and was assisted by a physics professor because he is "not that good in math".

Firstly, it's "maths", not "math". You wouldn't say, "I'm studying Mathematic" would you? "Maths" is a shortening of "Mathematics". Just to be clear (and pendantic :) ).

Secondly, 5,000 hands?! That's barely enough to assert whether or not you're a good player, let alone whether a random number generator is random or not. Heck, a real, truly chaotic RNG could produce 1,000 "42"s in a row and still be working properly.

This quote from the poster tickles me even more:

"Well it is rigged and I did my own inverstigation and easily determined that, ONLINE POKER IS LOTTERY POKER!!! UNLESS YOU ARE A SCAMMER! Well guess what I have perfected a scam and am proudly using it to win lot of money now.

I dont even care if you think I am bull shitting here as I recently cashed out 25k on a poker site I will leave unnamed."

So hang on, it's rigged, a scam - and now suddenly you can win and cash out $25,000? Get your story straight man!

If it were that obvious and that easy, we'd all be doing it. I thought these naysayers and unbelievers disappeared ages ago, but apparently they are still alive and kicking.

Shuffle up, (stack the deck) and deal!

Online Poker Ban Part 2

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:12:23 +0000

It seems it's catching.. apparently Germany is now considering implementing a US-style online poker ban, and several other European countries including Spain and Italy are thinking about implementing some regulations so that government can start raking the tables.

Many will probably argue that this is a good thing for the game and that as an industry, we need proper regulation. Correct me if I'm wrong though, but weren't we alright in the first place?

Online poker was booming along at a healthy pace and everyone was making tons of money. It now looks like the slow, out of touch politicians of the world want to get in on the action without learning the intricacies of a good post-oak bluff.

Anyway, whatever happens, I doubt it will have much effect. The internet is almost un-regulable (is that a word?), so players will find a way. Governments who are trying to sanitize the game and make it mainstream (read, get their share of the honey) may end up doing the opposite and pushing it underground.

In more positive news, "like7" outbluffed "qwert987" to take down the Full Tilt $500,000 Sunday Guaranteed, and the Poker Stars Sunday Million prize pool topped $1.3 MILLION. No wonder the fat cats want in.

Poker: Pay To Watch Videos

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:02:04 +0000

So you might have noticed the poll that's going on in the navbar over there.

"Would you ever consider paying for video poker tutorials?"

The results have been mixed: basically it's pretty even across the board, with 20% of people going for "not interested", "no" and even "are you mad?"

I must say I'm surprised by this - or perhaps the question wasn't explained well enough.

The idea is this: poker players like you and me can record our games through sceen recording software. You see these videos (with commentary) on YouTube, Google Video and the like.

There are even coaching programs appearing now in which you sign up to a website and pay a huge fee to watch these videos from one or two online pros.

Some friends and I figured it would be better if you could make your own videos, and charge other people to watch them. This works because pro players are provided with an avenue to teach (and profit!), and us leaners are offered cheap and affordable training from people who really do know what they're talking about.

Anyway, in polls across some of the larger poker forums, we got something like 50% would be happy to pay $10 or so for a video. In my poll we got 24% said "Hell yes", while 16% said maybe. Combined that's a 40%, so I suppose we're not that far off our other results.

We're doing something about this, so keep your eyes peeled in the next few months. Something wicked this way comes... :)

Tumbleweed....

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:43:49 +0000

Cor blimey it's been a long time since I posted.

Life just got on top of me for a while there I think. Poker started seeming like more and more of a job, and I hate jobs just as much as everyone else.

After a long break, I still have just as little time during the day to play, but I at least have an interest in the game again.

I am going to start posting here again, but I won't promise to post every day, since that's a sure fire recipe for failure.

So, starting tomorrow, Barney is back in the building!

Why Am I So Weak?!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:34:56 +0000

Argh.. *gnashing of teeth*... Rarrrr!

So I thought I'd have a crack at recording myself playing. For posterity, for fun, and hopefully to show off. Let's say it didn't go well. The video is a bit shaky, 'cos I'm still getting the hand of recording.

Basically I've come to this conclusion: because I don't play enough poker, I am becoming terrible at it. Plus, I am playing at micro stakes, and becoming deluded into thinking that the way these people play is the *right* way to play.

Therefore, I am playing like a bitch. As is demonstrated in the video..

I think the one good thing to come out of this little videotaping experiment was that it means I can watch the hands back afterwards, and see just how terrible I was.

My most immediate leak is blindingly obvious: I bet weakly, get called, then have to fold to a scary table and an aggressive opponent. But why am I so weak?

I think I'm stuck in the mindset that I'm going to lose. I fully expect to be outdrawn, and I dread.. literally dread seeing people check-call my flop bets. My heart and head sink when I see someone else sticking around to the turn, because so often it hits them and my hand is done.

I try to avoid getting involved with mediocre hands, but then I get blinded out of the picture. I have to get involved, and it often ends up with me being the passive caller of other people's raises. Eventually I can't call because I didn't hit the royal I was waiting for, and so I have to let *another one* go...

I think I want to go back to tournaments. I'm fed up with cash games.

Sunday Million - Biggest Ever

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:05:55 +0000

A massive 6,157 players hit the tables for the PokerStars Sunday Million event yesterday (15th), with the prize pool totalling a staggering $1.2 million dollars.

Hacken walked away with 1st place, and just over $176,000 dollars for his efforts (15% of the total prize fund).

Full Tilt poker had 1,127 players in it's $500,000 guaranteed. The top 108 players shared the prize pool of $563,000, with a first prize of over $125,000, and Ultimate Bet saw 896 players fighting for a top prize of $45,000 in their $200,000 guaranteed.

Altogether the three big boys hosted 8,180 runners with a total prize fund of around $2,000,000. Yes - 2 million dollars. 1st place finishers shared $346,000 between them, while the average entry fee was a teeny tiny $245.

Online poker is illegal huh? Online gambling will come crashing down huh? I'll believe it when I see it :)

Technorati tags: Poker, Online Poker, Texas Holdem, Gambling, PokerStars, Full Tilt, Ultimate Bet

A Stunning, Jaw Dropping Bluff

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:53:44 +0000

Well.. I thought it was.

Here's the hand - my A5 of clubs, all animated and such.

It started out so well. I raised from the button (probably a bit weakly), and thinned the field to me and another geezer, with me in position. The situation is looking good.

The flop looks great, especially after his horribly weak bet. I raise him plenty... and he eventually calls.

Here comes the hard part - the turn is a blank. So I slam a huge stack of chips on the table after his check, and he waits. And waits. And waits some more... then calls off all his money except $0.01 !?!?

Now I know he's only been playing the game for a day. Who calls off their entire stack, leaving 1 small blind?

Was it a terrible bluff? I was steaming a bit from the treachery of the queens before, but I still think given his weakness, it was a good time to be a bully.

Pocket Queen Temptresses

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:45:18 +0000

Two black queens on the first hand, two red queens on the second, and a mix of both after 10 or so.

The first two I don't mind so much, but the monkey on the third who called $0.16 into a pot of $0.39 on the flop with a four flush really narked me.

Even more when he played incredibly badly a few hands later. It happens so often.. I work so hard to scrape a few BB out of the table, then some goon comes along and ruins all my hard work!

I know, I know. It's these donkeys that make the game profitable, but why is it never me that profits from them?

Grumble grumble grumble. Pocket queens 3 times... only won once.

WSOP Not Accepting Online Qualifiers

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:34:51 +0000

According to the ESPN podcast "The Poker Edge" with Phil Gordon and Andrew Feldman, the WSOP will not accept online qualifiers in starting from 2007, thanks to the recent laws banning online gambling in the US.

Basically, Harrah's are not allowing poker sites to buy their players into the WSOP. As a result, Full Tilt are no longer running satellites to the 2007 WSOP, effective immediately!

The immediate reaction to this news is one of a simple workaround - instead of the poker sites buying the players in, they could just credit their accounts with the $10,000 so the players can do it themselves.

Once you've got the $10K though, it's a different matter. I can't imagine what my girlfriend said if I told her I'd just won $10K, but that she couldn't even have a new pair of shoes! Winning entry is one thing, cash is another matter entirely.

I suppose the reason that these sites aren't accepting online entries is so that they are seen to be publically separating themselves from the "law breaking" online gamblers. No reputable company wants to be associated with criminals, obviously (Although it's still up in the air as to whether American players will actually be classed as criminals or not...)

There is a slightly more suspicious side to the whole thing though. It turns out that Harrah's funded Bill Frist's campaign. Does this mean they were pro-banning, or that they simply weren't aware of his viewpoint when they signed the cheques?

I'm not sure it makes business sense for them to be pro-banning... thousands of players coughed up millions of dollars in entry fees this year - entirely from online qualifications. Do they really want to throw that away?

River Call - A Great Play?

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 12:24:16 +0000

Catching A Bluffer In The Act

I am so pleased with this hand. Well actually, I'm not pleased with the check on the river, but I am extremely pleased with my call.

I realised that I've been playing quite weak-passive recently, and it leads me into the dark alley that is fifth street - just like in the hand in question here. I bet, bet, then decide that if my opponent has called so far (considering the odds I've been giving with my bets), he must have some sort of hand that possibly beats me, so I check in the hope that he will want to showdown cheaply.

You're probably reading this going "Arrrghhh.." to yourself, and yes, it's a horrible play to make. I realised I'd done it again this time, and whereas I'd normally fold to his large bet almost instantly - I had had enough.

After thinking through the hand, I realised there was a strong likelihood he was bluffing, since with a very safe looking board, the only scary hand I'm afraid of is two pair. His bet on the river was too large, after showing a lot of weakness by flat calling my previous bets.

I called him on the river, then leapt up from my chair in excitement. Boooya.

Poker Confidence

I haven't been playing as much as I'd like recently, and I've been feeling that the gift of being a half decent player has left me for greener pastures. Some seriously bad timing and a stream of bad luck (like hitting top pair on the flop, betting large and being called by a flusher who hits an overpair on the turn - it happens so often!), coupled with some bad plays and a bit of a dodgy memory means I have felt like I was just throwing money away.

That call has really boosted my confidence, and turned round my opinion of my game. While it still may need work, and it may not be as good as it used to, at least I'm sure that I'm back on the road to rolling around in my millions (of pennies..).

Is It Really That Bad A Play?

A bit of philosophy - many of you are probably saying, "Yeah, nice call. But you shouldn't have been in that difficult spot in the first place!", which is probably exactly what I'd say if I saw the hand posted in a forum somewhere. I KNOW I shouldn't have been in that spot, but by the time I was there - it was too late.

Was it really a bad spot to be in though? Isn't giving our opponents an opportunity to bluff and make mistakes part of the game?

If I'd led the river, he almost certainly would have folded, and I wouldn't have made the extra 20xBB that he chucked over the betting line. I suppose it comes down to my intent - I didn't mean to let him bluff me. If I'd been wanting him to bet, I wouldn't have had a tough decision to make. I didn't want him to bet, so I struggled and ran down my clock. I made the mistake of allowing him to take control of the hand.

I need to start taking more time to think about why I'm betting (or feebly checking!) again. To the tables!

Poker, Money, Sex!?

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:23:50 +0000

This guy cracks me up. I'm not sure why, but this video has me in stitches. Perhaps it's his manic dancing, or perhaps it's the slightly childlike way he grins at the camera for moronic approval from fellow pimply online YouTubers (yes.. like me).

Anyway, cyber9rounder plays lots of poker, and has a few videos of himself multitabling. Then there's this odd one thrown in.

Enjoy! Oh, and is it just me that finds this sort of thing funny? Come on.. own up.

A couple of others worth watching:

Oh, one more thing before I go. Check out the latest poll - I'd very much appreciate your opinion... :)

An Unexpected Check Raiser...

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:07:01 +0000

So I was intent on dominating some cash tables for a while. It didn't happen that way though.. I kept getting out flushed, out kicked, and generally out flopped (QQ < 55 on a 58T flop. Bah).

All in all an uneventful session, exception for this hand in the BB.

I start with J6o, not a great holding but it was a free flop, which came down JJ5. Wonderful!

So I check with the intention of a hairy great check-raise... and right enough, the button bets but just as I'm smiling to myself, the small blind throws in a hefty check raise!

Now I'm perplexed. What does he have? What does the button have?

The button

Chances are the button has nothing. He was having a pop at the pot, and it backfired. He may have a 5, or a flush draw, or even some overcards. Either way, his bet wasn't indicative of much strength, since a very strong hand would have checked there (like I did).

So I can discount the button.

The small blind

Which leaves this bad boy. My first thought was that he was re-stealing. Then I decided that $0.01/$0.02 tables aren't relly the place that re-stealing happens very often, so he is more likely to be semi-bluffing.

If he is semi bluffing, what's he doing it with? A flush draw would be a good candidate, or even an overpair. He raised plenty, so I'm not sure he wants a call. Of coruse, he could be holding the last Jack, but that's unlikely.

So I've decided he's either stealing or semi bluffing, and most likely doesn't have me beat - although he played the hand exactly as I was intending to with my Jack.

So what to do?

I can:

a) Fold: Not going to happen. Not a chance, no way I'm letting go of this beauty.
b) Call: Eurgh. If I call, I haven't found anything out about my hand, I'm giving him another chance to bet me off, and if the flush hits, I may have to fold.
c) Raise: Much better.

A good raise will tell me what I need to know, but unfortunately the pot at this point is so bloated that I'm going to have to shove and hope for the best. If I do, the check raising small blind will have 1.7-1, which isn't enough to call for the flush draw.

An overpair might call (especially given my long think), and another Jack would certainly call. So.. shoving looks nice, but didn't feel easy to do.

The result

I won't spoil it, but go and watch the hand and see what happens, then come back and tell me why I should quit poker because I'm rubbish. :)

FREE Pokerbility Odds Calculator

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:54:45 +0000

"You need Pokerbility. Pokerbility is a poker odds calculator, one that uses the patent-pending CombiCalc... Calculation Method in order to provide you with the most accurate, real-time poker advice applicable to each and every hand. It will run with most poker rooms right on your desktop, as your pro level partner."

"Pokerbility helps you win by providing poker advice derived from game simulations and probability calculations, adjusted for your style of play and the quality of your table. If you plan on winning then you need the poker edge called Pokerbility."

Yes it's got a bit of a silly name, and while it's not the prettiest piece on the market, it does do it's job and supports tons of different sites.

Plus, you can get it free - click on the flashy banner above and follow the instructions on the site to get hold of your free copy. It won't empty your pockets, and it's worth a go if it costs nothing, right?

On with the poker

I've decided. Today, I am going to NAIL cash games. I want to hit $20 by this evening... or else. Watch out micro limiters, prepare to hand me your bus fare! Muhahaha.

Mountains Of Cash. Sort Of.

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 15:40:58 +0000

I finally had a good day at the poker cash tables. I realised while I was playing that I'd become a bit worried about going all-in, since i usually lose to a better made hand or get drawn out on. Of course, this is the newbie fish in me that's talking, since the seasoned pro knows that what goes around comes around and that it's all a matter of odds. Right.

It didn't start out so well though. Flopping a straight is good, but getting runner runnered is a beast. It was the first hand of the table, so I figured I should defend my blinds, especially at the 5-1 odds I was getting on my T7o. That's the sort of hand (ie, his call on the turn) that makes me worry about going all in.

Anyhoo, I didn't let it get the better of me though, and I soldiered on. On a different table, I had an over-pusher. I'd watched him shove all in at least 3 times in the last ten minutes, so figured he could probably be taken down. So I waited... for this beautiful AQo. I crossed my fingers, and he shoved. Muhahahahah! Ship it.

Things were picking up. And they continued to pick up with a huge flush. Watching it back in the replayer, I realised I made a pretty loose call on the flop, calling 0.04c into a 0.10c pot with a four flush. At the time, I figured that the guy behind me would call, and then at least one of them would pay me off.. so I peeled one off. Turns out the guy behind me folded, and I was lucky enough that the bettor hit his second pair.. but - what comes around goes around.

At this point I went on a little rush of hands over my 4 tables. Picking up top pair, top two and better, I decided to call a fairly large preflop raise with 66. Good thing I did, because my third 6 landed. Checking the hand history after I stacked the guy, I noticed he was holding AA...

The very next hand, guess what I've got? Yup - AA. Guess who I stack again? Oh yeah, the same guy. The irony almost knocked me off my seat :)

There were a few other hands of interest, but I think I'd like to savour the glory of my bankroll reaching a magnificent $16.50 for a little while longer. I will post some of the strategic hands tomorrow though.. well, a couple of confusing plays from micro stakers anyway, plus a (bad?) bluff from me.

A Peek Into The Big Leagues

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 13:00:12 +0000

I've always wondered how much the big guys (Gus Hansen, Mike Matusow, Phil Ivey, John Juanda etc) were making (or losing!) online. Now it seems, we have a small insight into their bankrolls.

David Benyamine has a blog, although I'm not sure if it's really him or not. On the blog, he posts some rather interesting stats.

Big Earners

For example, he has lists of big earners on Full Tilt and Ultimate Bet, which I'll repeat here (for more stats on Omaha games and for Ultimate Bet, visit David's blog):

FullTiltPoker

Limit Texas hold'em
Name			Balance		Hands
serefecheers,		+$384k,		8427
TexasLimitKing, 	+$360k, 	10,559
John D'Agostino, 	+$208k,		22,245
eastsideslim, 		+$169k, 	4392
reztes757, 		+$131k, 	15,788
Skywalker1709, 		-$295k, 	5057
mrnutz (Thomas Keller), -$199k, 	2500
David Oppenheim, 	-$146k, 	1810


No-limit Texas hold'em
Name			Balance		Hands
sbrugby, 		+$348k, 	26,948
dsindy, 		+$271k, 	20,271
wuddacooler, 		+$196k, 	11,877
Prahlad Friedman, 	+$182k, 	15,137
Patrik Antonius, 	+$177k, 	154
Mike Matusow, 		-$272k, 	36,693
possibly Tuan Le, 	-$270k, 	1148
ballsrider, 		-$173k, 	225

What strikes me is not so much the amount they're winning, but their win rate per hand. The limit players vary more ($45, $34, $9, $38 and $8) over the no-limit players, who are roughly even ($12, $13, $16, $12), with the exception of Patrik Antonius who has an astounding rate of $1149 per hand! Still, he did only play 154 hands, so it doesn't really count as a sensible measurement.

Limit appears to be much more profitable per hand, with an average over these players of $26 compared to the no-limit average of $13 (not taking Patrik into account, or any of the losing players). Of course, the sample size is by no means large enough to put any weight behind these numbers. It is interesting though.. I'd always seen NLHE as the way forward - but after discussing FL on a few blogs, and now seeing this... I'm changing my mind.

The other thing that strikes me is this: if they're losing or winning that much, how big must the bankroll be!?

Bigger than I can comprehend, that's for sure.

The Pros

I don't want to copy too much from David's blog, but check out these pitures (click to make them larger in a new window):

David's Omaha stats, over 10 days.

Top 5 Omaha winners on Full Tilt, over 10 days.

Wow. There really IS money in poker! I wonder what these stats will look like in a few months.. thanks to the US government.

Perhaps like this? The pros on Full Tilt over 10 days. Just goes to show, we all have losing streaks now and then!

The US Gambling Ban

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 20:07:13 +0000

A long post today. Please note, I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not qualified to give advice. What follows is not advice, just my opinion. Take it lightly, and with plenty of salt. Thanks.

Overview Of The Bill

I won't go into detail, as a decent search of the web will provide lots of resources and probably the bill itself, but basically some members of the US government has been trying to push through a law that will prohibit gambling on the internet for US citizens.

The Safe Ports Act (H.R. 4954), which contains the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, is expected to be signed into law by President Bush on Friday, October 13th.

Clearly, this has some important implications - both to players, businesses and the game and it's community as a whole.

A Quick Summary Of The Bill

The act basically prohibits anyone engaged in the process of betting and wagering from knowingly accepting money associated with internet gambling. This suggests that it is designed to target the poker site operators, rather than individual players - since they're a lot easier to get hold of and prosecute.

If we can't deposit or cashout, we can't play, BUT - the bill doesn't specifically say that our actions as a player are prohibited. I'm not a lawyer though, so I'm entirely unqualified to give advice on this sort of thing. Don't sue me! :)

Poker Site Reactions

There's a decent sized list of offical responses from various poker rooms at PokerAnalysis, and (about halfway down the page), some more responses on TexasHoldem-Poker.

If you can't find the site you're after, the best thing is to search their official website, or contact their support.

Sites that are closing US accounts: William Hill, Royal Card Room, Victor Chandler, i4poker.com, B2B Poker Network, Purple Lounge, PKR Poker, Poker Champs, Party Poker, Pacific Poker, Dreampoker 7 states,BetFred, PokerBike, Piggs Casino, Mummys Gold, InterCasino, VIP Casino, InterBingo, InterPoker, Sunpoker, Titan poker 3 states, EUROBET, Betfair, Littlewoods

Sites that are keeping US accounts: Cakepoker, Absolute poker, and Poker.com amongst others. Check the official reactions for more info.

How It Affects YOU

Assuming that as players, we're still within the law - it is the payment processors that will suffer. Companies like NETTeller and WebDollar will have to choose whether or not to stop handling US players monies.

Of course, NETTeller at least isan offshore company, so technically doesn't fall under the influence of the act. They may still choose to stop working with US customers though, just to be on the safe side and to save themselves some hassle.

The best thing to do is to keep an eye on the news, and make sure you only play on European sites and move your money around using European or non-US payment companies. As long as the general consensus that has been reached by the community that the act of playing in itself is not illegal, we should be ok.

There is talk of fraudulently altering your address on poker sites, and even using IP blocking tools to mask your location. Don't go there. We will fight this silliness legally.

The Future Of Online Poker

The three major immediate implications I can see are these:

Disruption - there's a 270 day period where the US politicians figure out a way to enforce the act. It may end up being un-enforceable.. or too expensive. Hope springs eternal. During this time there will be lots of confusion which will lead to a loss of business by all.
Loss of confidence - confusion inevitably leads to suspicion and fear (and the dark side!), so expect the word "poker" to again be associated intimately with huge debts, the devil and crack addictions.
Backlash - the big players in the community, both pros, amateurs and providers are not going to take this lightly. Expect lots of litigation.

In the long term? Poker will simply move out of America. Companies will move to international waters where they are not subject to US law, and payment processors will do the same. Of course.. the US will then probably attempt to ban the actual playing of poker, not just the financial mechanisms.

Are Poker Sites Still Allowed?

There are still some uncertanties about whether hosting poker sites or acting as a poker affiliate is prohibited. I'm not bothered, since my site is hosted in the UK, and I'm a UK resident - but I can imagine there would be a lot of fuss if such things are banned. Keep an eye on the news, and on this blog - if something breaks, I'll try to get it up as quick as I can.

Let's Do Something About It

So, let's try to sort it out before it gets any more out of hand. The Poker Player's Alliance is fighting hard against this tyrannical abuse of law, so we should all get behind them.

Thanks to the users of PokerAnalysis, 2+2, TexasHoldem-Poker, PokerForums, and PokerJunkie.

And I Thought 5 Tables Was Hard...

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 11:03:39 +0000

We know that multi-tabling makes poker go "faster", in the sense that you get to be a part of more action since you have more chance to get playable situations (not cards!), but this is insane.

I've heard of pros 10-tabling SNGs but to play 20!? Madness.

I find my limit for cash games is 3. Any more than that and I can't stay on top of the action and I end up timing out a lot of the time, or not having enough seconds on the clock to make a good decision. This might be because I play short handed though.. I would guess that with full 10-max tables I could probably manage 5 or so simultaneously.

Of course, there is the added incentive that playing multi tables will increase your profits proportionally. In theory, if you make 1xBB at 1 table, you'll make 10xBB playing 10 tables. It's never that easy though, is it?

I enjoy spotting heavy multi-tablers at my micro cash games though. They're the ones I can push around more easily, since they often are flicking between several games and so may not be keeping as close of an eye on me. Bigger bets seem to take down more pots, since they know that they can sit and wait for the next good hand - which isn't far off if you've got 20 windows open!

If the chances of being dealt AA is 220-1 at a single table, at 20 tables (playing hand for hand) the chances of getting AA drops to 11-1. Rockets every 11 hands - brilliant :)

5 Links Every Poker Player Needs

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 15:39:29 +0000

Poker is all about pressing your skill, your edge, your competitive advantage. If you have an edge over your opponents, in the long run you will be a more profitable player than them. So, various tools have appeared helping online players do just that.

These tools include software add-ons like PokerOffice, PokerTracker etc, that track and record your play - then present you with lovely graphs showing your profits, losses, best hand, worst hands, best times of day and so on.

They also include odds calculators, automatic advice engines and entire e-courses devoted to instructing you step by step in the art of profitable poker. BUT.. the stuff I want to mention below brings a new level of detective-ness into your play. Behold, the power of the internet :)

Live Online Tournament Lists

These sites display a live, real-time list of tournaments that are starting across dozens of sites, all on one screen. You can sort and filter the tournaments that are shown, and can then click through to join the site.

It would be really cool if there was a link you could click to automatically register for the tournament.. but that would probably require having an account with the listing site - and them in turn knowing your poker site username/passwords. And that's not a good thing.

Tournament Monitor
A fairly old and well established site that appears to offer up it's feed of tournaments for other webmasters to embed within their own sites. Very generous indeed.
Chrono Poker
A new kid on the block, has an impressive list of sites and a decent sorting mechanism. Very clean and easy to use.
Poker Listings
A large list of sites but main focussing on larger buy ins with larger payouts.

So something for everyone. As we all know, table selection in ring games is vitally important. I reckon MTT selection is just as important - so these sites let us shop around for the best deal.

Another suggestion for the owners of these sites - is there any way to show the results of recent tournaments that have finished? It would be great to give an idea of field sizes, duration, prizepools, payouts etc.

Playing Tracking And Statistics

The other field of tool that is a million times more beneficial is that of public player stats. The software applications listed above (like PokerOffice) will provide you tremendously detailed stats of your own play, but these websites will show some stats about your opponents!

Sharkscope
Shows stats on SNG results on PokerStars. Draws lots of lovely graphs, but the free version only allows 5 searches per day.
The Poker DB
Shows stats for MTT results on PokerStars, PartyPoker, UltimateBet and Full Tilt. You have to register, but it's free and you can see recent cashes that players have made.
Tournament Reporter.com - now deceased, unfortunately.

These things are great. Especially Sharkscope, and especially while I've been hammering the SNGs on 'Stars. It's so cool to hit a final table and know that 5 of the other 8 players are fish! It's a shame you can only have 5 searches a day, but if you know what a proxy is, you may be able to get a few more. That's all I'm saying, since I don't want to be accused of hacking Sharkscope. Eeek!

Anyway.. now there's no excuse for not being able to find a good game, or not knowing that your opponent was a shark. Go get 'em!

Top 5 Fashion Accessories

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 12:10:34 +0000

This week I decided that I would tap into my feminine side and maybe let loose with some fashion tips.

With the huge TV coverage that the WSOP is getting these days, it is becoming more and more a place for people to show off their poker fashion tastes. I found a few little nuggets that you shouldn't be without, either at the casino or at your local home game.

Greg Raymer's snake eye glasses - The big man wore them when he played the WSOP in 2004, and he won! Imagine wearing these at your home game.. imagine the look on your friend's faces when you pull these bad boys out and whack them on, then stare them into the ground. Awesome.

Classic poker visor - Green, tinted, looks like you should be wearing dungarees to go with it - marvellous. If you're dealing for the night because you're too drunk to make sensible poker decisions, slap this on your head and really play the part. Shuffle up and deal!

World Poker Tour hat - There are very few players on TV now that play without some sort of headgear, whether it's a visor,a hoodie, a cowboy hat or a balaclava. The favourite is still a good old standard cap though. Pull it low and conceal your eyes and your tell-tale "I've got KINGS!" expression.

Silver quad aces cufflinks - If you're the rich fancy smart type, these little beauties are bound to put a little bit of extra fear into your opponents. Make sure you flash them when you reach out and raise the quivering mess at the end of the table who calls himself "Phil".

The ultimate boxer shorts - Alright, so no-one can see them (unless you get really lucky!), but you'll know they're there. The poker gods will surely shine on someone who keeps them so close to their heart.. or crotch. Either way, it's a great means for distracting people while you rail their chips.

For the geeks

For the online geeks that don't get out (ie, me), or are too young to get into casinos (ie, not me), or have too few friends to host a home game (ie, me) - there is a way you can spice up your poker life too. And you're going to love it.

Software!

PokerAcademy - Widely respected as the best training package around. You can play against world leading artificially intelligent bots and be continually offered advice on how best to play. You can edit your opponents skills to make them tougher (or worse, if you want to practise against donkeys!), and then you can thoroughly analyse everything afterwards.

Stacked - Brought to you by Daniel Negreanu himself, Stacked is similar to PokerAcademy, and uses some of the same AI to drive the computer opponents, but it's packed with audio commentary and advice from Daniel. It also features many other pros, such as Evenlyn Ng, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Harmon, David Williams, Josh Arieh and Carlos Mortenson. What more could you want!

WSOP Champions - A story based game, where you play the part of a new protege of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. You will test your skills in small circuit events before hoping for an invite to the WSOP Tournament Of Champions. Crammed with more pros - Joseph Hachem, Scotty Nguyen, TJ Cloutier, Antonio Esfandiari and Jennifer Tilly amongst others, it's a wonderful immersive experience.

And if that wasn't enough, there's plenty more poker software for you to choose from.

Enjoy!

September Progress

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 10:41:37 +0000

In one word - pants.

I've been sorting out university and doing lots of work so I just haven't had time for the amount of poker I wanted.

With that said, I haven't done terribly - I'm down $0.40c in my SNG stash, and broke even (exactly!) on the cash stash. It was a bit up and down (as you can see from the graph below), but I ended up all square so I'm not too bothered.

It's disappointing to get up to almost $15 and then end up back where I started though. I only played 2 SNGs, so I won't even bother posting the spreadsheet for that - just know that I finished 14/45 and 7/45 (and ITM of 50%!) and only lost $0.40c.

2006 WSOP Controversy

Anyway.. in other news, there's plenty of controversy raging over this year's WSOP ME.

Firstly, there was the 2 million extra chips that were accidentally introduced during the chip demonination change up in the late stages. WSOP Directory of Communications Gary Thompson issued this statement:

"We are taking this matter very seriously and are conducting an internal investigation. As soon as that investigation is complete, we'll have more information to share [...]"

It has taken them over a month so far, and various news sites are starting to subtly imply that something fishy is going on - mentioning reviewing security tapes and interviewing floor staff. Was it a big conspiracy to help out a player or two?

The same problem also occurred in at least one of the other tournaments - $2000 NLHE. Daniel Negreanu mentioned the skills of the floor staff on his blog:

"Some of the floor staff did a wonderful job with this year's WSOP, while others were not qualified to run a lemonade stand [...]"

Jamie Gold Can Only Have $6 million

And on top of it all, some guy called Bruce Leyser is claiming that Jamie Gold promised half his winnings to him. Since Jamie took first.. that means he owes Leyser $6 million!

Harrah's has frozen the prize fund, and is happy to release half to Jamie, while allowing time for Jamie's legal team to challenge the case. Leyser has a text message saved on his phone in which Gold pledges the 50/50 share, which alledgedly arrived on final table day.

If you won $12 million, would you try to back out of share deals you'd made? What if no-one would ever know? If Leyser is making it all up, it is a dark day for poker indeed.

Cor Blimey, Thats Pretty!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 17:18:09 +0000

Note to self: Fix blog so it doesn't crash when there's an apostrophe in the title. Would save hours of wasted re-typing.

Anyway... hello! Yes it is indeed pretty. If you hadn't noticed, the blog has had a bit of an overhaul, with some fairly sizeable improvements:

1. Design - isn't it lovely? Check this weeks poll in the right navbar to let me know what you think. Speaking of which...

2. Polls - in the right navbar. Please do vote on them, it'll be great to run some decent surveys of consumer opinion.

3. Search - it actually does something useful now! Like searching the blog!

4. Hand replayer - a bit smaller, much prettier and will sit 10 people. I'm also hoping to have it handle many many more sites, but I'm waiting for some people to get back to me on that.

5. RSS - there's now loads of little webby buttons that technies can click to syndicate, aggregate and combobulate the blog posts.

6. Er... - that's it. Oh, I added a contact page to tell you my email address. And er.. fixed the "report abuse" comment links so that search engines don't click them every time they come through here. Argh!

There's still a couple of things to do (like creating an RSS feed for each post), but I'll get around to that when I get around to it.

And now I'm off to toss some pennies down the drain at the cash tables. Or I might have a pizza. Perhaps I should start a poll to decide?

Ciao!

Funny Poker Round-Up

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:08:42 +0000

After yesterday's rather all too serious post about the psychological and emotional side of poker at the tables, today is a bit lighter.

Here's a list of fun stuff that's poker related for you to look at. So enjoy, laugh, wet your pants (if that's your thing), then go back to work!

Blind Man's Bluff

Chris Moneymaker takes down another prestigious WSOP title.

A Short History Of Fish

A hilarious read from a poster at 4KingPoker. It's a nice forum, but a bit quiet - so get over there and make some noise!

The Bubble Takes It's Toll

This weeks edition of a fairly new poker comic, +EV. It's had mixed reviews, but I enjoy it.

How To Cheat

A wicked little guide on how best to cheat at the table, and get one over on your mates.

Poker + Fashion = T-Shirts!

I always have a tough time deciding what to wear at the table, but Funny Poker T-Shirts should make it a lot easier. Some real gems in there!

A Lathe?!

I couldn't resist this little beauty. Not really poker related, but at least it's on a poker forum, and it's one of the funniest things I've ever read.

So there you have it folks, enjoy your little break from the monotony of work (or the tables), then go back feeling refreshed, revitalised and ready to shoot some fish.

Moodswings At The Table

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:37:57 +0000

Poker is a funny old game isn't it? Some days I love it, some I hate it. Some I can think of nothing I'd rather do than sit and play for hours on end, and some days I can barely stand the thought of looking at another deck of cards.

But, I want to make something from my poker "career" (hah!), so I'm sticking to playing as often as I can for now. I (still) don't really have large enough chunks of time to play tourneys, so I'm stuck with the cash. Today wasn't too bad, but it had it's ups and downs.

It's really hard to avoid the mindset of "Oh balls, nothing is hitting. I have a bazillion outs and, typical, I missed them all. I'm destined to lose, and I'm constantly scared that even when I have a good hand I'm going to get drawn out on". This sort of thing leads to passive scared poker, which is seriously detrimental to my bankroll.

Over the last few sessions, I've let myself get a bit too concerned over the money, and so I become wrapped up in how much I'm losing. As I often tell other players, poker and money are not the same thing! So I'm trying extra hard to play as objectively and clear-headedly as I can.

Todays hands are all about how a player's mood can easily be swung by the oddities of poker.

The hand that started it all - Qs9s from the small blind. Again, I have a bazillion outs that don't hit and it costs me. It's these situations that I should be raising back and playing my semi-bluffs, but I am having trouble pulling the trigger. I end up losing some cash, and being grumpy about it.

Next comes a some goon that thinks his hand is good after lots of action from me with KK. Unfortunately, I can't hold it up (even though I'm waaaaay in front) and I get stacked. Grrrrrrr...!

Now here's an interesting one. AQ in late position, so I raise it up. Normally I raise between 3xBB and 5xBB, but on average I got for 4xBB. This is more than I would like to raise, but it seems any other size earns you a squillion callers, as seen in this hand. Now the flop looks great.. but I'm seriously concerned about that much action, so I fold.

Was it inspired? Or stupid? I think I'm behind most of the time, if not to a made hand then at least to a couple of combi-draws. Anyway, I was happy with it and it turned my mood around.

Finally! What better way to round off the summary than with a triumphant AA, my favourite kind. Not a lot to be said about this really, except - my god I love it when donkeys call. And lose. When they call and win I put it down to the work of Satan, and then throw Holy Coffee over my laptop in a vain attempt to dispel the daemons. It hasn't worked yet...

I need something to help me stay calm and focused at the (virtual) table. Perhaps whale music.. or the mating call of a donkey on heat. Who knows?

At Last... An RSS Feed

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 12:45:22 +0000

Ooooh, two posts in one day! Well, I had to share this: I've had a couple of readers ask about RSS feeds.. but since I wrote this blog software myself, there wasn't one.

Well now there is. I was going to save this for the upcoming facelift that we're having, but I couldn't resist it. You can see a nifty new button at the bottom of the navbar that says "Entries RSS", with a flashy little orange icon. Click it!

The savvy among you will have noticed that it says "Entries RSS", implying that there will be more different RSS feeds later on. Indeed there will, clever reader :)

I've also set up "automatic feed discovery" on this page, plus I've subscribed to FeedBurner, so my new burned URL is http://feeds.feedburner.com/All-InPokerBlog. I'm not sure what this does for me, but everyone else seems to be doing it.

If you haven't noticed already, I'm a bit new to this whole feed thing. The script I wrote will show the latest 10 blog entries - is that the norm? Also, can anyone shed some light on what else I'm supposed to do with FeedBurner or anything else?

Cheers.

Had A Bad Beat? Sue Someone!

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:18:00 +0000

Had a bad beat? Why not sue someone? Everyone else is...

Shana Hiatt sues WPT

Shana Hiatt is undoubtedly one of the hottest poker presenters around. She's gorgeous, natural in front of the camera and can make interviews with even the most dull players exciting. Unfortunately, we haven't seen her on our screens since Spring 2005 when she left WPT claiming that her colleages had created a "hostile working environment" by spreading rumours about her.

Well now she's back. And trying to get a job with NBC, until WPT's CEO Steve Lipscomb stepped in and contacted NBC on her behalf, stating that she was still under an anti-competition contract and so was not legally allowed to work for direct competitors to the WPT.

Shana has filed her complaint (to be heard on October 17th this year) stating that a) she never signed such a waiver, and b) her contractual obligations to the WPT expired on September 11th 2006, so she should be free to do as she pleases in her career. She is seeking an injunctive order and damages. Fingers crossed that Shana gets what she deserves, and she deserves her freedom (and some more money, of course :).

Top pros sue WPT

This isn't the first time that the WPT has been on the receiving end however. Back in July of this year they were sued by 7 very high profile players, including Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, Joe Hachem (2005 WSOP ME champion), Greg Raymer (2004 WSOP ME champion), Phil Gordon, and Annie Duke. They alleged that the WPT and its partner casinos have unlawfully conspired to eliminate competition, and violated the intellectual property rights of these players.

The issue is that the WPT force players to sign a waiver releasing all rights to the player's image, likeness and name for use in promotional purposes. "This is the anti-trust equivalent of identity theft" noted Jeffrey Kessler, lead attorney on the case. The suit is looking to remove such contracts from the WPT, or at least have them made more suitable and agreeable to all.

Damn straight too. The WPT is taking advantage of the fact that poker is an emerging industry, and is using anti-competitive tactics to secure itself as a major player. Microsoft didn't get away with it, and they shouldn't either.

Harrah's sues former employee

Well, now Harrah's casino is getting involved in the sueing game too.

In 2004, Harrah's casino bought out Binion's (the original home of the WSOP), and so acquired the tournament as well. Since then, they have pursued an aggressive marketing campaign to build the tournament into the success and brand that it is today. There's only one thing left - "wsop.com".

A former employee of the casino, Federico Schiavio, directed the IT department at the HorseShoe and bought the domain a year before Harrah's takeover, and current uses the website for something entirely unrelated to the WSOP. The suit claims he is unfairly profiting from Harrah's brand, and demands that ownership of the domain be transferred to them, as well as damages.

This sort of thing happens a fair bit online - someone will buy a domain name, then sit on it ("cyber-squatting") until a buyer comes along. They then charge exorbitant prices and are usually sued. In many recent cases, if the owner can be proved to have no reason for wanting the domain other than to resell it at a high price, transferrance of ownership is normally forced. Thank god. I hate squatters.

Time will tell if it will happen in this case.. Federico IS using the domain for a real purpose, and has been doing so for many years. Is it fair and ethical to take it away just because a big company wants it? I don't think so. I remember a case a few years back of Jaguar (the car company) sueing a little girl because she had a website about jaguars (the big cats). They won. The little girl cried. It wasn't fair.

PokerPlayer Magazine Free Issue

contact@allinpokerblog.co.uk () — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:06:04 +0000

Hands up those who read poker magazines regularly.

You don't? But they're so cool! They tell you about current poker news - what's going on in the live and online worlds of poker all around world, legislation, about recent large tournament results - so if you had a bet on someone you can see if you won or not, they give you special offers into private tournaments usually with large added value prize pools... and so on.

There are a few around - Inside Edge, WPT Magazine and even a new one called Woman Poker Player, but my favourite is definitely PokerPlayer. Firstly, is so cheap! Secondly, it always give an honest view of anything it's journalists cover - if a new site or card room is rubbish, they'll tell it like it is.

It's full of strategy advice, chip tricks, interviews with pros, upcoming events, special offers, letters, competitions.. I could go on. I enjoyed it so much, I've got a subscription from the lovely people over at iSubscribe.co.uk, who have over 1,500 titles in stock to choose from. You never know, you might uncover a gem - if you do, don't forget to let us know!

Free money! I'm giving it away!

I had a bit of a rough day on the cash tables yesterday, and lost a buy in. It started so well with KK, and stayed going well with AK but then it started going downhill a bit with AT. I don't mind the AT so much, but afterwards I thought I should've raised the turn. Not sure whether he would've laid it down, but it would've made the call on the flop more profitable.

Once that happened, I was soon in the stream at the bottom of the hill after failing to profit with KQ, 66 (after hitting a set!), and then finally T4. The last call I thought I was ahead most of the time, with the bettor pushing with top pair or rockets.

I just didn't seem to hit much, then I got stung badly with some half decent hands. I find it really hard to accept losses in cash games at the moment, probably because I'm playing with such a tiny bankroll (6 buy ins). If I drop from 100xBB to even 80xBB, I feel like I've lost loads and then I tighten up and start making silly decisions.

Still, I suppose I'm going to have to keep struggling along in this minefield.. I shouldn't grumble really, I always tell grumblers that the fish are:

Everywhere.
Bad players, therefore easy to beat.
What makes the game profitable.

So stop grumbling Barney, and suck it up.