Shortly before the pandemic, I played in a tournament at one of the most interesting tables I’ve ever experienced; loose calls, no regard to position, and testosterone-fueled aggression. What to do? I simply shut down, relaxed, played only super premium hands, and let the uber-warriors knock each other out. And, they did. I basically folded my way stress-free to…
Tag: hold ’em
Continuation Bet
The increasingly popular continuation bet, also known as a C-bet, is a wager after the flop (no matter the cards dealt) from the pre-flop raiser. It’s most effective when done in position and usually clears the field when your opponents do not connect. It’s a good strategy because if you check, everyone gets a free card. When isn’t it a…
Think it over
A great quote from a cowboy trucker I ran into in Mesquite, NV. “I play poker so I don’t have to gamble and I play Omaha so I don’t have to play poker.” I agree….
Playing Short Stacked
I’ve been in a home game for over 25 years. There’s a $50 buy-in and rebuys can occur when your chip stack is less than $10. The other night, the host asked me if I’d like more chips and I replied, “No, I like playing short-stacked.” I started thinking about why. Of course, one doesn’t like getting into that position…
A Set or Trips?
I’m often amazed that many Hold ‘em players don’t know the difference between a set and trips. Although they both are three of a kind, a set is two hole cards matching a card on the board. Trips occur when one hole card matches two cards on the board. Think of it this way: all squares are rectangles, but rectangles…
July Tournament Schedule At Casino 99
Cool off with nine drafts on tap, as well as over 30 craft beers available by the bottle. Howard Hian, Editor
Tells
A tell is a physical action that sometimes or inadvertently indicates what a player is going to do or what cards he/she is holding. Extreme examples would be folding out of turn (the ultimate and really easy to spot!) or betting/raising out of turn indicating excitement. However, there are lots in between. Advanced players/pros also look for betting patterns. An…
Set Over “Set”
A recent tournament found me on the short end of an all-in hand. Someone said, “Tough to lose set over set.” To be precise, it was set over trips. There is a big difference, but over the years the terms set and trips have become interchangeable (incorrectly). A set is when a pair in the hole matches a card…
Ambling and Gambling
Nevada’s nickname is “The Silver State,” and is home to a casino resort on my list of favorite places to stay and play…The Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno. Ambling Hotels have their own personality so, after my speedy check-in, I wandered around to catch the vibe. I discovered restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, bars/nightclubs, the casino, race/sports book, and the…
How Do You Play Pocket Aces?
A Cooler and Good Advice. In a recent tournament in the new poker room at the Silver Legacy Casino Resort in Reno, I was first to act and picked up pocket aces. I slow played them and four others called. The flop came 2-Q-8 rainbow. After two checks before me, I raised 1/2 the pot. To my surprise, I was…