Blog, Poker

Change Directions

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…

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Blog, Poker

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…

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Blog, Poker

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….

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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…

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Blog, Poker

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…

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Blog, Poker

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…

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Blog, Poker

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…

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Blog, Reno

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…

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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…

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