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…
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…
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….
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…
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…
Cool off with nine drafts on tap, as well as over 30 craft beers available by the bottle. Howard Hian, Editor
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…
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…
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…
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…