Author: Howard Hian
Must Read….
Can’t wait to start this new book by David Clary! Look for it at Amazon.
Prop Players
In order to fill seats at a poker table, some casinos/card rooms allow their staff members (including managers) to sit in on a game. This is an example of a “prop” player. It’s short for proposition and their function is to get games started and/or keep them going when a table is short-handed. Most often, when the table fills up,…
Harrah’s and the LINQ Promenade
Check out what Harrah’s and the LINQ Promenade add to the ever-evolving Las Vegas Strip.
Chop
In Omaha high-low, it is fairly common to split the pot equally for the winning high and low hands. When hands tie and a pot is divided up, that is called a chop. In Omaha, it is typically quartering the low (it rarely happens with the high end). When tournaments allow the prize pool to be chopped, it can take…
Harrah’s Poker Room – Las Vegas
My 9-10 suited put me #1 in the morning tournament. A 10 on the turn, sealed the hand. Harrah’s is a comfortable, well-run poker room with about 50% locals (always a good sign). My new good luck shirt is from Craghoppers (solar shield and quick dry – perfect for Las Vegas).
Set Over Set
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…
Scoop
Scoop – In Omaha High-Low (AKA, Omaha 8-or-Better) it’s when one player wins the entire pot vs. splitting it. It can happen in two ways: the winner has both the best high and low hands or there is no qualifying low. Let’s look at some approximate numbers. Before any given Omaha deal, there is more than a 60% chance of a…
Rabbit Hunting…A Rant
Not sure how you feel about “rabbit-hunting” but, to me, it’s annoying and slows down the game. “Rabbit-hunting” is when a player (who folded) asks to see the turn and/or river. Why? To see if they made a good fold or should have stayed in. Do they feel better or worse? Yes, if it was a good fold. No, if…
Losing Streaks
Recently, I read a Tweet from iconic Hold ‘em champion Doyle Brunson. Wrapping up 2016, Texas Dolly said it was his first losing year in 15. My first thought was wow! And then a couple of things popped into my mind. He obviously keeps track of his wins and losses. Do you? If not, you should. Then I wondered about…