For starters, you need to be honest with yourself about why you are playing in any particular game. Do you want to actually learn about the game? Looking to polish your tricks? Want to win some money, or just having a good time with your friends?

You also need to question your own mindset and demeanor. If you are too stressed out, it’s time to step away.

Phil makes a good call but gets drawn out on by Brian.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The whole Full Tilt Poker discussion in the comments is so stupid.

Anyway, add not making any flushes except for when someone else has me beat and I’m good.

Oh… One more: pocket jacks. Flop TJK rainbow. I bet right out afraid of all sorts of straight draws and hoping for someone to have flopped two pair. I get called. Turn it a blank and I bet out the pot. Get re-raised all-in and call. Had KT. K rolls off on the river.

Good stuff, innit?

I’ll give you the rundown of a hand I almost cried about.

I have AK suited under the gun and I raise 4BB. I flop the nuts with QJT with two of my suit too so I’m on the royal draw on a jellyroll. I bet out knowing one guy behind me is a calling station — bet 70% pot. I get two callers. Turn is a blank and I check. Player behind me bets and I shove all in for about two pots. Player behind me calls with jack and the blank that fell. River pairs the board with another 5 (the blank) to make donkey a full house.

I busted him two hours later.

Ha!

Anyway, this time we ended up discussing something that was clear to me but my friend wouldn’t believe/grasp — the huge difference between AT and A8 as a starting hand. He generally folds AT’s and A8′s in early position due to the difficulty of these hands after the flop, while I usually raise the AT and fold the A8 — why? Not only is the ten a kicker, it also opens straight possibilities. The Ace-Eight looks for an eight-high board or an ace. The Ace-ten looks for an ace, a ten-high board or even an ace with two high cards. It opens chances of sucking out on better aces with more than just your kicker-cards — the 3 out you have with the A8.

It might be a small difference, but to an aggressive player like me that’s enough to go ahead and raise it up.

Anyway, last night was such a night. Playing $2/$5, luckily, so only losing about $200 in the process. A perfect hand:

I’m in early position with A9 suited, and decide to raise 3BB (a play I don’t usually make). I get minreraised and nobody calls — I do. A play I usually wouldn’t make again. Flop comes AJ3 rainbow. I bet right out (a play I would usually make hehe) and get re-raised about 3/4pot. I call.

Turn comes a queen — I check, villain checks behind me.

River comes a ten. I check, villain bets 50%pot, and i call. Villain had AK.

MEH. Tilt play.

Walked in with about $2000 in my pocket, went straight for the 5/10 game, my favorite at the casino here. Started off playing aggressive, making button-raises, following through on the flop most of the time. I bought in for $600, and after about an hour I was up to $1100. Not bad, seeing as I hadn’t been involved in any big hands. At that point, I went into a period of severe card-deadness. Best was like 67os.

Alright, so I got hungry. I asked the cardroom manager if I could have a steak, and he said: “sure my friend!”.

Took a mushroom-sause one. Very good.

While eating, I pick up AA. Nice! I raised 3BB, and another guy shoves right away. He had like $400. I instacalled. He had 99. Nine came on the turn.

Okay, he didn’t have too much cash. No disaster.

3 Hands later I picked up QQ. I raised 4BB, and got two callers. Flop came AQ9. I bet out, I get raised, I shove, I get called. Villain turns over JT, no flushdraw. King hit the turn and I got no help on the river.

Broke.

Rebought for $700. Asked for the stake to be taken away. Tripled up the next hand when I flopped a set of tens and filled up on the river to take the pot. JT-villain had Aces. Ah sweet Irony!

Until yesterday. I don’t mind a bad beat. Honestly, I don’t. I realize how good it feels to be on the other end, so I embrace the fact that every once in a while, you’re the one giving the joy. BUT NOT 3 IN TWO MINUTES IN 3 FREAKING TOURNAMENTS ALRIGHT!

T1: 10$ 180players S&G NLH. Pick up AQs, raise 3BB get called by two people. Flop comes two spades, all unders. I bet 2/3 pot, one fold, one call. Turn makes my nut flush. I bet 1/2 pot, BB shoves, i call — he has made his second pair on the turn. River makes his boat. GRRR.

T2: 24$ Pot Limit Omaha. I’m in second chip position when I pick up AAKJ, two diamonds (AJ). The flop comes Ace and two diamonds. I mean that’s the ultimate flop right there. Turn Q, river Q, woozaaa aces over queens. Opponent takes two queens out of the hole. ASSWHIPE was the only one in 65 people left who had me covered. GO FIGURE.

T3: 10$ KO NLH — 600 players. I pick up KK in the VERY FIRST HAND. I raise, I get re-raised, I re-reraise — he shoves — I call. He shows AA. I don’t suck out.

I mean

“Only a donkey would make that call”

AWESOME.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1. Visit a lot of poker rooms. You’re not going to find the juicy games if you don’t travel. Invest. Don’t worry about spending €250 on a flight to Barcelona if you play 10/20 No Limit Hold’em. It’s 12 Big Blings. It’s worth it if the game is good.

2. Talk to all the cardroom managers. Be a good sport, and explain them you are not a local. Try to get some info as to where the action is coming from. In the long run, when you frequent poker rooms you tend to win at – ask to be called when the game is juicy. Poker room managers will do this if they know you well. Gain their confidence, once you’re on the call-list, you’ve got a great advantage bankroll-wise.

3. Don’t slow down the game by complaining about the bad calls they make when they suck out. DON’T DO IT! You want them making these calls – and they’ll do it again. I’ve seen my KK, QQ & JJ’s get cracked by A4 and A5 in a two players-to-the-flop situation hundreds of times – but most of the time, these ‘winners’ end up going broke. Having them win temporarily is a good thing.

4. Don’t limp with big hands in juicy games. I realize authors such as Dan Harrington have said the absolute contrary, but thing is – juicy games see a lot of high-volume, cheap flops—and you don’t want that – not even with AQ. Raise, and raise big. In the end, EVERY big raise you make will get at least one or two calls, and every big raise will be pure profit in the long run. You’ll get called by any two cards (suited, haha) – and most of the time you’ll be able to take the pot down with any pair, seeing as it’s probably best. On a plus: a big bet after the flop will likely be called by middle pair or any draw – so don’t worry about slowplayin a pair or two, betting is best value in these games.

More to come soon!