Pokernews always picks the right players to interview. This talk they’ve had with Liz Lieu, “The Poker Diva”, on a break of the APPT. She makes sense, talking about tightening up as a relative shortstack close to the bubble…
I know theory says to play aggressive when people tighten up close to the money, but I only agree when you’re up against smaller stacks in a specific hand. No need to risk anything as a short stack — someone else will!
She looks lovely as ever. 
I played 3 Multi-table-tournaments yesterday, simultaneously. I’ve been playing at Full Tilt Poker for a couple weeks now, mostly in the hopes of being able to do some games against the likes of Phil Ivey or Mike The Mouth Matusow — but enjoying the level of play there in general too…
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 
A great Full Tilt Poker ad sure to please all fans of Mike “The Mouth” Matusow — the awesome thing is: Mike actually cooperated! 
“Only a donkey would make that call”
AWESOME.
The art of (semi-professional) poker playing isn’t just playing your game right – it’s also finding the juicy games, with players willing to donk off large amounts of cash. The world is filled with juicy games – but it’s not always simple to find them… With years of experience looking for poker rooms all over Europe, here are some pointers:
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!
Texas Holdem will always be one of the greatest online
poker games. You got to play it to see why.
Well, not really a bad call, but I did go in with the worst of it. I just sucked out badly and ended up winning the tournament because of it — and endured quite the rant afterwards too…. Let’s run over the hand….
4-handed, I’m on the button with about 30% of the chips at the table. Chip leader has about half, one guy is painfully shortstacked, and had been for quite some time… He was shortstacked moving into the final table, and was just enjoying people get eliminated…
I’m deal KJ of spades on the button, and I raise 4BB. SB folds, BB re-raises the minimum — I call.
Flop comes: QT4, no spades. BB bets the pot, I call.
Turn: J
He checks, I bet 3/4 pot — he shoves. Would he really shove with AK? it would be consistent, but why would he? I ponder, and make the call (I had ‘m covered) — he turns over QJ. River: 9, making my straight.
Ha! SUCKOUT!!!!
This is a sickening story, and it’s been told before — so I’m going to point to the original authors here:
sigh…
Some video footage:
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Games offered include Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Omaha Hi, Five-Card Stud Hi and Seven-Card Stud. All the usual limits are well represented and with a great player volume you won’t be waiting long for a game. In general, the competition is slightly easier here than at most sites. There are plenty of players for SnG and tournaments are heavily subscribed.
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NB Titan is not US Friendly
I just won twice with kings vs. aces — pre-flop all-ins. I mean — I’m HOT.
I feel bad too — same opponent saw his aces get cracked in about two hours twice, by the same player…
I called his all-in with a “I sure hope you don’t have them this time”… He did have ‘m…
Got to love a little luck! Thanks, Poker Gods!
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like Marcel Luske — but he really does make a complete fool of himself in this WSOP-video of him doing his own little pokersong…
Come on Marcel, you’re always the classy one!! Glasses upside down, “strak in het pak”/suited up, looking like the don corleone of poker… And here you are singing a sucky poker song?
Awww — 
Here’s the vid:
Everybody knows there is value in the suited connectors and small pairs, but what stumps players is how to play them. The accepted wisdom is to get in cheap, however very few people can really tell you what that means. How cheap is cheap?
Suited connectors and small pairs are great hidden hands. If you hit the flop with a straight or a flush or trips, these hands can be very profitable. You need to understand that about 85% of the time this will not happen. But when it does you can use it to your advantage and rally clean up.
The ‘Rule of 5 and 10’ is a good rough guide for whether to call with these marginal hands.
- If it costs you less than 5% of your stack pre flop then you should usually play.
- If it costs you more than 10% of your stack pre flop you should usually fold.
- If it costs you in-between these amounts then use your table knowledge to make the call.
When you are in the awkward in between stage of whether to call or fold you need to use all those notes you should have been making since the beginning of play. A good position on the table late or on the button is a good place to call. If the player making the raise is very tight and they suddenly raise 5 time the BB preflop this would be a red flag to fold.
