Was This A Bad Beat Or A Bad Play?

*** QUESTION FROM READER ***

Hi Roy,

I was recently in an online tourney with a $20,000 payout.
5,000 people entered and unfortunately I finished 352nd. I
have one hand in that tournament that haunts me every night
before I go to sleep, and I have to replay it in my mind
over and over again, I have even dreamt about it. Please let
me know what I did wrong so I can forgive myself for playing
the hand the way I played it.

Alright, the blinds were at 400/800. My stack was about 10k.
I get A-J off 1 spot before the button. Everyone folds to
me, and since I think A-J isn't that strong, and it is one
of my "unlucky hands", I only called the BB.

The guy on the button called as well, the SB folded, and the
BB doubled the bet. So, I said, well, another 800 is ok
cause I will probably be getting 5:1 on my money, assuming
that the guy on the button calls. He does, and the flop
comes K-A-8. No flush draws are present and the big blind
checks to me. I bet about 2,500 as a feeler bet, with top
pair to see where I stood in the hand. The guy on the button
goes all-in for his remaining 8,000, I figured he was
playing position and I was going to call him.

But, the BB goes all in for his remaining 7,000, and that
scared me because he was the original reaiser preflop. I
knew he didn't have A-K, but A-Q was a possibility and A-8
was too, as well as a pair of 8s in the hole. After
reviewing in my mind the betting sequences, I folded
thinking that one of them had either 2 pair, or trip 8s.

They turned up their cards, and the guy on the button had
K-5, and the BB had A-6... I was STUNNED! I could have taken
that pot, and the chip lead in the tournament and could have
either worked with that lead, or sat all the way to the
money, but instead I was forced to later go all in with a
moderate hand, and get beat by a pocket pair.

My logic about the hand seems good, the only mistake I think
I made was not raising a considerable amount pre-flop in the
position I was in, I think that if I did it and they still
called I woulda been pot committed to call and would have
won.

Please help me, tell me what I can do so this won't happen
again.

Thanks,
D.C.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Thank you for the detailed email. You've touched upon
several important concepts here-- and I have some insights t
hat may help shed some light on the situation (or at the
very least, might stop the nightmares!).

First of all, let's talk about the strategies that SHOULD
have been going through your head at the time.

ON POSITIONING...

You were sitting one seat to the right of the dealer button.
In this position, when you get a strong starting hand you
want to RAISE and "steal the button" if possible.

This technique is simple. You basically just want the player
to your left to FOLD, that way you get to act last after the
flop.

You don't have to make a huge raise, just a simple 2-3x
multiple of the big blind. Most players will try to limp-in
when they're on the button because it's the best position at
the table.

Your raise will stop them from doing so-- assuming they have
a mediocre hand.

ON ACE-JACK...

You called Ace-Jack offsuit one of your "unlucky hands". The
truth is, you are NOT ALONE in this thinking. Far from it.

A-J is one of those hands that seems to get run down all the
time... and it drives many players nuts.

The REASON Ace-Jack is tricky is because you never know if
your opponent has A-Q or A-K... or if they have something
like A-10 or A-9.

The obvious solution is that you MUST ALWAYS find out "where
you stand" BEFORE THE FLOP.

Do not-- I repeat, DO NOT-- limp-in with Ace-Jack! When you
do, disasters like this occur.

Think about it: The REAL reason you lost this hand that you
"psyched yourself out" because you didn't have a good read
on your opponents after the flop.

And why didn't you have a good read?

Because you didn't make a raise BEFORE the flop.

If you had made a 3x big blind raise, the player on the
button most likely would have folded... and the big blind
might have called with his A-6.

After calling, you could be confident that you're ahead in
the hand... AND you wouldn't have to worry as much about
someone hitting a lucky two pair, because it'd be heads-up
to see the flop.

If the big blind decided to RE-RAISE you, you'd know that
your A-J was probably beat... and in that case, you wouldn't
commit more chips when the flop hit with A-K on the board.

Get it?

ON CHIP STACKS...

When the action came to you, there were 1,200 in blinds in
the pot, and your chip stack was at 10,000. That's not many
chips-- just over 10x the big blind.

But fortunately, you still had MORE chips than your other
two opponents. That means stealing the blinds would have
been an EXCELLENT move in this situation.

I mean, chances are your opponents do NOT have strong hands.
So without the chip stacks to bully you, you could have
confidently guessed they'd FOLD to a pre-flop raise.

Winning the blinds as often as possible is a CRUCIAL TACTIC
that you must implement, especially in a tournament like
this...

ON TOURNAMENT STRATEGY...

OK, so let's review. Your positioning, your cards, and your
chip stack were all reasons you should have made a pre-flop
raise!

But if it makes you feel better, you DID make a smart move
with your post-flop feeler bet.

Now given the fact that you didn't raise pre-flop, SHOULD
YOU HAVE FOLDED TO THE TWO-WAY ALL-IN?

To quote Matt Damon's character in my favorite movie
"Rounders":

"You can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you
can't win much either."

Possibly more important than the decision itself is what you
should have been THINKING ABOUT in order to MAKE the
decision.

If this had been a ring game, you would have wanted to make
the decision based on the betting patterns of your
opponents.

But since it was a tournament, you probably didn't have time
to develop much of a read on these opponents...

Had I been in your shoes, I would have CALLED. I would not
have folded.

Here's why:

After committing 1,600 chips pre-flop and 2,500 post-flop,
you've only got about 6,000 left. With the blinds at
400-800, that's considered "short-stacked".

As a general principle, when you have LESS THAN 10 times the
big blind, it's time to make a move.

(The exception to this rule, of course, is in the VERY late
stages of a tournament-- like a final table-- when the
blinds are ridiculously high.)

But anyway... with just 6,000 chips, my guess is that you
were too afraid of LOSING the tournament.

And I'd venture to say you weren't thinking enough about
WINNING the tournament.

The reality is, the chance to TRIPLE up with top pair and a
solid kicker is not common. Especially since there were no
flush or straight draws on the board.

This was your "golden opportunity" to build a respectable
stack and set yourself up for a nice payout.

The ability to take a risk and "go for it" in this situation
is what often times separates the AVERAGE tournament players
from the PROS.

If you analyzed the players at the final table of a
5,000-player tournament like this-- or even a 500-player
tournament-- you'd find that ALL of them won a couple HUGE
pots earlier.

Maybe even more than a couple.

Just remember this mantra:

IN ORDER TO WIN, YOU MUST RISK LOSING.

That's why you see "pros" often get eliminated from
tournaments in the very EARLY stages. It's not because of
bad beats, it's because they TOOK A BIG RISK and it didn't
work out.

Next time you're in this situation, stick to your game plan
of "tight-aggressive". If you're going to enter a pot, do it
with some gusto.

Raise pre-flop, bet post-flop when you hit top pair, and
call the all-in in hopes of tripling up.

Of course... what's done is done, and there's no sense
beating yourself up about it.

Believe me, I've made PLENTY of mistakes that were probably
a HUNDRED times as dumb as this one...

You've just got to get over it. Learn from the experience
and move on.

The best thing you can do right now is go download SIT AND
GO SHARK. The next time you're playing an online poker
tournament, you won't have this problem. Because I'll be
right over your shoulder telling you what to do!

Loaded with over 17,000 pieces of advice and MILLIONS of
combinations, SIT AND GO SHARK is perhaps the most advanced
and kick-ass poker software in existence.

Get it here:

http://www.SitAndGoShark.com/tl/600dWyX

Getting A Quick Read On Your Opponents part_2

Hey Roy,

Just signed on with you and I have enjoyed your tips you
send e-mail. Today I entered a online tournament where I was
up to 4000 dollars and in 2nd place within the first hour. I
lost 1500 in chips playing solid hands after awhile and fell
into 29th position.

I have an on the button play with a small raise of 120 in
early position. I call 120 to see flop. I am holding KQ
unsuited, the flop falls 6-3-K. I am checked by the early
position (who by the way is my only opponent.) I Raise 300,
he raises all in. All my chips if I call.

I feel I can move into a good position in the tournament if
I win this hand. I call and see the damage. He is holding
6-3 in his hand , I am now out of the tournament. I was very
mad Roy. What should I have done?

Thanks,
D.H.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

OK, here's where you went wrong...

First, you said you "fell into 29th position" after being in
second place.

That immediately tells me you were probably on TILT. You
took a big hit and wanted to get BACK in the lead... so you
weren't thinking straight.

Second, you said, "i feel i can move into a good position if
i win this hand".

No, no, no, no!

Don't think this way!

Wrong attitude my friend. Where you'll be in the tournament
AFTER that hand is completely irrelevant. It doesn't matter.

ALL YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT is whether your opponent
has your top pair beat. Period.

Since you were in a multi-table tournament (MTT), you
probably couldn't have tracked that opponent's betting
patterns.

That's OK.

Here's what you SHOULD have done...

1. Playing K-Q with a small pre-flop raise isn't necessarily
WRONG... but it's not always smart either.

If it's a 10-player table, someone could easily have A-K,
especially if they raised from early position.

In fact, that's the hand I would have been worried about the
MOST in your particular situation.

2. With that being said, when your opponent checked you were
right to throw out a bet. Good job not "checking" and trying
to "slow play" the top pair...

3. BUT WHEN YOUR OPPONENT RAISED ALL-IN, that's when the
"red flag" was up.

A check-raise is almost always a SUREFIRE SIGN that your
opponent has a really strong hand. It's VERY, VERY RARE for
someone to check-raise and BLUFF.

Think about it:

To check-raise, the person has to be SUPREMELY CONFIDENT in
their cards. They're checking-- HOPING YOU'LL BET, that way
they can raise you.

(The exception to this rule is if you had thrown out a
"suspicious" bet-- either too big or too small-- after your
opponent checked. In that case he might have sensed weakness
and raised in order to buy the pot. But that's not what
happened.)

So here's everything you did wrong:

You got caught up in your emotions... you weren't thinking
enough about the exact SITUATION... you called when you
should have folded... and you lost the tournament.

But I've got good news:

I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by
switching to Geico.

OK, OK, I'll be serious. The GOOD NEWS is you're not alone.
We've all done it... and now that you RECOGNIZE the error of
your ways, you can FIX IT.

Now go out there and WIN dammit!


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Great book. initially i didn't want to buy it, thinking it
was gimicky. but i did and i'm glad!

it's very easy to read and the examples are crystal clear.
this baby has paid for itself, ten times over! i'm doing
very well in ten man sit-n-go's. i mainly compete in the
$30+3 buy-ins and win about two thirds of them. and it's
been a breeze placing third (normally worse case; bad beats
do happen).

if anybody wants a more in-depth review, have them email me
at [email address withheld]. serious poker players need to
add this to their arsenal.

NOW MOVING ALONG, i do need help with one aspect of my game.
i'm doing well when i play heads up in the five man sits,
but i'm not doing as well as i would like playing in the
one-on-one sits. heads up should be heads up, right?

why am i struggling? im only winning about 60% of the time
in the one-on-ones and i would like to get that average up.
please help.

B.M.
Cedar Rapids, IA


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Thanks for the great comments. Sounds like you're making a
lot of progress...

Your point that "heads up should be heads up" is actually a
very common misconception.

The most important feature of a heads-up match (besides your
opponent) is the BLINDS.

For a five-player Sit and Go, the blinds will be QUITE HIGH
when it gets to two players. If you're doing good with these
types, it means you know how to make "big plays" at the end
of the game...

For a regular HEADS-UP SIT AND GO, however, things are
different. The blinds start out very LOW, which makes the
game much more PSYCHOLOGICAL.

It's a WAR between you and your opponent. "Good" cards don't
really matter much... each hand is mostly a battle of who
DOESN'T have the WORST hand.

Here's a neat tactic I like to use online...

On the VERY FIRST HAND of your heads-up match-- BEFORE it
begins-- type this into the chat box:

"Hey dude, let's both go all-in on the very first hand and
just see what happens."

This alone will confuse your opponent. And he'll think
you're a complete jackass.

THEN... IF YOU HIT A "GOOD" PRE-FLOP HAND, DO IT:

Go all-in!

Remember... a "good hand" could be any pair, any Ace, or any
two high cards.

Now here's why this tactic is so powerful:

1. You won't get to go all-in very often. I'd say you'll get
a STRONG FIRST HAND about 10% of your matches...

2. BUT WHEN YOU DO, the reaction is INSTANT TILT from your
opponent. Very funny to watch I might add.

I've gotten comments like:

"I can't believe I sat down with you".

"*#*# #@* *#$@#*@*^*@*#".

"This game is gonna be easier than I thought."

"I guess you don't care about money."

And so on...

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT.

If they CALL, you've got a huge statistical edge because you
went all-in with a good hand heads-up.

That means you'll probably win the game in one hand! (Which
has happened to me quite often.)

If they FOLD, you've set yourself up for great action later.

Either way it's all in good fun and works to your advantage
at the table.

Remember-- your problem right now is not adjusting for the
blinds structure.

With low blinds you can "play around" a bit... set yourself
up later... and work on CONFUSING your opponent.


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

i like your tips, but u never answered my true question: how
do u play strip poker? and what are the rules?

i need people to play with to: plz help me roy.

[name withheld]


>>> MY COMMENTS:

My best tip for strip poker is this:

Don't "limp in".

OK. Now go get a life and quit bothering me.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

I've been playing for 2 years. I don't play online and am
suspicious of all the "tips" and "books" on texas hold 'em.
To be honest, i don't remember how I signed up for your free
email tips but I can tell you that they won me over
completely.

I just bought your new book and am excited to read it.
Thanks for having one of those rare business models that
puts out truly good advice without expecting anything in
return. Regardless of my future success, you've made me feel
more comfortable at the tables. I won four tournaments in a
row and placed second in the last one.

Watch out buddy, I just may be coming after you next.

Again, strong thanks.

J.P.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Haha... Bring it on!

Thanks for the email.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Hi Roy,

After receiving so many helpful hints from you by e-mail I
went ahead and ordered your book. I spent 1 day reading the
entire book from front to back.

The following day I went to my favorite poker site on the
net and began to play with my new found knowledge. I am a
low stakes limit player. Within 3 hours of play I made $350
and I only played the $2 $4 tables. I was amazed at how many
pots I was raking playing in the style you taught me.

Thank You Roy. Your book was the best investment I could
have made.

G.A.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Awesome...

Even though I focus on NO LIMIT in my eBook, a lot of the
strategies can be used for LIMIT poker as well.

I'm glad you were able to "pick out" the right pieces and
use them successfully. Keep it up!


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Roy,

First of all, thanks for the emails. The lessons really help
me keep my focus. Second, thanks for the tip on Hold'em
Genius. I have just recently been a net-positive player on
other poker websites, but after making my first deposit at
[casino] and then using the software, I have more than
doubled my account in less than a week. I have the statement
to prove it.

I play both cash and SNG games, and like them both. What I
didn't expect was the boost in confidence this software
gives me. I don't always "follow the rules," but just
keeping an eye on hand rankings, outs, pot odds, and
statistics from flop to river is an enormous help. It
definitely does NOT take the art out of the game, but
definitely, ABSOLUTELY improves my intuitive feel for the
odds.

It is especially helpful knowing how my hand turns out after
I fold, enabling me to refine my "feel" even more. In an
uncanny sort of way, it also assists me in knowing when to
change up my game-- and this alone has been worth the hassle
of opening up yet another poker account. The software also
works on many other sites, including all the other sites I
have accounts on. I have seen better results at those sites,
as well.

So, again, thanks. I'm sure I'll have my down days, but at
least I'll be making the right decisions. And one day, when
I finally learn to figure all these things out in my head
and trust my instincts, I'll head to the casinos and learn
the art of face-to-face poker among the real players. You
know who I'll be giving the credit to. (And it's not the
software.)

Cheers,

J.S.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Awww... don't emails like this just make you feel "warm and
fuzzy" inside?

Maybe it's just me.

OK... seriously... thanks for the great success story.
You've described EXACTLY my favorite parts of the Holdem
Genius program.

It's the "intuitive feel" you get for odds and statistics
that makes the tool SO POWERFUL.

If you haven't done so already, NOW GO PLAY A LIVE GAME and
see what happens... You'll be amazed at how much knowledge
you've gained at a "gut level".

Poker ODDS is kind of like MUSIC...

If I gave you a sheet of lyrics and told you, "Memorize this
entire thing", it would take you quite awhile.

But when you HEAR THE LYRICS WITH MUSIC, your brain absorbs
all the words much faster... and you end up memorizing
hundreds upon hundreds of songs UNCONSCIOUSLY... without
even knowing it!

It's the same way with odds. To "memorize" all the formulas,
equations, and scenarios requires unreasonable amounts of
time and hard work...

...But by playing with Holdem Genius, you can literally
"absorb" the information unconsciously.

Next thing you know, you'll be "reciting" stats and
percentages without any effort! (And winning more pots, of
course.)

Here's the link to get Holdem Genius:

http://www.HoldemGenius.com/tl/693QWSP


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Hey Roy I would like your opinion on how to play AJ and KQ
in early and late positioning. I like to raise with AJ about
3x the blind in late positioning and sometimes I raise with
it in early position if I have enough chips. Hope to hear
from
you soon.

I.G.
New York


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Great question. Ace-Jack and King-Queen are TOUGH HANDS to
play...

Your strategy should depend on the number of players at the
table, how well you "know" your opponents, and your chip
count.

If you're going to raise with your A-J pre-flop, do it with
good positioning and lots of chips. Because if that flop
hits with an Ace, you've GOT to bet big.

With an Ace on the board, you need to do whatever it takes
to either scare away your opponent, or figure out that he's
holding A-Q or A-K.

With K-Q, it's the same way. I don't like playing K-Q at a
10-player table unless I've got good positioning with a
solid chip stack. If the flop gives me top pair, I'm going
to represent my hand aggressively.

That way if I run into A-Q or A-K, I'll KNOW IT. This saves
me from losing MORE money on the turn and river.

Remember... if you have a hand like this, you've got to
develop a solid prediction for what your opponents are
holding. Otherwise you'll lose all your chips when you run
into someone with the higher kicker.

With low-stakes online poker you want to be even MORE weary
of how you play a hand like A-J. A lot of players think that
"anything with an Ace" is good-- even at an 8-man or 10-man
table.

Sometimes I'll put my opponent on something like A-K, only
to watch him flip over A-5 or A-10.

The biggest advice I can give you is to KNOW AHEAD OF TIME
that playing A-J can get you into trouble... so be careful.

Leverage your positioning, chip stack, and the betting
patterns of your opponents.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Hello Roy,

Well, I have been interested in texas hold'em for about 2
years. Only played a few real games up until about two weeks
ago. I moved to Fla with my work and am close to the Hard
Rock "casino". So I have been going often. Walking in I
thought I knew so much from watching WSOP on TV. Well, I was
wrong.

Every night I lost. Sometimes I was just lucky but in the
end I lost it all. Finally after about $200 I went online to
look for help. I came across your website. I didn't buy yet,
because I am waiting for my paycheck to clear this week, but
you did send me the 10 mistakes and how to fix them for
free.

I followed #1 almost 100% faithfully. I was up and down of
course, but after 5 hours, I was only down $5. And the only
reason I was down was because I was to tired to be playing
and should have quit when I was up $20. Of course, like
said, it's not much but so much better then before. I know
when I buy your information I will start winning instead of
just being even.

Well, it's 3:30 in the morning and I must go to bed for
tomorrows trip to the casino. I look forward to your
information, and I know that eventually it will make me the
poker player I want to me. (Doyle Brunson perhaps. Or Phil
Hellmuth. Well minus his "bratty" attitude.)

Ok. I look forward to hearing from you. Good bye for now.

B.C.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

YES... Mistake #1 (playing too many hands) is very
important.

What you're going through is very common. The problem is
what happens when you "learn" a lot about poker by watching
it on TV.

The World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour don't show
every hand. Not even CLOSE. They actually only show about 4%
of the entire game.

And what 4% do you think that is?

The most EXCITING PART, of course!

That means you MISS all the hands where the pros patiently
fold hand after hand after hand...

AND...

The poker you see on television is the FINAL TABLE of the
major tournaments. The final table is where the blinds are
HIGHEST... which encourages more action and misleads you
EVEN MORE as to what poker is all about.

The truth is, watching a real poker tournament is
B-O-R-I-N-G. It's even boring to play, most of the time.

So keep challenging yourself to "re-learn" poker OUTSIDE of
what you saw on TV... and be patient!

You'll get there. Thanks for the email.


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Hi,

My name is M. and I have been playing at PokerRoom for over
a year now. I am, at the time, about even in my "bank
account" there. I figured that since you play there a bit
that you may be able to give me some advice.

I like to play 5 and 10 dollar Sit-n-Goes as well as the
heads-up sit-n-gos. I was wondering if you had any advice on
how I should play these tables and what strategies I should
use to win at these tables. Thank you very much. Your
e-mails are very insightful and have helped me to do much
better at my game, both online and with my friends.

M.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Here's my top three pointers for $5 and $10 Sit and Go's at
PokerRoom.com:

1. The players are BETTER here than at most casinos, which
means you'll suffer through fewer "bad beats" and manics.

2. Don't bluff until later stages of the Sit and Go. When
you bluff, you must risk a LOT of chips for the best
results.

3. Start with a "tight-aggressive" playing style until there
are about 6 players left. Then slowly transition to a
"loose-aggressive" style for the remainder of the game.

This will allow you to patiently build your chip stack in
the beginning, and then buy pots and bully opponents when
the blinds get higher.

After that you'll have a strong chip stack that will get you
"in the money" no problem.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Roy,

I just wanted to also say thanks for the info on this Holdem
Genius. When you said free, most logical people would know
what you meant. And it is free. Depositing money is still
your money. And I didn't know the tables... were so easy.
Made $50 in my first hour. But back to the Genius, it has
continued to help my game although, I still haven't
conditioned myself to look at all the time yet. Anyway,
thanks again for your aid in helping us up-in-comers in the
game with your newsletters.

You have helped my game with your tips and just yesterday...
after almost 5 months of playing... I turned my $50
investment in to $1000. Seriously, thanks a million... or
should a say, thanks a thousand.

J.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Glad you liked it.

Keep me posted when you DO hit a million, OK?


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Roy,

As always, great column.

When I play tight(er) I usually place in the top 5% of the
big freerolls. Get loose and it's "night night".

The more I play and the more I read the more confused I get.

A couple answers would help a LOT. I don't understand the
"squared" part of "tight aggressive squared".

Next. I totally understand "position" the way you have
explained it on numerous times. So in my questions I
understand the "position" part.

Some of this I just need your confirmation on as to being
right or wrong. Here we go.

Pocket pair (pre-flop) mid to small pair always raise before
the flop and if you don't trip up on the flop, fold to any
bet? If you are raised should you call or fold or reraise?

Same as above except big pair (queens and up) either all in
or play it slow (your choice)? if you are raised (same ? as
above)

Unsuited A-7 or above, before the flop and good position...
always raise the big blind? Then if you get raised do you
call or fold?

If you have time to answer these questions it would be
great. I sincerely enjoy your email column. One of these
days all of the pieces will fall in at one time. "Oh that is
what he has been talking about" duh

thanks Roy,

M.M.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

I hate to do this to you... but I have no choice:

You've just hit upon some GREAT QUESTIONS and situations at
the poker table that MOST PLAYERS don't know how to handle.

AND KNOWING WHAT TO DO in these particular scenarios is what
separates the "fish" from the "sharks"...

Fortunately, there are step-by-step, easy to learn SYSTEMS
for each of the questions you just asked.

Once you know these systems you'll get a HUGE EDGE over the
competition... and you'll start taking down more pots
immediately.

But here's the bad news. Each of those scenarios would
require discussions of how many players are at the table...
your positioning... the game type you're playing... and so
on.

There are no "short answers" I can give you.

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Secrets".

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you should do, WHEN, and HOW.

There's over 200 pages, 50 chapters, and hundreds of pro
tactics that you can use to start WINNING NOW.

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poker with the "big boys", it's time you got this course.

Click this link for all the details:

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OK, that's it for today. I'll talk to you soon.


Your Friend,

Roy Rounder

Getting A Quick Read On Your Opponents

*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Howdy Roy,

I have a dilly of a pickle here. At early stages of a
tournament or in small stakes ring games, do you recommend
raising with big non-pairs such as AK or AQ, and do you keep
pressing if you miss on the flop?

You are only going to hit a pair on the flop like 36% of the
time or something, and I find that the people who are
calling my significant pre-flop raises have:

A) Ginormous hands they are going to ravage me with (AA, KK)

B) Any other pair that they could hit trips with and destroy
me if I do hit a pair, or

C) They have a Johnny Callsalot attitude about life and that
2, 8, T on the flop could have hit them in which case their
stubbornness won't allow them to toss it even with a big bet
facing them on the flop.

What do ya reckon? Should I stop raising the AK and take the
beats when Loose Lucy limps with her A6 and hits two pair to
my one pair? Thanks Roy!

Sincerely,

Busted in Buffalo


>>> MY COMMENTS:

"Dilly of a pickle"?

"Ravage me with"?

"Johnny Callsalot"?

"Loose Lucy"?

You are one strange dude, my friend.

It sounds to me like there's something "not quite right" in
the Buffalo water these days...

But since you took the time to write, I'll be a nice guy and
answer your question. The key is to think more about
POSITIONING and BETTING PATTERNS.

Spot the "Johnny Callsalot" and "Loose Lucy" BEFORE getting
involved in a hand with them...

When you pick up A-K, raise the pot and narrow the table to
one or two callers. No matter what hits the board, represent
the flop if you're first to act.

If you're not first to act, get a read on your opponent.
Compare his behavior to what he did PREVIOUSLY in the game.

Keep in mind that RAISING the pot is one of the fastest ways
to put your opponent on a hand. For example, let's say
you've got A-K in late positioning. You make a pre-flop
raise and get one caller (the big blind).

At this point you don't know what your opponent is holding.
He may have just called your pre-flop bet because he felt
pot-committed.

The flop hits: 9-4-Q

Your opponent fires a reasonable bet. Now what?

Does he have something? Or is he just representing the flop?

The answer would depend on who your opponent is, how many
chips he has, what type of game you're playing, how many
players are at the table, and so on.

But for the sake of example, one way to FIND OUT is to RAISE
his bet. (Not a "wuss" raise, either.)

Let's say he bet $100 and you raise it to $300.

Now you've put HIM to a DECISION for his chips.

He'll probably do one of these three things:

1. Call your bet, then check the turn card.
2. Raise your bet, then bet the turn card.
3. Fold.

Option 1 suggests he DOESN'T have a strong hand. And that
means you can probably buy the pot on the turn.

Or you can check the turn and see a "free" river card...
which is a great tactic since you've got two over cards. If
the river hits Ace, you're in great shape.

Option 2 means he has something good, and it's time for you
to hit the road.

Option 3 means you just took down the pot with your Ace
high... and you can thank me later.

The WRONG thing to do is just keep calling or check-calling
your opponent. Because that won't give you any information
about his hand.

Try this out and see how it goes.

Stop Getting Burned On Flush And Straight Draws

Have you ever lost a huge pot because you had a flush draw
or straight draw and didn't catch the card you needed?

It's happened to all of us.

And frankly, it sucks.

Because when you're on a draw, you're just ONE CARD AWAY
from raking in a ton of chips.

And you WANT to keep calling everyone else's bets, in hopes
that your card will pop out on the turn or river.

Am I right?

Of course, what ends up happening is you have to put a ton
of your chips in the middle... just to call everyone else's
bets.

That makes you pot-committed... and if you DON'T catch your
card, you're screwed.

Now let me ask you...

Wouldn't it be WONDERFUL if every time you were on a draw
all the other players would CHECK around?

That way you didn't have to risk any chips, and could bet
only after you KNEW for sure whether or not you caught your
card.

That sure would be nice, wouldn't it?

AND...

What if there was a way to STILL WIN THE HAND... even if you
DIDN'T catch your card?

That'd be nice too, huh?

Luckily, there IS a technique you can use to make BOTH of
these things happen.

Let me show you how...

OK, so let's say I'm at an 8-person no limit table and I'm
sixth to act.

I'm dealt a 5-6 of diamonds.

Josh comes out firing with a $10 pre-flop bet. Sarah and
Derek both call.

Now it's on me.

I love suited connectors... especially busting my opponents
with them unexpectedly, so I jump in and call.

The players behind me muck their cards right away... scared
to death of so much action.

The flop hits:

4d-9s-7d

That means I've just flopped an open-ended straight flush
draw. I couldn't have asked for a better flop in this
situation.

Unfortunately, Josh comes out firing (again) with a
no-hesitation bet of $20.

Sarah and Derek both FOLD this time...

And the action is to me.

I'm putting Josh on a high pocket pair, or maybe A9 or A7.
And he's figuring the scraps on the board didn't help
anyone, hence the strong bet.

Which puts me in a tough situation.

Think about it... If I CALL, I might miss my flush or
straight on the turn card. Then what? Josh will make another
strong bet... what will I do then?

And if I call to see the river and miss, then I'll have just
given Josh most of my chips and lost a major hand.

On the other hand, I don't want to FOLD, because I have a
ton of outs and I want to WIN this!

Now let me ask you, what would YOU do in this situation?

Most amateur card players don't think ahead, and they'd call
Josh's $20 bet. And if they missed on the turn, they'd call
another bet to see the river.

And if they missed on the river, they'd probably fold, watch
Josh rake in all the chips, and wonder why they "never catch
the right cards".

Now a more skillful player would ANTICIPATE what's about to
happen... and would probably call to see the turn, but then
fold if Josh bet again.

And of course, there are always the tight players who would
never have played the 5-6 of diamonds in the FIRST place.

So what do I do?

Remember, I'm sitting on 5-6 of diamonds. The board reads:

4d-9s-7d

And Josh, who made a strong pre-flop raise, just bet $20
after the flop.

Here's the answer...

I RAISE.

Not some wimpy raise either... I raise him $40 more to play.

Most players would NEVER think to raise in this situation...
but here's what I've done:

1. I've TAKEN CONTROL of the hand and bought myself a FREE
CARD when it matters most.

You see, if Josh calls the $40 raise, when the turn hits
he'll CHECK to me.

(Remember what I said at the beginning of this email?)

That means I get to see the turn and river for a total of
$40 more, which is a BARGAIN compared to what Josh's next
bet would have cost me.

2. I'm representing possible trips.

Josh now has to wonder whether I called his pre-flop raise
with a low pocket pair and just caught trips on the flop.

Or I could be sitting on a high pocket pair and I'm not
"phased" by the flop.

3. I've raised the stakes of the hand in MY favor... not
his. You see, if I just call Josh's bets and then hit a 8 of
diamonds on the turn, what will happen?

Well, Josh will SEE the three diamonds and the straight
possibility, and he probably won't make any more huge bets
or call any huge bets from me.

This way, I've raised the stakes $40, which increases MY
CHANCES at winning an even bigger pot than if I had just
called.

Make sense?

And last but not least...

4. I've given myself a way to WIN even if I don't catch the
straight or flush.

Now I get to see Josh's reaction to my $40 raise...

If I sense weakness, I may decide to BLUFF and buy this pot
if I don't catch my flush or straight.

If I only call Josh's bets the whole way, he would't fall
for this type of bluff. But my raise of $40 will sure get
him thinking.

OKAY, BACK TO THE HAND...

Josh shuffles his chips around for a moment, and looks back
down at his cards. It turns out he's holding an A9... so
he's got top pair with the kicker. A good hand, but not a
monster by any means.

He calls.

The next card comes out... Queen of spades.

No help.

Josh checks.

THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

This is my "free card" opportunity that my $40 raise bought.

Now I'm in complete control... and feeling pretty good about
this hand.

I can check and see the river for free. I've still got a lot
of outs here.

Or I can bet STRONG and try to scare Josh away.

"One hundred dollars", I say, as I push a huge stack of red
chips into the middle.

True, I only have a Queen high... and the beginner card
player may think this type of play is crazy.

But then again, that's why they're called "BEGINNERS".

Anyway...

Josh thinks for a minute and then mucks it.

I rake in a beautiful pot.

Even if Josh had called, I still had a good number of outs.
And if I missed, I could have tried to bluff again.

Now think back to when the flop came out...

After Josh bet $20, what if I had called? (And not raised.)

Well, here's what would have happened...

The Queen would have came and Josh would've immediately
fired a huge $80 bet.

I would've had to either call the $80 to see the river, or
muck my beautiful straight flush draw.

And THAT, my friend, is why it's CRUCIAL that you TAKE
CONTROL of the betting.

This type of technique allows you to truly DOMINATE THE
TABLES and win more money playing poker. Period.

That's what makes Texas Holdem such a fascinating game...
there are just so many scenarios that can occur, and so many
special "tricks" and "techniques" you can use to beat the
competition.

Of course, you'll probably never figure them all out on your
own... and that's why I'm here to help.

If you're serious about taking your card playing skills to
the next level, then it's time you get SIT AND GO SHARK.

This proven, step-by-step "roadmap" will improve your game
TREMENDOUSLY and help you achieve your goals... by TEACHING
YOU WHILE YOU PLAY.

Here's the link to get started:

http://www.SitAndGoShark.com/tl/534ttnL

The Easiest Way To Spot A Bluff

Hello Players,

There is one KEY PRINCIPLE to keep in mind when deciding if
someone is BLUFFING or has a GREAT HAND...

Here it is:

If a player acts STRONG, he is probably WEAK.

If a player acts WEAK, he is probably STRONG.

It's simple human nature.

This is NOT an original idea... Mike Caro was the first to
put this amazing insight into words many years ago.

And after I had heard this wisdom, my poker winnings soared
to a NEW LEVEL.

Because every poker TELL boils down to this fundamental
principle.

Now, the UNFORTUNATE thing about this advice is that even
though it is SO SIMPLE, most card players just don't "get
it", or don't apply it properly.

So let's discuss how you can use this concept to spot bluffs
QUICKLY, EASILY, and CONSISTENTLY...

First off, it's important to remember that in order to spot
BLUFFS, you must be tuned into signs of STRENGTH as well.

For example... if you only look for "tells" that suggest a
player is BLUFFING, you're only getting half the picture...

When trying to get an accurate read on an opponent, you must
be looking for both signs of strength AND weakness.

Let's go back to our main "rule" again and look at the first
part:

"If a player acts STRONG, he is probably WEAK."

This means that when a player does something that makes it
LOOK like he's got a monster hand, he's probably bluffing.

The CRUCIAL point to keep in mind is that most players don't
TRY to act strong. They just do it unconsciously...

I know that sounds strange, but think about it.

Let's say you've got 9d-2s and you decide to make a bold
bluff by going all-in pre-flop (which I don't recommend, by
the way!).

Anyway... in your mind, you're thinking, "Damn I sure hope
no one calls!"... but when someone starts contemplating a
decision, you REALLY start to get worried.

So what do you do?

Well, the NATURAL thing to do... the thing that MOST players
do... is to act like you're NOT afraid.

Obviously you don't want someone to know that you're SCARED
of getting called, right?

So you sit up straight, your hands don't tremble, your voice
has a little "arrogance" to it...

And ultimately, all of those things are signs that you're
BLUFFING.

But you didn't MEAN to act that way... it just kind of came
naturally. You didn't think, "Oh, I don't want him to know
that I'm scared, so I'm going to sit up straight and act
smooth and talk with arrogance."

It just kind of HAPPENS...

Still with me?

Ultimately, a BLUFF is a LIE.

That's right... just a plain old lie.

So when someone is bluffing by betting, they're simply LYING
about what they have in their hand.

Which means technically, the real skill is not the ability
to spot a bluff... it's the ability to spot a LIE.

But anyway... back to my point...

When the player acts strong, he's probably weak. But he
didn't really CHOOSE to act strong... this is just a
"mechanism" inside of him that turns on, simply because he's
LYING to you about his hand.

Let me show you a few practical examples. Here are THREE
valuable "tells" to look for:

1. When a player "flicks" his chips in the middle with extra
OOMPH or tosses them in aggressively...

What's going on there?

I'll tell you what:

The player is ACTING strong... which means he probably
doesn't have a very good hand.

2. When a player speaks aggressively and talks a lot...

Once again, this is usually a sign of weakness, since the
player is "covering up" his bad hand by acting like he's got
something.

BUT... this poker tell is very easy to confuse and get
COMPLETELY WRONG, and here's why:

There is a major difference between SPEAKING AGGRESSIVELY
and DEMONSTRATING CONFIDENCE.

Here's what I mean...

If a player talks a lot in a manner that's NOT normal for
him, it's usually a sign of WEAKNESS.

The way to sense this is to look for any signs of
DESPERATION with his voice...

But if the player is chatting along, having a good time, and
seems quite CONFIDENT in general, it usually means he has a
strong hand.

It's a very subtle difference, and takes time to learn.

3. When a player looks you dead in the eye...

This usually means the player does not have a strong hand.

The "death stare" is simply an ACT of strength, but what it
really means is WEAKNESS.

Now...

Let's flip this over and look at poker tells that will show
you when a player is sitting on a monster hand...

Because knowing when to FOLD is often times MORE IMPORTANT
than just knowing when someone's bluffing you.

So, repeating the second part of our mantra:

"If a player acts WEAK, he is probably STRONG."

ACTING WEAK is usually more subtle than acting strong...
it's usually demonstrated in a way that is more like
DISINTEREST.

And once again, the player doesn't usually MEAN to act
weak... it's simply a NATURAL MECHANISM. Of course,
sometimes a player will INTENTIONALLY ACT WEAK, but the
meaning behind it is still the same:

He's got a strong hand.

Here are three poker tells when a player is acting WEAK, but
has a really great hand:

1. Looking AWAY and acting disinterested... and NOT making
eye contact with you...

This is the opposite of STARING YOU DOWN, which is a sign of
weakness.

This poker tell is ESPECIALLY apparent when the flop hits...
if the flop REALLY helped a player, he'll usually just
glance at it for a brief moment and then look away.

(On the other hand, if a player stares at the cards on the
flop for a long period of time, that usually means the flop
did NOT help him.)

2. Being very quiet...

When a player is PRAYING to himself that you're going to
call his bet, he usually stays very quiet and to himself...

If everyone at the table is laughing at something and a
player suddenly gets QUIET... or kind of "forces" his
laugh... then that's a sign he just picked up a monster
hand.

Beware!

3. Getting shaky...

When a player's hands get very shaky, watch out.

Some people think it's a sign of BLUFFING, but I sure hope
you're not one of those people. Shaky hands is almost always
a sign of a MONSTER HAND.

Also... I might add here... that after someone WINS a really
big pot, sometimes they get shaky as an "after effect".

Honestly, I have no idea why. But I do know that it happens.
So if someone just won a huge pot and is looking kind of
shaky, that's probably why.

Knowing about poker tells like these... both signs of
WEAKNESS and signs of STRENGTH... is a very important part
of WINNING POKER.

How To Consistently Beat Sit And Go's

What's this easy-to-use secret for beating Sit and Go
tournaments online?

The answer is this:

PATIENCE.

I know... I know... you were expecting something more, um...
"secretive".

But the truth is, winning at Sit and Go's is pretty damn
easy.

And that's why every time I turn on the computer these days
I feel like a kid in a candy store... ready to clean out the
amateurs at the poker room of my choosing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

What I want to discuss here is why PATIENCE is so critical
for Sit and Go success.

First, let's get back to some basics. There are four types
of poker playing styles:

1. Tight-Passive
2. Tight-Aggressive
3. Loose-Passive
4. Loose-Aggressive

Your style should be tight-aggressive.

Don't confuse "styles" with "preferences". If you want to be
a good card player, you DON'T get to DECIDE to be
tight-aggressive.

You MUST be tight-aggressive in order to be really good.

Period.

Of course there are DEGREES of each playing style, and
that's what accounts for the differences between one pro and
another... the DIFFERENT DEGREES of tight-aggressive.

OK, now let me ask you:

What does "tight-aggressive" really MEAN?

Here's the answer:

It means that you play TIGHT in terms of hand selection, but
AGGRESSIVE when you enter a pot.

Be careful... "tight" and "aggressive" are not opposites.
"Tight" and "loose" are opposites.

And so are "aggressive" and "passive".

TIGHT refers to hand selection. AGGRESSIVE refers to
betting.

OK... so this is how playing styles relate to Sit and
Go's...

The NATURE of Sit and Go's makes them OVERRUN by
LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE style players.

The reasons are simple:

1. You can play a Sit and Go virtually anytime, anywhere,
and with anyone.

This means there's very low risk in LOSING, since you can
easily just move on to the next game. It's not like in
"offline" poker when once you get knocked out you're DONE.

2. The money seems less "real".

Let's be honest... We all know the feeling of making a
deposit into an online poker account and thinking to
ourselves how it doesn't quite feel like REAL MONEY. Am I
right?

3. There's no "embarrassment".

Online poker is virtually 100% anonymous. If you make a
stupid move, you're not worried about what the other players
THINK of you. Who cares?

After all, the other "players" are really just silly little
avatars on an animated screen.

OK, so those are three (there are many more) of the reasons
why Sit and Go's (and pretty much all of online poker) are
dominated by the playing style LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE.

Loose-aggressive is also known as the "manic" playing style.
And what's the FASTEST way to beat a manic?

Yep, you guessed it...

PATIENCE.

The reason is because MANICS are constantly playing too many
hands (loose) and doing so aggressively.

What happens is that it's difficult to get a READ on them
because you never know whether they're bluffing or not...
unless you call their bets... which you can't do because you
don't have that great a hand.

Has this ever happened to you?

Have you ever been up against a player who seemed to be
playing VERY aggressively and you just couldn't figure out
if they were bluffing or holding great cards?

And then when you got FED UP with it and DID make
a call, he had you beat?

My guess is that it HAS happened to you... just as it's
happened for me.

The key thing to know is that THERE ARE certain steps you
can take to defend this. (I even wrote an entire chapter
about this topic in my eBook.)

But fortunately in Sit and Go's, this isn't really much of a
problem. Because you're usually not up against just one or
two manics. You're up against an ENTIRE TABLE of them.

That means you shouldn't be CALLING anyone's bets.

Instead, YOU should push the action when you have a monster
hand... and ONLY when you have a monster hand. And that, of
course, requires...

PATIENCE!

It's actually much easier this way. Because with a table
full of manics, you can rely on getting action with all your
great hands.

(I should point out here that I'm generally referring to Sit
and Go's where the entry fee is less than $50. When the
stakes are higher the quality of play is usually more
intelligent. Usually.)

OK, so what I'm about to tell you might take some of the
"fun" out of Sit and Go's. But it will increase your profits
dramatically...

Here's what your Sit and Go "experience" should look like
when the field is from 8 or 10 players down to 4 or 5
players.

******************************

******************************

If your hole cards are...

A-A, K-K - Go all in pre-flop if you're in early position.
If in late position and there was a raise, go all-in. If
people were just trying to limp in, make a raise... and then
bet very aggressively after the flop.

Q-Q, A-K - If you're in an early position, bet big (but not
all-in). If you're in a late position, use your read on the
other players to determine whether or not you think you have
the best hand. If so, bet huge or go all-in.

All other pocket pairs - Limp-in. If you spike trips, go
all-in. If not, fold.

Suited connectors - Limp-in if the blinds are reasonably
low. Fold suited connectors under 7-6.

Ace-X suited - Limp-in if possible. Only bet if you hit the
flush.

All other hands - Fold.

************************************************************

What you've just seen will be completely different than most
"starting hand strategies" out there.

And that chart is NOT for all types of no limit Texas
Holdem. We're ONLY talking about games that match these
three criteria:

1. Online poker Sit and Go tournaments
2. Low stakes (under $50 entry)
3. While there are more than 4 or 5 players at the table (in
an 8-man or 10-man Sit and Go)

DO NOT use that starting hand advice for any other poker
games... because that's NOT how you should play your
starting hands in general.

So why would Sit and Go's be so much different than other
poker play?

Like I said before, the reason is because Sit and Go's are
heavily dominated by loose-aggressive players... and THIS is
how you beat those guys.

Why exactly does this strategy work?

It works because you're only playing monsters.

Now... if the players at Sit and Go's were SMART, they'd
OBSERVE that you're only playing monster hands... and they'd
FOLD as soon as you went all-in.

I mean... it only makes logical sense, right?

Indeed, this is how it works in live games. But not online.
Because for online poker there's another important factor
working to your advantage...

NO ONE'S PAYING ATTENTION!

The truth is, many players are either drunk, hungover,
stupid, or playing multiple tables at once. Or all of the
above!

They're not paying attention to your betting patterns.
They're just playing the CARDS, not the PLAYERS.

I call my strategy for patiently waiting for monster hands
and then going all-in:

"Tight-Aggressive Squared"

The reason is because my strategy is like the playing style
tight-aggressive... but on STEROIDS.

Why go all-in so much?

It's like I said... you WILL get action. Maybe not every
single time, but enough times to make it well worth your
while.

For Sit and Go's, all you need to do is double-up ONCE
before the field gets to 4 or 5 players.

THEN you can start playing aggressively. What will happen is
that the 4 or 5 players LEFT IN THE GAME will usually be the
smarter ones. And some of them WILL notice by now that
you're playing tight.

SO THEN what you do is steal blinds. It's easy.

Everyone tightens up when there are four or five players in
a hand because they want to make the money... and they want
to be VERY CAREFUL to make it into the top three.

That is when you steal some blinds and add to your chip
stack.

Then, after that point you'll be in third place and will be
in the money.

I have a ton of strategies for getting you into FIRST place
too (after you get down to three players), but I'll have to
save those for a different newsletter.

You know, when I first came up with this strategy of
"Tight-Aggressive Squared" I wasn't COMPLETELY convinced it
was the best way to win at Sit and Go's.

At the time, I had been trying a lot of things. The idea of
just being EXTREMELY PATIENT and then going all-in with
monster hands seemed a little TOO SIMPLE.

Right?

Then one night, I was at a 10-man Sit and Go. I went all-in
with a big hand early and doubled up. It was the only hand I
got really involved with.

Then... with 9 players still at the table... my Internet
shut off. I didn't know what happened. All I know is that
the Internet just plain STOPPED WORKING.

I normally would have called someone... but it was past two
in the morning.

I messed with it for like fifteen minutes and then just gave
up. Oh well... it's just one Sit and Go.

Anyway... I started working on something else on my computer
for awhile until all of the sudden the Internet came BACK
on.

I logged into my poker room to see what had happened with
the game. Immediately the screen POPPED-UP and the action
was to me...

I was still in the game, it wasn't over yet!

Not only that...

But there were only three players left!

I was in third, but still had some remaining chips to play
around with.

I immediately went all-in and everyone folded. Then I did it
again and everyone folded. And a few hands later I did it
AGAIN.

I picked up three enormous sets of blinds and was right back
in the game. The reason everyone was folding was because I
hadn't played a hand in 25 minutes. They were probably
wondering what the hell was going on!

Anyway, as it turned out, I actually WON 1ST for this Sit
and Go. First place baby... and my Internet only worked for
about 1/5 of the game!

After I was done I started thinking about what had just
happened. I realized that by PLAYING in a Sit and Go you can
often do MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD when there are lots of
players at the table.

And of course, I became 100% convinced that the "magic
equation" for success is:

PATIENCE + AGGRESSION

Your goal for these games should be to place in the money as
much as possible. Period. So why risk chips on silly hands
early on?

They're just not worth it...

The other thing about this strategy is that it's a HUGE
time-saver. Because it doesn't require hardly any work until
there are 4-5 players left. It makes it MUCH easier to play
multiple tables at once... or do other things while the Sit
and Go plays in the background.

OK, so here's your "Tight-Aggressive Squared" Sit and Go
strategy:

1. Be patient, be patient, be patient!

Only play the hands I showed you earlier. Only bet before
the flop with Aces, Kings, Big Slick, and Queens.

2. When you catch a monster, go all-in. Don't do this if you
think someone has you beat (i.e. there's an obvious straight
or flush draw on the board).

I'm talking about only playing hands when you know you have
the best odds of winning.

3. When the field gets down to four or five players
(depending on how high the blinds are and how many all-in
showdowns you've won), shift gears completely and STOP using
this "Tight-Aggressive Squared" strategy.

That, my friend, is the "secret" to Sit and Go's.

It's obvious... but not-so-obvious.

But it is DEFINITELY simple.

And you can start implementing it IMMEDIATELY...

To get my COMPLETE system for making a "surgeon's income" at
online Sit and Go's, download SIT AND GO SHARK today. This
software tool can skyrocket your winnings with little or no
effort on your part:

http://www.SitAndGoShark.com/tl/592Mvvk


And for hundreds more "insider" tips and strategies about
Texas Holdem poker, check out my eBook. You can download it
IMMEDIATELY on this page:

http://www.NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com/tl/593tHgo

Getting A Quick Read On Your Opponents

Howdy Roy,

I have a dilly of a pickle here. At early stages of a
tournament or in small stakes ring games, do you recommend
raising with big non-pairs such as AK or AQ, and do you keep
pressing if you miss on the flop?

You are only going to hit a pair on the flop like 36% of the
time or something, and I find that the people who are
calling my significant pre-flop raises have:

A) Ginormous hands they are going to ravage me with (AA, KK)

B) Any other pair that they could hit trips with and destroy
me if I do hit a pair, or

C) They have a Johnny Callsalot attitude about life and that
2, 8, T on the flop could have hit them in which case their
stubbornness won't allow them to toss it even with a big bet
facing them on the flop.

What do ya reckon? Should I stop raising the AK and take the
beats when Loose Lucy limps with her A6 and hits two pair to
my one pair? Thanks Roy!

Sincerely,

Busted in Buffalo


>>> MY COMMENTS:

"Dilly of a pickle"?

"Ravage me with"?

"Johnny Callsalot"?

"Loose Lucy"?

You are one strange dude, my friend.

It sounds to me like there's something "not quite right" in
the Buffalo water these days...

But since you took the time to write, I'll be a nice guy and
answer your question. The key is to think more about
POSITIONING and BETTING PATTERNS.

Spot the "Johnny Callsalot" and "Loose Lucy" BEFORE getting
involved in a hand with them...

When you pick up A-K, raise the pot and narrow the table to
one or two callers. No matter what hits the board, represent
the flop if you're first to act.

If you're not first to act, get a read on your opponent.
Compare his behavior to what he did PREVIOUSLY in the game.

Keep in mind that RAISING the pot is one of the fastest ways
to put your opponent on a hand. For example, let's say
you've got A-K in late positioning. You make a pre-flop
raise and get one caller (the big blind).

At this point you don't know what your opponent is holding.
He may have just called your pre-flop bet because he felt
pot-committed.

The flop hits: 9-4-Q

Your opponent fires a reasonable bet. Now what?

Does he have something? Or is he just representing the flop?

The answer would depend on who your opponent is, how many
chips he has, what type of game you're playing, how many
players are at the table, and so on.

But for the sake of example, one way to FIND OUT is to RAISE
his bet. (Not a "wuss" raise, either.)

Let's say he bet $100 and you raise it to $300.

Now you've put HIM to a DECISION for his chips.

He'll probably do one of these three things:

1. Call your bet, then check the turn card.
2. Raise your bet, then bet the turn card.
3. Fold.

Option 1 suggests he DOESN'T have a strong hand. And that
means you can probably buy the pot on the turn.

Or you can check the turn and see a "free" river card...
which is a great tactic since you've got two over cards. If
the river hits Ace, you're in great shape.

Option 2 means he has something good, and it's time for you
to hit the road.

Option 3 means you just took down the pot with your Ace
high... and you can thank me later.

The WRONG thing to do is just keep calling or check-calling
your opponent. Because that won't give you any information
about his hand.

Try this out and see how it goes.


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Hey Roy,

Just signed on with you and I have enjoyed your tips you
send e-mail. Today I entered a online tournament where I was
up to 4000 dollars and in 2nd place within the first hour. I
lost 1500 in chips playing solid hands after awhile and fell
into 29th position.

I have an on the button play with a small raise of 120 in
early position. I call 120 to see flop. I am holding KQ
unsuited, the flop falls 6-3-K. I am checked by the early
position (who by the way is my only opponent.) I Raise 300,
he raises all in. All my chips if I call.

I feel I can move into a good position in the tournament if
I win this hand. I call and see the damage. He is holding
6-3 in his hand , I am now out of the tournament. I was very
mad Roy. What should I have done?

Thanks,
D.H.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

OK, here's where you went wrong...

First, you said you "fell into 29th position" after being in
second place.

That immediately tells me you were probably on TILT. You
took a big hit and wanted to get BACK in the lead... so you
weren't thinking straight.

Second, you said, "i feel i can move into a good position if
i win this hand".

No, no, no, no!

Don't think this way!

Wrong attitude my friend. Where you'll be in the tournament
AFTER that hand is completely irrelevant. It doesn't matter.

ALL YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT is whether your opponent
has your top pair beat. Period.

Since you were in a multi-table tournament (MTT), you
probably couldn't have tracked that opponent's betting
patterns.

That's OK.

Here's what you SHOULD have done...

1. Playing K-Q with a small pre-flop raise isn't necessarily
WRONG... but it's not always smart either.

If it's a 10-player table, someone could easily have A-K,
especially if they raised from early position.

In fact, that's the hand I would have been worried about the
MOST in your particular situation.

2. With that being said, when your opponent checked you were
right to throw out a bet. Good job not "checking" and trying
to "slow play" the top pair...

3. BUT WHEN YOUR OPPONENT RAISED ALL-IN, that's when the
"red flag" was up.

A check-raise is almost always a SUREFIRE SIGN that your
opponent has a really strong hand. It's VERY, VERY RARE for
someone to check-raise and BLUFF.

Think about it:

To check-raise, the person has to be SUPREMELY CONFIDENT in
their cards. They're checking-- HOPING YOU'LL BET, that way
they can raise you.

(The exception to this rule is if you had thrown out a
"suspicious" bet-- either too big or too small-- after your
opponent checked. In that case he might have sensed weakness
and raised in order to buy the pot. But that's not what
happened.)

So here's everything you did wrong:

You got caught up in your emotions... you weren't thinking
enough about the exact SITUATION... you called when you
should have folded... and you lost the tournament.

But I've got good news:

I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by
switching to Geico.

OK, OK, I'll be serious. The GOOD NEWS is you're not alone.
We've all done it... and now that you RECOGNIZE the error of
your ways, you can FIX IT.

Now go out there and WIN dammit!


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Great book. initially i didn't want to buy it, thinking it
was gimicky. but i did and i'm glad!

it's very easy to read and the examples are crystal clear.
this baby has paid for itself, ten times over! i'm doing
very well in ten man sit-n-go's. i mainly compete in the
$30+3 buy-ins and win about two thirds of them. and it's
been a breeze placing third (normally worse case; bad beats
do happen).

if anybody wants a more in-depth review, have them email me
at [email address withheld]. serious poker players need to
add this to their arsenal.

NOW MOVING ALONG, i do need help with one aspect of my game.
i'm doing well when i play heads up in the five man sits,
but i'm not doing as well as i would like playing in the
one-on-one sits. heads up should be heads up, right?

why am i struggling? im only winning about 60% of the time
in the one-on-ones and i would like to get that average up.
please help.

B.M.
Cedar Rapids, IA


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Thanks for the great comments. Sounds like you're making a
lot of progress...

Your point that "heads up should be heads up" is actually a
very common misconception.

The most important feature of a heads-up match (besides your
opponent) is the BLINDS.

For a five-player Sit and Go, the blinds will be QUITE HIGH
when it gets to two players. If you're doing good with these
types, it means you know how to make "big plays" at the end
of the game...

For a regular HEADS-UP SIT AND GO, however, things are
different. The blinds start out very LOW, which makes the
game much more PSYCHOLOGICAL.

It's a WAR between you and your opponent. "Good" cards don't
really matter much... each hand is mostly a battle of who
DOESN'T have the WORST hand.

Here's a neat tactic I like to use online...

On the VERY FIRST HAND of your heads-up match-- BEFORE it
begins-- type this into the chat box:

"Hey dude, let's both go all-in on the very first hand and
just see what happens."

This alone will confuse your opponent. And he'll think
you're a complete jackass.

THEN... IF YOU HIT A "GOOD" PRE-FLOP HAND, DO IT:

Go all-in!

Remember... a "good hand" could be any pair, any Ace, or any
two high cards.

Now here's why this tactic is so powerful:

1. You won't get to go all-in very often. I'd say you'll get
a STRONG FIRST HAND about 10% of your matches...

2. BUT WHEN YOU DO, the reaction is INSTANT TILT from your
opponent. Very funny to watch I might add.

I've gotten comments like:

"I can't believe I sat down with you".

"*#*# #@* *#$@#*@*^*@*#".

"This game is gonna be easier than I thought."

"I guess you don't care about money."

And so on...

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT.

If they CALL, you've got a huge statistical edge because you
went all-in with a good hand heads-up.

That means you'll probably win the game in one hand! (Which
has happened to me quite often.)

If they FOLD, you've set yourself up for great action later.

Either way it's all in good fun and works to your advantage
at the table.

Remember-- your problem right now is not adjusting for the
blinds structure.

With low blinds you can "play around" a bit... set yourself
up later... and work on CONFUSING your opponent.


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

i like your tips, but u never answered my true question: how
do u play strip poker? and what are the rules?

i need people to play with to: plz help me roy.

[name withheld]


>>> MY COMMENTS:

My best tip for strip poker is this:

Don't "limp in".

OK. Now go get a life and quit bothering me.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

I've been playing for 2 years. I don't play online and am
suspicious of all the "tips" and "books" on texas hold 'em.
To be honest, i don't remember how I signed up for your free
email tips but I can tell you that they won me over
completely.

I just bought your new book and am excited to read it.
Thanks for having one of those rare business models that
puts out truly good advice without expecting anything in
return. Regardless of my future success, you've made me feel
more comfortable at the tables. I won four tournaments in a
row and placed second in the last one.

Watch out buddy, I just may be coming after you next.

Again, strong thanks.

J.P.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Haha... Bring it on!

Thanks for the email.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Hi Roy,

After receiving so many helpful hints from you by e-mail I
went ahead and ordered your book. I spent 1 day reading the
entire book from front to back.

The following day I went to my favorite poker site on the
net and began to play with my new found knowledge. I am a
low stakes limit player. Within 3 hours of play I made $350
and I only played the $2 $4 tables. I was amazed at how many
pots I was raking playing in the style you taught me.

Thank You Roy. Your book was the best investment I could
have made.

G.A.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Awesome...

Even though I focus on NO LIMIT in my eBook, a lot of the
strategies can be used for LIMIT poker as well.

I'm glad you were able to "pick out" the right pieces and
use them successfully. Keep it up!


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Roy,

First of all, thanks for the emails. The lessons really help
me keep my focus. Second, thanks for the tip on Hold'em
Genius. I have just recently been a net-positive player on
other poker websites, but after making my first deposit at
[casino] and then using the software, I have more than
doubled my account in less than a week. I have the statement
to prove it.

I play both cash and SNG games, and like them both. What I
didn't expect was the boost in confidence this software
gives me. I don't always "follow the rules," but just
keeping an eye on hand rankings, outs, pot odds, and
statistics from flop to river is an enormous help. It
definitely does NOT take the art out of the game, but
definitely, ABSOLUTELY improves my intuitive feel for the
odds.

It is especially helpful knowing how my hand turns out after
I fold, enabling me to refine my "feel" even more. In an
uncanny sort of way, it also assists me in knowing when to
change up my game-- and this alone has been worth the hassle
of opening up yet another poker account. The software also
works on many other sites, including all the other sites I
have accounts on. I have seen better results at those sites,
as well.

So, again, thanks. I'm sure I'll have my down days, but at
least I'll be making the right decisions. And one day, when
I finally learn to figure all these things out in my head
and trust my instincts, I'll head to the casinos and learn
the art of face-to-face poker among the real players. You
know who I'll be giving the credit to. (And it's not the
software.)

Cheers,

J.S.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Awww... don't emails like this just make you feel "warm and
fuzzy" inside?

Maybe it's just me.

OK... seriously... thanks for the great success story.
You've described EXACTLY my favorite parts of the Holdem
Genius program.

It's the "intuitive feel" you get for odds and statistics
that makes the tool SO POWERFUL.

If you haven't done so already, NOW GO PLAY A LIVE GAME and
see what happens... You'll be amazed at how much knowledge
you've gained at a "gut level".

Poker ODDS is kind of like MUSIC...

If I gave you a sheet of lyrics and told you, "Memorize this
entire thing", it would take you quite awhile.

But when you HEAR THE LYRICS WITH MUSIC, your brain absorbs
all the words much faster... and you end up memorizing
hundreds upon hundreds of songs UNCONSCIOUSLY... without
even knowing it!

It's the same way with odds. To "memorize" all the formulas,
equations, and scenarios requires unreasonable amounts of
time and hard work...

...But by playing with Holdem Genius, you can literally
"absorb" the information unconsciously.

Next thing you know, you'll be "reciting" stats and
percentages without any effort! (And winning more pots, of
course.)

Here's the link to get Holdem Genius:

http://www.HoldemGenius.com/tl/588GSJW


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Hey Roy I would like your opinion on how to play AJ and KQ
in early and late positioning. I like to raise with AJ about
3x the blind in late positioning and sometimes I raise with
it in early position if I have enough chips. Hope to hear
from
you soon.

I.G.
New York


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Great question. Ace-Jack and King-Queen are TOUGH HANDS to
play...

Your strategy should depend on the number of players at the
table, how well you "know" your opponents, and your chip
count.

If you're going to raise with your A-J pre-flop, do it with
good positioning and lots of chips. Because if that flop
hits with an Ace, you've GOT to bet big.

With an Ace on the board, you need to do whatever it takes
to either scare away your opponent, or figure out that he's
holding A-Q or A-K.

With K-Q, it's the same way. I don't like playing K-Q at a
10-player table unless I've got good positioning with a
solid chip stack. If the flop gives me top pair, I'm going
to represent my hand aggressively.

That way if I run into A-Q or A-K, I'll KNOW IT. This saves
me from losing MORE money on the turn and river.

Remember... if you have a hand like this, you've got to
develop a solid prediction for what your opponents are
holding. Otherwise you'll lose all your chips when you run
into someone with the higher kicker.

With low-stakes online poker you want to be even MORE weary
of how you play a hand like A-J. A lot of players think that
"anything with an Ace" is good-- even at an 8-man or 10-man
table.

Sometimes I'll put my opponent on something like A-K, only
to watch him flip over A-5 or A-10.

The biggest advice I can give you is to KNOW AHEAD OF TIME
that playing A-J can get you into trouble... so be careful.

Leverage your positioning, chip stack, and the betting
patterns of your opponents.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Hello Roy,

Well, I have been interested in texas hold'em for about 2
years. Only played a few real games up until about two weeks
ago. I moved to Fla with my work and am close to the Hard
Rock "casino". So I have been going often. Walking in I
thought I knew so much from watching WSOP on TV. Well, I was
wrong.

Every night I lost. Sometimes I was just lucky but in the
end I lost it all. Finally after about $200 I went online to
look for help. I came across your website. I didn't buy yet,
because I am waiting for my paycheck to clear this week, but
you did send me the 10 mistakes and how to fix them for
free.

I followed #1 almost 100% faithfully. I was up and down of
course, but after 5 hours, I was only down $5. And the only
reason I was down was because I was to tired to be playing
and should have quit when I was up $20. Of course, like
said, it's not much but so much better then before. I know
when I buy your information I will start winning instead of
just being even.

Well, it's 3:30 in the morning and I must go to bed for
tomorrows trip to the casino. I look forward to your
information, and I know that eventually it will make me the
poker player I want to me. (Doyle Brunson perhaps. Or Phil
Hellmuth. Well minus his "bratty" attitude.)

Ok. I look forward to hearing from you. Good bye for now.

B.C.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

YES... Mistake #1 (playing too many hands) is very
important.

What you're going through is very common. The problem is
what happens when you "learn" a lot about poker by watching
it on TV.

The World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour don't show
every hand. Not even CLOSE. They actually only show about 4%
of the entire game.

And what 4% do you think that is?

The most EXCITING PART, of course!

That means you MISS all the hands where the pros patiently
fold hand after hand after hand...

AND...

The poker you see on television is the FINAL TABLE of the
major tournaments. The final table is where the blinds are
HIGHEST... which encourages more action and misleads you
EVEN MORE as to what poker is all about.

The truth is, watching a real poker tournament is
B-O-R-I-N-G. It's even boring to play, most of the time.

So keep challenging yourself to "re-learn" poker OUTSIDE of
what you saw on TV... and be patient!

You'll get there. Thanks for the email.


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Hi,

My name is M. and I have been playing at PokerRoom for over
a year now. I am, at the time, about even in my "bank
account" there. I figured that since you play there a bit
that you may be able to give me some advice.

I like to play 5 and 10 dollar Sit-n-Goes as well as the
heads-up sit-n-gos. I was wondering if you had any advice on
how I should play these tables and what strategies I should
use to win at these tables. Thank you very much. Your
e-mails are very insightful and have helped me to do much
better at my game, both online and with my friends.

M.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Here's my top three pointers for $5 and $10 Sit and Go's at
PokerRoom.com:

1. The players are BETTER here than at most casinos, which
means you'll suffer through fewer "bad beats" and manics.

2. Don't bluff until later stages of the Sit and Go. When
you bluff, you must risk a LOT of chips for the best
results.

3. Start with a "tight-aggressive" playing style until there
are about 6 players left. Then slowly transition to a
"loose-aggressive" style for the remainder of the game.

This will allow you to patiently build your chip stack in
the beginning, and then buy pots and bully opponents when
the blinds get higher.

After that you'll have a strong chip stack that will get you
"in the money" no problem.


*** SUCCESS STORY ***

Roy,

I just wanted to also say thanks for the info on this Holdem
Genius. When you said free, most logical people would know
what you meant. And it is free. Depositing money is still
your money. And I didn't know the tables... were so easy.
Made $50 in my first hour. But back to the Genius, it has
continued to help my game although, I still haven't
conditioned myself to look at all the time yet. Anyway,
thanks again for your aid in helping us up-in-comers in the
game with your newsletters.

You have helped my game with your tips and just yesterday...
after almost 5 months of playing... I turned my $50
investment in to $1000. Seriously, thanks a million... or
should a say, thanks a thousand.

J.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

Glad you liked it.

Keep me posted when you DO hit a million, OK?


*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Roy,

As always, great column.

When I play tight(er) I usually place in the top 5% of the
big freerolls. Get loose and it's "night night".

The more I play and the more I read the more confused I get.

A couple answers would help a LOT. I don't understand the
"squared" part of "tight aggressive squared".

Next. I totally understand "position" the way you have
explained it on numerous times. So in my questions I
understand the "position" part.

Some of this I just need your confirmation on as to being
right or wrong. Here we go.

Pocket pair (pre-flop) mid to small pair always raise before
the flop and if you don't trip up on the flop, fold to any
bet? If you are raised should you call or fold or reraise?

Same as above except big pair (queens and up) either all in
or play it slow (your choice)? if you are raised (same ? as
above)

Unsuited A-7 or above, before the flop and good position...
always raise the big blind? Then if you get raised do you
call or fold?

If you have time to answer these questions it would be
great. I sincerely enjoy your email column. One of these
days all of the pieces will fall in at one time. "Oh that is
what he has been talking about" duh

thanks Roy,

M.M.


>>> MY COMMENTS:

I hate to do this to you... but I have no choice:

You've just hit upon some GREAT QUESTIONS and situations at
the poker table that MOST PLAYERS don't know how to handle.

AND KNOWING WHAT TO DO in these particular scenarios is what
separates the "fish" from the "sharks"...

Fortunately, there are step-by-step, easy to learn SYSTEMS
for each of the questions you just asked.

Once you know these systems you'll get a HUGE EDGE over the
competition... and you'll start taking down more pots
immediately.

But here's the bad news. Each of those scenarios would
require discussions of how many players are at the table...
your positioning... the game type you're playing... and so
on.

There are no "short answers" I can give you.

AND THAT'S WHY I've developed my eBook, "No Limit Holdem
Secrets".

When you read my course you'll get the "big picture" of WHAT
you should do, WHEN, and HOW.

There's over 200 pages, 50 chapters, and hundreds of pro
tactics that you can use to start WINNING NOW.

So if you've waited long enough, and you're ready to play
poker with the "big boys", it's time you got this course.

Click this link for all the details:

http://www.NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com/tl/584UGbF