HOLDEM CORNER

"POKER OFFICE" SOFTWARE REVIEW

2008-02-26T20:50:00.007-05:00

From time to time I will give my review of certain poker products I have purchased. I am always trying to improve my game in everyway I can. I read a lot of poker books and read a lot of poker articles online. I think its important to gain an edge on your opponents anyway you can.

I recently had an opportunity to test a poker software program called Poker Office. In my opinion it is far better than any other poker software on the market. If you are a serious Texas Holdem player, Poker Office is a must for your arsenal. The software records each move you and your opponents make while you play and provides you with an overwhelming amount of information to help you improve your Texas Holden game. The software allows you to analyze vast amounts of data through graphs and tables to determine where there may be holes in your game.

Poker Office offers a free 300 hand trial if you want to take the software for a test drive without any obligation. Since I rarely give things a perfect 10 rating, I am going to give Poker Office a 9.8/10. You can link to the site through this blog.

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On Line Tells

2008-02-25T20:42:00.006-05:00

In this article I am going to discuss certain online "tells" to look for when evaluating an opponent's hand. When I first starting playing poker on the internet, I never even fathomed there is such a thing as a virtual or on-line "tell". How wrong I was.

If you are new to poker, a "tell" is an act, gesture or mannerism that a poker player displays when trying to disguise the strength of their hand. In a live game, for example, a player may act weak when he is strong, say various things, stare at you, throw his chips in the middle etc... All of these actions are "tells" and can provide you with valuable information about your opponents hand. While many tells may be subconsciously executed, they are nonetheless subject to interpretation by opponents. Many players exhibit the same kind of "tell", so the trick is learning to distinguish its implications accordingly since it's meaning for one player can easily differ from that of another player.

The question is how can you pick up on these subtleties when playing online? For the most part you can't. Nonetheless, there are a few "tells" that are useful to know when playing online.

The following is a list of the most common online "tells":

Speed of Play

If you have played online poker you have noticed that there is a set number of seconds that each player has to respond before he is declared either all-in or folded. The speed of play can be a good “tell”.

The insta-call after you bet: Most players who call your bet immediately have a weak calling hand. These players want you to believe they have a stronger hand and hope that you will not bet into them again.

The delayed check: Most players who take longer than normal to check to you do not want you to bet. They are attempting to display strength because they want to see the next card for free.

The delayed bet: When an opponent thinks for a long time and then bets, they are usually holding a strong hand. They want you to believe they are weak so that you will call/raise.

The insta-bet/raise on the river: The player who utilizes this move will usually be holding a very strong hand. By raising or betting so quickly, they are trying to make you think they are bluffing. This move can also be used on the turn and generally, though not as frequently, denotes strength.

The insta-check: A player sitting in late position who uses the "in turn" check/fold button is usually weak. Often, they are playing at multiple tables and are hoping to save time by using the "in turn" buttons.

The bet into on the turn: When a player has checked and called on the flop and then bets into you on the turn, it usually indicates weakness. This type of bet often means that they picked up a draw or that they are semi-bluffing with a draw they picked up on the flop. Strongly consider raising even though you might be bluffing yourself.

Pay close attention to how much time it takes the other players to act, and mentally make a note of it. If you get a chance to see their cards at showdown, see if you can determine what they “slow bet” with and what they “fast bet” with. Also, think about your own play and whether or not you exhibit these "tells" by your speed of play. A good strategy is to try and take the same amount of time for every action, so that observant players cannot draw any conclusions from your own speed of play.

Use of Check Boxes/Auto Plays

The vast majority, if not all, online poker rooms have check boxes such as “fold” “raise any”, or “call any”. You can usually tell when a player has used a check box, because his action comes within the blink of an eye of the player before him. USE THIS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!!!. If a player has checked “raise any” it should be obvious he has a strong hand. If a player uses the check box to “check” his hand is probably weak. If a player uses the check box to “call any”, he probably has a draw hand he has not completed, but is definitely not ready to fold. While these are not 100% accurate, the observant player can over time, begin to draw conclusions and make assumptions based on an opponents use of the check boxes. The fact that a player feels strongly enough about a hand to make a decision before even seeing the actions of the players before him, might be a “tell” as to what that player is holding.

Opponents Fold/Flop Percentage

Over the course of several games you will get a sense of whether or not the player folds a lot of trash hands (a tight player) or if he is staying in almost every pot (a loose player). This “tell” can be used both online and offline to help you determine the strength of a players overall game. If a player folds a lot of hands, be careful when you play a hand against him. If he stays in almost every pot, you can probably run over him if you play only good cards. Most online poker rooms give you the option of making permanent notes about other players. If you play often like I do, you will come across the same players. If you take good notes on how someone plays, you can refer to these notes if you see a familiar name at your table. It will save you from having to figure out someone's playing style.

Chat Box

Just as in brick and mortar casinos, the “chattiness” of a player can be an obvious "tell". Generally, if a player who is chatting all of a sudden gets quiet, it is more likely than not he has a good hand. He is spending every ounce of focus on playing his cards and squeezing out the biggest pot possible. On the other hand, if a player is betting and becomes antagonistic in the chat box, he may be bluffing and hoping his show of “confidence” will aid him in bluffing you off the table. Watch the chat box also for players who are “steaming” or “on tilt.” A whining player or one who is using lots of abusive language is probably emotionally unable to play good poker until he or she calms down.

Waiting for the Big Blind

When you first sit down at a Hold 'em table, you may have the option of “waiting on the big blind“ to get to you, or posting a matching big blind and start playing immediately. This a good "tell" on how patient an online player will be. If he is not patient enough to wait on the big blind to get around to him, he might not be very patient about waiting on good starting hands. Expect him to be a loose player. The opposite holds true for players who "wait on the big blind". Either they are patient or cheap. Both are pretty good qualities to have if you are playing online poker. Cheap players, even when they are not especially skilled, will tend to wait on better hands since they are loathe to throw away their bets!

In conclusion, when playing online you can't see your opponents, but you can see what they DO. The betting actions and chat behavior of opponents offers a goldmine of information that you can use against them. Pay close attention to these things and your game will improve dramatically.

Starting Hands In No Limit Texas Hold'em

2008-02-19T20:29:00.005-05:00

When I started writing this article, the first thing that popped into my head was Barry Sheck's now famous saying from the O.J. simpson murder trial ..... "Garbage In, Garbage Out". While any two cards can turn into a monster hand, it is more likely than not you will wind up mucking them after the flop. If you are the type of player that plays every hand no matter what, give me your telephone number, I would like to invite you to my home game.

One of the first things a new Texas Holdem player needs to learn is which starting hands are worth playing, and which ones should be folded. Like the Kenny Roger's song says "you gotta know when to holdem and know when to foldem" Many beginning and intermediate Holdem players play statrting hands that they have no business playing.

To give yourself the best chance of winning, you should play only premium starting hands. Many top Texas Holdem players employ this strategy with much success. Unless you play Gus Hansen or Daniel Negreaneau ( and I will bet most of you don't) it is a good rule of thumb to play only quality statrting hands.

Ok, so what are the best statrting hands? I'm glad you asked.

The best starting hands are:

Large Pairs - Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks. Even pairs of tens and nines and eights are high quality starting hands. Play them.

Aces with suited High Cards - When you get an Ace with a K, Q, J, or even a ten, many good things can happen. You already have high card. If a flush comes, you'll have the best possible one (the "NUTS") because of your ace. High straights, and even a straight flush is possible with these cards. Play them.

Suited Faces Cards and Tens - While it's nicer to have an ace in the hole, suited face cards are playable hands. They hold a lot of potential including high pair with a strong kicker, straights, and flushes.

Aces with unsuited High Cards - Aces with an unsuited partner can still give you top pair with a high kicker, or a high straight. Because other players may also have an ace, the strength of the second card in your hand is important. If two players tie, that second card, or 'kicker' will decide the winner. This is why A-10 is a playable hand, and A-6 is not. (A-10 can also turn into a high straight). So while aces are highly sought after, do not feel the need to play every hand in which you are dealt an ace.

King with Face Card - A King with a Queen, or with a Jack is a playable hand. But, it is not as strong as you may think. Still, two face cards rank high enough that seeing the flop is often a good idea. These are the strongest starting hands in a Texas Holdem game. Other hands are playable depending on the circumstances at the table, but beginners may want to stick to playing only these premium hands until they understand the game more fully.

Playing these starting hands will not guarantee that you will be a winner at No Limit Holdem. As your game improves you'll realize there are situations where even premium statrting hands hands should be discarded. But, for now if you play only these statrting hands your game will improve dramatically, and you'll win more pots.

Good luck and I hope you make a fortune playing Texas Holdem.

www.crushsitngos.com

Crushing Single Table No Limit Sit-N-Go's

2008-02-18T19:36:00.008-05:00

If you are reading this article, I am going to assume you already know the what a sit-n-go tournament is and how to play No Limit Holdem. If you don't, this article isn't for you. The sole purpose of this article is to give you a basic strategy to be a consistent winner at single table sit-n-go tournaments. You will not become Doyle Brunson or Phil Helmuth (who wants to be like him anyway?), but if you follow these basic strategies your chances of being a consistent money winner at sit-n-go's will increase dramatically.

So here goes!

The Strategy:

If you do not remember anything else from this article, remember this: The secret to winning money a Sit n Go tournament is PATIENCE! PATIENCE! PATIENCE! Take a few moments and repeat this to yourself over and over again.

I have played thousands of sit-n-go's. If you play on one of the the major on-line poker sites, there is a good chance we may have played against me. Sorry, I'm not going to tell you who I am, that would be silly. Anyway, I have noticed many, if not most of the players in the low stakes SnG tournaments are very loose and play too many hands. I don't reccommend this strategy. You do not want to play many hands in the early stages of the tournament. You want to sit back and let all the loose players (affectionately referred to as "donks") knock themselves out. Before you know it, the table will be down to 4 or 5 players and you will only have to beat two or three of them to get in the money.

Here is a basic strategy for playing broken down by the number of players left in the game. Nothing in poker is written in stone, but if you follow these guidelines you will improve your chances of winning. A good SnG player (yes, I do consider myself one)can get into the money on a consistent basis(yes, I do)

7-10 Players

In the beginning you only want to play big hands against a small number of players. You don't want to get involved in many multi-way pots where you may suffer a bad beat. Be very selective but be very aggressive with the hands you play. In the beginning I will only play: A-A, K-K, Q-Q or AK in early position and I will go all in with them in an attempt to double up.
In Middle position play Ace-Jack, Ace-Ten, (suited) King-Queen, Queen-Jack or Jack-Ten along with pocket 99 - 88 - 77.

In late position if the pot has not been raised I will limp in with small pocket pairs and a suited Ace or suited connectors. If I don't get a set on the flop I will dump my pocket pair. You want to flop a big hand or get out for a single bet. Chasing a draw will burn chips and if there is a raise you should avoid this.

5-7 Players

Keep playing the same tight strategy. If you happen to double up during the early rounds you can afford to be very selective but also be aggressive attacking the small stack and the blinds. The one thing you want to avoid is a confrontation with another big stack unless you have a monster hand. It usually doesn't take too long to lose two or three players. Play big hands with a raise or fold and wait for a strong hand.

4-5 Players

When the tournament gets down to 4 or 5 players the action gets really tight. Players are hoping to coast into the money. Forget what you learned in Sunday School ("THOU SHALL NOT STEAL"). This is a great time for you to steal the blinds and pick up money from the short stacks who will fold in hopes of making it into the money. If you have a big stack, don't let the players with the small stack see a cheap flop. Make them pay to play. Enter the pot with a raise or fold. One word of caution is that if the blinds are too short stacked they will be pot committed and will usually call in desperation. You don't want to double them up by playing garbage.
If you have a medium stack at this point, you still have enough chips where you can do a little stealing and build your stack. Play any pocket pairs aggressively if you are the first one to enter the hand. If you are short stacked when you get to this point, your goal should be to try and double up of go broke trying. Any pocket pair or Ace with a big card is worth an all in bet if you are
3heads up.

3 Players. CONGRATULATIONS YOU'RE IN THE MONEY!!!

When you make it into the money you have accomplished your main goal. Now is the time to go for the next goal, WINNING!!!!. Who ever said "winning isn't everything" lied to you. Sure it is. That is why we are playing. If you aren't playing to win, you shouldn't be playing. You should play for first place or go broke trying. If you are the chip leader you should be raising with every hand you play. Don't let the other two players see the flop cheaply. If you are on the button and have nothing let the blinds fight it you with each other.

At this stage you want to try and trap the other players into making a mistake. If you flop a big hand and are first to act you can check if the other players have been aggressive. If they have been playing passively try making a small bet into the pot that looks like you are trying to steal it. If you are raised, you can come over the top with a bigger raise and trap the other player.

If you have the middle stack you don't want to wait and hope that the small stack is knocked out by the large stack. Many times when the SnG gets down to three the play will still be tight. With the mid size stack you can still put some fear into the big stack who might be afraid to confront your raises.

If you find that you are the short stack then you have nothing to lose. This is not to say that you should just bluff off your chips, but you also can't wait to be blinded off either. Chances are if the player with the big stack is a knowledgeable, he will be attacking you. You will have to make a stand.

2 Players

When you are playing heads up you can't afford to wait. Many times it comes down to who can steal the most blinds. Rememeber, in poker stealing isn'ta bad thing. You should raise a lot from the small blind. If the big blinds folds half the time you will show a profit.

If you are the big blind and find yourself against a player using this strategy you will need to counter it by calling more or raising him. You must loosen up or you will go broke. Don't be afraid to raise back. A small pair, or even a single Ace or King, can be a big favorite in heads up play. With a big hand you can often trap from the small blind by limping in with it. Try It!!!

Some players are a little hesitant about entering a single table Sit and Go because they think all the players are seasoned pros. Baloney!!!. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the lower limit tournaments. If you try this strategy you may just find that they are the more profitable than you possibly imagined. It might take you a few tournaments to fine tune your strategy but don't give up. Just remember to BE PATIENT!

Lastly, if you do become a consistent sit-n-go winner, feel free to send me a portion of your winnings as a little token of your appreciation.

http://www.crushsitngos.com/