I forgot to mention that my last trip to the casino saw my magic bankroll grow again. I'm not sure what purpose all my ranting about the table Nazi served, other than just allowing me to vent. Thank you, gentle reader, for listening.
For those of you keeping score, I took $120 to the casino and left with $405 - a very good day.
I have often thought back to that game in Jay's when I hit a three outer on the river. That one lucky moment when this crazy roll began.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Meet the Table Nazi
There are lots of rules to playing poker live and each casino has their own rules. At some places you are not allowed to show another player your hole cards - even if you are mucking and the player is not in the hand. One casino might have a rule against wearing a hoodie (seriously!) - another might not allow you to come back to the same table you left without exactly the same amount of chips you left with until 45 minutes have elapsed.
I think it is up to the players to know the casino rules and it is up to the dealers and floor managers to enforce them. Some players, however, think it is their job to tell everyone else what to do. These are the table Nazi's and they come in all shapes and sizes.
On my last trip to the casino I met a table Nazi. This one decided to assume the human form of busty young woman in tight clothes and over sized sunglasses. She was over bearing, arrogant and told everybody how they should behave. I don't know if behavior like this is designed to put other people off their games. Maybe sometimes it is. In this particular case she seemed like a genuine asshole.
Also at the table was a young Asian guy who I had seen at the casino a lot. For some reason the Nazi seemed to be making the Asian kid her main target, needling him when ever he lost a big pot. The kid was sitting directly on her left, so maybe she was trying to goad him into making bad calls. After an hour of this, the kid moved to an open seat on the other side of the table. Fifteen minutes after that the seat on his right came open and the Nazi moved beside him! I could see the kid was very uncomfortable and kind of felt sorry for him, but I guess it is part of the game. What soon happened, however, was just plain bad manners.
The kid was on the big blind when it limped to him. The dealer must have thought he checked because he started to deal the flop when the kid said, "Wait! I want to raise!"
"Oh, sorry, I thought you checked." said the dealer, who had not yet dealt the flop.
"No, I was still thinking. I want to raise it $30."
"It too late!" screeched the Nazi, "You tapped the table! You checked!"
A big argument breaks out as to whether or not this is a legal bet. The dealer decides to let the kid's raise stand, which makes the Nazi fume. Everyone folds to her in the small blind, and she says "Screw you, asshole! I call."
As the dealer starts to deal the flop she says, "If I so much as hit a pair I'm pushing all in, you lousy bastard!"
The board looks harmless: 9h 6d 3c
"All in!" she snaps.
The kid looks miserable. She has bet about $200 into pot of about $70. After agonizing for a minute he calls and shows AK suited.
"Two pair!" yells the Nazi, showing her 3c 6c. "YEAH!" The turn and river bring no help to the kid, who cuts $200 out of his stack.
"The only thing better than doubling up with 3-6, is doing through an angle-shooter like you!" ,and then she actually gives him a little shove! If she were anything but some hot chick that poker nerds are afraid to talk to there would be no way she would get away with that kind of shit. If a dude said and did those things he would have been punched.
Asian guy was now on major tilt and lost the last of his chips to me a couple hands later when I flopped a set of aces. He made a very bad call to me - one he would never have made if the Nazi had not got under his skin.
If you ever find yourself getting mad at a player do not let it effect your game. Easier said than done, I know, but if you can't keep your desire for revenge in check then move to another table, or take a long break.
I think it is up to the players to know the casino rules and it is up to the dealers and floor managers to enforce them. Some players, however, think it is their job to tell everyone else what to do. These are the table Nazi's and they come in all shapes and sizes.
On my last trip to the casino I met a table Nazi. This one decided to assume the human form of busty young woman in tight clothes and over sized sunglasses. She was over bearing, arrogant and told everybody how they should behave. I don't know if behavior like this is designed to put other people off their games. Maybe sometimes it is. In this particular case she seemed like a genuine asshole.
Also at the table was a young Asian guy who I had seen at the casino a lot. For some reason the Nazi seemed to be making the Asian kid her main target, needling him when ever he lost a big pot. The kid was sitting directly on her left, so maybe she was trying to goad him into making bad calls. After an hour of this, the kid moved to an open seat on the other side of the table. Fifteen minutes after that the seat on his right came open and the Nazi moved beside him! I could see the kid was very uncomfortable and kind of felt sorry for him, but I guess it is part of the game. What soon happened, however, was just plain bad manners.
The kid was on the big blind when it limped to him. The dealer must have thought he checked because he started to deal the flop when the kid said, "Wait! I want to raise!"
"Oh, sorry, I thought you checked." said the dealer, who had not yet dealt the flop.
"No, I was still thinking. I want to raise it $30."
"It too late!" screeched the Nazi, "You tapped the table! You checked!"
A big argument breaks out as to whether or not this is a legal bet. The dealer decides to let the kid's raise stand, which makes the Nazi fume. Everyone folds to her in the small blind, and she says "Screw you, asshole! I call."
As the dealer starts to deal the flop she says, "If I so much as hit a pair I'm pushing all in, you lousy bastard!"
The board looks harmless: 9h 6d 3c
"All in!" she snaps.
The kid looks miserable. She has bet about $200 into pot of about $70. After agonizing for a minute he calls and shows AK suited.
"Two pair!" yells the Nazi, showing her 3c 6c. "YEAH!" The turn and river bring no help to the kid, who cuts $200 out of his stack.
"The only thing better than doubling up with 3-6, is doing through an angle-shooter like you!" ,and then she actually gives him a little shove! If she were anything but some hot chick that poker nerds are afraid to talk to there would be no way she would get away with that kind of shit. If a dude said and did those things he would have been punched.
Asian guy was now on major tilt and lost the last of his chips to me a couple hands later when I flopped a set of aces. He made a very bad call to me - one he would never have made if the Nazi had not got under his skin.
If you ever find yourself getting mad at a player do not let it effect your game. Easier said than done, I know, but if you can't keep your desire for revenge in check then move to another table, or take a long break.
Monday, August 22, 2011
On a Roll: Part 2
The week after my lucky win at Jay's garage, my buddy Lee invited me to a home game at Wally's - not a tourney, just a ring game with 50 cent/25 cent blinds and $20 buy in. Hellzya. My wife and sister-in-law joined in too and seven of us played a very friendly game for about four hours.
The most interesting hand came when five players limped in and saw a flop of: Ad 9c 3c. Flops like these often create a lot of action as anyone with an ace will bet heavy to protect against the flush, and any one with the flush or wheel draw might semi-bluff. This is particularly true in home games, where everyone is having fun and chasing more than normal.
Weirdly, it check around to my sister-in-law, Liz, on the button. Liz made a small bet and got two callers. After the turn, the board looked very flushy: Ad 9c 3c 2c. With three people still in the hand it checked around to Liz again and she made another smallish bet. Lee called, Ramone folded.
The river brought yet another club. Now the board looked like this: Ad 9c 3c 2c Ac. Very interesting. "Who had the highest club?" someone asked. Lee thought it might be him, so he bet half the pot only so have Liz put a big re-raise on him. Lee thought quite a while before calling with Jc 9h. Liz turned over Ah 2h for the full house. At first I was stunned that she would chase a runner-runner boat with an obvious flush draw on the board, but when I replayed the hand it made much more sense. Liz only bet when everyone else checked to her, so after the flop she thought it was probable her pair of aces was ahead. She didn't like the club on the turn, even though it gave her two pair, but once again nobody bet so she thought she was probably still ahead. The river was a dream card - filling the boat for her while filling the flush for Lee, and she made a perfect value bet.
I have to say that this hand, and the way Liz played it, illustrates the power of position very well.
When the night ended Liz had mad a tidy profit, as did my wife, and I was happy to be $42 up myself.
Add it to the bankroll.
The most interesting hand came when five players limped in and saw a flop of: Ad 9c 3c. Flops like these often create a lot of action as anyone with an ace will bet heavy to protect against the flush, and any one with the flush or wheel draw might semi-bluff. This is particularly true in home games, where everyone is having fun and chasing more than normal.
Weirdly, it check around to my sister-in-law, Liz, on the button. Liz made a small bet and got two callers. After the turn, the board looked very flushy: Ad 9c 3c 2c. With three people still in the hand it checked around to Liz again and she made another smallish bet. Lee called, Ramone folded.
The river brought yet another club. Now the board looked like this: Ad 9c 3c 2c Ac. Very interesting. "Who had the highest club?" someone asked. Lee thought it might be him, so he bet half the pot only so have Liz put a big re-raise on him. Lee thought quite a while before calling with Jc 9h. Liz turned over Ah 2h for the full house. At first I was stunned that she would chase a runner-runner boat with an obvious flush draw on the board, but when I replayed the hand it made much more sense. Liz only bet when everyone else checked to her, so after the flop she thought it was probable her pair of aces was ahead. She didn't like the club on the turn, even though it gave her two pair, but once again nobody bet so she thought she was probably still ahead. The river was a dream card - filling the boat for her while filling the flush for Lee, and she made a perfect value bet.
I have to say that this hand, and the way Liz played it, illustrates the power of position very well.
When the night ended Liz had mad a tidy profit, as did my wife, and I was happy to be $42 up myself.
Add it to the bankroll.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Free $8
Most on-line sites will offer people a bonus when they make their first deposit. At 888 Poker, they will give you $8 just for downloading their software. If you have been playing play money poker, this is a good chance to try out the real money game at a micro-stakes level; I recommend playing at the 1 cent/2cent tables to get a taste for it. Even at this lowest possible level, you will probably find the competition is much stiffer than the play money games. I have played about three hours at these tables and have managed to grind out 25 cents.
$8 might not seem like a lot, but if you are good and very, very patient you can build it up. Check it out at http://www.888poker.com/
Just remember - nothing is really free. In this case the good folks at 888 are hoping that you like their site enough to deposit a little more, which is fine, but don't deposit any more than you can afford to lose, okay?
$8 might not seem like a lot, but if you are good and very, very patient you can build it up. Check it out at http://www.888poker.com/
Just remember - nothing is really free. In this case the good folks at 888 are hoping that you like their site enough to deposit a little more, which is fine, but don't deposit any more than you can afford to lose, okay?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
On a Roll: Part1
Rolls. Rushes. Lucky streaks. When you are on a heater you forget about those long stretches where you could not catch a break. Just like when you are are on a losing streak and wonder if you will ever win again, when you you are on a winning streak it is easy to let yourself get carried away. I've been on a winning streak and I don't have to tell you how good it feels. I'm trying not to let it go to my head.
I had not played poker for nearly a month when my friend Bradley called to say some buddies of his had a game going and asked if I wanted to join in. Well, yeah! I love home games. Even if you lose you usually have a good time. There were nine guys at his friends' garage - we didn't have a table big enough to seat us all so a small square table was pushed beside a big round table. Playing in a garage at mismatched tables is, in my opinion, what poker is all about. Although I have said you should not drink and play poker, I make exceptions for games like this - just make sure you do not drink more than anyone else.
We played a knockout tourney. $10 to enter and $5 bounties. Every one started with 40 chips and the blinds were raised each time someone got knocked. Most of the guys seemed quite solid, but there were a couple maniacs. I sat back and waited for good cards, but the good cards never came. One by one players got knocked out and the blinds increased but I couldn't find a hand to play and I was afraid to bluff because, well, some of these guys did not fold much. We were down to four players when I had to play - after putting 12 chips into the big blind I only had 6 chips left. I thought I might get a pass when the first two folded, but Nick in the small blind raised. I had not even looked at my cards but I called. I had J 10 - a big favourite over Nick's J 4, and I took the pot down. On the very next hand I was dealt J 10 again (surely a sign from God!) and again Nick raised me. I made a big mistake and went all in. I guess I was still on a high from my double up. It was a dumb move. The others folded and Nick called - this time he had me over a barrel with A J. I found a miracle 10 on the river, and suddenly found I had a decent stack of chips. Thirty minutes later I won the tournament.
Looking back I realize I was very lucky to have survived that one boneheaded play.
My first place plus two bounties netted me $80 and I decided to try and build this $80 up by playing good smart poker. This was my new bankroll. I had taken a break from poker, but now I was back.
I had not played poker for nearly a month when my friend Bradley called to say some buddies of his had a game going and asked if I wanted to join in. Well, yeah! I love home games. Even if you lose you usually have a good time. There were nine guys at his friends' garage - we didn't have a table big enough to seat us all so a small square table was pushed beside a big round table. Playing in a garage at mismatched tables is, in my opinion, what poker is all about. Although I have said you should not drink and play poker, I make exceptions for games like this - just make sure you do not drink more than anyone else.
We played a knockout tourney. $10 to enter and $5 bounties. Every one started with 40 chips and the blinds were raised each time someone got knocked. Most of the guys seemed quite solid, but there were a couple maniacs. I sat back and waited for good cards, but the good cards never came. One by one players got knocked out and the blinds increased but I couldn't find a hand to play and I was afraid to bluff because, well, some of these guys did not fold much. We were down to four players when I had to play - after putting 12 chips into the big blind I only had 6 chips left. I thought I might get a pass when the first two folded, but Nick in the small blind raised. I had not even looked at my cards but I called. I had J 10 - a big favourite over Nick's J 4, and I took the pot down. On the very next hand I was dealt J 10 again (surely a sign from God!) and again Nick raised me. I made a big mistake and went all in. I guess I was still on a high from my double up. It was a dumb move. The others folded and Nick called - this time he had me over a barrel with A J. I found a miracle 10 on the river, and suddenly found I had a decent stack of chips. Thirty minutes later I won the tournament.
Looking back I realize I was very lucky to have survived that one boneheaded play.
My first place plus two bounties netted me $80 and I decided to try and build this $80 up by playing good smart poker. This was my new bankroll. I had taken a break from poker, but now I was back.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The Self-Awarness Theory of Poker
Poker used to be an old man's game, but now it is dominated by men in their twenties. Lots of people explain this as a reflection of how the young men are naturally more aggressive than their mellower elders, and aggression translates into success at poker. While I agree with this generalization, I don't think it provides a complete explanation why these kids are doing so well.
A private theory I have is that young people are more self-conscious; they are keenly aware of how others perceive them, and this greater self-awareness is at least as important as aggression when it comes to winning at poker. Young people are still "finding themselves" - trying different fashions, life-styles, friends and even trying different moral codes and belief systems. All the while they are "finding themselves" they are monitoring what other people think of them, usually trying to impress certain people and annoy certain people. When young people play poker, that part of their brain that detects how others think about them is more alert.
Old people, the ones who found themselves long ago, don't really give a rat's ass what others think of them. They have stopped monitoring the reactions others have to them. They just don't care.
Old people. Well, we've seen it all haven't we? From our years of experience we've learned to categorize poker opponents into groups an employ different styles depending on what group the opponent falls into. This works fine in general, but it leaves us open to unexpected plays - perhaps from an observant young guy who can change gears on us.
Experience is wonderful, but it can actually be a liability if you just keep doing the same things that have always worked for you. Like it or not, you have to keep adjusting your game - if you don't then don't be surprised if a kid who doesn't look old enough to drive takes all your chips.
Don't let your experience make you complacent.
A private theory I have is that young people are more self-conscious; they are keenly aware of how others perceive them, and this greater self-awareness is at least as important as aggression when it comes to winning at poker. Young people are still "finding themselves" - trying different fashions, life-styles, friends and even trying different moral codes and belief systems. All the while they are "finding themselves" they are monitoring what other people think of them, usually trying to impress certain people and annoy certain people. When young people play poker, that part of their brain that detects how others think about them is more alert.
Old people, the ones who found themselves long ago, don't really give a rat's ass what others think of them. They have stopped monitoring the reactions others have to them. They just don't care.
Old people. Well, we've seen it all haven't we? From our years of experience we've learned to categorize poker opponents into groups an employ different styles depending on what group the opponent falls into. This works fine in general, but it leaves us open to unexpected plays - perhaps from an observant young guy who can change gears on us.
Experience is wonderful, but it can actually be a liability if you just keep doing the same things that have always worked for you. Like it or not, you have to keep adjusting your game - if you don't then don't be surprised if a kid who doesn't look old enough to drive takes all your chips.
Don't let your experience make you complacent.
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