Multi Table Tournament Blind Stealing
by Scott Paterson
First, let me clarify what I mean by blind stealing.
I’m talking about a pure steal. Raising someone’s
blind with a marginal hand, or any two cards hoping
they’ll fold and confrontation can be avoided.
Certain criteria must be met in order to successfully pull this off:
1. You should only be doing this in the middle/late stages
of the tournament when the blinds are higher. Blind stealing
is pointless early on because the starting pot is so small.
The negative consequences of "getting caught" and losing
a chunk of your stack early on far outweigh the positive effects
of winning a small pot early on. In the middle stages of the
tournament you’ll want a decent hand to back you up.
In the late stages of the tournament, or if you’re short stacked
you may need to make this move with any two cards.
Also, a great time to steal blinds is right before the final table
as players tighten up hoping to survive and avoid being eliminated
or losing a bunch of chips.
2. You should only be stealing from players you’ve identified
as tighter players. Prime candidates are people that play
one or two hands per table revolution, and players that
don’t defend their blinds against raises. Pay close attention
to the three people seated on your left (these are your potential
victims because you’ll be in late position when these people
are in the blinds). Who is folding a lot of hands?
Who isn’t defending their blinds against raises?
You’ll want to lean on these people hard.
3. You should usually only try this from late position
when everyone has folded to you, or a limited number
of people have limped in front of you.
First, if you raise the blinds from late position and
one of the blinds call your raise you may have the
opportunity to steal the pot after the flop because
you have position on them.
Second, if you try this from early/middle position
someone behind you could easily pick up a hand
and reraise, a short stack could move all in, or a big stack
with a speculative hand could call your raise with the
intention of stealing the pot from you after the flop.
Finally, the ideal time to try this move is when everyone
has folded to you, or there have been a limited number of
callers in front of you. As the number of callers in front of
you increases the chance you will get backraised increases
(someone in front of you might have limped in with a very
strong hand counting on you to raise behind them).
The "usually" stems from the fact that if you are shortstacked,
or it’s late in the tournament (the blinds are very high and
they come around very quickly) you might want to try this
from any position.
10/21/2006
POKER SKILLS: TELLS
by Scott Paterson
A tell is anything that your opponent(s) do
to give away the strength of their hand.
Tells can be verbal or physical, and they can be instinctive
(unintentional) or designed to mislead (intentional).
Instinctive tells are more reliable, whereas tells designed to
mislead are much harder to decipher.
When you spot what you think is a tell the first thing you should
ask yourself is whether or not the tell you’ve spotted is instinctive
or put on (hint: instinctive tells are more common among average
players, tells designed to mislead are more common among strong
players). Then watch your opponent(s) closely over the course of
a few hands, and see if you can spot a pattern.
Some of the more common tells include:
Betting patterns (instinctive)
Betting patterns are easily the most common and most
reliable tell. They’re common because everyone must bet
at some point during the game. They’re reliable because it’s
human nature to make the best play we think possible.
Oftentimes that means creating patterns.
Does your opponent check or bet their draws?
Does your opponent slow play or bet their strong hands?
What does a minimum bet/raise from your opponent mean?
Does your opponent overbet the pot in an effort to protect weak hands?
All of these things create a pattern which you can use to help
determine the strength of your opponents hand.
General body language (instinctive)
This tell is fairly common and fairly reliable. Your opponent’s
posture will often give away the strength of their hand. Was your
opponent sitting back before looking at their hole cards or the flop,
and is now sitting up looking interested? Something what I like to do
is watch an opponent who has bet out and is awaiting a call.
Watch them closely as the person behind them acts. They’ll often
let you know how they feel about a potential call or raise
(particularly if the person behind them begins to count out chips).
Hand motions can also give away the strength of your opponent’s
hand. Watch how they put their chips in the pot. Players wanting
a call will often place their chips in the pot inconspicuously
(they don’t want to intimidate potential callers).
Chip loading (instinctive)
This tell is common and fairly reliable. Players that are dealt strong
starting hands, or that connect on flops often immediately glance at
their chips. I’m not talking about players that look at their chips
when the action is on them. I’m talking about an immediate and
very brief glance at their chips after they look at their hole cards,
or the flop comes out. Sometimes players don’t even move their heads,
Just their eyes. Preflop, I like to watch my opponent(s) look at their
hole cards, and then look at mine as the action approaches me.
I also like to watch my opponent(s) as the flop comes out, and then
look at the flop as the action approaches me.
Staring (attempt to mislead)
This tell is fairly common, but a little less reliable because
it is an attempt to mislead. There are actually three
manifestations of this tell, but they all mean basically
the same thing. Players that stare at their hole cards,
stare at flops, or stare down opponents are usually weak.
All are thinly veiled attempts to intimidate. Players stare
at their hole cards to make their opponents think that they
possess a powerful hand. They’ll stare at flops for the
same reason. After they bet, they’ll often stare down potential
callers to intimidate them. Since this tell is less reliable
you’ll really have to watch for a pattern to develop.
Gaining information
There are two things I like to do in order to elicit tells from
my opponent(s):
Reach for chips as an opponent is betting
If my opponent hesitates, looks back at his cards, or completes
his bet with added emphasis he/she is likely weak. If he/she
completes their bet in a smooth manner their likely strong.
Count out chips & make it look like I’m going to call
If my opponent stares at me or looks back at their cards
he/she is likely weak. If my opponent smiles at me genuinely
or appears uninterested he/she is likely strong.
REMEMBER: Tells become more reliable as patterns develop.
A tell is anything that your opponent(s) do
to give away the strength of their hand.
Tells can be verbal or physical, and they can be instinctive
(unintentional) or designed to mislead (intentional).
Instinctive tells are more reliable, whereas tells designed to
mislead are much harder to decipher.
When you spot what you think is a tell the first thing you should
ask yourself is whether or not the tell you’ve spotted is instinctive
or put on (hint: instinctive tells are more common among average
players, tells designed to mislead are more common among strong
players). Then watch your opponent(s) closely over the course of
a few hands, and see if you can spot a pattern.
Some of the more common tells include:
Betting patterns (instinctive)
Betting patterns are easily the most common and most
reliable tell. They’re common because everyone must bet
at some point during the game. They’re reliable because it’s
human nature to make the best play we think possible.
Oftentimes that means creating patterns.
Does your opponent check or bet their draws?
Does your opponent slow play or bet their strong hands?
What does a minimum bet/raise from your opponent mean?
Does your opponent overbet the pot in an effort to protect weak hands?
All of these things create a pattern which you can use to help
determine the strength of your opponents hand.
General body language (instinctive)
This tell is fairly common and fairly reliable. Your opponent’s
posture will often give away the strength of their hand. Was your
opponent sitting back before looking at their hole cards or the flop,
and is now sitting up looking interested? Something what I like to do
is watch an opponent who has bet out and is awaiting a call.
Watch them closely as the person behind them acts. They’ll often
let you know how they feel about a potential call or raise
(particularly if the person behind them begins to count out chips).
Hand motions can also give away the strength of your opponent’s
hand. Watch how they put their chips in the pot. Players wanting
a call will often place their chips in the pot inconspicuously
(they don’t want to intimidate potential callers).
Chip loading (instinctive)
This tell is common and fairly reliable. Players that are dealt strong
starting hands, or that connect on flops often immediately glance at
their chips. I’m not talking about players that look at their chips
when the action is on them. I’m talking about an immediate and
very brief glance at their chips after they look at their hole cards,
or the flop comes out. Sometimes players don’t even move their heads,
Just their eyes. Preflop, I like to watch my opponent(s) look at their
hole cards, and then look at mine as the action approaches me.
I also like to watch my opponent(s) as the flop comes out, and then
look at the flop as the action approaches me.
Staring (attempt to mislead)
This tell is fairly common, but a little less reliable because
it is an attempt to mislead. There are actually three
manifestations of this tell, but they all mean basically
the same thing. Players that stare at their hole cards,
stare at flops, or stare down opponents are usually weak.
All are thinly veiled attempts to intimidate. Players stare
at their hole cards to make their opponents think that they
possess a powerful hand. They’ll stare at flops for the
same reason. After they bet, they’ll often stare down potential
callers to intimidate them. Since this tell is less reliable
you’ll really have to watch for a pattern to develop.
Gaining information
There are two things I like to do in order to elicit tells from
my opponent(s):
Reach for chips as an opponent is betting
If my opponent hesitates, looks back at his cards, or completes
his bet with added emphasis he/she is likely weak. If he/she
completes their bet in a smooth manner their likely strong.
Count out chips & make it look like I’m going to call
If my opponent stares at me or looks back at their cards
he/she is likely weak. If my opponent smiles at me genuinely
or appears uninterested he/she is likely strong.
REMEMBER: Tells become more reliable as patterns develop.
To Bluff or Not to Bluff
by Scott Paterson
The following are some factors to consider
when deciding whether to bluff or not:
Number of opponents
This one is a no brainer. A bluff is far more likely to succeed
against a single opponent. Your goal is to make your opponent(s)
fold. As the number of opponents increases the chances of
getting a caller increases.
Type of opponent(s)
Consider the type of player(s) you are trying to bluff.
Tight players usually will not call your bluff unless they
have a reasonable hand (your bluff forces tight players
to have a hand in order to call). Strong players can
lay down a hand if they think they’re beat (strong players
are able to at least consider the possibility that your hand
may be superior to theirs). Try to avoid bluffing loose or weak
players because you’ll get called more often than not.
Your table image
If other people at the table see you playing an inordinate number
of hands, showing down weak hands, betting at every flop,
or raising/reraising frequently they’re more apt to call your bluff.
They know that if you’re playing too many hands you must be
playing some weak hands, and if you’re betting too often you
cannot possibly have something every time you bet.
Tighter players have more license to bluff because they play
relatively few hands, and are therefore often given credit for
stronger hands.
Your "Reading" skills
The better your reading skills are the more opportunities
you will have to bluff. If a tighter player flat calls before you,
and the flop is 4c 8h 2d you can attempt a steal. They probably
have unpaired overcards. They can’t have an overpair to
the board because they likely would have raised preflop.
They haven’t made a set from paired hole cards because
they checked their hole cards after the flop (a player who flops
a set from paired hole cards doesn’t usually need to check
and see if they’ve done so). They don’t have two pair because
they aren’t likely playing 48, 42, or 82. There is no flush draw.
This player is fairly tight. He may have A8 suited or A4 suited
and has top/middle pair. He may also have A5 suited and has
an inside straight draw. Unpaired overcards are most likely,
and you should take a stab at this pot. If he raises you some
additional thought may be necessary. Reads will rarely be
this simple, but learning to read hands will pay off in the long run.
The size of the pot
It’s much easier to steal small and medium sized pots
than it is large pots. Players are usually more heavily invested
in large pots, and large pots are simply more attractive and
psychologically harder to let go of.
The following are some factors to consider
when deciding whether to bluff or not:
Number of opponents
This one is a no brainer. A bluff is far more likely to succeed
against a single opponent. Your goal is to make your opponent(s)
fold. As the number of opponents increases the chances of
getting a caller increases.
Type of opponent(s)
Consider the type of player(s) you are trying to bluff.
Tight players usually will not call your bluff unless they
have a reasonable hand (your bluff forces tight players
to have a hand in order to call). Strong players can
lay down a hand if they think they’re beat (strong players
are able to at least consider the possibility that your hand
may be superior to theirs). Try to avoid bluffing loose or weak
players because you’ll get called more often than not.
Your table image
If other people at the table see you playing an inordinate number
of hands, showing down weak hands, betting at every flop,
or raising/reraising frequently they’re more apt to call your bluff.
They know that if you’re playing too many hands you must be
playing some weak hands, and if you’re betting too often you
cannot possibly have something every time you bet.
Tighter players have more license to bluff because they play
relatively few hands, and are therefore often given credit for
stronger hands.
Your "Reading" skills
The better your reading skills are the more opportunities
you will have to bluff. If a tighter player flat calls before you,
and the flop is 4c 8h 2d you can attempt a steal. They probably
have unpaired overcards. They can’t have an overpair to
the board because they likely would have raised preflop.
They haven’t made a set from paired hole cards because
they checked their hole cards after the flop (a player who flops
a set from paired hole cards doesn’t usually need to check
and see if they’ve done so). They don’t have two pair because
they aren’t likely playing 48, 42, or 82. There is no flush draw.
This player is fairly tight. He may have A8 suited or A4 suited
and has top/middle pair. He may also have A5 suited and has
an inside straight draw. Unpaired overcards are most likely,
and you should take a stab at this pot. If he raises you some
additional thought may be necessary. Reads will rarely be
this simple, but learning to read hands will pay off in the long run.
The size of the pot
It’s much easier to steal small and medium sized pots
than it is large pots. Players are usually more heavily invested
in large pots, and large pots are simply more attractive and
psychologically harder to let go of.
10/20/2006
Please Dont Be....Like Tony G.
Videos of the always obnoxious Tony G. during
his most famous tongue lashing at the WPT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMPdKJXR6qo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-4GDyHhEC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnHX9tQv-w
his most famous tongue lashing at the WPT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMPdKJXR6qo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-4GDyHhEC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnHX9tQv-w
10/19/2006
Top Canadian Poker Pros Return Home For WPT Canadian Open
Press Release:
Top Canadian Poker Pros To Return Home For Inaugural WPT Canadian Open
NIAGARA FALLS, ON, Oct. 18, 2006/PRNewswire/
- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ-WPTE) and Fallsview Casino Resort announced today that the anticipated field of 300 local and U.S. players at the inaugural WPT Canadian Open(TM) will also include three of Canada's premier poker pros - Daniel Negreanu, Gavin Smith, and Isabelle Mercier.Adding more excitement to the much-anticipated event, the three recently confirmed that they will return to their native country to celebrate the first ever Canadian stop on the WPT circuit and compete for the first Canadian Open title.
"It is certainly fitting that these three, who have risen to prominence on the WPT, are coming home to pay tribute to the millions of Canadian poker fans who have watched them become worldwide celebrities on their TV sets," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. "Daniel, Gavin and Isabelle's participation in this ground breaking WPT event represents the importance of establishing a tournament that Canadians can call their own.
"It was also announced today that the WPT Canadian Open is completely sold out - a remarkable accomplishment for a first-time tournament.The WPT Canadian Open begins on October 22 and runs through October 24 at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Immediately following the event is the WPT North American Poker Championship(TM) (NAPC), which runs from October 25-28. The NAPC final table will be played on October 29 followed by the WPT Canadian Open final table on October 30. Both will be played in front of a television audience.
The WPT Canadian Open will give many players a chance to experience a large-scale professional poker event at a lower buy-in cost than a large-scale main event and is the first major event of its kind in Canada.
About the players:
Toronto-native Daniel Negreanu is one of the world's most well-known and successful tournament poker players. Nicknamed "Kid Poker" per his ability to bet and play poker at a very young age, his numerous accomplishments include being named the Season III WPT Player of the Year(TM), 2004 CardPlayer Magazine's Player of the Year, 2004 World Series Of Poker® (WSOP) Player of the Year, and 2004 ESPN(TM) Player of the Year. In 2004 alone Negreanu made it to 11 final tables, won two WPT events, and won his third WSOP bracelet in Limit Hold 'em. His tournament winnings to date total over $8.4 million.
Gavin Smith came to prominence in poker by winning No Limit Texas Hold 'em and Seven Card Stud events at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. in 1999 and 2000. Smith won the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown(TM) in Las Vegas in 2005, and made two other WPT final tables (the Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship in Las Vegas and the World Poker Open in Tunica, Miss.) that year, earning him the Season IV WPT Player of the Year(TM) award. Smith's total tournament winnings exceed $3.2 million.
French-Canadian Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Montreal and then moved to Paris, France, to work and earn a master's degree. While in school, Mercier worked as the poker room manager at the Aviation Club de France and ended up playing poker full-time. Mercier made a name for herself by finishing second at the No Limit Texas Hold 'em tournament at the Masters Classic of Poker 2002 in Amsterdam and by winning WPT Ladies' Night® II, in 2004. In 2005, Mercier cashed three times in the WSOP. To date, her total tournament winnings exceed $500,000.
Top Canadian Poker Pros To Return Home For Inaugural WPT Canadian Open
NIAGARA FALLS, ON, Oct. 18, 2006/PRNewswire/
- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ-WPTE) and Fallsview Casino Resort announced today that the anticipated field of 300 local and U.S. players at the inaugural WPT Canadian Open(TM) will also include three of Canada's premier poker pros - Daniel Negreanu, Gavin Smith, and Isabelle Mercier.Adding more excitement to the much-anticipated event, the three recently confirmed that they will return to their native country to celebrate the first ever Canadian stop on the WPT circuit and compete for the first Canadian Open title.
"It is certainly fitting that these three, who have risen to prominence on the WPT, are coming home to pay tribute to the millions of Canadian poker fans who have watched them become worldwide celebrities on their TV sets," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. "Daniel, Gavin and Isabelle's participation in this ground breaking WPT event represents the importance of establishing a tournament that Canadians can call their own.
"It was also announced today that the WPT Canadian Open is completely sold out - a remarkable accomplishment for a first-time tournament.The WPT Canadian Open begins on October 22 and runs through October 24 at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Immediately following the event is the WPT North American Poker Championship(TM) (NAPC), which runs from October 25-28. The NAPC final table will be played on October 29 followed by the WPT Canadian Open final table on October 30. Both will be played in front of a television audience.
The WPT Canadian Open will give many players a chance to experience a large-scale professional poker event at a lower buy-in cost than a large-scale main event and is the first major event of its kind in Canada.
About the players:
Toronto-native Daniel Negreanu is one of the world's most well-known and successful tournament poker players. Nicknamed "Kid Poker" per his ability to bet and play poker at a very young age, his numerous accomplishments include being named the Season III WPT Player of the Year(TM), 2004 CardPlayer Magazine's Player of the Year, 2004 World Series Of Poker® (WSOP) Player of the Year, and 2004 ESPN(TM) Player of the Year. In 2004 alone Negreanu made it to 11 final tables, won two WPT events, and won his third WSOP bracelet in Limit Hold 'em. His tournament winnings to date total over $8.4 million.
Gavin Smith came to prominence in poker by winning No Limit Texas Hold 'em and Seven Card Stud events at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. in 1999 and 2000. Smith won the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown(TM) in Las Vegas in 2005, and made two other WPT final tables (the Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship in Las Vegas and the World Poker Open in Tunica, Miss.) that year, earning him the Season IV WPT Player of the Year(TM) award. Smith's total tournament winnings exceed $3.2 million.
French-Canadian Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Montreal and then moved to Paris, France, to work and earn a master's degree. While in school, Mercier worked as the poker room manager at the Aviation Club de France and ended up playing poker full-time. Mercier made a name for herself by finishing second at the No Limit Texas Hold 'em tournament at the Masters Classic of Poker 2002 in Amsterdam and by winning WPT Ladies' Night® II, in 2004. In 2005, Mercier cashed three times in the WSOP. To date, her total tournament winnings exceed $500,000.
10/18/2006
Taking it too far: Hiding Tells
A lot of guys wear sunglasses. A lot wear ball caps pulled down.
Phil Laak, the UniBomber wears a
hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly to conceal.
Then there's Corey Levetan.... He's taken it
to the next level - a motorcycle helmet.
10/16/2006
10/15/2006
OPP Raid Illegal Poker Games
October 13, 2006
70 charged as poker dens busted
As the song goes, you've got to know when to hold 'em,
but for 70 cardsharks at four Ottawa poker houses,
it was the OPP who knew when to fold 'em.
The OPP's illegal gambling unit raided four locations
late Wednesday, charging eight people with operating
an illegal gaming house and busting another 60 for
being found in an unlicensed gambling den.
Shortly before midnight Wednesday, about 60 officers
descended on The Poker Loft at 1211 Rooney's Lane,
The Ottawa River Club at 1111 Wellington St.,
The Uppercut Club at 2742 St. Joseph Blvd. and
The Royal at 140 Osgoode St. Police seized gambling
tools including gaming tables, chips and cards, as well as
furniture, electronics and entertainment units.
WEAPONS RAP Cops also seized over $12,000 in cash
and marijuana and charged one man with two counts of
possession of a prohibited weapon. Det. Sgt. Joe Amicone
said the raids came at the end of a six-month investigation
based on complaints that operators were charging players
fees for playing.
70 charged as poker dens busted
As the song goes, you've got to know when to hold 'em,
but for 70 cardsharks at four Ottawa poker houses,
it was the OPP who knew when to fold 'em.
The OPP's illegal gambling unit raided four locations
late Wednesday, charging eight people with operating
an illegal gaming house and busting another 60 for
being found in an unlicensed gambling den.
Shortly before midnight Wednesday, about 60 officers
descended on The Poker Loft at 1211 Rooney's Lane,
The Ottawa River Club at 1111 Wellington St.,
The Uppercut Club at 2742 St. Joseph Blvd. and
The Royal at 140 Osgoode St. Police seized gambling
tools including gaming tables, chips and cards, as well as
furniture, electronics and entertainment units.
WEAPONS RAP Cops also seized over $12,000 in cash
and marijuana and charged one man with two counts of
possession of a prohibited weapon. Det. Sgt. Joe Amicone
said the raids came at the end of a six-month investigation
based on complaints that operators were charging players
fees for playing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
