Congratulations to Neil Millson
for finishing 3rd (60pts & $53)
and to Scott Paterson for
finishing 4th (50pts & $43)
There was some exciting heads up
action after the London crew was
eliminated. leafsfan97 (ryan) showed
great skill by overcoming a 5:1 chip deficet
to beat basset1 (nancy) in only seven hands.
11/17/2006
But We Were Heads Up ? !
by Scott Paterson
There seems to be a pretty big misconception
about heads up play versus full table two player pot play.
The Scenario
Three early position players fold.
Player A, in middle position, opens for a raise with AJ of clubs.
The next player folds. Player B, on the button, calls.
The blinds both fold.
The flop comes 8h, As, 3d.
Player A, with top pair and a J kicker,
bets into player B. Player B calls.
The turn comes 4h.
Player A, thinking he has the best hand,
bets into player B again. Player B calls.
The river comes 9s.
Player A bets into Player B again. Player B calls.
Player A flips over his cards. A pair of aces with a jack kicker.
Player B flips over AK, and has a pair of aces with a king kicker.
Player B takes the pot, and player A inevitably says something
like “I thought my AJ was good because we were heads up.”
The Analysis
Although Player A’s chances of winning the pot
were increased because there were only two participants
playing to win the pot, he negelected to take into account
the difference between heads up play and full table
two player pot play. When you pair your ace (with a jack kicker)
heads up you very likely have the best hand because only
four cards have been dealt out to start. The chances your
opponent has AA, AK, or AQ are minimal.
When you pair your ace (and have a jack kicker) at a full table,
but an opponent behind you called your raise it’s quite possible
they could have AA, AK, or AQ because sixteen cards have
been dealt out to start (the chances of running into a bigger
hand increase). My point is that even though the chances of
winning a pot when fewer people are involved are greater
your actual hand strength only increases or decreases
as the number of cards dealt out increases or decreases.
If you hold AJ, and flop an ace heads up you can often take it
right to the river and prevail. If you hold AJ, and flop an ace
at a full table (even though only two people remain involved
in the hand) you should play much more carefully.
Heads up play is not the same as playing two handed at a full table.
There seems to be a pretty big misconception
about heads up play versus full table two player pot play.
The Scenario
Three early position players fold.
Player A, in middle position, opens for a raise with AJ of clubs.
The next player folds. Player B, on the button, calls.
The blinds both fold.
The flop comes 8h, As, 3d.
Player A, with top pair and a J kicker,
bets into player B. Player B calls.
The turn comes 4h.
Player A, thinking he has the best hand,
bets into player B again. Player B calls.
The river comes 9s.
Player A bets into Player B again. Player B calls.
Player A flips over his cards. A pair of aces with a jack kicker.
Player B flips over AK, and has a pair of aces with a king kicker.
Player B takes the pot, and player A inevitably says something
like “I thought my AJ was good because we were heads up.”
The Analysis
Although Player A’s chances of winning the pot
were increased because there were only two participants
playing to win the pot, he negelected to take into account
the difference between heads up play and full table
two player pot play. When you pair your ace (with a jack kicker)
heads up you very likely have the best hand because only
four cards have been dealt out to start. The chances your
opponent has AA, AK, or AQ are minimal.
When you pair your ace (and have a jack kicker) at a full table,
but an opponent behind you called your raise it’s quite possible
they could have AA, AK, or AQ because sixteen cards have
been dealt out to start (the chances of running into a bigger
hand increase). My point is that even though the chances of
winning a pot when fewer people are involved are greater
your actual hand strength only increases or decreases
as the number of cards dealt out increases or decreases.
If you hold AJ, and flop an ace heads up you can often take it
right to the river and prevail. If you hold AJ, and flop an ace
at a full table (even though only two people remain involved
in the hand) you should play much more carefully.
Heads up play is not the same as playing two handed at a full table.
11/16/2006
11/15/2006
Another Royal Flush !
Congratulations to Sebastien DeRoy
for making a ROYAL FLUSH the other
night at Mexicali Rosa's. Its was the
second royal flush in as many nights.
for making a ROYAL FLUSH the other
night at Mexicali Rosa's. Its was the
second royal flush in as many nights.
11/13/2006
Wild Card Winner
Congratulations to SEAN SLEE who won
Monday's Wild Card event at the Bradley.
Sean gets an automatic entry into the
PIC Tour Championship tournament on
December 3rd at Bobby D's in Burlington.
Your next opportunity to win a Wild Card
seat is on Wednesday November 22nd
at Mexicali Rosa's.
Monday's Wild Card event at the Bradley.
Sean gets an automatic entry into the
PIC Tour Championship tournament on
December 3rd at Bobby D's in Burlington.
Your next opportunity to win a Wild Card
seat is on Wednesday November 22nd
at Mexicali Rosa's.
High Hand
Congratulations go out to Ken Roy
who last night at the Bradley Roadhouse
had our first Royal Flush !
who last night at the Bradley Roadhouse
had our first Royal Flush !
POKER SKILLS: Betting Patterns
Betting Patterns are a Goldmine of Information
By Scott Paterson
Betting patterns can often reveal what your opponents
are holding. They are by far the most reliable tell
in poker because everyone must bet at some point
and because creating patterns is human nature
(players do mix up their play, but often play the same
hands the same way because it’s “safe” and “correct”).
In order to successfully put the pieces of the puzzle
together you must pay a great deal of attention
as the hand proceeds, and then work quickly to
reconstruct the action when cards are shown down.
When a player shows down you want to ask yourself
questions such as:
1. Did this player limp or raise preflop?
From what position? How many other players entered
the pot first? Did they limp or raise in front of the player
in question?
2. Did this player bet the flop? If so were they betting
top/middle/bottom pair, a draw, or an overpair to the board?
Was it a stone cold bluff, or a semi bluff? Did they check
a legitimate hand hoping to trap an aggressive opponent?
3. Did this player bet or check the turn? If they bet was
their hand complete, or were they drawing to a winning hand
at that point? Was it a bluff? If they checked was it out of
weakness or strength?
4. What happened on the river ? (ask yourself similar
questions to the ones you asked after the turn)
Of course these questions are only a fraction of
the ones you could ask yourself. There are literally
millions of ways a hand could unfold depending
on the cards, the number of players in the hand,
and the styles of the players involved. A few betting
patterns occur frequently enough as to be easily
recognizable.
Raise, Bet, Check - The player raises pre-flop.
He bets the flop. Then he checks the turn after his
flop bet is called because he only has one card left
to hit one of his six outs. This betting pattern is very
common. Think of it as the AK or two big overcard hand.
Call, Check-Call, Raise - The player calls pre-flop.
He checks the flop and calls an opponent's bet.
Then he raises the turn. Think of it as a drawing hand
that has been completed on the turn. Also watch carefully
if the turn card matches the bottom or middle flop card.
All Check-Raises – This (unless your opponent is
very aggressive)
is a betting pattern of great strength. You should proceed
very carefully when you are check raised repeatedly
because you are almost always behind in the hand.
Another thing to watch carefully is Betting Amounts.
Frequently players will bet the same amounts with
the same hands (or similar hands). Some players
always raise the same amount preflop with big pocket
pairs (usually measured in relation to the big blind).
Some players underbet the pot with big hands hoping
to get called, and some players underbet the pot to
represent a big hand. Some players overbet the pot
to scare opponents away because they possess a
weak hand, and some players overbet the pot hoping
they appear weak.
By Scott Paterson
Betting patterns can often reveal what your opponents
are holding. They are by far the most reliable tell
in poker because everyone must bet at some point
and because creating patterns is human nature
(players do mix up their play, but often play the same
hands the same way because it’s “safe” and “correct”).
In order to successfully put the pieces of the puzzle
together you must pay a great deal of attention
as the hand proceeds, and then work quickly to
reconstruct the action when cards are shown down.
When a player shows down you want to ask yourself
questions such as:
1. Did this player limp or raise preflop?
From what position? How many other players entered
the pot first? Did they limp or raise in front of the player
in question?
2. Did this player bet the flop? If so were they betting
top/middle/bottom pair, a draw, or an overpair to the board?
Was it a stone cold bluff, or a semi bluff? Did they check
a legitimate hand hoping to trap an aggressive opponent?
3. Did this player bet or check the turn? If they bet was
their hand complete, or were they drawing to a winning hand
at that point? Was it a bluff? If they checked was it out of
weakness or strength?
4. What happened on the river ? (ask yourself similar
questions to the ones you asked after the turn)
Of course these questions are only a fraction of
the ones you could ask yourself. There are literally
millions of ways a hand could unfold depending
on the cards, the number of players in the hand,
and the styles of the players involved. A few betting
patterns occur frequently enough as to be easily
recognizable.
Raise, Bet, Check - The player raises pre-flop.
He bets the flop. Then he checks the turn after his
flop bet is called because he only has one card left
to hit one of his six outs. This betting pattern is very
common. Think of it as the AK or two big overcard hand.
Call, Check-Call, Raise - The player calls pre-flop.
He checks the flop and calls an opponent's bet.
Then he raises the turn. Think of it as a drawing hand
that has been completed on the turn. Also watch carefully
if the turn card matches the bottom or middle flop card.
All Check-Raises – This (unless your opponent is
very aggressive)
is a betting pattern of great strength. You should proceed
very carefully when you are check raised repeatedly
because you are almost always behind in the hand.
Another thing to watch carefully is Betting Amounts.
Frequently players will bet the same amounts with
the same hands (or similar hands). Some players
always raise the same amount preflop with big pocket
pairs (usually measured in relation to the big blind).
Some players underbet the pot with big hands hoping
to get called, and some players underbet the pot to
represent a big hand. Some players overbet the pot
to scare opponents away because they possess a
weak hand, and some players overbet the pot hoping
they appear weak.
11/12/2006
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