2007 June 11

You can't play as many winning hands against sophisticated players as you can against weak players. Therefore, you shouldn't be attempting to play less-than-stellar hands against these knowledgeable opponents. Unlike their weak counterparts, the skilled players are more guarded in their play and aren't likely to make the mistakes necessary for your semi-puny hands to be profitable.

When a player stayed to river in a Texas hold'em game and won, I asked him, "Was that skill or just stubbornness?" He said, "A little of both." He was a friend, so I had the license to be a little flippant with him. He'd do the same with me. So, I said, "Well, I just think that your stubborn streak just won that pot!" He smiled and both of us realized that luck had its part to do in his win. The question remains though, when is it wise to fold a hand and when is it best to take your chances? Are there any guidelines for this?

At the end of March I was invited to play in a no-limit Texas hold'em tournament sponsored by Poker Player Newspaper. It was held at the Gold Coast and called "Beat the Pros." The pros consisted of columnists and others associated with the print industry. We all had $300 bounties on our heads and a free entry into the tournament. In addition to our starting tournament chips of $1500, we were given $300 in live $25 casino chips. For every level a pro survived he got to pocket a $25 chip to a max of $200. The bounty was larger the earlier the pro was knocked out.

Rockingham Park (known familiarly as "The Rock") in Salem, New Hampshire is now home to a huge poker room. I visited the Rock, and noticed, in addition to a lot of tournament and live hold'em action, a most unusually structured low stakes stud game.

The Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas is running Deep Stack Extravaganza II, a poker room promotion and tournament designed to complement and run concurrently with the World Series of Poker (WSOP), currently underway at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The Deep Stack Extravaganza II will run through July 1, 2007. The tournament, back by player demand, starts with a significant amount of chips, very generous blind structures and 40 or 60 minute levels. The month-long event includes no-limit hold'em, Omaha/8, pot-limit Omaha. and HORSE. tournaments.

GREETINGS GREETINGS FROM THE RIO!

Almost all the breaking poker news will be made from the Rio Hotel over the next seven weeks, as the poker world gathers for the 2007 World Series of Poker. All eyes will be on Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, and the great Doyle Brunson as each of them go for their 11th WSOP bracelet, break the three way deadlock, and take the lifetime lead in bracelets won.

In the last two issues of Poker Player, we've examined some profitable poker tactics that translate to success in everyday life. We're not done yet.

Pechanga tribal commission leaders and casino executives cut a rib ribbon on May 14 and officially opened California's first luxury, high-stakes gaming venue. Temecula's Pechanga Resort & Casino's new High Limit Salon marks the start of a new era for California casino resorts by taking luxury and service to a new level.

Fred and I were playing low-limit hold'em nine-handed on a fine Wednesday afternoon in late spring in our local poker room. In this particular hand, we watched the dealer flop these cards, 4d Tc 4h. First to act, Fred bet and two others called. The dealer turned the 3s and Fred bet again. One called; the other folded.

The dealer put out the last card of the deal, the 8h, for a board of 4d Tc 4h 3s 8h. Fred bet again. His opponent raised. Fred called and then mucked his hand after his opponent showed down As 4s.

Even after the assault on poker via the legislation that attacks the online version of the game, poker is still seemingly everywhere on television. Producers are attempting to cash in on low production costs and solid ratings that come with televising poker.