2008 June 9

Practical Poker Math-Basic Odds & Probabilities for Hold'em & Omaha by Pat Dittmar ECW Press (2008) ISBN: 1-55022-833-1 231 pp, $29.95

He's not necessarily a media star, doesn't highfi ve his fans in the TV gallery, and he isn't a household name mentioned in the same breath as the big tournament title holders-but Pat Dittmar is a poker pro. A true journeyman, he has been playing and succeeding for 20 years, because he understands the mathematics of the game.

I love using metaphors- figures of speech in which a word denoting one thing is used in place of another to suggest a similarity between them. A classic example often cited is, "The ship plowed the sea." Now, a ship doesn't actually plow the sea, but the similarity is quite striking. You get the picture!

Recently I was assisting Mike in updating his book, which will be out soon as Caro's Secrets of Winning Poker. I realized that this was the first book I read upon entering the poker community. As well as being educational, it was a fun read. I'd like to summarize some of the most helpful points:

My inner action junkie is a little monster with an insatiable appetite for pot-limit Omaha cash games. The money doesn't matter to me. Neither do the stakes. I crave the inundation of the gambler's high that overcomes my senses in PLO when I shove all in with a monster draw, especially when I get called in a three-way pot, and I find myself way behind. Then there's the invigorating jolt of anticipation as the river card appears and then you magically spike your draw on the river.

After the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was signed into law, several of the biggest names in offshore financial institutions withdrew their services from US customers. Neteller was the most famous of them, and most recently, ePassporte has been added to that list.

If you use my style of play, it's important to get your opponents' attention. That's because one of my main objectives at the poker table is to dominate the game and to control the other players psychologically.

Always attracted to mythical beasts and legendary poker players, our Jennifer Matiran reached out to Hawaiian Gardens casino host Phi Nguyen to arrange for her to interview top-notch poker pro David "the Dragon" Pham.

Jennifer Matiran: David why do they call you "the Dragon?" Is it because you were born in the year of the dragon?

When you're the son of one of the most popular and loved singers in the world, it can be a tough road if you decide to follow in his footsteps. But according to Ricci Martin, "It is more difficult because people compare you and you're never going to overshadow your father-let's face it, there's only one Dean Martin. So it would be absurd to try and compare me to my dad. He was an impossible act to follow, not only for his talent, but because dad was so revered and so loved by so many, it has always made it easier for me. I truly fashioned myself after my dad because I really admired him.

1. Be conservative in early tournament play. In the latter stages of a tourney, be very aggressive.

2. Control the game as much as possible by being the lead bettor. If you raise pre-flop, you should usually make a continuation bet the flop even if you got no help.

3. Large chip stacks need to play more aggressively than normal, attacking the small stacks whenever possible. Small stacks need to be more conservative than normal overall, but aggressive when they do play-avoiding big-stack confrontations when possible.

I've found a new favorite place for poker-Reno, Nevada. I just made my first poker trip there and fell in love. Let me tell you why. And when I'm done, I'll give you a quick rundown of all the poker in the area.