If and when I write the Encyclopedia of Poker, there will be a special chapter entitled "Mike Caro." There are many celebrities who have made their mark in our poker world; but I believe no one has contributed as much to poker as Mike Caro. I soak up every word he offers in his books, videos, columns, seminars. He is more than the "Mad Genius of Poker;" he shares his knowledge and analyses with us.

The Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) has been on the road this year for a great start to the sixth season of production. They have recently wrapped up two successful back-to-back events with no intention of slowing down. Now seen in more than 100 million homes throughout the US, Europe, and the Caribbean, HPT's rise in success has put them in more than 16 locations a year providing every day people the opportunity to win big on television-and all in the comfort of their favorite local poker room.

Staying grounded and emotionally composed is a winning formula in poker but may well be easier said than done for some players. As we've all witnessed, some players have the propensity to run off the rails into tilt mode quite easily, while others are emotionally grounded and can remain stoic in the face of adversity.

Fred cornered me when I signed up for a few games. He understood the principle behind raisin' and chasin' with modest hands: By raising before the flop you make the pot odds high enough to see the turn card and the river card with remarkably few outs, thus pricing yourself into the hand.

He also understood that if the pot odds for you exceed the cards odds against you, then chasing shows a profit in the long run. He appreciated the charts in Parts 6 and 7 of this series because he could count active opponents better than he could accurately track pot sizes.

Money saved is money won. When we sit down to play poker, we come out swinging with good hands, so we can stack the chips.

It makes us happy. After all, when we drag a pot and display our primacy at the holy game of poker, it's visible evidence of skill, knowledge, cunning, and luck. What's more, our opponents can see it too, and breathes there a poker player alive who is not justifiably proud of a terrific bluff, or an ability to convince an opponent to bet into the stone cold nuts?

1. "Small suited connectors under-the-gun? Yeah, let's see a flop!" One of the worst and most expensive leaks is playing too many starting hands-especially out of position. But too many players get sucked into playing substandard hands out of boredom, frustration, or just plain lack of discipline. Do this once, maybe twice, and it isn't a big deal. Do it repeatedly and it's a great way to siphon off chips.

America's Poker Classic got underway at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, CA. This tournament series began April 1 and runs for nearly three weeks, culminating April 18. In the next issue, we'll bring you results from the latter events in this series, including the main event, a three day, $250,000 guaranteed no-limit hold 'em tournament.

I may have played in more poker rooms than anyone else in the world; it's more than 200 at last count. My family isn't sure if that's a good think or a bad thing. But it has given me perspective on what makes a good room. My friend and poker buddy Andrei has asked me for my thoughts on the subject. And so I'll share them with you here.
Here are my top ten criteria for a good room.

Dear Ace,
I've recently won a bunch of poker tournaments in a row-with the last prize being a six-figure sum. It's been a wild ride. Women are suddenly all over me. I haven't lost a game in I don't know how long, but I don't think I can keep this lucky streak up forever. What if my luck runs out?-Don't Know When To Fold 'Em

Dear Don't Know When To Fold 'Em:

A guy named Philip used to be a regular at my home game. A quiet and somewhat socially awkward fellow, he could often go unnoticed for most of the night until everyone suddenly realized that he had silently accumulated a sizable chip stack.