Vol 15 Issue 1
Re-Raising Instead of Calling
July 15, 2011 - 4:47pm[Editor’s note: This is one in a series of guest columns that will periodically appear in Poker Player Newspaper. —Lou Krieger]
It’s interesting to run into poker players who consider themselves aggressive, but are actually much more passive than they would ever admit. Sadly, players who habitually limp-in or call opponents’ raises before the flop, aren’t self-honest enough to call themselves weak, passive players. If they don’t regularly re-raise before the flop with hands other than premium hands, they can even be considered a weak player. I think the start of becoming a truly aggressive, no-limit tournament player, is learning to become comfortable re-raising before the flop, instead of calling.
How to Spot the Online Poker Refugees
July 10, 2011 - 9:22pm
You might notice a few new faces at the tables—skin pale, eyes shaded and unaccustomed to daylight, and right hands making odd grasping motions, as if trying to reach out for something that isn’t there anymore. They may be panting from running back and forth between tables.
These are the online poker players who have recently been displaced from the comfort of their homes courtesy of Black Friday and now have to venture out into the real world if they want to continue to play poker. They’re easy to spot and recognizing them might give you an edge in your next game.
Connors’ Corner: Low Riders
July 7, 2011 - 1:25pm
Sadly, there will always be times when we have to play the short stack. In cash games, it’s not such a great handicap. If you run out of chips, you can always buy in for more—and if you don’t have enough money to buy in again, it’s a clue that you never should have been playing those stakes in the first place.
But playing short-stacked in tournaments, that’s another situation altogether. Now there’s no question that being low on chips is a major disadvantage. Escalating blinds put enormous pressure on those who are short of stack, and replenishment is not an option. Once you’re out of chips, you’re out, period. And yet, for anyone who plays regularly in no-limit tourneys, playing a short stack is inevitable. So learning how to deal with this situation is critical to becoming a good tournament player.
