FREE TEXAS HOLDEM POKER LESSON

FREE TEXAS HOLDEM POKER LESSON

"UNDERSTANDING AND LEVERAGING PLAYER STYLES"

Learn Texas Holdem poker and how to quickly read a poker player's "style" and you'll be amazed at how it massively boosts your profits. There are basically four different poker playing styles, which can be determined by observing:

1. how many starting hands a player typically plays, and
   

2. the player's betting pattern.

Let's start out by understanding the diagram shown in Figure 1.1 below, which shows how to determine a player's style of play.

First, a player who plays relatively few (typically only premium) starting hands is termed "tight", whereas a player who plays many more starting hands is termed "loose".

The second factor to consider is their betting style; that is, whether they tend to be more "passive" and just check/call a lot and rarely bet or raise, or they're instead much more "aggressive", tending to bet and raise quite often.

As we can see here, the combination of the number of hands played and betting style is used to "type" a player. Watch players closely and you'll typically see a pattern emerge in their overall play and be able to type them fairly quickly.

Figure 1.1 - Poker Player Styles

Figure 1.1 shows a "target play zone", the overall area that good players should strive to maintain their play. Most pros will play Tight-Aggressive, with occasional forays into the other quadrants to mix things up and keep everyone off balance, guessing about what they'll do next.

Let's discuss each of these styles in a bit more detail, ensuring you can recognize the styles of play (including your own style, or "table image").

Loose-Passive (Amateur)

This is the typical "amateur" play style, since these players like the action and just want to play and have fun, playing just about anything that's remotely playable. These players are sometimes referred to as "fish", since they're easy to defeat. They'll often just Check or Call with even marginal hands like Ace-trash, low to medium pairs and they'll call just about everything, hoping to pull something out of thin air. These players are also sometimes termed "calling stations", since they'll call most anything.

Bet into these players whenever you have a decent hand. If you bet too much, you'll probably scare them out, so bet just enough to keep them in the hand, contributing to the pot size and "milking" them for whatever chips you can get them to put in at each stage (flop. turn, river).

Be careful trying to bluff these players, though, as their "calling station" tendency could backfire - if you do bluff them, attack them very aggressively with a significant Bet / Raise in order to effectively bluff them.

Tight-Passive (Tight)

These "weak" players are typically fairly easily beaten. They just hang out waiting for great starting hands and big flops, and then they come after everyone all of a sudden. When these players seem to suddenly "wake up" and start betting significantly, get out of their way, unless you have a strong hand, since they probably have a good-to-great hand (that's about all they'll play, since they don't like risk-taking).

These players can "survive" a long time since they don't risk many chips at all. These players are very easy to bluff out of a pot, since they're highly risk-averse (avoids risk-taking unless they have a real, strong hand). These players tend to play "honest" - betting roughly in proportion to the strength of their actual hands, making them easier to read.

Loose-Aggressive (Maniac)

This style is typically referred to as the "maniac", since they'll aggressively bet or raise with just about anything and they play far too many starting hands, using their aggressive betting style to make up for their lack of good hands.

Be very careful when you encounter these types, as they can quickly injure you. Since they play so many hands, you never really know when they have a trash hand, a real hand, a draw or a monster. Players like Gus Hansen use this style very effectively, yet can be beaten several different ways, as we'll discuss in a lot more detail in the "Beating Aggressive Players" lesson. Basically, remain patient and figure out how to get under these players' skin and trigger their aggressive response systems, doing so when you're holding a great hand, and they'll often bet heavily into you, exposing most or all of their chips to you!

Tight-Aggressive (Solid)

So, now it's time to discuss our preferred style of no-limit Hold'em play: Tight-Aggressive. These players choose their starting hands carefully, and instead of "limping in" (check/call) to see a flop, they'll either Bet or Raise significantly if they do play or just Fold without seeing a flop at all.

On the Turn and River, they'll usually make aggressive Bets/Raises when they hit their hand. These players are typically only risking their chips when they have a strong hand. When they do bet, they bet heavily and quickly build a significant size stack by winning just a few key hands.

This style is easy to spot, so you'll quickly get typed by the other players using this style. To address this, you must occasionally shift quadrants (as shown in Figure 1.1) to throw players off, and deliberately playing as if you're a "maniac".

By raising smartly with strong hands, and then mixing it up occasionally with nicely-timed bluffs, semi-bluffs and blind-stealing, you'll be able to keep your opponents off balance, never knowing what to expect from you.

Truly understanding these poker player styles is essential to winning. Knowing your own style and "table image" is important, as it'll help you predict your opponents' moves, and ensure you profit and win bigger every time that you play.
------------------------------------------------------------------
LESSON SOURCE: The Secrets of Winning Sit and Go Tournaments, by Rick Braddy

The above lesson is just a sample of the many focused strategy lessons you'll find in the complete Hold'em poker e-course, which is available for immediate download. It's guaranteed to have you profiting from Texas Holdem poker and poker tournaments today. Click here to find out more - learn Texas Holdem secrets needed to win and profit consistently.

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Poker Tournament #5520122, No Limit Hold'em Winner, 1st Place WinnerPoker Tournament #5520122, No Limit Hold'em Winner, 1st Place Winner

Hi,

If you or someone you know is a serious poker player,
you know how incredible it feels to receive emails like the
one below, showing your winnings at online poker.

Here's results from a tournament I played online recently. It
proves how the combination of Poker Sidekick software
and the "Secrets of Winning Sit & Go Tournaments" e-book
lessons really do enable anyone to win at Texas Holdem
poker - amazing but true...

In case you're not familiar with these reports, my Poker Stars
handle is "Josey Wales" in the hand history below.

I started the tournament at around 11:15 a.m. and finished
up a little over 30 minutes later, as shown below (hand history
was summarized to make the email a little shorter, but you can
see here how the tournament starts and finishes).

Using these techniques I've proven and made available online,
people place in the money up to 50% of the time and win
1st place around 10% to 15% of the time (like this time).
Using these simple, affordable tools, anyone can win their
first online poker tournament within the first week.

To find out more, Click This Link and see for yourself:

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So, I'm doing my best to help everyone boost their level of
play with these affordable tools. Enjoy them and have fun.
If you don't play but know someone who does, just forward
this email to them so they can benefit from these great tools.

Good luck!

Rick

http://www.BetterHoldem.com/
http://www.Poker-Sidekick.com/

You can download Poker Sidekick and use it for free for 30 days at:
(click the link)
Give it a try for free right now.

---------- TOURNAMENT RESULTS SUMMARY ---------

PokerStars Tournament #5520122, No Limit Hold'em
Buy-In: $15.00/$1.00
9 players
Total Prize Pool: $135.00
Tournament started - 2005/02/21 - 11:14:32 (ET)

Dear JoseyWales,

You finished the tournament in 1st place.
A $67.50 award has been credited to your Real Money account.


Congratulations!
Thank you for participating.

------------- HAND HISTORY DETAILS BELOW ---------------

Subject: PokerStars Hand History Request - Tournament 5520122

Transcript for tournament #5520122 requested by JoseyWales
*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #1248680628: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:14:32 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1500 in chips)
steve30: posts small blind 10
PokerBone: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [As 6c]
caddyshack34: calls 20
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 20
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: folds
Bernie324: calls 20
steve30: calls 10
PokerBone: checks
*** FLOP *** [3s 5s Td]
steve30: checks
PokerBone: checks
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: checks
Bernie324: checks
*** TURN *** [3s 5s Td] [9h]
steve30: checks
PokerBone: checks
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: bets 20
Bernie324: calls 20
steve30: folds
PokerBone: calls 20
caddyshack34: calls 20
*** RIVER *** [3s 5s Td 9h] [Kh]
PokerBone: checks
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: checks
Bernie324: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
PokerBone: shows [4d 7d] (high card King)
caddyshack34: shows [Jc Qs] (a straight, Nine to King)
jipvis: mucks hand
Bernie324: mucks hand
caddyshack34 collected 180 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 Rake 0
Board [3s 5s Td 9h Kh]
Seat 1: Bernie324 (button) mucked [6s 6h]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 3: PokerBone (big blind) showed [4d 7d] and lost with high card
King
Seat 4: caddyshack34 showed [Jc Qs] and won (180) with a straight, Nine
to King
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis mucked [Qc 9c]
Seat 8: Vazey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #1248685045: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:16:18 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1480 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1460 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1640 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1460 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1500 in chips)
PokerBone: posts small blind 10
caddyshack34: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [9c 3d]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 20
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: folds
Bernie324: folds
steve30: calls 20
PokerBone: raises 80 to 100
caddyshack34: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
PokerBone collected 80 from pot
PokerBone: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 80 Rake 0
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop
Seat 3: PokerBone (small blind) collected (80)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop
Seat 8: Vazey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 3 **************
PokerStars Game #1248686287: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:16:46 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #3 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1460 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1520 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1620 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1440 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1500 in chips)
caddyshack34: posts small blind 10
JoseyWales: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [9d 2h]
davec3040: calls 20
jipvis: folds
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: calls 20
Bernie324: folds
steve30: calls 20
PokerBone: calls 20
caddyshack34: calls 10
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [Td Jd 5d]
caddyshack34: checks
JoseyWales: checks
davec3040: bets 100
ZDragon: folds
steve30: folds
PokerBone: folds
caddyshack34: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040 collected 120 from pot
davec3040: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 120 Rake 0
Board [Td Jd 5d]
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: PokerBone (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 6: davec3040 collected (120)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Vazey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded on the Flop

*********** # 4 **************
PokerStars Game #1248688620: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:17:39 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1440 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1600 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1480 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1600 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1440 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1480 in chips)
JoseyWales: posts small blind 10
davec3040: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Th Qc]
jipvis: folds
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: folds
Bernie324: folds
steve30: calls 20
PokerBone: folds
caddyshack34: folds
JoseyWales: calls 10
davec3040: checks
*** FLOP *** [4s Qd 7s]
JoseyWales: bets 40
davec3040: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 60 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 60 Rake 0
Board [4s Qd 7s]
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: PokerBone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) collected (60)
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: Vazey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 5 **************
PokerStars Game #1248690337: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:18:18 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1420 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1600 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1520 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1580 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1440 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1480 in chips)
davec3040: posts small blind 10
jipvis: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Td 6h]
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: folds
Bernie324: folds
steve30: calls 20
PokerBone: folds
caddyshack34: raises 60 to 80
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30: calls 60
*** FLOP *** [6s 4s 8c]
steve30: checks
caddyshack34: bets 100
steve30: folds
caddyshack34 collected 190 from pot
caddyshack34: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 190 Rake 0
Board [6s 4s 8c]
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 folded on the Flop
Seat 3: PokerBone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 collected (190)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Vazey folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 6 **************
PokerStars Game #1248693257: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level I (10/20) - 2005/02/21 - 11:19:24 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1340 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1710 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1520 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1570 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1420 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1480 in chips)
jipvis: posts small blind 10
Vazey: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Qc 9s]
ZDragon: folds
Bernie324: folds
steve30: calls 20
PokerBone has timed out
PokerBone: folds
PokerBone is sitting out
caddyshack34: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 20
jipvis: calls 10
Vazey: checks
*** FLOP *** [As Ks Jc]
jipvis: checks
Vazey: checks
steve30: checks
davec3040: checks
*** TURN *** [As Ks Jc] [Ac]
jipvis: checks
Vazey: checks
steve30: checks
davec3040: checks
*** RIVER *** [As Ks Jc Ac] [Js]
jipvis: bets 20
Vazey: folds
Vazey is sitting out
steve30: raises 80 to 100
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30 collected 120 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 120 Rake 0
Board [As Ks Jc Ac Js]
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 collected (120)
Seat 3: PokerBone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded on the River
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 8: Vazey (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 7 **************
PokerStars Game #1248696881: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level II (15/30) - 2005/02/21 - 11:20:45 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: Bernie324 (1460 in chips)
Seat 2: steve30 (1420 in chips)
Seat 3: PokerBone (1500 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1710 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (1520 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1550 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1380 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (1480 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 9: ZDragon (1480 in chips)
Vazey: posts small blind 15
ZDragon: posts big blind 30
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Qc 2c]
Bernie324: folds
steve30: folds
PokerBone: folds
caddyshack34: calls 30
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 30
Vazey: folds
ZDragon: checks
*** FLOP *** [Td Ac 8h]
ZDragon: checks
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: bets 30
ZDragon: folds
caddyshack34: calls 30
*** TURN *** [Td Ac 8h] [Ad]
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: bets 30
caddyshack34: calls 30
*** RIVER *** [Td Ac 8h Ad] [9h]
caddyshack34: checks
jipvis: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
caddyshack34: shows [Kc Jd] (a pair of Aces)
jipvis: shows [Ts Qd] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
jipvis collected 225 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 225 Rake 0
Board [Td Ac 8h Ad 9h]
Seat 1: Bernie324 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: steve30 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: PokerBone folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 showed [Kc Jd] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (button) showed [Ts Qd] and won (225) with two pair,
Aces and Tens
Seat 8: Vazey (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: ZDragon (big blind) folded on the Flop

...... DELETEd MIDDLE HANDS TO REDUCE EMAIL SIZE TO FIT ........

*********** # 30 **************
PokerStars Game #1248742653: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level V (75/150) - 2005/02/21 - 11:37:36 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (2480 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1595 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2580 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (2825 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1960 in chips)
Seat 8: Vazey (790 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
davec3040: posts small blind 75
jipvis: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [8d Kd]
Vazey: raises 640 to 790 and is all-in
ZDragon: folds
steve30: folds
caddyshack34: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 715
jipvis: folds
*** FLOP *** [2s 5s Th]
*** TURN *** [2s 5s Th] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [2s 5s Th 9s] [4s]
JoseyWales said, "n1"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
davec3040: shows [As Ts] (a flush, Ace high)
Vazey: shows [3d 3s] (a flush, Nine high)
davec3040 collected 1730 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1730 Rake 0
Board [2s 5s Th 9s 4s]
Seat 2: steve30 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) showed [As Ts] and won (1730) with a
flush, Ace high
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Vazey showed [3d 3s] and lost with a flush, Nine high
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 31 **************
PokerStars Game #1248744482: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level V (75/150) - 2005/02/21 - 11:38:19 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (2480 in chips)
Seat 4: caddyshack34 (1595 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2580 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (3765 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1810 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
jipvis: posts small blind 75
ZDragon: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [5d 3c]
steve30: raises 450 to 600
caddyshack34: raises 995 to 1595 and is all-in
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: folds
steve30: calls 995
*** FLOP *** [Qc Jd 6d]
*** TURN *** [Qc Jd 6d] [4c]
*** RIVER *** [Qc Jd 6d 4c] [Kh]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
steve30: shows [Qh Qd] (three of a kind, Queens)
caddyshack34: shows [Ks Ac] (a pair of Kings)
caddyshack34 said, "gh"
steve30 collected 3415 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3415 Rake 0
Board [Qc Jd 6d 4c Kh]
Seat 2: steve30 showed [Qh Qd] and won (3415) with three of a kind,
Queens
Seat 4: caddyshack34 showed [Ks Ac] and lost with a pair of Kings
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: ZDragon (big blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 32 **************
PokerStars Game #1248746060: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level V (75/150) - 2005/02/21 - 11:38:53 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4300 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2580 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (3765 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1120 in chips)
ZDragon: posts small blind 75
steve30: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [7c Qd]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: calls 75
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [3c Ks Tc]
ZDragon: bets 970 and is all-in
steve30: folds
ZDragon collected 300 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 Rake 0
Board [3c Ks Tc]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon (small blind) collected (300)

*********** # 33 **************
PokerStars Game #1248747229: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level V (75/150) - 2005/02/21 - 11:39:18 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4150 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2580 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (3765 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
steve30: posts small blind 75
JoseyWales: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Ad Kd]
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: folds
steve30: calls 75
JoseyWales: raises 150 to 300
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 300 from pot
JoseyWales: shows [Ad Kd] (high card Ace)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) collected (300)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 34 **************
PokerStars Game #1248748618: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:39:47 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4000 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2730 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (3765 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
davec3040: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [9s 8h]
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040 collected 200 from pot
davec3040: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 200 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) collected (200)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 35 **************
PokerStars Game #1248749195: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:39:59 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4000 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2630 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (3865 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
davec3040: posts small blind 100
jipvis: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [2s Td]
ZDragon: folds
steve30: calls 200
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 100
jipvis: checks
*** FLOP *** [3s Ts Ad]
davec3040: checks
jipvis: checks
steve30: checks
*** TURN *** [3s Ts Ad] [4h]
davec3040: bets 200
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
davec3040 collected 600 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 600 Rake 0
Board [3s Ts Ad 4h]
Seat 2: steve30 folded on the Turn
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) collected (600)
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 9: ZDragon folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 36 **************
PokerStars Game #1248750921: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:40:37 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (3800 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2630 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (4265 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1535 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (1270 in chips)
jipvis: posts small blind 100
ZDragon: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [4c Qc]
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 100
ZDragon: checks
*** FLOP *** [Ts Qs 5h]
jipvis: checks
ZDragon: bets 400
jipvis: raises 935 to 1335 and is all-in
ZDragon: folds
jipvis collected 1200 from pot
jipvis: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1200 Rake 0
Board [Ts Qs 5h]
Seat 2: steve30 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) collected (1200)
Seat 9: ZDragon (big blind) folded on the Flop

*********** # 37 **************
PokerStars Game #1248752580: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:41:12 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (3800 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2630 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (4265 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2135 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (670 in chips)
ZDragon: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Th 4d]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 200
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: calls 100
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [Jc 6h 3d]
ZDragon: checks
steve30: checks
davec3040: checks
*** TURN *** [Jc 6h 3d] [4h]
ZDragon: checks
steve30: checks
davec3040: checks
*** RIVER *** [Jc 6h 3d 4h] [5d]
ZDragon: checks
steve30: bets 200
davec3040: folds
ZDragon: folds
steve30 collected 600 from pot
steve30: shows [Ks 2h] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 600 Rake 0
Board [Jc 6h 3d 4h 5d]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) collected (600)
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded on the River
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon (small blind) folded on the River

*********** # 38 **************
PokerStars Game #1248754160: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:41:49 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #9 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4200 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2630 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (4065 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2135 in chips)
Seat 9: ZDragon (470 in chips)
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Ah Kc]
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
ZDragon: raises 270 to 470 and is all-in
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: calls 270
*** FLOP *** [4s 2s Qd]
*** TURN *** [4s 2s Qd] [Js]
*** RIVER *** [4s 2s Qd Js] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JoseyWales: shows [Ah Kc] (a pair of Aces)
ZDragon: shows [Ad 7s] (a pair of Aces - lower kicker)
JoseyWales collected 1040 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1040 Rake 0
Board [4s 2s Qd Js Ac]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) showed [Ah Kc] and won (1040) with a
pair of Aces
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: ZDragon (button) showed [Ad 7s] and lost with a pair of Aces

*********** # 39 **************
PokerStars Game #1248755716: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:42:22 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4100 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (3200 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (4065 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2135 in chips)
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
davec3040: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Ah 7s]
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: raises 200 to 400
davec3040: calls 200
*** FLOP *** [8c 9s 8d]
JoseyWales: checks
davec3040: checks
*** TURN *** [8c 9s 8d] [Jh]
JoseyWales: checks
davec3040: bets 200
JoseyWales: calls 200
*** RIVER *** [8c 9s 8d Jh] [4s]
JoseyWales: checks
davec3040: bets 400
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040 collected 1200 from pot
davec3040: shows [8s 5d] (three of a kind, Eights)
JoseyWales said, "n1"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1200 Rake 0
Board [8c 9s 8d Jh 4s]
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) folded on the River
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) collected (1200)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 40 **************
PokerStars Game #1248757460: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:42:59 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4100 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (2600 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (4665 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2135 in chips)
davec3040: posts small blind 100
jipvis: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Qd As]
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: raises 200 to 400
davec3040: raises 800 to 1200
jipvis: folds
JoseyWales: calls 800
*** FLOP *** [Kd Jd Td]
davec3040: bets 3465 and is all-in
JoseyWales: calls 1400 and is all-in
davec3040 said, "nh"
*** TURN *** [Kd Jd Td] [Js]
*** RIVER *** [Kd Jd Td Js] [4h]
jipvis said, "2o2"
jipvis said, "vnh"
*** SHOW DOWN ***
davec3040: shows [Ac Ah] (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
JoseyWales: shows [Qd As] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
JoseyWales collected 5400 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5400 Rake 0
Board [Kd Jd Td Js 4h]
Seat 2: steve30 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) showed [Qd As] and won (5400) with a
straight, Ten to Ace
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) showed [Ac Ah] and lost with two pair,
Aces and Jacks
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 41 **************
PokerStars Game #1248759135: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:43:35 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4100 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5400 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (2065 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1935 in chips)
jipvis: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Kh 2c]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 200
JoseyWales said, "srry"
jipvis: calls 100
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [Jh 4c Ks]
jipvis: checks
steve30: bets 400
davec3040: calls 400
jipvis: folds
*** TURN *** [Jh 4c Ks] [7c]
steve30: bets 600
davec3040: folds
steve30 collected 1400 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1400 Rake 0
Board [Jh 4c Ks 7c]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) collected (1400)
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) folded on the Flop

*********** # 42 **************
PokerStars Game #1248760864: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:44:10 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4900 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5400 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1465 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [6s 5s]
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30: calls 100
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [5d Tc 5c]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: bets 200
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 400 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 400 Rake 0
Board [5d Tc 5c]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) collected (400)
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 43 **************
PokerStars Game #1248761803: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VI (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:44:30 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4700 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5600 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1465 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
davec3040: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [8c Th]
jipvis: folds
steve30: raises 400 to 600
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
steve30 collected 500 from pot
steve30: shows [Ad Kc] (high card Ace)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) collected (500)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 44 **************
PokerStars Game #1248763101: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:44:58 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5000 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5500 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1265 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1735 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts small blind 100
jipvis: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [3h 3s]
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis collected 300 from pot
jipvis: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) collected (300)

*********** # 45 **************
PokerStars Game #1248763843: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:45:13 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4975 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5475 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1140 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1910 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [3s Kh]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 100
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [4h Tc 3d]
jipvis: bets 400
steve30: folds
jipvis collected 500 from pot
jipvis: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 Rake 0
Board [4h Tc 3d]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) collected (500)

*********** # 46 **************
PokerStars Game #1248765034: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:45:37 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4750 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5450 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1115 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2185 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [As 2c]
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30: raises 400 to 600
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 500 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) collected (500)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 47 **************
PokerStars Game #1248766013: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:46:00 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5025 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5225 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1090 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2160 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
davec3040: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Jc 4h]
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040 collected 300 from pot
davec3040: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) collected (300)
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 48 **************
PokerStars Game #1248766632: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:46:12 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5000 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5100 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1265 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2135 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts small blind 100
jipvis: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [2d 8d]
steve30: calls 200
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: calls 100
jipvis: checks
*** FLOP *** [5h 7s Ah]
davec3040: bets 1040 and is all-in
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
davec3040 collected 700 from pot
davec3040: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 700 Rake 0
Board [5h 7s Ah]
Seat 2: steve30 folded on the Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (small blind) collected (700)
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded on the Flop

*********** # 49 **************
PokerStars Game #1248768049: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:46:42 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4775 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5075 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1740 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1910 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [3d 2d]
JoseyWales: folds
davec3040: folds
jipvis: calls 100
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [5s Ah 6h]
jipvis: checks
steve30: bets 400
jipvis: folds
steve30 collected 500 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 Rake 0
Board [5s Ah 6h]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) collected (500)
Seat 5: JoseyWales folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: davec3040 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) folded on the Flop

*********** # 50 **************
PokerStars Game #1248769605: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:47:14 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5050 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5050 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1715 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1685 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Ks 3h]
davec3040: folds
jipvis: folds
steve30: calls 100
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [9s 4s 6d]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: checks
*** TURN *** [9s 4s 6d] [Jh]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: checks
*** RIVER *** [9s 4s 6d Jh] [8c]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
steve30: shows [2c 3s] (high card Jack)
JoseyWales: shows [Ks 3h] (high card King)
JoseyWales collected 500 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 500 Rake 0
Board [9s 4s 6d Jh 8c]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) showed [2c 3s] and lost with high card
Jack
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) showed [Ks 3h] and won (500) with high
card King
Seat 6: davec3040 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 51 **************
PokerStars Game #1248771005: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:47:44 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4825 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (5325 in chips)
Seat 6: davec3040 (1690 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1660 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
davec3040: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
davec3040: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [8d 8h]
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: raises 200 to 400
davec3040: raises 1265 to 1665 and is all-in
JoseyWales: calls 1265
*** FLOP *** [Qs Ac 6c]
*** TURN *** [Qs Ac 6c] [9s]
*** RIVER *** [Qs Ac 6c 9s] [Jc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
JoseyWales: shows [8d 8h] (a pair of Eights)
davec3040: shows [7h 7c] (a pair of Sevens)
JoseyWales collected 3430 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 3430 Rake 0
Board [Qs Ac 6c 9s Jc]
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) showed [8d 8h] and won (3430) with a
pair of Eights
Seat 6: davec3040 (big blind) showed [7h 7c] and lost with a pair of
Sevens
Seat 7: jipvis folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 52 **************
PokerStars Game #1248772604: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:48:18 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4800 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7065 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1635 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Qs 2d]
JoseyWales: folds
jipvis: raises 200 to 400
steve30: folds
jipvis collected 475 from pot
jipvis: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 475 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) collected (475)

*********** # 53 **************
PokerStars Game #1248773170: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:48:33 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4575 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7040 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1885 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Kc 2c]
jipvis: folds
steve30: calls 100
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [6h 5h 9d]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: checks
*** TURN *** [6h 5h 9d] [5d]
steve30: bets 200
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 475 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 475 Rake 0
Board [6h 5h 9d 5d]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) collected (475)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 54 **************
PokerStars Game #1248774379: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:48:58 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4825 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (6815 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1860 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 100
jipvis: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [9s 3s]
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: folds
jipvis collected 275 from pot
jipvis: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 275 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) collected (275)

*********** # 55 **************
PokerStars Game #1248774939: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:49:10 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4800 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (6690 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (2010 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts small blind 100
steve30: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Ac 7c]
JoseyWales: raises 200 to 400
jipvis: folds
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 575 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 575 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) collected (575)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 56 **************
PokerStars Game #1248775611: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VII (100/200) - 2005/02/21 - 11:49:24 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #7 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (4575 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7040 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1885 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 100
JoseyWales: posts big blind 200
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [2h 4s]
jipvis: folds
steve30: calls 100
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [Qd 8d As]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: checks
*** TURN *** [Qd 8d As] [Kh]
steve30: checks
JoseyWales: bets 200
steve30: calls 200
*** RIVER *** [Qd 8d As Kh] [4d]
steve30: bets 600
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 875 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 875 Rake 0
Board [Qd 8d As Kh 4d]
Seat 2: steve30 (small blind) collected (875)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 7: jipvis (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)

*********** # 57 **************
PokerStars Game #1248777890: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:50:14 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5025 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (6615 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1860 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 200
jipvis: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [2c 9h]
steve30: folds
JoseyWales: calls 200
jipvis: checks
*** FLOP *** [9s 4s 7h]
JoseyWales: bets 400
jipvis: calls 400
*** TURN *** [9s 4s 7h] [6c]
JoseyWales: bets 1200
jipvis: folds
JoseyWales collected 1675 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1675 Rake 0
Board [9s 4s 7h 6c]
Seat 2: steve30 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (small blind) collected (1675)
Seat 7: jipvis (big blind) folded on the Turn

*********** # 58 **************
PokerStars Game #1248778904: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:50:38 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (5000 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7465 in chips)
Seat 7: jipvis (1035 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts the ante 25
jipvis: posts small blind 200
steve30: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [As 2s]
JoseyWales: folds
jipvis: raises 610 to 1010 and is all-in
steve30: calls 610
*** FLOP *** [2c Ah 4s]
*** TURN *** [2c Ah 4s] [Th]
*** RIVER *** [2c Ah 4s Th] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jipvis: shows [9s Qc] (high card Ace)
steve30: shows [Td 6d] (two pair, Tens and Sixes)
JoseyWales said, "gg"
steve30 collected 2095 from pot
JoseyWales said, "gl"
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2095 Rake 0
Board [2c Ah 4s Th 6s]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) showed [Td 6d] and won (2095) with two
pair, Tens and Sixes
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jipvis (small blind) showed [9s Qc] and lost with high card Ace

*********** # 59 **************
PokerStars Game #1248780744: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:51:17 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6060 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7440 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 200
JoseyWales: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [3s 6d]
steve30: calls 200
JoseyWales: checks
*** FLOP *** [Tc Ks 5c]
JoseyWales: checks
steve30: checks
*** TURN *** [Tc Ks 5c] [2c]
JoseyWales: checks
steve30: bets 400
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 850 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 Rake 0
Board [Tc Ks 5c 2c]
Seat 2: steve30 (button) (small blind) collected (850)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) folded on the Turn

*********** # 60 **************
PokerStars Game #1248781843: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:51:41 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6485 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7015 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 200
steve30: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [9d 4c]
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 450 from pot
steve30: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) collected (450)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) (small blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 61 **************
PokerStars Game #1248782309: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:51:51 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6710 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (6790 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 200
JoseyWales: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [8d Ks]
steve30: calls 200
JoseyWales: raises 400 to 800
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 850 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) collected (850)

*********** # 62 **************
PokerStars Game #1248783048: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:52:07 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6285 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7215 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 200
steve30: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [2d 5s]
JoseyWales: folds
steve30 collected 450 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 450 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) collected (450)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) (small blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 63 **************
PokerStars Game #1248783521: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:52:16 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #2 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6510 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (6990 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
steve30: posts small blind 200
JoseyWales: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [8c Ah]
steve30: calls 200
JoseyWales: raises 400 to 800
steve30: folds
JoseyWales collected 850 from pot
JoseyWales: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 850 Rake 0
Seat 2: steve30 (button) (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: JoseyWales (big blind) collected (850)

*********** # 64 **************
PokerStars Game #1248785063: Tournament #5520122, Hold'em No Limit -
Level VIII (200/400) - 2005/02/21 - 11:52:48 (ET)
Table '5520122 1' Seat #5 is the button
Seat 2: steve30 (6085 in chips)
Seat 5: JoseyWales (7415 in chips)
steve30: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts the ante 25
JoseyWales: posts small blind 200
steve30: posts big blind 400
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to JoseyWales [Jc Js]
JoseyWales: calls 200
steve30: checks
*** FLOP *** [8d 8s 9d]
steve30: bets 800
JoseyWales: raises 800 to 1600
steve30: raises 4000 to 5600
JoseyWales: raises 1390 to 6990 and is all-in
steve30: calls 60 and is all-in
*** TURN *** [8d 8s 9d] [3c]
*** RIVER *** [8d 8s 9d 3c] [2c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
steve30: shows [7c 9c] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
JoseyWales: shows [Jc Js] (two pair, Jacks and Eights)
JoseyWales said, "gg"
JoseyWales collected 12170 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 12170 Rake 0
Board [8d 8s 9d 3c 2c]
Seat 2: steve30 (big blind) showed [7c 9c] and lost with two pair,
Nines and Eights
Seat 5: JoseyWales (button) (small blind) showed [Jc Js] and won
(12170) with two pair, Jacks and Eights


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Table Position - Do You "Play Your Position" At Texas Holdem Properly?

Table Position - Do You "Play Your Position" At Texas Holdem Properly?

Using your table position to your advantage is one of the most important aspects of Texas Holdem poker. Based upon your table position, you will need to adjust:

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If you're in an early positiion, then you have the disadvantage of most everyone (except the blinds) following you. On the other hand, you have the ability to act first or act early (or not, such as checking/trapping with a good hand). If you bet, there's a good chance that someone following you could come over the top, so when betting early, I generally either "limp" (minimum bet) or put a hefty bet out there with a good hand in order to drive most everyone out of the pot - acting first has only one real advantage - you get to bet first!!

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Tournament Tip #1 - The Maniacs and Aggressors

I know a lot of players have difficulties with the "maniacs" and aggressive players at their table. These folks can be quite difficult, until you realize that they're really your biggest friends and can be played like the suckers they really are - once you know how to go about it. Here's a real story that just happened to me...

I played in a local tournament this week at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a very nice place to play Texas holdem that's located about 20 minutes from my house in Hollywood, Florida. Anyway, I entered the weekly $300 Texas Holdem poker tournament, along with about 220 other players. Here's what happened that night.

The blinds start at 50/100 and go up every 15 minutes. I spent the first 30 minutes just hanging out and occasionally limping in to see a flop, but didn't really engage much. The reason I just "treaded water" initially was to do what I always do when playing with people I don't know well - study them and their play style very, very carefully. There were a number of good players at the table, but right away I spotted some key things about several of them.

There were a couple of "wild men" (maniacs) that were to my right. They played almost every hand, and virtually agonized with themselves whenever they were dealt trash hands - and one of them would struggle each and every time he had to thow a trash hand away! This was hilarious to me, since I knew these guys were actually doomed from the start, yet they were dangerous if they caught something decent with those trash hands. These guys are actually "suckers" if you know how to play them correctly.

There were some tight and solid players, as usual. There were several other players who seem to know one another very well, and they spoke a foreign language that sounded like it could've been Rumanian or something very similar. We'll call them my Rumanian friends. Anyway, they would play very aggressively whenever they picked up virtually any kind of hand - they rarely called or checked - they most always bet or raised. If they stayed in a hand, you knew they were going to play it strong. As a result, the table became fairly tight overall, allowing these few players to pretty much control the action and the table momentum for the first 30 minutes or so - gambling and trading chips with one another for the most part.

It also became clear on several occasions that our maniacs were playing these garbage hands and pushing people around with their aggressive betting and raising style. They actually got into several showdowns with one another, causing their trash hands to be exposed to everyone; e.g., 69 offsuit, Q3 offsuit, etc. Again, I was just laughing inside, since I had these guys pegged now.

Later in the game, one the Rumanian "friends" to my left came in over the top of a decent bet that I placed with a huge raise - my pair wasn't strong enough to stay in, but I remembered this little "lesson" on his aggressiveness (as he'd used it many times against others already). I also realized that we had not really seen any of his supposed "big hands" thus far, as he always mucked them after pushing people around...something I would remember and use against him and his buddy later. Whenever you see a player pushing everyone around, mucking all those "great hands", and playing 50% or more of all hands they're dealt, you know you've spotted a good target...

We played on, with the two poor maniacs to my right both getting busted out by the time the blinds reached 500/1000 within an hour and fifteen minutes - once the blinds get higher, that maniac style doesn't take you very far, since anyone who stays in the pot at those levels probably has a "real hand" - their overly-aggressive, wildman style was to be short-lived, as expected. Unless these types of players have a couple of big, lucky plays, they'll never go very far.

I flopped a pair of wired 9's (99). I limped in, just hoping the flop would give me trips - sure enough, it came: 9, K, 5. I was jumping up and down (inside myself), and knew I was going to whack someone, hoping it would be one of my aggressive friends. To prepare the trap, I delayed and thought for about ten seconds, and just "Checked" using my hand in a chopping motion with a disgusted look on my face (could have been a tell for anyone really paying attention!). Next, the younger Rumanian guy moves in with a big bet (I think it was around 3,000 chips). I was sure that I had him now... as expected, everyone else at this mostly tight table quickly folded. This guy had pushed everyone around many times, and I was finally properly armed and prepared to do battle with him. Note that this had been my "battle plan" all along - I was targeting this aggressive character, knowing that when the time was right, he'd be all mine.

The action came back around to me - now it was just me and him. I delayed and bobbed my head around as if to be struggling with the decision now, and again about 10 seconds later, motioned with my hands as I said "I'm all-in!". He immediately called me - he was so aggressive (and pot-committed) that he was like a fish taking the bait - hook line and and sinker! I threw my pair of 9's over, revealing the three 9's. There was a low murmur around the table. He reluctantly flipped his five/trash over - all he had was a pair of fives and he was trying to drive me out of the pot, just as I suspected. You see, no one gets that many great hands in poker. If they play more than 30% to 40% of the hands they are dealt, they're "gambling". This guy has a pretty "good" hand for his play style (in his mind), since he actually had a real hand with a pair.

The turn came and it wasn't a five - then someone pipes up and says "he's drawing dead". Believe me, those are the very words you never want to hear when you're dominated in a showdown! I looked over at him as he said something in a language I couldn't understand to his buddy (a violation of the tournament rules - everyone is supposed to speak only English at the tournament table), stood up, grabbed his jacket and left.

His older friend then glared over at me and said something derogatory sounding in Rumanian to me. I had no idea what he said, but I knew I didn't like it. I also knew I'd definitely gotten under his skin by taking down his friend and raking in his chips! As I raked in all of what were now my chips, I quickly responded back to him and said "what's that, I don't understand what you're saying since you're not speaking English?" (loudly enough so everyone at the table could hear me)

He mumbled something about his friend...I smiled and said politely "I deliberately laid that trap for your friend and he fell right into it!", pushing the knife in even deeper, knowing he'd be gunning for me anyway - might as well make sure my next trap was properly set. It also signalled to everyone else at the table that just because I checked or limped, it wasn't necessarily a sign of real weakness - something I intended to use to my advantage later when bluffing...

After a slight pause, my Rumanian friend noticed that everyone, including the dealer, was now looking at him to see what he'd respond with...after a few moments, he simply said "nice play" with a reluctantly polite tone.

Boy - I was elated! My battle plan was definitely becoming field-proven here - and my next target was clearly sighted. Within about ten minutes, it was tournament break time after about two hours of play. I counted my chips (14,900) and then grabbed a quick bite to eat during our fifteen minute break.

Within ten minutes after returning from the break, I finally picked up a serious starting hand: Cowboys (KK). I knew it was time for my Rumanian friend and me to tango again, so I fired out a bet of 3 times the big blind (3,000 chips at that point). He bit the bait - big time. He was sitting just to my left, and there was now an empty seat between the two of us. His All-in raise came within what seemed to be about 300 milliseconds of me announcing my bet! (he was more than ready and had been laying in wait for me, just as I had suspected and hoped!)

He raised me by going All-in with about 8,000 chips to my roughly 12,000 - much of which had recently belonged to his now-defunct buddy. I called his all-in bet so quickly it made his and everyone else's heads spin around and take notice. Someone says "Yeah! Now we've got some action!", recognizing that I was doing it again! Everyone else quickly folded and got out of our way...

I flipped my pockets kings over in front of my stack angled toward him, then looked him straight in the eye and smiled. He sighed and flipped over QQ - he actually had a real hand for a change. That's one of the problems with these kind of "semi-solid/aggressive" players like my Rumanian friend, and other good players like Gus Hansen - you never know exactly what to expect from them. Of course, he could've had AA, but I'll play that KK strong each and every time, especially knowing an aggressive player is more likely to overplay their hands.

Anyway, the flop, turn and river all came and went and it was done - my Cowboys stood up and I now had all of his and his aggressive buddy's chips, too...making me the new chip leader. I went from having an average chip stack to being the table chip leader in less than an hour by:

• Playing solid, reasonable tournament poker,
• Not taking big undue risks with weak or "drawing" hands,
• Studying my aggressive prey with a big stack very carefully,
• Formulating and refining my battle plan,
• Being patient and waiting for the right time, and
• Executing my battle plan in a purposeful manner.
  
  I started with a plan to identify aggressive players and go after them with real hands before I ever arrived at the casino that day - and then I just executed that plan. It certainly helped that I caught a couple of decent hands, but the key is knowing what to do with them once you do get them, converting them into a substantial stockpile - a stack that'll be needed later in the tournament as the blinds and antes increase and things get a lot crazier and riskier as the field narrows.
  
  This is how I try to approach tournaments now - at least when the tables are still full of 8 or more players. For more details on my tournament strategies, follow this link. You may also be interested in my other tips on how to prepare for winning tournaments.
  
  So, what's the upshot here? There are some simple guidelines I'd offer when playing in tournaments (or any table where there are players you don't know well):
  

1. Start out Slowly - observe everyone at the table, determine your most likely prey, understand their habits and play style, then mentally prepare your own "battle plan" for taking their chips. You can either formulate such a plan ahead of time and refine it as you see how the game is shaping up, or just leave everything to chance like many players do. Take your pick. They say "those who fail to plan, plan to fail"...
   
2. Play Some Hands Early in the Tournament - limp in some and feel your way around on the table with the other players early on and don't start off with the appearance of being one of the solid or tight players, or else you may not get much action when you do get a good hand. By letting my aggressive friends push me around a little, limping in and dropping out, they thought I was a good target for their aggressive style of play and it conditioned them to push me when they shouldn't have. Everyone knows who's playing tight and who's not. Playing more hands early while the blinds are relatively small puts you in a position to establish a "table image" early, then make your moves later on, helping prevent you from becoming typed as tight or solid early on. Be aware of your current table image at all times - this kind of "self-awareness" makes a big difference.
   
3. Get a Real Hand First - don't go up against maniacs or overly aggressive raisers without a real hand - and do not challenge them while chasing a draw! Their strength is their bravado and betting style - it's also their biggest weakness. When you do get a real hand that you believe is the best hand, you've gotta hit them head-on, trigger their aggressive response systems, and be willing to stick with them, re-raising them -or- you must trap them with a Check-Raise and let them take the initial lead betting into you, which they tend to like to do, often leading them to putting most or all of their chips at risk (another reason you'd better have a real hand whenever you do this!)
   
4. Pay Attention and Focus Outward - watch everyone and everything that's going on. Don't daydream, and for pete's sake - DO NOT focus on "Your Hand" and your own play. You'll do fine making good decisions without focusing on your hand initially, but only if you're atop of who you're playing against, recognizing their play style and adjusting your play style according to a properly conceived "battle plan". You should spend 3 times as much energy and time trying to figure out what other players are holding, their play style and your battle plan to take their chips than you do thinking about your own hand.
   
5. Play the Odds - most people think too much about their own hand and what they might draw - that's because calculating the odds and playing the pot odds isn't yet second nature to them. If that's you, then you definitely need to get these poker odds embedded into your subconscious mind, so you don't even need to think about them. How can you do that? Here's how. Download a poker odds calculator (e.g., Poker Sidekick by Royal Flush Club) and use it while you play online.
   
   You'll be amazed that you'll start to really know the odds after using this product for just a few weeks. Within a couple of months, you'll be able to recite the odds and won't even know why (it's because Poker Sidekick presents the odds of each hand on the screen while you play online, and your brain actually sees and records them in your subconscious mind - this is how "photographic memory" works). Anyway, after a while the odds will definitely become second nature, making it quick and easy to estimate the "pot odds" - you don't want to be spending a lot of time distracted by thinking about the odds - you need to focus outward on the players and game situations, yet still make the right decisions and play the odds correctly.
   
6. Have a Battle Plan - when you play in a tournament, you're going to be fighting a "battle" of survival - against the blinds, the antes, fatigue, as well as vs. the other players. Would any decent military commander go into battle without having a well-conceived battle plan? Of course not! If they did, they probably wouldn't live to tell about it! You shouldn't go into a tournament without a battle plan and strategy for winning, either.

Not really sure what I'm talking about? Then you truly do need to study up! Here's some links that should help:

Tournament Strategies that will help you prepare and play better, including a couple of awesome books that will definitely help you. Second, you should prepare yourself properly by practice, practice, practice (start by clicking on each of these links to see what's there).

I prefer to practice in the Sit & Go tournaments at Party Poker and Poker Stars, in conjunction with using Poker Sidekick. Check out these links and I guarantee that they'll help you. You can practice using these tools for a full 30 days totally free...they're inexpensive, so you can keep using them, too.

Get some good Texas Holdem Tournament software that will allow you to practice offline (by yourself), without putting a bunch money at risk online or in real tournaments. This is really a must. For this purpose, I highly recommend Tournament Texas Holdem, an affordable and awesome program that's used by many pros as well.

If you're serious about your game and winning in tournaments, you've gotta invest in *yourself* by purchasing, studying and using the right kinds of tools like I've described here. Otherwise, you'll likely just continue losing for years and not really know why. It doesn't have to be that way...the links I've shared above point to several products that I recommend, and I do make a small commission them; however, I'm referring you to them because they truly will help you become a formidable player. If you're just interested in only "free" stuff, just remember things are usually worth what you pay for them...invest in yourself and your game and you'll get a return on that investment.

So to wrap things up, whenever you encounter aggressive players, use their play style against them. It's sort of like the basis of Tae Kwon Do - using the opponents energy and momentum against them. Wait for the right time and:

1. Trap the aggressor by deliberately underplaying a strong hand (e.g., AA) occasionally - be careful with this and know how to slow-play before attempting it.
   
2. Trap them by limping in ahead of them with small pairs like 22, 33, 44, 55, etc. and whack them when you finally pull that 3 of a kind, straight, etc., or
   
3. Raise them by putting just enough chips in the pot (think of this bet as a "lure", or bait, that this kind of "fish" just can't resist :) - such as 3 times the big blind, and then whack them with your big hand (AA, KK, Top Two Pairs, 3 of a Kind, Straight, Flush, etc.) - be absolutely sure you have the best hand when you do this -and- that the board hasn't paired up (potentially leading to 3K or a Boat), or lined up with a potential flush or straight draw.
   
   Aggressive players' egos usually can't handle being overtly raised - they expect to be the preeminent raiser and control the game, so they'll often times re-raise or go all-in in response in order to leverage their aggressive style against you. Be ready! You can just about count on it!! (that's the key to taking these guys out)

Finally, it's been said "if you can't spot the 'suckers' sitting at your table within fifteen minutes, it's probably you!". I love this saying, because it's so true. I heard it from my friend and long-time pro poker player Rory Monahan. If you haven't looked at his "Secrets of Texas Holdem" e-book, you're definitely missing out. It's inexpensive and will more than pay for itself. Have a quick look at it - Both Rory and I guarantee your satisfaction, so there's no risk.

You have to have enough confidence in your game and ability to apply the right strategy against different kinds of players or you won't get very far in this game, especially these days, when so many great players are online and in local casinos and tournaments.

So, there's your first set of comprehensive tournament tips and links - more than I had originally intended when I started to write this, but what the heck - enjoy them. I wish someone had condensed all of this down into a simple program like this for me when I first started playing seriously. Enjoy.

Good luck!

P.S. If you wonder why I sometimes place links to my websites here, it's because the search engines look for such links and I must use them in order to boost my website's rankings - a little bonus for the time investment sharing this free information with everyone...

Texas Holdem resources

I decided to start this blog as a convenient way to post information on one of my favorite topics - Texas Holdem. First, I manage several websites that are dedicated to free Texas holdem strategies and software that you should consider visiting:

• BetterHoldem.com - Free Texas Holdem - Better Information on how to play and win bigger in Texas holdem games and Texas Holdem tournament information.
  
• Texas Holdem Poker Odds Calculator - A site dedicated to free Texas holdem poker and poker odds calculator software.
  
• Royal Flush Club - A site dedicated to Texas Holdem-related software and products, like the POKER SIDEKICK expert system and poker odds calculator.

So, have a visit at these sites and you'll find a great set of resources focused on helping you become a great Texas Holdem player.