Eight of 10 $100,000 Main Events Left to Go
The Million Dollar Freeroll Series at CakePoker is providing players with eight more chances to get a piece of a million-dollar pie by hosting a $100,000 freeroll tournament every month.
There are three ways that players can qualify and one way is absolutely free. The top five players of each Million Dollar Freeroll Series satellite will advance to the monthly final. Players can find these qualifiers under the freeroll tab. Cash satellites are also available and start as low as $2. They run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday. One seat is awarded for every $50 in the prize pool. Finally, players can buy directly into the monthly final for $50.
One of the unique aspects of this promotion is that the top prize is so enormous. Of the $100,000 given out each month, $75,000 of it goes to first place. The following are the payouts:
First place -- $75,000
Second place -- $10,000
Third place -- $5,000
Fourth place -- $2,500
Fifth place -- $1,000
Sixth-10th place -- $500
11th-20th place -- $300
21st-30th place -- $100
The next monthly final is Dec. 2, and the rest of the remaining dates are Jan. 6, Jan. 27, March 2, April 6, May 4, and June 1 of 2008.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Win Tickets to Super Bowl XLII at Absolute Poker
Choose Your Favorite Team and Represent Them in a Series of Tournaments in the Absolute Touchdown Promotion
The NFL regular season is nearly halfway over, and teams are still vying for a coveted spot in the playoffs. At Absolute Poker, NFL fans representing their teams are also competing to make the playoffs for a chance to win tickets to Super Bowl XLII in the Absolute Touchdown promotion, and it is not too late for players to join in.
First, players must choose their favorite team and use their Absolute Poker registered e-mail account to do so. (Click here to pick a team.) Players who do not have an account must download the software and register before picking a team. (Players who need to register for a new account can click here.)
At noon ET every Saturday, teams will go head to head, according to the real NFL schedule, in a no-limit hold’em tournament. For example, this Sunday in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys are playing the Washington Redskins, which means that players representing the two teams will all play in the same tournament for the Absolute Touchdown promotion. Points are awarded at the final table with nine points going to first. Players need to register by noon on the Wednesday before the game, but once registered, players can compete in every tournament.
The tournaments include freerolls as well as real-money buy-in tournaments. Leader boards can be found at Absolute Poker’s website to keep track of how the teams are playing.
At the end of 17 weeks, the top 16 teams, according to points, make the playoffs. The teams will battle in a knockout-style competition. The two teams that accumulate the most points at the final table of each tournament will move on to the Absolute Poker Bowl.
Players representing the final two teams will all be eligible to play the last tournament. Points no longer matter. First place in the Absolute Poker Bowl will receive tickets to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona on Feb. 3, 2008.
For more information on this promotion, or to take advantage of a deposit bonus on Absolute Poker through Card Player
The NFL regular season is nearly halfway over, and teams are still vying for a coveted spot in the playoffs. At Absolute Poker, NFL fans representing their teams are also competing to make the playoffs for a chance to win tickets to Super Bowl XLII in the Absolute Touchdown promotion, and it is not too late for players to join in.
First, players must choose their favorite team and use their Absolute Poker registered e-mail account to do so. (Click here to pick a team.) Players who do not have an account must download the software and register before picking a team. (Players who need to register for a new account can click here.)
At noon ET every Saturday, teams will go head to head, according to the real NFL schedule, in a no-limit hold’em tournament. For example, this Sunday in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys are playing the Washington Redskins, which means that players representing the two teams will all play in the same tournament for the Absolute Touchdown promotion. Points are awarded at the final table with nine points going to first. Players need to register by noon on the Wednesday before the game, but once registered, players can compete in every tournament.
The tournaments include freerolls as well as real-money buy-in tournaments. Leader boards can be found at Absolute Poker’s website to keep track of how the teams are playing.
At the end of 17 weeks, the top 16 teams, according to points, make the playoffs. The teams will battle in a knockout-style competition. The two teams that accumulate the most points at the final table of each tournament will move on to the Absolute Poker Bowl.
Players representing the final two teams will all be eligible to play the last tournament. Points no longer matter. First place in the Absolute Poker Bowl will receive tickets to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona on Feb. 3, 2008.
For more information on this promotion, or to take advantage of a deposit bonus on Absolute Poker through Card Player
Monday, October 15, 2007
Annie Duke's live freeroll fills fast
Rigid qualifications didn't stop the limited seats available in the Annie Duke $100,000 Hold'em Freeroll Poker Tournament from filling up in record time.
Less than two weeks after the qualification period began, all 1,000 were claimed for the Oct. 25 tournament at the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in California.
With Annie Duke as the master of ceremonies and a free shot at a piece of the $100,000 prize pool, plenty of people were willing to put in the time it took to meet the qualification.
To secure a spot in the tournament, players had to earn six dreamcatcher stamps on a tournament qualifying card. Stamps were earned by getting a full house or better or jacks full or better in Omaha at San Manuel.
According to a press release, poker players from all over Southern California headed to San Manuel to try to secure a spot in the tournament. Players ranged from semi-professionals to amateurs, and even a few people attempting to use beginners' luck.
Poker enthusiasts who didn't qualify in time to play in the tournament can still come ride the rails and see who wins, as well as still meet Annie Duke.
Along with her emcee duties, Duke will be appearing at the San Manuel the evening of the tournament and be available to the public from 7-10 p.m. in the Yhaviatam Room.
Duke began her rise to fame in the mid '90s when she moved to Las Vegas to play professional poker. Prior to that she'd been honing her skills in Montana.
Since then, she's established herself as one of the best poker players in the world, winning a World Series of poker bracelet in 2004 as well as cashing deep in other WSOP events over the years and on the World Poker Tour.
Less than two weeks after the qualification period began, all 1,000 were claimed for the Oct. 25 tournament at the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in California.
With Annie Duke as the master of ceremonies and a free shot at a piece of the $100,000 prize pool, plenty of people were willing to put in the time it took to meet the qualification.
To secure a spot in the tournament, players had to earn six dreamcatcher stamps on a tournament qualifying card. Stamps were earned by getting a full house or better or jacks full or better in Omaha at San Manuel.
According to a press release, poker players from all over Southern California headed to San Manuel to try to secure a spot in the tournament. Players ranged from semi-professionals to amateurs, and even a few people attempting to use beginners' luck.
Poker enthusiasts who didn't qualify in time to play in the tournament can still come ride the rails and see who wins, as well as still meet Annie Duke.
Along with her emcee duties, Duke will be appearing at the San Manuel the evening of the tournament and be available to the public from 7-10 p.m. in the Yhaviatam Room.
Duke began her rise to fame in the mid '90s when she moved to Las Vegas to play professional poker. Prior to that she'd been honing her skills in Montana.
Since then, she's established herself as one of the best poker players in the world, winning a World Series of poker bracelet in 2004 as well as cashing deep in other WSOP events over the years and on the World Poker Tour.
Friday, September 21, 2007
DEAL ME IN: More colorful poker quotes
Poker is full of interesting characters and occasionally they utter an amusing quip or two. Here are a few more of the more interesting comments on the game:
“There are few things that are so unpardonably neglected in our country as poker. The upper class knows very little about it. Now and then you find ambassadors who have sort of a general knowledge of the game, but the ignorance of the people is fearful. Why, I have known clergymen, good men, kind-hearted, liberal, sincere, and all that, who did not know the meaning of a ‘flush.’ It is enough to make one ashamed of the species.”
— Mark Twain
“The commonest mistake in history is underestimating your opponent; happens at the poker table all the time.”
— General David Shoup
“Patience. And shuffle the cards.”
— Cervantes, “Don Quixote”
“I must complain the cards are ill shuffled till I have a good hand.”
— Jonathan Swift, “Thoughts on Various Subjects” (1728)
“Poker is the game closest to the western conception of life, where life and thought are recognized as intimately combined, where free will prevails over philosophies of fate or of chance, where men are considered moral agents and where -- at least in the short run -- the important thing is not what happens but what people think happens.”
— John Luckacs
“Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.”
— Charles Lamb
“I believe in poker the way I believe in the American Dream. Poker is good for you. It enriches the soul, sharpens the intellect, heals the spirit, and, when played well, nourishes the wallet.”
— Lou Krieger
With spots quadrangular of diamond form,
Ensanguined hearts, clubs typical of strife,
And spades, the emblems of untimely graves.
— William Cowper
“The poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong; that the bumblebee can fly; that, perhaps, one should never trust an expert; that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by those with an academic bent.”
— David Mamet
“There are few things that are so unpardonably neglected in our country as poker. The upper class knows very little about it. Now and then you find ambassadors who have sort of a general knowledge of the game, but the ignorance of the people is fearful. Why, I have known clergymen, good men, kind-hearted, liberal, sincere, and all that, who did not know the meaning of a ‘flush.’ It is enough to make one ashamed of the species.”
— Mark Twain
“The commonest mistake in history is underestimating your opponent; happens at the poker table all the time.”
— General David Shoup
“Patience. And shuffle the cards.”
— Cervantes, “Don Quixote”
“I must complain the cards are ill shuffled till I have a good hand.”
— Jonathan Swift, “Thoughts on Various Subjects” (1728)
“Poker is the game closest to the western conception of life, where life and thought are recognized as intimately combined, where free will prevails over philosophies of fate or of chance, where men are considered moral agents and where -- at least in the short run -- the important thing is not what happens but what people think happens.”
— John Luckacs
“Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.”
— Charles Lamb
“I believe in poker the way I believe in the American Dream. Poker is good for you. It enriches the soul, sharpens the intellect, heals the spirit, and, when played well, nourishes the wallet.”
— Lou Krieger
With spots quadrangular of diamond form,
Ensanguined hearts, clubs typical of strife,
And spades, the emblems of untimely graves.
— William Cowper
“The poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong; that the bumblebee can fly; that, perhaps, one should never trust an expert; that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by those with an academic bent.”
— David Mamet
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Size a limp in on the button
By Steve Rosenbloom
A lot of poker literature offers suggestions on starting hands from various positions, but so much of the game is situational based on stack sizes, opponents, betting amounts and position, among other things.
While the guidelines on starting hands are solid, sometimes the worst hole cards make the best hand in no-limit hold 'em. At the World Poker Tour's $15,000-buy-in Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Las Vegas' Bellagio in 2006, the blinds were $500-$1,000 with a $100 ante when action folded to a player in late position, who just limped in.
Cliff Josephy, the online terror known as "Johnny Bax" who has taken to live play, looked down to find 5-3 suited, not the starting hand you want when your stack is below average at $35,000.
But because he was on the button and no one had shown strength by raising, Josephy also limped in, figuring both of his cards were live and hoping he could catch a flop. The blinds also played, so four players saw a flop of 10-6-2, two clubs.
Both blinds checked. The late-position limper bet $4,000 into a pot of $5,000. The action was on Josephy, who held a flush draw and a gutshot straight to the 4.
"I wasn't just going to flat-call," said Josephy, who won a bracelet at the 2005 World Series of Poker in the $1,500-buy-in seven-card stud event. "I wanted to take the pot right there and sort of advertise what I had."
So, Josephy moved all in for his remaining $34,000.
"It's most likely that I had a draw if I was going to shove in for more than the pot there," Josephy said. "At least that's what people are going to deduce, but they're not going to want to call me with Q-10, K-10, which is what I sort of had him on."
The blinds folded, and the player in late position whom Josephy figured to be his remaining opponent had a bigger hand than K-10, which gave him a bigger decision, especially having Josephy covered.
"He said, 'I'm not good enough to fold it,' " Josephy said. "So, he called me and showed two aces."
The turn came the 3 of hearts, and the river came the jack of clubs, completing Josephy's flush and allowing him to more than double up.
All because he could limp in with small suited cards when an opponent who should have raised him out of the pot pre-flop tried to slow-play a hand that plays best heads-up.
"Don't be afraid to push in, and don't be afraid to play 5-3 from the button," Josephy said. "If I'm in position on the button, and it's only going to cost me as much as the big blind, sure, I'm going to limp in and play it."
A lot of poker literature offers suggestions on starting hands from various positions, but so much of the game is situational based on stack sizes, opponents, betting amounts and position, among other things.
While the guidelines on starting hands are solid, sometimes the worst hole cards make the best hand in no-limit hold 'em. At the World Poker Tour's $15,000-buy-in Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Las Vegas' Bellagio in 2006, the blinds were $500-$1,000 with a $100 ante when action folded to a player in late position, who just limped in.
Cliff Josephy, the online terror known as "Johnny Bax" who has taken to live play, looked down to find 5-3 suited, not the starting hand you want when your stack is below average at $35,000.
But because he was on the button and no one had shown strength by raising, Josephy also limped in, figuring both of his cards were live and hoping he could catch a flop. The blinds also played, so four players saw a flop of 10-6-2, two clubs.
Both blinds checked. The late-position limper bet $4,000 into a pot of $5,000. The action was on Josephy, who held a flush draw and a gutshot straight to the 4.
"I wasn't just going to flat-call," said Josephy, who won a bracelet at the 2005 World Series of Poker in the $1,500-buy-in seven-card stud event. "I wanted to take the pot right there and sort of advertise what I had."
So, Josephy moved all in for his remaining $34,000.
"It's most likely that I had a draw if I was going to shove in for more than the pot there," Josephy said. "At least that's what people are going to deduce, but they're not going to want to call me with Q-10, K-10, which is what I sort of had him on."
The blinds folded, and the player in late position whom Josephy figured to be his remaining opponent had a bigger hand than K-10, which gave him a bigger decision, especially having Josephy covered.
"He said, 'I'm not good enough to fold it,' " Josephy said. "So, he called me and showed two aces."
The turn came the 3 of hearts, and the river came the jack of clubs, completing Josephy's flush and allowing him to more than double up.
All because he could limp in with small suited cards when an opponent who should have raised him out of the pot pre-flop tried to slow-play a hand that plays best heads-up.
"Don't be afraid to push in, and don't be afraid to play 5-3 from the button," Josephy said. "If I'm in position on the button, and it's only going to cost me as much as the big blind, sure, I'm going to limp in and play it."
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
new bonus codes for poker and casino sites
Check out the newest bonus codes for poker at
Drawdead and casino at Casino-Chart.com
Did you know that by using our exclusive bonus codes found at the pages listed above you can literally get thousands of dollars in free money to play your favorite casino and poker games? Most rooms that offer a bonus to new depositors will have their cash out conditions clearly available to you. For instance, if you deposit $25 at a new casino, odds are that you will need to play through at least $400 before you can cash out. So choose wisely!
Drawdead and casino at Casino-Chart.com
Did you know that by using our exclusive bonus codes found at the pages listed above you can literally get thousands of dollars in free money to play your favorite casino and poker games? Most rooms that offer a bonus to new depositors will have their cash out conditions clearly available to you. For instance, if you deposit $25 at a new casino, odds are that you will need to play through at least $400 before you can cash out. So choose wisely!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Fox Baseball World Series Tournament -- Free Roll This Saturday -- Poker Tournament Champion to Win
Playing poker while watching baseball could be a multitasking nightmare for some, but the boys at PlayersOnly.com are mastering the art of poker between pitches in free-roll poker tournaments held every Saturday during MLB baseball broadcasts. Grand prize is a trip to the World Series.
St John's, Antigua (PRWEB) July 26, 2007 -- Playing poker and watching baseball on TV simultaneously could be a multitasking nightmare for some couch potatoes, but the boys at PlayersOnly.com are mastering the art of poker between pitches. The grand prize winner of the Fox Baseball World Series Free Roll Tournaments will win an all expense paid trip to the World Series this fall. Free roll qualifiers began last weekend and continue this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST -- just as Fox Television broadcasts Saturday afternoon games.
The top 10 players in this weekend's free roll will advance to the Fox Baseball World Series Tournament Final on September 22nd. Those that don't win their way to the final table can buy into the $50.00 + $5.00 buy-in freeze-out tourney.
"We've always got tournaments happening. Tournaments are a great way to get poker experience," said PlayersOnly.com Manager David Anderson. "All you risk is the buy-in fee -- so in a free roll you risk nothing. Everyone starts with the same stack of chips. And you play until one player has them all."
This Saturday and every Saturday this summer, players will start with 1,500 chips and advance through 8-minute levels. The top ten players -- the Final Table -- will automatically win a seat at the Grand Final Tournament on September 22nd. The winner of the Grand Final tournament will receive a deluxe travel package to attend the World Series including two box seats to Game 1, first class air for two, hotel suite and limo to and from stadium. The runner-up will receive two field level seats, coach air for two, a standard hotel room and limo to and from stadium. The Third Place player can watch the game from home on his new Proton 37" LCD TV.
For those extreme multitaskers that can play poker, watch TV and predict who'll take the pennant this fall, as of today the PlayersOnly.com Sportsbook favors the Detroit Tigers at 7-2 to win the World Series, followed by the Boston Red Sox at 4-1, the New York Mets at 6-1 and the Los Angeles Angels at 8-1.
In the recently re-designed PlayersOnly site, players enter the trendy, up-scale Poker Room, Sportsbook or Casino from the sexy, ultra-realistic Main Lobby where they're greeted by site host Carrie Stroup and the ladies of PlayersOnly.
In addition to this Saturday tournament series, PlayersOnly.com is also presenting a Sunday free roll series where the winner will play in the WPT in Turks & Caicos. WPT Turks & Caicos satellites are held every Sunday.
PlayersOnly.com will award more than $25,000 in cash and prizes during this summer's online poker free roll tournaments.
For further information contact:
Larry Colcy, Lyceum Media
(604) 685-6240
St John's, Antigua (PRWEB) July 26, 2007 -- Playing poker and watching baseball on TV simultaneously could be a multitasking nightmare for some couch potatoes, but the boys at PlayersOnly.com are mastering the art of poker between pitches. The grand prize winner of the Fox Baseball World Series Free Roll Tournaments will win an all expense paid trip to the World Series this fall. Free roll qualifiers began last weekend and continue this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST -- just as Fox Television broadcasts Saturday afternoon games.
The top 10 players in this weekend's free roll will advance to the Fox Baseball World Series Tournament Final on September 22nd. Those that don't win their way to the final table can buy into the $50.00 + $5.00 buy-in freeze-out tourney.
"We've always got tournaments happening. Tournaments are a great way to get poker experience," said PlayersOnly.com Manager David Anderson. "All you risk is the buy-in fee -- so in a free roll you risk nothing. Everyone starts with the same stack of chips. And you play until one player has them all."
This Saturday and every Saturday this summer, players will start with 1,500 chips and advance through 8-minute levels. The top ten players -- the Final Table -- will automatically win a seat at the Grand Final Tournament on September 22nd. The winner of the Grand Final tournament will receive a deluxe travel package to attend the World Series including two box seats to Game 1, first class air for two, hotel suite and limo to and from stadium. The runner-up will receive two field level seats, coach air for two, a standard hotel room and limo to and from stadium. The Third Place player can watch the game from home on his new Proton 37" LCD TV.
For those extreme multitaskers that can play poker, watch TV and predict who'll take the pennant this fall, as of today the PlayersOnly.com Sportsbook favors the Detroit Tigers at 7-2 to win the World Series, followed by the Boston Red Sox at 4-1, the New York Mets at 6-1 and the Los Angeles Angels at 8-1.
In the recently re-designed PlayersOnly site, players enter the trendy, up-scale Poker Room, Sportsbook or Casino from the sexy, ultra-realistic Main Lobby where they're greeted by site host Carrie Stroup and the ladies of PlayersOnly.
In addition to this Saturday tournament series, PlayersOnly.com is also presenting a Sunday free roll series where the winner will play in the WPT in Turks & Caicos. WPT Turks & Caicos satellites are held every Sunday.
PlayersOnly.com will award more than $25,000 in cash and prizes during this summer's online poker free roll tournaments.
For further information contact:
Larry Colcy, Lyceum Media
(604) 685-6240
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Absolute Poker & UltimateBet Launch Intersite Fund Transferring
Miami, FL (PRWeb) Aug 22, 2007 – When it comes to cashing out of one poker room and stacking your chips in another, the online poker withdrawal process hasn’t exactly mimicked the convenience of moving cash from one casino on the Las Vegas strip to another. But two online poker sites are aiming to change that.
Absolute Poker and UltimateBet today announced a new partnership that allows players on both sites to transfer funds between Absolute Poker and UltimateBet accounts without incurring any charges.
“We’re opening the doors between two of the most popular poker rooms,” said UltimateBet spokesperson George MacLean in a joint statement with David Clainer, senior vice president for Absolute Poker. “Our new payment option allows funds to seamlessly flow from one poker room to the other.”
While the withdrawal system can be used to transfer funds from one player to another, Clainer and MacLean note that the system really comes in handy when a promotion or tournament on UltimateBet catches the eye of an Absolute Poker player or vice versa. Players with accounts on both sites can instantly move their money without having to make a new deposit.
Full details on the new funding solution are available at www.absolutepoker.com and www.ultimatebet.com.
About Absolute Poker
Team Absolute is dedicated to providing players from around the world with the best online poker game experience that is second to none. Players worldwide can access Absolute Poker online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any PC or Mac and experience the best multi-player game online poker has to offer. Absolute Poker is committed to remaining the most trusted and best online poker experience, created by poker players for poker players.
About UltimateBet
Designed with the assistance of the best poker players in the world - Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke – UltimateBet provides the best poker games available on the net. Players can download the free poker software, play in free ring games and tournaments and get tips from these pros to learn the sport or to enhance their playing strategy. UltimateBet currently has over 2 million registered players.
Author: Jo Priam
Absolute Poker and UltimateBet today announced a new partnership that allows players on both sites to transfer funds between Absolute Poker and UltimateBet accounts without incurring any charges.
“We’re opening the doors between two of the most popular poker rooms,” said UltimateBet spokesperson George MacLean in a joint statement with David Clainer, senior vice president for Absolute Poker. “Our new payment option allows funds to seamlessly flow from one poker room to the other.”
While the withdrawal system can be used to transfer funds from one player to another, Clainer and MacLean note that the system really comes in handy when a promotion or tournament on UltimateBet catches the eye of an Absolute Poker player or vice versa. Players with accounts on both sites can instantly move their money without having to make a new deposit.
Full details on the new funding solution are available at www.absolutepoker.com and www.ultimatebet.com.
About Absolute Poker
Team Absolute is dedicated to providing players from around the world with the best online poker game experience that is second to none. Players worldwide can access Absolute Poker online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any PC or Mac and experience the best multi-player game online poker has to offer. Absolute Poker is committed to remaining the most trusted and best online poker experience, created by poker players for poker players.
About UltimateBet
Designed with the assistance of the best poker players in the world - Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke – UltimateBet provides the best poker games available on the net. Players can download the free poker software, play in free ring games and tournaments and get tips from these pros to learn the sport or to enhance their playing strategy. UltimateBet currently has over 2 million registered players.
Author: Jo Priam
Thursday, August 23, 2007
PokerListings.com and Pacific Poker Roll Out Wave of Freerolls, Clear Sailing to London Epics
As the poker world prepares to congregate in London for two epic poker events, PokerListings.com players can be assured of two things: seats front and center at both, and a pocketful of cash to go with them. Now on the table at Pacific Poker for PokerListings players only: A $25,000 freeroll for a massive WSOP Europe prize package, monthly $5,000 cash freerolls and a private shot at the upcoming U.K. Open.
Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (PRWEB) August 14, 2007 -- This fall, all poker roads are leading to London, England for two of the most prestigious events in Europe - the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe* and the 888.com U.K. Open.
PokerListings.com, the world's largest online poker guide, and 888.com flagship Pacific Poker, are ensuring their players are in the diamond lane all the way there, with two massive prize packages for the events up for grabs and a wave of cash freerolls along with them.
First up: A $25,000 World Series of Poker Europe* freeroll, open to all PokerListings players that earn just 50 comp points at Pacific Poker between June 1st and August 20, 2007.
The freeroll goes August 25, with the winner awarded a huge $22,000 prize package for the history-making WSOPE* Main Event starting Sept. 10. An extra $3,000 in cash will also be spread from position two down to a deep prize pool.
Shortly thereafter: A private $8,500 U.K. Open freeroll comes along for all PokerListings players who earn just 30 comp points by August 30, 2007.
That freeroll goes Sept. 7, with the winner taking a seat and travel expenses for the renowned 888.com U.K. Open in October.
"We know the WSOP Europe* is going to be epic," says Camilla Sundell, press secretary for PokerListings.com. "That's a given. With a relatively small field, a $20,000 buy-in and probably the most star-packed lineup poker has ever seen, that bracelet is going to be one of the most esteemed and sought-after accessories ever."
"So we're excited one of our players can be a part of that, absolutely," Sundell adds. "But don't sleep on the U.K. Open. It's a killer tournament in its own right, with a very, very solid line-up of European pros… and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of the heavy hitters from the WSOP stick around for the action too."
Also now on the table at Pacific Poker: Exclusive $5,000 monthly cash freerolls, open to all PokerListings players, new and existing, who collect 20 comp points in any given month.
Earning those points automatically qualifies you for the following month's freeroll, with the next scheduled one set to go September 16, 2007. There's no limit on how many you can play either - just keep collecting 20 points each month.
And, as always, for players who aren't yet members at Pacific Poker, signing-up through a PL link guarantees the biggest sign-up bonus in the industry - up to $150 at 50% match.
"This is definitely another win/win situation for our players," Sundell says. "Two wicked prize packages for two fantastic events, and even more free cash at one of the loosest and juiciest poker rooms going.
"The more our players can take advantage of it, the better."
About PokerListings.com
PokerListings.com was launched in 2003 and quickly became the largest online poker guide in the world. It provides poker players with in-depth analysis of all major online poker rooms, the world's best sign-up bonuses and promotions, breaking poker news and detailed content on strategy, tours, tournaments and the game's best players. PokerListings.com also has the best live poker tournament reporting on the Web, including unparalleled year-round coverage from the WSOP, the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour and more.
*World Series of Poker Europe and WSOPE are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC or its affiliates (collectively "Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, PokerListings.com or Pacific Poker or its products, services, promotions or tournaments. Any promotion or tournament on this site will not guarantee your seat or ability to register for any WSOPE event or any WSOPE affiliated event which is at the sole discretion of Harrah's.
Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (PRWEB) August 14, 2007 -- This fall, all poker roads are leading to London, England for two of the most prestigious events in Europe - the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe* and the 888.com U.K. Open.
PokerListings.com, the world's largest online poker guide, and 888.com flagship Pacific Poker, are ensuring their players are in the diamond lane all the way there, with two massive prize packages for the events up for grabs and a wave of cash freerolls along with them.
First up: A $25,000 World Series of Poker Europe* freeroll, open to all PokerListings players that earn just 50 comp points at Pacific Poker between June 1st and August 20, 2007.
The freeroll goes August 25, with the winner awarded a huge $22,000 prize package for the history-making WSOPE* Main Event starting Sept. 10. An extra $3,000 in cash will also be spread from position two down to a deep prize pool.
Shortly thereafter: A private $8,500 U.K. Open freeroll comes along for all PokerListings players who earn just 30 comp points by August 30, 2007.
That freeroll goes Sept. 7, with the winner taking a seat and travel expenses for the renowned 888.com U.K. Open in October.
"We know the WSOP Europe* is going to be epic," says Camilla Sundell, press secretary for PokerListings.com. "That's a given. With a relatively small field, a $20,000 buy-in and probably the most star-packed lineup poker has ever seen, that bracelet is going to be one of the most esteemed and sought-after accessories ever."
"So we're excited one of our players can be a part of that, absolutely," Sundell adds. "But don't sleep on the U.K. Open. It's a killer tournament in its own right, with a very, very solid line-up of European pros… and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of the heavy hitters from the WSOP stick around for the action too."
Also now on the table at Pacific Poker: Exclusive $5,000 monthly cash freerolls, open to all PokerListings players, new and existing, who collect 20 comp points in any given month.
Earning those points automatically qualifies you for the following month's freeroll, with the next scheduled one set to go September 16, 2007. There's no limit on how many you can play either - just keep collecting 20 points each month.
And, as always, for players who aren't yet members at Pacific Poker, signing-up through a PL link guarantees the biggest sign-up bonus in the industry - up to $150 at 50% match.
"This is definitely another win/win situation for our players," Sundell says. "Two wicked prize packages for two fantastic events, and even more free cash at one of the loosest and juiciest poker rooms going.
"The more our players can take advantage of it, the better."
About PokerListings.com
PokerListings.com was launched in 2003 and quickly became the largest online poker guide in the world. It provides poker players with in-depth analysis of all major online poker rooms, the world's best sign-up bonuses and promotions, breaking poker news and detailed content on strategy, tours, tournaments and the game's best players. PokerListings.com also has the best live poker tournament reporting on the Web, including unparalleled year-round coverage from the WSOP, the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour and more.
*World Series of Poker Europe and WSOPE are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC or its affiliates (collectively "Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, PokerListings.com or Pacific Poker or its products, services, promotions or tournaments. Any promotion or tournament on this site will not guarantee your seat or ability to register for any WSOPE event or any WSOPE affiliated event which is at the sole discretion of Harrah's.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
PIC-Club.com and Dynamic Gaming Systems Announce Business Affiliation
Author: www.pic-club.com
"PIC-Club.com will be providing both our PIC-Club and PIC-PAY services to all 13 poker rooms that are current members of the Dynamic Gaming Systems (DGS) network, as well as the four additional rooms that they will soon be activating" says Chuck Kidd, founder of United States Poker Players Inc. (USPPINC). “This will provide explosive growth for our company, allowing us to expand even further the unique services that we currently provide our membership,” he added.
PIC-Club.com is the branding recently created by Players Investment Company (PIC), a USPPINC subsidiary, to re-open the U.S. market to on-line Poker Rooms. PIC is poised to become the preferred method of deposit, both for U.S. and international players, by offering a range of financial services never before available.
Mr. Joey Jevaney, President of DGS, recently stated, “Other networks pulled out, but we made a commitment a year ago to support the U.S. market - the home of Texas Hold’Em. Because so many poker sites and networks abandoned the market we know there is room for tremendous growth there.”
Mr. Kidd responded, “… and we made a commitment to re-open the market to U.S. players. By making their deposits through the PIC-Club U.S. poker players will be using securities based transactions for banking, following the guideline for exemptions created by UIEGA last year. Simply put, we will be the best method for U.S. players to play on-line poker at these sites.” Jevaney and Kidd echoed similar sentiments in stating that their biggest job will be to secure the trust of the U.S. players. Both companies have pledged to be responsive to player’s needs. PICClub and PIC-PAY currently offer 24/7 support services to their respective clients.
PIC-Club.com members will manage their on-line bankrolls with features such as Instant Transfers between Poker Rooms, Player-to-Player Transfers, Members Only Freerolls and Tournaments, deposit bonuses and more. The company also has plans to add branded ATM cards, an on-line bill pay service, investment portfolio management and other financial services.
Kidd also stated that PIC would offer other services and features that no other company currently provides specifically to the on-line poker community. He said that even brick and mortar poker rooms will have reasons to affiliate with his company as on-line players will be able to pay for their play at traditional casinos with their branded ATM debit cards, a product that will create immediate access to funds.
“While we have seen a steady growth in membership these first three months of operation, this month has shown a marked increase in our rate of growth,” Kidd continued. “People are liking what we offer now, but when they have ten times the number of places to play, they will really appreciate the services of the PIC-Club!”
PIC-Club software and hardware are currently in use by both Eurolinx Poker, a member of the MicroGaming Network and Wingows Poker, on the DGS network. Besides the impending influx of DGS rooms, two others have already signed contracts with PIC and several more are in earnest negotiations to use this securities based system of transactions.
With software integration already underway, DGS and PIC are both aiming at a mid to late August launch for all DGS network rooms to be utilizing both the PIC-Club and the PIC-Pay services. Meanwhile, those who wish to play and try out the new banking software at PICClub. com, are invited to sign up now and test their poker skills at either Eurolinx Poker or Wingows Poker.
Several well-known on-line poker sites have already partnered with DGS on their poker software platform. DGS is best known for their poker software and principal franchise, Jungle Poker. Well-known and colorful U.K. poker personality, Bob “The Butcher” Clarke, also has a site at DGS called Butcher’s Poker.
Among the poker rooms on the DGS network are Wingow’s Poker, 444NutsPoker, 10 Large, Big Juicy Odds and Live for the Flop. Some of the sites have recently moved to DGS from previous poker software platforms in an effort to increase their player base, while others have been affiliated with DGS since it’s inception.
Other on-line poker rooms or networks that would like more details about Players Investment Company, The PIC-Club or the PIC-Pay service should visit www.pic-club.com, or contact Mr. Kidd directly at chuck@usppinc.com. A live, on-line support staff is available 24/7 to answer all questions for players who may wish to join.
"PIC-Club.com will be providing both our PIC-Club and PIC-PAY services to all 13 poker rooms that are current members of the Dynamic Gaming Systems (DGS) network, as well as the four additional rooms that they will soon be activating" says Chuck Kidd, founder of United States Poker Players Inc. (USPPINC). “This will provide explosive growth for our company, allowing us to expand even further the unique services that we currently provide our membership,” he added.
PIC-Club.com is the branding recently created by Players Investment Company (PIC), a USPPINC subsidiary, to re-open the U.S. market to on-line Poker Rooms. PIC is poised to become the preferred method of deposit, both for U.S. and international players, by offering a range of financial services never before available.
Mr. Joey Jevaney, President of DGS, recently stated, “Other networks pulled out, but we made a commitment a year ago to support the U.S. market - the home of Texas Hold’Em. Because so many poker sites and networks abandoned the market we know there is room for tremendous growth there.”
Mr. Kidd responded, “… and we made a commitment to re-open the market to U.S. players. By making their deposits through the PIC-Club U.S. poker players will be using securities based transactions for banking, following the guideline for exemptions created by UIEGA last year. Simply put, we will be the best method for U.S. players to play on-line poker at these sites.” Jevaney and Kidd echoed similar sentiments in stating that their biggest job will be to secure the trust of the U.S. players. Both companies have pledged to be responsive to player’s needs. PICClub and PIC-PAY currently offer 24/7 support services to their respective clients.
PIC-Club.com members will manage their on-line bankrolls with features such as Instant Transfers between Poker Rooms, Player-to-Player Transfers, Members Only Freerolls and Tournaments, deposit bonuses and more. The company also has plans to add branded ATM cards, an on-line bill pay service, investment portfolio management and other financial services.
Kidd also stated that PIC would offer other services and features that no other company currently provides specifically to the on-line poker community. He said that even brick and mortar poker rooms will have reasons to affiliate with his company as on-line players will be able to pay for their play at traditional casinos with their branded ATM debit cards, a product that will create immediate access to funds.
“While we have seen a steady growth in membership these first three months of operation, this month has shown a marked increase in our rate of growth,” Kidd continued. “People are liking what we offer now, but when they have ten times the number of places to play, they will really appreciate the services of the PIC-Club!”
PIC-Club software and hardware are currently in use by both Eurolinx Poker, a member of the MicroGaming Network and Wingows Poker, on the DGS network. Besides the impending influx of DGS rooms, two others have already signed contracts with PIC and several more are in earnest negotiations to use this securities based system of transactions.
With software integration already underway, DGS and PIC are both aiming at a mid to late August launch for all DGS network rooms to be utilizing both the PIC-Club and the PIC-Pay services. Meanwhile, those who wish to play and try out the new banking software at PICClub. com, are invited to sign up now and test their poker skills at either Eurolinx Poker or Wingows Poker.
Several well-known on-line poker sites have already partnered with DGS on their poker software platform. DGS is best known for their poker software and principal franchise, Jungle Poker. Well-known and colorful U.K. poker personality, Bob “The Butcher” Clarke, also has a site at DGS called Butcher’s Poker.
Among the poker rooms on the DGS network are Wingow’s Poker, 444NutsPoker, 10 Large, Big Juicy Odds and Live for the Flop. Some of the sites have recently moved to DGS from previous poker software platforms in an effort to increase their player base, while others have been affiliated with DGS since it’s inception.
Other on-line poker rooms or networks that would like more details about Players Investment Company, The PIC-Club or the PIC-Pay service should visit www.pic-club.com, or contact Mr. Kidd directly at chuck@usppinc.com. A live, on-line support staff is available 24/7 to answer all questions for players who may wish to join.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Online Poker FreeRoll Tournament Tips
One of the luxuries of playing online poker is the endless number of freerolls offered by poker rooms on daily basis. A freeroll is a muti-table poker tournament which requires no entry fee and awards a set prize pool paid by the sponsoring room. The poker room may also give away various other prizes such as gifts and entries into other real money tournaments. Freeroll prize pools vary from site to site as the larger more well known rooms tend to offer smaller prizes compared to the new rooms looking to expand their player databases. You will find most freeroll prize pools range between $100 to $1,000. Depending on the popularity of the room, you will be up against a filed of 500 up to 3,000 players.
Below are some tips you should follow when entering a freeroll tournament.
1.) Time is Valuable: Even though a freeroll costs you nothing, your still investing several hours of time into the contest- therefore treat the event as a real money tournament. Many players are carelessly pushing all-in with marginal hands and simply try to double up early to build a large chip stack for the later stages. You should respect your opponent’s raises and be aware that many of them are going to commit their hand and push all-in. Unlike a real money multi-table tournament, instead of players starting out tight and conservative early in the game you will notice a loose aggressive style in the first couple of rounds.
Every Monday night Bodog.com has a $40,000.00 Guaranteed with a $50+5 buy-in at 8:30 PM EST.
2.) Selective Aggression: Keep in mind you will be seated at a full table for the majority of the tournament with players being knocked out left and right. More importantly there will be new players moved to your table often and you be moved from time to time. This leaves little time pick up on your opponent’s playing style, strengths, or weaknesses. For this reason it’s important you play your hands strong and be prepared to be tested. If you’re playing pocket Kings or Queens and see a flop which helps, don’t slow play. Keep pushing the aggressive momentum with strong bets and if you are re-raised be ready to put your opponent all-in. Most players are willing to put their tournament life at risk on a draw and if you put them to the test they will likely pay you off.
3.) Table Position is Important: Anytime you are able to limp in from a strong table position you should take the opportunity. Say for example your dealt 10 J suited and you are last to act. Only one player has limped in, the rest have folded and the action is over to you- take the opportunity to limp in here. The small blind and big blind are most likely holding weak hands so your chances of being raised pre-flop are slim. Now if you are first to act holding the same hand with the betting just under way, best you fold your hand and not take the chance of being raised into a pot your have a marginal chance of winning. Position is critical as blinds increase fast and chip stacks are drastically changing, you should look for cheap flops throughout the tournament.
4.) Don’t Bluff: This is not the time or place you want to start showing off your bluffing skills. Most of the advanced players participating in a freeroll are often playing at multiple sites, several freerolls at a time. They are willing to call you down to the river with just about anything. If they are involved in a hand, they are most likely holding top pair, or better. If you are able to make the final table, and you’re holding a solid chip lead- then you are free to make some positional raises, semi-bluffs, buy pots, etc. Until that point, I highly recommend you stay away from the bluffing strategy until most of the field has been knocked out and you are down to the final stages of the tournament.
5.) Avoid Chasing: Keep in mind- being knocked out of a freeroll doesn’t come with the same sting as being felted from a $200+20 tournament. Instead of taking a financial hit and being limited with future tournament play, all you have to do is sign up again. For this reason avoid chasing. Players are playing in all-in mode most of the time. Chances are you will miss your draw and you will end paying the price on the river. If you feel you must chase, be ready to commit your entire stack to the hand and limit yourself with this dangerous strategy. In the end chasing during a freeroll will result in an all-in raise from your opponent putting your tournament life at risk on a draw.
Written by Dan Cooper
Below are some tips you should follow when entering a freeroll tournament.
1.) Time is Valuable: Even though a freeroll costs you nothing, your still investing several hours of time into the contest- therefore treat the event as a real money tournament. Many players are carelessly pushing all-in with marginal hands and simply try to double up early to build a large chip stack for the later stages. You should respect your opponent’s raises and be aware that many of them are going to commit their hand and push all-in. Unlike a real money multi-table tournament, instead of players starting out tight and conservative early in the game you will notice a loose aggressive style in the first couple of rounds.
Every Monday night Bodog.com has a $40,000.00 Guaranteed with a $50+5 buy-in at 8:30 PM EST.
2.) Selective Aggression: Keep in mind you will be seated at a full table for the majority of the tournament with players being knocked out left and right. More importantly there will be new players moved to your table often and you be moved from time to time. This leaves little time pick up on your opponent’s playing style, strengths, or weaknesses. For this reason it’s important you play your hands strong and be prepared to be tested. If you’re playing pocket Kings or Queens and see a flop which helps, don’t slow play. Keep pushing the aggressive momentum with strong bets and if you are re-raised be ready to put your opponent all-in. Most players are willing to put their tournament life at risk on a draw and if you put them to the test they will likely pay you off.
3.) Table Position is Important: Anytime you are able to limp in from a strong table position you should take the opportunity. Say for example your dealt 10 J suited and you are last to act. Only one player has limped in, the rest have folded and the action is over to you- take the opportunity to limp in here. The small blind and big blind are most likely holding weak hands so your chances of being raised pre-flop are slim. Now if you are first to act holding the same hand with the betting just under way, best you fold your hand and not take the chance of being raised into a pot your have a marginal chance of winning. Position is critical as blinds increase fast and chip stacks are drastically changing, you should look for cheap flops throughout the tournament.
4.) Don’t Bluff: This is not the time or place you want to start showing off your bluffing skills. Most of the advanced players participating in a freeroll are often playing at multiple sites, several freerolls at a time. They are willing to call you down to the river with just about anything. If they are involved in a hand, they are most likely holding top pair, or better. If you are able to make the final table, and you’re holding a solid chip lead- then you are free to make some positional raises, semi-bluffs, buy pots, etc. Until that point, I highly recommend you stay away from the bluffing strategy until most of the field has been knocked out and you are down to the final stages of the tournament.
5.) Avoid Chasing: Keep in mind- being knocked out of a freeroll doesn’t come with the same sting as being felted from a $200+20 tournament. Instead of taking a financial hit and being limited with future tournament play, all you have to do is sign up again. For this reason avoid chasing. Players are playing in all-in mode most of the time. Chances are you will miss your draw and you will end paying the price on the river. If you feel you must chase, be ready to commit your entire stack to the hand and limit yourself with this dangerous strategy. In the end chasing during a freeroll will result in an all-in raise from your opponent putting your tournament life at risk on a draw.
Written by Dan Cooper
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Effective Freeroll Poker Play
Poker freeroll success hinges on a few aspects that are not always apparent in high stakes poker. Understanding the differences in play between freerolls and cash entries can increase your bankroll over time.
Freerolls versus Cash Entry Poker
Even with a basic or advanced knowledge of poker, playing in a freeroll is very different then a cash entry game. Since freerolls are predominantly multi-table tournaments, that will be the focus of this article. However, most of the advice can be used for single table or cash games as well.
Freeroll is just as it sounds – there isn’t anything, cash or otherwise, required to play. Most freerolls will offer a small cash prize pool. Unless it is a large promotional tournament, prize pools typically range from $2 to $50 and are split based on the amount of players (normally the top 10 percent receive prizes). Freeroll tournaments may be limited from 80 to 100 players in live casinos while online tournaments may be limited from 300 to 5000 players or beyond.
This article will assume that you have had a small amount of exposure to the game of poker (in particular, Texas Hold’em). Poker terms will be used that should be elementary to a beginning player before he steps up to the table. If there are items that do not appear clear, it is suggested that you consult a beginner’s guide on poker and return to this article when you are comfortable sitting down at a tournament table and knowing the process and lingo used.
Concepts to keep in mind while playing in a freeroll
The main point to keep in mind at any freeroll is that anyone can attend. It’s true that the total amount of players may be limited but the average skill level will be relatively low as new players are less likely to spend money to play and higher skill players prefer not to mix with lower skill players. Beginning players are more likely to desire to play for hours with little to gain but the experience. Highly skilled players can go to a cash tournament and make those hours pay off more.
The number one reason for higher skilled players to shy away from freerolls is that the predictability of players is very difficult. With highly skilled players, the starting hands they are willing to play or raise with will be premium hands. In a freeroll with lesser skilled players, any two cards could be in the hand of your opponent across the table. Having at least a small hint of what your opponent’s cards are can help decide whether to call or fold.
Concept #1: In freerolls, any two cards look good to a beginner and can be sitting in front of them.
The next concept in making a freeroll pay off is to play mostly premium hands. In my own experience, I tend to play poor starting hands when the blinds are very low. I will attempt to catch a monster hand that will net me a sizeable amount of chips. However, by playing poor starting hands, even if I catch a good flop or turn, there is still the possibility of a premium hand catching a winner on the river. Therefore, even though I will admit to playing poor hands early, I still stand by my recommendation to only play premium starting hands. And make sure you have patience. You may get six to eight poor hands in a row before getting cards that are right to play.
If you aren’t sure what premium hands are, we are talking about AA, AK, KK, etc. - hands that are going to be statistically ahead of your opponents’ most of the time before the flop. Playing premium hands does not just mean calling any bet. It means evaluating your hand, the current blinds, your position at the table, and your opponents. You will learn how to put all of these together as your skill level grows. If you are at a beginning level, then my suggestion is to raise at least 4 times the blind (e.g. the big blind is $50, your bet should be at least $200) regardless of the situation. As your skill level grows, you will learn when to make it an even higher bet.
The purpose of a raise before the flop is to attempt to move out as many of the players as you can. As mentioned before, there will still be players who are calling with their poor cards. But at least this means that you are going into the flop with an advantage.
Concept #2: Very rarely, if at all, should you limp in (e.g. just calling the big blind) prior to the flop. Your raise should be a minimum of four blinds.
Once you have reached the flop, the next concept you should understand is that freerolls will bring a lot of bluffs. When you see a good hand in front of you in a freeroll, you should assume that you are going to make some money from it. When players are bluffing, they are going to be walking right into your hands.
Bluffs are usually spotted with “overbetting the pot”. If your opponent truly has a great hand, they’re going to want to bet a smaller amount to get you to call. If their hand is shaky, they will be going “over the top” with either an all-in or a huge bet in an attempt to get you to fold. If you have nothing, it is easy to fold. However, depending on the rank of your hand (did you go in with a premium hand and do you have a pair, trips, straight, or better), you will either want to call an all-in or go all-in yourself to force their hand. This advice is not 100% foolproof as there will be times that your opponent does have a better hand or will catch a miracle card before the hand is over. But poker is a game of percentages. The best play is to get your chips in when the percentages favor you.
As you play, you will also get to know some tells that will help you determine if a player is bluffing. Again, with freerolls, there will be more beginners who don’t realize that they give off tells. Some of these can be strange behavior they haven’t displayed before in the tournament when they have a great hand; making calls out of turn because they are nervous; refusing to look at you; etc.
The final reason for more bluffing is the entry fee – nothing. Players are much more likely to bluff knowing that if they are knocked out of a tournament, they won’t lose anything but a little pride. So take a look at them and then your hand before deciding to muck. It may be that you stand to win a sizeable pot.
Concept #3: Bluffing is more prevalent in a freeroll tournament. Work to determine any patterns of players at the table that may help you decide whether to risk it all or not. And remember that the reverse is true – don’t bluff too much yourself because there will be more players willing to call your hand.
Now that you’re rolling along in the tournament, there is one final concept that may not seem logical but read on – you should not be worried about winning the tournament. While it is a great feeling to win a tournament, whether there are 15 or 2000 players, your goals in freerolls should be twofold. You should want to learn and you should want to build up a bankroll.
If you aren’t patient or you are trying to build up your chip stack too quickly, you are going to be subject to leaving a tournament too early. Many players feel that they need to build up a large chip stack early in order to win and in the process will go out prior to the winning group. If you just look to build your stack steadily and hang around until the winnings begin to be paid, you will see that your overall bankroll will continue to grow.
Part of this concept is to fold hands later in the tournament that you may wish to play. However, as you approach the bottom of the winnings and the blinds are going up, you should be keeping as many chips as you can. This will allow others to play themselves out of the tournament and allow you to reap the benefit. By all means, if you have an exceptional starting hand, play it. But bet large, most of the time all-in, and attempt to take down the larger blinds. If you are called and are holding an exceptional hand, you are likely to win and improve your standings that much more.
But if you are near the “bubble” (the few spots just before winning any prizes), don’t be afraid to just ride out the blinds and take a smaller guaranteed prize versus trying to build up your stack and ending up on the rail with nothing.
Concept #4: Play to get into the prize range rather than trying to win it all. In the long-run, several smaller prizes will be better then one first place finish. And you will have gained more experience by seeing more hands played.
Get comfortable with your own style of play
I have given you some steps to building a consistent bankroll using freerolls. However, no one plan will ever be perfect for everyone. You should take these basic concepts and mold them to your playing style and personality as you gain experience.
My final caveat is to make sure that you do not decide to raise the stakes prematurely. Many players decide to jump into cash entry tournaments too early and will lose much more then they gain both in money and experience. Be patient and make sure you are ready before jumping in with the sharks at a cash entry tournament.
Good luck and may the cards flop your way.
BY WAYNE GRAY
Freerolls versus Cash Entry Poker
Even with a basic or advanced knowledge of poker, playing in a freeroll is very different then a cash entry game. Since freerolls are predominantly multi-table tournaments, that will be the focus of this article. However, most of the advice can be used for single table or cash games as well.
Freeroll is just as it sounds – there isn’t anything, cash or otherwise, required to play. Most freerolls will offer a small cash prize pool. Unless it is a large promotional tournament, prize pools typically range from $2 to $50 and are split based on the amount of players (normally the top 10 percent receive prizes). Freeroll tournaments may be limited from 80 to 100 players in live casinos while online tournaments may be limited from 300 to 5000 players or beyond.
This article will assume that you have had a small amount of exposure to the game of poker (in particular, Texas Hold’em). Poker terms will be used that should be elementary to a beginning player before he steps up to the table. If there are items that do not appear clear, it is suggested that you consult a beginner’s guide on poker and return to this article when you are comfortable sitting down at a tournament table and knowing the process and lingo used.
Concepts to keep in mind while playing in a freeroll
The main point to keep in mind at any freeroll is that anyone can attend. It’s true that the total amount of players may be limited but the average skill level will be relatively low as new players are less likely to spend money to play and higher skill players prefer not to mix with lower skill players. Beginning players are more likely to desire to play for hours with little to gain but the experience. Highly skilled players can go to a cash tournament and make those hours pay off more.
The number one reason for higher skilled players to shy away from freerolls is that the predictability of players is very difficult. With highly skilled players, the starting hands they are willing to play or raise with will be premium hands. In a freeroll with lesser skilled players, any two cards could be in the hand of your opponent across the table. Having at least a small hint of what your opponent’s cards are can help decide whether to call or fold.
Concept #1: In freerolls, any two cards look good to a beginner and can be sitting in front of them.
The next concept in making a freeroll pay off is to play mostly premium hands. In my own experience, I tend to play poor starting hands when the blinds are very low. I will attempt to catch a monster hand that will net me a sizeable amount of chips. However, by playing poor starting hands, even if I catch a good flop or turn, there is still the possibility of a premium hand catching a winner on the river. Therefore, even though I will admit to playing poor hands early, I still stand by my recommendation to only play premium starting hands. And make sure you have patience. You may get six to eight poor hands in a row before getting cards that are right to play.
If you aren’t sure what premium hands are, we are talking about AA, AK, KK, etc. - hands that are going to be statistically ahead of your opponents’ most of the time before the flop. Playing premium hands does not just mean calling any bet. It means evaluating your hand, the current blinds, your position at the table, and your opponents. You will learn how to put all of these together as your skill level grows. If you are at a beginning level, then my suggestion is to raise at least 4 times the blind (e.g. the big blind is $50, your bet should be at least $200) regardless of the situation. As your skill level grows, you will learn when to make it an even higher bet.
The purpose of a raise before the flop is to attempt to move out as many of the players as you can. As mentioned before, there will still be players who are calling with their poor cards. But at least this means that you are going into the flop with an advantage.
Concept #2: Very rarely, if at all, should you limp in (e.g. just calling the big blind) prior to the flop. Your raise should be a minimum of four blinds.
Once you have reached the flop, the next concept you should understand is that freerolls will bring a lot of bluffs. When you see a good hand in front of you in a freeroll, you should assume that you are going to make some money from it. When players are bluffing, they are going to be walking right into your hands.
Bluffs are usually spotted with “overbetting the pot”. If your opponent truly has a great hand, they’re going to want to bet a smaller amount to get you to call. If their hand is shaky, they will be going “over the top” with either an all-in or a huge bet in an attempt to get you to fold. If you have nothing, it is easy to fold. However, depending on the rank of your hand (did you go in with a premium hand and do you have a pair, trips, straight, or better), you will either want to call an all-in or go all-in yourself to force their hand. This advice is not 100% foolproof as there will be times that your opponent does have a better hand or will catch a miracle card before the hand is over. But poker is a game of percentages. The best play is to get your chips in when the percentages favor you.
As you play, you will also get to know some tells that will help you determine if a player is bluffing. Again, with freerolls, there will be more beginners who don’t realize that they give off tells. Some of these can be strange behavior they haven’t displayed before in the tournament when they have a great hand; making calls out of turn because they are nervous; refusing to look at you; etc.
The final reason for more bluffing is the entry fee – nothing. Players are much more likely to bluff knowing that if they are knocked out of a tournament, they won’t lose anything but a little pride. So take a look at them and then your hand before deciding to muck. It may be that you stand to win a sizeable pot.
Concept #3: Bluffing is more prevalent in a freeroll tournament. Work to determine any patterns of players at the table that may help you decide whether to risk it all or not. And remember that the reverse is true – don’t bluff too much yourself because there will be more players willing to call your hand.
Now that you’re rolling along in the tournament, there is one final concept that may not seem logical but read on – you should not be worried about winning the tournament. While it is a great feeling to win a tournament, whether there are 15 or 2000 players, your goals in freerolls should be twofold. You should want to learn and you should want to build up a bankroll.
If you aren’t patient or you are trying to build up your chip stack too quickly, you are going to be subject to leaving a tournament too early. Many players feel that they need to build up a large chip stack early in order to win and in the process will go out prior to the winning group. If you just look to build your stack steadily and hang around until the winnings begin to be paid, you will see that your overall bankroll will continue to grow.
Part of this concept is to fold hands later in the tournament that you may wish to play. However, as you approach the bottom of the winnings and the blinds are going up, you should be keeping as many chips as you can. This will allow others to play themselves out of the tournament and allow you to reap the benefit. By all means, if you have an exceptional starting hand, play it. But bet large, most of the time all-in, and attempt to take down the larger blinds. If you are called and are holding an exceptional hand, you are likely to win and improve your standings that much more.
But if you are near the “bubble” (the few spots just before winning any prizes), don’t be afraid to just ride out the blinds and take a smaller guaranteed prize versus trying to build up your stack and ending up on the rail with nothing.
Concept #4: Play to get into the prize range rather than trying to win it all. In the long-run, several smaller prizes will be better then one first place finish. And you will have gained more experience by seeing more hands played.
Get comfortable with your own style of play
I have given you some steps to building a consistent bankroll using freerolls. However, no one plan will ever be perfect for everyone. You should take these basic concepts and mold them to your playing style and personality as you gain experience.
My final caveat is to make sure that you do not decide to raise the stakes prematurely. Many players decide to jump into cash entry tournaments too early and will lose much more then they gain both in money and experience. Be patient and make sure you are ready before jumping in with the sharks at a cash entry tournament.
Good luck and may the cards flop your way.
BY WAYNE GRAY
Friday, August 17, 2007
Strip Poker: Retro Is Making a Comeback
It is a new idea for old games. The poker room at the Stratosphere Casino in Las Vegas has been known to run freerolls for players who log in a certain number of hours at cash games in their rooms, but this is the first time a “retro” freeroll has been offered.
This is a chance for players to compete in regular cash games as they normally would, but then be rewarded with a freeroll tournament played in the style of one of the many nearly forgotten games.
Kicking off the first month is a pineapple tournament. For those who don’t know, pineapple poker is played just like Texas hold’em, except that players are dealt three cards instead of two. At the beginning of each hand, every player must immediately discard one card and continue the hand as if it were hold’em.
Players are given exactly one month to qualify for a seat, worth $110, into the tournament. The freerolls are scheduled for the first Monday of each month, and players must log in at least 40 hours in a cash game before midnight on that day. Not only is the casino putting up the buy-in, but it is also doubling the first-place prize. Players can also buy directly into the tournament for $110.
August 6 at 12:01 a.m. is the time and date of the first retro freeroll, so players still have a few days left to qualify. They can play any of the cash games offered, which mostly include a low-limit no-limit hold’em game with $1-$1 blinds and a $40 minimum and maximum buy-in, and a $1-$2 no-limit hold’em game. An occasional $2-$5 no-limit hold’em and $3-$6 limit hold’em is also played. The Stratosphere poker room is open for any game as long as there is demand.
The next freeroll is scheduled as a crazy pineapple tournament.
For more information about the freerolls or to contact the poker room at the Stratosphere, call 702-944-4915.
This is a chance for players to compete in regular cash games as they normally would, but then be rewarded with a freeroll tournament played in the style of one of the many nearly forgotten games.
Kicking off the first month is a pineapple tournament. For those who don’t know, pineapple poker is played just like Texas hold’em, except that players are dealt three cards instead of two. At the beginning of each hand, every player must immediately discard one card and continue the hand as if it were hold’em.
Players are given exactly one month to qualify for a seat, worth $110, into the tournament. The freerolls are scheduled for the first Monday of each month, and players must log in at least 40 hours in a cash game before midnight on that day. Not only is the casino putting up the buy-in, but it is also doubling the first-place prize. Players can also buy directly into the tournament for $110.
August 6 at 12:01 a.m. is the time and date of the first retro freeroll, so players still have a few days left to qualify. They can play any of the cash games offered, which mostly include a low-limit no-limit hold’em game with $1-$1 blinds and a $40 minimum and maximum buy-in, and a $1-$2 no-limit hold’em game. An occasional $2-$5 no-limit hold’em and $3-$6 limit hold’em is also played. The Stratosphere poker room is open for any game as long as there is demand.
The next freeroll is scheduled as a crazy pineapple tournament.
For more information about the freerolls or to contact the poker room at the Stratosphere, call 702-944-4915.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
$50,000 Prize Money at the Summer Series of Freerolls Finale at DoylesRoom
www.DoylesRoom.com is giving online poker players the opportunity to face poker legend Doyle Brunson in a big money heads-up online cash game. The top poker site concludes it Summer Series of Freerolls with a no buy-in $25,000 Grand Finale event, where the winner will play poker legend Doyle Brunson for an additional $25,000!
Yes, it’s true - the winner of the Grand Finale will get the opportunity to play heads-up against the great Doyle Brunson, the biggest name in poker. The Grand Finale Freeroll will take place at 8.30pm (7.30pm GMT) on Wednesday September 19th.
To play, simply register at www.DoylesRoom.com, where you will find the $25,000 Finale Freeroll, labelled in green under the Freerolls list option of the multi-table tournaments (MTTs). To get into this fantastic freeroll simply play 25 raked hands (minimum 25 cents in rake) in the ten days before registering for the tourney. The winner of the Finale Freeroll will not only win the first place prize money in that game but will go forward to a heads-up match against Doyle Brunson on September 30th. If he or she can beat Doyle heads-up, in addition to the ultimate bragging rights, they’ll walk away with a further $25,000.
DoylesRoom.com has received numerous industry awards over the years for its innovative tournaments, responsive customer service and the unique opportunity to play against the Godfather of Poker. To become part of this exciting and fast growing online poker community, simply go to Doylesroom.com and register.
Yes, it’s true - the winner of the Grand Finale will get the opportunity to play heads-up against the great Doyle Brunson, the biggest name in poker. The Grand Finale Freeroll will take place at 8.30pm (7.30pm GMT) on Wednesday September 19th.
To play, simply register at www.DoylesRoom.com, where you will find the $25,000 Finale Freeroll, labelled in green under the Freerolls list option of the multi-table tournaments (MTTs). To get into this fantastic freeroll simply play 25 raked hands (minimum 25 cents in rake) in the ten days before registering for the tourney. The winner of the Finale Freeroll will not only win the first place prize money in that game but will go forward to a heads-up match against Doyle Brunson on September 30th. If he or she can beat Doyle heads-up, in addition to the ultimate bragging rights, they’ll walk away with a further $25,000.
DoylesRoom.com has received numerous industry awards over the years for its innovative tournaments, responsive customer service and the unique opportunity to play against the Godfather of Poker. To become part of this exciting and fast growing online poker community, simply go to Doylesroom.com and register.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Online Poker: Interview With Annette 'Annette_15' Obrestad
The screen name Annette_15 has been legendary since the first time it blipped on the radars of big-buy-in Internet poker tournament results. As the story goes, the 19-year-old Norwegian poker prodigy behind the name, Annette Obrestad, started her meteoric rise without ever having deposited a single dollar on a site. She made her way up from freeroll tournaments to small-buy-in sit-and-gos to eventually playing in the biggest tournaments online, and she is now one of the most recognizable names in poker.
Obrestad furthered her legendary status when she accomplished two outstanding feats recently. First, about three weeks ago, she played an entire 180-person sit-and-go without looking at her cards — and she took it down. Then, she went on to win one of the most prestigious tournaments out there, the Full Tilt $500,000 guarantee, just last week. She got on the phone with Card Player to talk about her recent achievements and to share some strategy:
Shawn Patrick Green: There was an incredible series of hand replays posted recently on PokerXFactor.com that shows an entire $4 buy-in 180-person sit-and-go that you played in completely blind (covering up your holecards). You took it down, of course. Have you played tournaments blind before?
Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad: Yeah, I’ve not looked before. When I used to play $30, $40, or $50 sit-and-gos I did it all the time. I dropped down to lower levels just to practice, but I didn’t take it seriously enough, I think. This was the first time I’d done it in a while. I really just did it for fun, and that’s why I peeked on one hand; I didn’t think I was going to take it seriously enough. But when I got deeper, I wanted to win [without looking] to show everyone that it was possible.
SPG: I had read somewhere that you did peek once in hand No. 47 before calling when an opponent went all in on flop with three spades. So that is true, then?
AO: Yeah, I did. I was getting such good odds that I figured “if I have a spade here I’m just going to call him.”
SPG: So you didn’t peek even once during heads up?
AO: No, I didn’t. I mean, it was really hard because I could never call a bet when he kept shoving all in on me almost every hand. There was nothing I could do about it. If he knew that I was playing blind, he would have shoved all in every hand. [Laughing]
SPG: What did that exercise prove? Or what can people learn from your experience with that?
AO: Just how important it is to play position and to pay attention to the players at the table. Like, if you knew that someone was weak you’d attack him.
SPG: It’s also a testament to how much you should play your instincts rather than your cards.
AO: Yeah, that too, definitely.
SPG: So, you won the Full Tilt $500,000 guarantee just last Sunday. Congrats on that. What got you to that final table?
AO: Oh, man, that was such a long tournament. I was doing really well in the beginning, but I screwed up in the middle stages. I think I was down to one big blind at one point. Then I doubled up and I was back in it again. I had very weak tables the entire time and I just kept running them over. And then I was a card rack at the end.
SPG: Speaking of which, you eliminated the final two players in back-to-back hands, the first of which you flopped quad sixes and he was betting aggressively until he was all in on the turn. What were you thinking when you flopped the quads?
AO: That was such a big hand. I knew right away when he reraised [preflop] that he had a huge hand and I was just hoping to nail that flop. When the flop gave me two more sixes I thought, “Oh my God, I’m going to win this tournament.” [Laughing]
SPG: You basically let him dig his own grave in that hand.
AO: Yeah, you know, I really could have just shoved the flop because he had an overpair. It was pretty stupid of me to just call, in case he had jacks or queens and an ace or king came [and scared him off]. But I don’t know, it could have worked either way, I guess.
SPG: How often is it correct to play quads at face value (i.e., very aggressively)?
AO: If you’re playing against an aggressive player, you want him to bluff at you, but if you think he has a big hand you can just shove it in and hope you get a call.
SPG: But if he has a big hand, he’s going to be doing the betting for you, anyway, so is it ever worth the risk to play quads aggressively?
AO: It just looks more suspicious if you just call, basically. It looks like you’re trying to trap him.
SPG: I assume that you’re going to play in the World Series of Poker Europe?
AO: Oh, yeah, definitely. I can’t wait for that.
SPG: How many events do you plan on playing?
AO: I have no idea. Probably just the main event and maybe the pot-limit Omaha event, too. I don’t know, I kind of suck at PLO, but it’s a fun game. I just don’t know if I’m going to spend €10,000 to buy into it.
SPG: Do you change your game up at all when you play live?
AO: Eh, not really. You just have to pay more attention, which isn’t really that hard when you’re only playing at one table, except when you get bored. Just listen to music and pay attention, that’s all you can do.
SPG: There hasn’t been a single final table that you’ve been at where railbirds haven’t asked if you’d marry them and/or bear their children. Are they all just gold diggers?
AO: [Laughs] Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s just become a joke since everyone does it all of the time.
SPG: So, no serious romantic interests from the rail that you’re going to pursue? [Laughing]
AO: No, no, none.
SPG: Which online player have you learned the most from, and what was the most valuable lesson that they taught you? You’re going to have to play favorites, here.
AO: Hmm … I think that I haven’t really learned a lot from players, so far. When I started playing, I didn’t know anyone else who was playing, so I just had to do my own work. And now that I can play at higher stakes, I’ve gotten to know the people who know how to play and it’s a lot easier to get in touch with them. It’s only been lately that I’ve started to tear apart hands with other players. I just had to stand by myself before.
But I’ve always been a big fan of JohnnyBax [Cliff Josephy]. He’s just a role model, I think. He’s a really good player and he handles himself really well.
SPG: With all of the lore behind your rise to poker stardom by starting with freeroll tournaments, do you have any strategies for tournaments with freeroll-like blind structures and players?
AO: You just can’t bluff if you’re playing against weak players. Just be patient.
SPG: Well, can you even play position against weak players? Because they aren’t going to be paying attention to or respect position as much.
AO: It depends, really. I mean, if you have three calling stations behind you, you don’t want to be raising with king-deuce. You might, however, raise with seven-six suited and hope to hit a flop. You don’t want to get too tricky, though.
SPG: So in a situation like that where the blinds go up really quickly and your opponents may not be as educated, do you think you depend more on your cards than anything else?
AO: Yeah, I really think that you do. You can’t do too much unless you get cards in that situation. Like, when you get shortstacked and you have 10 big blinds, if you shove queen-deuce you’ll get called with queen-jack. You can’t do much without getting cards because their calling ranges are so huge.
SPG: So, is there an argument to be made that skill plays a smaller factor in tournaments with worse players?
AO: Oh, no. As long as you bet your hands hard enough, you’re going to get paid off when you hit. So, just be patient with them.
SPG: Thanks for taking the time for this interview, Annette.
Obrestad furthered her legendary status when she accomplished two outstanding feats recently. First, about three weeks ago, she played an entire 180-person sit-and-go without looking at her cards — and she took it down. Then, she went on to win one of the most prestigious tournaments out there, the Full Tilt $500,000 guarantee, just last week. She got on the phone with Card Player to talk about her recent achievements and to share some strategy:
Shawn Patrick Green: There was an incredible series of hand replays posted recently on PokerXFactor.com that shows an entire $4 buy-in 180-person sit-and-go that you played in completely blind (covering up your holecards). You took it down, of course. Have you played tournaments blind before?
Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad: Yeah, I’ve not looked before. When I used to play $30, $40, or $50 sit-and-gos I did it all the time. I dropped down to lower levels just to practice, but I didn’t take it seriously enough, I think. This was the first time I’d done it in a while. I really just did it for fun, and that’s why I peeked on one hand; I didn’t think I was going to take it seriously enough. But when I got deeper, I wanted to win [without looking] to show everyone that it was possible.
SPG: I had read somewhere that you did peek once in hand No. 47 before calling when an opponent went all in on flop with three spades. So that is true, then?
AO: Yeah, I did. I was getting such good odds that I figured “if I have a spade here I’m just going to call him.”
SPG: So you didn’t peek even once during heads up?
AO: No, I didn’t. I mean, it was really hard because I could never call a bet when he kept shoving all in on me almost every hand. There was nothing I could do about it. If he knew that I was playing blind, he would have shoved all in every hand. [Laughing]
SPG: What did that exercise prove? Or what can people learn from your experience with that?
AO: Just how important it is to play position and to pay attention to the players at the table. Like, if you knew that someone was weak you’d attack him.
SPG: It’s also a testament to how much you should play your instincts rather than your cards.
AO: Yeah, that too, definitely.
SPG: So, you won the Full Tilt $500,000 guarantee just last Sunday. Congrats on that. What got you to that final table?
AO: Oh, man, that was such a long tournament. I was doing really well in the beginning, but I screwed up in the middle stages. I think I was down to one big blind at one point. Then I doubled up and I was back in it again. I had very weak tables the entire time and I just kept running them over. And then I was a card rack at the end.
SPG: Speaking of which, you eliminated the final two players in back-to-back hands, the first of which you flopped quad sixes and he was betting aggressively until he was all in on the turn. What were you thinking when you flopped the quads?
AO: That was such a big hand. I knew right away when he reraised [preflop] that he had a huge hand and I was just hoping to nail that flop. When the flop gave me two more sixes I thought, “Oh my God, I’m going to win this tournament.” [Laughing]
SPG: You basically let him dig his own grave in that hand.
AO: Yeah, you know, I really could have just shoved the flop because he had an overpair. It was pretty stupid of me to just call, in case he had jacks or queens and an ace or king came [and scared him off]. But I don’t know, it could have worked either way, I guess.
SPG: How often is it correct to play quads at face value (i.e., very aggressively)?
AO: If you’re playing against an aggressive player, you want him to bluff at you, but if you think he has a big hand you can just shove it in and hope you get a call.
SPG: But if he has a big hand, he’s going to be doing the betting for you, anyway, so is it ever worth the risk to play quads aggressively?
AO: It just looks more suspicious if you just call, basically. It looks like you’re trying to trap him.
SPG: I assume that you’re going to play in the World Series of Poker Europe?
AO: Oh, yeah, definitely. I can’t wait for that.
SPG: How many events do you plan on playing?
AO: I have no idea. Probably just the main event and maybe the pot-limit Omaha event, too. I don’t know, I kind of suck at PLO, but it’s a fun game. I just don’t know if I’m going to spend €10,000 to buy into it.
SPG: Do you change your game up at all when you play live?
AO: Eh, not really. You just have to pay more attention, which isn’t really that hard when you’re only playing at one table, except when you get bored. Just listen to music and pay attention, that’s all you can do.
SPG: There hasn’t been a single final table that you’ve been at where railbirds haven’t asked if you’d marry them and/or bear their children. Are they all just gold diggers?
AO: [Laughs] Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s just become a joke since everyone does it all of the time.
SPG: So, no serious romantic interests from the rail that you’re going to pursue? [Laughing]
AO: No, no, none.
SPG: Which online player have you learned the most from, and what was the most valuable lesson that they taught you? You’re going to have to play favorites, here.
AO: Hmm … I think that I haven’t really learned a lot from players, so far. When I started playing, I didn’t know anyone else who was playing, so I just had to do my own work. And now that I can play at higher stakes, I’ve gotten to know the people who know how to play and it’s a lot easier to get in touch with them. It’s only been lately that I’ve started to tear apart hands with other players. I just had to stand by myself before.
But I’ve always been a big fan of JohnnyBax [Cliff Josephy]. He’s just a role model, I think. He’s a really good player and he handles himself really well.
SPG: With all of the lore behind your rise to poker stardom by starting with freeroll tournaments, do you have any strategies for tournaments with freeroll-like blind structures and players?
AO: You just can’t bluff if you’re playing against weak players. Just be patient.
SPG: Well, can you even play position against weak players? Because they aren’t going to be paying attention to or respect position as much.
AO: It depends, really. I mean, if you have three calling stations behind you, you don’t want to be raising with king-deuce. You might, however, raise with seven-six suited and hope to hit a flop. You don’t want to get too tricky, though.
SPG: So in a situation like that where the blinds go up really quickly and your opponents may not be as educated, do you think you depend more on your cards than anything else?
AO: Yeah, I really think that you do. You can’t do too much unless you get cards in that situation. Like, when you get shortstacked and you have 10 big blinds, if you shove queen-deuce you’ll get called with queen-jack. You can’t do much without getting cards because their calling ranges are so huge.
SPG: So, is there an argument to be made that skill plays a smaller factor in tournaments with worse players?
AO: Oh, no. As long as you bet your hands hard enough, you’re going to get paid off when you hit. So, just be patient with them.
SPG: Thanks for taking the time for this interview, Annette.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Table image
In high limit/high stakes poker, displaying the right table image is a very important part of the play. While at lower limits you may consider it unimportant, at higher ones, you will need to learn to learn how to go out there and generate value for yourself by misleading your opponents.
By and large, there are three basic types of images you can project: maniac, tight, and crazy (impossible to read).
Which type of image you want to show off, depends on the texture of the table you play at. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at giving your opponents the “maniac” treatment.
Looking like a maniac may seem extremely easy at first glance, but remember one thing: you don’t want to lose all your stack while doing it. On the contrary, your aim is to make money, so how simple does it look now?
In order to look like a maniac and hold on to most of your bankroll in the same time, you have to understand the following thing: it is fairly easy to appear like an action-hungry lunatic to the other players if you raise a lot pre-flop. Just be careful not to take it too far, and fold lots of hands on the flop. People will have you cataloged as a loose-aggressive player if you raise preflop about 5-6 times in a row, no need to prove your point beyond that.
After you have done the preflop raising several times, just sit back, tighten up and enjoy the fruits of your labor. The table will usually become much looser, due to your pre-flop antics, and you’ll be able to fully benefit from it, having exposed yourself minimally, during your brief preflop-raising period.
Besides managing to sink your loose aggressive image in with the other players, you might also get lucky during that time, and catch someone on an all-in.
One more thing you should keep in mind when you’re trying to convey this image is the following: it’s only lucrative in a cash game. By their nature, tournaments are about survival. Not only will being recognized as a maniac provide you with less value, it’ll be much more difficult to make the others loosen up, too. In this respect, I wouldn’t recommend you try to push this image in tourneys. Stick to cash games, do it right and you’ll be all right.
Now for the big question: just how exactly will you benefit from the fact that the others see you as a maniac? For one thing, you’ll get many more calls than before, however, that is not necessarily a good thing, or a bad one for that matter… All that means, is that your bankroll will take wilder swings, but doesn’t give you any good value in the long-run. On the other hand, your opponents will make more faulty assumptions about your play than before, and that is where you’ll get your long-term value.
Again, come in strong preflop, raise about three times the BB, that alone will provide you some value already. I bet you’ve read and/or heard how poker was supposed to be a post-flop game. Well, it is, and that’s exactly why you have to raise preflop. Not only will it pass you as a maniac, it’ll make some opponents fold and others leave dead money in the pot for you, instantly increasing your odds.
The real key to successfully pulling the whole outfit off, is to play it extremely tight on the flop. Whenever you get re-raised on the flop, or you suspect that someone has the nuts, muck’em. If the flop misses you completely, muck’em.
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By and large, there are three basic types of images you can project: maniac, tight, and crazy (impossible to read).
Which type of image you want to show off, depends on the texture of the table you play at. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at giving your opponents the “maniac” treatment.
Looking like a maniac may seem extremely easy at first glance, but remember one thing: you don’t want to lose all your stack while doing it. On the contrary, your aim is to make money, so how simple does it look now?
In order to look like a maniac and hold on to most of your bankroll in the same time, you have to understand the following thing: it is fairly easy to appear like an action-hungry lunatic to the other players if you raise a lot pre-flop. Just be careful not to take it too far, and fold lots of hands on the flop. People will have you cataloged as a loose-aggressive player if you raise preflop about 5-6 times in a row, no need to prove your point beyond that.
After you have done the preflop raising several times, just sit back, tighten up and enjoy the fruits of your labor. The table will usually become much looser, due to your pre-flop antics, and you’ll be able to fully benefit from it, having exposed yourself minimally, during your brief preflop-raising period.
Besides managing to sink your loose aggressive image in with the other players, you might also get lucky during that time, and catch someone on an all-in.
One more thing you should keep in mind when you’re trying to convey this image is the following: it’s only lucrative in a cash game. By their nature, tournaments are about survival. Not only will being recognized as a maniac provide you with less value, it’ll be much more difficult to make the others loosen up, too. In this respect, I wouldn’t recommend you try to push this image in tourneys. Stick to cash games, do it right and you’ll be all right.
Now for the big question: just how exactly will you benefit from the fact that the others see you as a maniac? For one thing, you’ll get many more calls than before, however, that is not necessarily a good thing, or a bad one for that matter… All that means, is that your bankroll will take wilder swings, but doesn’t give you any good value in the long-run. On the other hand, your opponents will make more faulty assumptions about your play than before, and that is where you’ll get your long-term value.
Again, come in strong preflop, raise about three times the BB, that alone will provide you some value already. I bet you’ve read and/or heard how poker was supposed to be a post-flop game. Well, it is, and that’s exactly why you have to raise preflop. Not only will it pass you as a maniac, it’ll make some opponents fold and others leave dead money in the pot for you, instantly increasing your odds.
The real key to successfully pulling the whole outfit off, is to play it extremely tight on the flop. Whenever you get re-raised on the flop, or you suspect that someone has the nuts, muck’em. If the flop misses you completely, muck’em.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2007
AdWords Ads Now Free?
A new breakthrough secret is all you now need in order to get your Google AdWords pay-per-clicks FREE!
A gentleman from New York discovered what he calls an "oversight" on the part of 99.9% of all marketers that allows him to get otherwise paid-for advertising at Google as well as all other search engines that allow sponsored ads.
And no, nothing about his "secret" is illegal - nor does it require that you know someone on the "inside" at Google, Yahoo, MSN, Overture and others.
Instead, the New Yorker boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2000 when there was so much search engine craze running around, and started doing small just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after getting the hang of it."
This same fellow went on to start and operate sixteen separate online companies selling everything from pet food, DVDs, children's toys & games, books, software, and sold not only his own manufactured products but became an affiliate for other web businesses - all the while applying his mastermind secret.
Over the course of nearly eight years the New Englander confesses "I've actually gotten over $87 million in advertising that using my secret I never had to pay for ... and the largest share of which was more recently in Google pay-per-clicks as well as other forms of pad advertising at search engines ... all of which I got for free ..."
So powerful is his secret that he's able to monopolize any niche online, and can always secure the top premium spots just above the usual organic results featured at most search engines.
He still has to set up an account with the search engines - but after applying his secret he is removed from having to pay for all the costs otherwise involved.
Again, nothing about his secret is either illegal or robs from the search engines.
One spokesperson from one of the most popular search engines said chuckling after being made privy to this amazing secret "Wow! Ha! This is really unique ... and in my expert opinion it would only serve to enhance and bring more business to us at [name of search engine withheld for legal & confidentiality reasons] and not cause us to lose business in the slightest. Amazing!"
The northerner revealed that in this nearly eight years' period of time since applying his secret he's done well over $300 million in sales revenue with a most diverse line of products, and most recently in the last two years netted nearly $166 million after really "buckling down and pressing my secret to its fullest potential."
Now to everyone else's fortune, the city slicker is releasing his secret for getting an unlimited amount of pay-per-click ads to the general public. But he's not promising any of us for how long.
A bit of an eccentric, the gentleman says "We'll see just how long I can make it available before it saturates things."
One famous public web guru pointed out that although this man may gain economically more so as a result of the publication of his secret "he's already so amazingly rich that whether he continues or discontinues its sale will neither make nor break the man, but not grabbing it for yourself while it's still available could prove disastrous for you as you may only have one chance, and a very limited one at that, to get this."
It is currently available at:
Here
...so you may want to head on over there now and get it.
It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in targeted advertising now made freely available to the rest of us?
To your success,
-Holis
A gentleman from New York discovered what he calls an "oversight" on the part of 99.9% of all marketers that allows him to get otherwise paid-for advertising at Google as well as all other search engines that allow sponsored ads.
And no, nothing about his "secret" is illegal - nor does it require that you know someone on the "inside" at Google, Yahoo, MSN, Overture and others.
Instead, the New Yorker boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2000 when there was so much search engine craze running around, and started doing small just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after getting the hang of it."
This same fellow went on to start and operate sixteen separate online companies selling everything from pet food, DVDs, children's toys & games, books, software, and sold not only his own manufactured products but became an affiliate for other web businesses - all the while applying his mastermind secret.
Over the course of nearly eight years the New Englander confesses "I've actually gotten over $87 million in advertising that using my secret I never had to pay for ... and the largest share of which was more recently in Google pay-per-clicks as well as other forms of pad advertising at search engines ... all of which I got for free ..."
So powerful is his secret that he's able to monopolize any niche online, and can always secure the top premium spots just above the usual organic results featured at most search engines.
He still has to set up an account with the search engines - but after applying his secret he is removed from having to pay for all the costs otherwise involved.
Again, nothing about his secret is either illegal or robs from the search engines.
One spokesperson from one of the most popular search engines said chuckling after being made privy to this amazing secret "Wow! Ha! This is really unique ... and in my expert opinion it would only serve to enhance and bring more business to us at [name of search engine withheld for legal & confidentiality reasons] and not cause us to lose business in the slightest. Amazing!"
The northerner revealed that in this nearly eight years' period of time since applying his secret he's done well over $300 million in sales revenue with a most diverse line of products, and most recently in the last two years netted nearly $166 million after really "buckling down and pressing my secret to its fullest potential."
Now to everyone else's fortune, the city slicker is releasing his secret for getting an unlimited amount of pay-per-click ads to the general public. But he's not promising any of us for how long.
A bit of an eccentric, the gentleman says "We'll see just how long I can make it available before it saturates things."
One famous public web guru pointed out that although this man may gain economically more so as a result of the publication of his secret "he's already so amazingly rich that whether he continues or discontinues its sale will neither make nor break the man, but not grabbing it for yourself while it's still available could prove disastrous for you as you may only have one chance, and a very limited one at that, to get this."
It is currently available at:
Here
...so you may want to head on over there now and get it.
It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.
While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in targeted advertising now made freely available to the rest of us?
To your success,
-Holis
New site and short update
Well its been a while...
My latest site is a fan site for Jerry Yang, 2007 WSOP main event winner... Ya its not much yet.
I plan to make a real site there when i get back from my Cruise
Mamadiva and I are taking two of our kids on a 5 day cruise in a bit over a waeek!
I cant wait :)
My latest site is a fan site for Jerry Yang, 2007 WSOP main event winner... Ya its not much yet.
I plan to make a real site there when i get back from my Cruise
Mamadiva and I are taking two of our kids on a 5 day cruise in a bit over a waeek!
I cant wait :)
Friday, January 26, 2007
Mac Does it again!
Our very own MacMuckalot (playing as el looso) scores in the eurotvpoker game :)
Mac eventually came in 3rd Thanks for the shout out sir!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Final Table Shout Out :)
Our very own member MacMuckalot tore it up with an impressive 2nd in this pokerhost game.
Kudos and thanks for the shoutout!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
poker.com plans huge upgrade
Poker.com will be upgrading the software on Thursday January 11, commencing @ 02:00 (Poker.com Time).
Download Poker.com here :
Use our EXCLUSIVE poker.com bonus code :
DRAWDEAD300
and get 100% match to $300 on you initial deposit.
Here is a list of the changes coming :
* 7 Card Stud
* 7 Card Stud hi/lo
* Omaha hi/lo
* Razz
* 5 Card Stud
* 5 Card Draw
* Badugi
* 2-7 Lowball (Triple Draw)
* A-5 Lowball (Triple Draw)
* Hand Histories Stored Locally on Hard Drive
* New Lobby Interface
* Moneybookers Payment option
* Lots of backend improvements
* A new Poker.com Website
Download Poker.com here :
Use our EXCLUSIVE poker.com bonus code :
DRAWDEAD300
and get 100% match to $300 on you initial deposit.
Here is a list of the changes coming :
* 7 Card Stud
* 7 Card Stud hi/lo
* Omaha hi/lo
* Razz
* 5 Card Stud
* 5 Card Draw
* Badugi
* 2-7 Lowball (Triple Draw)
* A-5 Lowball (Triple Draw)
* Hand Histories Stored Locally on Hard Drive
* New Lobby Interface
* Moneybookers Payment option
* Lots of backend improvements
* A new Poker.com Website
Poker.com is one of my favorite sites! These new games will continue to set them apart from the other available poker sites on the net.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Not too shabby...
Ive been tring to sneak in a few poker games here and there (between our freerolls and my other projects)
I have been playing on www.pokerstars.com mostly due to the larger prize pools.
While I continue to get into some very unlucky situations (My KK runs into AA Preflop - only an 18% favorite now :) I still like the action.
Last night I played in a game for a seat to the $215 Sunday warmup - Results are below :
Dear Holis,
You finished the tournament in 1st place.
You qualified to play in Tournament #39200555 and are automatically registered for it.
See Tournament #39200555 Lobby for further details.
I am looking forward to this game on Sunday :)
I have been playing on www.pokerstars.com mostly due to the larger prize pools.
While I continue to get into some very unlucky situations (My KK runs into AA Preflop - only an 18% favorite now :) I still like the action.
Last night I played in a game for a seat to the $215 Sunday warmup - Results are below :
Dear Holis,
You finished the tournament in 1st place.
You qualified to play in Tournament #39200555 and are automatically registered for it.
See Tournament #39200555 Lobby for further details.
I am looking forward to this game on Sunday :)
Happy new year!
Just a quick update to wish everyone a happy new year.
We hope 2007 turns out to be a great year for everyone!
We have been busy with the kids and family over the holidays and look foward to getting back to work on the best poker community on the net :)
We hope 2007 turns out to be a great year for everyone!
We have been busy with the kids and family over the holidays and look foward to getting back to work on the best poker community on the net :)
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