Blog - April 2007
April 29th, 2007
Howdy
This week we’ve got an important article you should check out - Understanding the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (and what you can do to support it). We’re entering a pretty critical point in the history of online gaming, especially if you’re an American, and it’s going to be essential that everyone who is capable of making their voice heard does so.
We’ve also got a new strategy article where John covers the sticky point at which ethics, friendship and competition at the poker table collide - Friendly Poker? Excerpt:
I’m rapidly approaching my one-year anniversary of playing poker for a living and among poker authors, this alone is cause for an article. It’s strange to think of this moment as a cause for celebration or even mentioning in an article – seems self serving, like blowing my own horn. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of what I’ve done. I am proud. I survived one year of relying on poker as my sole source of income and that’s something!
And so I’m a year older, a year wiser, and a year more ‘professional.’ I’ve learned a thing or three. But amid all the associated rugged individualism, there’s one topic I feel compelled, nay divinely inspired! to discuss in the glorious manifestation of this article – the idea I’m exorcising is ‘poker friends.’ Before I begin, please know that I feel like I could write a thesis on this subject, so this article may seem incomplete or appear to scratch the surface. It may seem like ‘story telling hour.’ That’s OK. I just want to get the ball rolling.
Read the whole thing
April 22, 2007
New this week on PTP:
We review the online poker magazine PokerHelper- a nice resource with some solid strategy articles.
Also, Aaron’s back with another article - this week he tackles the little-discussed but critical issue of Playing Against the UTG Straddle in No Limit Cash Games. Excerpt:
For the sake of the article blinds are 1unit-2units with a 4unit optional straddle UTG. When someone else at the table takes the option to straddle UTG how should this affect your play? Well, while his straddle from this position is typically a mistake, it is only a mistake because the price is too high. He does gain a positional advantage preflop albeit a small one. No matter what position you were in, you are now in a worse position preflop.
If the pot is raised, consider the raise to have less value unless you otherwise know your opponent. People like to steal straddle raises. (Be careful though, a limp is actually scarier if the straddler likes to raise his straddle a lot. The limper frequently has a stronger than normal limping hand- set to his own standards. Some limpers are trying to limp raise the players behind because they are more likely to raise now. (Especially with the limper’s added 4units).
Read it all!
Take care
Team PTP
New reviews and strategy from Part Time Poker
April 15th, 2007
This week, a new strategy article and a new poker software review.
The poker software review: read about the pros and cons of AceSpades’s Texas Hold’em Pro 2007 with our review of the holdem training software package. Slice:
I received my copy of Texas Hold’em Pro 2007 in a no-frills CD sleeve. Installation was a snap and within 3 minutes I was playing with the program. It isn’t the prettiest interface. There is very little in the way of animation and the green and brown color scheme wasn’t much to look at but I was more interested in the guts of the program.
Texas Hold’em Pro is a limit holdem training and simulation software for PCs. The program shows ten available seats positioned around a table. Each player’s AI is completely customizable and you can choose the total number of players you play against. This is nice for someone interested in working on their short-handed or HU game. I decided to grab a seat and start playing without customizing any of the players to see how well this program performed right out of the box. In my opinion, the players play surprisingly well. The software controlled players were check-raising sets, value-betting top pair hands and checking for free cards when appropriate. I didn’t see many flaws in the play.
The whole pie.
As for strategy, John’s back with a great quirky read where he outlines 54 Things He Knows to be True About Poker. Here’s a snippet from the lead-in to his thought-provoking list:
Awhile back I saw the movie 300 at the IMAX in the Palms Casino with two friends of mine. I’d never seen a Hollywood movie in IMAX, just educational titles like ‘To the Moon’ or ‘This Green Earth’ when I was, like, in grade school. Although I really didn’t care for the movie 300, seeing blood and war and naked women on a screen like that was a cool experience.
It’s worth mentioning because when I go on ‘poker trips’ to Vegas, Tunica, etc. I used to never do anything like that. Well, there’s not much to do in Tunica anyway but I never looked either. When I travel, I’m there to play and win. Period. I sleep, try to eat somewhere good and free, play a lot of poker, and occasionally I check my email. Well, alright, sometimes I do find myself in random casino spa, relaxing in the grotto.
… and here’s the rest.
Have a good one
Team PTP
April 8th
Howdy
This week, more additions to our tournament strategy library, including a bit on using notes on PokerStars along with a nice rundown of the difference between loose-aggressive styles and tight-aggressive styles.
First up - Using the notes feature on PokerStars to increase your tournament profits. Excerpt:
As I have looked through many online poker forums, I have not seen much talk about the “note” feature that Pokerstars has to offer. Considering that this feature is an important part of my game, I figured it to be an excellent thing to inform the newcomers to the poker world, or those that choose not to use the feature, the advantage which it can bring to your game.
When I first started playing on Pokerstars, I did not use the “note” feature whatsoever. I felt that it was a waste of time, since I was usually multi-tasking and at the time, playing in the play money rooms. Once I decided to start playing for real money, my mindset changed and I began focusing on actually trying to get reads on people. Playing online can be much harder than getting a read playing live and this is why I find the “note” feature such a blessing.
Read it
Next, Shane chips in a solid overview of the Tools of the trade for LAG and TAG tournament players. A sample:
In Texas Hold’em MTTs, we find two types of players which have demonstrated success on the tournament circuit – loose-aggressive players (LAGs) and tight-aggressive players (TAGs). Representing the better known LAGs are players such as Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Gus Hanson and Daniel Negraneau (depending on what style Daniel is proclaiming he plays for a given year). The TAG heavy-hitters include Dan Harrington, Chris Ferguson, and Phil Hellmuth. While few are as loose as Hanson and even fewer as seemingly tight as Harrington, the majority of players fall somewhere in the middle.
Several books written on poker will give you a far better definition than I can provide about table image, but as a player, I’m certain you know the type of image you’ve projected to the table about your loose/tight tendencies. I’m more of a TAG player, but the majority of players I both associate with and play against seem to have more LAGish qualities and I’ll be the first to admit – LAGs have more fun. They play more pots, raise more, and find their chips in the center of the table far more often then I will. As a result of giving more action, they tend to receive more action. Their bigger hands will get paid off better than mine will, and they will take down more pots in the course of a game, through sheer aggression.
Read it!
Have a good week
Team PTP
New strategy articles on Part Time Poker
April 1st, 2007
Happy April from PTP. This week we’ve got two new strategy articles to add to the nearly 140 articles in our strategy archives.
Both articles were written by members of our popular online poker staking community, NeverBeg.com. If you’re not familiar with NeverBeg or how staking works, stop by the site and learn a little more about one of the fastest growing communities online.
First up, KC chips in a great primer for newer players on the importance of position, appropriately titled Position is Everything!
Position is everything! Let me repeat that, position is everything! Most new players do not utilize what I believe is the most important factor in decision making and hand choice at the card table. I am going to just give a basic run down for newer players of what position means and its importance. These basics are for mostly tournament style play, but also work in no limit cash games as well. In cash games though, you can be a little looser and gamble more, as you can always reload if you have to. I try not to have to.
Position is what constitutes what starting hands you should be playing in each of the seats. Under the gun is first position before the flop, which is the seat to the left of the big blind. After the flop, the small blind will be under the gun. Then the middle seats of course are middle position, and the seat to the right of the button and the button itself is late position. The button is the best position in the whole game, that is why it should be utilized to your advantage. You are the last to act on each betting round and get to see what other players do before you. This will help to make your decision even easier then an early position.
Read the whole thing.
Next up is JD with a great overview on Winning Low Limit Turbo Sit and Go Tournaments:
I typically play micro turbo sng’s. These micro games can be profitable and also help you build a roll, with minimal risk. I choose turbo’s because I find them to be the quickest and easiest routes to make money. Last I checked I had a 55% ROI in turbo’s, most of which is from 1.10 45 mans and 1.75 18 mans on Pokerstars.
Whether you choose to go the 18 man or 45 man route, you have to keep a couple thoughts in mind. First and foremost, you have to play to win. If you are in it to cash, you already have the wrong mindset. You must want to win. When you get to the bubble, we will worry about cashing (this comes later), but at the beginning of the tournament, you must go in wanting to win. Also, the level of play at the micro level is not very strong. You have to remember that when a person pushes pre-flop, they may not have that strong of a hand.
Read the whole thing
Enjoy, and we’ll see you next week.
Chris
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May 6th, 2007
New this week on PTP:
We’ve got a review of Matthew Hilgers ‘Texas Hold’em Odds and Probabilities’, a resource for - you guessed it - the essential math of hold’em. Excerpt:
Matthew Hilger has written one other poker book, “Internet Texas Hold’em”, published in 2003. He also has a poker website and publishing business. His most noted tournament success is perhaps winning the 2002 New Zealand Poker Championship. He has also played extensively online. His background and work experience is in the field of finance.
Overview:
The focus of this book is the application of odds and probabilities to the most common forms of Texas Hold’em poker, for players that currently have limited understanding of odds and probabilities or how to calculate them. This should probably be considered a beginner’s text; although some experienced players need to learn the material. These applications are for fixed limit Hold’em cash games, no limit Hold’em cash games and no limit Hold’em tournaments. The reader is assumed to know how to play Hold’em and to be familiar with basic poker strategies. A partial quote from the book (page 127) sums it up fairly well. To wit, “This book focuses specifically on how odds and probabilities can be used to make good poker decisions. The first step is learning the mathematical foundation of poker including how much you ought to bet. Once you master the foundation, you can then learn the more advanced plays in terms of the psychology to use against each individual opponent.”
Whole thing.
Also, in tournament strategy, we’ve got Stephens Guide to building a roll through low-limit 6-max turbo NL SNG’s.
Have a good one.
Team PTP
