rustynail43

I played a lot of $3 satellites on Stars for the big Sunday game. There would be one qualifier for every $215 collected. I found it was just not that hard to qualify, but instead of playing on Sunday, I would opt out and add $215 to my bankroll.

With this kind of hand, I am thinking a bit different then the other post. With AA I don’t think about odds as much as I want to test their hand. I see no issue with a 4 BB bet. I like getting one or two callers with my AA, but no more. With the blinds and your pre-flop raise there was around .95 in the pot before the flop. They bet .20 and you raised to .60. I would have raised more in the .95 to 1.20 range and tested their hand. If they are over the top all in at that point I want a good read on if to call or fold. If I have no read, I fold.I am thinking prime the pot, test, decide.D

Suited connectors are still just drawing hands and it was pretty clear that raising pre-flop is not going to win the hand. You will never know where you stand until post flop regardless of the betting. IMO get in as cheap as you can pre-flop and calculate your odds for the turn. In your hand, and as stated by others, you had a good chance to get multiple way action.Knowing they have aces can make you lots of money, but only if you hit the flop.

On my last trip I also found the Luxor to be a very soft game. Most were looking to have fun and did not seem to care about the money. What they did not want was to be embarrassed. Remember your "You were right you got to call that down" speech. If they make a bad play and someone says something, defend them. "Hey I would make that call" Keep them having fun at the table as long as you can. Just don’t get caught up in the bad poker.I spent my days at a couple of very profitable poker rooms on the strip, but spent the nights playing poker downtown. Don’t leave Vegas without making it dow

On my last trip to Vegas I saw the same thing, however, he seemed to always turn them just so that the lady to his right could see. I was on his left and still got a peak now and then. They both looked and talked as if they were from South America. I asked him "do you two know each other", and both said no. The dealer told him a couple of times to protect his hand, but he always held them the same and would hold them out like he was having trouble seeing them, always with a slight turn to the right.Dealer finally said "that’s enough protect your cards or play them face up so everyone can s

Heads up or against 2 others that saw the flop, I love this hand. It can be a great semi bluff hand. Against 6 callers your beat unless you hit the nuts.

So maybe where your having trouble is in reading the other players. I suck at limit poker, so if that’s what you play, take my advise with a grain of salt. In no limit, we look for strength or weakness then make our decision. We want to win pre flop or post flop, not at the showdown.Watch for the players who thinks top pair is worth going all in on. Also watch if the all in player always has the nuts. What is strength to one is not strong to the next. Did they slow play? Did they check raise? Did they show weakness when strong or strength when weak. I watched a guy stab at the pot over

I mostly play no limit tournaments and my standard play with top pair is to bet the size of the pot unless it is a large amount of my chips. If I have callers or raisers I fold unless I can pickup a tell. I see a lot of people that just don't bet enough with top pair to get a good feel where they stand. Bet enough to make it easy for them to let their draw or bottom pair go. If they come along, you are most likely beat or need to improve. If a guy pickups my betting pattern, he will start to come over the top. A few well placed re-rasies from time to time keeps that in check.This seems t

Like many here I am trying to improve my game, however, discussing how to play any hand without an understanding of prior hands just does not work for me. We are playing the other players and situations, not just the cards. What I would love is a complete hand history of a winning on-line tournament. Not just a SNG, but a high level major on-line tournament such as Pokerstars weekly big money tourney. I really don’t care if there are a thousand hands to sort through, its easily enough followed. If you have made the final table in one of the big tournaments and are willing to share your ha

Smash.....as posted it tournament play and its working well for me. I did not think you or some others would agree, however, against certain players I continue to play this way with great results. All in in a tournament is all gone if they out draw you.

First of all, remember I only play no-limit tournaments, not ring games, so what works for me will not work for all. I also think many will not agree with me. What I have done is change the way I play against these type of players. If you are 70% favorite to win post flop, it still means you will lose if the hand plays to the river 30% of the time. Better players are trying to win pre-flop or post-flop, not drawing down to the river. You cannot do this with this type of opponent, due to their poor calls.Against poorer players I am a bit less aggressive with mid pair, top pair or two pair u

I play mostly on-line, so I love keeping notes on my opponents. You will see the same people over and over and the notes really help early. I have a new note label, “Stupid Aggressive”. We all know if we get a big chip lead early in any tournament or sit n go, it’s a big advantage. Any pot with Mr. Weak or Mr. Stupid Aggressive, I’m in there baby….

Thanks for the comments. I think you helped to clarify what I was thinking and point out that I had another option, which was to win pre flop. Winning pre flop with a Q8 would have been best. I also agree that you must play differently against better players who could have done the same thing as a trap. If I had been unsure in any way, its an easy hand to muck.The lesson I want to learn is how this applies to my game. If I can pick this up with others, what are they picking up from me. I always think it’s a bit funny when someone wants us to evaluate a single hand of poker although I ask f

Has anyone else noticed that when you’re playing very aggressive players they provide clear tells if they are not mixing up their game.So you have bet out every hand post flop regardless if you have made a pair, and now you check. Am I really supposed to bet into you? Or, you pepper me with 3BB or 4BB bets but now you bet 1BB. Does that show strength?I played a game last night where a very aggressive player only raises the pot to 2BB from late position. I called from the BB with Q8. The two of us see the flop of TTQ rainbow, he bets 1BB. I raise to 3BB and he goes all in. A big bet after

Why hire just one...better yet why not ....”Poker Apprentice”…move over Donald, there is a new show coming.Actually all that Daniel needs are a few electronic aids to make life easier. PDA’s, a couple of laptops, network server, spam blocker, auto email sorter, task manager….did I mention I’m in the computer biz.