Poker Etiquette

Etiquette? What does that have to do with the rough and tumble world of high stakes poker? I often feel this is what many of the young players think. To many of them, its something ladies worry about at tea parties - nothing to do with them.

As it turns out, poker etiquette is an absolutely critical aspect of the game - especially for anyone who expects to play fairly regularly. Etiquette is where you show the quality of your character. It indicates the degree to which you are to be trusted. It shows to the world whether you are a straight shooter with a good ethical backbone or if you are a conniver, a cheat, a selfish imp who has no respect for others. So if you play regularly, you will be playing with the same players over and over again. Furthermore, those players will interact and trade stories about your exploits at the table. It's amazing how fast a good or bad impression of a player will circulate through the table in cities all over the country, if not the world.

Obviously, if that impression is negative, that profile of you will stay with you for a long time to come. Here are a few examples; Jamie Gold refusing to chop after he made a deal; Rich Gordon's "back up the truck" comment on Poker After Dark; The discovery of tournament poker chips in a well-known players hotel room. (Rather not mention the name in case you are unfamiliar with the case.) Each of these players are going to spend years and years to live down these breaches of etiquette. Some will recover more easily than others, but once you cross the line, it is brutal trying to win back a reputation as a clean, trustworthy player. I always tell young players to err on the side of generosity. If you misread your cards and your opponent mucks the winning hand. Offer to give him the pot anyway (or some portion). If you catch a glimpse of an opponents hole cards, let them know that that need to protect their cards better. etc.

You want people to trust you no questions asked. If you offer a deal in a tournament or its a backing arrangement, you don't want to have to prove your good character over and over again. Keep being consistently honest and aware of all nuances to the etiquette game. Treat everyone with respect. Be careful how you talk about others. Its not hard and it may even seem silly at times, but in the end it is absolutely critical for aspiring professional players.

If you make a brazen breach there may be card rooms where you could never show your face again. If you make an honest mistake, go above and beyond the rules to make things right. In the long run, you'll be glad you did.

Position, position . . . Position?

We always how important position at the poker table is. As we all have heard a million times. Its best to act last - that's why we call it "having position."

For many years, I've understood why this is so, but as a player, I've haven't put a priority of having position as many others pros have. Something inside of me was saying; "Position isn't all its cracked up to be." But I could never really put my finger on why I subscribe to this notion.

The other enduring rule for the good poker player is to find a seat at the cash table in which the loose crazies are on your right and the ABC rocks are on your left. The theory is that you want all the raising to be ahead of you so your not so easily trapped into a big, expensive hand with marginal cards. And yes, you guessed it, I'm going to challenge this convention as well.

The cards have started to cooperate with me as of late after a horrendous down streak, probably one of the worst of my poker career. Part of my success was to position myself not to the left of a wacko player who continuously overplayed his hand, but to sit to his immediate right.

My strategy was quite straightforward. At the table were mostly experienced players, most of whom I had played with many times and all were very aware of the lunatic sitting to my right. Who couldn't notice that he was entering almost every pot and raising or re-raising 50% of the time. We all knew he was not valuing his hands properly. No one gets playable hands near 100% of the time and no one gets premium starting hands 50% of the time. The 5/10 no limit game we were playing was essentially a 25/50 game. We all knew that we were going to be putting in at least $50 into the pot pre-flop if we were to play any hand.

It was fairly early on that I realized that my position against this guy wasn't the worst position, but the best position to be in. Every time he raised, players would roll their eyes as they were forced to put in $50, $60 or up to $100 on a hand such as J10 suited, when in a "normal" game they'd rarely put in more than $40. What a set up this was for me. When a big hand came my way such as QQ, I'd limp. Mr. Mental Institution would immediately make it $75 or some such thing. Good players would reluctantly call. Often three or four. I'd then make it $500 or more. My position allowed the pot to be built up substantially so I was making a $300 or so win risk free. Occasionally, the lunatic would call me. Now I could push again on the flop and he'd fold. So my position still benefited me. It was a wonderful thing. I made a killing that night.

There were other tricks I was gathering well. For a full review of my revolutionary new strategy - the new position in position poker - go to my poker courses and have a looksy. Go get 'em.

Poker - The Evil Twin Paradox

One of the key tenets of understanding how to play winning poker is to understand the concept that I call "the evil twin."

In the course of a cash session, you will be presented with a number of decisions. And you will be creating decision situations for your opponents. To the untrained eye it seems impossible to know what to do. For example, lets say you raised pre-flop with a pocket pair of sevens. Its folded around to the big blind who immediately calls. The flop comes out:

Queen; Five; Deuce

The big blind comes out betting. Its your turn to act. What do you do?

These situations come up over and over again. Your opponent either has you or the evil twin is that he doesn't. In a nut shell, this is what good poker is all about - dealing with the situation of the evil twin. The player who makes the right move in these situations more often, will be a winning player over the long run.

So how do you make the right play? The short answer is that its much more complicated than it appears. I've created a course on the "Evil Twin" concept at PokerSlamU.com. But in a nut shell, you are in a duel. The more unclear you make it for your opponent - the better. Most people will just fold if they are unsure. The more data you can pick up on your opponent - the better.

When it comes to your image, the most common and best strategy is you want to be perceived as a relatively tight player. You, most of the time, want your opponent to fold. Believe me, those pots add up fast. If you're having a card dead day, you can still have a profitable day if you can successfully create a tight player image, raise no more than once every two rotations or so. Consistently bet your cards. That is the best I can tell you in a paragraph.

When it comes to choosing a twin when you are put to the test, take as much into account as possible. Most players who are betting out do not have it. Most players do not like to be raised and are intimidated. Understand what each player is capable of doing. Most recreational players, for example, are incapable of making a big bluff re-raise against a tight player. These are only a few of the critical pieces to the puzzle that you are putting together.

Feel becomes critical. I'm most comfortable in a 5/10 no limit game. Whenever I dip down to 1/2 or 2/5, I don't do as well. I find the players are more willing to call. There is less at stake. Smaller stacks. Less at stake. So if I'm card dead, I have a hard time manufacturing wins.

Find your comfort zone. What game best fits you. The better you get, the more successful you'll be at the higher limits.

Leaving it All Behind

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get this strong urge to move on out. I'm not sure if its because I moved a lot when I was a kid and its in my blood, or its my need for adventure or maybe I just need a change.

Don't get me wrong, I sincerely believe that each and everyone of us who have the privilege of living in the 'ol US of A are blessed. I think its more about the way we live that causes me angst. I'm tired of the treadmill. Make money to pay the bills. Be sure to have health insurance. Each day that passes I feel regret for the things I could be doing. For doing things that I personally value. Things that are simple but are hard to do because of the need meet the requirements of our ever increasing responsibilities.

What am I talking about exactly? I'm not exactly sure but I think it revolves around an urge to chuck all the "stuff" and experience life freely on a more basic level. And by golly, I'm going to do something about it.

The wonder of the Internet (as I discussed in my past post) does allow freedom. My poker course web site is run by a webmaster in Colorado, whom I never met. I use a graphics designer from Long Island and the site itself resides on a server in I don't know where - Internet land, I guess.

My current plan is this: I'm going to continue to upgrade and develop my poker courses, give away all my key poker knowledge which has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for me over the course of my poker career (about 9 years). I'm going to develop a few more web sites with my partners and build them into premiere sites. Then, in October of 2012, I'm hitting the road with my wife and my #3 daughter and my son. (Maybe my #1 and #2 daughters will join us for a while.) I'm going to design and build a specialty van, buy a pop up trailer and sell my house. Then for the next year or two or three or longer, we are going to hit the road. Really get to know this country and all its natural beauty. Believe it or not, my wife loves the idea (what a wife!). I can continue my poker career (mostly online) and continue to work with my partners on the web sites - have cellular broadband will travel.

Has anyone else thought about doing this? It'll be a journey within a journey. An experiment in living. An adventure like none other. Hope I can pull it off. I'll keep you posted by documenting the trip right here. Stay tuned.

The Birth of a Company

After I sold my company, CEU.com, in December 2009, I thought I'd take some time to think. Think about life, family, friends, goals and, of course, my next business venture. I thought it'd take a while, but lo and behold, in a matter of months, I have not one but three ideas for my next Internet business. I'll only consider Internet businesses because its what I know, it doesn't require oodles of cash to get started, it comes with a free distribution and communication system, no inventory . . .

You may think that its all been done. But after taking some time to think, nothing could be further form the truth. Why? Because the Internet is constantly changing. New tools become ubiquitous (e.g. smart phones). New capacities are added (e.g.wireless broadband). People are using the web for new things. There are always new combinations waiting to be discovered. My biggest issue is editing my choices. I'll continue to offer advanced poker courses through PokerSlamU.com. That goes without saying. But I've been approached by experts in several fields and some investors, now it becomes an issue of matching and making decisions on where to focus my time and money.

But I can see why the entrepreneurial road isn't for everybody. There is no job security. You need to go with your ideas and live or die by your own hand. I have certainly found myself in many panicky situations. But when I come face-to-face with trouble or a hurdle, I've learned that they always seem insurmountable at first. Over time you find a series of solution options. You pick one. If that doesn't work, you pick another. One of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten about this was from Bob Stupak, the founder of the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas. "The most important thing for an entrepreneur is perseverence. Almost any company can be a success if you keep making appropriate changes and don't ever give up."

All In

What really makes hold em the poker game of the times is the All In move. Nothing is more exciting then when an athlete gives it everything they got or when a professional pushes the limit in their field. "Here it is," they say, "I'm ALL IN."

Poker brings the move to a high state of visualization. You only have so much ammunition. You've been ever so careful in building it up over the course of a tournament. But now you've put it all at risk by shoving every single chip you have at into the center of the table. It's double or nothing. It's do or die. I love it.

But the All In move is all about timing. Not just doing it when you have the nuts - the best possible hand in poker. That move is relatively easy. You can't lose, so why not. In fact that is NOT the best time, usually, to make the big move because most of the time, your opponent is going to fold and there is no value to be gained. I was just in a tournament where I saw the worst All In move in history. Its the table chip leader against the second in chips. Thge chip leader bets 5X the big blind pre-flop. The second chip leader calls. The flop comes out 10-10-4. The chip leader bets out 10X the big blind. The second chip leader goes all in and the leader folds. The second chip leader proudly shows the table pocket 10s. Ouch. A huge opportunity lost. He had position. He had an unbeatable hand. He could have easily doubled up. Horrible - just horrible play.

The All In move is about (1) getting called when you have the best hand; (2) protecting a lead in a hand; (3) forcing your opponent to call on the river because they feel they are priced in; and, most importantly (4) re-building your stack when you are short. Of course all these situations are shown in detail on my poker courses. Its all about feel. Its about creating a tight image, then making the move and forcing strong hands to fold. Or creating a loose image and getting medium strength hands to call. Its about deception. Making the move when you look desperate. Making the move on a player that is tilting. Doing it when you sense weakness. In poker the important thing is often not what you hold, but what is in your opponent's hand. So many opportunities that players let get away. Too many to go into all of them here.

Its a move that is to be used very sparingly early and early mid of a tournament. Why? Because the gain is small compared to the risk - getting eliminated.

I love that the "All In" phrase has popped up in general language. I see it in the newspapers. "Obama goes All In on Health Care." I see it professionally. My father, who is respected Pediatric Cardiologist, told his boss, "Either we fix our budget or I QUIT." He was certainly all in.

Good Luck with your all in bets. Make sure you're prepared. Your opponents are primed and, most importantly, make sure the risk/reward equation is in your favor.

The Art of the Bluff

Poker Skills are the same as business skills. Yeah. Yeah. Heard it a million times. Lets get to the specifics. Show me, don't tell me - the mantra of every good writer.

There is no better example than in the art of the bluff. Does he or doesn't he? Will she or won't she? Does he have it?

Many people see the bluff in isolation or out of context and think, "wow, that's neat. Bet a lot and your opponent folds." But in actuality, the professional bluff does not happen all of a sudden. It is a carefully built strategy that results in bluffs taking strategic pots. no one can win at poker by bluffing willy nilly. Its an extremely high risk move that costs you much more when you lose than it gains you when you win.

Now lets think about it in terms of business. A failed bluff can be very costly. "I'll quit if I don't get that raise." "That's my last and final offer." A professional at business uses this tool in very specific situations. First, he must size up his opponent. Is she a risk taker? Does he exaggerate? Does she lie?

Secondly, he needs to understand the importance of the deal to himself or his company. A systematic Cost/Benefit Analysis is needed. If its critical, tread carefully. If there are other options, can be more aggressive.

Thirdly, is the bluff bordering on unethical behavior. In the end, your opponent will often learn the true state of things. If you cross the line you jeopardize future deals with that and other agents. A much underrated concern is that if you go to far, you'll have to live with your unethical act for a long time if not, if its flagrant enough, for the rest of your life.

In poker, the same issues are involved. A reckless bluffer will get called more often and see a net loss on his annual ledger. An unethical bluffer (certain comments, motions etc.), will label the player and the person (the game often extends beyond the boundaries of the felt) as untrustworthy. Bluffing the wrong type of player or in the wrong situations are huge net losers in the long term.

A bluff is the culmination of a story. You build your reputation at the table. Playing selective hands takes the frequency tell out of the equation. Never show your cards to build this image. Uncertainty is the pro's best friend. Then you look for the ideal situation:

• Semi-bluff whenever possible
  
• Attack the ABC player
• Look for bona fide weakness
• Pay attention to patterns in their game
• Bet enough (too much is much better than too little)
• Look for positional advantage

There is much much much more to consider and talk about in bluffing strategy. On my site, I give many examples and rate the quality of the bluffing situation. Soon it will become second nature. You'll know that there are situations that your opponent will know he most likely has the best hand, but he absolutely cannot call. The risk is to large. This knowledge and ability is probably the single most important skill that separates the pro from the amatuer.

In the end (without counting continuation bets), you should be bluffing no more than three or four times a session. And four times is too much. But be aware. Once they start to see what you are doing modify. On top of that, your personality, ethical backbone and understanding of the type of players you are up against skews the strategy accordingly. What a great frickin' game!