Texas Holdem Poker
I was waiting on a Holdem game and playing $10 7 stud during the meantime. It was late and the game had a relaxed atmosphere I would call loose and friendy. 6 handed I think. Anyway this older guy on my right got to where he wanted to peek at my hole cards when he wasn't in the hand and I was in for the river. I could tell he was kind of pulling for me for some reason. He would make it a point to bend over as if expecting me to flash him my cards. He was a recreational player in a recreational game and I'm sure never realized this was not good. Finally I looked at him and said, "partner, I can't be showing you my cards, some of these players might pick up on your expressions and it makes me uncomfortable." I wanted to be nice but firm. I'm courious, although he would have seen the cards before the final action in the round, would the rule of "show one show all" have possibly come into play. I would think not, as the hand would still have been considered active. Am I right in this assumption?
OK,it was like I slapped him. He immediately apologized and said he had never thought about it but I was right. I never go deliberately out of my way to embarrass a new player {unless they are an asshole, then my style is to mix it up a little}. Perhaps something of this nature has happened to you. I would be interested in hearing how you handeled it. Comments
There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you said although I tend to handle it differently. The type of game that you are playing is 'loose and friendly' which basically means you'll be playing pretty straight-forward - nothing fancy, just show the best hand down at the river. Because of that, I tend to be willing to show my neighbor if he's the type you've described. My reasoning? He's unlikely to pay very close attention for one - he just wants to vicariously stay in action. Secondly, you're not teaching him a whole lot even if he is paying attention because you are playing straight forward - things he would even do himself. Thirdly, he owes you - in other words, you could ask to see his cards when he's in a hand and he'll no doubt show you - and you'll get a whole lot more usable information from being able to look at his cards than he'll ever be able to get while looking at yours; not to mention that he's likely to be playing a whole lot more hands than you - so even if he somehow became astute, you're gaining more information than you're giving and the game remains 'fun' for him.
Again, I understand completely why you said what you did - and it's a good policy not to show your cards without them paying for it - but this type of situation, to me, seems like one of the exceptions and I treat it like that. Players like this that I show my hand to tend to play softer against me when they have a hand - but I don't reciprocate - usually saying "I'm sorry, I've got to bet this one..."
Very good deductive reasoning and I will henceforth follow your strategy. Who says you can't teach an old dog knew tricks.
By the way, I understand you play professionally and have read some of you articles and post. I have been very impressed and think it great when a player of your talent shares his knowledge with the forum group. I have played poker for nearly 50 years and played for a living for about 9 months a couple years ago. Just couldn't quite cut the nut, stay in the game and maintain the same lifestyle. My excuse was game selection of which there is none, where I played at the Hollowood Casino in Shreveport La. The only game within hundreds of miles. Most of the time I am a humble 20-40 player, which is the max they spread outside of a group of regulars who play 25-50 pot limit a couple nights a week...which doesn't interest me.
I would love to correspond with you by email.If you have time. My address is benhart@etbu.edu
By the way, you are not located far from a great pal of mine who has been a full time player for years. His handle is Riverboy. He plays a lot of high dollar private games but casino poker also. He occassionally post here at the forum.
"Sharing my knowledge" is definately a two way street. I'm still learning and pray to the poker gods that I always do. Sharing on this forum is probably more for me than it is for anyone else - it keeps me sharp, I find the occasional question or way of looking at things which I had never heard or thought of before and I get the opportunity to constantly remind myself of things that it might otherwise be easy to forget. John Vorhaus told me, "In my experience, to teach is to learn." I couldn't agree more and thank everyone on this forum for helping me to continue my poker education.
NL Holdem Starting Hands,
Is there a website or guide that might help out newer people to hands which have better chances of hitting their cards on the flop/turn/river than other hands do...Or is this just with practice.
I don't understand what your question is. 27 is going to flop a pair as often as AK would; if that's what you mean by "chances of hitting their cards on the flop/turn/river".
After numerous defeats in heads up play at home games I've come to the conclusion that my heads up play is the weakest part of my game. At home in "winner takes all no limit hold'em" I find myself heads up 5 of the 6 last times out of a start of ten people yet I have only won two of those games. How should I play when I am the chip leader versus if I am short stacked. Also, are there any books that have a section specifically on heads up action? Thanks in advance.
I'm not a heads-up expert either, but here is my advice: raise or fold, don't call. In a heads-up game being ultra-aggressive usually pays off, because your opponent is unlikely to have a strong hand.
Thanks for the advice. I was trying to make it look like I was trapping him with the call and not raising, he obviously didnt buy it. I learned alot from it and its sweet I did cause last night a the same tourny I got 3rd finishing with $200. not bad for a nights fun. As for the comment about hold'em tourny's at West Ed the have one every tuesday and thursday night. $25 buy in freezout. it only starts in the spring and I think goes through the summer. Its a great tourny. Check it our for anyone who in Edmonton during the week.
They have Hold Em tourneys in the Edmonton Mall?? I was there last summer and didn't recognize it. However, I wasn't a Hold Em addict until months later anyways. Next time I go there I'll check it out.
Hello, if you are interested, email me and let me know. I want to put a tournament together.
I'm looking for 8-10 people with $20-$40 buy-ins for a few tournaments with payouts increasing each tournament.
For example:
8 people x $40 = $320
We play 4 tournaments at 100 chips starting with 1/2 blinds doubling every 10 minutes.
Tournament 1 winner get's $55
Tournament 2 winner get's $70
Tournament 3 winner get's $85
Tournament 4 winner get's $110
Kinda gives you a rough idea. Definitely not a major big tourney, but something for us to have fun and start a gathering. Payouts will be 100% and vary on the number of players.
I'm looking for at least 6-11 for a tourney.
Hello everyone!
Ok here we go! The Sunday Texas Hold'em Tournament is back on track. We will start this Sunday @ 2:00 PM. PLEASE RSVP BY March 27 for this weeks tournament.
Last week winners:
1st Larry $406
2nd Brian "sweet cheek" $156
3rd Mark $63
Thanks I look forward to playing this week!
• The Buy in is $25 ( re-buy before the end of the first break). We will start with $1500 in chips
***100% Pay Out***
Pay out to 1st 2nd 3rd with 8 players. Less than 8 players will pay 1st and 2nd only.
Tournament Pay Outs 8 players.
1st 65%
2nd 25%
3rd 10%
• Below you will see the SB and BB. Levels last 9 hands each or 20 minute intervals.
Level 1 10/20
Level 2 15/30
Level 3 20/40
Level 4 25/50
BREAK 10min
Level 5 50/100
Level 6 75/150
Level 7 100/200
Level 8 150/300
BREAK 5min
Level 9 200/400
Level 10 250/500
Level 11 300/600
Level 12 600/1200
