21st century Prohibition...

With all the garbage going on regarding the house legislation to prohibit "online gambling," I thought it would be most appropriate to give a "history lesson" regarding what happens when our government attempts to be our "moral guardian." The "you cannot possibly make prudent decisions, so we'll take away your choice and FORCE you to choose wisely" mindset a few select morons have is not working for the beer guy. That being said, let's take a walk back to the 1920's during the prohibition era, looking at what happened, why it happened, and what came about as a result... including possible/probable motives. Excuse in advance the fact that I am not a historian, nor a political commentator. I am, however, making efforts to make some sense out of the ridiculous parallels I am seeing today between prohibition of alcohol and attempted prohibition of gambling.

Prohibition of Alcohol

Prohibition of alcohol in the United States lasted from roughly 1920-1933. Prohibition was brought to you by the US Government via the 18th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Prior to the 18th amendment, several states had drafted and implemented legislation prohibiting and banning use of alcohol within their states.

During WWI, paranoia began settling in, as many of the "concerned groups" (read: lobbyest for the "anti-saloon league) urged our government to look into several breweries, citing they were owned by "alien ememies" (read: "All germans are enemies and aliens, even Americans with German ancestery," according to this mindset). President Wilson signed an order allowing for a partial prohibition on Grain Alcohol in early 1918, to conserve it for supporting the war effort. This posture was declared and defended as a measure of war. Of course, anyone who disagreed was unpatriotic (read: distillers, saloon owners were OBVIOUSLY unpatriotic, as they were against measures that negatively impacted their bottom line).

You know what "they" say...

Some of the things that "they" say... or said, regarding alcohol, and encouraging prohibition.

Salvation Army General Evangeline Booth:"Drink has drained more blood, Hung more crepe, Sold more houses, Plunged more people into bankruptcy, Armed more villains, Slain more children, Snapped more wedding rings, Defiled more innocence, Blinded more eyes, Twisted more limbs, Dethroned more reason, Wrecked more manhood, Dishonored more womanhood, Broken more hearts, Blasted more lives, Driven more to suicide, andDug more graves than any other poisoned scourge that ever swept its death-dealing waves across the world. (Seldes, 1960, p. 106).

evangelist Billy Sunday:

"The rein of tears is over. The slums will soon be only a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our jails into storehouses and comcribs" (Asbury, 1968, pp. 144-145).

From "helping the war" to "moral guardianship

When straight up prohibition came about (the evil step-child of this "war act"), the 18th amendment banned the manufacturing of and sale of "intoxicating liquors," stopping short of possession, consumption, and transportation. Keep in mind, this only impacted liquor (the "hard stuff") and didn't yet focus on beer. Of course, our congress and their infinite wisdom decided to include beer and wine, as they pulled a Meriam Webster and "defined" "intoxicating liquors" to include any beverages containing more than .5% alcohol. Soon beer, wine, whiskey, gin, et al were no longer permitted to be "legally sold." This thing was snowballing.

As this "big bastard" was "growing legs," some "states were banning the sale of flasks, shakers, and other random "things" used to make drinks and/or consume alcohol. The original Congressional appropriation for enforcement was $5 million." A few years later, this number too snowballed, whereas "the government estimated enforcement would cost $300 million." (source: digitalhistory.uh.edu).

During this prohibition period, which started as a means to support war, and digressed into a moral battle, many a bootlegger and rum runner, speakeasy, and backyard "moonshiners" were created. "In 1927, there were twice the number of illegal speakesies as there were legal bards before prohibition." (source: digitalhistory.uh.edu). Organized crime was on the rise during this timeframe, as one can see, and was clearly profiting from said prohibition, when in fact the "evolution" of this "moral legislation" was meant to reduce crime.

Bring on the Repeal of Prohibition

In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the constitution was ratified, repealing prohibition and the 18th amendment. Reputable, tax paying, law abiding establishments were replaced by "criminal" organizations, who were now well to do fully thanks to our nanny state. And of course, our government saw the tax revenues as a great way to help fight the depression this country was in. So, of course, repealing and regulating was the OBVIOUS way to go.

The 21st amendment contained two important statements.

1. "The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed." --- making it once again "legal" to consume, manufature, sell, and transport alcohol.

2. "The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited."

Number two transferred power to regulate to the states, where it rightfully belonged, in my ever so humble opinion. The feds, of course, retained the rights to tax the hell out of it as it saw fit (no surprise here, but I won't complain).

How the hell does this relate to poker, specifically online poker?

"How does the ramblings on prohibition and alcohol relate to online poker," you ask? "You claim this is a poker blog, but yet, looking at your blogger name (imjusthere4thebeer) are you simply looking to talk "shop" as it relates to one of your hobbies?" There indeed is a huge parallel between the alcohol prohibiting writings above and the state of online poker today, as seen from a poker playing American's point of view.

Well, for starters, if you recall... prohibition of alcohol was spawned from both "concerned citizens" (the anti-saloon league, among others...) and "efforts to support the war" (WWI). It later "evolved" from supporting the war to "we don't want to give the "enemy" any profit (German breweries) and went from a potentially legitimate concern to a morally dictating political ploy (banning alcohol will reduce crime, reinforce family values, eliminate a good portion of corruption in our society, insert bullshit reasoning here, etc).

We have a similar "bullshit movement" being mustered up in the house of representatives right now regarding online poker. H.R. 4411 is trying to make a push to prohibit online gambling. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R- VA) has pushed forth with the ""Internet Gambling Prohibition Act." In the senate, distinguished morons Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Mark Pryor (R-Ark.) are also pushing forth with a similar move. In a shocking move, a Democrat from Mass. comes forth and says what it perhaps the first thing a Mass. Rep has EVER said that makes sense on national/international policy, when the senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, came out against the House legislation saying "Adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to do," according to the Reuters news service.

First "these people" are saying that internet gambling plagues our society, citing it serves as a venue for laundering money, supports terrorism, and could be run out of the back of the van in some third world country, therefore it must be stopped! So, obviously this is a "war issue," right guys? Then they go on to say that internet gambling is too easy for our nation's young to get into, its not regulated, credit card debt massing into the tens of thousands of dollars can be run up (underagers are legally entitled to credit cards?), risks bankrupting our society (you mean we cannot run up debt like the government does?), and that "the only people who win are the casinos and bookmakers," (you should know, controlling the lottery and all).

Strangely enough, this bill aims to outlaw our citizen's rights to gamble online, yet it still allows us to gamble in places such as Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, the riverboats, reservations, slot parlors, via the lottery, at racetracks, and via fantasy games.

Help me understand this, I'm kinda confused... gambling through technology (the internet) is wrong... brick and morter poker rooms, however is ok. How is this now? Oh yes, it must be because the casino operators have gone through an extensive background check... right? Oh wait a minute, can they not go through background checks for online poker rooms as well? hmmm... that can't be it. Could it be... that one can illegally fund other "things" through the online portal, but cannot happen live and in color? I guess they don't have high stakes heads up games capable of shifting money from one person to another in brick and mortor casinos. My bad, what was I thinking.

Is it because the "real" casinos have guards at all entrances dilligantly checking identifications both visually and through those thurrr technological card readers, which mind you are indeed connected to some sort of central databases, aren't they? Hmmm... that can't be it, as I am required to produce some sort of identification online as well in order to establish my identity and right to collect. Is it because "no one ever wins?" Geez... Chris Moneymaker didn't go from screenname to household name via pokerstars? Doyle Brunson didn't make his millions playing poker for a living? Wow, what a reality check.

Could it be... that the government is once again using "wartime efforts" to pass moral policy on the citizens of the United States? We could be on to something here... We've heard the propaganda regarding money laundering, funding terrorism, underagers, blah blah blah. The reality is, however, that the group of idiots proposing this bill are really trying to tell us how we can and cannot spend our money. Its crystal clear to me that this is a state issue, not a federal issue.

If my state wishes to tell me that I cannot gamble online, it may be their right. If the feds wish to regulate it and tax it, that may be their right. The feds, however, may not rightfully tell me that I cannot four table in my boxers in the comfort of my own home. While Al Gore may have "taken the initiative in inventing the internet," the WTO has ruled that the US Governement does not govern the internet. They lack the legal basis to enact a prohibition on me from gambling online. If they cannot legally prevent me from travelling to Atlantic City, or the cardroom across the state line, they cannot prevent me legally from playing online. If they block me from accessing gambling related sites, they're not only violating the right to free press, they're also no better than China, who regulates what kind of political information can be accessed by their citizens (how's that for propaganda, Bob... you support this prohibition, you're as communist as China).

If they attempt to outlaw online gambling, they're forcing their population "underground" to play in poker rooms which will be certain to be run by organized criminal outfits, rigged, and unbeatable - speakeasies of the 21st century, perhaps?

Here's an idea for my closing. How about taking measures to regulate it? Run background checks on the online casino operators, assist in having a system in place to ensure that underagers aren't getting involved here. Audit the books to ensure the cardrooms are fair to all. Tax them, tax us even. Do the right thing and embrace that which is. Put the choice to the states, to the people. Don't make the mistake of recreating the Prohibition Era of the 21st century.

Mike



Politics & Poker

More on Leaderboard Events, Mailbag...

River Belle Poker, the official sponsor of the CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour, will be hosting (in conjunction with CheckRayz.com) 3 big events with over $600 in cash and prizes to be awarded. These three CheckRayz Leaderboard events will take place in the month of April to crown our first quarter CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour champion.

These three events will take place at River Belle Poker. Full details of the three big events are as follows:

• Event 1 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Rewards: $200 freeroll, qualify by scoring Leaderboard points at one of the CheckRayz tourneys held during the first quarter of 2006. Said another way, make the top nine between now and the end of March at any of our eight remaining freeroll poker tourneys or our buy-in, with money added poker tourneys, and qualify for this event. This event is expected to hold in the first or second week of April.

• Event 2 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Shootout: $200 freeroll ($50 added goes to the winner via the Beer Guy in addition to the already sweet prize pool) to crown the first quarter CheckRayz leaderboard poker tour champion, qualify by finishing in the top ten for leaderboard points at the end of the first quarter (March 31, 2006).

• Event 3 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Challenge: $100 winner takes all tourney (pokertracker bought and paid for by the Beer Guy will be awarded to the winner, in addition to the cash prize - pokertracker not redeemable for cash). Qualify by either winning events 1 and/or two, raking 250 hands at River Belle poker, or via the CheckRayz Leaderboard "refer a friend" campaign (please follow link, as *terms and conditions apply for the "refer a friend" campaign. Additional CheckRayz "swag" will be awarded to the top raked hands at River Belle. Three ways to enter this event, don't get locked out!

That being said, there are still 8 poker tourneys remaining in the first quarter of the CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour. The leaderboard can now be expanded to display everyone who currently has leaderboard points. Take a look by clicking the link.

"Friday Night Mailbag" time...

First letter comes from Judith in reference to my lack of "game face" going into a MissT74 WSOP Private Satellite tourney this weekend, showcasing some of online poker's toughest players.

Her letter reads:

Just to keep an argument going, here is a point of view this is regarding the "monsters" that you played today.

It sound to me that you set yourself up to fail. They may be real good, but the fact remains you went in worried that they are good, as you said. You "gave" them the table image, and that put you in a disadvantage. In this game you and I (math/ stats/ acctg types) know there are 52 cards and it is in final analysis a combination of that you do or do not trust to be better than the combination an other guy holds. His status does NOT determine that, your perception DOES.

Now how's that for your mail bag?

To which I reply: Judith, you're 100% correct. I went into that event with the perception that I was outmatched. Guess what... I was. However, it wasn't because I "got no game." It was because I went in scared, intimidated, star struck, (insert mental block of choice here). I beat myself in that event. Second or third hand, I laid down a sure winner to someone betting into me. I'm sure he knew what I had and was merely testing me. I failed. By the time I got my "sea legs" and put on my "gameface" it was too late.

Shortly after donking out of that tourney, I went into the shark satellite freeroll on a mission and brought straight up ruthless aggression to the table, playing perhaps my best tourney poker that I've played in quite some time. Had I went in with that mindset, with THAT A-game, I'd have faired far better. My game is still evolving. I'm still a student of the game, not quite a master (people go a lifetime without becoming a true master of the game). I do, however, consider myself somewhat of a "craftsman," however. And had I went into the game giving myself the props I deserve as a "craftsman" and stayed true to my form, I'd have done just fine.

So Judith, no arguements from me. I beat myself. And I thank you for both pointing that out and causing me to think about it. Keep the letters, and feedback coming, as it is truly appreciated. (Judith will be receiving a first edition CheckRayz teeshirt for her letter this week).

(frustrating sidenote, this is the second week in a row that my email server has been down when trying to write my mailbag column. Anyone personally know of a host - i.e. not "yahoo works just fine for me"... i mean a live and in color firm who does webhosting, in which the business owner is local to you, and/or a personal friend/acquaintance of yours )?

In the interim I'll "borrow" from Sharky, as he had a hilarious piece of "fan mail" he received that you just have to check out. Glad to see that others are also getting a mailbag-like column going as well, as it allows for the voice of the peeps to be heard. While you're there reading that piece of fan mail, check out his blog, as he has some great recaps and anecdotes about live play on there.

And, we're back up and running (20 minutes later)... Funny how that .1% downtime only occurs during the times when I want something...

Next letter comes from Dan.

Beerguy, shame the heads-up challenge didn't happen. I was saving my last $6 for it. Any chance of trying again?

Sure are planning to try again, Dan. In fact, I'm shooting for mid-april, and aiming for a Wednesday to try the CheckRayz Heads-up poker challenge at Celeb Poker. I'm confident we'll get ten this time around, considering we're showing great numbers elsewhere.

Next letter comes from CW:

Where do we go to submit our screennames at the checkrayz site and where do we find the passwords for the upcoming riverbelle tourney's ?

Great question. Actually, what we do is as follows:

To get a password for any upcoming CheckRayz event, first ensure you're a member of CheckRayz. That being done, log onto the site, by entering your email address in which you registered with and the password assigned to you and/or created by you, whichever is most appropriate. Click "sign in."

Once signed in, go to the CheckRayz poker tourney schedule page. From there, find the poker tourney in which you're wanting to play. Please take the time to ensure you have the software downloaded to your computer for the event of choice. Should you not yet have that poker room downloaded, please click on the appropriate link provided in the left hand column, that most likely says "click here to download." These links have the CheckRayz tracker associated to them so that we are credited with bringing you to the poker room. This helps us to bring future events, both freeroll and money added buyins to you, the member. Our poker rooms will begin throwing more money and "swag" our way when they see increasing downloads and referrals from CheckRayz sponsored links. So, help me to help you and download using our links. Thanks!

While you're downloading, you'll then click on the "register now!" link. This will push you to the tourney information page on the checkrayz site. On the information page, you will find the password and/or required information for the tourney. Take this information (generally a password) to the pokerroom, click on our tourney, and input the password after clicking "register." Its that simple. However, if you have trouble, feel free to email me and I'll gladly walk you through.

Finally, we address the two letters I received today regarding registrations for upcoming tourneys.

Beer, I can't find the password for the upcoming freeroll at Titan. Can you give me the password?

The reason you cannot find the password for the event is because I have not yet opened up registration for it. The poker sites may or may not choose to open registration early, but the nice thing about being me, is that I can control when I release the password. That being said, we had a great turnout at Titan last week (244 for the freeroll - 15% sitout rate). While the 15% is indeed the industry average, I do not strive for being average. Nothing about CheckRayz or the Shark Powered Network is "average." That being said, I'll open the registration for the freeroll at Titan this weekend, and rest confident that my sitout rate will be lower than the industry average. Sidenote: I have a COMPLETE list of sitouts from the freeroll (yes, the beer man was busy). I'll most likely be once again trolling the waters in search for sitouts, and these people will risk having freeroll privledges revoked ("its great to be the king").

That's all for the mailbag. I'm playing live this weekend, and glad to say we've adopted a new, more consitant and deliberate blinds structure, which is in favor of the "craftsman." I'm sure to come out of there having stories on "Superdonk," so stay tuned!

Mike

CheckRayz Announcements
CheckRayz Announcements
CheckRayz Mailbag
Poker News

"The big CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour Announcement..."

Three big events are in the works for the CheckRayz Leaderboard. For starters, River Belle have become the Official Sponsor of the CheckRayz Leaderboard. Big shout out and thank you to River Belle Poker! What this means to you, the readers and CheckRayz members is that we're throwin' a huge party in the poker room onboard the River Belle! Actually, make that three parties. Yea, you read correctly, there is going to be three CheckRayz Leaderboard events in the month of April to crown our first quarter CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour champion. The details of the three events are as follows:

Event 1 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Rewards at River Belle

This first event is a "by invitation only" $200 freeroll, hosted by CheckRayz at the Poker Room onboard the River Belle. Everyone who has obtained Leaderboard Points in the first quarter will be invited to this event via an email from me (pay special attention to the "how to RSVP" section which will be contained in this email). This Leaderboard Tournament is designed to reward everyone who had a top nine finish at any of the CheckRayz endorsed poker tourneys we've held during the first quarter. The winner will will earn his or her way into event number three (see below).

Event Number 2 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Shootout at River Belle Poker to crown the official first quarter champion.

Once again, "by invitation only" this time, however, only the top ten in CheckRayz Leaderboard points are eligable (as of March 31st, 2006). This event will also be a $200 freeroll, courtesy of our official leaderboard sponsor, River Belle Poker. Make no mistakes... while this is a small field (ten peeps) this shootout championship poker tourney stands to be the toughest event to date on the CheckRayz tour. The winner of the CheckRayz Leaderboard Shootout Championship will be crowned the official CheckRayz Poker Tour Champion for the first Quarter of 2006, and will also win his or her way into event three (see below). Additionally, he or she will be guaranteed a spot in similar events one and three for the remaining three quarters of 2006! Oh, I nearly forgot, the winner of this top ten event, in addition to the above, will also find an extra $50 of the Beer Guy's hard earned cash transferred to them, paying homage to the newly crowned champion.

Event number three - $100 winner takes all CheckRayz Leaderboard Challenge

Both the winner of the CheckRayz Leaderboard Rewards (event 1), and the newly crowned CheckRayz Leaderboard Poker Tour Champion, as crowned in event number 2 will receive an automatic invitation to this $100 winner takes all CheckRayz Leaderboard Challenge. It comes as no surprise that this event is also a freeroll and is being held once again (say it with me folks) at the poker room onboard the River Belle. I'm allowing for two ways to qualify for this event... well, three actually. The first path to this winner takes all event is by winning either the Rewards or the Shootout events, which is probably the toughest way to earn your spot here.

The second way to earn your spot in the winner takes all Leaderboard Challenge is to give our sponsor some lovin'. "What do you mean, beer guy," you ask? Glad you asked (and right on cue too). For starters, you had to have (or have to if you've yet to do so) downloaded River Belle Poker through me via either my email link, my blog links, the shark forum link, or the CheckRayz site. Said another way, you must be one of "mine" at CheckRayz. Second, Rake AT LEAST 250 hands (250 is the requirement to qualify here, but feel free to keep going!) at River Belle Poker between today (March 15th 2006 and March 31st 2006). We'll be adding a River Belle Raked Hands Leaderboard link no later than Monday Morning to monitor one's progress, as well as the progress of everyone else. 250 hands gets you into this event. The winner of this raked hands challenge will also receive some CheckRayz "swag," in addition to an invitation to this event.

The third way to earn an invitation to our Leaderboard Challenge is through the "refer a friend" campaign. On Friday, everyone will be receiving a CheckRayz newsletter. To earn points in the refer a friend campaign, click the "forward to a friend" button at the bottom, write a personal note, something like... "hey joe, i know you love to play poker and thought this would be of interest to you. Why don't you sign up to play free poker with me? Please be sure to put my screenname (insert your screenname here) in the "referred by" column. Thanks, (your name)." To save readers time, by tommorrow on the CheckRayz site and during the "mailbag" here at the Poker Pub, I will address the "terms and conditions" that apply with this refer a friend qualifier - because there are indeed terms and conditions. However, I'd like to keep our eye on the prize, and not directly drawn to the fine print, which while of importance is not the focus of this writing.

So anyways... three ways to qualify for the Leaderboard Challenge, which has $100 hanging "high above the thirty foot high steel cage." (had to get a professional wrestling plug in there somehow). Oh yea... I forgot to add... the winner of event number three, the CheckRayz Leaderboard Challenge will also be receiving a pokertracker program (hold'em version) fully equipped with activation (must be downloaded through my pokertracker link... I'll purchase activation code --- not redeemable for cash).

Recap - CheckRayz First Quarter 2006 Leaderboard Poker Tour Championship Events

host and official sponsor - River Belle Poker

when: TBA in the first two weeks of April (top ten will vote, majority rules for event number two)

events, prizes, and how to qualify:

• Event 1 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Rewards: $200 freeroll, qualify by scoring Leaderboard points at one of the CheckRayz tourneys held during the first quarter of 2006.
• Event 2 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Shootout: $200 freeroll ($50 added goes to the winner via the Beer Guy) to crown the first quarter CheckRayz leaderboard champion, qualify by finishing in the top ten for leaderboard points at the end of the first quarter (March 31, 2006).
• Event 3 - CheckRayz Leaderboard Challenge: $100 winner takes all tourney (pokertracker bought and paid for by the Beer Guy). Qualify by either winning events 1 and/or two, raking 250 hands at River Belle poker, or via the CheckRayz Leaderboard refer a friend campaign. *terms and conditions apply (detailed tommorrow via mailbag and also available tommorrow via the checkrayz leaderboard rules page.

More on the above tommorrow along with the Friday night mailbag. Stay tuned and thanks for playing! Have a festive, yet safe St. Patty's day. And finally, keep plugging away in support of the CheckRayz tour. There are still plenty of events and ways left to qualify for any of the events detailed above.

Mike

CheckRayz Announcements
Poker News

Endgame Strategy summary...

Endgame Strategy Summary

These articles are meant to be read in succession of one another. That being said, click to review the articles on Endgame Strategy pt. I... Endgame Strategy pt II... part three of Endgame Strategy... Endgame Strategy part four and finally yesterday's Endgame Strategy part five.

Over the course of the past few weeks, we covered a lot of ground. For those of you who are new to poker, relatively inexperienced, or haven't read much on poker strategy, the tactics covered probably made you a bit "uncomfortable," thinking to yourself "this doesn't sound right/feel right," or "I can't do that, what if I get called while having an M of five and am holding J10s pushing all in?"

These series of discussions are meant to remove you from your "comfort zone." These plays, by their very nature are not supposed to "feel" normal. They are aggressive plays, made at the appropriate moments, under the appropriate set of circumstances and designed to propel you to the final table with aspirations to win, not merely to survive. If your goal is to WIN poker tournaments, not just bubble or crack into the money, then this indeed is your strategy. I've presented the "playbook," no its up to you as the offensive and defensive coordinator to adapt such a playbook to your game. That being said, be mindful of other player's M's and how their game is changing based on the dynamics of that statistic.

Try this new playbook out in smaller tourneys, such as the $1 donkfest tonight. I experimented with it (when first reading on this) in sharky's freerolls and buyin tourneys, even going so far as to "donk down" to a certain M so that I could experiment earlier in the tourney as opposed to later.

Download pokerstove. Open it up and play around with how different hands hold up against random hands (i.e. - 10-8 off suit vs. a random hand or two or j-10s vs AA). Get comfortable with trying to win tourneys, making the appropriate moves when you should be, and refusing to "accept" a coin toss when its not appropriate. Know your M calculation at all times, and those of your opposition at the table with you. Commit to memory when its appropriate to open up the red zone offense, or orange zone play. Know which hands are "playable" and which are "junk." Determine when pushing, raising, calling, or folding with 3-3 or 8-6s is appropriate and when it just doesn't line up with your "scripted plays." Make peeps play YOUR GAME as opposed to playing theirs. And finally, I encourage each and every person reading this to purchase Harrington on Hold'em vol. 1 & 2. These books can be found on the Two Plus Two website.

Tomorrow for off-topic Thursday, we're going to have a huge announcement regarding what we're doing with the CheckRayz Leaderboard, how this affects you, and what you can do to get on board. Next week's "strategy" column topic has not yet been selected and suggestions are always welcome.

Private WSOP Qualifier

Poker great and blogger, "MissT74" has set up a series of private WSOP event qualifiers. These tourneys are private, run by her, and award seats to various WSOP events. In any event, she needs some help in rounding up some peeps interested in playing, that being said... here's the details:

Wednesday, March 15 @ 9:00pm EST NLHE for a $1,500 WSOP event

40 players MAXBuy in is $10/$1, with $27.50 received in advance

Prepay $27.50 to misst74 from (Kingman) on PS and then send her an email (her email address can be located on her blog.

She will then forward the password to you.

Mike's note: I played the first event she put on this past weekend. The event was professionally run and went off flawlessly. I highly recommend playing in this event if you deem something like a WSOP seat in your goals.

CheckRayz "Donk-fest" tonight at Titan

CheckRayz are holding their "donk-fest" tourney tonight at 10pm EST at Titan Poker. This donk-fest of a poker tournament will contain $150 added to the prize pool, with an entry fee of $1+.10. Unlimited rebuys will be permitted during hour number 1, and addons will be allowed at the end of the first hour. Password is available on the CheckRayz "poker tournament schedule" page.

Mike

Poker Tournament Strategy
Poker Strategy
Endgame Strategy

Poker Tourney "Endgame" Strategy pt. 5

This post is part of a continuing series of Endgame poker tourney discussion, based largely in part on the works and writing of Dan Harrington and meant as a suppliment to, not a replacement for his books Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 & 2.

These articles are meant to be read in succession of one another. That being said, click to review the articles on Endgame Strategy pt. I... Endgame Strategy pt II... part three of Endgame Strategy... and finally Endgame Strategy part four.

Parts three and four discussed yellow and orange zone play respectively. Today, we'll explore playing in the Red Zone in a poker tournament.

Red Zone Play

Two choices and only two choices, all-in or fold. In the red zone, you lack any sort of betting power (read: you're not gonna be able to push a brotha out of the pot with a continuation bet). That being said, you're "better off" getting all your chips in the middle now (assuming you have a red-zone worthy hand), as opposed to waiting til the flop to bet out. The opposition on the flop will have more information on the flop. Why give him... or them a further advantage? You want to show strength, dissuade people from mixing it up with you. You're completely satisfied in taking it down uncontested and you also welcome (though not as warmly) 1 caller to your power move.

Now, if you're doing this correctly, you're pushing em all in in the red zone with big pairs, small pairs, medium pairs, big cards, suited connectors... pretty much all but the garbage hands. Wait a minute... I nearly forgot to add that you're wanting to be the first to "open" the betting... meaning, action folds to you. Its often correct, and especially in the red zone to push with hands that are not suitable to call with. That being said, push with 10-9offsuit, don't call with 10-9offsuit.

The underlying theme in the red zone push push push push push, and push some more... I know what is going through most reader's heads right now...

1. Do I really want to push it allin with 10-9o, j-10s?

2. What about if I get AA? Don't I want callers and lots of them?

I retort...

1. Over 2 million plus hands, as computed using pokerstove, 10-9 offsuit wins heads up a bit over 50% of the time when you push preflop like this vs a random hand. In the red zone you welcome a coin toss. Even three handed, you're sporting a 35% chance against a random spectrum of hands 1.9 million hands randomly generated, once again using pokerstove.

2. AA and other premium hands gain more value in raising/pushing than they give up in being multi-way (Small stakes hold'em - Ed Miller et. al twoplustwo publishing). Plus, you're pushing all the time! Peeps are catching on... or so they think. Let them run into the brick wall.

Bottom line, you must turn your weakness (absence of postflop betting power) into a strength. Let your opposition take a chance in calling you. You're the one wise to take the coinflip... and the added possibility of everyone folding to your antics makes this move ever profitable in the red zone.

Tommorrow, we'll summarize that which we've discussed over the last five portions to endgame strategy. See you tonight at Titan.

CheckRayz free poker tournament tonight

The CheckRayz poker tournament leaderboard race heats up once again tonight. CheckRayz are hosting a private $100 freeroll at Titan Poker. To be eligable to play, you need only be a member of CheckRayz - registration with CheckRayz is free. Password is available on the poker tourney schedule page. You must be logged into the site in order to generate the tourney password.

Mike




Poker Tournament Strategy
Endgame Strategy
Poker Tournaments

Poker News and Tourneys to Watch...

Poker Tournaments of note and poker in the news...


River Belle:

13 Mar 1pmEST $5000 Guaranteed $25+2.50 freezeout

13 Mar 3.30pmEST $19K Guaranteed 10+1 R/A

15, 16 Mar 8.45pmEST WSOP Shorthanded Super Satellite Qualifier $25+2

18 Mar 4pmEST WSOP Shorthanded Shorthanded Qualifier $150+10 (via SS Qualifier)

Pokertime:

13 Mar 9pmEST Shark Poker Tour Fat $300 Freeroll

Titan Poker

14 Mar 9pm EST CheckRayz $100 Freeroll listed as "C-Rayz"

15 Mar 10pm EST CheckRayz $1+.10 R/A $150 added "donkfest"

Poker4ever:

6pm & 11pm EST Nightly $1000 Guaranteed $30+3 Freezeout... Huge underlay every night, its seemed!

Hollywood Poker:

16 March 10pm $500 added Michael Woods Celebrity Invitational fully equipped with Celebrity Bounties...

13-16 March 9pm EST 20K Guaranteed $20+2 1 rebuy and addon allowed during hour 1.

17 March 12pm EST $15K Guaranteed $20+2 R/A



Noteworthy Poker News

Anti-Gambling Crusade is a bad bet

Shark Powered Network in the News...

Online Gambling Prohibition Proposal Conflicts with WTO Ruling

BoDog CEO's house raided

MissT74's WSOP Qualifiers Begin

Poker.com has their first female WSOP winner

AP Deals 300 million hands

North American Poker Tour Announces Inaugeral Tournament









Poker News
Poker Tournaments

Poker Related Ramblings over the weekend...

What an experience this weekend has been for me at the tables. I took my first shot at a "bigger game" on Saturday. I read several poker blogs, some are listed on my "blogs of note," others not. One of the bloggers who I read regularly, Tanya, is putting together a series of small, private WSOP satellites. She was kind enough to allow the "drunken donk" to participate in her first event. I'm generally not easily rattled, as I sport nerves of steal - don't even need to add alcohol for that. However, going into this match, I was nervous as hell. I suspect the monitors of everyone on my table were shaking from my nervousness (I shared this with a few of the CheckRayz regulars, and had a few responses to this, which I will both feature and comment on this week in the "mailbag". There were some big names (at least to me) in this event and definitely some heavy hitters.

The first pot I got involved with, I had AKo UTG. So of course, I know that I'd like to raise with this hand preflop (4th or 5th hand played, blinds 10/20 all stacks around 1500). But nervous as all hell, and telling myself to correctly raise, I make "the right decision" and limp. Randers, sitting to my right, also limps, Qdog completes in the small, and Bill checks on the big. 4 deep on the six seater and we see floppage of 6-K-10, with the king and ten suited to my ace of hearts. Blinds check to me, I open with a bet of T-50, just over half the pot. Randers raises me an additional 90, making it T-140. Action folds to me, and I bump it up to T-300. Randers calls. Pot contains 680 tourney bux and the turn brings a 5 of hearts, putting the flush on the board. Nerves of rubber at this point, I incorrectly check. I'm not going to get a read if I don't bet and I'm sending Randers a blank check to bluff into me, so of course I check, go figure. Randers fires off a 480 bet to me, which I can't bring myself to call. I fold, he shows KQo, neither of which were hearted and takes down the pot.

This of course, discourages me... and I begin questioning my every move or lack of move. Blinds begin increasing, causing my stack to be shorter and shorter. Blinds at 25/50, I'm sitting with 395 chips and knowing damn well I need to make a move. Nerves calmed a bit, and I'm ready to play ball. Few hands into it, I'm dealt 9's in the SB. Obie shoots out a raise to 250 and action folds around to me. This is a good opportunity to make my move, I figure, as a coin toss is fine with me in the red zone. Though, it should be noted, I'd prefer to be the opener in this matter. I raise him to allin. He makes the easy call, flips over tens to my nines. Obie's nines hold up and its nh and gg... I bounced out in 16th place (out of 20).

As I had said over and over, I was very nervous pregame, and my nerves got the best of me while playing, specifically early on. I now know what to expect and can say I played in a very tough game, one in which I'd never previously experienced. Nerves aside, I know where I stand and what I need to do to improve. That being said, I'm not saying I can "win"... but surely, a focused beer guy can compete. I do plan on participating in another one of Tanya's thirty planned private WSOP Satellite events, should she have an opening and choose to have me back. The price of tuition can be steep, but I'm committed to continuing my evlolution as a poker playa and will do what it takes.

Unfortunately... or fortunately (however you look at it) Sharky held his 15K Guaranteed Satellite freeroll via his sharp looking Online Shark poker site at Titan Poker. I say unfortunately only because I had something to prove in that tourney and was soooooooo on a mission. Sharky might have the "toothless (plus one) aggression" but the Beer Guy was straight up "Ruthless Aggression" in this tourney, mowing down damn near anyone in his way. From hour one break on, I was either on the "lead lap" or dictating the pace, sitting first in chip stack. Final table comes around, which was certainly a tough, tight, smart and aggressive final table from a field of 581. The field is down to the final four, with three seats up for grabs. I'm sitting second in chip count (M over 20), both the third and fourth stacks were in the Orange zone. Chip leader, to my left calls cleanly, button (shortest stack) folds. SB completes and I check it, holding 7-8 suited to hearts. Flop comes 9-6-K, with the nine and six both being hearts. The only way this flop is more perfect is if the king was either hearted, or was a 5 or ten of hearts. Although, a perfect flop rarely gives one any action.

Short stack fires off an all-in bet at me. Quickly crunching the numbers, any heart is an out (9 unseen), additionally any ten or five is an out as well (3 each, careful to not double count ten and five of hearts). So, I'm sitting on 15 outs most likely. Its possible though that he has a draw to the flush, but I'm willing to take this chance. Rough math tells me I'm in a freeroll situation, with odds of hitting being at about 54% with two cards to come (.85:1 against). I make the call, SB turns over a set of nines. I can't hit the broad side of not just the barn... but any barn for that matter, as none of my 15 cards hit the board, thus I am shot down.

Short stacked, I make a respectable push, just exiting the red zone. I misplayed a SB-BB special though, even asking for the right to rewind to pre-flop, which was politely declined. Few hands later, I check the BB, and push allin on the turn on a semi-bluff when no one was showing any real interest in staking claims to the pot. However, I ran into top pair and yer drunken hero was sent home all alone after last call. Great tourney, no less and some phenominal final table work by all.

News and commentary tommorrow... enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Mike



Poker Tournaments
Thoughts on Poker

Thoughts and the Infamous Friday Night Mailbag...

Time sure flies when you're having fun. That being said, off to my thoughts on the week, followed by the mailbag.

Twelve things I think I think (cuz ten just isn't enough)...

1. The race for the CheckRayz Poker Leaderboard Championship is really heating up.

2. I could have went off a dozen more forevers addressing the proposed online gambling legislation and probably will do so a dozen more times until the Bill is killed.

3. This post, by poker blogger FeliciaLee is by far one of the better commentaries regarding poker fourms and blogging I have EVER read.

4. Then again, her poker blog is a great read as a whole, with compelling commentary, strategy, and talk of real life in general. So really, I shouldn't have expected anything less than to find top notch postings! I found her blog through "MissT74's" poker blog, which is also on my top reads listings. These two keep it real and compelling, causing me to "tune in" regularly... Thanks for consistantly bringing it!

5. Speaking of MissT74, she's putting together some great private events, which I have all intentions of participating in.

6. And yet another great post by Sharky, this one regarding improving your poker game.

7. Speaking of great things, I spoke extensively with the rep from River Belle Poker, and suspect there are great things to come courtesy of CheckRayz and River Belle.

8. When surfing around for new poker bloggage, I discovered I won an award for poker blogger of the week in the end of February?

9. Dude would have surely got a link-back, had he made me aware I was in the running or that I was selected.

10. He still can if he sends me an email.

11. Little brother and I are going to be busy pushing updates through the Rayz site.

12. I'm really going to get around to adding a topic archive to this poker blog of mine, honest!

Going from the mind of the drunken madman, to the mailbag of the drunken mad man. No better way to get to know someone other than listening to them ramble then going through their mail, right?

Friday Night Mailbag... *Morning edition (I was up earlier than usual today)

Beer Guy - I really enjoyed reading about the continuing adventures of "SuperDonk." When are you gonna write more about me... errrr I mean him? Signed, "That Guy."

Dear "That Guy" errrr, I mean "SuperDonk"... First of all, your delete key works, if you were trying to be sneaky in attempting to get more press anonymously, wouldn't you have used it, as opposed to changing from first person to third person acting like it was a mistake?

Wait a minute, silly question on my part... you're "SuperDonk" and surely know no better. You probably think that by pressing the delete key, you type the word "delete," which to you, deleting something is about as difficult as laying a sorry-ass hand down preflop to a raise, isn't that right ya Donk?

Beer - When we play a hand "the right play," it is not such a great consolation when you lose anyway. The other day I was in a sng BB at 300, 5 people in the game and I have second largest stack (and was steady all along). I get a KK, I raised, we are in to see the flop, JJ9, I raise 900, the big stack (fairly loose player) re-raises me - I go all in. He had AT, I am worried about the ace and the Ten is no good for him in my mind, only an A, so I feel pretty good. Next card is a Q. And of course, the river brings a K giving this guy the straight. Now if he got an Ace, “ I would have just cursed, but to get the unlikely runner runner straight, that is just too much!

By the way, I guess it is intentional that there is no Bad Beats section on the sharks forum, maybe sharks do not wine and cry, but it does feel good to do so. It takes a load off. Judith

Judith,

Great email! First, there is indeed a bad beat thread in the Shark Forum. If you click on Born!, you'll see his bad beat thread is listed first. Second, the trick of poker, in my opinion is to take satisfaction in knowing you played a hand perfectly, and the cards through some sick miracle came around to beating you. You raised with KK, the big stack should not have got involved with you, being the second stack, while holding A-10. The flop of JJ9 should have been where he'd have made his graceful exit to your flop raise, as his A10 could not possibly be the best hand... Then again, he probably wasn't even aware the world outside his hand exists. When he raised, and you came overtop and pushed allin, once again, you made the correct play.

The difference between a good and great poker player, among a few other things, is that a great player can see that he or she played a hand to perfection and still lost, and won't make adjustments (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). Your read was on, your hand was best, and he won via a miracle, period... nothing to fix. A good player will be inclined to change his or her play because of this "bad beat." Don't do it! Stay the course. That hand plays out from the flop on, you win about 76% of the time, so stick with what you've done.

Other letters:

Beer Dude, Where can I find a good odds chart?

I just came across one, as a matter of fact as I was reading from the pokerstars blog. Here's your odds chart.

Beer, First I wish to say I enjoyed your pokertracker talk. Are you going to talk more on this? Also, doesn't this worry you, breaking down your play for everyone to see?

Thanks for the commentary on my pokertracker commentary. I have to say... I am not the least bit worried about discussing my ring game stats nor tourney strategery on this blog. I feel that my game is strong enough that breaking it down for the world to see isn't going to statistically impact my overall results in a negative manner at all. Additionally, I've found that by talking strategy, I've not only helped other people to make adjustments to their game, but I also make myself a better poker player because I force myself to reflect on my game... Reflection on one's actions and strategy is definitely a good thing.

And finally...

Beer, Why's your tourney listed as "C-Rayz" on Titan?

Simple, Titan's new policy is to make it difficult for private tourney hoppers to hop poker league sites, which in turn puts them on to different poker rooms, which results in Titan giving business away... Or, at least that's how I interpret it. Personally, I'd prefer the poker tourney to be listed as CheckRayz. C-Rayz, however, works... for now.

Mike


Bonus section:

In comments, Sirfwalgman asks:

Do you really like that move with KK? Guy could have easily had Jx, especially if he is a donkey. I think I would have found a better spot.

To which, I retort:

I like that move for the following reasons (keeping in mind that I did not have the complete context of the hand or tourney, other than that the loose big stack called the second largest stack preflop or the actual amounts bet or the true details, for that matter).

Judith was first to open, which she showed strength. Flop comes JJ9. Judith continues her bet, which is a somewhat logical play whether or not the board hits. Loose bully boy comes over top of her. Could this be a steal attempt? Did the flop help him? If so, how much did it help?
That being said, let's think about what makes most sense here. We know what Judith has preflop. Big donk calls cleanly. To me, this suggests small pp or Ax as the MOST logical reason to call. I'm not worried about A-big at this point, nor am I worried about big pp's.
Flop comes, board is paired with jacks. I'm not AS worried about A-J, KJ. While these two hands are possible, I don't think the clean call preflop makes sense, I think loosey-goosey reraises with those hands, though we'll consider it a possibility no less.

Rounding out the logical hands that could both call a preflop raise AND come over top of her, being a steal move or not... we'll look at AA (would have most likely reraised), KK (highly unlikely), QQ (possible but wouldn't he have reraised?), JJ (also unlikely), 1010, 99, maybe 88. Also, AK s/u (would have likely reraised), AQ s/u, AJ s/u, A10 s/u, A9s, KQs/u. If he is a huge donk, he could even be making this move with 77-22, though moreso unlikely.

Reads he has on her, and likely or unlikely hands aside, let's compile the "logical hands" he could have and how we fair against them. As for pp's, we're behind to AA, 99 but on the redraw. We're dead to JJ. We're ahead of QQ, 1010, 88-22, though they're subject to redraw with two cards to come. Queen ten suited is highly unlikely, but we'll consider it.

We're pretty much well ahead of AKs, AKu, AQs, AQu, A10s, A10o, each needing two cards to come, and ahead of KQs. We're also leading against A9s, though he's thinking he's ahead if this is the case, I'm sure, cuz that is how a donk would think (call with A-mid, bet out or raise up if the board hits him in the kicker).

So quick count, she's ahead against about 17 logical hands, and subject to redraw with two or more outs if the tables turn. Drawing dead to one hand JJ. Behind with 99 or AA as her opposition. And against an unfavorable draw if against Q10s, though it could be worse and you're not holding two of the four outs he's counting (your KK) if he even considers that you have cards in your hand. That being said, there are three hands that are beating her right now, one of which drawing dead, two of which she's subject to redraw.

With a very quick count of 17 ahead, three behind (this is a rough count, by the way, just going through my progression here --- not an exact count or an exact science for that matter, so please pardon any math errors or hands I missed --- unless we find thirty hands she's behind in, of course).

He comes over top of her raise. She really has two choices, reraise to allin or fold. My guess is that the pot odds, combined with the odds above (17 ahead, three behind, one drawing dead), make the allin an overwhelming favorite of a move for me... I personally do not see myself folding there, especially considering the hand I give him the most probability of holding is Ace nine suited, cuz that makes most sense given his weak call preflop.

Just my thought though. And I'm thinking that if I'm at the table, putting in a preflop raise, which is called, and then I bet out, he comes over top of me, coming over top of him and will win this hand to showdown much more often than not.

Just my opinion though.

Thoughts on Poker
CheckRayz Mailbag

"politics and poker" - Offtopic Thursday

CheckRayz Heads-up Challenge tonight...

Tonight, CheckRayz will be putting on their first ever Heads-up poker challenge at Celeb Poker. We did try this once before, however an oversight on my part prevented the heads up tourney from being such (it was configured incorrectly and I never caught it). So, tonight's event should be exciting. $50 added to the prize pool with a $5+.50 entry and leaderboard points on the line. First hands are dealt at 9pm EST.

With that out of the way, we move on to "off-topic Thursday," which is going to only be semi-off topic as we're gonna talk politics and poker.

Politics and Poker

Before I even get into this, which I can see myself being very long winded about, I'd like to call to arms all of my readers, and fellow poker players to arms immediately. There's a ridiculous bill being pushed through congress trying to outlaw online poker play. That being said, sign up with Poker Player's Alliance today and stand up against this ridiculous bill trying to be forced upon us.

In mid February of this year, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, the idiot representative from Virginia, introduced legislation, which if passed, may ban online poker play.

The idiot representative from Virginia, in his proposal, groups poker in with other "games of chance." As we all know, poker is a game of skill... the state lottery - game of chance, poker - game of skill. We all know he won't propose banning the lottery, which is nothing more than chance. Go figure, keep the games of chance with worse odds that line the pockets of government, while banning that which requires skill.

To you, Mr. idiot representative from Virginia and anyone else mindlessly following, I say this to thee:

1. Gambling, like horse racing, slot machines, lotteries, prostitution (see Nevada), abortion, and gay marriage is a STATE ISSUE, not a federal issue. If our citizens of the United States are permitted to go to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Reno, and to Riverboat Casinos, casinos located on Indian Reservations, or the local dog/horse track just across the state borders to play the slots (once again, game of chance --- no skill involved), it is obvious that this is a state issue, not a federal issue.

2. Are you concerned with minors having access to gambling? Or people running up credit card bills? Spend your time and efforts to help support positive parenting and debt management, pal.

3. Is this a way for you to infringe upon our constitutionally given right to free speech by banning online gaming? We were all up on China's jock when they were "forcing" their citizens to not be "allowed" to view and access certain things on the world wide web. Are you next planning to seek restrictions of the natural growth of the internet? Planning on sticking a virtual flagpole somewhere in cyberspace claiming it as your own? What then? Ban anyone's site or content who speaks out against your narrow minded views on the world? Hell, why not go one step further and ban anyone who "might" vote against the idiot representative from Virginia when you next run for re-election? That would be a great idea, wouldn't it, Bob?

4. I have a better idea. Why not work to regulate it? Do you remember US History 101 from your more youthful college days? Sure ya do. Think about Prohibition? You do remember hearing about prohibition, don't you? I'm not quite sure, but wasn't this the amendment to the constitution that banned the manufacturing, sale, and transport of alcohol? Didn't this make "moonshining," and "bootlegging" the fashionable thing to do until the amendment was repealed? Did this prohibition of alcohol not also ensure that the quality of alcohol was not regulated? And also, did this not push the money, and business to the hands of organized criminal organizations who could freely put out an inferior product to its client base who were clearly there, without giving uncle sam a slice of the pie? Rumor has it that Papa Joe made his millions due to this hostile federal act, later paving the way for Ted to drive off the bridge and leave his mistress for dead.

I recall seeing the sixty minutes episode a while back where the former Party Gaming CEO called out for the United State's assistance in regulating online gaming, to help ensure that fly by night organizations will not be cheating the world out of their bankroll. He is an expert in the field, but surely... just like you, he's in this for his own good, protecting his own self interests, right? I mean he couldn't POSSIBLY be speaking as an expert when he is so obviously tied to the industry now could he be?

5. Is it because online gaming could be "rigged?" Or because people could "cheat?" Don't people "count cards" in the b&m casinos too? Isn't there a chance that two people sitting at a table could work out a system to communicate in the "real world" as well? Remember here... we're looking for consistency, which you are receiving very low scores in. I suggest you click on that word to first see what it means. Pay careful attention to definitions 3a and 3b.

6. Could it be that you're really looking to help ensure that brick and mortor casinos keep the money flowing both to them and to you? If that is not the case, Mr idiot rep from Virginia, you'd be looking to ban all types of games of chance, which would include those held on "real property" and in cyberspace. Face it, this is at best a state issue with federal oversight required. Tax it, regulate it, don't even think about banning it. Nuff said...

Mike

*** Feel free to link to and/or comment on this post as you see fit. The above are my thoughts and my thoughts alone. I welcome commentary on all sides of this issue and will respond to each and every one, as appropriate. Republishing of the above editorial without my written permission is forbidden.







Poker

Legal
Thoughts on Poker
Politics & Poker

Endgame Strategy pt.IV

This post is part of a continuing series of Endgame poker tourney discussion, based largely in part on the works and writing of Dan Harrington and meant as a suppliment to, not a replacement for his books Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 & 2.

These articles are meant to be read in succession of one another. That being said, click to review the articles on Endgame Strategy pt. I... Endgame Strategy pt II.... and Endgame Strategy pt. III.

Playing in the Orange

If we recall from earlier reading, we wish to spend as much time as possible playing in the Green Zone, having an M above 20. There our entire playbook is at our disposal. We can run any "play" we see fit. As our M decreases, due to volatility, bad beats, and ever increasing blinds, we must adjust our play. Yesterday we discussed playing with our M between 10-20... the Yellow Zone. Today, we're covering what our playbook looks like in the Orange Zone, when our M is between 6 and ten.

Just like in our yellow zone, small pairs and suited connectors aren't "doing" it for us. Our implied odds are not great enough to justify such hands. Here the power of being first to open the pot is beginning to be of extreme importance. We're not looking to play hands simply because the pot odds "seem too good to pass up." Our goal in orange zone is to steal or double up.

We're conserving our energy to make powerful moves. We want to act first and push all-in. Its straight forward and that simple. At tighter tables, when we're near the bubble or low in the money, we're going to do this quite often. We're trying to break out of the orange zone, we lack betting power through an entire hand, so we want to take our absence of betting power, and our first in vigorish and turn that into an asset, a weapon... as opposed to letting it show up as a liability on our "tournament balance sheet."

Think this one through a little bit. You're sitting at a table, late in the tourney, you've got a decent chip stack and are in the cutoff. A person, who is second to act opens the pot with an all-in move. His chip count is approximately six times the pot he just opened. Action folds around to you. You look down at your hole cards and see sixes in the hole... maybe even A-10, A-9, KJs, etc. You think about calling as the clock is ticking. You think your hand has a shot at the pot, however, you're not wanting to put your tourney life on the line here and raise up and over his move, fearing another caller behind you, either in the blinds or on the button. Additionally, you do not wish to be multi-way in this pot, in fear of the loose blinds getting correct odds to call, should the button also decide to get involved. You're also not wanting to call, in fear of a reraise and being "stuck." Time is a tickin' and you decide to fold, as does everyone else.

The bottom line is that later in a tourney people do not want to make a critical mistake. They fear making these calls because they either wish to coast into the money, they fear running into a monster, or they wish not to be mowed down, crippled and/or drawn on. I've even witnessed incidents where players have laid down Queens, AKs, and once KK to a move of this nature. Being the first to push has its benefits, especially near the bubble and when the table is tight by nature.

This first in, all in move is profitable because of the amount of times you'll accomplish a steal. And additionally, when you are called, you're called down with a monster (statistically, you're not highly likely to run into a "monster") and when you do, you're not really that much of an underdog anyways. So picking and choosing your entry points and bringin' it with "authorita" is the way to play in the Orange Zone.

We'll continue our "strategery" talk next week, with more on the zones.

CheckRayz "Housekeeping Items"...

1. Celeb Poker are currently having some "technical difficulties" after their upgrade last night. It seems that several peeps who registered for tonight's $100 freeroll have been deleted from registration. I've been in touch with the Celeb Rep, who is on the case and hopes to have the previous registrations restored. That being said, log on to the Celeb Poker Room and make sure you're currently registered, even going so far as to register a second time. On behalf of Celeb Poker, I appologize for this glitch.

2. The CheckRayz Heads-up Challenge registers tonight beginning at 9pm, and is scheduled to deal on Thursday at 9pm EST.

3. I have several upcoming events listed on my actual calendar, however, I won't place them in the database until they've been officially listed by the corresponding poker rooms. That being said, take a look at our poker tourney calendar, and make a note of the upcoming events. Keep checking with the CheckRayz poker tournament schedule to obtain passwords as they become available.

4. While you're marking down dates for upcoming poker tournaments, take a look at the sweet tourneys that the chip slingin, poker playing Shark has goin on for your poker playin' enjoyment. Here you'll find his poker tournament calendar. Information to register and play in any of his upcoming events can be obtained either via his website or is Satellite Poker Tournament websites.

Tommorrow, being off-topic Thursday, we'll see how lost and scatter brained we can get. See you then!

Mike




Poker Tournament Strategy
Endgame Strategy
Poker Tournaments

Endgame Strategy pt. 3

This post is part of a continuing series of Endgame poker tourney discussion, based largely in part on the works and writing of Dan Harrington and meant as a supplement to, not a replacement for his books Harrington on Holdem Volume 1 & 2.

These articles are meant to be read in succession of one another. That being said, click to review the articles on Endgame Strategy pt. I... and on Endgame Strategy pt II.

For freeroll poker tourneys and money-added tournaments, or to learn how to maximize your poker deposit bonus join the Online Poker Circuit - The OPC!

Yellow Zone Play

Recalling from last week, we want to spend as much of the tourney as possible in the Green Zone. However, increasing blinds, in addition to volatility often push us back into lower zones. The yellow zone lies directly below the Green Zone. Our M (chip stack/(big blind + small blind) is between ten and twenty. We're definitely not in "danger" here, but we're definitely not in the most comfortable of positions here either, considering we're looking to win this event, not merely "coast" into the low money.

In the yellow zone, we'll begin becoming more aggressive in our starting hands selection, lowering slightly our standards for raises and calls. In this zone, we'll begin to focus more on higher cards (playing KJs, or A10s from the early positions) and we'll be less likely to play our fours or fives early. In fact, we're wanting to only play our fours or fives/other small pocket pairs when the pot is unraised, and there are three-four limpers in the pot, in addition to the big blind. Furthermore, should we not flop our set, we're "off like a prom dress" at the first sign of action. Additionally, limping with smaller-mid suited connectors here no longer is suitable. Both of which are due largely in part to the fact that we must take down a huge pot in order for the sm pp/sm-mid suited connectors to be long term profitable. For these reasons, we're wanting to lower our raising standards and calling standards, with respect to the minimum playing standards we maintain, yet we're also at the same time, wishing to raise the floor of those hands which we will play and the situations we're choosing to play in.

Tommorrow, we'll continue on and discuss orange zone strategy.

CheckRayz Note

As a reminder, registration opens tonight at 9pm EST for the CheckRayz $100 free poker tournament at Celeb Poker, which is scheduled for this Wednesday at 9pm EST. The CheckRayz Heads up Challenge, also at Celeb Poker, will open for registration at the start of the Freeroll, and will hold on Thursday at 9pm EST. Additionally, the CheckRayz poker tour leaderboard will be updated soon this week. I appologize for the lack of update after this weekend's exciting events, however, my brother (CheckRayz webmaster) has been tending to his son, who has been struggling with ear infection after ear infection.

Mike




Poker Tournament Strategy
Endgame Strategy
Poker Tournaments

News in the Poker world...

Doyle's room makes move for ex-party CEO

Coverage of 2006 NBC Heads up Championship.

2006 NBC Heads-up Championship now down to elite 8 (bracket).

2006 NBC Heads-Up Championship Audio

WPT Takes on New Look

CheckRayz 2006 Leaderboard To be Reset 03/31 - plans for quarterly format

CheckRayz have announced they will be doing a quarterly poker tournament leaderboard. Each year, there will be four leaderboard tours. At the end of each tour, there will be three exclusive leaderboard events. The first of which will be an invitational freeroll, in which all people who received Leaderboard points will be eligable for the quarter. The second will be the Leaderboard showdown, a money added tournament exclusive to the CheckRayz leaderboard's top ten.

The leaderboard invitational tournament is meant to be a "player's appreciation" tourney, made to reward both strong play and loyalty. The top ten tourney is designed to crown the quarterly champion. Plans are also in the works to host an end of the year champion's tourney, to include the winners of each of the invitational tourneys as well as the leaderboard showdown winners. This event will also be a ten person money added sit n go. In the event there are duplicate winners, CheckRayz will "award" seats as admin sees appropriate to fill the table.

Further details, including date, location, and money added will be announced later this month for the first quarter leaderboard invitational. Details on the 2006 leaderboard showdown event will be announced later in he year. Additionally, the leaderboard will be expanded this week on the CheckRayz site to show the entire leaderboard.

Tommorrow, we're back to strategy, continuing on with our talk on endgame.

Mike



Poker News
CheckRayz Announcements

Poker Tournaments of note for the upcoming week

After pretty much taking the week off last week, I am prepared to get my poker playing back into full swing. Look out donks, the drunken beer gawd is back! In addition to slappin' some "ass" on the poker tables, I will be looking to take in some poker tournament action. Below is a list of poker tournaments that I've deemed to be interesting, compelling... and just might be worth playing. I'm not necessarily "committing" to playing in all of these events, although I will have my eye on them, and am really making this post for both your benefit and mine!

Sunday

2pm Hollywood Poker Celebrity Classic $10+1 $500 added - always fun to play in this extraloose event, tryin to collect bounties on the celebs who are in. Sidenote, not that I am an omaha player,but I noticed several omaha tourneys at Hollywood Poker, which I am sure a few of my readers may be interested in.

3pm - CheckRayz DonkFest at Kiwi Poker. $1+.10 fully equipped with rebuys and addons. Bet yer "ass" (read: player to yer right) that I'll be there.Sunday

7pm - NZ Poker Championship Super Satellite. $200+15. I'm wanting this trip, and with such a small field, I may just enter.

11pm - $1000 Guaranteed. New poker room, sure to be an overlay. Great software, look and feel.

Monday

1.30pm - $5K Guaranteed. 25+2.50 - freezeout.

3.30pm - $19K Guarantee. $10+1 - rebuy, addon.

Sidenote, every day at 4pm - Poker Night Live. $10+1. No overlay or money added here, however, your chance to be a star. These events are televised in part. Great opportunity to make someone famous!

Wednesday

11am. 2K Guaranteed. $10+1 - freezeout. at Bodog - I know what you're saying... "Beer guy, you always bitch about getting sucked out on at bodog! WTF?"I know I know... The overlays are just too sweet to pass up. And there will surely be an overlay here.

3.45pm - WSOP Ladies Super Satellite Qualifier. $15.20+1.30. 1 in five qualify for 25 March event. Of course, I cannotplay in this one, but my understanding is that my female demographics regarding my readership are through the roof! Rise upand represent!!!

8.45pm - WSOP Short Handed Super Satellite Qualifier. $25+2 - feeder to WSOP Shorthanded Super Satellite. 1 in 6 win a seat to the 18 March event. (I'm a short handed playa, bet yer ass imma enter this one).

9pm - CheckRayz Freeroll at Celeb Poker. $100 freeroll poker tournament, reg opens tuesday 9pm, race ya there.

Thursday

9pm - CheckRayz Heads Up Poker Challenge at Celeb Poker. $5+.50, $50 added. Our first ever heads up MTT Challenge. Registration begins at 9pm on Wednesday.

Friday

9pm - Bounty tournament. $25+2. Bounty at Doyle's? Nuff said, count me in.

Saturday

8.30pm. $20K Guaranteed at Bodog. $35+3 with rebuys/addons. I play this and singlehandedly ruin the overlay...

All for now. Tommorrow we look at news in the world of poker, and of course my thoughts as they apply to said news (plus, we'll surely "fabricate" some news of my own)...

Mike



Poker Tournaments

Random Poker Room Ramblings...

As with the beginning of every month, since I've started this poker tournament endeaver at CheckRayz, I've taken most of the week off, with respect to my typical poker room play, in order to organize the month ahead. Now, I admit I was already ahead of the curve as far as having organized several free poker tournaments, in addition to money added poker tournaments prior to the month's end. I am, however, also working to bring you more new and innovative poker rooms to add to the already impressive arsenal of poker rooms that CheckRayz offers. Additionally, I'm in the process of adding/modifying my poker links directory, with intentions of adding links to poker forums, poker leagues, poker blogs, and compelling, thought provoking poker commentary in which I both approve of, and find value in.

Additionally, I plan to organize the poker promotions and bonuses page. Neither little brother (the webmaster) nor I are graphics types of guys, so this becomes the most challenging part for me. I'm all marketing and planning in my background. And I am a quick learner. However, I have yet to be able to draw something as simple as a stick figure, and have someone positively identify it. Same with organizing a room, with respect to furnature placement... not an area I'm strong in. So, this whole organizing a webpage is something else I am weak in. However, I plan to give it my all and am sure that with a little overtime, I'll come up with something that is not an eyesore.

It will be at this time (when I get that page organized) that we'll be introducing some new poker rooms to our community. I'm really excited as to what the month of March has to offer at CheckRayz. We've already blew the River Belle out of the water, holding a sweet money added poker tourney there on Wednesday. We can skip over this past Thursday... nuff said.

Last night, we took Hollywood by storm, packing 15 of the best poker players into a private $200 event there. End result was some phenominal poker play, new faces on the official CheckRayz Poker Tour Leaderboard - which will be updated again this weekend. Looks as if for now, the drunken donk is still sitting on top, despite relativey early exits from both events, with Texas Dan taking total ownership of me. Both tourneys, first to act I pushed allin, being relatively short stacked with respect to my M. Both times, I had KJo. Both time, Dan said bye, then called/came over top. Both times, I fell victim to Dan's bullets. Anyone got a calculator to figure the odds? In the final two tourneys of launch week, I think I am going to both avoid pushing with KJo, AND just straight up request a table change when Dan's at my table. He a monster and totally owning "Don Keg." I stand a better chance blinding out than I do heads up with him in mid to late poker tourney action.

Finally, the rumours are indeed true. We're actually holding a real Heads-up holdem poker tournament in the upcoming week. The tourney will take place at Celeb Poker and contain an added $50 to the prize pool. This heads-up holdem poker tourney will take place on March 9, 2006 at 9pm EST, and will be one day after the $100 free poker tournament we're holding at Celeb Poker, which is on March 8, 2006 at 9pm. To enter either of the poker tournaments, one must first be a card playing member of CheckRayz. Second, you must download the poker room from the link provided by one of the CheckRayz sites. A side note, registration for the events open 24 hours prior to the tourney start time.

While the registration process begins pretty much last minute - to avoid sitouts as per Celeb's policy, I would not wait until the 11th hour (read: 8.30pm on the day of the tourney of choice) to register. Celeb have pushed out an update or three since the last time CheckRayz held an event there. Consequently, it may take time to get er done. No password is necessary for either event. Oh, and another thing, don't believe the checkrayz database if it tells you you're successfully registered for the event. There's a glitch, which is part of the "known issues" that my brother and I are currently working on, that tells you you're already entered, when in fact you're not. That being said, do not believe the database, as its "lying." Go to Celeb, find the tourney and register.

Have a great weekend everyone, more to write about soon. See you at Kiwi today at 1 for the freeroll and tommorrow for the "donk fest."

Mike



Thoughts on Poker
CheckRayz Announcements
Poker

Mailbag!!!

Friday night... Don't fret, we have a full mailbag. But first, thoughts of the week...

Ten Things I Think I Think...

1. TexasDan owns me. Actually, his Aces own me. Twice I was launched from CheckRayz poker tournaments by acting first, low M, pushing allin by Dan. Both times, I held KJo, he held aces.

2. What are the odds of that happening twice in one week?

3. The combined schedule of CheckRayz poker events and Shark poker events is an impressive sight.

4. I have a feeling that the number of events for March is still growing.

5. Can you imagine what April's poker tourney schedule is gonna look like?

6. I really like the feel and blinds structure of River Belle's poker tourneys.

7. I'm looking forward to a great summer of reading, with Sklansky, Harrington and Miller all coming out with books in May.

8. I'm really enjoying reading Tanya's Poker Blog.

9. I'm looking forward to playing in... and winning one of her sweet wsop events.

10. Its mailbag time.

Mailbag

First bit of mail comes from just about everyone who received a newsletter and clicked on touchstone's link.

Beer,

I can't get signed up for the tourney... Help.

I updated the FAQ - twice actually on the freeroll poker blog. The event ended up being a disaster. I pulled the plug on it, but it still held. All I have to say is that it was a learning experience... A frustrating lesson. Future tourneys will not be this difficult... ever.

Beer Guy,

When will the money added from River Belle Poker and Hollywood Poker transfer?

The money added will transfer three business days tops from the respective tourney dates. RB and I weren't able to get the $$$ added prior, I expect it to credit to ya by Monday. Hollywood's standard protocol with us is three days after. I'll be following up with each of them.

Hi Beer Man,

You ever gonna leave the top of your leaderboard?

You gonna knock me off of it? Don't just sing it... Bring it!

speaking of knocking me off...

Hi - what's a launch bonus?

The money collected, that I add, out of my own pocket (my beer money), to knock me out of one of our poker tournaments. Trying to give the peeps incentive to knock the donk off the top of the checkrayz poker tour leaderboard.

Finally, we'll conclude with the email of the week...

Beer,

Is that a Heads up poker tourney you have listed on your poker tournament calendar at Celeb Poker?

Sure is! $50 added to the prize pool, and the day after the freeroll poker tourney we're holding at Celeb Poker.

Mike











Thoughts on Poker
CheckRayz Mailbag

Offtopic Thursday...

Housekeeping Items

1. Regarding the CheckRayz Poker Pub Blog, I think I'm going to follow the following format regarding my posting habbits, to keep some sort of consistancy to my blog postings.

Monday - Poker News
Tuesday - Strategy
Wednesday - Strategy
Thursday - off-topic posts
Friday - Thoughts on the week that was and the ever so popular Friday night mailbag
Saturday-Sunday - Whatever I feel like posting, with hopes of doing a regular... or semi-regular guest spot.

That being said, I'm going to begin today and go off topic, continuing endgame strategy on Tuesday. Eventually, I'll get around to reworking the archives so that each topic will be appropriately archived.

Upcoming Kentucky Derby

I've been somewhat of a fan of the month of March. Not just because of the March Madness either. I've had quite the string of luck in betting the ponys over the past few years, specifically at the kentucky derby. I got "lucky" and nailed the trifecta two years ago, getting behind a relatively unknown Smarty Jones before it was fashionable to do so. I also got behind Giacomo for the derby last year, in addition to Closing Arguement, both of which I lost interest in as the triple crown progressed.

I have a "formula" I use to pick my Derby favorites. I've not yet even begun to crunch numbers, and do not dabble in the futures pools that are out there, however, I'm taking a liking to two of the contenders of the derby field, First Samurai is really standing out in my mind - especially if he makes it to the Derby and the track is sloppy. I'm also liking a horse named Sweetnorthernsaint as a value play. Additionally, I'm digging a horse running a bit below the radar right now called Point Determined.

The field will become more clear this weekend where their will be several big prep races, which will show us who the pretenders are. It should be noted that I've got no valid reason to not like the favored Brother Derek, however, he seems like yet another one of those horses who are hyped going into the derby that do not pan out.

These are not my "picks," just my observations with the untrained eye. I'll begin crunching stats and offering thoughts and commentary in the near future.

Football Notes...

You just knew I'd have to find a way to bring football into off topic thursday, given that my Steelers are once again... Your Super Bowl Champions.

It seems there is going to be Chaos in the NFL in the upcoming years, (read, pissing contest between the owners and the NFLPA). This is going to make life difficult going forward for the smaller market clubs, in my mind. I'm not sure I'm liking what I see. Additionally, Cutler is a cut above the rest (of the universe not named Leinart going into the draft), and Vince Young is nothing more than an "also ran." Though, I see Vince landing in Oakland, as big Al loves speed (wouldn't be surprised to see Marcus Vick go there as either a very late round pick or an undrafted free agent either).

Thoughts and the mailbag tommorrow...

Mike



Misc. Offtopic Ramblings

Poker Tourney Update, Endgame Strategy pt. 2...

Endgame Strategy pt II

Yesterday, I spoke of the "playbook," being overly aggressive or picking off the sidelines with 10-15 yd passes while mixing it up with the long bomb, trying to go for higher risk, high reward plays while managing your game clock or grinding it out and running down the clock. Today, we'll discuss how to know which version of your playbook you should be using, and when...

To implement the discussed strategies, be sure to join the Online Poker Circuit.

Dan Harrington (Harrington on Hold em, vol. II: Endgame) discusses his concept on "inflection points," as mentioned yesterday. He goes on to state that two calculations, M and Q are essential to be mindful of at all times.

M is the ratio of your chip stack to the pot preflop and calculated by dividing your stack into (SB+BB+Ante). This gives you your "M" and serves as an indicator of how many times around you can survive if you played no hands. To demonstrate an example, your stack is 1500, blinds are 50/100, no ante. You'd divide your stack, 1500 into the total of the blinds and ante, 150. Doing the simple math, you can easily see that you have an M of ten. Q is simply an observation of your stack, relative to the average chip stack. Higher Q allows for more conservative play while lower Q requires one to open it up a bit more. We'll focus on M today primarily.

Note: The higher your M, the more likely you are (and correctly so) to want to grind it out and run down the clock in a more conservative fashion. The lower the M, the more you're wanting to pick off the sidelines for 10-15 yards, and or try the long bomb. Harrington describes his breakdown of M into different "zones."

Green Zone: M is 20 or more. Ideal place to be. Your entire playbook is available here. You can grind it out, calling and drawing, you can checkraise, limp, raise, reraise, fold. You're in the lead and can feel free to both protect it and take some chances here to further your lead. Your entire book of plays can be used as you smartly see fit.

Yellow Zone: M is between 10-20. Blinds are beginning to pressure you here, and time is beginning to work against you, considering the blind structure of a tourney does not remain flat. It rises over time. Here, you're needing to begin to open up your offense a bit, losing the ability to play conservative, grind it out ball. You're wanting to play hands that normal, conservative play wouldn't necessarily justify. Meaning, you're probably wanting to utilize hands that might not have been previously playable, such as KJo, AJo utg. However, smaller pocket pairs become a throw away hand in this zone.

Orange Zone: M is 6-10. You are totally absent the ability to come over top a raise and reraise here and gain a steal. Hand selection is important, but your timing is of more importance.

Red Zone: M is 1-5. You have 1 move... and only 1 move... "ALL IN" (read: the long bomb).

Dead Zone: M less than one. You're looking for simply a spot to move, along with a prayer or two to be answered.

Tomorrow we'll begin breaking down the zones and respective sections of the play books one by one.

CheckRayz Money added poker tourney on board the River Belle...

Apparently there was a misunderstanding/miscommunication regarding the money added poker tourney scheduled for tonight at River Belle. This tourney was supposed to be at 9pm EST, but got scheduled at 11pm EST and went unnoticed to me til it was pointed out by a CheckRayz member. My apologies for the over site. Unfortunately, this tourney will have to go down at 11pm as scheduled.



Poker Tournament Strategy
Endgame Strategy
Poker Tournaments