Just in case you're hiding in a big rock somewhere and are not aware, Full Tilt is currently offering a bonus simply for playing the game. No deposits required.
This is to entice players to try out their new software. I've already tried it and nothing really major. Just some new snazzy interface in the lobby and new filters on what tables to show. The actual playing table remains the same as far as I can tell. The one significant thing is the ability to cut a deal at the final table in tournaments which was not there before.
The bonus is quite significant, at least $100 to be cleared in 30 days in $10 increments. Not too shabby especially if you already have rakeback in the site.
For an SNG, the bonus is equivalent to about 42% rakeback. Combine this with your normal rakeback of 27% and you'll be essentially getting almost 70% rakeback. It would be criminal to play at other sites at these rates.
So expect to see me mostly playing in Full Tilt the next 30 days trying to clear this bonus. See you around.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Dabbling in Omaha
Lately, I've been incorporating a lot more PL Omaha into my usual games. Usually I'd open 1 table of a Double or Nothing Omaha SNG and mix it with my normal Holdem sets.
It's a refreshing break for a holdem addled mind and gives one different angles of thinking. Some common mistakes that would happen to me are as follows:
1. Mistakenly thinking that I already have the straight on a coordinated board. I always have to remind myself that I can only use 2 cards out of the 4 that I am dealt. A rookie mistake I know, but it takes some time to get the right frame of mind especially if you played holdem exclusively before.
2. When the board pairs up, you have to be very careful even if you have the nut straight or flush. A full house is entirely possible and probable. I have learned this lesson the hard way in a couple of big hands.
3. Bluffing is harder to do especially after the flop. Usually opponents would hit some kind of draw and would call you down.
4. AAxx and KKxx are still good hands much like holdem. You just have to remember to bet them aggressively preflop and after the flop. If there are still multiple callers, then be wary of possible straights or flushes.
5. The equivalent of suited connectors in Omaha are coordinated hands which are double suited. Hands like JT98 where let's say JT is hearts and 98 is spades. These hands are excellent beggining hands and should be played.
6. In an Omaha SNG, the concept of pushing all in when your M is low, first in vigorish, having fold equity appears to be much more effective. Players are very hesitant in calling with semi-decent hands. I think this is because it is harder to compute the odds of certain hands being ahead.
I've only read one section on PL Omaha strategy so far but its working out okay. I seem to be winning more than losing. But at this stage, I'm not too concerned about my bottom line. I just want to learn to play it better.
It's a refreshing break for a holdem addled mind and gives one different angles of thinking. Some common mistakes that would happen to me are as follows:
1. Mistakenly thinking that I already have the straight on a coordinated board. I always have to remind myself that I can only use 2 cards out of the 4 that I am dealt. A rookie mistake I know, but it takes some time to get the right frame of mind especially if you played holdem exclusively before.
2. When the board pairs up, you have to be very careful even if you have the nut straight or flush. A full house is entirely possible and probable. I have learned this lesson the hard way in a couple of big hands.
3. Bluffing is harder to do especially after the flop. Usually opponents would hit some kind of draw and would call you down.
4. AAxx and KKxx are still good hands much like holdem. You just have to remember to bet them aggressively preflop and after the flop. If there are still multiple callers, then be wary of possible straights or flushes.
5. The equivalent of suited connectors in Omaha are coordinated hands which are double suited. Hands like JT98 where let's say JT is hearts and 98 is spades. These hands are excellent beggining hands and should be played.
6. In an Omaha SNG, the concept of pushing all in when your M is low, first in vigorish, having fold equity appears to be much more effective. Players are very hesitant in calling with semi-decent hands. I think this is because it is harder to compute the odds of certain hands being ahead.
I've only read one section on PL Omaha strategy so far but its working out okay. I seem to be winning more than losing. But at this stage, I'm not too concerned about my bottom line. I just want to learn to play it better.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Going where the Sharks are
I recently made a blog entry advising beginners to choose their poker sites wisely and avoid the sites where the good poker players hang out to increase their profits.
I would now like to make an exception to this rule. If you are already a somewhat experienced player. Sometimes, you would actually prefer to play with experienced players. For 2 main reasons: (1) you can pick up new tricks/betting patterns from better players. (2) you can anticipate the moves of better players and react accordingly.
No. 2 is quite important especially near the bubble of an STT. The correct push at crucial times will mean the difference between ITM and a big fat egg. Let's say you're in the dealer position with A-x or a small pocket pair and the action is folded to you. You have about 6 big blinds left in your stack. Automatic push for you. But you don't necessarily want the call from the blinds, a fold is just fine because there is no risk involved and the blinds are already significant during the bubble.
With good players in the SB and BB who hold mid level stacks. Holding hands like K-10, Q-10, J-10 or K-J, folding would be an easy thing to do. They'd usually look for better spots to make a stand especially if they can still afford to. They'd correctly assume you hold some kind of A-x hand and they'd gladly get out of the way with their K-10 as they know they're behind and they can afford to fold.
But if you happen to encounter a fish/beginner in the SB or BB, K10 is an insta-call. Not even seriously thinking about it, just seeing the guy with the moustache and sword makes their teeny-weenie penises go hard and folding is not even an option that they would consider.
You might say, so what? You are still ahead with your A7, but its only around 57-43. Holding a small pocket pair like 5-5. The odds would be 52-48. Almost close to a dead heat. This means that almost 1 out 2 times, you'd get beat. I would rather just steal the blinds.
Do you understand what I mean ? I won't put complicated math into the scenarios regarding the equities of calling and the equities of folding. I'm just simply pointing out that playing against experienced players, you can usually anticipate how they think and make the correct move or response especially with some kind of tracker data in your hand.
Playing against fishes, you're in limbo. You're constantly guessing. There is sometimes no logic in their calls. Obviously, you'd be happy if they called with Q2 suited. But consoling yourself with the thought that you were way ahead with your AJ doesn't really mean squat once they luckbox the 2 in the river.
Berating them via chat doesn't do any good. They're happy just to be lucky because they don't realize how stupid the move was.
If its not too obvious, I'm actually ranting about some bad beats and disguising it as a poker lesson. Heheh. Thanks for listening.
I would now like to make an exception to this rule. If you are already a somewhat experienced player. Sometimes, you would actually prefer to play with experienced players. For 2 main reasons: (1) you can pick up new tricks/betting patterns from better players. (2) you can anticipate the moves of better players and react accordingly.
No. 2 is quite important especially near the bubble of an STT. The correct push at crucial times will mean the difference between ITM and a big fat egg. Let's say you're in the dealer position with A-x or a small pocket pair and the action is folded to you. You have about 6 big blinds left in your stack. Automatic push for you. But you don't necessarily want the call from the blinds, a fold is just fine because there is no risk involved and the blinds are already significant during the bubble.
With good players in the SB and BB who hold mid level stacks. Holding hands like K-10, Q-10, J-10 or K-J, folding would be an easy thing to do. They'd usually look for better spots to make a stand especially if they can still afford to. They'd correctly assume you hold some kind of A-x hand and they'd gladly get out of the way with their K-10 as they know they're behind and they can afford to fold.
But if you happen to encounter a fish/beginner in the SB or BB, K10 is an insta-call. Not even seriously thinking about it, just seeing the guy with the moustache and sword makes their teeny-weenie penises go hard and folding is not even an option that they would consider.
You might say, so what? You are still ahead with your A7, but its only around 57-43. Holding a small pocket pair like 5-5. The odds would be 52-48. Almost close to a dead heat. This means that almost 1 out 2 times, you'd get beat. I would rather just steal the blinds.
Do you understand what I mean ? I won't put complicated math into the scenarios regarding the equities of calling and the equities of folding. I'm just simply pointing out that playing against experienced players, you can usually anticipate how they think and make the correct move or response especially with some kind of tracker data in your hand.
Playing against fishes, you're in limbo. You're constantly guessing. There is sometimes no logic in their calls. Obviously, you'd be happy if they called with Q2 suited. But consoling yourself with the thought that you were way ahead with your AJ doesn't really mean squat once they luckbox the 2 in the river.
Berating them via chat doesn't do any good. They're happy just to be lucky because they don't realize how stupid the move was.
If its not too obvious, I'm actually ranting about some bad beats and disguising it as a poker lesson. Heheh. Thanks for listening.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hiatus
Not really playing that much poker. For two main reasons.
1. Got sick for about a week. Developed some persistent low grade fever which was eventually traced to a wisdom tooth infection. Decided to just have it extracted. Dentist found some other problems with other teeth. So recommended oral surgery under general anesthesia. Went under. Had all the problems fixed in one go. Did not realize how hard it was going to be. Couldn't eat for a week. Only soft foods and liquids. Lost 10 freaking pounds !!
2. When I eventually recovered, our phone line now goes busto and obviously the DSL that goes with it. So I haven't played any kind of serious poker for about 3 weeks now. Which is kind of a record for me. It's refreshing in a weird sort of way. I don't really feel like an addict who had to go cold turkey. It's more like a persistent itch that I couldn't scratch.
Anyway, am on my way to full recovery and I'm so glad that I can eat semi solid stuff again. I am now salivating at the thought of ordering a big juicy steak at my favorite resto which I plan to do the moment the dentist gives the go signal.
Amazingly, I am looking forward to the steak eating more than the poker playing. Heheh.
1. Got sick for about a week. Developed some persistent low grade fever which was eventually traced to a wisdom tooth infection. Decided to just have it extracted. Dentist found some other problems with other teeth. So recommended oral surgery under general anesthesia. Went under. Had all the problems fixed in one go. Did not realize how hard it was going to be. Couldn't eat for a week. Only soft foods and liquids. Lost 10 freaking pounds !!
2. When I eventually recovered, our phone line now goes busto and obviously the DSL that goes with it. So I haven't played any kind of serious poker for about 3 weeks now. Which is kind of a record for me. It's refreshing in a weird sort of way. I don't really feel like an addict who had to go cold turkey. It's more like a persistent itch that I couldn't scratch.
Anyway, am on my way to full recovery and I'm so glad that I can eat semi solid stuff again. I am now salivating at the thought of ordering a big juicy steak at my favorite resto which I plan to do the moment the dentist gives the go signal.
Amazingly, I am looking forward to the steak eating more than the poker playing. Heheh.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A Rare Quadruple Win
Just for posterity's sake, I decided to post this result in the blog. I would usually play STTs in sets of four and it is quite rare for me to finish ITM in all 4. I guess the moons where in alignment last night or my fever was making me light-headed and playing at my best. Heheh.
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