Barry Shulman on Winning the 2009 WSOPE Championship

Barry Shulman, CEO of CardPlayer, won the 2009 WSOPE Championship after a heads-up play with Daniel Negreanu.

These two big names in the poker world each took their turn getting rid of one opponent after another until they were left as the last two players competing for the major prize.  The game lasted about five hours, with Negreanu having a 2:1 chip lead against Shulman, but in the end, Shulman pulled ahead of Negreanu in what can be called as a very dramatic final two hands.

Shulman Talks about WSOPE [Read][more...]

The $1M Challenge of PokerStars

Have you ever wanted to participate in a televised poker series where you can take advantage of the exposure it brings you as well as the amount of money that you can win? If you answered yes to this question, then grab the chance to audition now at what PokerStars, a major poker site known worldwide, has to offer you — the chance to win the money, the chance to play against poker pros, and the chance for your 15 minutes of fame. What is It about This new televised poker series, the format of which is that of a reality show, is an exclusive promotion that PokerStars gives poker players.  [Read][more...]

Connectors Suited or Otherwise

Talk about a starting hand that has believers and non-believers.  Watch any tournament and you will soon see who is willing to play this hand and who folds it immediately.  The point is this: some very good players are willing to play this hand all the time out of the gate.  Others would never do it at any time.  Being of the playing school, these are the reasons for it not being that bad of a starting hand.

It can be discarded after the flop if it is totally missed and it can be a great trapping hand if the flop falls friendly toward the two cards.  An opponent with a big pair will think they have a lock on the hand.  Slow play a set or two pair and this hand can score big time.  A straight or a flush is even better although not as well hidden.  Some very big name players play this hand all the time from the start.  Farha and Negreanu do it all the time in tournaments and cash games.

Big pairs and Ace King get beat all the time in poker games.  As often as not it is a small set or two pairs that cuts the head off.  The very best players use this starting hand a great deal early in tournaments when the anties are small and less painful when lost.  [Read][more...]

Small Pairs Win Too

Many poker tournament winners got there playing small pairs and betting then right.  Pairs of threes, fives and sixes are seen winning many pots in TV tournaments.  Early in the tournament when the blinds are small, this type hand can win some big pots.  This can happen when the flop is set and the pair turns into three of a kind.  This hand if that happens can set up an expensive pot for a big pair or two pair.  If the player holding the small pair slow plays the hand hoping the opponents make a big pair or two pair and he catches the third card for the set this sets the trap.  This can make a lot of money early in the tournament and allow the player to be more aggressive due to the larger chip stack

Negreanu and Hansen play these kinds of hands all the time.   If you see them playing a hand like this, watch how they manage their bets.  This can be a lesson in real time on how to bet the hand for maximum profit.

If the flop does not help the player, they should bail out if the betting gets too stiff. [Read][more...]