A Round Up of Poker Ferguson Michigan Poker and a Mish Mash

Chris Ferguson held the chip lead in the LA Classic until the end of the day yesterday.  He started the day with 1.7 million in chips and the lead.  He ended the day in sixth place and a chip stack of 1.5 million and the low stack at the final table.  The chip leader, Chris Karagulleyan, begins today with a stack totalling 4.0 million chips.  Ferguson got off to a very bad beat at the beginning of the round and dropped 500,000 in chips in one hand.  His round was a roller coaster ride, which saw him drop as low as just over half a million in chips and then recover to over 2.2 million only to go back down to the ending balance of 1.5 million.  This is his second final table at a WPT event.

Michigan may be going through a tough economic time, but Poker is still alive at the new poker room at the Turtle Creek Casino that just opened in its new location in June 2008.  The poker room has enjoyed a full table experience since it open.  Leslie Vancamp the poker room manager stated that the Poker Room had been booming from day one of its grand opening. [Read][more...]

A Suggestion for Early Play in a Holdem Tournament

This suggestion works and will get many players deeper into the tournament than if they just sit and wait for a super starting hand.  The suggestion is this play suited connectors even if they are small value cards.  The reason this works is simple.  The blinds early in the tournament are small and unless you are playing -with some all-in maniac, the wagers to see the flop are not very threatening to the starting stake.  If you get lucky with this starting hand you may have the best of it at the end of the hand as a player with Ace King or such will be sucking wind even if he hits one of these cards on the River.  Your two pair, straight or flush may just win you a huge pot.  Another facet of playing this way early is you can play this way several times and fold.  The small loss of chips is nothing compared with the possible big pot this starting hand may capture.  Remember, many players will only play big cards of pairs.   If you are playing these small cards, the flop may hit you perfectly and give you an unbeatable hand at the end of the deal. [Read][more...]

When to move up in the table limits in Holdem

New players to Holdem should start at a limit that is well within their stake money and only move up in limits when they are consistently winning at the starting level.  As a player moves up in the table limits the opponents will become tougher to beat.  The higher the limit of play usually means more playing experience.  New players should take this into consideration when deciding to play at a higher limit.  The one valid reason that a player should make the move is they have been winning at the lower limit.  Another factor is the fact that the player may have the resources to play at just about any limit.  But make no mistake about it; each limit will raise the playing skill of the players that a player has to play against.

In tournaments it does not matter, as the only consideration is the entry stake and tournament fee.   In a cash game the higher limits can be somewhat intimidating to a new player if they start out on a losing streak.   This may well happen as the skill level will be better and this could make a big difference to an inexperienced player. [Read][more...]

No limit Omaha HiLo gives bang for the buck

For those players who are familiar with Omaha HiLo, this limit played at a low level of entry seems to give a good player more bang for the buck.  The reason is that you can protect a hand and at the same time take advantage of your superior play in the game.   There are suggested rules such as only wager on good starting hands that at least have an ace in them.   Do not go crazy with raises when you start with an ace deuce.  Two bad things can happen.  The low does not materialize or another player ties you and you get quartered.  If the hand looks like it may win both high and low, bet with vigor and in this level of no limit you can afford to lose, as the entry stake was small.

Be careful about three of a kind, as this hand is not as strong as it looks, since all it takes is a flush or a straight to beat it.  When a board is flushing or has a pair, it is very likely there will be a flush or a full house in the show down.  Keep track of calling stations in the game or players who seem to play a lot of weak hands.  These are good players to wager against as they may even call or raise. [Read][more...]

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