If there’s one thing I’ve learned in two decades of playing poker, it’s that unless you have some major tells and absolutely no self-awareness, it pays to be nice when playing Live Poker. I believe your equity when playing joyfully and communally (chatting with tablemates and acting quickly when the action is on you) is […]

One of the biggest mistakes inexperienced poker players make during their first few years at the table is spending too much time worrying about bottom-line profitability. Of course, it’s great to win money playing poker, that’s sort of the whole point. And yet, if there’s one thing that could help newer players survive over the […]

It sometimes seems strange that the most satisfying, and exhilarating, aspect of the game of poker – bluffing over multiple streets – is usually one of the most misunderstood and least-executed plays of them all. Even with the immense focus on aggression over the past few years on poker telecasts and training sites throughout the […]

If you’ve primarily been a tournament player during your poker-playing career, it can be understandably tough to make the transition over to cash-games; the competition is generally tighter, the hand-ranges are often wildly different, and the patience and discipline required can sometimes feel excruciating for players used to shoving their stack in the middle once […]

If you’ve primarily been a cash-game (CG) player over your poker-playing career, it can be understandably tough to make the transition over to tournaments; the hours are longer, the flexibility is lower, and the number of frustrating days are infinitely greater. Not only do transitioning players have to contend with the emotional battles of spending […]

Whether you’re leaving the virtual felt to head to your local neighbourhood casino on a lazy Saturday afternoon or you’re making your first trip to Las Vegas during the WSOP to take advantage of the juicy cash-game options during their busiest time of the year, live poker is a great way for online players to […]

What Is Floating? When it comes to poker terminology, “floating” is when you call a bet – generally while holding a weak hand without much (or any) showdown value – with the intention to win the pot on later streets. Floating is one of the most effective ways to bluff your way to a win, […]

In poker there are a lot of strategy-questions where the right answer is “it depends.” In fact, one could argue there are a vastly larger number of those types of questions than ones with precise answers. Which hands should I three-bet? It depends. Which hands should I continuation-bet? It depends. Which hands should limp? It […]

If you’ve listened to a live poker broadcast anytime over the past 5 years you’ve likely heard poker’s latest buzzword ‘balance’ thrown around as if it had been part of the poker lexicon since its inception. But the truth is that as it relates to the game of poker, balance is a new concept that’s […]

We all know we need to be more aggressive at the poker table, we’ve heard about it during WSOP broadcasts, we’ve seen players like Phil Ivey and Doug Polk preach about it ad-nauseam over the past decade, and yet it’s still a bit of a mystery to many recreational players how to add this wrinkle […]

Jackpots poker tournaments are a fun way to learn how to play short-stack poker; you can play them one after another, enjoying the non-stop rush for hours at a time, or pull up a couple during halftime of the big game or on your lunch-break at work and take your shot at a life-changing score […]

We’ve all been there, sitting at a poker table as some insane maniac splashes chips into every pot, bullying his way to a healthy portion of his opponents’ stacks. But what are you to do against this type of player? How are you to make sure you get the best of him? And what about […]

Last time we explored the idea of Pot Odds, by drawing parallels to a “risk/reward” approach. Let’s Shoot some Hoops! Here is a quick review: For the basketball fans out there, think of Stephen Curry, arguably one of the best 3-point shooters in the history of the game. Even for a player like that, a […]

Ever heard of the phrase “risk/reward”? Well, a 5 year old probably hasn’t, so it is only fair for me to elaborate. Basically, as the two words suggest, a risk/reward situation is an occasion where a person is willing to risk something in the hopes of getting a nice reward in the end. Risk/reward scenario: […]

Let’s say it gets folded around to you on the button. The big blind and small blind both have 35 big blinds. They are competent players, if not exactly exciting. You have Q-8d. There is an ante in play. What do you do? Now, let’s say this is the beginning of the tournament. You have […]