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Look at the times of these hands

PokerStars Game #14822205969: Tournament #74499100, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2008/01/25 - 20:17:09 (ET)
Table '74499100 232' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: m_darcus (22680 in chips)
Seat 2: TTCHAE (1008 in chips)
Seat 3: mc_spiffy (4050 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: juliesails (3750 in chips)
Seat 5: strijkijzer1 (15011 in chips)
Seat 6: KarmaKrazy13 (7225 in chips)
Seat 7: jwc44 (2670 in chips)
Seat 8: madasacow (7924 in chips)
Seat 9: Aggieland81 (7553 in chips)
jwc44: posts small blind 75
madasacow: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to KarmaKrazy13 [Ah As]
Aggieland81: folds
m_darcus: raises 300 to 450
TTCHAE: folds
mc_spiffy: folds
juliesails: folds
strijkijzer1: folds
KarmaKrazy13: raises 550 to 1000
jwc44: folds
madasacow: folds
m_darcus: calls 550
*** FLOP *** [Th 8d 7d]
m_darcus: checks
KarmaKrazy13: bets 3000
m_darcus: folds
KarmaKrazy13 collected 2225 from pot
KarmaKrazy13: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2225 | Rake 0
Board [Th 8d 7d]
Seat 1: m_darcus folded on the Flop
Seat 2: TTCHAE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: mc_spiffy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: juliesails folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: strijkijzer1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: KarmaKrazy13 (button) collected (2225)
Seat 7: jwc44 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: madasacow (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Aggieland81 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

PokerStars Game #14822226719: Tournament #74499100, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level V (75/150) - 2008/01/25 - 20:18:06 (ET)
Table '74499100 232' 9-max Seat #7 is the button
Seat 1: m_darcus (21680 in chips)
Seat 2: TTCHAE (1008 in chips)
Seat 3: mc_spiffy (4050 in chips) is sitting out
Seat 4: juliesails (3750 in chips)
Seat 5: strijkijzer1 (15011 in chips)
Seat 6: KarmaKrazy13 (8450 in chips)
Seat 7: jwc44 (2595 in chips)
Seat 8: madasacow (7774 in chips)
Seat 9: Aggieland81 (7553 in chips)
madasacow: posts small blind 75
Aggieland81: posts big blind 150
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to KarmaKrazy13 [Ah As]
m_darcus: folds
TTCHAE: folds
mc_spiffy: folds
juliesails: raises 150 to 300
strijkijzer1: folds
KarmaKrazy13: raises 500 to 800
jwc44: folds
madasacow: calls 725
Aggieland81: folds
juliesails: calls 500
*** FLOP *** [6d Tc 5h]
madasacow: checks
juliesails: bets 900
KarmaKrazy13: raises 1200 to 2100
madasacow: raises 4874 to 6974 and is all-in
juliesails: calls 2050 and is all-in
KarmaKrazy13: calls 4874
*** TURN *** [6d Tc 5h] [Ac]
*** RIVER *** [6d Tc 5h Ac] [Qc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
madasacow: shows [Td Th] (three of a kind, Tens)
KarmaKrazy13: shows [Ah As] (three of a kind, Aces)
KarmaKrazy13 said, "OMG!!"
KarmaKrazy13 collected 8048 from side pot
juliesails: shows [Qs Ts] (two pair, Queens and Tens)
KarmaKrazy13 collected 11400 from main pot
jono187 is connected
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 19448 Main pot 11400. Side pot 8048. | Rake 0
Board [6d Tc 5h Ac Qc]
Seat 1: m_darcus folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: TTCHAE folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: mc_spiffy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: juliesails showed [Qs Ts] and lost with two pair, Queens and Tens
Seat 5: strijkijzer1 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: KarmaKrazy13 showed [Ah As] and won (19448) with three of a kind, Aces
Seat 7: jwc44 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: madasacow (small blind) showed [Td Th] and lost with three of a kind, Tens
Seat 9: Aggieland81 (big blind) folded before Flop

Playing Six-Handed SNGs

Most people are familiar with the differences between one-table Sit & Go tournaments (SNGs) and other forms of poker. Because these tournaments only pay the top three finishers at a nine-handed table, the standard strategy is to play conservatively until the tournament becomes short-handed and then become more aggressive during short-handed play.

Many newer SNG players favor these nine-handed tournaments because the blinds only increase every six minutes, providing a good amount of play. While these are great tournaments, I also encourage people to try other types of SNGs, including turbos where the blinds increase every three minutes, and six-handed games where you start off playing short-handed and only the top-two finishers are paid.

For really fast-paced excitement, however, I play six-handed turbo SNGs where I’m facing both short tables and quick blinds. The structure of these SNGs forces me to play each hand more carefully as the combination of fast blinds and short-handed play means one mistake can be crippling or even fatal. They also let me finish in time for dinner.

Succeeding in these tournaments requires making some adjustments to your standard SNG strategy. As with any short-handed table, one of the most important things you need to do is open up your starting hand requirements – but not too much. You shouldn’t be playing trash, especially in early position, but you should be willing to see more flops in hopes of hitting a big hand. That said, you shouldn’t play with the intention of stealing blinds – especially in the early going – as there’s just not enough value in that play to make it worthwhile.

This leads me to the biggest mistake I see many people make in these kinds of games, which is playing too loose. For some reason, people think they have to go crazy at short-handed tables in an effort to pick up chips early on. Generally, one or two players go broke right away and, all of a sudden, you have four people left at the table with only two spots getting paid.

Once you’ve lost a couple players, there’s usually one person who’s built up a big chip stack and plays too aggressively in an effort to bully the rest of the table. You have to hang tough in this situation, even if you’re sitting on just around 1,000 chips. The bully wants to double you up, so you might as well let him.

If you are lucky enough to double up or accumulate chips early on, don’t give them up easily. Instead of siphoning off your chips by calling raises out of position or trying to steal too much, pick your spots carefully and continue to play tight, aggressive poker.

Because these short-handed tournaments only pay out two places, you should begin applying more pressure on your competition as you approach the bubble. Your goal should be to finish first, as you’ll earn three times your buy-in as opposed to just doubling your buy-in for second place. Look for the player who is just seeking to squeeze their way into the money and attack their stack as much as possible in order to force their hand and hopefully, induce a mistake. At this point, the quickly rising blinds should force the bubble boy to push all-in with a less than stellar hand.

Overall, it’s a simple but effective strategy. Play relatively tight and put yourself in a position to double up through the table bully in the early to middle stages, and then attack when you reach the bubble. This will put you in position to make the money and play heads-up for the win.

Scott Fischman

New Roy Rounder Blog

I have a new idea that I wanted to share with you.

I call it the "All-In Factor".

No limit Texas Holdem poker is the game of choice for most
card players these days... I know I certainly prefer it. But
a lot of my opponents don't know how to truly USE and
LEVERAGE the "All-In Factor" to their advantage.

What I mean is, going "all-in" is SO POWERFUL and SO
IMPORTANT, yet most players don't know the right times to
make this bold move. They just wait for the "nuts" to come
along and THEN they go all-in. Make sense?

I'd like to share with you some of my thoughts on how, when,
where, and why to go "all-in" against your opponents.

Not only is this move what makes no limit poker so EXCITING,
but this is also the KEY DISTINCTION between limit and no
limit Holdem... and it's why no limit requires more of a
"ballsy" personality.

Contrary to popular belief, the All-In Factor actually adds
MORE SKILL to the game of poker... just not in the sense of
math or odds.

Instead, "all-in" requires the skills of PSYCHOLOGY,
intimidation, and bluffing.

When you learn the right times to go all-in, you'll have a
consistent EDGE over your opponents... and THAT, my friend,
will help you beat the game over and over and over (even
when you don't have good cards).

OK, let's get started.

One of the core principles of poker is that it's always much
easier to BET than it is to CALL.

I mean think about it: You can make a BET without actually
having good cards-- you might be on a bluff... you might be
"representing" the board... you might just have middle
pair... and so on.

But to CALL a bet, you want to have a strong hand. Because
now your OPPONENT is representing good  cards. If you don't
have a read on him, then it's going to be harder to CALL his
bet.

I look at it this way: It's much easier to SHOOT a bullet
than to DODGE a bullet (and I'm not talking about Aces).

That's one of the reasons why I like to go with an
aggressive style of play. I win a lot more pots even when I
DON'T have good cards... because my opponents are forced to
fold to me.

Anyway... this idea that it's easier to BET than CALL
couldn't be more true than with ALL-IN BETS.

It is TEN TIMES EASIER to push all your money in the middle
than it is to CALL an all-in bet.

When your opponent goes all-in, he has put you to a decision
for all your chips. Your life in the game/tournament could
be OVER with just this one pot.

In order to call, you must be CONFIDENT that you have him
beat.

But in order to make an all-in bet yourself, you just need
to be confident that your opponent will FOLD... or that you
have him beat.

This gives the person MAKING the all-in bet the advantage
every time.

And that leads to our second main principle, which is this:

If you don't risk chips, you can't win chips.

Period.

Now obviously, your strategy should be to MINIMIZE your risk
and MAXIMIZE your winnings...

But no limit Texas Holdem gives you the unique opportunity
to win big pots with all-in bets, even when you don't have
the best hand.

The All-In Factor is what allows you to BULLY your opponents
and take a DOMINATING position.

One of the best times to go all-in is to STEAL a pot from
your opponent... but when you steal pots, you must be sure
the hand meets these conditions:

1. You want OUTS. If your opponent calls, there should be
cards left in the deck that can help you still win the hand.
Even if the odds are not good, you want outs.

2. You must have a solid read on your opponent. If you're
stealing a pot, you must be confident the other player is
going to fold.

3. You want good positioning. This isn't as important as the
first two conditions, but positioning is what usually allows
you to get a read on your opponents.

Let's look at an example...

Say you've get dealt 8-7 of diamonds while you're on the
button. That means you've got a "hidden hand" with the best
positioning.

Three players limp-in and the action is to you.

You raise the pot to $15... a nice raise in this $1-2 no
limit cash game.

The small and big blinds fold.

But then Brian, who's under the gun, comes back over the top
of you and raises it to $30.

Ouch. You forgot that Brian is a smart player who doesn't
play anything but premium hands while under the gun. He
limped-in, which was the "red flag" that he had something
good.

Anyway, the action goes around and Jared-- the guy to your
right-- ALSO calls the bet of $30.

So it's $15 more to call... and the pot size is already up
to $80. With your positioning and the pot odds, you decide
to call and see a flop.

You don't like the way this hand is going so far, because
now you have $30 invested with just suited-connectors... and
you're putting Brian on a hand like A-K, A-Q, or maybe
something like pocket Jacks. If he had anything better he
would have been more aggressive than simply raising $15.

OK, so the flop comes out:

3s-4s-5s

Wow. Interesting flop. 3-4-5 of spades.

Brian bets $10 into the pot. You know this flop didn't help
him one bit... the only reason he's making this small bet is
because he raised before the flop. You can tell right away
that he doesn't like what he sees on the board.

Jared mucks his hand.

So now the action is to you. There's $90 in the middle.
You've got about $350 more in chips, and Brian has about
$225.

THIS is one of those times to consider going all-in.

You don't have a single spade... and that's not good. But
you do have the gutshot straight draw. There's a 16.47%
chance that a six will hit on the turn or river.

But that's not why you're going all-in. You want to make a
move at this pot because you've VERY confident that Brian is
going to fold.

For all Brian knows, you could have two spades, or the
straight, or a straight draw and flush draw, or even a
straight flush.

The truth is, Brian probably has the best hand right now
with two overcards... he may even have a high spade. But
that won't be enough for him to justify calling an ALL-IN
bet.

Brian's smart... there are simply too many cards out there
that can beat him. So you go all-in and he mucks it...
making you $90 richer.

When stealing a pot like this, be sure it's worth the risk.
The fewer players in the hand, and the more money in the
middle, the better the payoff is to you.

The key is knowing that your opponent is going to fold. If
you're up against someone who's too smart (or too dumb) to
muck it, then you're in trouble.

That's where the OUTS come in.

Let's say Brian looked at you and said, "Well, I know you've
got the flush, but I can't lay this down." And then he
called... flipping over an Ace of hearts and an Ace of
clubs.

Now you're in trouble, of course. But at least you left
yourself some outs... you've got a 16.47% chance of hitting
that six. And you've also got the slight chance that two
more spades come out or the board makes a straight (which
would be a split pot).

And last but not least... if everything goes wrong and you
lose this pot to Brian, you've still got $125 in chips.

Which brings me to my next point... and that is the SIZE OF
YOUR STACK.

Stack size is an extremely important component of the All-In
Factor. Here's what I mean:

First of all, if you're going to play a hand aggressively,
you always know that it COULD lead to all-in bets. That's
why you want to go after players with SHORTER stacks than
you.

If the worst case scenario occurs and you lose an all-in
match, at least you're not out of the game.

This has a secondary benefit, too...

If a player has fewer chips, he'll be easier to "push
around" and "bully". That lowers your risk further.

Of course... this gets more complicated.

You want to be very careful about stealing pots or making
stone cold bluffs against anyone who's "short-stacked".

If you've got $400 in chips and your opponent has $40 in
chips, you wouldn't make the same kind of bluff as you did
against Brian in the example.

A player who's short-stacked is ITCHING to move all his
chips in as soon as he picks up ANY type of hand. So you
can't bluff him out of the pot.

What you CAN do, however, is put the short-stack all-in
BEFORE THE FLOP when you have something decent... therefore
putting him to a decision for all his chips. If he calls, it
will probably be a loose call, and you have a chance at
winning a good pot.

If he folds, you win the blinds. And if he wins, you only
lose 1/10 of your stack.

Let's look at another quick example. Say Brian has $40 in
chips and you've got $400 in chips. You're third to act
before the flop, which isn't very good positioning. Brian's
second to act.

Brian goes all-in with his short stack. You look down to see
pocket Kings. You know you've got him beat. What should you
do?

The answer is NOT to call. Instead, you should ALSO go
all-in. With Kings, you don't want multiple players in the
hand seeing a flop... You just want to take Brian's $40 and
the blinds that are already in there.

You must make a move to scare out the remaining three
players behind you... otherwise there's a good chance you'll
get run down.

Let's say you just CALL, and then Drew also calls with an
A-8 suited.

The flop hits: A-4-J

And now you lost the hand... because Drew caught his top
pair.

But if you had moved all-in before the flop, Drew and
everyone else would have folded. Then it'd just be you and
Brian... as Brian flips over his losing pocket 8's.

That brings up another good point:

Players will make LOOSE CALLS to all-in bets when there's a
chance at eliminating someone from the table.

This is most relevant in tournament play.

You see, eliminating someone from the table means each
player is CLOSER to finishing in the money...

So it's in everyone's BEST INTERESTS to "knock off" the
short stack.

This is something you can use to your advantage when YOU are
playing short-stacked. If you pick up a monster hand, you
can be assured that you'll get lots of action with it... and
if it holds, you might even TRIPLE up (or better).

But that's also a reason why you cannot make an all-in BLUFF
when you're short-stacked. You can't bluff anyone out of a
pot because you don't have enough chips to scare them off.

"All-in" is only intimidating when you have lots of chips.
When you DON'T have lots of chips, your opponents will be
HAPPY you're all-in... because it means you're that much
closer to getting eliminated.

Even if you're NOT short-stacked, this principle is true
when facing players who have a LOT more chips than you.
Let's say you're 4th in chips at a 6-man table... with about
$80 in front of you.

Don't try to bluff at a pot with an "all-in" against the
chip leader, who's got $400. He can afford to make a call
with just a mediocre hand or a draw.

For him, $80 won't hurt his stack much... and the chance of
knocking you out is worth the risk.

So when WOULD BE the right time to go all-in when you're
short-stacked?

The obvious answer is "when you have a hand". But as you
know, you won't always get good cards.

As a general rule, I "make my stand" when I'm getting down
to about ten times the big blind. Lower than that will be
too short-stacked to make bluffs that will scare anyone out
of the pot.

With more than 10x the big blind, I'm usually able to steal
some blinds and get myself back in the game.

If I run into a monster, or get outdrawn, oh well. There's
nothing I can do.

But usually, since I make my stand based on chip stacks,
positioning, and sensing weakness, I WON'T get any callers
to my bold "all-in" and I'll rake in the pot.

This is also one of my fundamental techniques for not
getting "blinded to death"... and for staying in a game even
when I'm NOT catching good cards.

OK, let's review:

The "All-In Factor" is a key technique for no limit Texas
Holdem. Not only does it separate limit from no-limit... but
it also separates the "men from the boys", so to speak.

When you go all-in WITHOUT a monster, be sure you have OUTS.
These will come in handy over the long term.

Don't bluff against someone who's got way more chips than
you... and don't bluff when you're the short-stack at the
table.

If you're getting low on chips, make your all-in move when
you're getting down to about 10x the big blind.

If the short-stacked player at the table goes all-in and
you've got a big hand, don't CALL. Be sure YOU go all-in
too... that way you scare the other players out and decrease
the chances of getting run down.

Remember... it's always easier to BET than CALL, and you can
never win what you don't put into the middle.

The All-In Factor is a strategic maneuver that you can use
to "own" your opponents and win more money at the poker
tables.

But it's not the only one.

There are TONS of strategies, tricks, "plays", and
step-by-step techniques in the game of no limit poker.
_Roy Rounder_

How To Win Without Great Cards

331 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting dealt an Ace-King suited
before the flop.

220 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting pocket Aces before the
flop.

Monster hands like these are GREAT when you catch them...
and you'll definitely have a good shot at raking in a killer
pot.

But the fact is, when you play poker you WON'T catch
monsters very often.

The same is true with wired pairs and suited connectors...

When you hit with one of these hands, your opponents will
usually NEVER see it coming...

And once again, you'll rake in a nice pot.

But how many times do you get hands like these AND hit the
right cards?

Not too often.

ANYONE-- no matter what their skill level-- can win a pot
with a monster.

The SECRET to poker success, my friend, is learning how to
win hands WITHOUT having the "nuts" or great cards.

It's what separates the AVERAGE card players from the poker
LEGENDS.

So how do you play hands that are DECENT, but not GREAT?
Hands like Q-J, J-10, 9-10, Q-10, K-10, K-9, and so on...

If you FOLD every time you see cards like these, you're
playing too tight. Because you're going to see these types
of hands A LOT.

To consistently win at Texas Holdem poker, you've got to
learn how to win with hands that AREN'T great.

But how?

I'll tell you how...

The key is POSITIONING.

That's the magic word.

In Texas Holdem, positioning is EVERYTHING...

You can see a hand in one position and the right play is to
FOLD it...

And then see the SAME EXACT HAND in a different position and
the right play is to make a BET.

For example, let's say you're in an 8-player no limit Holdem
game... where the blinds are $1-2.

You're first to act before the flop (a.k.a. "under the gun")
and look down at your cards:

Q-J offsuit.

What do you do?

Playing the hand shouldn't cross your mind.

Calling with a Q-J offsuit can easily turn into TROUBLE when
first to act.

Because SOMEONE at your 8-man table is probably going to
throw out a pre-flop raise.

Think about it...

How many times does the action go COMPLETELY around the
table before the flop without SOMEONE making a raise?

Not too often.

Even if it's just a small $5 raise... you don't want to pay
$7 with your Q-J offsuit just to see the flop.

After all, even if you HIT top pair, you're STILL going to
be one of the first to act, if not THE first. What then?

Your kicker isn't too strong, and you don't have a read on
the other players.

It's just a bad situation to be in...

Which is why I muck "decent" hands like these when I'm under
the gun or in an early position.

And you should too.

Now let's say you're fourth to act before the flop (sixth
position at the table) and you peek down at a Q-10 offsuit.

You're positioning isn't great, but it's not too bad either.

The action is on you to call the $2 big blind...

What do you do?

Instead of mucking, this is where I'd limp in and call the
blind.

The key is to pay $2... don't raise it. You've got a good
chance at seeing the flop for just $2 and you won't have to
act first after the flop hits.

Even if someone throws out a small pre-flop raise, you can
call and see a cheap flop without getting into too much
trouble.

Now let's say you're on the BUTTON (dealer position) with a
Q-J offsuit. Four of your opponents limp-in and the action
is to you.

What's the play?

This is where I'd make a pre-flop raise. Nothing crazy...
just a small $5 that's not going to get me into trouble.

And I'll do this with any good positioning, not just when
I'm on the button...

Here's why:

First, it gets rid of the "crap" hands at the table...

Anytime you can force the scraps at the table to fold, your
odds of winning the pot increase.

(The reason you don't want them in the hand is in case one
of them gets lucky on the flop.)

Second, I get to see what my opponents do AFTER the flop...
before I have to act.

This is a HUGE advantage. I can get a read on everyone
else's hand... and NO ONE gets a read on mine. Use this
advantage EVERY chance you get.

And third, my bet gives me relative control over the
table... and is likely to result in a free card if I want
one.

Let's say the flop hits: 9-10-2

That gives me an open-ended straight draw with my Q-J.

There's a good chance my opponents will CHECK, because they
anticipate another bet from me.

So I'm in a win-win situation...

I can throw out a semi-bluff bet... or... I can see a free
card by checking.

Getting control over the board also puts me in a position to
buy the pot if I sense weakness at the table.

Which brings me to another point...

Positioning is a fundamental part of Texas Holdem, but you
had better have a good read on your opponents in order to
win the hand.

And you'd better know the right size to make your bets...
and what to do if there's a draw on the board... and how to
bluff if you get into trouble.

Play Online Poker

Rant And Rave

First off I want to start out with the rant and get it out of the way. It seems like the more I pay attention to it the more weird this becomes, I have a lot of friends I rail and I play a lot myself, and the more I look at it the more I see KQ winning pots win it shouldn't. Yesterday I see my friend push all in with AA guy calls more then half his stack with KQ off flop comes AJ5 rainbow, 6 on the turn, and 10 on the river, this was in a $11 18 player SNG two spots away from money. Today I had AK and a LAG player goes all in I call he is returned 1K in chips, flop comes A5Q turn Q and river 9, now I am not complaining at all, I am just curious to why so many people will risk their tournament life with KQ, I mean dont get me wrong in the right position its great, but to push all in out of position is just mad but I see it done so many times on so many different levels. The funny thing is when I get short stacked and I get KQ in pos and I push all in and get called by a pp or a random ace I cant seem to win, same goes for most of my friends....lol.

Ok now that I have gotten my little spat out about KQ, let me go on to my rave. I am coming up on my 3rd year of playing online poker for real money, and I am very excited about this, I started playing for fun, and to this day I still have as much fun as I did. I am also going to stop playing turbo tourneys, I realize I am a better player and turbo tourneys are like bingo...and I am no good at bingo.

Thanks for reading, best of luck to you all! Have a blessed day and a blessed week!