Poker and Family: Balancing the Two

Hello
For many of the younger players, family obligations (for the purpose of this article, family is defined as a spouse and child[ren]) don't get in the way of putting in the many hours at the poker table that it takes to be a consistent winner. For us old people, family must come first. I don't mean to suggest that younger poker players neglect their families (brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, etc.). Not at all. However, a single guy living with two buddies in an apartment doesn't really have to think much about when he wants to play. If he is in the mood, he sits down and plays. Those who are married with children cannot simply open up a table whenever they feel like it. So how does one balance family obligations and poker? How can someone with major familial obligations play winning poker and still do what needs to be done for his or her family?

Read the Full Article at The Monster Stack

The Online Charity Poker Series (OCPS)

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

This post is about a topic that is very important to me, and I hope is important to you as well. The topic of which I speak is charity. I personally feel that one of the most important things that people who are fortunate need to do is help those who need it most. In addition to giving a substantial amount to charity annually, I have run several live charity poker tournaments which have been very successful in raising money for good causes. I have decided that this year, in addition to running my usual live event, I would set up a series of online poker tournaments to raise money for various charities.

So this year, on Full Tilt Poker, there will be The First Annual Online Charity Poker Series (OCPS). There will be fourteen events in total including a Tournament of Champions freeroll tournament. Game will include Hold 'Em, Omaha, Omaha H/L, Stud, Razz and HORSE. Many charities will be supported as well including The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Save Darfur, Doctors Without Borders and many others. Buy-ins range from $15 to $90 and there are many tournament formats, including knockouts, super stacks, rebuy and 6-max.

I ask that everyone join me in helping others by registering for as many tournaments as possible. Spread the word by telling players who you know play poker. Add the graphic above to your blog with a link to the OCPS web site. Blog about it. Do anything you can to help spread the word. Help me make this series a successful one. Thank you for your support.

For more information on these tournaments please visit http://ocpokerseries.blogspot.com/.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Farewell From The Monster Stack

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I have decided that, since I enjoy writing poker articles so much, I would go ahead and create a blog of my own. I have enjoyed writing for The Poker Grind blog and would like to thank TPG for giving me the opportunity to test drive my writing skills on his blog and giving me complete creative freedom in my posts. The articles that I have written for TPG will remain on this site and a copy has been posted on my new blog located at http://www.themonsterstack.com/. I hope to continue to contribute to this blog periodically as time permits. I would like to thank all of those who have read my articles and posted their comments. I truly appreciate it and I hope that you will join me over at my new site. Feel free to link me up and I will gladly return the favor.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Razz Sit and Go (SNG) Strategy

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I will begin with the usual prefix that I am not a Sit and Go (SNG) expert but when it comes to Razz, I think I have an edge in any tournament in which I play. If I don't cash in multi-table Razz tournaments I usually go deep. I have several wins in Razz MTTs and even more final tables and cashes. Additionally, Razz is my favorite game to play and more than likely my best game. That said, I have played in enough Razz SNGs with enough cashes and wins to be somewhat of an authority in this rarely played game and about which there is little written.

I thought of writing a general Razz strategy article but I figured it would lend some context to various situations that arise during Razz play (OK, I don't really address specific situations in this article but the thought was nice). I also have the hope that more people will play in the Razz SNGs offered at so many online poker sites (as I write this article I have been registered in a Razz tourney for the past hour and so far, only one other person has registered). One of the reasons for you to consider learning this form of poker is that most others are not very good at it. What I mean is that since so many online players are playing No Limit Hold 'Em, if you were to master Razz you would have an edge over most players at a Razz table. At the lower limits there are many players who do not even understand the basics of Razz but play anyway. It's a great way to build your Hold 'Em bankroll.

The first thing to understand is that Razz, like all Stud games, is played eight-handed. This is because if, theoretically, every player at the table were to see all seven cards there would not be a sufficient number of cards in the deck to deal every player their full hand (8 players times 7 cards equal 56). In that extremely rare case (I have see it once at the micro-limits when the hand was checked around) the seventh card is dealt as a community card. To limit the possibility of this occurring the game is played eight-handed. So when you enter a Razz SNG you have a one in eight chance (37.5%) of cashing, which is slightly better than your odds at a Hold 'Em or Omaha table.

If there was only one piece of advice that I could give in Razz, whether it is for a cash game, MTT or SNG, it would be patience. More than any other game, I believe that this is the one skill that needs to be perfected. Don't make excuses to play hands. I have looked at my statistics from SNGs, MTTs and cash games in which I did well and I have played about 20% of my hands. If I am being aggressive or happen to catch a run of cards then that number could climb as high as 25% (wow!). Patience will win you money in this game.

So why is patience so important (there are a plethora of other important points but this is number one in my book)? Consider how Razz is played. Each player is dealt seven cards in total. The first three are dealt two down and one up (3rd street). There is a betting round. Then three more cards are dealt face up to each player one at a time with a betting round after each card is dealt (4th, 5th and 6th streets respectively). Then a seventh and final card is dealt face down with a final betting round (7th street). Third street and 4th street are played at the lower betting round and 5th-7th are played at the higher betting round. Unlike in Stud, a double bet is not allowed on 4th street if there is a pair showing. So in a $5-$10 game the first two rounds are $5 each which gets capped at four bets (actually one bet and three raises) and the last three rounds are played at the $10 level. Razz is usually played at as a Limit game although me and my insanely aggressive friends have been known to play Stud style games as Pot Limit (you won't find that online).

OK. Now that I got that out of the way, why is patience so important? Let me continue. The way to win at Razz is to hold the five lowest cards (pairs are bad) with ace playing as low. So 5-4-3-2-A is the best hand with 6-4-3-2-A being second best and so on. Paint cards are bad as are pairs. K-5-3-2-A loses to Q-J-T-9-8, for example (the former being a king-low and the latter being a queen low). The reason patience is so important in this game is that good low hands are not made that often. Chasing only gets you in trouble and costs you precious bets. So before I play a hand I need to start off pretty well on 3rd street. For this reason I often don't play that many hands since my starting requirements are very strict. I won't chase a hand no matter what. Again, each bet, particularly in a tournament structure where escalating blinds eat up your stack, is a precious commodity.

When I do have a hand I play it aggressively on 3rd street and if I brick 4th Street (catch a paint card or an open pair) I will usually slow down. Part of being patient means giving up losing hands as well as not chasing. Depending upon what my opponent(s) have hit on 4th street, I will proceed accordingly. If I begin with (3-5)-A and hit a J on 4th Street and my opponent hit a K on 4th Street, I will lead out if he is showing something like (x-x)-7-K. I am ahead with a better draw so I don't want to miss any bets here. But if I hit paint in 4th street and he hits a low card I might slow down (if he hits an ace and I am familiar with his play I might continue thinking he paired his ace, but that is more advanced Razz).

The idea is to get into the money (ITM) in these Razz SNGs. Once that happens you are assured a shot at the top prize no matter your stack size. The reason is, as many Razz players are aware, that the Limit tournament structure us horrible online. By the time you reach the money, even the chip leader is one hand from being gone or the severe short-stack. So now it is largely a matter of catching the right cards at the right time. By being patient you will have given yourself this chance. Additionally, you will notice that by being patient you will often have a decent chip stack. It doesn't take too many hands to build a stack. One or two hands at the middle limits and you will have a nice stack. You should only play monsters early on since winning pots at this stage will not matter much. I like to win a few small pots early on to stay afloat, win a couple of medium to large pots in the middle rounds and then take it down at the higher level.

I cannot stress how important patience is in Razz SNGs and Razz in general. It is not a game of aggression in the same sense that No Limit Hold 'Em is (although there are times when you must be aggressive in Razz but I will save that for a future article). So remember, play patiently, don't find excuses to play hands (such as, I am the bring-in anyway with a jack up and a 7-3 in the hole at it's only 2/3 of a bet to me), be aggressive when you do pick up a big hand on 3rd street, continue if you hit big on 4th Street and for heaven's sake, don't chase hands. When you do make a hand on 5th street, bet it, raise, re-raise it if it is a monster. Get your money in while ahead. If you have a big hand make sure you don't leave money on the table. Every bet counts.

Be on the lookout for Razz strategy articles. I hope to write some that will be chock full of tips and strategy to help you take your Razz game to the next level or at least above the level of everyone else at your table. This article is far from a complete strategy for Razz SNGs and Razz in general. I wanted to introduce the subject so that future Razz articles will make more sense. So, use this as your starting guide and lookout for further articles on the subject.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part V

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I ended Part IV of this series just before the final table began. I will, of course, begin this, the final part of the series, with a recap of the final table. As mentioned in the Part IV, the final table began with the chip stacks being relatively even with nobody having a super chip lead. It was anyone's game. As soon as the final table began everyone started shouting "chop!" Well, not while I am at the table. I don't chop. Period! Perhaps in a live satellite I would consider it if four places got a prize and fifth got nothing and we were down to five players. But even then. It's bad karma for me. I simply don't do it. Every once in awhile someone would ask for a chop. I flat out state in no uncertain terms that there will be no chopping while I am at the table. I won't even chop if I am a short stack. One or two hands could easily change that. Final tables usually (but not always) don't leave enough room for real play and often require some lucky breaks, or, at the very least, no bad beats.

Ad-Td (early position): Hand #201. I raised it up to 3,600 and got called by the button, the very aggressive player who had once had a huge stack but now held fewer chips than me. Both blinds folded and the button and I took a flop of Jc-As-8h. I led out for 4,800 and the button called. The turn was the Js and I again attacked the pot, this time betting 6,000. This was a small bet as I wanted to know if he had absolutely nothing or had just outdrawn me on the turn. The truth is I don't think I would have folded to a re-raise. I had seen this act by him before. He called the 6,000. The turn brought a third jack making the board Jc-As-8h-Js-Jd. If he had quads I was going to go broke. If he had has an ace for the same hand then we were chopping the pot. If he had an 8 or a pair in the hole I could possible get the rest of his chips. With the pot standing at almost 32,000 I pushed all-in for my last 16,000 and change. To my surprise, he folded. I have no idea with what hand he could have called pre-flop, on the flop, on the turn and then fold on the river with nearly 50,000 in the pot leaving himself short stacked. Either way I was happy. I was now the chip leader with just under 48,000 chips.

Ks-9s (big blind): Hand #204. It was folded around to the small blind who raised it to 3,600. I called and we took a flop of 4d-8s-Jc. He checked and I checked behind him. The turn was the 6d and he checked again and I checked behind him. What am I doing? It would be easier to just give him my chips. The river was the Jh and he checked and for some reason I completely lost my mind and checked again. He showed As-7d and took down the pot with ace high. First of all, when it's checked to me on the river I almost always bet. It is a sign of weakness and you will take down enough pots this way, especially if it was checked to me three times. This guy was practically telling me he had nothing by checking it to me three times. I actually said out loud "what the hell am I doing?" And what the hell was I doing?

Blind increase: 800/1600 ante 150

Ad-Kc (early position): Hand #210. I raised it up and took the blinds and antes.

Ad-Tc (early position): Hand #211. I raised it up to 4,800 and someone pushed all-in for about another 22,000. I folded.

There was an all-in on Hand #215 and a short stack doubled up with the Kd-Qc against 8s-8c when he spiked two queens on the flop and they held. I picked up the Ad-9s on Hand #218 after not after anything since Hand #211. I ended up getting all-in on a flop of Ac-4d-9c and chopping the pot with the very aggressive former chip leader when he showed the Ah-9h. A short stacked player was eliminated on Hand #220 when his Kd-Ks fell to his opponent's Ac-Kh on a Ad-Jh-Qs-7h-4h board. I was dealt the following hands and folded them all: 6c-4h, 6d-4h, Jc-9c, 7c-6s, 7s-3h, Kc-3c and Tc-5c. I might have played the Jc-9c but that was on Hand #220

Ah-5h (early position): Hand #226. I raised it up and took down the blinds and antes. I have a little more than 39,000 in chips which is the second largest stack at the table and is above average. The chip leader has 52,000 and the short stack has 13,000.

Ah-9d (big blind): Hand #229. The short stack, who now had over 16,000 after stealing the blinds in Hand #227 raised it up from early position to 4,800. I called out of the big blind and check-folded to an all-in bet on a 2d-6d-6s flop. I think he had something like K-Q or K-J and I probably should have pushed in on the flop. Calling out of position is generally a weak play and I should have either raised or folded pre-flop (I should probably have pushed in). In two hands the short stack nearly has an average stack.

Jc-9d (small blind): Hand #230. It was folded around to me and I limped in the small blind. The flop was 4d-9h-Kd and I bet and took down the pot.

Blind increase: 1000/2000 ante 200

9c-6h (UTG): Hand #236. I folded the following hands in order before this hand: 5d-2c, Qs-4h, 8h-6d, Jh-5d and Kc-5s. I got bored folding every hand and the blinds and antes were so high that I needed to start picking up some chips. I raised to 6,000 UTG hoping that between the fact that I was UTG and that I hadn't played a pot in a few hands I would easily take down the pot. Alas, it was not to be. The big blind got stubborn and called and we took a flop of 2h-5d-Qd. He checked and I bet 5,000 and took down the pot. Phew. If he had called I probably would have either bluffed off all my chips or tried to force him to fold by betting the next two streets. I more than likely would have bet the turn and river. I have no problem firing three bullets with air. Perhaps too much. I have busted out of many a tournament that way. But I have also moved up in pay doing that. The jury is still out on that one. I am now just about even with the chip leader with more than 44,000.

8c-4h (big blind): Hand #237. High from the last hand I got a little carried away on the next. The small blind limped after everyone folded and I min-raised it and the small blind called. The flop came down Td-2s-5h and it was checked to me. I bet 2,000, the small blind made it 6,000 and I folded. I should have made a bigger raised pre-flop. He probably has J-10 type of hand.

Kc-Js (cutoff): Hand #240. A lot of chips changed hands since Hand #237. The former tournament chip leader (I should have named him about three articles ago) was once again in the chip lead with over 61,000. I was third in chips with almost 40,000. A player who got beat up in the last hand had just 525 in chips. I limped in the cutoff and the short stack called all-in for 325. The small blind raised it to 4,000, the big blind called and I called as well. The flop was Kd-8c-Ts and it was checked over to me. I bet out 8,000 and everyone folded. Normally I would check it down except the side pot was big enough to try and take. I was actually hoping for a call. Anyway, I ended up making a straight and taking down the pot of almost 14,000, eliminating a player in the process.

Ad-Ac (early position): Hand #243. I decided to play it like a steal and made a huge over bet. In fact, I pushed all-in. To my surprise I got insta-called by the player to my left and the big blind called as well. I had them both covered. The player to my left showed the Jh-Js and the big blind showed Ah-Kh. The flop came Qd-Jd-4d. I was out flopped but still had outs. The turn was the 8s and the river was the beautiful 5d giving me the flush and eliminating two players simultaneously. We are down to five players and I have over 100,000 in chips. My closet opponent has 50,000. The other three range from 30,000 to 45,000. A player commented that he held the Jc which meant that I had initially been one outed on the flop.

The very next hand saw another elimination when a player bluffed all-in, perhaps trying to mimic my play and make others think he had a big hand. Well, the small blind called with Ad-Ks and the other player showed Kh-4d. The A-K held up and he eliminated the player with ace high. He now has over 80,000 in chips and we are playing four-handed.

Ad-4c (big blind): Hand #250. After trading blinds and antes for a few hands the button limped in as did the small blind and I made it made it 10,000 to go. The button pushed all-in for about 35,000 total. The small blind called and I called. I thought I was getting good odds to call this one but the action should have told me to fold. However, I had put 10,000 into the pot and I didn't want to let it go. I normally don't do that but I saw all those chips and wanted them. The flop was Kd-3c-Ah and it was checked to me. I pushed all-in and the small blind called. Uh oh. He showed Ac-Qd and I was sick. But, the turn was the 3s and the river was the 6c and we chopped up the button's chips when he showed the 5s-5h. We are three-handed and I have almost 130,000 in chips. The player with whom I had just chopped the pot held over 90,000 and the short stack had about 50,000.

Blind increase: 1500/3000 ante 300

Jc-Tc (button): Hand #255. I raised it on the button to 9,000. The small blind, who had less than 50,000, pushed all-in. The big blind called and my cards caught fire. The small blind showed the 6d-6h and the big blind showed As-Ks. The big blind flopped and ace and it held. We were now heads up.

I began heads-up play with 115,000 in chips while my opponent held 155,000 in chips. He was somewhat aggressive and not too afraid to call, but he also liked to be holding something. However, this could all change during heads-up play. It is a different animal and I had not played much with him. In fact, all I know of him was from the final table. The good news: heads-up play lasted two hands. I am a good heads up player if the stacks are deep. They weren't terribly short as I had 38 big blinds and an M of 22.5 for you Harrington fans. However, this is not so great as heads-up play, particularly online, goes rather quickly.

Ac-Th (big blind): Hand #256. The button raised it to 9,000 and I called. Normally I would raise but it was the first hand and I wanted to feel him out (I think this was a bad move as I should have tried to find out then and there how aggressive my opponent had planned on playing. Besides, I more than likely had the best hand). The flop came down 5d-Tc-4c. I checked hoping to trap but he checked right behind me. The turn was the Kh and I bet 10,000. He called. The turn was the Td and I bet 15,000. He called and showed the Ks-Jc. He hit the turn and slow-played it. Huh? Terrible play. My guess is that he called the flop to bluff the turn but hit his card and tried to trap. He actually saved some money since I would have called an all-in on the turn thinking he was trying to steal.

5d-4d (button/small blind): Hand #257. The stacks are about 150,000 to 120,000 in my favor. I raised it up on the button to 9,000 and the big blind min-raised to 18,000. I called. The flop came down Ad-9c-6d. He bet 20,000 on the flop and I moved all-in. He called and showed the Ah-Jh. The turn was the 7s and the river was 3h. I rivered the straight and took down the tournament. I like the semi-bluff, particularly in heads-up play. More often than not your opponent will fold without a big hand. And even if you get a call you are rarely drawing dead, unless your opponent calls with a larger flush draw, which is unlikely.

Thank you for playing along with me. I hope you enjoyed reading about the tournament as much as I did winning it. Well, I guess that's a bit much to ask but you get the idea. I look forward to reading any comments or questions that you might have.

Please bear in mind that there were a lot of hands to recount and even with the hand history in front of me, chip counts, position and other items of importance might have been off here and there. This is not intentional as I have tried my best to faithfully record the hands as they were played. I am pretty sure that I did not get any of the cards wrong but again, this is remotely possible.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part IV

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I ended Part III of this series just after the bubble burst and continue this part in the money (ITM). I have officially cashed for $43.20, just under double my $22 buy-in. Places 18-10 pay this amount and the next level is the final table of nine players which has the following payout structure:

1st: $1,080
2nd: $720
3rd: $428.40
4th: $288
5th: $234
6th: $180
7th: $126
8th: $93.60
9th: $61.20

While making the final table of a tournament is a nice accomplishment, this is not where the real money, particularly in this tournament. I wanted at least a top four spot as this is where the payouts begin to become more lucrative. Even fifth place is not too bad, and of course first or second would be best. I always want to win but I am also a realist. If I play a tournament it is to make money. Since first pays the most it would be an ideal place in which to finish. However, since other places pay well too, there is no shame in finishing out of first. It still pays. The blinds are still at 500/100 with a 100 ante.

The moment the bubble burst the short stacks began to push all-in with any two cards. There were some who were so low they did not have enough for another round. Someone pushed in with a J-8 and got called by 10-10 only spike a jack on the flop to double up. I raised a few times and took down the blinds and antes. On Hand #167 I raised to 3,000 with the As-9h from middle position and took down the blinds and antes. On Hand #171 I raised it up to 4,000 with the Ks-Jh from the small blind after the cutoff limped and took down the pot pre-flop. One person at my table had already been eliminated on Hand #169. I began the following hand with over 27,500 in chips.

Kh-Th (button): Hand #172. The player one before the cutoff, a position that I have read is called the "hijack" position, pushed all-in for 5,175 which was not a lot of chips. I decided to call hoping that I would either be in a race or at least not too big of an underdog to a small ace. I figured if the blinds folded there would be enough dead money in the pot to make it worth a call. I admit I also wanted to get lucky and was feeling good about the hand. Well, the small blind, the former tournament chip leader who had been raising and calling everything, called as well. I am not too upset about this. He probably would call with almost anything here the way he had been playing. The flop 8d-2s-Qd and the small blind led out for only 1,000. I figured he had had something and wanted me to go away. There was nothing in the pot for which I wanted to fight so I let my hand go. He showed the 6h-6d and the all-in player showed the As-Td for ace high. I found it odd that the small blind didn't come over the top pre-flop, but I didn't mind the chance to win a big pot for a cheap price. Anyway, the 5s came on the turn and of course the Kc feel on the river which would have given me the pot. Oh well. One more player gone.

We played seven-handed for a few hands and on Hand #176 someone got moved to our table on. I figure that the tournament had 16 players left. By the way, it was after 6:00am and I was hoping that the tournament would either be done by this time or I would have been knocked out. I had not planned on playing for so long. Again, the bubble took considerably longer than it should have and this caused the tournament to go longer than it normally would have gone. I wasn't tired because I usually don't go to sleep that early anyway, but I normally never play past 6:00am.

Th-4d (big blind): Hand #177. I folded after there was a call and a raise in front of me.

We are back playing seven-handed. There are probably 14 players left in the tournament.

4c-4s (small blind): Hand #178. The button moved all-in for 7,608 and I did not hesitate for even a second and made the call. I remember this hand vividly because part of me actually wanted to start going bust so I could go to sleep. I decided that I was going to either win the tournament on this hand or lose it in the next two. Not really a bright idea but that's what happens when you begin not to care. He showed the As-Jh and I flopped a set on a 9s-6d-4h and won a sizable pot after the set held (actually he was drawing dead on the flop, he he). I was now over 30,000 in chips, well above the average stack size, but not too great as compared to the blinds and antes. Maybe I'll stick around awhile.

Take a lesson from this. Many people play well for a long period of time only to forget themselves when it counts. If you are not prepared to play the number of hours it takes to win or go deep in a tournament don't play in the first place. While editing this article I was playing in a Razz tournament (240 people and I finished in second) and someone sat out at the final table saying that he had to go to sleep. He stated that he didn't think the tournament would go past 3:00am. That cost him big because he ended up busting out in 6th and I think he was good enough to finish in the top three, a big difference in prize money. So my advice is to be prepared. Play to go deep or win. Don't enter the Sunday Million and remember seven hours later that you had plans with friends. Be prepared.

7c-2h (big blind): Hand #183. I got a walk in the big blind with the worst hand in Hold 'Em.

We have been playing six-handed for quite some time. There are either 12 or 13 players left in the tournament. I took a break for the next three hands and was dealt a 9d-7 in the small blind. There was an all-in and it was folded around. I had the Kd-8c on the next hand and the 7c-3h on the one after that. Great. A free break. That worked out well. When I returned the blinds went up. I don't recommend doing this as it could be the difference between winning and losing. I had no choice.

Blind increase: 600/1200 ante 125

Qd-5d (big blind): Hand #189. I checked after a few limpers and check-folded to a bet on a 4c-Ac-7s flop.

A player was moved off my table and we are now playing five-handed. This is the final table bubble. The next one out makes the minimum and after that the payouts go up (see above for the full payout schedule).

Hand #190: I folded my small blind holding the 8h-3s.
Hand #191: I folded on the button with the 3c-2s. I need to start stealing more blinds and antes in these spots. I should take a lesson from The Poker Grind. Raise with nothing, get called and flop the nuts. How does he do it? Luckbox!
Hand #192: I folded in the cutoff with the 4s-2h. See Hand #191. I guess it was a good move. The short stacked pushed all-in and everyone folded. He showed the Ks-Qh trying to make it seem like he was waiting for a hand. I should have been stealing from him the whole time. Damn. Too late.
Hand #193: I folded 3c-2h UTG. There was an all-in and it was folded around.
Hand #194: I got a walk in the big blind holding the Ts-8h. Nice!

Ah-7c (small blind): Hand #195: There was a limp from the UTG player who had been playing a pretty tight game until now. I called and the big blind checked. I didn't raise because I was somewhat worried about the UTG limper. The flop came down 2d-Ac-9h and I led out for 2,400 and everyone folded. I guess I was wrong. Either way I took down the pot and was over 31,000. The average stack was 27,000.

Hand #196: I folded on the button with the Th-3h. The board read Kc-6d-4c-8s-Tc. See Hand #191.
Hand #197: I folded in the cutoff with the Qd-3d. There was an all-in and the short stack called. The board read Td-Jd-Ah-8d-Jc which would have given me the flush. However, I wasn't too upset when the all-in player showed Ad-9d for the nut flush. The short stack showed queen high and we were on the final table. We are at the final table.

The final table began with nine players, each one guaranteed $61.20 with a top prize of $1,080, a huge difference in prize money. The average stack was 30,000 and I had 30,883. The chip leader only had just under 38,000 and the short stack has just over 25,500. Anyone could have won this one based on the chip stacks. The blinds are still at 600/1200 with a 125 ante.

In the final part of this series I will recap the final table.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part III

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

Part II of this series ended a few hands after the blinds increased to 150/300 with a 25 ante. I will begin this installment at Hand #104 where the blinds have now increased to 200/400 with a 25 ante. I have almost 8,500 in chips and there are three players at my table with 20,000 or more.

Blind increase: 200/400 ante 25

8h-5c (big blind): Hand #104. It was folded around to the cutoff who limped and the small blind called. I checked. The flop was a sweet one for me, 8c-2h-8d. The small blind led out for 400 and for some reason I lost my mind and raised. This is actually a move I normally make as I like to bet my big hands. I find I make more money leading right out because most people never believe. But here, I was raising a bet advertising that I had at least an 8, or that the very least a pair. I should have smooth-called hoping the cutoff would either make a move or the small blind would take another shot on the turn. Additionally, the cutoff might have called trying to steal on the turn or the small blind might have hit his big card, if he had one, on the turn and I might have gotten paid off. They both folded and I took a small, but nice pot for a 1,400 chip profit.

Qc-7s (small blind): Hand #105. The pot was raised and re-raised and I folded. It was a big pot between two others at the table and one of the two ended up over 30,000.

7s-6s (big blind): Hand #111. There were a couple of big hands since the one above and there are now two players at my table with huge stacks of over 30,000. I was wondering how I was going to get their chips. Anyway, with a limp and a raise in front I folded my big blind. I haven't played a since Hand #104.

8h-6h (small blind): Hand #112. I limped behind an under the gun (UTG) limper and the big blind, who had a huge stack, popped it to 2,400. The UTG limper called and I folded. I have a little more than 8,600 in chips.

For purpose of brevity I will include a recap of some of the hands between hands 113 and 142. I still need to write about the final table and would like to keep this slightly less than a ten part series. My best guess is that there are around 35-40 players left. Only 18 get paid and making it to the money would be a waste of time. However, there is no need for me to go crazy because I have an above average stack and there is still some play compared to the blinds and antes.

Hand #113: I raised it up to 1,200 on the button with the Tc-9d and both blinds called. It was checked over to me on a 10 high rainbow flop and I bet out 1,600 and both players folded.
Hand #114: I raised it up in the cutoff with the Ah-Qs taking the blinds and antes.
Hand #115: I raised it up one before the cutoff with the Ks-Qh taking the blind and antes.
Hand #116: I raised it up in early position with the As-Jd taking the blinds and antes. Someone comments that I can't possibly have this many hands in a row. I ignore this as per my standard rules for table talk. My table image has changed.

Blind increase: 300/600 ante 50

Hand #118: I folded the big blind to a raise with the Kc-7d.
Hand #119: I gave the tournament chip leader a walk in the big blind with the Js-2c.
Hand #125: The chip leader had been raising a lot of hands and stole my big blind UTG when I held the Qd-7d.
Hand #126: It was folded around to me and I raised the big blind and tournament chip leader with Js-3d. He pushed back with an all-in play and I folded. I would have called with almost anything better than the napkins that I had held. I have under 9,000, still at or above average.
Hand #129: I raised it up in early position with the Ah-3h and took the blinds and antes.

Qd-Qs (under the gun): Hand #131: We had been playing seven-handed for awhile so I figured (see below) that there were 23 players or less left. Anyway, I raised it up to 1,800 and took the blinds and antes. I was at or above average in chips, even if there are 21 players left.

By hand #141 there were six players at my table. I have been checking other tournaments with the same buy-in and number of players and feel that since we were almost 2 1/2 hours in to the tournament this had to be bubble time. There were 19 or 20 players left. The tournament will play with the following table structures near the bubble: 7, 7 and 7; 7, 7 and 6; 7, 6 and 6. The moment there are 18 left the bubble would burst and there would be two tables of nine for a total of 18 players. There is no other way, based on what I have seen, for there to be six players at my table. So we were on or one away from the bubble. I will also make a comment later saying that "the bubble took too long" to which someone replied that "the bubble took longer than [he's] ever seen." Either way, nobody wanted to be the next one eliminated.

As-7d (cutoff): Hand #141. I raised it up to 1,800 and took the blinds and antes.

Blind increase: 400/800 ante 75

Ah-7h (UTG): Hand #143. I min-raised UTG hoping that this strange move would get everyone to fold. At shorthanded tables, UTG is one of my favorite steal positions. No one expects it. I find that it has been very profitable for me. I like to have something in this spot so I won't be on a total steal but anything reasonable will do. Well, both the button and the cutoff called the 1,600 and we took the flop after the blinds folded. The flop came down Kh-7d-3h and I led out for 3,200. The others folded and I took down the pot. I had almost 16,000 in chips.

Js-5h (big blind): Hand #144. I folded to a raise from a middle position player. If you've ever watched some of the super-aggressive players online you will notice that they would consider a raise here, probably all-in. I have spent a lot of time watching these aggressive players, such as Annette_15, who will push there chips around on the bubble if they think there is any chance that their opponent will fold. I watched Annette_15 play from the bubble to near the final table once. She pushed all-in (note that she does not often, if ever, call all-in without a super-monster hand at this point. It's all-in or fold) several times and was called twice. In the first hand she held A-3o and it held against a K-Qs. In the second she was caught with the 4s-3s against A-A and was gone. But she has made enough top 5 spots and has enough wins to justify this type of play. This is not my style although I will challenge the aggressive players if I see that they are pulling these plays. In fact, I take the play away from them by doing it first. They hate that (I can't tell you how many time I have seen her make a comment such as "that was my play").

As-Ts (small blind): Hand #145. The pot was raised to 2,400 by the button and I made a very weak play here by calling. I should have pushed all-in. There are not enough chips in play for me to give away that many chips hoping to hit a flop. I probably have the best hand and should be willing to play it for all the money. This is the time to get chips, not give them away. I check-folded to a 2,100 chip bet on a 9h-Qh-3d flop.

Ad-Jh (cutoff): Hand #147. I raise it up to 2,400 and take the very important blinds and antes.

9s-4c (big blind): Hand #150. I folded to an all-in raise.

Js-9s (small blind): Hand #151. I was in the small blind against the tournament chip leader who was in the big blind. It was folded around to me and I completed the big blind. I had a plan for this aggressive chip leader. Well, I didn't need it anyway as I flopped a huge hand. I was going to make this move no matter what but it helped to more than likely have him drawing dead. The flop was 4s-3s-7s giving me a flush. I check-raised him and took down a decently sized pot. I was actually hoping to be able to make that move with nothing. It is a bit of a moral booster. Either way the result was nice. Wait! Should I have check-called and check-raised the turn? I had an above average chip stack.

4c-4s (cutoff): Hand #154. I limped in the cutoff (horrible play) and got raised by the button (the chip leader). I call and check-folded on an A-K high flop. Maybe it was best. I don't think he would have folded an ace as he had been making some very thin calls. I still don't like the play. It's not about the results.

9d-6s (big blind): Hand #156. I folded to a raise from the UTG player. Thief!

7s-6d (small blind): Hand #157. Alright. This was a big one. It was folded around to me and I limped in. Probably not the best move but I wanted to play flops against the player in the big blind. He had shown a propensity to make thin calls pre-flop and I thought I had the advantage post-flop. Well, he raised. I couldn't stop now. If I push in he would have certainly called me. If I called, I can either flop big or outplay him. The flop came down 3h-7c-7d. Gin! I didn't want to vary my play now. The last time I had a big hand I check-raised him so I wanted to try it again. Maybe he will make a mistake. I was unlikely to hold a seven since I called a raise pre-flop. I checked and he bet out 800. Huh? There is almost 7,000 in the pot! I make what looks like a move by pushing all-in for an additional 8,200. He called and shows Ac-Td. What? A 10 falls on the turn making me sweat a bit (that would have been disgusting) but the Qs fell on the river and I took down a pot worth just under 25,000. I was very healthy now.

Blind increase: 500/1000 ante 100

The chip leader began to double up everyone at the table over the next few hands. Most of the time the chips were in pre-flop in coin flip situations which he lost. With the blinds and antes so high in relation to stack sizes, I guess it was tough for him to fold A-Q to an all-in bet. Even so, he still had a huge stack, but not big enough to scare anyone that much. He had had over 55,000 when the average stack was about 14,000. Now he had about 32,000. After the blind increase I had about 23 big blinds and an M of almost 12 for those who follow Harrington. Not a lot of play at all, especially when playing six-handed. The blinds come around much quicker and it is costing me 2,100 per round. The only good news is that everyone else is in the same boat. Well almost everyone. At least I had a relatively decent chip stack.

Ac-Qs (big blind): Hand #162. I hate this hand. I'd rather never see this one. It seems to kill me every time I have it. The UTG player limped in and I checked my option in the big blind after the small blind folded. I check-folded to a bet on a flop of 9h-8s-7h. I didn't want to go crazy on the bubble, especially since there was a player at my table who had less than 3,000 in chips. The UTG player showed Ks-Kh and I thought I was a genius. Actually I am a ***** and should have raised pre-flop. I would have folded to a re-raise but again, it's the play not the results.

8c-8h (small blind): Hand #163. I raised it up to 3,000 and took the blinds and antes.

The bubble finally burst on Hand #165. I don't know how because it was not on my table but we were now playing nine-handed beginning with Hand #166. In Part IV I will play down to the final table (and maybe complete the tournament).

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part II

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I ended Part I of this series at the last hand of the 25/50 blind level of a 180 person $22 No Limit Hold 'Em SNG. In that hand I took down a nice pot to give me some chips. I will now continue at the 50/100 blind level. I wish I could tell you how many people were left in the tournament at any given time, however I did not save this information or jot it down. I did not plan this series until after I had won and it was too late by then. You'll have to use your imagination. My best guess is that roughly half the field had been eliminated by now. Eighteen players get paid.

Js-5d (big blind): Hand #41. This was the first hand of this level that my chips were in the pot, although it was the big blind. A middle position player raised it to 300, the button called and I folded. I had about 2,700 in chips.

Ad-10d (small blind): Hand #42. Everyone folded to the button who had been overly aggressive for the last two rounds. He had raised the last five pots before the last hand and had been shoving his chips around like they were on fire. He raised to 300 and I decided to min-raise him. Normally I would make a larger raise but I had a feeling the min-raise would be too good for him to pass up and I could probably get more chips from him on later streets. He called and the flop came 3s-4d-Kd. I know if I bet he will fold if he missed, but if I check he will bet no matter what. I decided to check-raise him all-in knowing that I would not be in bad shape if he actually had something and called. Like a predictable bully he bet out 600 and I pushed all-in. His hand caught fire and he insta-folded.

6d-6c (early position): Hand #48. I decided to raise with my small pair because I hate limping early and I also hate folding pairs and seeing a set on the flop. It may not be the best way to play this hand but I'd always rather raise then call. If someone made a big re-raise I can always fold. No big deal. I got one caller from a late position player and the blinds folded. The flop was 4d-5s-8c and I led out for 300. He folded and I took down the pot. I want to point out that I play a Phil Hellmuth style game. I don't particularly raise a lot of pots but I am willing to fold hands when re-raised if it makes sense. I don't ever feel committed to a pot simply because I have chips in (ok, that's not entirely true, but mostly true).

Kd-Qh (small blind): Hand #51. The cutoff made a standard raise to 300 and the button was all-in for 60. I called and the three of us took a flop of 5d-Qd-4h. I bet about 2/3 of the pot for 500. The cutoff called. The turn was the Kh. I bet 1,300 and the cutoff again called. Hmmm. I wonder what's going on here. A-K? Set? Nah. He would push with any of those. The river was the 8s and I pushed all-in for a little less than 1,500. He called and showed A-K. I collected a nice pot of more than 7,200 chips. I of course got cursed out for the next five minutes but I ignored the player's rant as usual. No point in getting involved in that. (See Don't Give it Away: Talking at the Poker Table on this blog.)

Blind increase: 75/150

Ac-Ks (middle position): Hand #54. I am the table chip leader although I am not about to go too crazy for that reason. It's typically not my style but I will attack players who are weak, no matter how many chips I have. I raised to 400, not quite three times the big blind. I want someone, particularly one of the blinds, to call me with a lesser hand because the price is cheap. Make people make mistakes. Everyone folded and I took the blinds.

There was a hand that came up a few after this one that I thought was interesting. A player pushed all-in for 4,400 chips from early-middle position. Great play (insert sarcasm here). What can be accomplished by doing this? The blinds are not high enough to warrant such a play. Stealing 225 with 4,000+ chips is just too big a risk. You will only be called by a better hand. A raise of 450 would accomplish the same thing and not risk your whole stack should someone wake up with a monster. Later in a tournament, when there are antes and the stacks are small as compared to the blinds and antes this might be the only move. Raising three times the blinds when it represents half your stack is ridiculous. At that point it's all-in or fold. But not when you have nearly 30 big blinds left.

My table broke after Hand #65 and I was placed in the big blind (one hand too early as compared to my last table). This is when I made a horrible play on the first hand.

Ah-7s (big blind): Hand #66. When I move to a new table in a tournament I tend not to play many hands for a rotation or two until I get a better feel for the table's dynamic. The point at which I am moved I no nothing about any of the players so I try and play premium hands and ABC poker (unless I have a reason to do otherwise, such as blinds to stack ratio or if it's the bubble). For some reason I deviated greatly on this hand. The tournament chip leader was at the table and he raised it up to 450 in the cutoff position. This is normally an instant fold for me in this spot but something told me to call and see what happens. Maybe it was his screen name that annoyed me. I don't know. I called and the two of us took a flop of Qh-6s-Th. I looked at the pot and decided that I wanted it. I led out for 500, about half the pot hoping to take it down right there. He called. The turn was the 3d and I fired out again, this time 700 into a pot of 2,000. He again called. The river was the 3s. I had a feeling that my opponent held A-10 or J-10 or possibly a flush draw. I didn't think I could win without a bet. In fact, I was positive. I had no choice. I had to fire a third bullet, something I hate doing. But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. I made a value-bet bluff of 950 and my opponent folded. Phew. A nice pot. I was up to almost 9,000, a very nice stack at this point.

I find that when I make a mistake like this - calling pre-flop when I should have folded - I often find myself in a do or die situation. If he had top pair or a was trapping with a monster I would have bluffed off most of my chips for no reason. There was no reason for me to be in the above situation to begin with. But once I was there I did what ever it took to get that pot. I am pretty sure he folded a pair in that spot. Sometimes, the third shell convinces people that their pair or their kicker is no good. After all, how can someone bet three times with air? I don't recommend this tactic but I also don't recommended backing down in tough spots. I believe that this pot put me on the path to winning. When he folded and I scooped in the chips so-to-speak I felt very good. When you feel good at the table your reads are better and you tend to make fewer mistakes.

Blind increase: 100/200

Qc-Th (small blind): Hand #75. It is raised by the villain from Hand #66. I folded. Don't want to pick on him too much with nothing. Maybe a little later. Besides, this hand can only get you into trouble. Unless you flop a big hand it can get dangerous.

Qs-6h (small blind): Hand #76. It is folded around to me and I folded. No reason to get involved here.

As-Tc (cutoff): Hand #78. It's later. The villain from Hand #66 - let's give him a name; how about Bob? - limped in early position. I called from the cutoff. The small blind called and the big blind checked his option. There were four to a flop of 7d-Kd-Ah. Bob bet out 200, a weak bet. I would have raised without cards here. I did raise it up with my ace to 1,000 and everyone folded. I think I should have raised in the cutoff here, though. Oh well. Gotta remember that for next time. Sometimes you get a good result when you play it wrong. Either well, this helped me to mix it up a bit.

Hand #83: I folded my big blind of 9h-6c to a bet.
Hand #84: I called with the Ac-Qd in the big blind and folded to a bet on a 6h-9d-2s.

Blind increase: 150/300 ante 25

Hand #90: I raised it up under the gun with the Ac-Kd and took the blinds and antes.
Hand #91: I folded my big blind of 6s-5s after a raise.
Hand #92: I folded my small blind of 9h-6c after an all-in bet.
Hand #96: Bob is gone. From chip leader to gone. I think it was my fault. Maybe I'll send him a bottle of wine. I really feel partly responsible for that one.
Hand #97: I lost a few chips with 3d-3s. I called pre-flop and folded to some wild action on a missed flop.

I played no hands until hand #104 and that will have to wait until Part III.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

How I Won a 180 Person NLHE $22 SNG, Part I

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

As promised am going to attempt to write some articles on how I won a 180 person $22 Sit and Go (SNG). This is the first in a five part series of articles that will be published once or twice a week. This series is not about bragging or even to suggest that I somehow know what it takes to win one of these. In fact, my track record in these tournaments is not so great. I would say that I have played about 30 of these particular tournaments and am not up a whole lot considering this one paid $1,080 for first place. I have some reasonable tournament success, particularly on Bodog in the smaller to medium buy-in events. I have also had some success in live tournaments but nothing about which to write home.

I got the idea for this series from Card Player magazine where there is a feature that allows the reader to play a tournament with the writer. The feature is called Play a Tournament with Me. The writer recaps important hands from the tournament while keeping track of his or her chip count as well as the tournament's blind level. It's interesting, I think, to see how others think throughout a tournament and to see how hands are played out. In that series, small details are omitted, probably for two reasons. Space consideration in a magazine is one reason. Another is that it is more difficult to remember the details with total certainly of every hand played throughout a live tournament without documenting it along the way. I have the luxury of working with hand history files. I do not, however, have access to a few important features: for example, I do not know the number of players remaining in the tournament at any given time, nor do I know the average chip stack. I will make educated guesses throughout the article and attempt to reconstruct these facts from other tournaments of the same structure.

I normally play a fairly tight game in the early stages of a Multi-table Tournament (MTT) but I seize any opportunity that may come along. In this tournament each person began with 1,500 in chips and the blinds were 10/20 and increased every 15 minutes.

As-3s (big blind): Hand #3. There were two limpers including the button and the cutoff. The small blind called and I checked. The flop came down 8s-2s-Kd and I decided to bet my nut flush draw after the SB checked. I bet out 60 and the button called after the cutoff folded. The small blind folded as well. The turn was the Ad. This looks like a good card for me. I bet out half the pot, 100. The button called. The river was gin, the 5s. I value bet 250 and the button called again. To my surprise, when I checked the hand history, he held the Kh-Ks! Huh? He misplayed this hand on every street. I would surely have folded the big blind to a pre-flop raise. I think I got the call on the river because I bet it all the way down and he didn't put me on a flush draw. However, I never should have seen the flop or the turn for that matter.

Th-Td (middle position): Hand #4. This was the hand after the one above. It was folded to me. I raised to 80 (I like the four times the blind raise early on for some reason. It is something I have been trying out recently) and got two callers, including the big blind and the button. The flop came down Kh-8d-Jc and I folded to a bet from the big blind.

Blind increase: 15/30.

Notice that I had only played two hands in the first round and in the first hand I was in the big blind.

Kc-6s (big blind): Hand #16. Several players limped including the table chip leader. I hadn't played a hand since Hand #4. The flop came down 3h-Kh-Ts. The small blind checked and I bet out 2/3 the size of the pot for 100. The chip leader in the hijack position (one before the cutoff) popped it to 400. I thought about it and folded. No point in going crazy now even though I figured to have the best hand against this maniac. I'm patient.

Ad-8d (small blind): Hand #17. The cutoff limped behind another limper. The button popped it to 150. No point in getting involved here. I fold. This fits with my tight play early on. Besides, this hand is a loser, particularly with the action in front of me.

Blind increase: 25/50.

That's a total of four hands in the first two levels. Maybe it's too tight but I don't see the advantage to having chips early on. If I get them, great, but I am not going to chase them with mediocre hands. I am not going to make plays at pots, even if I am pretty sure I have the best of it. I have folded huge hands pre-flop in the first level, including pairs and A-Ks. This works for me. For others, they'll play every hand from the first to the last and it works for them. To each his own.

8s-8h (under the gun): Hand #24. I raised to 150 (when the blinds get higher I usually open for three times the big blind rather than the four I had been trying out in the early rounds). I am not sure this was a good move. I had been tight and if I got re-raised I could fold. A player three from the big blind pushed all-in for 580 in total. Not too bad. I called without hesitation hoping at best to be in a race. I was delighted at first to see Th-6c but that quickly changed on a flop of Tc-5s-3h. The turn and river were no help and I was short stacked. Oh well. No need to panic.

8s-7s (big blind): Hand #25. The maniac who pushed with the Th-6c last hand pushes all-in for a little more than 1,200 behind the under the gun (UTG) limper. I folded and the UTG player called all-in for less. The maniac showed Ad-6d (wow!) and the UTG player showed Kh-Qs. Neither hand improved and the maniac had a nice stack all of a sudden. I would have made two pair, eights and sevens. Not my style at all.

Ad-10h (button): Hand #27. I opened-raised to 120 and took the blinds. I sometimes open for less than three times the blind to get a worse hand in the blinds to call.

As-10s (cutoff): Hand #28. It was folded to me and I pushed all-in from the cutoff. I did this because the big blind had been making ridiculous calls since the beginning (he was sitting on a mountain of chips) and I wanted to goad him into calling. What happened next shocked me to no end. I still can't believe it looking at the hand history. The big blind did call and showed the 9s-3s! As happy as I was to see this it still meant that I had to dodge a 9 or a 3. I flopped a 10 and the turn and river were no help to him and I doubled up. He later said he thought I was tilting the way I had been playing the last few hands. I didn't think so. Either way that is absolutely no reason to call with a 9-3. I would have to have something like a 7-2 for that call to be good. You need to have something when calling a bluff. You can't bluff a call. At least he didn't say "they were suited." I'll take 'em any way I can.

Ah-7h (small blind): Hand #33. Four limpers in front of me. I limped in the small blind. I checked-folded on a 2s-9h-8d flop.

The following hand was the last hand before the blinds increased to 50/100. I needed this one.

Qc-Js (cutoff): Hand #35. The pot was raised to 150 UTG by the maniac who called me with a 9s-3s. I didn't give him much here, anything from J-10 to a small pair. Maybe even a K-J type of hand. The player right after called (he was weak and did not understand the concept of position) and I decided to take a shot at the flop with position. Normally I wouldn't consider such a hand but in this case I felt that with these two players I can steal this pot away by outplaying them on the flop. I didn't want to re-raise because I felt the maniac might push all-in with a marginal hand and I would have to fold. If I get the right flop the pot will be mine anyway. If not, I can get away pretty easily. The flop came down 5s-Th-3d, not too bad, but not too great. This made a lot of the hand on which I put the maniac. He led out for 300 and I called after the other player folded with the intention of stealing the pot away on the turn whether or not he bet. When the 7d hit the turn he checked and I bet out 400. To my surprise he checked-called. Was he slow playing a monster? Maybe he had a J-10 and didn't want to go crazy? I know he is the type to call here with an A-4 for a gutshot or an A-5 for a flopped middle pair. I didn't think he had a set. He tends to play his big hands fast and I am still not sure what to do on the river if I missed. I know I have to bet if I missed and he checks. The pot is just too big to let go. I have no problem firing three bullets with air if I smell weakness. The river was the Jc which was either really good or really bad. The maniac checked (now I knew it was good) and I bet slightly less than 1/3 the pot, 600. I think anymore and he would have folded if he had a 10. He called and I was shocked when I saw the Qh-7h. He hit a 7 on the turn. I was actually ahead on the flop! I will not fire three shots at this guy anymore. Not after that call. I now have over 3,000 in chips and am ready for the next level.

Next time: 50/100.

Check out Part II.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Why I Love Razz. No. Really!

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I would like to talk a little about my favorite poker game, Razz. Yes, you read that correctly. Razz! This is the game that when being played, the entire table wonders why it is they are even playing. Almost everyone seems like they would rather be somewhere else. Finding Razz in a casino is not possible in any poker room on the East Coast of which I am aware and I am pretty sure that it is difficult, if not impossible to find it spread in any casino elsewhere outside of a mixed game. Even playing online poker I have had to wait at a table for some time until it filled up. Razz SNGs are impossible to get going online - I have sat registered for five different Razz SNGs at multiple stakes for hours without so much as one other registrant. I once put my laptop in standby mode overnight only to realize that I had forgotten to unregister from a Razz SNG. Lucky for me nobody registered. Razz MTTs run a few times throughout the day on PokerStars and other sites but rarely draw that many players and the stakes are usually less than $10 or $20. The most entrants I have seen on PokerStars in an MTT is about 150 and that was because it had a guaranteed prize pool (of only $1000), which people seem to love. The WCOOP and FTOPS attract a decent number of entrants into their Razz tournaments, but again, they have large guaranteed prize pools. I am convinced that people would enter a coin flipping competition if they guaranteed a million dollar prize pool.

So by now you might be asking yourself why on earth I think Razz is the best form of poker out there. If all of the above is true then why would I like it? Well, for a number of reasons. First of all, I'll run through the rules really quickly for those who are unfamiliar with the game. Razz is like 7 Card Stud but it is played low, meaning the worst hand wins. Unlike 7 Card Stud Eight or Better there is no qualifier (more on that shortly). Like 7 Card Stud, seven cards are dealt to each player one at a time after the initial deal of three cards. There is a betting round after each card is dealt. So each player is dealt two cards down and one up. Then there is a betting round. Then three more cards are dealt up with a betting round between each and the seventh card is dealt down with one final betting round. The lowest hand wins with the wheel, 5-4-3-2-A (straights and flushes are ignored) being the best. Aces play as low. The second best hand is 6-4-3-2-A followed by 6-5-3-2-A, and so on. The worst hand would be K-K-K-K-Q-(Q-Q). A good starting in Razz would be (2-4)-A or (5-3)-2. Unlike in Stud Eight or Better the five lowest cards do not need to be 8 or less so therefore J-10-8-5-3 beats K-4-3-2-A (which would be a really bad beat), the former being a jack low and the latter being a king low.

So you might still be asking yourself why on earth I would love a game where bad hands are good and good hands are bad. Well, first of all, I tend to enjoy any game that isn't Hold 'Em. I enjoy Stud games very much as I have a better feel for the game. I often read and hear of how people play by feel more than there cards. They play the players and the situation, which of course is the proper way to play. I find that I do this much better in Stud style games. However the most important reason I play Razz is because I feel that I am better than the majority of people who play Razz online, particularly at the middle limits. It's not that I think that I am such a great player. It's more that I feel everyone else is not. Most people who play Razz online come and go. There are a few of us Razz people who are regulars at the tables and I know who they are. For the most part, when someone sits down at a Razz table online I know if they are regulars as there are not many. This means that those who are not are either learning the game, experts who are first beginning to play online or those who are either taking a break from another game or just want to see what this Razz thing is all about.

Of the above mentioned groups, the majority are fall into the first and last categories as most "pros" would not just pop in for a quick game. Most experts would be longtime regulars. While there are many who are trying to learn the game, I find that many just pop in and play a little to check out the game. Therefore I am at a distinct advantage. I can make my money off of those who are really not familiar with the rules. These players tend to make very costly errors, which is something one should never do against someone who plays Razz. They are easy to pick off as they do not have good hand selection and they tend to pay off a better hand pretty regularly. I am very familiar with how the game is played and take pride in being able to pick off these players. I seem to be able to fold losers, lose the minimum in a cooler situation and get the max out of my big hands. I wish I could do that in Hold 'Em. I also have a pretty good ability to read a bluff in Razz which is something I think is easier to pick up in Stud type games.

Here's another interesting benefit to playing Razz. When playing Razz you will occasionally find yourself with a monster starting hand like (2-4)-A and will raise it up. Unlike in Hold 'Em, however, Razz is a drawing game. Someone with a reasonable starting hand will look you up so a completion or a raise on third street may not get them to fold. Now you get dealt fourth street only to find a Q so now your hand looks like this: (2-4)-A-Q. Your opponent's board may be something like (x-x)-6-3. Now what? Let's assume it goes check-check and you get to fifth. You are now dealt a J for a board of (2-4)-A-Q-J. Ugly! It's worse if your opponent has something like: (x-x)-6-3-7. This happens often in Razz where you will start with a monster and brick fourth and fifth streets while your opponent hits gin. You must fold. Unlike in Hold 'Em where pocket aces or pocket kings are often the best hand after a "missed" flop, that luxury does not hold true in Razz. So you get used to "bad beats" or hands like the one above. They happen all too often. So when you move back to Hold 'Em it's easier to take the coolers and the "bad beats" that inevitably occur. In Razz you learn to smile and play the next deal as though it were the first since you sat down.

So next time you are online take a seat at a Razz table and give it a try. You never know. It could be you next favorite game. Here's hoping. Look out for some Razz strategy articles in the future.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Why I Don't Play Rebuy Tourneys

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

This image speaks for itself, however I'll give you a little background to better understand it. This is a $3 re-buy tourney to the Sunday Million on PokerStars. I never play re-buy tourneys and almost never play satellites. But occasionally I'll throw some dead money in. I have won a couple to make it worth it. Anyway, back to the tourney. I decided that I was not going to re-buy or add-on. I figured that if I got a couple of hands early on I can get some chips. There are so many people going all-in in the first few levels that getting chips is easy without re-buying. If I get unlucky, I move on. So here it is. I have the Q-Q. The A-6 limped under-the-gun. I pushed all-in hoping to get into a coin flip or a get a worse pair to call. Well, I got FOUR callers. Typical. I hated that one. But when I saw their hands I was pretty happy. Although with five players in the hand my odds decrease, I am still almost 40% to win the hand. The 7-3o is less than 8% to win. Well, I think I have said more than enough. Here's the screen shot. Click to see the full-sized version.



This might have been my last re-buy. Well, probably not. I laughed this one off and moved on but I thought it'd be a nice piece for the blog.

Keep an eye on this blog for a series of articles on how I won a 180 person $22 Sit-n-Go for $1,080.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Low Stakes 6-Max No Limit Hold 'Em SNG Strategy

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

Although I have played several thousand Sit and Go (SNG) tournaments over the years I still consider myself somewhat of a novice. I never really attacked them for profit but I have managed to squeeze out a nice profit from them anyway. For me, they are a good way to waste some time and get away from the cash games without risking a lot of money. In the process, there is room to make a nice profit.

I have taken a long, long break from poker due to some important things, but over the last week I have had some free time to play around. Since I was short on time I mostly wanted to get in some playing time rather than make money. I hate jumping into games and trying to make a profit quickly. I prefer to take my time and since there are big swings in poker, I didn't want to get into a big hole with no time to make the money back.

But I digress. I decided to play in low stakes SNGs to get in some playing time. Over this last week I have played in forty 6-Max No Limit Hold 'Em tournaments on PokerStars. The buy-in for each was $6.60 with two places being paid; $23.40 for the win and $12.60 for second place. I won twenty-eight of these, cashed in seven and busted out in five. If you are keeping score, that's a profit of just under $480. I suppose that gives me the authority to write a little strategy piece on how to make money in these tournaments. Or maybe not. Either way I am going to because I can.

The first thing that you must realize about these tournaments is that they pay out 33% of those who enter. So right from the start you have a one in three chance of nearly doubling your money and a more than 16% chance of making 3.5-1 on your money. Now I know that you are saying "hey, most SNGs have the same pay scale" and you'd be right. The difference is that in the shorthanded SNGs there are fewer players, giving you a much better chance of getting paid. In a nine person SNG you need to outlast seven other players to make a little more than double your money (based on the $6.50 9 person Turbo SNG on PokerStars). Here, if you outlast four players you do just about the same thing.

So here are some of the techniques that I have employed during these forty tournaments. The first thing I did was build my weak-tight image. During the first one or two blind levels there is almost no reason to play a hand. That means you should be dumping all but the best aces (A-K and A-Q are good although I would dump A-Q to a re-raise this early). And never gamble for all your chips pre-flop with A-K this early. Be careful with pairs, even big ones. People are all too willing to gamble with you. Remember, 10-10 is not that big a favorite over Q-9s (a little better than 2-1 although I'll take it every time). If you enter a pot, raise. DO NOT LIMP in early in the tournament. This will get you in trouble. Raise or fold. And be prepared to fold to big or even medium sized raises. There is no reason to commit yourself this early. There are those that like to gamble early on. Let them do it against someone else. I practically fold everything except aces and kings during the first two levels.

Once the first player is knocked out you should start seeing some more flops. This is particularly true past the second blind level. Again, don't get too aggressive. There is no reason to get knocked out in fifth. Out of my five bust outs I made it to third place three times and fourth once. The goal here is to keep your stack either even or up a bit until there are four players left. Once it becomes four handed you need to open up your game. You want to build a stack so that you are not the shortstack when it becomes three handed. I love to open steal from under the gun four handed which just happens to be the cutoff position in this case. Start to become aggressive, NOT stupid. This is not the time to start slow playing hands pre-flop nor is it time to raise with any two cards (unless of course there are weak-scared players in the blinds).

While on the subject of slow playing I must say, don't do it. Don't give anyone a free flop. Keep your raises consistent. I can't stress this enough. Always open for the same amount every time. I like to raise four times the blind in these shorthanded games to make those who want to see flops pay for it. If you are stealing, make it four times the big blind. If you have aces, do the same. And always, always make a continuation bet no matter what. Many people call to try and hit a big flop. More often than not they will miss. If you check, you give them a chance to outdraw your A-Q with their K-9. I've seen it happen too many times. If the flop is 7-4-10 and you bet, they will fold their K-9. Check it down and you will lose the hand nearly 25% of the time.

When it gets three handed, it's time to pick on the scared player. If nobody appears to be scared of bubbling, play your cards a little more. Don't play too much against the shortstack. If you have 2,000 chips and the chips the chip leader has 6,000 there is no reason to switch places with the player who has 1,000. You'd be surprised how much people are willing to gamble on the shortstack. Be patient. Weak aces are good to raise with but not good enough to call an all-in raise or re-raise. Be prepared to fold.

But what if you are the shortstack? Hang in there. Don't push with garbage. There is always a chance that the other two players will bump heads. If this happens you cash. You must be willing to fold your blinds in these tournaments.

Defending you blinds here is not worth it. In one tournament it was three and I had 200 in chips left after a cooler. The chip counts were something like 6,500, 2,300 and 200. The blind were 50-100 and I was in the big blind. The chip leader raised to 200 on the button and the small blind called. I folded by 8-4o. They got involved in a betting war and the small blind got knocked out in third place. I cashed. Never give it up. (I actually got back up to over 1,000 chips before busting out. I could actually have won it.)

Once you are heads up you are playing for $10.80. You are each guaranteed $12.60. You want this money. The blinds are usually not that high since it is a six handed tournament. There is actually some decent play for a little bit. Don't dunk off your stack, however you must be aggressive. I am not a heads-up expert so I don't want to start giving advice in that area but I will say that others are far too willing to double up a shortstack when heads up in one of these tournaments. They figure that they have cashed already so let's just end it. Whoever wins, wins. So if you are the shorter stack, look for opportunities to double up and if you are the big stack, don't give it away.

To sum it up, here are some key points to follow:

• Build a weak-tight image during the first two blind levels.
• Fold all but the best hands early on.
• Never limp. Raise or fold. And be prepared to fold to re-raises.
• Never slow play.
• Always follow through with a continuation bet on the flop after a pre-flop raise.
• Keep your raises at four times the big blind with A-A, J-10s or 7-2o.
• Keep your stack even or up a little until it gets four handed.
• Start getting aggressive four handed.
• A good steal position is the cutoff.
• Pick on the scared player when it becomes three handed.
• Don't trade places with the shortstack three handed.
• Do anything to cash, even folding a huge big blind with a bad hand.
• When heads up, be aggressive.
• If you are shortstacked, look for opportunities to double up.
• If you are chip leader, don't double up the shortstack to try and end it quickly.

Addendum: There is one important piece of strategy that I had to add. If you are three handed (or heads-up, although you might be able to wait one or two hands) and the blinds are really high in relation to the stacks (for example the average stack is 3,000 and the blinds are at 200-400) it is time to become super-aggressive. Don't ever limp. Don't even make a standard raise. I personally move all-in until I win or bust out. There is simply no play left in this game. You have to hope to get lucky (or not get unlucky). Chip leads mean nothing at this point. Push and hope for the best. In one tournament there was an epic three handed battle. No one would pay anyone off. When the blinds got super high I pushed all-in every pot. By the time the other two realized that they needed to defend it was too late. They had no chips. It took 35 minutes three handed. When the blinds got high I won the tournament in less than 3 minutes.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

p.s. for tips on how to repair your credit , please leave me comments ,

World Series of Poker Main Event 2007 Hand Analysis

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

Who am I to argue with an 11 time world champion and Hall of Famer Phil Hellmuth? I'm not exactly near his level and despite what I think of the way he acts at the table - he needs to stop crying about be re-raised when he has nothing - he has proven for nearly two decades that he is the best No Limit Hold 'Em tournament player. His results tell quite the story.

Before I get to the hand in question I want to prefix it with a little tidbit on Hellmuth's game. He likes to play small pots with marginal hands and get it all-in with the nuts. When he has what he believes to be the best hand, but not the best possible hand, he throws out a small bet. On the flop. On the turn. And then on the river. If he wins, he wins a reasonably sized pot. If he loses, he berates his opponent's play but only loses a relatively small pot. If he gets re-raised along the way he has the awesome ability to throw away a monster, albeit with quite the tantrum. He likes to trap a lot and does it masterfully. He also seems to know the exact right time to throw in a bluff.

I do, however, have a bone to pick with Hellmuth on the way in which he played this particular hand during the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. I don't know what the blinds and antes were at the time but the action went something like this (according to Phil as the ESPN cameras came to the table). Phil limped with Ah-Ks in late position, a typical trap by the 11 time bracelet winner. He got raised by either the button or by the player to his right (who had apparently also limped) and Phil re-raised to $3,000. Both players called with the button holding 4s-4c and the middle position player holding 3h-3d.

The flop came down 7s Kc 7h, a perfect flop for Hellmuth's hand. There was $12,400 in the pot and it was checked to Hellmuth who bet out $2,000. I believe that this is mistake number one for Hellmuth. What is the purpose of a bet this size? Is he trying to take down the pot? If he is $2,000 is probably not going to do it. With so much in the pot he is likely to get a caller being that the bet is so small. His opponents are getting more than 7-1 on the call. Now I know Hellmuth likes to keep the pot small but he re-raised pre-flop and got two callers. The time for small pots has passed. On top of that, the pot size represents nearly all of Hellmuth's stack. He can almost double up without a showdown by taking down this pot. If he intended to play a small pot he should not have put in a re-raise pre-flop. One of the reasons to do that, in addition to taking it down right there, is to build a pot with a big hand.

The turn was the Js. Now this is where Hellmuth simply gave the hand away. He checked. What can he possibly be trying to accomplish with this check? Is he going for the check-raise all-in? That is not very likely to work anyway since his opponent would have to be on a stone cold bluff to fold with so few chips left. Or, his opponent would have to have the exact type of hand he happened to have, however it is extremely unlikely that he would bet that on the turn anyway. There is absolutely no benefit to checking here. Hellmuth had less than less than $11,000 chips left with over $16,000 in the pot. He absolutely must bet the turn here. It is pretty hard for him to be beat here.

The river brings the absolute worst card for Hellmuth and a beautiful card for his opponent, the 4d, giving him fours full of sevens. Now Hellmuth decides to bet. He bets $3,000 into a $16,000 pot. With what hand could his opponent have that would call the flop, check the turn, and then call the river? My best guess is that Hellmuth put his opponent on a medium pair and was hoping that the guy would look him up because the pot was so big. This has to be the worst value bet ever, particularly since he had the worst hand. He essential gave his opponent two free cards to draw out. After betting the river Hellmuth was moved all-in at which point he bemoans his back luck, berates all the players at the table, complains that he never gets any cards and folds, leaving himself with just about $5,000 in chips.

Had Hellmuth bet bigger on the flop, or even made a sizable bet on the turn he would have doubled up and proclaimed his greatness for a few more hands, or maybe all the way to the final table. Big hands are meant to be played strongly. Slow playing only gets one into trouble and, although his opponent had just two outs to win, Hellmuth allowed his opponent to get there and has only himself to blame. He simply outplayed himself on this hand and attempted to get too fancy at the wrong time. He created a big pot, something which he does not like to do, and did not protect his hand with so much at stake. I believe that he played this hand wrong on every street from the flop onward.

So remember to respect your big hands and treat as they should be treated. Like a rare commodity. They don't come along often so you need to make the most of them when they do.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

Don't Give it Away: Talking at the Poker Table

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

Here is a quick tip regarding table talk, whether you are playing online or live poker. Talking during a hand can more often than not be a detriment rather than an advantage. However, there is a form of table talk that is almost always a negative and should be avoided at all costs. Many times there will be discussion about the way in which a hand was played when it reaches showdown. I urge you to avoid joining in these discussions at all costs, even if you participated in the hand and your opponent comments - negatively or positively - on your play.

The reason for this is that while you think you are having friendly table conversation and simply discussion some poker, the astute player will take note of what you say and use this information when playing future hands against you. For example, even a simple comment such as "I put you on a flush draw the whole way down" can be disastrous for you later on. The pro will use that information to play a monster the same way he played his drawing hand earlier, only when you call him down he will show you the goods.

Keep table conversation to a minimum and when playing online, comment such as ty, yw, nh, etc. (thank you, your welcome and nice hand respectively) will do just fine. Anything more will be giving away precious information regarding your play and could cost you deeply. If you must talk, talk about the weather. Talk about sports. Talk about anything but how you play. But no matter the subject, be careful what you say. The really good pros, and I suspect this type is rare, will learn something from just about everything you say. They will learn something about the nature of your personality and apply that to your play. So don't give it away. Make them earn it.

Addendum: I feel I must add one more thing to this discussion for completeness. There will be times when you make a play at a pot, or perhaps even make a bad play and get lucky and take down a big pot. Oftentimes this will be followed by the chat box filling up with statements of how you are a huge donkey or how you are the reason that online poker sucks... Don't get sucked into these conversations. They are not worth it and can, at times, frustrate you as much as the one who lost the pot. In addition, when you are on the opposite end of this scenario, don't be the one filling up the chat box with obscenities berating your opponents' play, especially if you play at those stakes often or plan to rebuy at the same table. There are those who will use your poor state of mind to their advantage. Be calm. Simply type "nice hand" into the box and continue as though nothing has happened. Doing so provides two benefits: one, your opponents will notice that the beat didn't seem to bother you and will help solidify your reputation as a solid player who understands that this has to happen in poker. And two, you will play better because of it. Acknowledging that your opponent has indeed one the hand will help you to get past the fact that you did not.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack

A Little Bit of Game Theory

By: The Monster Stack (Guest Blogger)

Hello,

I do not profess to be an expert in game theory - far from it. In fact, I am still struggling to understand its basic concepts. However, a situation came up recently while watching a friend play Pot Limit Omaha that was a classic example of game theory in action. When applied correctly to poker, game theory can be a tremendous asset and pros such as Chris Ferguson do it masterfully.

The game is $5-$10 Pot Limit Omaha and my friend, a very aggressive player we'll call John, was sitting in front of about $740 when the following situation arose. He was holding 8h 9d Jh Jd in the small blind, a very good hand for Omaha, particularly when you flop a big draw. A middle position player raised to $30, the button called as did my friend. The big blind folded. With $100 in the pot, the flop came down 6d 7h 2h. John was first to act and led out with a bet of half the size of the pot, $50. The pre-flop raiser raised $100 more. The button folded over to John, who was at this point, even against a set, a coin flip to win the pot. He smooth-called the bet bringing the pot to $400. The turn was the As keeping John's outs the same but still giving him a 37% chance at winning the pot, assuming all his outs were live (that is, if his opponent didn't have something like 2s 2c Kh Qh, which would still give John a 20% chance at taking down the pot).

John checked and his opponent bet the pot and John called. When the river was a blank for John he pushed in his remaining $160 and to my great surprise his opponent folded and John took down a huge pot without a showdown. His play left me with many questions. Why did he not press his big draw on the flop? With a flush draw, straight draw and an over pair he had to know he was in good shape no matter what. Why did he not push his last $160 in when his opponent bet the pot on the turn? It's not as though he was planning on folding after putting nearly $600 into the pot.

He explained it as follows. Once he sees this flop he is going to see the next two cards no matter what. In Omaha, or even Hold 'Em for that matter, you are going to play a draw this big for all your chips if you have to. So, if he pushes the flop and his opponent has a set or two pair John is going to have to hit one of his many outs to win the pot. On the turn, if he comes over-the-top for his last $160 he is going to get called as his opponent is getting the right price to call with just about any reasonable hand. The only chance he has to win on the turn is if his opponent was on a complete and total steal, but even then, with so much in the pot and one card to come, he might have to call and hope for miracle. Since John's money is going in anyway he wants to have the greatest chance of winning the pot.

If he hits one of his outs on the river he can push in, and if he gets called, he will win the pot that way. But, if he misses the river, as he did, and pushes there is the small chance that his opponent too was on a big draw and missed and can't call. Throughout the hand John gave himself the best chance to win the pot. Leaving a small amount of bluffing chips behind is ideal since betting the missed draw on the river in this manner only has to work a small percentage of the time to be profitable. As a matter of fact, it has to work less than 14% of the time to be profitable.

So here is how the hand played and the options John had on each street. Once we examine it in this way we can see that each decision gave John the best possible chance of winning the pot. It is important to keep in mind that John is playing this hand from out of position. Although this could work in position, you actually control more of this situation from out of position.

Flop:
A) John goes all-in. Opponent has a big hand. Opponent calls. John must hit to win.
B) John calls and see the turn. John hits. Bets. Wins by opponent folding or wins when opponent calls.
The best option here B is to call and see what develops.

Turn:
A) John hits. Wins by betting whether or not opponent calls or folds.
B) John misses. Goes all-in. Same result as on the flop. John must hit.
C) John check-calls. John hits the river. John bets and wins if his opponent calls or folds.

If John misses the turn the best option is C. If he hits, the best option is A.

River:
A) John hits. Wins by betting whether or not opponent calls or folds.
B) John misses. Goes all-in and wins the pot if opponents folds. Wins the pot if opponent calls and John has the best hand. Loses if opponent calls and has him beat.

Notice that losing on the river by betting and getting called is the same result as getting all-in on the flop or turn and then missing his outs. The difference is that John gave himself some extra chances to win along the way. Remember that this is a perfect example. I have seen hands that he has played in this same manner and lost, however this is to be expected. The difference is that each time he gave himself the greatest chance to win and combined, this proposition is a winning one. Before committing chips to a pot ask yourself if it is the best way to win the hand. Sometimes a passive approach works best. Other times aggression is vital. Knowing your opponents' tendencies is key. An aggressive opponent might call you down here simply because he can't stand the thought of all that money being out there rather than in his stack. Don't be surprised when he rolls over a weak hand on the river that just narrowly beats yours. Your opponent is getting the right price to call you even if he has one pair. He too only has to be right less than 12% of the time for this call to be profitable. But remember, you gave yourself the best chance to win the hand every step of the way. Do that every time and you will be a winner.

One more thing. Watch out for this tactic when it is being used against you. John is an aggressive player and this passive mode of play is out of character for him. When you see an aggressive player playing a hand like this, perhaps he is just giving himself the best chance if winning the hand. Picking off the bluff a small percentage of the time will be a profitable play.

See you on the felt,
The Monster Stack