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14th May 2007
Hello there and welcome to Hold or Fold -
The UK's only Poker E-Letter dedicated to helping YOU become a better
player!
In this week's packed E-Letter:
*The film 'Rounders'
and why it's become a cult film
*The 1988 Heads Up Classic
hand featuring Johnny Chan
*Some tips on Heads Up
Strategy
*News about playing poker
at 15,000 feet (with a parachute)
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So - how has your week been? I've had a really good week - I came
150th out of 1434 players cashing in $450 last Sunday and I also
made $500 in a Turbo Rebuy Tournament so I'm happy !!
As you know, I read all the Poker Magazines avidly and I'd noticed
a few times that some top Poker Players, including Chris Moneymaker
(winner of the 2004 WSOP Main Event), had mentioned the film "Rounders"
as a major influence in their decision to start playing poker.
It was on telly a few weeks ago so I taped it and watched it last
night. Yes - it is a really good film and if you are a poker player
- I would highly recommend watching it.
In particular, there is a scene where our hero Matt Damon is watching
a replay of the 1988 World Series Main Event final Heads up between
Johnny Chan and Erik Seidel. He is watching this hand with a girl
and she speaks in awed tones about the magic of Johnny Chan slowplaying
the final hand. The way she describes the hand is as if she's watching
a master at work and marvelling at his talent.
So I thought I would highlight this hand for this week's e-letter.
_____________________________________________
You're never down and out until all your chips are gone
_____________________________________________
First off, there is a segment of the Commentator Chris Marlowe interviewing
the 1978 WSOP winner Bobby Baldwin and they discuss the fact that
the Heads Up between Johnny Chan and Erik Seidel had been swinging
back and forth with Johnny nearly all out on a previous hand, but
luckily he managed to hit a lucky card and still be in the fight.
Remember - when you are playing Heads Up - the Dealer is the Small
Blind and is first to act before the Flop - After the Flop he is
second to act.
The final hand unfolds as follows: Johnny is first to act and calls
the blind.
The Flop comes out - QS, 8D, 10H
 
Erik checks and Johnny bets out $40,000 and Erik raises another
$50,000. As Erik has 'check-raised' he is implying that he has a
very good hand.
The Commentator says: "Johnny Chan takes his time, figuring
out the odds for all possible combinations with two more cards to
come."
Johnny calls Erik's $50,000.
The Turn comes down with a 2S
and at this point - we get to see what Johnny & Erik are holding.
Johnny has JC and 9C meaning that he flopped the nut straight !
 
and Erik has QC and 7H giving him top pair.
Erik cannot win this hand and he doesn't know it - but he figures
he has top pair and this is pretty good. Johnny is putting on very
submissive body language, in the way he slouches and hesitates,
trying to suck Erik into going all in.
The River is a 6D changing nothing.
Erik falls for the bait and puts all his chips in the pot !!
Johnny immediately calls and wins the 1988 WSOP Main Event !!
You can view this hand at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC_BETBgWxk
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Post Mortem
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When interviewed, Johnny said that he noticed that Erik was playing
fairly fast and trying to bluff a lot so he laid in wait for the
right moment to trap him and that's exactly what happened.
________________
Heads Up Strategy
________________
Playing Heads Up is the Poker equivalent of playing tennis. You
have to put chips into every pot, either in the Small Blind or the
Big Blind so you can't wait for decent hands or else you'll wittle
all your chips away.
The cards have less significance Heads Up as you are now having
a total battle of wits against your opponent and you have to sense
when your opponent is weak and attack attack attack !
Aggression is the key - selective aggression and controlled aggression
! However - if your opponent is on all-out aggression - then you
can lie in wait and trap him, just as Johnny Chan did.
I have read a lot of tips for Heads Up Strategy online and the best
one I have found for beginners is: http://www.pokkercards.com/headsup-strategy.html
There are also plenty of opportunities to play Heads up Tournaments
online to practice and hone your skills.
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Extreme Poker
____________
In July last year, a group of 5 poker players decided to play in
the back of a plane, 15,000 feet over the Nevada Desert. The plan
was if they lost all their chips - they were thrown out of the plane
!!
"The pressure in this game was unbelievable, knowing that if
someone called my bluff, I would have to jump out of a plane,"
said Phil 'Unibomber' Laak. "Now that I'm done, I want to get
right back up there and do it again."
The growing phenomenon of Extreme Poker is all about keeping your
cool under extreme duress, "I can't think of a more stressful
situation than knowing that you must fall 15,000 feet from a moving
aircraft if your opponent calls your bluff" said Peter Marcus,
spokesperson for InterPoker.com and creator of Extreme Poker.
More info: http://www.interpoker.com/tournaments/0706/losers_leap.shtml
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So after a successful week - I am off to qualify for this Sunday's
Tournament and see if I can get any higher than 150th. Let me know
how you get on too.
All the best
Meg Arana
Hold or Fold
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