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7th September 2007
Welcome to Hold or Fold - The UK's only Poker E-Letter dedicated
to
helping YOU become a better player!
In this week's E-Letter -
*Most definitely in the Pickle
Jar
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Hiya there and how have you been this week?
I read a great article in one of the Poker Magazines which tells
you how to start from scratch with a $200 bankroll and it into $5000
in 9 months.
For Months 1-2 - you play 200 Sit and Go Tournaments at the $10
level - at the end of this time you should be up to $600.
For Months 3-4 - you up the ante a bit and start playing about 300
games on the $20 tables and you should be up to $1,200.
For Months 5-6 - you play on the $30 tables and need to play about
400 games - they also say you should now be multi-tabling - i.e.
playing more than one table at a time - and you should get up to
$2,500.
For Months 6-9 - you should be very comfortable on the $55 tables
and should get up to your target of $5000.
It's also a great way to improve your bankroll without risking too
much money at a time and also you don't have to play hundreds or
thousands of players to make the money - Most Sit and Goes have
10 players and the top 3 get paid.
So I decided to have a go - As I'm not a rank beginner - I thought
I'd stick to the $33 and dabble occasionally on the $55 tables...
Well - so far - out of 19 tournaments - I'm up $221 !
So I'm going to stay with this strategy for another week and see
how it goes.
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Most Definitely in the Pickle Jar
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This week's hand is taken from the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II which
was held on February 25th 2006 at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.
The 'Bad Boys' consist of some of the loudest mouths and attitudes
on the circuit...
There are 4 players left and Mike 'The Mouth' Matosuw is first to
speak -
He picks up 7H and 2S and quickly folds.
Action moves to Phil Hellmuth who picks up 8C and 5S and he folds
too.
Now over to Jean-Robert Bellande who picks up JD and 7S in the Small
Blind and he opts to call the 8000 to make the pot 40,000.
Now to Tony 'The Australian Airbag' G who is in the Big Blind and
he picks up QS & JC and he checks.
He hasn't stopped talking since the cards were first dealt and
he says:
"Alright - I'll dance with you Baby".
The odds are 79% in Tony G's favour.
The Flop comes down: 8S 9D and 10H !!
Mike Sexton commentating gasps: "Both players have flopped
a straight ! Tony G has the Nut Straight and Jean-Robert has the
second straight !! There's going to be no saving him here."
As Jean-Robert is reaching for chips -
Tony G is still talking: "Slow Down Bobby - Slow Down"
This doesn't deter Jean-Robert - he bets out 40,000.
Tony G continues: "They never listen to me when I tell
them to slow down - I'm going to raise."
He stares over at Jean-Robert and says: "How much
do you think I'm going to raise you?? I'll raise you 66,000."
Vince Van Patten commentating: "And a quick raise by Tony
G - I'm going to do something that is so strong that you don't think
I'm so strong... he's got the cinch at this point. This is a slow-
motion train wreck - you're witnessing first-hand one guy with a
small straight and one guy with a big straight."
Mike Sexton goes on: "Jean-Robert is in the pickle jar
right now - He just can't get out of this hand - no-one in the world
would be able to lay this hand down so I don't know how he's going
to save any of his chips with this hand."
Jean-Robert fiddles with his chips and ponders - he obviously feels
he has the best hand and he's wondering how to get the most chips
out of Tony G. He probably puts Tony G on top pair or even two pairs
and he's licking his lips...
Conversely - Tony G KNOWS he has the Nuts - he too is licking
his lips and trying to play aggressively but slowly, trapping his
opponent into putting all his chips in the middle.
The pot stands at 186,000 and Jean-Robert has to put another 66,000
in - I think we all know what's coming but it really is like the
proverbial slow-motion train wreckage...
Jean-Robert continues to riffle his chips -
Mike Sexton: "It's just a question of WHEN all the chips
go in"
Vince Van Patten: "Not without a performance though, you've
gotta give him that."
This is referring to the amount of time Jean-Robert is taking -
obviously he's still wondering if he goes all-in - will it scare
Tony G into folding? This is the last thing he wants... Be careful
of what you dream for !!
Mike Sexton: "Tony with the absolute nuts on the flop
here - he's loving it and he is just hoping that Jean-Robert pulls
the trigger!"
Tony G looks over at Jean-Robert still fiddling with his chips
and says provocatively: "I guess he's raising me!"
Jean-Robert reaches for the chips and announces: "I'm
raising !"
Tony G carries on: "See - I know what he's going to do
before it happens - I know what he's going to do - looks like another
140,000 more. I'll tell you how much you have to raise - you have
to raise 140,000. You'll dance - and I'll lead you"
Vince Van Patten: "He's trying to orchestrate his man
- hehe...he is the Poker anti-christ right here".
Mike Matosuw suddenly chips in: "You talk more in 20 minutes
than I do in a week!!" And THAT's something coming from Mike
'The Mouth' Matosuw who is not called 'The Mouth' for nothing !!
Tony G doesn't stop: "Let's see if my prophecy is right
!"
Jean-Robert announces: "I'm raising 139,000 !!"
The players and the crowd riproar with laughter - Vince Van Patten
grins and claps his hands -
Tony G looks over - points his finger and with a 'lovely friendly
voice' amidst the laughter says: "Bobby - since you've been
such a good partner - I'll just put you all in."
Without hesitation Jean-Robert says: "I call"
Tony G responds: "I know you will - I've got the NUTS
!!" and flips his cards over casually.
Jean-Robert sees what Tony has and knocks the table with respect.
The crowd whoop and holler - the other players look on incredulously
- the pot is $878,000 and Jean-Robert will be out unless he can
split the pot with another Queen.
Mike Sexton sighs: "This is an amazing hand and it's not
totally over, Jean-Robert can tie the hand if a Queen comes up."
Tony G Stands up - by the way - he's wearing a kimono trying to
promote poker in Japan - he has a fan which he waves every now and
again.
He goes on: "This will be funny if we get a chop - it would
be three bad beats in a row"
Jean-Robert looks into the camera with a shrug and says:
"There was only one hand that could beat me and he had it. Nice
hand Tony - Wow - That's tough!"
Meanwhile Tony G is posturing with his fan and praying to the japanese
gods to avoid any Queens !
The Turn is the 8H
Mike Sexton: "So we're off the River - if it's not a Queen,
then Jean-Robert will be out in 4th place".
Vince Van Patten: "Could this be the demise of Jean-Robert
the local favourite??"
The River is 9H
Mike Sexton: "There's no-one at that table who wouldn't
have gone broke with that hand. Nothing you can do about it. "
Vince Van Patten sums up: "No doubt about that - It was
great to see Jean-Robert play - a young superstar in the game -
the room is rocking in LA - we're down to 3 players."
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Post Mortem
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This really was a cold deck - with both players flopping a straight
- it was inevitable that all the chips would go in the middle. Unfortunately
there was absolutely nothing Jean-Robert could have done - like
Mike Sexton said - there's nobody in the world who would or could
lay that hand down.
But That's Poker !!
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Well I hope you have a good week - may the cards be with you and
I'll see you again next Friday.
All the best
Meg Arana
Hold or Fold
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