Friday 15th February 2008

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 -

       *The Devilfish DOES make me laugh ! and
       *Find out about The Champions League Betting Service.

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Hiya there and how have you been this week??

This week I've been concentrating on playing very low-limit Multi-Table Tournaments - I've played the $3 Rebuy tournaments with nearly 3,000 players in them and first time it cost me $9 to play and I came in 122nd and won about $50 and the second time it cost me $15 and I came in about 134th and won $36 - so a pretty good return on my money -

Having said that - both tournaments took about 4 hours to play but now that I have Wi-Fi in my house - I play these particular tournaments on my lap-top which I can take upstairs and bath my daughter and get her into bed whilst still playing - I've also made late snacks for us both and cups of tea with the audio-options on so I can keep playing and carrying on as normal instead of being glued to the Desk-Top and not able to do anything else.

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The Devilfish DOES make me laugh !

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The Late Night Poker series on telly continues to make me ooh and aah like a fireworks party and this week's hand is no exception.

It's the same format as before - seven players play a single table tournament with the first-placed player going straight through to the final and the second- placed player going through to a play-off.

At the point of this week's hand - Joe Beevers and Liam Flood have both been knocked out and there are four players left including Dave 'The Devilfish' Ulliott and Rene Mouritsen who had some great results in last year's WSOP.

The other two players are Agnieszka Rylik who is a polish TV Presenter and has been getting poker lessons from the legendary Mike Sexton and Andreas Jorbeck who is an internet qualifier.

They hold the following chip counts:

Rylik: 13,700
Jorbeck: 11,800
Ulliott: 6,200
Mouritsen: 3,300

Simon 'Aces' Trumper and Marc Goodwin are commentating...

Sit back and enjoy this one !

The Blinds are 200/400

Agnieszka is first to act and she picks up AH & 6C.
 

Up until now - she hasn't once limped in on a hand - she has either raised or folded but when she has raised - it has been alot more than the 'normal' 3X the Big Blind amounts and it is a cause for concern as the commentators explain...

Simon 'Aces' Trumper: "Rylik has found an Ace-Six here which, short-handed, is a hand you would definitely consider raising with."

She raises it up to 3,000 !

Simon continues: "She's done this before and it's a MASSIVE over-raise !"

Mouritsen folds and action moves to the Devilfish.

He picks up AD & AS
 

Both commentators exhale and Simon says: "Oohh WOW - Devilfish - what a time to find Aces !"

Marc Goodwin: "We should explain really that the position she puts herself in, she raises 3,000, Dave's got 6,000, Dave goes the extra 3,000 - how can she pass?? She can't !! Whereas if she makes the standard raise of 1,200 or 1,500 and Devilfish comes over the top for 4,500, you can put down Ace- Six knowing you are behind."

Simon: "Yes - she can't possibly fold !"

Meanwhile, Dave has been fiddling with his chips and acting like he's got a big decision to make while Agnieszka has been watching his every move.

Dave is really gunning for the OSCAR - he's chewing his gum, he's looking indecisive - he's really giving the impression that he's just not sure exactly how he should play this and eventually he mutters: "All-In".

Simon: "And we could see a turn-round of events here - we could see Devilfish doubling up and becoming chip-leader in this final."

I have to say at this point that the amount of bling Dave has on is quite fascinating - an expensive watch - an expensive gold bracelet - rings on his fingers and a Dolce & Gabbana pair of sunglasses !

Jorbeck laughs as he looks at his AC 4H.
 

He hesitates for a moment and Devilfish says: "OH No - you're not going in as well are you??"

It's all acting as obviously he would love to win more chips but Jorbeck wisely folds and gets out of the way.

Action moves back to Rylik.

Simon: "The pot is now 9,600 and Rylik is getting 3:1 to call."

Rylik fidgets a bit and looks back at Dave -

Marc: "She knows she's in such a bad position but I mean if she understands anything about the game she knows she has to call as well and it's just..."

Rylik announces: "I call !"

Simon: "She's made the call - she over-raised pre-flop and she's possibly going to pay the penalty now."

Marc: "She will pay !"

Simon: "Unless a miracle-flop with a couple of sixes comes... Devilfish is going to
double-up here."

Marc: "He did tell her as well - he'd be sitting there waiting for one of those big raises!"

The odds are 92% in the Devilfish's favour.

The Flop comes down: 2D 4S 8C
   

Simon: "Well - no help so far ! Devilfish massive favourite now with two cards to come."

The Turn Card comes down: 5C


Both commentators exhale again - Simon pipes up: "Well - she's picked up a
straight-draw."

Marc: "She's picked up a double-saver because the three can come or the seven."

Devilfish mutters.

Marc: "You don't want to be anywhere near Devilfish if this card comes !!"

The River comes down: 7S !!


Simon SHOUTS: "SHE'S HIT THE SEVEN - OH MY WORD !!!"

Dave mutters again: "Unbelievable !"

Simon continues shouting: "She has KNOCKED OUT Dave Ulliott !!! OH MY
WORRRRRRDDDDDDDD !!!!!!!"

Dave continues muttering: "I'm quitting poker I swear to God ! That's Sick !"

Marc: "I have to paraphrase Dave - that is Sick !"

Dave starts to get up from the table: "I wish I'd gone out earlier now - see you later guys."

Rylik looks slightly embarrassed but can't stop the small smile from flickering on her face.

Marc: "Well he does bemoan his luck in these competitions and I know exactly where he's coming from on that one - that is JUST TErrible terrible misfortune."

When interviewed later - Dave had this to say:

"Yeah it was sick - you know I've always maintained that one-table satellites no-limit hold'em has nothing to do with poker you know and this just goes to prove it - I got lucky myself with 8-10 when he had the Ace and she got diabolically lucky against me and the other guy earlier - she made runner-runner straight and I've been watching it all week and it's bulls**t !"

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Post Mortem

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I know Dave Ulliott isn't one to mince his words but it just makes me laugh when he 'maintains that one-table satellites have nothing to do with poker' when he won the first series of the Late Night Poker Tournament - he wasn't moaning then -

it's a bit like that guy in the news this week who says that William Hill are responsible for him gambling and losing over £2m - he wouldn't be moaning if he'd won that amount instead would he??

The fact remains that even if you are a 92% favourite going into a hand - there is still an 8% chance that you can lose - and this will happen again and again and it's a fact you have to take on the chin - If you don't like the odds - go and play Bridge -

there is a lot less luck-factor in Bridge and a much higher skill-factor - but I don't see it ever being a massive global game like Poker is.

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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