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Friday 7th March 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 -
*King of the Chat !! and
*Cardrunners info...
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Hiya there and how have you been this week??
I was going to sit here and have a good old whinge about how bad
the last few weeks have been for me - I haven't won a bleedin' sausage
!!
But then I have to admit I took two hours off this morning to sneak
a Double-Shootout to qualify for the Sunday Tournament - If you
play during the day - then there are still two seats up for grabs
and sometimes as little as 30 people playing for them instead of
100 players in the tourney in the evenings...
So -I've qualified for this Sunday's tourney for the first time
in about four weeks - but - having said that - I've got family coming
over for the day and I'm cooking a huge Sunday Roast - so I may
not even have time to play it this week after all that !!!
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King of the Chat !!
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Recently, I've been highlighting how important it is to be very
poker-faced at the table - not to give any clues or tells about
the strength of your hand and how you should stay consistent whether
you have the nuts or you are bluffing your little ol' socks off...
Well - this week - I've decided to highlight the power of speech
- talking to confuse your opponent - dis-arming them with your chit-chat...
it's not for the faint-hearted and really shouldn't be tried by
anyone who isn't absolutely confident in what they are doing...
For me - the master of the confusing-chat is Jamie Gold - He won
the WSOP Main Event in 2006 with a mixture of great cards but also
some amazing talk at the table...
He's been playing in the recent Poker After Dark series on telly
and here is a classic
example of the Gold Magic...
Prepare to be amazed !!
Eight players at the table and this is a Cash game NOT a tournament
- so if you lose all your chips - you can go and buy some more -
There are already some straddle-bets which is a way of getting more
money onto the table before anyone sees their cards -
The blinds are $25/50 and with two straddle-bets already, the first
one for $100, the second one for $200, Robert Williamson III decides
to put in a third straddle-bet for $400 - he tries to talk Todd
Brunson into putting in a fourth straddle-bet for $800 and even
offers to put $200 in it on his behalf but Todd wants nothing to
do with it - I suspect Robert has had a few too many beers as he's
getting quite loud !! - louder than usual !!
But he's enjoying himself and adding to the fun - And as Robert
has straddle-bet - it is Todd Brunson to go first - he picks up
QS and 5D and he folds.
Max Pescatori is next to act and he folds his 8H and 2H.
 
Next up is Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson - He picks up 10S & 8S and he
folds too.
 
Next is Neil Channing in the Small Blind. He picks up 9C & 9H so
he decides to call the bet.
 
Pam Brunson (sister of Todd) folds in the Big Blind and Andrew Feldman
folds from Under the Gun.
Next is Jamie Gold and he picks up 6C and 4D - He announces: "I
raise"
 
Robert W3 says: "Not too much, I haven't looked yet"
Jamie puts in $2,000 more much to Robert's disgust.
Robert makes a little speech and a prayer: "I'm going
to have to have a look now - So I've already put in $400, all I
have to put in now is another $2,000??
This is horrible."
He has QD & 10D.
 
While he's thinking about it, Jesse May is commentating and says:
"Channing's played this deceptively - is he going to be the victim
of his own deception??"
Roland de Wolfe is also commentating: "Sometimes this
happens when you play things slow and someone shows strength behind
you."
Robert decides to call the bet and so does Neil Channing.
There is $7,350 in the pot - and remember - this is REAL money -
not tournament chips.
Jesse May: "Nobody knows where they're at do they!?!"
Roland laughs: "Except Jamie who probably knows he's behind
!!"
The Flop comes down: JD, AS, AD !!
 
Roland sighs: "WOW!!"
Neil is first to act and he says: "I better check this
Flop"
I think this comment is a bit of a giveaway especially as Jamie
is like a predator on this hand is determined to show absolute strength
and steal it by hook or by crook !!
Jamie casually throws in $1,000.
Jesse May is dumbfounded: "One thousand? How can you bet
One thousand into a seven thousand pot??"
It's now over to Robert - he lifts his shades and makes a big play
at leaning forward to stare at the Flop as if to make sure he's
seeing it correctly - obviously - he has a Royal Flush Draw !!
Jamie is watching him surreptitiously and slyly says: "You've
hit your ace."
At this point, Robert has seen what he wanted to see and he leans
behind him for some water... I also think by watching this hand
for the third time - that it is at this point that Jamie knows he's
going to win - he knows that Robert doesn't have an ace and he's
not worried about Neil - and from here on in - it's all pantomime
!!
So Robert is leaning behind for some water, he picks up a bottle
and says: "Where's some water?? I don't want any more drinks."
He picks up Jamie's water by mistake and Jamie says: "That's
mine" and takes the bottle back from Robert -
Robert asks: "Can I have a sip??"
Jamie laughs and hands it back to him: "Sure you can."
Robert unscrews the top of the bottle and says: "I need
to think about this - this is tough!"
And he takes a drink from the bottle and drinks some more and then
some more and virtually finishes the water.
Jamie looks at him and then turns to camera and says: "Can
I get another water??"
Robert nearly throws all the water back out of his mouth and
nose as he laughs and splutters: "Don't choke me up now
!!"
Todd Brunson chips in: "What happened to all the beer?"
Someone at the table says: "Have a guess!"
And conversation ensues from alot of the guys laughing about Robert's
beer-drinking - but if you listen carefully - you can hear Jamie
Gold say very quietly... "You have to think about
it - you obviously have Ace-King..."
And as a result Robert calls the $1,000 bet so the pot is now $9,350.
Robert carries on talking about not wanting any more alcohol and
requests some water - meanwhile action has moved back to Neil Channing
-
Roland de Wolfe comments on Neil: "He thinks that he may
get called down by a pair higher than a Jack - he suspects someone
of having the ace"
Jesse May: "Can Williamson have an ace here??"
Roland: "I don't see why not - a suited ace??"
Meanwhile Robert is still rambling on: "I need some more
courage though, I could use some more water please - Things could
get worse - I've got the sniffles - sniffly-wiffly-wee- doooo -
how does that work?? We've got a smile just for you - I don't want
any more of that last dose of what I had - We need some more pizza
etc ramble etc..."
Neil passes.
The Turn comes down: KH
Jamie mumbles: "Boy your Ace-King is killing me now !"
Robert clocks the Turn card and shouts: "ACE-King Good
- SCORRRRRRRE !!!"
Jamie bangs the table to indicate a check.
Robert immediately copies Jamie and bangs the table too to also
indicate a check.
He looks at Jamie and laughs: "I got a good feeling about
this"
Jamie replies: "You might get a little money out of me"
Robert replies: "Oh no - if I had it - I would and I will
- I will !"
Now all this banter may seem silly - but I think Jamie knows that
Robert is slightly worse for wear - he's been watching him without
making it seem too obvious and he's been playing it like he's trapping
Robert -
The River comes down: QC
Jamie sees the River and says: "Well now you got it"
and as soon as he says that - he bets out $4,000.
Robert looks at Jamie and says: "Jeez - I had you on the
Turn too. I did - 100%"
Jamie smiles and says: "Are you kidding? Are you kidding
me???"
Robert replies: "One Hundred Per Cent !!"
Jamie goes to look at his cards laughing and Robert suddenly
says: "Hold on - Hold on - Before I call this last bet -
I'll put up a side- bet that I had you on the Turn."
Jamie has been leaning back relaxed until this point and now he
sits up and folds his arms to consider what Robert is saying.
I think what Robert thinks is that he was winning with a straight
and now he thinks he's lost to a Full House.
Jamie umms a bit: "Errrrrrrr - that you had me on the
Turn? - I bet everything!!!"
He keeps his arms crossed and stares at Robert.
This shuts Robert up now as he looks at the cards to work out what
Jamie has.
Robert covers his mouth with his hands and murmurs: "Wowwwwww
- !!!"
The whole table laughs.
Jesse May: "I don't know what that means but I like it!"
Personally I think that is so funny - of course Jamie was beaten
on the turn - he's only holding a 6 and a 4 !!!
Andrew Feldman says: "He's not going to raise now."
Jamie replies: "No he wasn't raising me - he was just
calling - he can't raise just in case I have the Ace-King or something...."
Robert has been listening to this exchange and he finally says:
"I'm such a bad player - if I was a good player ..."
Jamie interrupts: "...you'd raise!"
Robert retorts: "No - If I was a good player - I would
have bet you crazy on the Turn - ..."
Roland de Wolfe comments: "Jamie's putting him to the
test here - it's not an easy call - Jamie has represented everything
there..."
Robert is burbling on: "...horrible... HORRIBLE - like
- how did he not bet the Turn??? like maybe Ace-Jack... Wouldn't
that be pretty sick???"
Jamie pokes his tongue into his cheek - laughs and nods and agrees:
"Yes that would be a crazy hand !"
Robert repeats: "Wouldn't that be sick??"
Jamie replies: "That would be sick - you obviously have
to call !!"
Robert replies: "No I don't have to..."
Jamie says: "You better show it face up if you lay down
Ace-Jack !!"
Robert laughs and strokes his chin: "Whoa - even more
torture !"
And with that - Jamie turns to the table behind him to get something
leaving Robert pondering what to do.
Jesse May coos: "Wow - I love the way he's talking - !"
Jamie turns back with a packet of what looks like a packet of nuts.
Robert continues: "I had a hand earlier that no-one believed
me until..."
I think there was a hand earlier that Robert thought long and hard
about before folding the better hand and I have a feeling that Jamie
must have seen this from the Green Room and had decided to take
Robert out in a similar style...
Roland de Wolfe: "As it's Jamie - you have to call - you
know Jamie is capable of these bluffs!!"
Jamie is munching big-time on peanuts now making little sideways
glances at Robert.
Robert is rambling again: "This is HORRIBLE !!! I have
a HORRRRRIIIIBBBBBLE decision to make here !!"
Jamie says between eating: "What are the chances I have
Ace-King??!"
Robert: "Just horrible - I mean - I want to call you -
"
Jesse: "At the same time, if you play it back Roland,
I mean, he did re-raise $2,000 before the Flop."
Jamie is whispering something like: "I wouldn't raise
with a bad hand" or words to that effect...
Roland: "He represented the hand - "
Jesse: "it's magnificent isn't it !!"
Jamie is still munching peanuts and he casually says: "You're
not really going to fold are you??"
Robert replies: "Probably not..."
He sighs, takes off his glasses and asks how much is in the pot.
Roland laughs: "Jamie is always telling the guy what to
do."
Robert is told there is $13,350 in the pot and he has to call $4,000.
He goes to pick up some chips.
Jamie says: "I tell you what... you don't want to call
- but you should call -"
Robert looks around bemused and laughs: "Oh my God!!"
Jamie repeats: "You don't want to call - but you should."
He's shaking his head as he says this which I think is really clever
- it's telling him sub- consciously - NO - Don't call.
Robert laughs: "Can I get a rebate??"
Jamie replies: "You want to call for $3,000?"
You can't see what he does but it sounds like he takes a chip back
from the table as if to say 'ok - the bet is $3,000 not $4,000 -
I don't think that's technically legal but it has the desired affect...
Robert laughs: "Geez... He was willing to let the $3,000
lay - oh man I'm so sick I'm so sick I'm so sick !!! You know minimum
I have a straight or a full house..."
Jamie replies: "You obviously have an Ace - you make a
call with the straight then I don't feel bad you know what I mean..."
And with that - Robert shoves his cards into the middle to indicate
that he folds.
Jesse May and Roland de Wolfe SHOUT AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS...
"WOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!"
Jesse May continues: "HE'S DONE IT - THAT's a world champion
- OH GODDDDD!!"
Roland is in shock: "What a brilliant play - !!"
Robert says: "How in the world did I fold that hand??"
He points to the ceiling at the commentators: "I don't
want to know - Don't tell me afterwards!!"
Jamie casually collects the chips that the dealer has given him.
Roland: "Did Jamie show??? Jamie played that hand so well
- he talked himself into winning the hand he was losing - a $9,000
pot !! That was just brilliant play by Jamie Gold - he said - 'call
with the straight' you know - 'the straight's no good - you know..."
Jesse May: "Oh my - I like Jamie Gold's chances in this
game right now."
Roland: "Yes Jamie is not the complete player but he has
flashes of brilliance which - as a fellow poker player - I can recognise
- I can admire his poker instincts - you can sit there grinding
away and waiting for big hands - but real poker players can play
real poker and that is what Jamie Gold did - very well played -
that's all I have to say !!"
Jesse: "High praise indeed !!"
**************
Post Mortem
**************
One place where it is perfectly acceptable to lie or tell an untruth
or deliberately mislead someone else - is at the Poker Table. Not
only is it not frowned upon - it is positively applauded - if you
can fool your opponent into believing your lie - then you are a
genius !!
This is what Jamie Gold did in this hand - and as Roland de Wolfe
was trying to say is that there are only two ways to win at the
game of Poker -
One is: to have the best hand
Two is: to make the other person THINK you have the best
hand -
And what he was saying was that the majority of players will play
ABC poker - and they will win at times - but the REAL poker players
are the ones that don't wait for the good cards - they will run
rings around their opponents and win money that way - you can only
sit back and admire it !!
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Cardrunners info...
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I've heard an awful lot about the Cardrunners website - www.cardrunners.com
It is mean't to give you alot of tutorials and videos on how to
improve your poker game - however - it is $99.99 to sign up and
$24.99 per month to keep going - so this is an appeal...
Is there anyone out there who has signed up with Cardrunners??
I'd love to hear from you if you have - let me know what you think
- is it worth the money??? What have you learn't??? Has it improved
your game???
Let me know and I'll pass it onto all the Hold or Fold Readers !!!
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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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