More Ways to Discover Your Poker Strategy

As poker players, we are always looking for ways to improve our game, and ultimately increase our bottom line. Of course the regular methods of reading articles, blogs and poker books are helpful, one of the most overlooked ways to improve your poker game is in the radio media.

Over the last few years, poker radio shows have become more popular (as well as internet radio and podcasts). It is common to find professional poker players sharing their knowledge of the game on live radio stations. This is a good opportunity to expand your knowledge of the game through sincere talk from many pros.

I recently was introduced to such a radio show called House of Cards Radio hosted by Ashley Adams, author and professional poker player. The show is well formatted, wherein Ashley brings poker strategy to the listeners each week. Featuring professional poker players as well as game theorists and strategists like the recent show with Joe Navarro (former FBI profiler) on poker tells.

I was invited by Ashley to appear on the show to talk about Poker in Pennsylvania, since PA has recently allowed casino gambling in the state. My main focus, of course, is poker playing in the live casino.

The show is aired nationally on several networks as well as Internet radio stations available throughout the week. In addition, there is a section where listeners can retrieve archived shows and listen to programs they have missed.

I encourage all my readers to use this venue as a great resource for furthering your poker education by going to http://www.houseofcardsradio.com. This weeks show features Myself and Gary Locke from New England Gaming News and will air at the following times on these stations.

Wednesday, 6 PM WPIC 790 AM West. PA / Eastern Ohio
Wednesday, 7 PM HamiltonRadio
Wednesday, 8 PM HardnoseSportsRadio
Thursday 7 PM ESPN Radio New Hampshire (WGAM)
Thursday, 9 PM WIFI 1460 AM New Jersey
Friday, 4 PM WIFI 1460 AM New Jersey
Saturday 8 AM ESPN Radio 96.7 FM West. PA / Eastern Ohio
Saturday, 10 PM TalkRadioX and KTRX 1650 AM Texas
Sunday, 5 PM TalkRadioX and KTRX 1650 AM Texas
Sunday, 7 PM HoldemRadio

For a complete list or to hear the Internet Broadcast go to the Station List

Just remember, this is one more way you can improve your game and become a better poker player!

Resources:
Ashley Adams Bio
Ashley Adams' Books
Winning 7-Card Stud: Transforming Home Poker Chumps into Casino Killers
Winning No Limit Hold'em
Pa Poker Players Blog

The Poker Face – Reading and Being Read

Every poker player is quite familiar with the 'poker face' and the importance of it in the game. However, is reading your opponents poker face more important than the projection of your own poker face? The reading ability you acquire through years of playing poker and the aptitude to recognize different situations is only half the battle when it comes to playing an effective game of poker.

The other half is the projection of your Poker Face and how you can easily convince or manipulate your opponent into believing you. One of the best players with the greatest reading ability is undoubtedly Daniel Negreanu. I personally met Daniel at the WSOP in 2008 and was just amazed at his outgoing personality and his targeted reads at the poker table. A lot can be learned from Daniel and how he is able to project a convincing poker face to his opponents.

While many poker players will try to cover up their face with sunglasses, hoodies or hats, or even cover their face (ala Phil 'unabomber' Laak), many pro poker players have learned that revealing your poker face and using deceptive countermeasures are far more effective in misleading your opponents.

As a side note, Daniel Negreanu along with several other professional poker players have started a grass-roots movement to ban sunglasses and hats at major live poker tournaments.

Before you can work on your poker face, you need to learn more about the body language of the face and what tells are derived from it. Doyle Brunson once said,

"If I can see your eyes, I can see your hole cards."

Although this may scare a player into believing they need to cover their eyes with sunglasses or a hat to prevent a pro from learning the secrets of their poker hand, the reality is that, Doyle, or any experienced pro, does not need to see your eyes. That statement is merely a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from the real tells people give away when they play poker.

The truth is, that the poker face is not just resigned to the face, it is more about body language as a whole and the behavior of a person in a certain situation. I always amaze my daughter with the fact I know when she is not telling me the truth, just as any parent is usually able to do, not because I can read her mind, rather I am familiar with her body language, mannerisms and behaviors.

Those are the basic keys to having the ability to read your opponent, and furthermore they are the keys to you projecting your poker face to lead your opponent into believing what you want them to believe. So remember, when playing poker, putting on your poker face is not about hiding your hand, rather it is about telling your opponent what you want him to believe you are holding!

An excellent book on the subject is from a magician and mentalist, known as The Mind Reader. His book is called The Poker Face and gives great tips and strategies for reading body language and detecting lies. It is available as an instant download at http://pokerface.caligonia.com

Midnite Madness Live Poker Tournament - Meadows PA Poker Room

Nearly 60 late nite poker players abandoned their hopes of turning in early this past Saturday night and instead opted in to playing the newly featured 'Midnite Madness' Tournament held at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington PA.

The tournament was the brainchild of poker room manager Peter Lau and Princess of Poker Donna Lapia in an effort to give tournament players a venue to satisfy their late night urge to play a poker tournament. Similar events are held at major casinos across the USA, however, the Meadows tournament brings a little added flavor!

The starting stack is a very generous $12,000 with a dealer buy add on of $1500 ($5 gratuity). The blind levels, in keeping with the '12' theme of a true midnite madness, are 12 minutes long. Players can expect plenty of play for their $50 buy in especially since there are no antes throughout the tourney coupled with the generous starting stack.

With a total of 58 players and a first place prize of $835, the shuffle up and deal announcement was made at just a minute after midnite. Play moved along fairly swiftly as the players adjusted to a faster blind level. By Level 10, with blinds at 2K and 4k, the bubble broke as the remaining 10 players convened to their final table.

Action at first was quite soft as shortstacks found places to double up while the big stacks (including the final table chip leader Carl C. of Washington PA) waited patiently for their chance to KO opponents. Finally with 4 minutes remaining in Level 16 (blinds 10K - 20K) the final 4 were battling it out as the shortstack pushed his 35K all in against the BB who made the call for an additional 15K.

The shortstack tabled Ace 2 suited while the BB reluctantly turned over his 9 5 off. Dealer Micheal spread the flop of 6 3 7, burned and turned an 8 and brought down an irrelevant river 4, giving the BB a winning 7 card straight. With about 780,000 in play that Left the 3 remaining players (Carl, Chuck and Pat) to enter level 17 after nearly 3 and a half hours all with fairly even stacks.

Floor manager John, as well as several other players gathered near the final table to watch the action. Carl C, the overwhelming chip leader throughout most of the tournament raised all in with KQ of hearts on the button against the pocket 10's of Chuck in the BB. Micheal spread a board of J 2 9, giving Carl a glimpse of hope on a gut shot or over card, however the 6 and 5 on the turn and river exasperated Carl's hopes of a first place finish as Chuck scooped in the pot. Carl's third place win netted him nearly $250.

Heads up began and ended quickly on the second hand as Pat made a move against Chuck showing 10 5 off to Chucks Q 8 suited. The board ran out J 7 2 2 6, giving Chuck a Queen high win to take down the $835 prize. Pat's second place finish rewarded him with a little over $420.

The Midnite Madness tourney is an exciting tournament to play in and will be a staple every Friday and Saturday night. Registration begins at 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday evening. Buy in is $50, Hope to see you there!