One hand at a time...

Name:
Location: Quezon City, Philippines

Married to a wonderful wife

Friday, July 21, 2006

Ethical or Proper Play...

If you were able to read some of the other blogs circulating, you can see that poker have rules and guides (ethical).

As players in the forefront of the game here in the philippines, we should all get ourselves familiar and ready with big tournament rules. Now this is just one opinion and everyone is entitle to theirs. Let's see some of the benefits; we are all aligned with the rules of the game; we have credibility and we can be confident that anywhere we play, we can follow the same rules.

Why do I write this now. I want to make sure that we all are aware of the rules of poker. You decide what can be done and what shouldn't be done...

Examples:

Tournament...

UTG raise the blind and a reraise, 2 more players go in and the UTG goes all in and shows pocket A's. Right or Wrong? Thought behind the action - I didn't want to get a bad beat... In the hand, sure enough, the person who re-raised hand K's and the two callers - AQ and AJ. The A's would have been beat but nobody called.

I know in some games if you expose your hand and you are in that hand, your hand will be dead.

For me, that play is a complete no no because instead of having 3 less players, we still had them to deal with! It is a tournament after all and the idea is to knock people out.

Tournament...

After a couple of hands, I raise x8 of the big blind. I get one caller and he wanted to check it to the river before calling. Of course I say yes. It's a friendly game. Is it right or wrong? For me it is wrong. Same reason as above. In this hand - He would hit top pair with a Q kicker. Me... trips.

4 players - One player goes all in after the flop and he says I have two pair. No problem (is this still good?) the callers still bet at each other. Finally, show of hands.

One had top pair that had a runner, runner straight after calling a pot size bet by the 3rd player. The 3rd player had 2 pairs as well.

You all decide what you think is right but it is our responsibility to make sure that our players know the rules so we don't get into trouble should we play in a different tournament.

Good game.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Back to square Zero!

Alright, I am definitely going to re-evaluate my game because I am just taking a beating. I am folding winning hands and calling with the worse! Call me a fish!

Here are some hands I played and didn't play.

Raised x4 of the big blinds and I get re-raised to x8 and then another re-raise to x20 of the big blind! I look at my hand and I have K's! Ok, I am thinking... A's... no way... all in (you bet your @$$)... that will be an extra x5 of the big and I do it just to be called by everyone.

Flop - A 7 3 - Another player goes all in and gets called.

Showdown - AJ and Q's.

Turn - 9

River - 8

Rebuy!

I raise x6 with AK... yup, and I get someone raise X10 of the big blind. What the heck, sure let's play.

Flop - X X X - I get a bet and I fold...

He shows me pocket A's... lucky i didn't hit!

I call with 10 9

Flop - 10 9 A - 3 players and one person bet... i flat called

Turn - 3 Someone bets into me and i raise... he calls

River - 4 - he bets x6 of the big blind and I call.

He has 10 3...

Good game.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Good timing!

I have been playing a lot of poker and I realized that timing is key. You will see what I mean...

I buy in while the game was already going and I look at my hand... pocket A's! Good timing. I raise and I get one caller.

Flop - K, 10, 5 RAINBOW...

Turn - A

River - 2

Timing!

I call from the small blind with 4,3 suited. The big blind checks and we see a flop.

Flop - 3, 4, 9

Turn - 4

River - J

Timing

I call with 7, 5 off 2 players left.

Flop - J, 7, 3 - I push and I get one caller. A, 6

Turn - 4 - I get a flush draw now.

River - 5

Good timing for the caller!

I go all in with AdKd and I get one caller. K, 5 off

Flop - 7, 2, 9

Turn - J

River - 5

Good timing!

Ok, so that is what I will call it now... for any call that wins, good timing!

Good game!