Tips from the Pros

172 - Taking Online Notes on Opponents

When you’re at the table playing live poker, the only notes you can take - at least inconspicuously - are mental ones. Online, however, you’re granted a tremendous opportunity that doesn’t exist in live play. It’s important to...

170 - Interpreting Three-Bets

We all know that a three-bet is supposed to mean strength. When a player three-bets before the flop, he’s saying that he believes he has the best hand. One of the keys to making money at the poker table, however, is …

168 - Bubble Play in Nine-Handed Sit & Gos

In a typical nine-handed, one-table Sit & Go that pays out three places, the most critical juncture of the tournament comes when four players remain. Three of those players will turn a profit, and one of them will go home empty-handed. It goes without saying that...

166 - Redraws in Pot-Limit Omaha

If you don’t have much experience playing Pot-Limit Omaha, a good rule of thumb is to play hands that can make the nuts because...

164 - Betting out to control pot size

Intuitively, it would seem that checking and calling is the best way to keep a pot small when you’re uncertain as to whether or not you have the best hand. And often, that’s the case. But believe it or not, betting out can sometimes allow you to get to the showdown cheaper than checking…

161 - Continuation Betting and Your Position at the Table

When deciding whether or not to make a continuation bet on the flop, a critical factor is your position at the table. Let’s say you raise before the flop from under the gun and get called by the big blind. You should make a continuation bet the vast majority of the time...

159 - Coin Flips

Whether or not you decide to get into a coin flip situation in poker really depends upon what type of game you’re playing. I’m far more likely to take on one of these challenges when I’m playing in a cash game than when I’m playing in a tournament, and I’m also more likely to do so when I’m playing in a live game as opposed to online...

157 - Early Tournament Strategies

Many players' first exposure to poker comes from watching WSOP and WPT tournaments on TV, and I think that's great. It's entertaining and you'll see some interesting plays, but viewers have to understand that they shouldn't model their games based on the action they see on TV.

152 - Overcards in Early Position

Recently, Andy Bloch wrote about the perils and pitfalls of playing big cards - A-K, A-Q, etc. - when they don't connect with the flop. Like Andy, I think learning to play these kinds of hands well...

150 - Playing Over-Cards

For many players, there's nothing prettier than peeking at their hole cards and seeing paint. A-K. K-Q. Q-J. They're all big hands and, often times, very playable ones, especially in position. Sometimes though...

148 - The Real Value of Tournament Chips

Whenever you’re talking about poker strategies, you’ll find people who make no distinction between tournament play and ring game play. In fact, I know some top players who believe that both should be played exactly the same.

145 - A Monster at the Aussie Millions

Blinds: 4000/8000/1000, My position: SB, My hand: Ac Qs, My Chip Stack: 389,000. Defending champ Lee Nelson has been moved to the table. He opens in middle position for 24,000 and I decide to just call with my Ac Qs in the SB. The BB folds. The flop comes:

143 - Loosening Up Before the Flop – Part 1

Knowing what to do and when to do it is what separates those who just play in tournaments from those who make final tables. This is especially true in No-Limit Hold 'em, where the first decisions you’re faced with are what hands you should play and when you should play…

140 - Running Bad Part II - It’s Bad to Always Get Your Money in Good

In my last tip I wrote about running bad and the effect it can have on your mental state. Now I'm living it. If you've been following my $0 to $10K Challenge you know that it took me about nine months to turn $0 into $100 and another nine months to turn that $100 into $10,000.

138 - There's No "I" In Poker

I recently competed in a televised tournament where several players lost focus on their game. They were either trying to gun for a particular opponent at their table or making some ill-advised moves to show off for the cameras. In every case, these players were making the same mistake – letting their egos get in the way....

136 - Omaha Hi/Lo Strategies

The big difference between big-bet (Pot-Limit or No-Limit) Omaha Hi/Lo and Limit Omaha Hi/Lo is that the former plays much more like Omaha High. Low hands become much less valuable because of how often they get quartered. If you get quartered in Limit games, you may not lose too much of your overall chip stack because the action...

134 - Playing Six-Handed SNGs

Most people are familiar with the differences between one-table Sit & Go tournaments (SNGs) and other forms of poker. Because these tournaments only pay the top three finishers at a nine-handed table, the standard...

132 - Running Bad

In 1964, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart tried to define what may or may not be considered obscene under US law. In the end, he determined that no definition existed, but that when it comes to obscenity, "I know it when I see it." The same holds true when you're talking about running badly...

130 - Suited Connectors and Small Pocket Pairs

We've all seen situations unfold on TV where a hand like 7-8 suited or pocket 5s manages to crack some big pocket pair like Aces or Kings. We sit back in the comfort of our living rooms and say, "Well, if they can do it, so can I!" While it is true that these hands can sometimes take down monster pots, the fact is...

128 - Implied Odds - Part 1

Most people have a pretty good understanding of pot odds - whether the amount of chips in the pot justifies making a call - but they fail to realize that making this calculation only solves part of the poker equation. Often, these players forget to think about how the rest of the hand is going to...

126 - Knockout Punch

Knockout Bounty tournaments - recently added to Full Tilt Poker - can add a fun and exciting new wrinkle to tournament poker. While it's important to go after the bounties at the right times, you have to keep an eye on your overall goal: winning. A lot of players will forget this and risk way too much as they try to go after bounties. You have to be wary...

124 - Establishing a Tight Table Image

Throughout a tournament, your table image will help determine how much action you'll get and, ultimately, how you can manipulate your opponents into making big calls or big laydowns at the wrong times. While establishing a loose, aggressive image early on can...

122 - Being a Bully

Many players understand the concepts involved in building a large chip stack during a tournament. What they don't understand, however, is how to use their chips effectively once they've gotten them. Once they've accumulated a lot of chips, many players want to control the action, but they haven't thought through how to take command of the table. When I am the big stack in a tournament, being the bully...

120 - Pre-flop Raising Strategies

To limp or not to limp-that is the question. I'm not going to name any names here, but there are some big-game pros who will argue that it's okay to limp into a pot before the flop. They reason that the more flops they see...

118 - Playing from the Blinds in Tournaments Part 1

If tournament poker is a game of situations, then it's important to know how to play from the blinds. Poker comes down to three basic decisions: fold, call, or raise. Usually, folding the blinds will be your best option...

116 - Building and Maintaining a Bankroll

For most players, the lure of playing in high-stakes ring games or tournaments is a sirens' song that's hard to resist. While there's no doubt that these games can provide huge rewards, the sad truth is that many beginners often leap into the deep end before...

114 - Playing Large Fields

During the World Series of Poker, players are confronted with massive fields. For example, in the 2007 WSOP, nearly 3,000 players bought into the first $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'em event. Throughout the Series, it was common to see starting fields of 1,500 to 2,000. Many players who are accustomed to playing in...

112 - How to Win a HORSE Tournament Part I

If you want to win a HORSE tournament, you have to be good at all five games. You don't have to be the best player at any one game, but you also can't be the worst. If you're really bad at one of the games...

110 - Playing a Short Stack in Multi-Table Tournaments

The key to succeeding in tournament play is being able to handle the ups and downs, because it's not always going to go perfectly. Your chip stack is not always going to shoot upwards, which means you'll often need to make good decisions when...

108 - Playing Small and Medium Pocket Pairs in No-Limit Hold'em

In No-Limit Hold'em, small and medium pocket pairs can be bankroll killers for some players. But if you play these hands correctly, they're going to be big winners for you in the long run.

106 - Buying In Short in Pot-Limit Omaha

It's amazing the difference that two cards can make. As opposed to Hold 'em where players have two hole cards at the start of each hand, Omaha starts each player off with four cards, which makes both pre- and post-flop play much more challenging, especially...

103 - A Calling Hand in Stud Hi-Lo

But in Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo, a situation sometimes arises where drawing with a modest chance at the whole pot and an even smaller chance at half the pot is clearly the correct play.

101 - Table Talk

Every piece of information you gain at the table is something you can use to your advantage.

99 - Playing Low

There's no shame playing for lower stakes than you think you can afford.

97 - The Weak Lead

And if you check-call, the pro will probably check the turn and then fold to a bet on the river.

94 - Finding the Low Cards in Omaha Hi/Lo

You really can't do these sorts of things in Hold 'em.

92 - Playing Small and Medium Pairs in Seven-Card Stud

Small and medium pairs are among the trickiest hands you'll encounter in Seven-Card Stud.

90 - Playing in Australia

For a serious poker player, the Aussie Millions offers one of best structures of any tournament anywhere.

88 - Pot-Size Manipulation

keeping the pot small will get you pretty good value when you're ahead and help you avoid disaster when you're behind.

85 - Cash Equity at the Final Table

I needed to win the pot only about 27 percent of the time to justify a call.

83 - The Mindset of a Winner

It's impossible to overstate the importance of money management to your poker career.

80 - Heads-Up vs Multi-Way Hands in Omaha Hi/Lo

If you're playing a multi-way pot, you need a very strong hand going one way or the other.

78 - Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone

If you take a shot and lose, you shouldn't have to worry about rebuilding your bankroll from scratch.

76 - From No-Limit to Limit

By the river in Limit Hold 'em, you're often getting odds of 9, 10, or 11 to 1 to make a call.

74 - Betting the River with Marginal Hands

In spots where your opponent might hold a busted draw and bluff, it's often more profitable to check and then pick off the bluff with a call.

71 - Playing the Main Event

When playing against weak opponents while holding lots chips, you should try to see more flops as cheaply as you can.

69 - Playing Pot-Limit Tournaments

In Pot-Limit tournaments, I prefer to be the player re-raising the open-raise.

67 - A Big Stack Mistake at the 2006 WSOP*

Given the table dynamics, there was no need for me to risk one-third of my chips on this hand.

65 - Seventh Street Decisions in Seven-Stud

Some of the tougher decisions on seventh street arise when you're holding one pair.

63 - Firing the Second Bullet

If you're up against an opponent who is unwilling to play without a very big hand, firing the second bullet can force them to make some bad lay downs.

61 - Finding Your Inner Maniac

I had convinced him that there was no difference between a $25 raise and a $4,000 raise.

59 - Playing Bottom Two Pair

Many players overplay top pair and over-pairs, and will either call or re-raise all-in.

57 - Why I Prefer Cash Games to Tournaments

If you're attuned to your opponent's moods, you'll find opportunities to profit from their weakened states.

55 - Bad Position, Decent Cards

In spots like this, your best move is to press an edge while you have it - before the flop.

52 - Representing a Bluff

If you had the nuts, he'd reason, you'd bet smaller, trying to get some value.

50 - When Passive Plays

Ideally I want to get one decent sized bet in over the course of this hand and by checking, I prevent my opponent from giving me more action than my hand can handle.

48 - Playing with John D'Agostino

After such a difficult opening, it's not uncommon to see even very good players overwhelmed with resignation.

46 - Small-Pot Poker

I'm looking to pick up a lot of small pots by applying a constant level of pressure to my opponents.

43 - Thoughts on Omaha-8

Whenever possible, you need to position yourself to take every chip from a big pot.

41 - Stepping Up, Stepping Down

Early in my poker career I set a simple rule for myself: I would never move to a higher limit until I won three consecutive sessions. If I lost three consecutive sessions at a given limit, I would move down to a lower limit.

39 - Know Your (Table) Limits

As I play, I take note of the loose players and tight players, and then use that information to decide which seat will be most profitable.

37 - What's Your Starting Hand Really Worth?

There is no universal definition of what "better" means when comparing hold 'em starting hands.

34 - Strategies for Short-Handed Limit Hold'em

The position raise puts me in control of the hand and, even if I'm holding total trash, the pressure puts the blinds in a spot where they need to catch a piece of the flop.

32 - What I learned at the WSOP*

When playing, keep your mouth shut and don't do your opposition any favors.

29 - Texture Isn't Just For Fabric

If my hand is unlikely to improve, I tend to bet more than 2/3 of the pot. I want to take this pot now.

27 - How Bad are the Beats?

After my bet and the opponent's all in-raise, I was getting pot odds of 3.7 to 1 to call, so the call is clearly correct.

25 - F