Free Poker Lessons from Professional Players http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/ en-us Copyright 2005-2009, ThePokerFather.com Mon, 23 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 Mon, 23 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Images/TPFBanners/tpf_banner120x60.jpg http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/ Free Poker Lessons from Professional Players It can be very tempting to take a free card when you have a weak hand, in the hopes that you’ll improve without having to risk any more chips... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/274-aviod-free-card.php Mon, 23 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/274-aviod-free-card.php poker/lesson You can sometimes capture bigger pots by slowplaying your premium hands instead of driving the action... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/273-slow-playing-queens.php Mon, 16 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/273-slow-playing-queens.php poker/lesson When you sit at cash game tables which feature antes, the pots are bigger than usual... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/272-cash-games-antes.php Mon, 09 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/272-cash-games-antes.php poker/lesson When you have position in a heads-up Badugi hand, you’ve a great opportunity to bluff the 3rd draw and take down the pot... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/271-bluffing-3rd-draw-badugi.php Mon, 02 May 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/271-bluffing-3rd-draw-badugi.php poker/lesson When you understand the concept of Effective Stacks, you can adjust your play to better compete against all opponents, whatever their stack size... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/270-understanding-effective-stats.php Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/270-understanding-effective-stats.php poker/lesson After you miss your draw, you often need to bluff to win the pot... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/269-bluffing-missed-draw.php Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/269-bluffing-missed-draw.php poker/lesson When properly used against a carefully chosen opponent, a Float play can win you a lot of chips... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/268-common-no-limit-plays.php Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/268-common-no-limit-plays.php poker/lesson The amount of chips you bring to the table can determine the way you should play... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/267-buy-in-tips.php Mon, 04 Apr 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/267-buy-in-tips.php poker/lesson Sometimes side pots can spiral out of control and cost you more chips than you want to risk. In this week’s video tip, Howard Lederer discusses his approach to a side pot in a hand from Poker After Dark... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/266-navigating-side-pot.php Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/266-navigating-side-pot.php poker/lesson Big draws can be tricky to play. In this week’s video tip, Team Full Tilt’s Jennifer Harman talks us through a recent Poker After Dark hand in which she decided to move all-in on a draw... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/265-all-in-draws.php Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/265-all-in-draws.php poker/lesson Jon talks about what you should consider when facing an over card on the flop... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/264-over-card-flop.php Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/264-over-card-flop.php poker/lesson There’s no good reason to play a hand like 7-2 unless you are bluffing... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/263-bluffing-7-2-off.php Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/263-bluffing-7-2-off.php poker/lesson How do you get maximum value when you flop top set. In this week's video tip, Team Full Tilt's Erick Lindgren explains how he played a top set in a hand from Poker After Dark... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/262-flopping-top-set.php Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/262-flopping-top-set.php poker/lesson Players often don't play their monster hands as well as they could. In this week's video tip, Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer explains how he played a hand on Poker After Dark when the flop hit him hard... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/261-folding-over-pair.php Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/261-folding-over-pair.php poker/lesson Over pairs can present you with some tough choices. John discusses when to pump them, and when to dump them... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/260-betting-out-monster-hand.php Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/260-betting-out-monster-hand.php poker/lesson When playing 2-7 Single Draw, certain hands lend themselves better to firing off a bluff than others. In this week's video tip, Full Tilt Poker's Steve Zolotow explains how to pick the best spots to attempt your bluffs... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/259-bluffing-2-7-single-draw.php Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/259-bluffing-2-7-single-draw.php poker/lesson Jon discusses how the "Stop n' Go" technique can put your opponent in a tough position when he has a stronger hand... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/258-stop-and-go-no-limit.php Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/258-stop-and-go-no-limit.php poker/lesson Many players bluff with no chance of winning if their opponent calls... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/257-when-to-semi-bluff.php Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/257-when-to-semi-bluff.php poker/lesson Mike talks about how he analysed his opponent's range after he hit two pairs on the flop... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/256-betting-out-2-pair.php Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/256-betting-out-2-pair.php poker/lesson Tom 'durrrr' Dwan talks us through a hand he played, and ultimately lost, on Poker After Dark last year... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/255-low-pockets-aggressive-opponent.php Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/255-low-pockets-aggressive-opponent.php poker/lesson When you're the short-stack, pay attention to your opponents' tendencies and table texture to figure out where you have fold equity... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/254-table-conditions.php Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/254-table-conditions.php poker/lesson When you call from the Big Blind and you hit any part of the flop when you're short-stacked, you need to go all in... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/253-short-stack-big-blind.php Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/253-short-stack-big-blind.php poker/lesson To make money from Limit Hold 'em, you have to be diligent. In this week's video tip, Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer explains how to squeeze every dollar out of your game of Limit Hold 'em... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/252-making-money-limit-holdem.php Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/252-making-money-limit-holdem.php poker/lesson Representing a strong hand in the right situation can be profitable. In this week's video tip, Full Tilt Poker's Brandon Adams takes us through a hand he played against Phil Hellmuth on Poker After Dark... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/251-bluffing-hellmuth.php Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/251-bluffing-hellmuth.php poker/lesson Sometimes it pays to be aggressive when the flop hits you hard. In this week's video tip, Team Full Tilt's Erick Lindgren takes us through a hand he played from the big blind on Poker After Dark... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/250-big-blind-special.php Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/250-big-blind-special.php poker/lesson To win a tournament, you have to win coin flips... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/249-avoiding-coin-flips.php Mon, 22 Nov 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/249-avoiding-coin-flips.php poker/lesson All good players know there are times when you need to slow play big hands... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/248-when-to-slow-play.php Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/248-when-to-slow-play.php poker/lesson Avoiding big swings between your wins and losses is paramount to good bankroll management... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/247-Playing-Low-Variance-Games.php Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/247-Playing-Low-Variance-Games.php poker/lesson The first thing you need to do when playing six-handed Hold 'em is open up the range of hands you play pre-flop... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/246-6-max-players.php Mon, 01 Nov 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/246-6-max-players.php poker/lesson It is important to recognize the play of weaker opponents at the table and look for chances to take advantage. In this week's video tip, Full Tilt Poker's Ryan Daut discusses how to pressure weak players... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/245-isolating-weak-opponents.php Fri, 29 Oct 2010 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/245-isolating-weak-opponents.php poker/lesson A player who thinks only in terms of putting his opponents on particular hands may miss opportunities for making value bets. In this week's video tip, Team Full Tilt's Andy Bloch discusses how to work out an opponent's range of hands... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/244-opponents-range.php Fri, 22 Oct 2010 23:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/244-opponents-range.php poker/lesson Players who have focused on tournaments may not be sure what kind of win rate is achievable in the cash games... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/243-turning-50-to-500.php Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/243-turning-50-to-500.php poker/lesson Implied value means putting a little money into the pot with speculative hands for the chance of a big payoff... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/242-implied-value.php Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/242-implied-value.php poker/lesson M Zones are an important concept when playing tournaments and are popular amongst many poker players. In this week's tip, Jon Turner explains how even if you don't use M Zones, knowing about them can help you understand your opponent's strategy... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/241-m-zones.php Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/241-m-zones.php poker/lesson Some hands offer a chance for a big payoff but can also get some players into big trouble. In this week's tip, Full Tilt Poker's Steve Zolotow explains why you should be more cautious playing certain types of speculative hands than others... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/240-speculative-hands.php Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/240-speculative-hands.php poker/lesson When playing Rush Poker* against a huge pool of players, you might think taking notes on individual players isn't worth the effort... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/239-rush-poker-notes.php Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/239-rush-poker-notes.php poker/lesson It's one thing to raise an uncontested pot. It is a whole different ball game to go after a pot that is already raised... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/237-why-to-bet.php Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/237-why-to-bet.php poker/lesson The most common reason you are going to bet is because you think you have the best hand. In this week's tip, Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer explains how you should play aggressively when you think you have the strongest hand... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/237-why-to-bet.php Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/237-why-to-bet.php poker/lesson When deciding your approach during a tournament, you need to consider the ante and blind structure... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/236-attack-antes.php Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/236-attack-antes.php poker/lesson When deciding whether to bluff or not you need to consider the texture of the board... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/235-stealing-pots.php Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/235-stealing-pots.php poker/lesson One of the most critical aspects of good poker is choosing the correct seat at the table... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/234-choosing-correct-seat.php Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/234-choosing-correct-seat.php poker/lesson When playing heads up there is a lot more variance, as it is unlikely you will both have a hand... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/233-aggressive-heads-up.php Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/233-aggressive-heads-up.php poker/lesson When playing tournaments, you can't rely on waiting for the best hands and doubling up... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/232-identify-uncontested-pots.php Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/232-identify-uncontested-pots.php poker/lesson Playing in late position gives you more opportunity to make a bigger profit because you have access to greater information... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/231-information-is-power.php Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/231-information-is-power.php poker/lesson Unless you have a monster draw or are slow playing a big hand, calling is often the wrong play at the table. In fact, it often times takes a stronger hand to make a call than it does to make a raise... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/230-implied-pot-odds.php Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/230-implied-pot-odds.php poker/lesson When playing Limit Hold 'em, saving bets is a very important skill to master. Watch this video for Howard Lederer's advice on how to use a combination of bet-saving strategies to help take your Limit Hold 'em game to the next level.. http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/229-saving-a-bet.php Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/229-saving-a-bet.php poker/lesson Unless you have a monster draw or are slow playing a big hand, calling is often the wrong play at the table. In fact, it often times takes a stronger hand to make a call than it does to make a raise... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/228-raising-calling.php Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/228-raising-calling.php poker/lesson What is a short stack? Well, most players would consider a stack of ten big blinds or less to be a short stack in a tournament... http://www.thepokerfather.com//Poker_Lessons/227-short-stack-play.php Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/227-short-stack-play.php poker/lesson During the final table of Event #1 at the 2008 WSOP, the $10K Pot-Limit Hold 'em Championship, I encountered a hand where I had a very tough decision to make. We were about midway through the final table with the blinds at $20K/$40K... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/226-fold-equity.php Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/226-fold-equity.php poker/lesson When you get down to the tournament bubble, it's often going to change your play. Perhaps you'll play more aggressively to try and take advantage of some of the tighter players aiming to sneak into the money... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/225-medium-stack-bubble-play.php Mon, 24 May 2010 02:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/225-medium-stack-bubble-play.php poker/lesson Because Pot-Limit Omaha is a game where the nuts can - and often do - change on every street, many players can't go too wrong by playing a super tight strategy at a full table... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/224-heads-up-plo.php Mon, 17 May 2010 02:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/224-heads-up-plo.php poker/lesson With MiniFTOPS XVI in full swing and the Mini Series of Poker set to begin, Full Tilt Poker offers a variety of ways for you to turn a small tournament buy-in into a huge payday... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/223-small-buy-in-big-score.php Mon, 10 May 2010 02:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/223-small-buy-in-big-score.php poker/lesson Everyone knows that in Omaha Hi/Lo, starting with low cards is your best bet. You want to play hands with two-way potential, hands that can scoop the pot. In any hi/lo game, scooping is the dream... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/222-omaha-hi-lo-aiming-high.html Mon, 10 May 2010 02:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/222-omaha-hi-lo-aiming-high.html poker/lesson If a poker player wants an edge, he must move with the times. Today, a style which was successful only a year ago can already be outdated; tomorrow, he could be the sucker... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/221-tight-aggressive-chic-poker.html Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/221-tight-aggressive-chic-poker.html poker/lesson The ability to bluff big pots effectively is one of the key skills that separate good players from great players. It is no accident that the games played at the highest stakes feature some of the most daring bluffs: big bluffs are a central part of the game... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/220-bluffing-big-pots.html Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/220-bluffing-big-pots.html poker/lesson Wherever you go in poker, you hear plenty of poker stories, usually of the bad beat variety and various claims of individuals running bad. But what is running bad?.. http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/219-running-bad.html Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/219-running-bad.html poker/lesson For some, playing poker is an acceptable expense because they simply enjoy playing the game for fun. It's fine to have that approach if you have it reconciled in your own mind that you are prepared to spend money... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/218-audit-your-poker-game.html Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/218-audit-your-poker-game.html poker/lesson Rush Poker is an innovative new form of poker offered by Full Tilt Poker that allows players to see up to four times as many hands as they would see in a normal game... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/217-rush-poker-strategy.html Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/217-rush-poker-strategy.html poker/lesson Poker is a game of decisions. Some decisions are very easy to make, while others will keep you awake all night if you choose poorly. In my experience, the larger the pot size, the harder the decision you'll be faced with... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/216-small-pot-poker.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/216-small-pot-poker.html poker/lesson When you're playing ABC poker, you always want to start with premium hole cards. Hands such as pocket Aces or A-K suited are solid, no-nonsense cards and it's reasonably easy to figure out whether or not you have the best hand... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/215-poker-connection.html Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/215-poker-connection.html poker/lesson Full Tilt Poker's Cashout Tournaments provide players the option to leave the tournament at any time before the final table and get the cash value of what their stack is worth... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/214-cashout-tournament-strategies.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/214-cashout-tournament-strategies.html poker/lesson A year before Barack Obama launched his presidential campaign, a reporter asked him if he had a hidden talent. 'I'm a pretty good poker player,' he said... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/213-pokerticians.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/213-pokerticians.html poker/lesson Full Tilt Poker recently released a revolutionary new form of online poker: Rush Poker. If you're not familiar with the game, I encourage you to give it a try... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/212-rush-poker.html Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/212-rush-poker.html poker/lesson It's not a sexy subject, but we all know how vital bankroll management is to your poker career. A great way to help out with managing your roll is to keep records of your play... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/211-keeping-records.html Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/211-keeping-records.html poker/lesson In tournaments, you should always be looking for ways to pick up chips. You can't just sit around waiting for Aces or Kings and hope to double up when you do... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/210-squeeze-play.html Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/210-squeeze-play.html poker/lesson When a short-stack moves all in and you have him comfortably out-chipped, your decision is usually straight-forward. You consider what range of hands he could have, gauge the likelihood that your hand is best, do some quick pot-odds math, and either call or fold... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/209-second-all-in-call.html Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/209-second-all-in-call.html poker/lesson Even the best poker players in the world make mistakes, and when these mistakes are not corrected, they can develop into 'leaks' that can easily sink your game... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/208-hands-you-want-to-play.html Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:35:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/208-hands-you-want-to-play.html poker/lesson When you're on the extreme short stack in a tournament, there isn't always a 'right' decision to make... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/207-short-stack-donts.html Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:35:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/207-short-stack-donts.html poker/lesson People always ask, 'How much do I need to play in a certain stake game?' The usual answer to all poker questions is, 'It depends'... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/206-managing-poker-bankroll.html Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:35:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/206-managing-poker-bankroll.html poker/lesson In the world of Full Tilt Poker avatars there are no bad hair days. Not the type of thought I want to be having at an FTOPS final table. I want my mind absorbing and processing just the right information... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/205-being-focused.html Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:35:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/205-being-focused.html poker/lesson In the game of Hold'em, especially No Limit, aggression is usually rewarded. By being aggressive, you are putting your opponent in an uncomfortable situation and forcing him to either make a hand or make a bluff. You take over control of the pot and put yourself in the driver's seat... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/204-poker-aggression.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/204-poker-aggression.html poker/lesson Table image can be a very powerful tool at the poker table, especially in ring games where you can expect to play a long session against the same opponents... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/203-dont-waste-money.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:11:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/203-dont-waste-money.html poker/lesson When you're playing a tournament and sitting on around 15 big blinds, you can face some seriously tough pre-flop decisions. Welcome to stack size limbo... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/202-poker-stack-size.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:35:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/202-poker-stack-size.html poker/lesson We've all played poker against those guys who are relentlessly aggressive, who'll make moves with any two cards... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/201-maniac-poker.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/201-maniac-poker.html poker/lesson It's been said many times that the weakest play in poker is calling - that it's better to be raising or folding. In my opinion, there are situations where that statement simply isn't true... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/200-check-call-winning.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/200-check-call-winning.html poker/lesson In the late stages of a tournament, big pairs are generally pretty easy to play. When you have 20, 30 or 40 big blinds in your stack, and you find a pair of Queens or Kings... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/199-big-hand-early-tournament.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/199-big-hand-early-tournament.html poker/lesson When beginning poker players are describing a hand they've played, they usually start by saying what their hole cards were before moving on to talk about the betting... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/198-power-of-position.html Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:39:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/198-power-of-position.html poker/lesson Have you ever found that you start some tournaments well, but in others you just can't get "tuned in"? What should you do about it?... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/197-Finding-Your-Poker-Focus.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/197-Finding-Your-Poker-Focus.html poker/lesson Many players new to online poker find multi-tabling - playing more than one table at once - intimidating. While it might seem this way at first, there are several things that you can do to get the most out of your experience right from the start... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/196-learn-multi-table-poker.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/196-learn-multi-table-poker.html poker/lesson One theme you'll see throughout our Tips From The Pros series is that when you're making a move, your actions need to tell a plausible story. Some stories can be simple. For example, if you raise pre-flop and then follow up with a bet on a King-high flop,... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/195-telling-the-right-story.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/195-telling-the-right-story.html poker/lesson A lot of outstanding poker players will tell you the cornerstone of pre-flop play is consistency. That approach works for many top players, but I don't necessarily subscribe to that theory. Particularly in short-handed play... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/194-vary-pre-flop-raise-amounts.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/194-vary-pre-flop-raise-amounts.html poker/lesson As a Producer at Full Tilt Poker Academy, one of the great benefits of my job is being expected to keep a hand in the game and actually play some poker now and then. I need to apply the ideas and techniques that I learn every day... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/193-the-call-is-a-weapon.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/193-the-call-is-a-weapon.html poker/lesson While No-Limit Hold 'em and Limit Hold 'em tournaments might look the same to a casual observer, they're completely different. In a No-Limit Hold 'em tournament, one big hand can either set you up for a run to the final table or send you home early... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/192-no-limit-to-limit.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/192-no-limit-to-limit.html poker/lesson To succeed in Pot-Limit Hold 'em tournaments, No-Limit Hold 'em players need to make certain adjustments to their game. Perhaps the biggest modification you need to make is to ... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/191-pot-limit-pre-flop.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/191-pot-limit-pre-flop.html poker/lesson Bluffing in Limit Hold 'em is nothing like bluffing in No-Limit Hold 'em. In a Limit game, you can rarely price an opponent out of the pot if he has any kind of a made hand or draw. Sometimes you'll try a... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/190-suicidal-poker-bluff.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/190-suicidal-poker-bluff.html poker/lesson I've been playing poker for 23 years, and one thing I can say about my play with great pride is that I never steam. In fact, that's true of a lot of pros. In general, the more experienced a player is, the less likely he or she is to have a steam factor... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/189-steaming-in-poker.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/189-steaming-in-poker.html poker/lesson In the second week of the 2004 Series, I just missed a final table, finishing eleventh in a $2,000 Limit Hold'em event. Daniel (Negreanu) went on to win that tournament for his third bracelet... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/188-check-raising.html Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/188-check-raising.html poker/lesson If you want to become a complete poker player, you need to learn how to play all the variations of the game. You should do this because it's no good being the world's best Hold'em player when the biggest sucker in town only wants to play Seven-Card Stud. Ideally, you want to be able to play whatever game looks to be the most profitable on any given day... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/187-complete-poker-player.html Fri, 01 May 2009 22:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/187-complete-poker-player.html poker/lesson Most of the time when you're engaged in a poker hand, you'll be thinking about what decisions you will make before you have to make them. For example, if you call a raise with K-Q, you'll think to yourself... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/186-mid-hand-adjustment-strategy.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/186-mid-hand-adjustment-strategy.html poker/lesson I'm aware that most poker players know me primarily as a poker commentator on shows like NBC's "Poker After Dark" and "National Heads-Up Poker Championship... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/185-climbing-on-horse.html Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/185-climbing-on-horse.html poker/lesson Hand coordination is the relative strength of your hand compared to your opponents' hand, and it's probably the single biggest factor determining whether you have... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/184-poker-hand-coordination.html Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/184-poker-hand-coordination.html poker/lesson I firmly believe that it's impossible to play too tight in Omaha Hi/Lo, especially in a ring game. I'll be the first to admit that it's not especially fun to play the game that tight, but if you have the... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/183-omaha-starting-hands.html Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:50:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/183-omaha-starting-hands.html poker/lesson For obvious reasons, we'd all rather have a medium stack than a short stack. But there is one advantage to being short-stacked: your decisions are easy. With a medium stack, almost every decision you make is... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/182-medium-stack-early-position.html Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/182-medium-stack-early-position.html poker/lesson When most poker players think about tells, they visualize physical actions that occur at the table. For example, the way an opponent's hands start shaking whenever he has the nuts or the way he handles his chips in certain situations. Online players don't have this... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/181-pre-game-online-poker-tells.html Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:23:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/181-pre-game-online-poker-tells.html poker/lesson For me, poker is a game that is meant to be played joyfully, and the path to playing the game joyfully begins with finding the game that's right for you and entering it in the right frame of mind... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/180-finding-right-poker-game.html Sat, 14 Mar 2009 18:03:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/180-finding-right-poker-game.html poker/lesson No matter what poker variant you're playing, it's vital to constantly think about the players left to act behind you and what their tendencies are. Too often, when facing a raise, poker players think only about how... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/179-playing-big-hands.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/179-playing-big-hands.html poker/lesson At every stage of a Multi-Table Tournament, your stack size relative to the blinds should be crucial to how you approach different hands and situations. You may start a tournament with anywhere from... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/178-sneaky-checks.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/178-sneaky-checks.html poker/lesson Anyone who's ever come close to winning a poker tournament - only to fall short - can tell you how much it hurts. It's disappointing. It's painful. In 2006, I finished 2nd in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'em event at the World Series of Poker, and then in 2007, I was the runner-up in a $2,500 Hold 'em event at the WSOP. So I came into 2008... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/177-winning-the-final-table.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/177-winning-the-final-table.html poker/lesson Fifth Street is the big decision point in Seven-Card Stud because that's the critical juncture in the hand when you have to put in your first big bet. While it's nice to have a made hand at this point... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/176-playing-fifth-street.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:03:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/176-playing-fifth-street.html poker/lesson The semi-bluff is one of the most powerful weapons in any poker player's arsenal. If there's a decent chance you can steal a pot by semi-bluffing, you should usually take it. But, as with any play you make at the table, the semi-bluff is always most effective when... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/175-semi-bluff.html Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:45:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/175-semi-bluff.html poker/lesson Deciding how active you want to be at the beginning of a tournament depends heavily on what type of tournament you're playing in. If it's a standard Sit n Go, I always recommend playing tight and conserving chips early... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/174-active-early.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/174-active-early.html poker/lesson Going into any rebuy tournament, you should know before the first cards are dealt how much money you're willing to invest. Whether you're playing with a single bullet (not planning to rebuy at all), enough money to rebuy 50 times, or somewhere in between, you should have a number in your mind. You need to know from the start how many risks you can afford to take, and play accordingly... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/173-tournament-rebuy-plan.html Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/173-tournament-rebuy-plan.html poker/lesson When you're at the table playing live poker, the only notes you can take - at least inconspicuously - are mental notes. Online, however, you're granted a tremendous opportunity that doesn't exist in live play. It's important to... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/172-online-poker-opponent-notes.html Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:30:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/172-online-poker-opponent-notes.html poker/lesson When playing a turbo Multi-Table Tournament online, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is overcompensating for the fact that it's a turbo and playing too fast and loose... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/171-play-turbo-mtt-poker.html Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:15:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/171-play-turbo-mtt-poker.html poker/lesson 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... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/170-interperet-3-poker-bets.html Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:45:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/170-interperet-3-poker-bets.html poker/lesson One of the great things about poker, especially online poker, is that the game is always there when you're ready to play. It's not like being a baseball player, where you're at the mercy of your team's schedule, or like being a doctor, where you have to respond to emergency calls. With poker... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/169-better-poker-results.html Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/169-better-poker-results.html poker/lesson In a typical nine-handed, one-table Sit n 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... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/168-9-hand-sit-n-go.html Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/168-9-hand-sit-n-go.html poker/lesson Ace-King may be one of the strongest starting hands in poker, but you've got to play it right in each position to make it pay - especially in the early stages of a tournament. Being in early position adds another challenge to the situation... http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/167-playing-AK-out-position.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800 http://www.thepokerfather.com/Poker_Lessons/167-playing-AK-out-position.html poker/lesson