Heads Up With the Dealer
Yes, that’s the premise of Three Card Poker; mano y mano. It’s a fairly new game, invented in 1994 by an Englishman, Derek Webb. And, it’s patented. After antes and…
Hole Cards
OK, we all know the superior starting hands in Texas Hold ‘Em. However, just how good are they? The top five hands, AA, KK, QQ, JJ, and AK, represent 2%…
What is a Blocker?
Blockers are cards that make it less likely for an opponent to make a hand. For instance, if you are holding pocket 8s and the board flops 9, 7, 6,…
Quadruple Whammy
I recently sat in on a tournament at a casino resort. The game was fun until I was knocked out in 11th place; the dreaded bubble boy. It was unfortunate:…
To Tip or Not
Tipping is a tricky issue, especially when you play in tournaments. If there is a staff/dealer’s fee or gratuity built in, you are off the hook. If you make the…
Poker Anthem
The other day, I busted out early and told the poker room manager that I felt like singing the iconic song from the the musical, Annie; Tomorrow. That got me…
Independent Chip Model
Chopping to end a tournament using the ICM (Independent Chip Model) formula allows you to convert the players stacks as percentage of total or remaining prize pool. That becomes his/her…
New Betting Structure
Several major tournaments have tried an interesting innovation. The button pays the small and big blinds, plus any antes. The result is a speeded up the game, plus the dealer…
WSOP Wrap Up
The 50th anniversary of the World Series of Poker ran from May 28 – July 16, 2019. The event has come a long way from its beginnings, in 1969, at…