I wanted to let you guys know about a very good video series called the Cash Game Masterclass.  I usually watch these videos when I am on Tilt and am not thinking right at the tables. The video takes examples from the Poker Heaven European Cash Game. I have summarized the first episode of the series for you so you can get a better understanding of what you are going to be watching.

Cash game Masterclass

Analyzing cash games with Eric Liu and Albert Iverson.

Episode 1: Table Dynamics and Position with Eric Liu:

- playing in position

- Very good analysis of hands from Eric Liu. Takes you through some hands.

- playing out of position

- Talks about check raising.  Bad player a lot of flops are check raised. Good player Check call.

- playing pre flop

- When you pick up hand – fold call or reraise. Decide what to do – look at what opponent has done in the past. If good player is in front fold a lot more. If good player is behind reraise more. If bad player is behind call a lot more.

- playing post flop

- put people on ranges. Value betting range. Bluffing Range.

Episode 2: Your Image and Opponent Types:

Episode 3: Playable Hands:

Episode 4: Borderline Decisions:

Episode 5: Deceptive Plays:

Episode 6: Keeping a Clear Head:

To watch the Cash Game Masterclass Visit: http://www.pokerchanneleurope.com/masterclass

This is a must watch for any poker player no matter what your skill level is.

Cheers,

Errol

The one thing that has been bugging me lately when playing cash games (live) is the amount of soft play that is going on at the tables.  Soft play occurs usually when friends are in the pot together and end up checking the hand down. This usually happens at lower stakes poker games, however I have seen witnessed this sort of stuff in $5/10 nl games.

I think that soft playing should not be allowed as it ruins the integrity of the game.  If you partake in soft play you are cheating yourself, your friend and all the other players in the game.  Many people don’t realize that by soft playing a hand with a friend they are in fact affecting the action of the other players at the table.  Let me give you an example of how this can happen.

We are in a $5/5 game and there is a raise preflop of $25 dollars with four callers (approx 125 dollar pot). So five players are in the pot and the flop comes out 2s 5h 9h and it is checked around to the preflop raiser who is on the button. The preflop raiser makes it $100 and the first position calls.  Let’s say the stacks are really big. Two other players fold and it goes to the player to the right of the preflop raiser who makes it $300 to go. The preflop raiser folds and then the initial player in first position says “buddy if I call can we check the rest of the pot down”.  This is just an example. The player who raised to $300 and the person in first position may already have established to check down all pots after a bet is called heads up. This sort of soft play is designed to isolate one of the players in the game out of the pot (although might not be intentionally). The player in first position or the re-raiser might get a cheap draw to see the turn and river.

I believe that soft play is a mild form of collusion. More problems with soft play happen in tournaments. But I can’t really stand it in cash games. The next time you are at a poker table and someone asks you to soft play pots with you tell them that there are no friends at the poker table. And always be thinking about the integrity of the game!

Cheers,
Errol

So I was playing $5/$10 nl during the week of the WPT (at fallsview Casino Resort) as these were the smallest games that were offered. The action was really soft as a lot of tourists and 5/5 and 2/5 regulars were forced to play much above their bankrolls and skill level. I expected to make a few buyins each day during the time I was there.

I have had some bad streaks over my poker career and this was one of them. Every time I got my money in (and all the money got in) when I was 70% favourite (or better) to win the hand I would somehow end up losing. I can remember 4 or 5 hands where I got my money in with 2 pair or better vs very marginal hands where I would end up losing. And these were certainly not setup hands. Example 78 suited and the board comes k78 rainbow and I get my money in against a k6 off. K hits turn and guy scoops 900 pot. In that situation the guy thought he was committed as there was 175 in preflop and original raiser put in 130 on the flop which he called and I check raised the flop to put him all in. I also recall about 4 or 5 times where I got all my money in when I had two pair or better vs a naked flush draw or a pair and a flush draw. I lost every single situation. Don’t get me wrong I definitely want to get my money in when I am such a heavy favourite. In poker you certainly don’t want to wait to see a card that will hurt your action or better your opponent’s hand. Unless you are playing deep stack poker (which I wasn’t for the most part) most players who wait to see if a blank comes on the turn are generally playing with scared money.

On top of running bad I also got setup horribly. Within a 24 hour period I lost two stacks with set over set. One hand there was a raise under the gun and a call in mid position. I had 22 and called on the button. The board came 2J7 rainbow and the guy UTG (initial raiser) lead out. The mid position called and I raised. Both players called and the turn was an A. No flush draw was on board. Everyone checked to me and I bet pot. UTG folded and mid position raised me. I reraised all in and he called with JJ. This is what we call a cold deck. The same thing happened the next day with 44 vs 77. When board came 4710 turn A. All the money got in by the turn. I also ran into a set when I had top 2 pair and a back door flush redraw on the turn. AQ Spades vs 99. Flop AQ9. 7 spades hit the turn. I reraised the player preflop. By the turn all the money got in.

What can I say about this whole experience? Sick runs like this generally happen very rarely. However I can’t really complain as this is the nature of the business. For about 4 days I felt like I was in Mike Matasau’s shoes. I am taking a few days off of poker and then hitting up Vegas for a week where I will probably play a few tournaments at Caesars. Caesars Palace is having its ‘Mega Stack’ Poker Tournaments during the month of October. Action should be good.

Oh yah I forgot to mention that Glen Witmer took down the world poker tour event in Niagara and a cool 1.2 million. I have played with Glen before in Niagara. Glen resides in Waterloo, Ontario Canada. Glen is a really nice guy and it was a pleasure to see him win.

Cheers,

Errol

In Vegas I mainly played cash games at the RIO, Venetian and the Wynn. Yah Yah I should be playing tournaments but I am mainly a cash game player. In total the 2008 wsop had a total prize pool of over 180 million. However we will have to wait for a 2008 main event champ. While in Vegas I played with a bunch of known poker faces and known sports personalities. My most memorable night was sitting down at a 2/5 nl game at the Palms with Adam Morrison from the Charlotte Bobcats and Ron Artest from the Sacramento Kings.

The following are a few pictures that I took during the main event at the WSOP.

Gus Hansen at 2008 WSOP

Dan Harrington at 2008 wsop

Vanessa Russo at 2008 wsop

Picture of Featured Table at wsop main event 2008

Lee Watkinson at 2008 wsop

Kristy Gazes at 2008 wsop

Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott at 2008 wsop

I hope you enjoyed these pics.

Now that I am finally back in Toronto I will be taking some time off from playing live poker and focus on online play.

Cheers,

Errol

So I have been playing a lot of 5/5 and 5/10 NL live as of late and noticed how often people try to value bet bluff the river. This usually happens when a player is heads up. Value betting is what people do when they believe they have the best hand. In NL cash games at the 2/5 of 5/5 level people usually win most of the time by betting on the value of their hand and not by bluffing. At these types of limits I strongly suggest against throwing a value bet in on the river when trying to bluff and take down the pot. The vast majority of the time this play will backfire as you will be called down with a marginal hand. If you have been betting the entire way on a draw are attempting to bluff on the river I suggest that you throw in a pot sized bet and not a ½ pot sized bet that looks like a value bet.  This way your typical calling stations will think twice about calling you. You will reap the benefits and realize how often this play will work.

Cheers,
Errol