Poker gems, #301

Venessa Selbst, in Card Player magazine interview, July 29, 2009 (vol. 22, #15), pp. 44-45. The question posed was, "What's the biggest mistake that you see players making in deep-stack cash games?"


People don't put pressure on players enough when in position, and it's kind of shocking to me. If you call a raise preflop with 10-9 suited, just because the flop comes K-5-5 or something like that, you don't have to give up. The other person probably missed it, too, so just use pressure in position. It's easy to do. You really have to bet scare cards more than people do, and overbet if you have to. You can't just wait for the nuts. If you are going to play deep, you should take advantage of it; otherwise, it's pointless.


[I just have to add that I find myself liking Vanessa Selbst more and more every time I come across additional stuff about her. See not only the full interview in the current Card Player, but the profile done for PokerNews here (from which page the above photograph was purloined--I like the shot very much). I find her to be one of the most interesting poker pros to come along in quite some time. Also, there is much about her that reminds me of my friend Cardgrrl. I would not be a bit surprised to see the latter's career follow a trajectory similar to Selbst's, though tracking a few years behind.]