Smallest jackpot EVAR

Last night I was playing in a home game. You might say it's a small-stakes format, as we use blinds of $0.20/$0.20.

Somebody suggested that we start up a bad-beat jackpot. After some discussion about how much to take from each pot and what the requirements to win it would be, it was settled. We started raking one 20-cent chip from every pot and putting it in a special cup set aside for that purpose.

Four hands into the game, it hit, and the loser of the hand was awarded the new bad-beat jackpot of 80 cents.

There was much cheering and rejoicing.

PokerNews article #71

Today I discuss three common but false poker ideas that you should purge from your brain.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/three-common-poker-ideas-to-banish-from-your-mind-22096.htm

PokerNews article #70

Should you play more starting hands in order to increase your odds of hitting a high-hand bonus?

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/chasing-poker-room-high-hand-bonuses-is-it-worth-it-22010.htm

Two strange hands

A worthwhile read:

http://www.bluff.com/magazine/two-weird-hands-15286/

PokerNews article #69

This one is about the recently deceased mathematician John Nash and how his theories shed light on playing perfect poker.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/got-gto-connection-a-beautiful-mind-perfect-poker-21907.htm

PokerNews article #68

On the use and abuse of the minimum-raise:

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/when-the-minimum-raise-is-maximally-wrong-21819.htm

PokerNews article #67

How to be deceptive by not being deceptive.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/being-deceptive-by-not-being-deceptive-poker-paradox-21723.htm

Another witness of The Mighty Deuce-Four

See:

http://threeriverspoker.blogspot.com/2015/06/finally-i-have-my-own-grump-tale.html

PokerNews article #66

Do you know what "the gambler's fallacy" is? You will after you read this!

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/what-is-the-gamblers-fallacy-and-how-does-it-apply-to-poker-21631.htm

PokerNews article #65

A cheap flop is tempting, but don't fall for it.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/why-a-cheap-flop-is-so-tempting-and-why-you-should-resist-21587.htm

Oh, what a feeling!

Last night I played another tavern poker tournament.

At one point, I raised with A-J.

Flop: A-A-J.

But wait, it gets better!

I made a small bet and got four callers!

But wait, it gets better!

Turn: the final ace. I think I probably have this locked up.

But wait, it gets better!

I made a bigger bet. Three callers!

But wait, it gets better!

Some irrelevant card on the river. I move all in. TWO CALLERS!

Both were shorter stacks than mine, so a double knockout. And I became monster chip leader.

It's all skill, ya know. You have to practice for many years to learn how to flop a full house, and improve it to quads.

PokerNews article #64

Another batch of angle-shooters, and how to foil their evil intentions.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/still-more-angle-shooters-and-how-to-defeat-them-21511.htm

Are there other angle-shooting techniques that I have not covered in these two articles? I have about 3 more, but not enough for another full article. Let me know what I've missed, and maybe I'll get a third compilation out of it.

Hellmuth vs. Negreanu

I never get tired of seeing Phil Hellmuth lose.

"The most weirdly played hand in the history of poker"

Of course, they shouldn't use the word "beat" in the title, since the queens were ahead all the way.

PokerNews article #63

Seven dirty poker tricks--and how to fight back.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/seven-dirty-poker-tricks-and-how-to-fight-back-21436.htm


By the way, I had almost as many more examples that I didn't use because of space limitations. Was that enough, or would you like to see a second article with more? Let me know in the comments.

PokerNews article #62

Six things to think about before the flop:

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/preflight-checklist-six-things-to-think-about-before-flop-21368.htm

Should you go pro?

A sobering look at the financial realities of trying to make it as a professional poker player, from one who has been there, Daniel Negreanu, here.

Poker and "Jeopardy"

Great story from Nolan Dalla.

http://www.nolandalla.com/the-best-performance-ever-by-a-poker-player-on-jeopardy-eddie-timanus/

PokerNews article #61

When you flop a big hand, should you play it slow or fast? Here's how to decide.

http://www.pokernews.com/strategy/to-bet-or-not-to-bet-that-is-the-question-21299.htm

Top Pair podcast (again)

I'm not a guest on the latest episode (April 18, 2015), but the guys chat about the PokerNews article that I wrote after appearing as a guest on the previous installment. You can listen here.