Become a better player

Are you interested in becoming a better poker player? Understanding more about the odds of winning, pot odds and when to raise, call, fold or reraise?

Last week I joined PokerVT, a new virtual training online site that was started by poker pro Daniel Negreanu, to help other poker players improve their game.

I've mainly been focusing on the single table sit-n-go games and the strategies behind them. Just by watching a few videos and learning to understand more of where I was making crucial errors in my game has really turned my thought process on the game around.

the home poker game

So it's been about 2 months since I've been able to play in our regular poker game. It all started when I went to a local bowling alley where my hubby was having a company get together. I decided I was going to wear some heals with a new pair of jeans. Not a smart move. I got my heal caught in a crack in the sidewalk and down I went. Stuck my arm out to catch myself and broke it.

Anyway, instead of playing the poker game I've been watching the guys and trying to pick up a little more of their style and their tells. Now I've always been pretty competitive and usually end up in the money on these games but tonight I think I may have more of an edge since I had no vested interest in the outcome of the last few games and could concentrate purely on reaction of cards, bets and such.

So, tonight is the night that I will put my new found info to work and see if it helps me or hinders me!

Poker Pros Visit Recovering Soldiers at Walter Reed

Professional poker players from across the nation joined injured troops and their families yesterday as part of a day-long celebration, which included a poker tournament. Organized by the USO of Metropolitan Washington (USO-Metro) and the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide, the event, held at The Mologne House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, attracted over 100 participants.

The event was designed to treat our nation’s heroes to a fun afternoon of fellowship and poker. A number of professional poker players were on hand to visit with the soldiers and their families as well as play in the tournament. They included:


Howard Lederer

“Joining the USO and visiting our troops, who have sacrificed so much, was one of the most emotional and rewarding experiences of my life.” - Howard Lederer

Andy Bloch

“Spending time with these soldiers, with their spirit and joy, shows what is really important in life.” - Andy Bloch

Victor Ramdin

“It was a great honor to share a wonderful experience with these true heroes who risked their lives to make our lives better.” - Victor Ramdin

Phil Gordon

“I was completely overwhelmed by the soldiers and their passion for poker, their passion for their country and their passion for life.” - Phil Gordon

Gavin Griffin
“It was an honor to be involved with the USO and to boost the morale of soldiers, who were so grateful to see us, when in reality we were the ones who were truly grateful for the time we got to spend with them.” - Gavin Griffin

Rhett Butler (Player in the final table of the 2006 WSOP Main Event)

Leeann Tweeden (host of NBC’s Poker After Dark)

Dennis Phillips (chip leader going into final table for the 2008 World Series of Poker)

“I have never been so proud or so humbled before in my life. You just want to stand up and shout to the world about what an honor it is to be allowed to play cards with these heroes who sacrificed so much to protect our liberties.” - Dennis Phillips

“We’re thrilled that these top poker pros would come out and spend a day with our soldiers and their families,” said Elaine Rogers, president of the USO-Metro. “Poker is a very popular activity among the soldiers spending time at Walter Reed recovering from their injuries, and this was a great opportunity for them to mingle with and learn from the best poker players in the country.”

Each of the poker players in attendance were clearly moved by the bravery and dedication of the soldiers and their families:

About The Poker Players Alliance

The Poker Players Alliance is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of over 1,000,000 online and offline poker players and enthusiasts from around the United States who have joined together to speak with one voice to promote the game and to protect poker players’ rights.

Casino trip

Recently I took a vacation. Well I'm not sure if you can actually call driving 1500 miles with 4 kids a vacation but, at least I didnt have to cook or clean for 10 days! So yeah, it was a vacation. I traveled to Ohio to visit my parents and see some friends that I had grown up with.

On the drive back home to Texas I decided that I would make a stop in Tunica, Mississipi since my father always talks about going when he drives to visit us. Well, from Little Rock to Tunica, it didnt look like too long of a drive on the map but as it turned out, it was a slow drive through some rough neighborhoods. (Nothing could be as bad as the unscheduled detour in Cincinnati where we had to get a police escort out of town!)

Anyway, after driving for what seemed like forever, we saw the lights! And I decided to stop at the first casino on the Tunica 'strip' That casino was Harrah's. For those of you who have been to Tunica, Harrah's used to be the Grand Casino. Well the room was nice, the $30 large pizza from room service sorta sucked and the slots were tighter than a school girl in a catholic church.

I played some $1 machines for a few hours, lost a couple benjamins and decided to play some table games. First was roulette. Even though it was a Wednesday night, the action was pretty good. After about an hour at the roulette wheel, I was about even, thanks to the 17 hitting! Then it was off to the blackjack tables, there were several open, but the majority of them were full and the only spot I saw was at a $10 table. Another 30 minutes passed and I was up about $40, big deal!

So I went back to the slots, walked around until I found my favorite, Sizzling 7s, and managed to slowly earn back about half the money I had lost. All in all the casino was decent, but next trip I will venture further down the strip to find another casino.

2008 WSOP

Are you getting ready to head to Las Vegas? Want to know what date a certain WSOP game will be played? Here is this years schedule:

DATE EVENT BUYIN
may-28 Registration Opens, Live Action & Satellites Begin
may-29 Registration, Live Action & Satellites
may-30 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $10,000
may-31 No-Limit Hold'em (4 day event) Day 1A $1,500
June 1 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1B
June 2 Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 2 Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) (3 Day event) $5,000
June 3 No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,000
June 3 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 4 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,000
June 4 World Championship Mixed Event (3 day event) $10,000
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Holdem,
Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball

June 5 No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event) $1,500
June 5 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event) $2,500
June 6 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (3 day event) $5,000
June 6 Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 7 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,500
June 7 World Championship Seven Card Stud (3 day event) $10,000
June 8 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship (3 day event) $1,000
June 8 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $2,000
June 9 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (3 day event) $1,500
June 9 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $5,000
June 10 Pot-Limit Omaha (3 day event) $1,500
June 10 Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,000
June 11 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $5,000

June 11 H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event) $3,000
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

June 12 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,000
June 12 Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha (3 day event) $2,500
June 13 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em
(256 player max) (3 day event) $10,000
June 13 Seven Card Razz (3 day event) $1,500
June 14 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 14 Pot-Limit Omaha W/Rebuys (3 day event) $5,000
June 15 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $3,000
June 15 World Championship Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $10,000
June 16 No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event) $2,500
June 17 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 17 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8
or Better (3 day event) $5,000
June 18 Pot-Limit Omaha W/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,500
June 18 Seven Card Stud (3 day event) $1,500
June 19 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 19 World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8
or Better (3 day event) $10,000
June 20 Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,000
June 21 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500

June 22 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (5 day event)
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud,Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better $50,000

June 22 Mixed Hold'em (limit/no-limit) (3 Day event) $1,500
June 23 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship (3 day event) $1,000
June 24 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 25 No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,000
June 25 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) (3 day event) $2,500
June 26 No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event) $5,000
June 26 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 27 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $2,000
June 28 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
June 29 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha (3 day event) $10,000

June 29 H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event)
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud,
Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better $1,500

June 30 No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500
July 1 Limit Hold'em Shootout (2 day event) $1,500
July 2 Media Event
July 2 Satellite Day
July 2 Ante Up For Africa Charity Event (1 day event) $5,000
July 3 World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em
Day 1A 2,500 Players $10,000
July 4 Day 1B 2,500 Players $500
July 5 Day 1C 2,500 Players
July 6 Day 1D 2,500 Players
July 7 OFF
July 7 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (2 day event)
July 8 Day 2A
July 9 Day 2B
July 10 Day 3
July 11 Day 4
July 12 Day 5
July 13 Day 6
July 14 Day 7
July 15 OFF
July 16 Final Table

World Women's Open Poker joke

2008 WSOP will I get to go?

Well, I've been contemplating this for some time now and although I'd really like to go, I'm not sure I'll get the chance this year. I haven't done much poker playing this year other than losing my tail at Caribbean Stud. I'm hoping that some big online poker room will send me there to do interviews of pro players or big winners. I'm not planning on playing this year, I just want to go for the crowds.

The last time I went I had a blast. I got to meet my favorite player, Annie Duke and she was so nice. So I'd really like to go back this year and do some articles for my poker news site about the WSOP.

btw - if you are from an online poker room and need someone to cover this years events - let me know! I'll be glad to go and get the job done for you.