My No-Limit Hold'em Learning Curve Lesson

In my last few columns, I have written about my wondrous experience playing in the World Poker Tour Invitational Freeroll. By now, hopefully, you have had a chance to see the show on television, since by the time this column goes to press, the series will have been on for several weeks. This is one of the most exciting things to happen in the poker world in years. That is my opinion, and I am sticking to it! The PartyPoker.com Million II, hosted by Card Player Cruises, will air on June 11, and believe me, there will be a test, so please don't miss any of the shows, especially that one. It was very exciting to run this event. Not only that, if you tune in, you will get to hear me announce the final table (well, in the background under the voices of Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten), and see me in sequins. Have you had a better offer lately?

If you recall in my last column, I was left with $3,775 in chips in the WPT Invitational Freeroll and was facing the big blind of $600 on the next hand (and a $75 ante). I got through the blinds and another round, and just before the big blind got to me again, they broke up our table. I was moved to my third table, and this one really was death row. However, had I seen any table that had any dead money at it? Well, other than my own, no. I was now at a table with Men Nguyen, Allen Cunningham, Brad Daugherty, Andy Glazer, Humberto Brenes, and some others whom I don't remember right now, probably because of sheer fright. I watched hand after hand go by and marveled at how these guys moved their chips. I picked up a small pot here and there, but I honestly don't know how. The limits went to a $100 ante and $500-$1,000 blinds, and then to a $200 ante and $800-$1,600 blinds. Of course, I didn't have enough chips to "move," per se, but I am sure that if I had amassed any, I still would have been paralyzed by the fear of erring. Right after the blinds went to $800-$1,600, with Andy on my right and under the gun, I picked up 8-8. Andy raised the pot to $4,800. I had about $6,000 in chips. What was I supposed to do, and what did I do? Well, the answers are as different as night and day. With my arm in "alien-hand syndrome" mode, I mucked the two eights without a thought. Of course, I should have gone all in over the top of Andy. Allen, in the cutoff seat, reraised, and Brad went over the top, all in. Andy mucked, Allen called, and we saw their cards and the flop. Allen had K-J (and must have read Andy for weakness), and Brad had A-J (and was low on chips). The turn and river cards were then displayed, and Brad won with ace high. Not only were my eights good, I also would have flopped a set and rivered quads! Of course, I likely would not have gotten action from either player behind me had I come over the top of Andy, as I should have done, since I had a very tight table image. Most likely, I would have had a heads-up showdown with Andy.

You cannot play "results" poker when looking back to determine whether or not you played a hand correctly. Therefore, the fact that I made quads is totally irrelevant; I just wanted to tell you how bad, in this particular spot, this mistake was. As Mike Caro often says, in poker you are paid to make correct decisions, and never was it more clear that I did not do that. I should have taken a stand with my medium pair by coming over the top of Andy all in to see the five community cards heads up. But no, I tried to wait for aces or kings, and cost myself the opportunity to gain some much needed ammo. I got through the blinds and went all in shortly thereafter with the first ace I saw. Men went over the top and got it heads up. We turned our cards up. I had A-5; he had 8-6. He paired the 6 right out of the gate, and by the turn, I was drawing dead.

What did I learn? Fear: There is no room for it in no-limit hold'em.

How can I continue to learn? Well, the World Poker Players Conference, hosted by Card Player Cruises and Mike Caro, is coming up at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on July 11. I will attend, and try to learn some poker techniques that I am sorely lacking, and I think you should, too. I will cover what to expect at the WPPC in my next column, but in the meantime, mark your calendar, see the ad in this issue, and make your plans to attend. Class dismissed.

As always, please contact me with your poker-related questions and comments. For information on poker cruises and/or the WPPC, go to www.cardplayercruises.com.

Reminder: The Oasis Open is coming May 16-20 at the Oasis Resort Casino in Mesquite, Nevada (one hour north of Las Vegas). Rooms are $15 a night; comp room details and other info are available by calling the poker room: (800) 21-OASIS.