I Love Aruba!

I just returned from a fabulous week in Aruba, where we filmed a World Poker Tour event. What a great island it is, with incredible beaches, restaurants, shows, and natural beauty. After the taping, I had the opportunity to speak with some of the players who had qualified for the tournament online. I was interested to know who among the "big-name" poker players had impressed them the most and what tips they had for players who are making the transition from online poker sites to brick-and-mortar cardrooms.

The first player I spoke with was Eric Hunter, a 27-year-old automobile salesman from Costa Mesa, California, who finished 27th in the tournament. He said that T.J. Cloutier impressed him the most: "He stone-cold scared everyone at the table. All that I've read about him is true. He is an awesome player with great instincts." Another player who impressed Hunter was Barry Shulman. "He made awesome reads on players. In fact, he took half my chips," said Hunter.

Hunter's tip for online players who go into brick-and-mortar cardrooms is this: "You need to learn how to estimate your opponents' chip stacks. Online, it is done for you, but not in a regular cardroom. It is very important to be able to look at your opponent's stack and know if he has $25,000 or $45,000. Also, seeing opponents in person can be scary, but it doesn't have to be if you can stay calm. You probably should tighten up a little since online players generally play looser than those in most cardrooms."

Next, I spoke with Gary DeBernardi from Astoria, Oregon. Gary is a union carpenter who began playing no-limit hold'em only about eight months ago. He had praise for Peter Costa, Dewey Tomko, and Young Phan, stating, "They all took the time to talk with me and answer my questions." His tip for aspiring brick-and-mortar casino players is to learn how to play heads up and shorthanded, which is what you need to do in order to win tournaments.

Michael Segurich from Hammond, Indiana, is a quality manager. He was most impressed by David "Devilfish" Ulliott and his ability to stay cool under pressure. "If someone shoots a bullet at Devilfish, he'll shoot right back," said Segurich. His poker tip was to stay patient and watch others' body language to try to pick up tells.

Millbrae, California, resident Mike Machado cited Doyle Brunson as the player he most respected. "Doyle seemed very down-to-earth. He signed books for everyone who asked and seemed to be very likeable." As for his tip for online players breaking into regular cardrooms, Machado advised, "Play as if you were playing with a camera watching you. Get used to the rhythm and flow of the game before you move up in limits. Learn how to handle chips, and learn the rules of the cardroom in which you are playing."

Brian Van Loo is an information technology manager from Thousand Oaks, California. He spoke highly of Barry Shulman and Peter Costa, saying, "They were enjoyable to play with at the table. They made the game fun and were very nice." Van Loo described his experience as follows: "It was like attending a poker fantasy camp and getting to play with the superstars." His recommendation for those used to playing online is this: "Prepare yourself for the noise and the many people in a brick-and-mortar cardroom. Learn the rules for a live cardroom so that you don't fold out of turn. Learn to work your chips."

Fred Berger of Slidell, Louisiana, is an importer of Mardi Gras beads. He said, "I like classy people who take their beats like gentlemen. Tony Cousineau and Chris Ferguson definitely fit into this category." His advice for players breaking into live poker action is, "Remember where you are. You can't cuss in a live cardroom like you can when you are sitting home alone staring at a computer screen. Also, start playing at a lower level than you play online until things become second nature to you."

T.J. Cloutier impressed small-business owner Roby Lacy of Plymouth, Michigan. "He played at my table for seven hours the first day and four hours the second day. It was a great education for me. Fortunately, he was on my right." He also spoke highly of Scotty Nguyen and Devilfish Ulliott, who were extremely kind to his children. "Scotty even gave them each a personalized poker chip." Lacy's advice for new players is, "Observe your opponents. When playing online, you can't really see if someone is drunk, unlike in a real cardroom. Table chatter matters, so pay attention," he added.

Aaron O'Rourke from the Chicago area listed two players who impressed him. "Carlos Mortensen moved his chips well and made some great plays. Russ Hamilton had a wonderful table demeanor," he said. O'Rourke's advice was very interesting: "Press hard against the pros early, because they don't like to gamble in marginal situations." He also explained his "Social Security Rule" to me: The chance that someone is bluffing is 50 percent minus 1 percent for every year they are over 50.

Last but not least, I spoke with Hermie Sniffen, a business consultant for ISO 9001-2000. She started day two of the tournament with only $6,150 in chips and played incredibly well, going out in 10th place after taking a very bad beat. The superstars she admired were Phil Ivey and Tom McEvoy, because of their "great style." Hermie said this of her first big tournament experience: "On the first day of the tournament, I folded the best hand many times, and then I realized I would have to be more aggressive if I wanted to have a chance to win."

I wish to thank all of the players who took the time to speak with me about their experiences. I recommend that you take their advice and enter some tournaments in your local cardroom.

Now, let's play poker!

Editor's note: Contact Linda for information on poker cruises or other poker-related topics.