01 September 2010

» My Main Event

My first table at this year’s Main Event was a little more difficult than one could reasonably expect. It included Vanessa Rousso, who may not always play optimally in marginal spots, but is never going to throw her chips away, and also Brian Hastings, who is very good player and very good reader of the game, but fortunately for me was running bad, and no matter how good you are, if you’re running bad you’re not going to win any race you enter.

29 July 2010

» Playing like a micro-durrrr

If you were to read an item of poker strategy before 2003, or even as little as four years ago, you would find a myriad of what can now only be described as "Hellmuth-esque" tactics for beating the game: play super-tight, value-bet well and time your (rare) bluffs wisely.

01 July 2010

» You are absolved my son! by Paul Jackson

As I have said before, and no doubt will say again, it is an unfortunate trait of many card room supervisors that they seek to control players, often at the expense of fair and equitable decisions. Also, they will do everything humanly possible to absolve themselves of any blame or responsibility for any controversial occurrence during a tournament.

01 June 2010

» Your Call by Paul Jackson

It’s the UKIPT Coventry. Blinds are 100/200. I have a stack of about 20,000. I am in the big blind with J-9 off suit. A player limps under the gun and it is folded round to the small blind, who makes it up, and I check.

10 May 2010

» Grinding for Value Online

By Paul Zimbler


You'll be amazed how many players are playing online at the wrong levels for either their skill level or their bankroll. You’ll see a lot of players at $2-5 and $5-10 who are simply giving it a shot. What does this mean? Well, I’ll tell you…

01 April 2010

» Tournaments can seriously damage your wealth by Paul Jackson

As a recreational pursuit, tournament poker is a great option. For the professional player; however, only a deluded mug would see tournament play as a primary source income, using their own money at least. 

08 March 2010

» Leatherass – Treating Poker like a Business

“You don’t think that’s work what he does? Grinding it out on his fuckin’ leather ass? No thank you.” – Worm, Rounders.

03 February 2010

» Belgium Poker Championships

Last year a few friends and I went over to Belgium by the Eurostar (which worked properly then) and played in the €1,500 entry Belgium Poker Championship – a fantastic 800-odd-player event with a remarkably slow structure.

06 January 2010

» Licked in Latvia

After winning a package on Betsafe Poker, I was off to Latvia for my first ever tournament in that part of the world, and I have to say the organisation of the event was superb, as was the hotel and the tournament venue, Casino Royale.

10 November 2009

» Never Mind the Bollocks

Very often, the most potent threat to a poker player’s poker playing life comes from sources completely unrelated to the game of poker itself.