Halloween is over and an even scarier day for some is coming: Election Day. It's been a contentious run up to the office, and no matter which side you're supporting I know that all the readers of this magazine can agree on one thing:
Bring online poker back to the U.S.
There's been lively debate about which candidate gives us a better chance of having that happen, and I won't rehash the arguments here. Just know that once there's a new president in power, it's time to make a push. Membership in the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is a good idea. They're the lobbying organization headed by Barney Frank that brought a bill to committee to overturn the UIGEA, the act that for all intents and purposes, made online gambling illegal in the U.S. The bill was narrowly defeated in a vote that split basically along party lines (Dems for, Republicans against), but will most likely get another shot in the new year. With the Democrats likely picking up seats, the bill will get to the floor and we'll need to support it and get that sucker passed. So write your congressman and join the PPA!
And in case you didn't notice from the title of this article, we're giving this issue away for free! So if you haven't joined yet and are curious what this magazine is all about, go ahead and sign up for one month for free. We don't need a credit card or anything like that, just an active email account so you can get your verification code.
hand that is a made hand and draw combined is among the most difficult no-limit holdem poker hands to play correctly. Some of the questions that need to be answered before good advice can be given are:
eciding whether or not to make laydowns is of course one of the most important factors in playing winning poker. Making a very big laydown that turns out right is one of the most satisfying things a player can do. Perhaps the most spectacular example came at the first Tournament of Champions event staged by Mike Sexton in 1999 at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas. David Chiu had just gotten heads-up with Gus Hansen. Severely out-chipped, and facing an all-in bet pre-flop, Chiu was able to correctly assess his opponent for pocket aces and he threw away pocket kings. He went on to victory, winning more than $200,000 and a new Lincoln Town Car. Chiu, famous for his ability to read players, later said he has the gift of concentration and he pays attention to people's reactions, to the cards they look at, or the way they put their chips into the pot. 
t's a few minutes later. Judi has gotten the rest off her chest. I now know that Sam the bozo is the floorman tonight at Club Pismo, and that his hobby, if you want to call it that, is sexually harassing cute dealers like Judi. "I don't mind him hitting on me," says Judi. "That's what men do. But when they're married, and they go but that doesn't matter, and you go, like, yes it matters, and then their ego gets all bruised and they take it out on you in the workplace, well, that's just not fair."
hen
I am thinking about poker, I am finding myself more and more consumed with game
theory situations. One theory I have often heard and read in the past is that
as one’s stack grows in a tournament, each individual chip is worth less. Because of this thinking, it is said
that one shouldn’t be taking big risks to gather chips since the chips won
won’t be worth as much as the chips lost. So I decided to look into it for
myself and hopefully figure out a strategy for tournament play that made sense
to me.
ou gotta
believe. Fans of the underdog team at sporting events are always
holding up signs with that thought, or something similar, for all to see. The favored team is going
for the kill. The underdog, like some biblical David, rides in on a wing and a
prayer and a belief that he can beat Goliath and win the day.
able selection is very important to serious online poker players, and I am asked about it frequently. My approach to table selection is much like my contrarian approach to the stock market, though I am much better at table selection than stock picks. I hear people say they are looking for big average pots or lots of people seeing the flop, a mix of good and bad players, one or two fish they already know, and the list goes on and on. Those are all valid things to consider, but everyone else is considering them too, and an online game is a constantly changing environment. 
indi
had always looked great in blue jeans, tennis shoes, and tee shirt, which in
fact, was what she had on tonight.
And she did look great. She
usually did.