tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58053719517083802702024-03-08T13:38:49.855-08:00Poker Quote WisdomUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-66570542961773439122010-02-25T06:28:00.000-08:002010-02-25T06:28:00.675-08:00Not A Human With Less Regard For Money Than Me<hr/><br />"Right now there is probably not a human being in the world with less regard for money than me. I make bets for thousands of dollars that I know I can't win. I was at the poker table once and made a $5,000 bet with Howard Lederer that Shawshank Redemption won best picture. Doyle Brunson told me not to make that bet because he made it once and lost. Of course, I didn't listen, and had to give Howard $5,000." <br /><br />-<i> Mike Matusow</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Ignore <a href="http://bit.ly/8DUBDn">Doyle Brunson's advice</a> at your peril.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-85005484946216174422010-02-23T02:48:00.000-08:002010-02-23T02:48:00.233-08:00A Game About People<hr/><br />"No matter how much you may want to think of Holdem as a card game played by people, in many respects it is even more valid to think of it as a game about people that happens to be played with cards."<br /><br />-<i> Phil Hellmuth</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />People are always giving away information when they play Holdem; it may be a tell of Kramer-esque proportions or simple betting patterns. Part of your game play needs to be based on the cards in your pocket and on the board, but another, possibly larger part, needs to be based on what you have learned from your opponents. Like <a href="http://pokerquotewisdom.blogspot.com/2007/11/watch-your-opponents.html">Mike's quotes in "Rounders"</a>, always keep watching them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-65791921829884414222010-02-20T16:48:00.000-08:002010-02-20T16:48:00.297-08:00The Gambler's Fallacy<hr/><br />The "gambler’s fallacy” is the belief that the more often something has occurred (ie bad hands in poker), the less likely it is to occur in the future. Poker players often lament that they are “due for aces” or that they “will definitely hit their next flush.” Players who believe in the gambler’s fallacy may be less willing to bet after wins and more willing to bet after losses.<br /><br />-<i> G.Smith M.Levere R.Kurtzman, Poker Player Behavior After Big Wins and Big Losses </i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Everyone is different, of course, so no one rule will apply to all opponents. But watch out for changes in play styles for people who win and lose big hands. Some players will loosen while others will tighten depending on what strategy they believe best. If you can observe these changes, it will put you in the driving seat against them when the situation next arises.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-7879063550587945342010-02-15T05:36:00.000-08:002010-02-15T05:36:00.862-08:00Rolled Up Aces Over Kings<hr/><br /><b>Worm</b>: Hey, you know what cheers me up when I'm feeling shitty? <br /><br /><b>Mike</b>: What? <br /><br /><b>Worm</b>: Rolled-up aces over kings.<br /><br /><b>Mike</b>: Is that right?<br /><br /><b>Worm</b>: Check-raising stupid tourists and taking huge pots off of them.<br /><br /><b>Mike</b>: Yeah? <br /><br /><b>Worm</b>: Stacks and towers of checks I can't even see over. Playing all-night, high-limit Hold'em at the Taj, "where the sand turns to gold."<br /><br /><b>Mike</b>: F*ck it, let's go.<br /><br /><b>Worm</b>: Don't tease me.<br /><br /><b>Mike</b>: Let's play some f*cking cards!<br /><br />-<i> Rounders, 1998</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />A positive frame of mind will show results at the poker table, as its the polar opposite of going on tilt. One of the worlds great tilters, Mike Matusow, has talked about the fantastic 2008 WSOP he had by thinking positively, and while Happy Thoughts alone won't gift you that one in three river card, they might stop you throwing your whole stack away chasing it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-42209197947172761482010-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:002010-02-12T20:37:00.585-08:00Killing Two Birds With One Straight<hr/><br /><b>Dr. Gregory House</b>: [giving poker advice over the phone to Wilson] Go all in. <br /><br /><b>Dr James Wilson</b>: You obviously want to bust me. Why would you —<br /><br /><b>Dr. Gregory House</b>: Either you go all in or I tell everybody in the building that you're wearing toenail polish.<br /><br /><b>Dr James Wilson</b>: I'm all in.<br /><br /><b>Dr Lisa Cuddy</b>: I'll call. I'm betting you have a pair of threes, but even if you have three, it's not going to beat triple nines.<br /><br /><b>Dr James Wilson</b>: [turning over his cards] Oh, oh, oh no, oh no! Oh, Ohhh that's gotta hurt.<br /><br /><b>Dr. Gregory House</b>: What happened?<br /><br /><b>Dr James Wilson</b>: I just killed two birds with one straight. Goodbye.<br /> <br /><b>Dr. Gregory House</b>: Fine, keep playing, but I need you to recommend a good Oncologist because if I don't get one up here in the next few minutes, I got a dead 6-yr-old.<br /><br />-<i> House, MD., 2006</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Never get goaded (or blackmailed!) into making a particular bet by your opponent. The person driving you into that bet probably doesn't have your bankroll's best interests at heart!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-58764427347627293782010-02-09T15:43:00.000-08:002010-02-09T15:43:00.101-08:00Confessions of a Winning Poker Player<hr /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>MIKE:</strong> In Confessions of a Winning Poker Player, Jack King said, "Few players recall big pots they have won - strange as it seems - but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career." Seems true to me, 'cause walking in here I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can't stop thinking how I lost it.</span></span><br /></span><br />- <em>Rounders, 1998</em><br /><br /><hr /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Runs in poker come and go; the measure of a good player is how well they handle the lows. Its better to quit for a bit than throw a large slice of your stack away in a short burst... be wary of playing on tilt.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-32954245856465701032010-02-06T17:31:00.000-08:002010-02-06T17:31:00.670-08:00I Bluffed. I Am Coming.<hr/><br /><b>Jack</b>: Poker night? How many play?<br /><br /><b>Liz</b>: Oh, you're not going to come to our crappy poker night, are you?<br /><br /><b>Jack</b>: No, I'm not going to come.<br /><br /><b>Liz</b>: [relieved] Good!<br /><br /><b>Jack</b>: I bluffed. I am coming.<br /><br />- <em>30 Rock, 2006</em><br /><br /><hr/><br />Was it a good move for Jack to show Liz the power of his bluffing, or did she just learn something about Jack's willingness to bluff? Use bluffing sparingly, and mix up the times and situations in which you do bluff so that observant opponents do not draw a bead on your routine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-10977919920060026982010-02-03T01:59:00.000-08:002010-02-03T01:59:00.536-08:00The Church Ladies League Play Cutthroat Poker<hr/><br /><strong>Vint:</strong> What are you doin’?! This is not the Church Ladies League!<br /><br /><strong>Mama:</strong> I know. I would never be winning this big down at the CLL. Those women play cutthroat poker. <br /><br />- <em>Mama's Family, 1988</em><br /><br /><hr/><br />You can't judge a book by its cover, and you certainly can't tell how good a poker player is by the way they look. Use nothing less than your own observations to decide how best to tackle a certain opponent. And remember: old ladies can play poker too!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-1666741071135857212010-01-27T15:48:00.000-08:002010-01-27T15:48:00.496-08:00Does This Seem Like Gambling To You?<hr /><br /> <strong>Mike:</strong> Why does this still seem like gambling to you? I mean, why do you think the same five guys make it to the final table of the World Series of Poker EVERY SINGLE YEAR? What, are they the luckiest guys in Las Vegas?<br /><br />- <em>Rounders, 1998</em><br /><br /><hr /><br />While there is certainly randomness in the game, Poker is about making the right decisions consistently over a long period of time. It's not about luck - its about using the information presented to you to make the best decision possible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-42504019625862007722010-01-23T13:49:00.000-08:002010-01-23T13:49:00.228-08:00Three Cards For Homer<hr/><br /><b>Lenny</b>: You want another card or not? <br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: Huh? Oh, OK. I'll take three. <br /><br />[Moe deals them] <br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: Doh! Doh! Doh! I mean... Woo hoo. <br /><br />-<i> The Simpsons, 1994</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Be careful not to give away too much information when you look at your cards, unless it is a carefully planned bluff.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-72383705740826734452010-01-20T13:34:00.000-08:002010-01-20T13:34:00.191-08:00So Called Chips<hr/><br /><b>Moe</b>: Homer, you want any cards?<br /><br />[Homer starts choking]<br /><br /><b>Moe</b>: Homer! <br /><br />[hits Homer; Homer coughs up a blue chip]<br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: Whoa! Don't try to eat these so-called "chips".<br /><br /><br />-<i> The Simpsons, 1994 </i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Whether you play conservatively or aggressively really depends on what works best for your play style; however you can never have too many chips, so don't try and eat them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-64513974700565822172010-01-18T12:59:00.000-08:002010-01-18T12:59:00.556-08:00The Flounders Attract The Sharks.<hr><br /><b>Mike McDermott: </b>The game in question is No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em. Minimum buy-in $25,000. A game like this doesn't come together often outside the casinos. The stakes attract rich flounders, and they in turn attract the sharks.<br /><br />- <i>Rounders, 1998</i><br /><br /><hr><br />If your regular cash game is full of chumps, then do your best to protect your patch lest better players come in and tap your revenue stream!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-83698461064279963882010-01-16T14:47:00.000-08:002010-01-16T14:47:00.725-08:00Bluffing With A Straight Flush<hr/><br /><b>Moe</b>: I'm in. [tosses a chip into the pot]. Let's see your cards.<br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: Oh, I was bluffing. [shows his cards] <br /><br /><b>Moe</b>: Ha ha! Come to papa... wait a minute! You have a straight flush, Homer! You do this every time, you - oh, you - oh! Gah! I'm choking on my own rage here.<br /><br />-<i> The Simpsons, 1994</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />It can be frustrating to lose to someone who misreads their hand and then plays according to that error, but dont lose sight of the fact that these are exactly the sort of poker players you want to be playing against, as most of the time the odds will be heavily in your favor.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-26635305136498805852010-01-12T18:10:00.000-08:002010-01-12T18:10:00.265-08:00No-one cares what you know.<hr /><br /> <strong>Eddie:</strong> Twenty grand, open.<br /><br /><strong>"Hatchet" Harry:</strong> Thirty thousand. Back to you, already-Eddie.<strong> </strong><br /><br /><strong>Eddie:</strong> Fifty grand.<br /><b></b><br /><strong>"Hatchet" Harry:</strong> Eighty grand.<br /><br /><strong>Eddie:</strong> One hundred grand. <br /><br /><b>Other Player:</b> Whoa, whoa, whoa, look fellas, I know...<br /><br /><strong>"Hatchet" Harry:</strong> I know you're not in. Which means, no-one cares what you know.<br /><br /><br /><em>- Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, 1998</em><br /><br /><br /><hr /><br /><br />If (and when!) you fold, your influence on the game stops there. However, the game's influence on you shouldn't stop - keep watching the remaining players and how they play. Watch how they are betting, if they are making any large raises or unusual checks. If they show their cards at the end of the hand, you may learn a lot about what sort of calls they are making with what sort of cards.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-25016148614740797262010-01-09T13:02:00.000-08:002010-01-09T13:02:00.570-08:00I'm Out...<hr/><br /><b>Moe:</b> All right, I raise a quarter. <br /><b>Carl</b>: I'm out. <br /><b>Lenny</b>: I'm out. <br /><b>Barney</b>: I'm out... whoa (passes out & falls over in his chair). <br /><br />-<i> The Simpsons, 1994</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Poker night at Lenny's house doesn't go so well for Barney. Remember to take it easy on the liquor if you want to win the night... to finish first, first you have to finish!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-75951831121250188532010-01-07T16:41:00.000-08:002010-01-07T16:41:00.437-08:00Unwarranted Gambles Of Poker Winners<hr/><br />"In poker, winning a big hand is exhilarating and losing a big hand is depressing. These emotions may carry over into subsequent hands, with players more likely to take unwarranted gambles after winning and less likely to do so after losing."<br /><br />-<i> G.Smith M.Levere R.Kurtzman, Poker Player Behavior After Big Wins and Big Losses </i><br /><br /><hr/><br />This academic research shows that some players get lloser after big wins and you may expect some players to clam up after loses. These findings are consistent with Doyle Brunton's Super System, which recommends loose-aggressive play after big wins in order to bully opponents into submission. Watch for opponents behaviours after big wins or losses, and if they are tightening up then consider the opportunities to bluff or dominate them. Likewise, over-aggressive winners may be taken down if you catch them bluffing when you have the nuts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-75691503768841726492010-01-05T13:05:00.000-08:002010-01-05T13:05:00.727-08:00Fortunes Can Change<hr><br /> <b>Mike McDermott: </b>There's no other game in which fortunes can change so much from hand to hand. A brilliant player can get a strong hand cracked, go on tilt, and lose his mind along with every single chip in front of him.<br /> <br /> - <i>Rounders, 1998</i><br /> <br /> <hr><br /> <br />Poker is as much a sport as a card game; the ability to keep emotions in check is vital to making the correct decision. This ability can be sorely tested when you are on the receiving end of some bad beats. Trying to keep a level head can be the hardest part of the game, even the pros can struggle with it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-67438354001799054462010-01-02T15:12:00.000-08:002010-01-02T15:12:00.349-08:00Poker Shack In The Swamp<hr/><br /><b>Lisa</b>: You've done a lot of crazy stuff over the years and she stood by you. Why would she leave you now? <br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: [frantic] Cause there's lots of stuff she doesn't know about! <br /><br /><b>Lisa</b>: You mean, like your poker shack out in the swamp? <br /><br /><b>Homer</b>: Uh-huh. <br /><br /><b>Lisa</b>: She knows.<br /><br />-<i> The Simpsons, 1997</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Any place is a good place to play poker.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-34509570184846400232009-12-29T21:41:00.000-08:002009-12-30T20:08:16.251-08:00Lucky Poker Bra<hr/><br /><br /><b>Grace</b>: Come on, just give me one more chance. I really want to win my money back.<br /><br /><b>Will</b>: You won't win it back, Grace, because you're bad.<br /><br /><b>Grace</b>: Please, please, please-- <br /><br /><b>Will</b>: No, no, no, no, no. I promised the guys-- <br /><br /><b>Grace</b>: Please, please, please-- <br /><br /><b>Will</b>: Ok. <br /><br />[There is a knock at the door]<br /><br /><b>Grace</b>: Ok, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go put on my lucky poker bra. [goes to her bedroom]<br /><br /><b>Will</b>: Or at least <i>a</i> bra.<br /><br />-<i> Will and Grace, 2001</i><br /><br /><hr/><br /><br />Not many pro poker players believe in good luck charms, but there is certainly no harm in having one. Lucky horseshoes, lucky clovers, lucky shirts (or bras!), or lucky pennies - who is to say it doesn't help dominate your opponents?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-40839762931422088262009-12-29T12:55:00.000-08:002009-12-29T13:39:19.766-08:00Gambling Doesn't Take Away His Pain<hr/><br /><b>Dr. Robert Chase</b>: Gambling doesn't take away his pain. <br /><b>Dr. Gregory House</b>: [enters] It does if I win. <br /><br />-<i>House, M.D., 2008</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />Nothing feels as good as taking down a big pot in a tight. Just make sure you don't have a heart condition, the stress can be too much.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-91532999469444260142009-10-29T14:04:00.000-07:002009-12-29T18:55:37.462-08:00Holdem's Defining Moment<hr/><br />Hold'em - like life itself - has its defining moment. It's the flop. When you see the flop, you're looking at 71 percent of your hand, and the cost is only a single round of betting.<br /><br />-<i> Lou Krieger</i><br /><br /><hr/><br />As Lou says, the flop reveals 71% of the information that you are going to get during a hand. You should know by now whether you are in a strong enough position to push hard, or if a more defensive approach is required.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-79892789750464660602008-06-06T15:42:00.000-07:002009-12-29T12:52:00.790-08:00The Cadillac of Poker<hr /><strong>MIKE:</strong> No-limit Texas Hold 'Em is the Cadillac of poker.<br /><br />- <em>Rounders, 1998</em><br /><br /><hr /><br /><br />No doubting this one. For sheer numbers of players or media coverage, Texas Hold'em is King. (Or Aces).<br /><br />There doesn't seem to be any solid numbers around to estimate the number of players globally of Texas Hold'em, but antidotal evidence is overwhelming. Just go into any poker room online and the Holdem tables will outnumber all others by about 20-1. Television coverage of Holdem is growing, and that brings more players to the game. This, in turn, drives more growth... Mike is definately right in this quote, No limit Texas is where its at.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-71427672688514800022008-02-03T22:19:00.000-08:002008-06-15T13:41:27.681-07:00Readin' People's Faces<hr /><br /><strong>The Gambler:</strong> "He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces, and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes."<br /><br /><strong></strong><em>- The Gambler, 1978</em><br /><hr /><br /><br />Although not 100% reliable, poker tells can still be very helpful in studying the possible hands of your opponents. Several poker movies and poker books have even been dedicated to poker tells.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-54269733070528932522008-02-01T16:15:00.000-08:002008-06-15T13:46:37.624-07:00I Just Want To Get Drunk<hr /><br /><b>David</b>: I just want to get drunk, f*cked up, and play some cards!<br /><br /><em>- The 40 Year Old Virgin, 2005</em><br /><br /><hr /><br />Playing in this state of mind may not help your game.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5805371951708380270.post-6733524154171182462008-01-25T14:36:00.000-08:002008-06-15T13:47:35.448-07:00Mucking Cards Before You Were Born<hr /><br /><strong>Stevens:</strong> I was mucking cards since before you were born.<br /><br />- <em>Shade, 2003 </em><br /><br /><hr /><br />Don't show your cards voluntarily, unless it helps establish a table image that you plan to cash in on later. Whether you were bluffing or if you had it, your opponents need to pay to see your cards. Routinely mucking your cards prevents your opponents obtaining more information about your playing style which they may use against you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1