• A Sacred Cow Can Make a Tasty Dinner

  by Barry Mulholland

  A few years back, one of those brainteaser questions of the week was making the rounds, the sort of thing that gets passed around the Internet and then dissected around the office watercooler. The question was this: You're offered a part-time job …continued

• Has Poker Peaked?

  by Barry Shulman

  Almost every reporter who interviews me wants to know three things: Do I think poker is a fad, has it peaked, and why is it so popular? No, poker is not just a fad. People have enjoyed playing games, gambling, taking chances, and looking for big …continued

• Red River Rumble

  by Bob Ciaffone

  On the second weekend of October, the Texas-Oklahoma football game took place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. These teams historically have a great rivalry. However, this year Texas was ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time they played, and they …continued

• Midseason Review

  by Chuck Sippl

  The middle of the football season is both an appropriate and valuable time to review how your wagers have done so far as a whole. There have been plenty of games, both college and pro, to get an accurate measure of your handicapping prowess for the …continued

• This Town Ain't Big Enough

  by Max Shapiro

  A few years ago I heard that two Indian tribes were battling each other for the right to open a casino in Barstow. I then wrote a column, wondering where I might move Big Denny in case I had to relocate the Barstow Card Casino. Big Denny's Maywood …continued

• Aunt Sophie Traps a Trapper

  by Michael Wiesenberg

  "Yoohoo, Dollink," called a cheery voice. I saw my Aunt Sophie in line at the cashier's cage of the Anaheim Casino. "Nice," I observed. "Five racks. Lowball?" "Nah," she sneered. "Those alte cockers …continued

• A New Horizon for the World Poker Tour

  by Mike Sexton

  I'm "old school." The chips I'm used to playing with aren't silicon. I prefer holecards to memory cards. But as a commentator for the World Poker Tour, I've been involved in many things WPT-related, including the show, my …continued

• The Big One at The Bike

  by Phil Hellmuth

  This year, the $5,000 buy-in World Poker Tour event at The Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California, attracted more than 800 entrants, and first place was $1.1 million. This championship finale - capping a monthlong series of events at the Legends …continued

• Be Thankful for That Luck Factor

  by Roy West

  Hi. Come on in. My hold'em students and I have been eating a lot of fried chicken together, so I've microwaved a batch of Oriental marinated beef. Don't ask about the recipe, because I just make it up as I go along. Dig in. A world-class …continued

• The Poker Quest Satellite of Champions - Part III

  by Tom McEvoy

  With the Poker Quest Satellite of Champions down to the final three players, I was the clear chip leader in the battle for a seat in the $250,000 buy-in main event. My two worthy opponents, Layne Flack and Thor Hansen, were about even in chips. …continued

• Small-Blind Action

  by Jim Brier

  I was playing in a ninehanded $30-$60 hold'em game at Bellagio in Las Vegas. The blinds were $20 - $30. The game was fairly tight. Since the following hand involved actual players, I have changed their names to protect their identities. Joe, a …continued

• My Dumb Mistake

  by Mike O Malley

  I often have made it a point in my columns to stress the importance of paying attention. Paying attention at a poker table is important for many reasons: ensuring that the rules are followed, spotting dealers'/players' mistakes, and observing …continued

• More From Borgata

  by Daniel Negreanu

  In the past I have written several three- or even four-part columns dealing with my run toward the final table of a tournament and my eventual win. Well, these days I haven't gotten out of the first day in a while, so I'm stuck with writing …continued

• More Odds and Ends

  by Linda Johnson

  Who doesn't love poker? Our beloved game of poker is appealing to the masses. Everywhere I go, I see people reading poker books in airports and overhear conversations about what happened on the most recent televised poker program. Celebrities from …continued

• Playing Draws Against Habitual Underbetters

  by Daniel Kimberg

  Just a decade ago, it was hard to find an affordable, live big-bet hold'em game. The only way for most players to practice poker's most dynamic form in public games was in tournaments. Although you could find the occasional pot-limit Omaha …continued

• Starting-Hand Selection and Stack Size - Part I

  by Rolf Slotboom

  Introduction A lot has been written about the influence of the amount of chips in front of you on the hands you can and should play. Almost without exception, these writings are about tournament play. After all, it should be clear that in tournaments, …continued

• Planning Your Personal Development - Part I

  by Alan Schoonmaker

  After reading my series "It's a Great Party, But … ," my friend Jerry Flannigan said, "Al, you're right about the need for self-development plans, but your recommendations were too specific. Some readers don't know …continued

• A Debate Over Position

  by Mark Gregorich

  Back when I started playing poker in public cardrooms in Washington state in the early 1990s, one of the concepts that intrigued me was the importance of position. This was a topic frequently discussed among the experts in my local $1-$3 stud …continued

• Are You Playing Backward?

  by Barry Tanenbaum

  Back when I was playing $3-$6 hold'em, I noticed a play that I called "the dance." Typically, in the games I played, five or six players would see the flop. If a pair came on the flop - say, J-6-6 - one player would bet and a couple of …continued

• Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship

  by Thomas Keller

  I recently played in the Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship at Bellagio - another $10,000 buy-in event in the books, and another early exit for yours truly. A close friend said to me the other day that you've really gotta love poker …continued

• Tournament Analysis: Festa Al Lago IV - Part I

  by Lee Munzer

  Warm Rain and Hot Play in Las Vegas Festa al Lago IV, a series of 10 no-limit Texas hold'em tournaments, spans a fortnight. The venue is the spectacular Bellagio Hotel and Casino. The main event, the sixth of 16 televised fourth-season World Poker …continued

• Tournament Report: Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship

  by BJ Nemeth

  Except for the annual World Series of Poker, the biggest poker tournaments in the world can be found at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Some tournaments may have more entrants or larger prize pools, but when there's a major tournament at Bellagio, everyone …continued

• Poker Quirks

  by Matt Matros

  So far in my short Card Player writing career, I've done columns related only to poker strategy. Even I get tired of strategy. I play poker almost every day, and believe it or not, "check-raising stupid tourists and taking huge pots off …continued

• Kassem 'Freddy' Deeb: A Huge Personality

  by Justin Marchand

  As we're leaving the north valet entrance of Bellagio very, very late one night, my wife stops me in my tracks as soon as the automatic door opens the July-oven evening into our faces. "Look, it's Danny DeVito," she gushes. She's …continued

• A Dash of This, a Pinch of That - Ingredients for Winning Poker

  by Joe Sebok

  I have received a lot of e-mail asking for advice on navigating the waters of becoming a professional poker player. Despite considering myself only about 25 percent of a quality pro thus far, I thought this forum would be an interesting way to attempt …continued

• Small-Blind Play

  by Byron Jacobs

  One great difficulty that many weaker hold'em players have is handling play from the blinds. This is a tricky issue, as there are always positive and negative features about getting involved from the blinds. On the positive side, you have already …continued

• David Williams: Living the Dream

  by Richard Belsky

  Play on, playa David Williams is living the dream. Let's make a list. Wealthy, young, and independent - check. Dating playmates and actresses - check. Traveling the world to hang out with society's upper crust - check. Oh yeah, and playing …continued

• 'If You Want to Blow Five Million Dollars in a Hurry … '

  by Michael Craig

  The title of this column is the beginning of something Daniel Negreanu told me last summer when I had known him for less than an hour. Poker players, despite the professional requirement of hiding their emotions and thinking, are the most open people …continued

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