Hurry – Only TWO More $500 PokerWorks Cash FreeRolls at CD Poker
May 26, 2009
The winning never stops and the excitement never ends at CD Poker and to prove it, PokerWorks and CD Poker have teamed up to give you a shot at even more cash without investing your own!
At Poker Works, you get all the latest poker news for free and now in cooperation with CD Poker, you can grab your share of $500 for free too! It’s an exclusive chance for CD players who signed up through PokerWorks to win some bankroll-building cash by joining in the $500 PokerWorks Cash FreeRolls taking place at CD Poker. Only CD Poker players who created their accounts via PokerWorks will be eligible to take part in this great cash FreeRoll. The $500 prize pool will be distributed according to the payout structure established by CD Poker which means there will be several winners.
What do you have to do to get in on the action? Just play your favorite cash games at CD poker! If you are new to CD Poker, just download the CD Poker software here on PokerWorks to get your new CD Poker account. Once your new account is activated, you’ll need to make a minimum deposit. Then start playing poker to earn just ONE single CD point during the official qualifying period going on now! But, you’ll want to hurry, as new players have only TWO more chances to qualify! And if you already play at CD Poker you won’t be left out because existing CD Poker players are also eligible to participate, just so long as they signed up for their CD Poker account through Poker Works and meet the other requirements of the promotion.
All you have to do is earn one solitary CD Point to join in the fun and then you can get ready to compete for your share of $500 for free!
The remaining dates for the PokerWorks and CD Poker FreeRolls are:
• Qualify by June 9th at 23:59 GMT to play in the $500 FreeRoll on June 11th
• Qualify by June 23rd to play for $500 in the FreeRoll on June 25th
Earning that one CD Poker point is easy, all it takes is for you to play any of the real money cash games as well as jackpot games. You can even earn CD Points by playing in tournaments and the more you play, the more points you can earn and the more benefits you can gain! For every raked hand you play, you can earn points, with all new players start at the Prodigy Club level. As players begin to earn CD Points at ring games and tournaments, they start to qualify for an upgrade to a higher VIP Level. All of CD Poker's VIP Levels are assigned based on CD Poker players' CD Points average over their last 30 days of play. Visit CD Poker for full details on earning CD Points and achieving various VIP levels.
Get on over to CD Poker today, sign up your account through Poker Works and earn your one CD Point so that you won’t miss out on this great opportunity! Then simply register, relax and get ready for the excitement of the battle for your share of $500 brought to you by Poker Works and CD Poker!
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Ultimate Bet to Award 50 WSOP Seats on June 21st
It is hard to believe, but Ultimate Bet Poker has been offering poker players the ultimate poker destination online for 10 years. And to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they are going to send 50 players to the 2009 WSOP Main Event – all in one amazing event! May 22, 2009
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Hurry – Only TWO More $500 PokerWorks Cash FreeRolls at CD Poker
The winning never stops and the excitement never ends at CD Poker and to prove it, PokerWorks and CD Poker have teamed up to give you a shot at even more cash without investing your own! At Poker Works, you get all the latest poker news for free and now in cooperation with CD Poker, you can grab your share of $500 for free too! May 27, 2009
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What is it about the WSOP?
May 26, 2009
Every year about this time a mass exodus occurs. People from all over the world make their way to Las Vegas to spend their time huddled in with thousands of nervous, sweat stained men and women in one room. It doesn't sound all that appealing when it's put that way, but the World Series of Poker is THE one trip and tournament that any serious poker player makes in a given year. Why is that?
It's kind of like in golf or tennis where there are major tournaments like the PGA or Australian Open but everyone knows the big one is the Masters and Wimbledon. That's the prestige and allure a WSOP bracelet carries with it. Ask Gus Hansen how he feels about never having won a bracelet? He might publicly say it's not a big deal since he's won so much on the WPT but inside it's probably eating away at him. When Erick Lindgren won his first bracelet last year he admitted that it was a huge weight off of his shoulders. Make no mistake about it; if you're a professional (or even amateur) poker player, there is no greater honor than winning a WSOP bracelet.
There is of course the history of the event. The WSOP is the longest standing poker tournament in the world. Long before there was ESPN, the WPT, or High Stakes Poker, there was the WSOP. This sense of history is present throughout the tournament, either through the gigantic portraits of past main event winners or in rubbing shoulders with poker legends. It's not often you'll see a big name professional playing in a $1,500 buy in event, but at the WSOP it's not uncommon at all and amateur players are often thrilled at the chance to be playing next to one of their poker heroes.
Another reason so many poker professionals mark the WSOP down on their calendar is that there is more to offer than just NLHE. Too many poker tournaments have taken the path of being just about hold em, with the occasional token Omaha or Stud tournament. While the WSOP has increased the amount of NLHE tournaments they run (they'd be foolish not to with the amount of rake it brings in and the demand), they have stayed true to poker and offered a multitude of events that truly make the WSOP a “poker” tournament and not just a NLHE tournament.
One last reason, and believe it or not it's as compelling as the previous ones, is that it's the one time of the year where every poker player is in the same area. Yea, you might run into one half of your poker buds at the WPT event in Biloxi, but at the WSOP every one is here. Parties and social gatherings are a big part of the fun of the tournament. Oh, and there's always the drama. It's not the WSOP if there isn't some form of drama going on, and drama is much more fun if you're there to personally witness it.
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Play at Party Poker for Your Asian Adventure in Macau!
May 26, 2009
The Asian poker players have taken the poker world by storm and they continue to do so in the Asian Poker Tour. And, what better place to host a poker event than in the Asian gambling capitol of Macau?
Boasting that they offer more poker action than even Las Vegas, Macau is the place where all the hottest Asian poker players congregate. So it is fitting that Macau will host an Asian Poker Tour (APT) event in August, where players like David ‘Chino’ Rheem, JC Tran, Steve Sung, Nam Le, and Quinn Do will face off against lesser known poker names – to do battle for a projected prize pool in excess of a Million Dollars.
There will be plenty of action when the Rio Hotel and Casino turns up the heat for this event, making Macau THE place to be this summer. And Party Poker is giving you the opportunity to be there, to take your seat in the many action-packed side events and the Main Event. This is your chance to prove you are as good as last year’s Main Event winner, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, who pocketed a cool half million (HK$3,812,200) for his first place victory.
To make sure you have your shot at attaining Asian Poker Tour Macau glory and the big cash payday that goes along with it, Party Poker is offering several satellite qualifier events starting as low as only $3! Win one of these babies and you will grab a $7,000 prize package that includes:
• A $4,300 Main event buy-in
• Seven nights’ hotel accommodation at the Rio Hotel and Casino
• $1,600 cash for travel and spending money
To get in the heat of the action and win your way to Macau, join in any or all of these super Asian Poker Tour qualifying events:
Daily Qualifiers:
• 12:05 ET, 18:05 ET and 12:10 ET – $8+$1 buy-in Asian Poker Tour Sub Qualifier Speed. One out of every 10 players will win an entry to the next APT Macau Satellite Qualifier.
• 15:40 ET, 19:10 ET and 22:40 ET – $2.40 + $0.60 Rebuy Asian Poker Tour Sub Qualifier Speed. Awards one seat to the $80 Satellite Qualifier every $80 in the prize pool.
• 15:55 ET and 13:30 – $75 + $5 Asian Poker Tour Satellite Qualifier. One in 10 players win an entry into the next APT Macau Satellite.
Sunday Qualifiers:
• 13:30 ET – $75+$5 Turbo Asian Poker Tour Satellite Qualifier. One out of every 10 players win an entry into the next APT Macau Satellite
• 15:55 ET – $700+$50 Buy-in Asian Poker Tour Satellite. One in every 10 players will win a $7,000 APT Macau prize package.
Join in the fun and you could find yourself in exciting Macau for the APT from August 12th to the 23rd August and you will see just how hot Asia can be in the summer!
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July Dream Team Poker Event Scheduled at 2009 WSOP
May 20, 2009
Dream Team Poker has proven itself a success in a relatively short period of time. Its 
second and biggest event to date was in March of 2009 at Caesars Palace, where 148 teams comprised of 444 players came to the tables to compete for individual and team prize money. Now, the organization is bringing its tournament to the Rio to host an event at the 2009 World Series of Poker on July 12 and 13.
The concept is simple. Players compete individually for a piece of the prize pool but sign up as teams of three players each in order to compete for the team prize. Each person is given a score based on their finish in the event – 200th place equals 200 points – and the two best scores for each team are tallied. The team with the lowest overall score wins the team portion of the tournament, while individuals still receive their fair share for their accomplishments as well.
Though this format of team poker does not fit in with the traditions or rules of the World Series of Poker and will not be a bracelet event at the WSOP, Dream Team Poker has found its place at the most prestigious series of tournaments of the year by hosting a tournament at the Rio during the latter days of the WSOP main event. The event will take place on July 12 and 13, and players will be given the opportunity to buy-in for $500 + $60 per person, though they must sign up in teams of three, which comes to $1,680 per team. The first 300 teams that register on DreamTeamPoker.com prior to the deadline of June 10 will receive custom jerseys for each participant complete with team name and desired style of jersey.
Participation in Dream Team Poker has grown since its inaugural tournament in November of 2008, which was invitation only. The Caesars Palace event was the first event open to the public, and the response was overwhelming with 148 teams. Organizers anticipate an even larger and more international turnout for the July 2009 event that will be in the same location as the WSOP.
Dream Team Gaming CEO Daniel Delshad noted, “The WSOP and the Rio have really shown their commitment to the players in continuing to innovate and try new concepts. Bringing our brand to the Rio during the WSOP and onto the most hollowed ground in the sport is a powerful way to introduce Dream Team Poker to the world.”
WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack added, “After seeing the terrific response to the recent Dream Team Poker tournaments in Las Vegas, we thought a team-based event would be a fun addition to the end of the WSOP. The Dream Team Poker event is one of the many new elements added in 2009 that will help make this summer a memorable one for all WSOP players and fans.”
What draws many to the team poker concept is the notion of being able to root for fellow team members, as in any team sport. The lower buy-in per person makes it more affordable for many players, especially after a summer of playing numerous tournaments with buy-ins of $1,500 or higher. Though some still dislike the idea of team poker, most admit that it has proven to dissuade collusion and simply bring more people to the game of poker.
Interested players can find more information on the Dream Team Poker website or by visiting the Dream Team Poker booth outside of the Amazon Room. The booth will be open throughout the 2009 World Series of Poker at the Rio in Las Vegas, staffed with people who can answer any questions about rules, structure, or registration.
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Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is New 2009 WSOP Presenting Sponsor
May 20, 2009
In a big move for the World Series of Poker, the brand has moved away from previous presenting sponsors like Milwaukee’s Best Light, which still remains a sponsor, and created a partnership with a different kind of product. The newly signed agreement with Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is a move in a new direction for the two brands and now means that the summer series will be known as the World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky.
Jack Link’s is the top meat snack brand in the United States, though its products are sold worldwide and growing in that global market as well. Known most for its beef jerky but boasting of more than 100 snack products in its lineup, the company will offer a number of its products at the 2009 WSOP in the gift shop and the poker kitchen.
In addition, the Jack Link’s brand name will be featured on the poker tables at the WSOP, signage around the Rio, and on ESPN advertisements, as well as at the Wild Card Café, a lounge featuring drinks and snacks near the ESPN final table area of the Amazon Room at the Rio.
The multi-year deal will begin with the 2009 WSOP, which is its 40th annual celebration, and continue for an unspecified number of years going forward. There will also be a WSOP-branded national promotion using the slogan, “Feed Your Wild Side.”
Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Director of Marketing Jeff LeFever stated, “The game of poker is all about sharing good times with great friends. Jack Link’s enthusiasts and poker fans are cut from the same cloth – they are fun-seeking, adventurous spirits. The World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky is the most esteemed gaming event in the world, and poker’s untamed spirit truly embodies the Jack Link’s brand. Being part of this thrilling tournament is just one more way Jack Link’s is helping people to Feed Their Wild Side.”
While other partnering brands like Milwaukee’s Best Light, Everest Poker, and All In Energy Drinks will be a significant part of the 2009 WSOP, look for Jack Link’s Beef Jerky signage to outshine the rest and become a fixture at the Rio during the summer months.
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Women’s World Open III – Party Poker
May 20, 2009
Matchroom Sport has organized the Party Poker Women’s World Open III $3,000 buy-in tournament that starts today and will culminate on Wednesday, the 27th, the day that most of the poker playing heroes and heroines of the world will be converging on Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker. Thirty-six of the world’s best female poker players are gathered in London for the warm-up of the Women’s World Open.
The tournament is structured with six different 6-player SnG’s and each winner continues to the final table. Of the six preliminary tournaments, the runners-up of each one will move on to battle for a ‘last chance’ shot at the final table. The final table will consist of a seven player field. Wednesday, the 27th, will find the seven remaining ladies gathering for the final war across the green felt and the winner will walk away with $50,000 of the $108,000 prize pool and the crown of the third Women’s World Open.
The players lining up for the competition are no easy match as the list is as impressive as any who’s who in poker champions today, including Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad – WSOP Europe champion, Jennifer Tilly – WSOP Ladies’ champion, Sandra Naujoks – European Poker Tour Dortmund champion, Lynne Beaumont – UK Women’s Poker Tour champion, and they are facing a list of competitors that have got game and are going to prove it. That list includes, but isn’t limited to Maria Demetrious, Cecilia Nordenstram, Kim Wooka, Live Boeree, Jen Mason, Colette Murphy, Polish boxing Champion Agnieska Rylik, and Lise “The Pink Lady”. Soraya Homam from Germany is back to defend her title. Four of the players qualified for the event on Party Poker.
Expect a lot of excitement and extreme action from all the heats between these ladies. The Party Poker Women’s World Open III is taped. Look for the television broadcast later this year as Jesse May leads the commentary of the tournament. The broadcast will be on Five in England and shown through Europe after the premiere. Annette Obrestad is expected to add color commentary unless she is part of the final table.
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David ‘Chino’ Rheem – David ‘Chino’ Rheem Exclusive Interview
May 20, 2009
To poker fans who tracked the 2008 WSOP main event, David ‘Chino’ Rheem seemed to emerge from out of nowhere. Despite his earlier blasts of success in tournaments and cash games, the volatile but diminutive Rheem, 28, remained largely unknown to the general public. But over the course of the WSOP championship, on his march to the final table, he emerged as a feisty player with a ton of heart and loads of gamble.
Touted as a favourite to win the bracelet, he was knocked out in seventh place. It was an unsatisfying outcome, but one that generated $ 1,772,650 in prize money. If that windfall didn’t ease his disappointment – and it probably didn’t, as Rheem appeared ill-tempered and highly emotional after being eliminated – he found redemption one month later, with a first-place finish at the Doyle Brunson Classic. The WPT event cemented Chino’s reputation and garnered $ 1,538,730 for the suddenly famous pro.
All that money may be life-changing, but it is not Chino changing. His newly found fame and riches have done nothing to tone down the fiery personality and outspoken rawness of Chino Rheem.
INSIDE POKER: When I called you the other night you were in the middle of playing a $ 500/$ 1,000 game at the Commerce. I appreciate that you were willing to do the interview at that moment, while playing, but I figured you had bigger fish to fry. How’d you wind up?
DAVID ‘CHINO’ RHEEM: Fine. The cash game was good. I won a lot of money, around $ 30,000.
IP: Are you more into cash or tournaments these days?
DR: I like it all. I travel the circuit, but action at the Commerce, during the L.A. Poker Classic [which is going on as this interview takes place], is the best in the world. You have a wide selection of games and lots of players. The stakes go from low to high, but I always play high – at least as high as I can.
IP: What sort of stakes would you play before you fattened your bankroll with $ 3.5m in tournament
winnings in 2008?
DR: I’ve never been afraid to gamble. I have a lot of heart. Even before I had the big wins, I was chasing money. I’m known for putting my bankroll at risk a lot of the time.
IP: That can be dangerous for a poker player.
DR: Yeah. I’ve been broke so often that I’m numb to it.
IP: Surely that’s not your situation now. When’s the last time you were out of money?
DR: Right before the main event of the 2008 World Series. I chalk it up to poor money management and bad decisions on my part. But being broke has a positive effect on my play.
IP: Really?
DR: Yeah. I play better broke. That’s when I need to win and need to get out of the hole. I want to play better. That said, though, now that I have a lot of money, I am playing the best poker of my life. I’ve got more determination and more confidence.
IP: How’d you get into the main event?
DR: Some friends – including Mike and Robert Mizrachi – put me in.
IP: How do you look back at the main event?
DR: As one more experience that I’ve been able to learn from. I’ve learned not to take anything for granted and to appreciate life for what it really is. Before the main event I was broke; after it, I wasn’t. Before the main event, some people knew who I was; now a lot more people do. The fame is not important to me. I don’t give a shit about fame. But it is nice to get credit for something that I do well.
IP: The exposure has definitely made you more of a known quantity. Prior to the main event, outside of
L.A. and certain professional circles, you were an under-the-radar kind of guy. Today everyone that
you might play against knows about you and your style. What’s been the upshot of that?
DR: It’s good for me. Now, when I have a hand, I get paid off all the time. The World Series has helped to publicise my image as that of a loose, aggressive player. People know that I’m more than capable of bluffing.
IP: Have you adjusted to capitalise on what opponents expect?
DR: To tell you the truth, after Bellagio and the main event, my style went from playing crazy to playing more solid poker. Because of what people think I’ll do, I have to switch it up on them. The way I play now is better. I could have taken advantage of my table image a long time ago, but I didn’t. I am definitely taking advantage of it now.
IP: Tighter tournament poker might be more profitable now, but I bet it was more fun to play loose.
DR: Looser was not more fun. You put yourself out there more. You’re more vulnerable to lose pots. You chase people. It gets you in trouble. But had I not played the way I did then, I wouldn’t be the way I am now.
IP: How did your style of play change as the main event progressed?
DR: Of course I tightened up. You get closer and closer to making the final table, and you don’t want to do anything to ruin it. Along the way I got advice from lots of friends. I’m very open to criticism and take my friends’ advice seriously.
IP: Were they telling you about reads on people and advising on how to play certain types of hands or
opponents?
DR: That would have been ridiculous. Who was playing? Were they playing or was I playing? The kind of advice you’re talking about would have been way too specific. They mostly told me to keep my composure and stay calm.
IP: How does your strategy change when you go from tournaments to cash games?
DR: It’s completely different. When I play cash I tighten up and wait for good hands. Real money is at stake, not tournament chips, and that changes the way you look at things. What’s good for me, right now, is that people assume I will play loose because of the money I made from the tournaments. But the opposite is true. Last night, for example, I never bluffed. It was fold, fold, fold… Raise with a hand. And, obviously, it worked out pretty well for me.
IP: If you could go back in time, are there things that you would have done differently at the World Series?
DR: I wish I could have folded Jacks to Queens. But, really, looking back, I have no regrets – even though I got unlucky and got knocked out.
IP: There was nothing you could have done about that. You got your money in with the best of it: A-K
to Peter Eastgate’s A-Q – and a Queen came on the flop. You obviously played well, and I’m sure that
simply making the final table had a major impact on you.
DR: Of course it did. I have more money and – even though I still live the way I lived a few years ago – I can do more of what I want to do now. I don’t have a set schedule, nobody can tell me where to be at a certain time. I can go shopping, go to the movies, watch a show with my girlfriend. I used to fly coach and now I fly business class. I have a lifestyle. Plus I can play more and higher than I did before the tournaments.
IP: Have you done anything special with the winnings?
DR: After making the final table, I bought my girlfriend a Range Rover and sent money home to my family. But I didn’t buy anything too nice for myself. Now I’m thinking of getting a new place [to live] in Southern California.
IP: Beyond the money, I’m wondering about the psychological effect of final-tabling the World Series
and then, soon after, winning the Doyle Brunson Classic.
DR: The biggest thing is that it boosted my confidence. I feel that I can play with the best of them and nothing can get me.
IP: Any huge plays that stand out?
DR: On the bubble I had Aces full and that hand gave me the chip lead. On day four, I called Clonie Gowen with Ace-high, and it was good. Other than that, I was playing a lot of small-pot poker. I was controlling the size of my pots when I felt I didn’t have the best hand.
IP: Now that you’ve gotten lots of attention and a certain amount of celebrity, have you been invited
to play in any of the Hollywood games? You live in L.A., and I hear that they can be super-juicy.
DR: You’re asking me a really clichéd question here. You think every poker player wants to play the celebrity home games? I have perfectly good games at the Commerce. I don’t care to play in a game with a bunch of actors. That shit doesn’t appeal to me. I just play to keep winning money.
IP: You’ve got a reputation as a guy who’s anything but a nit. Since winning all that money last year, have you done much gambling away from the poker table?
DR: I like to play in the pit. I am a gambler and understand how to play all the games – blackjack, craps, whatever. The pit gambling I’ve done, since the main event, has gone great. Some buddies and I have won a lot of money. I am who I am. I do what I do. I don’t give a fuck what anybody else thinks.
IP: Let’s go back a bit. How did you get into playing poker to begin with?
DR: After turning 18 I began playing low stakes in the Indian casino in Florida. That was where I met Robert and Mike Mizrachi. We played the $ 100 sit&gos, I got to know them, and I never looked back. I had just finished high school and had a choice of going to college or getting a job. I decided to play poker. My father is happy about the choice now, but he wasn’t then. No parent would be. But, hey, I’m Asian and I like to gamble. I never thought of poker as a career choice. At the time, it was just what I did. I lived with Mike and Robert, they looked out for me, and moulded me as a poker player. They will forever be my brothers.
IP: Were you guys crushing those local games?
DR: Not necessarily. There were times when one of us would be broke, and the others would help out. But we were able to win large sums of cash, and the fast money appealed to me. I remember the first time Robert took me on tour. We went to L.A. and played the $ 1,000 buy-in tournaments at Hustler [Larry Flynt’s casino in Southern California]. My first big taste came when I finished second to Alan Cunningham in 2006. It was the $ 1,000 no-limit hold’em tournament at the World Series [Rheem won $ 327,981]. But before then I had wins of $ 30,000 and $ 40,000. I knew I could do this and make money.
IP: What do you think allowed you to take to the game the way you did?
DR: Certain people are just meant to play poker. I have a natural knack and learned quickly, for free, from the best poker players in the world [the Mizrachi brothers]. That’s priceless. Now I have a lot of knowledge about the game that other people don’t. I can lose the minimum with two Aces when I’m beaten, and other people go broke.
IP: Between making the final table in July and playing it in November, news surfaced about your
problems with the law, going back to your days in Florida. Were you surprised when that came out?
DR: I was surprised when it surfaced. But, at the same time, I wasn’t surprised. You become famous and people try to find dirt on you. I was angry that it came out the way it did. But it is what it is. I have no shame about it, and I have nothing to hide.
Mike Matusow: "Check-Raising the Devil"
May 14, 2009
Mike Matusow’s recently published autobiography “Check-Raising the Devil” brings an intimate look on his life to the world. Written with the help of Tim Lavalli and Amy Calistri, he hides nothing and reveals everything.
Mike Matusow (pictured right) is one of the best poker players in the world, but things were not always looking good for the three-time bracelet winner who had a dangerous walk to the top.
Starting from a trailer park and working in his family’s furniture store, Matusow fought his way into the poker world while at the same time struggling with his sports gambling addiction as well as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). On the list of Matusow’s troubles, the deepest pitfall was usage of drugs and spending six-months in jail.
"I found out the hard way that drugs can cause brain damage. They can change the wiring in your brain. After you stop, some of that wiring changes back over time, but some of it never returns," wrote Matusow in his recently published autobiography "Check-Raising the Devil".
How Many Poker Books Do You Really Need
May 14, 2009
I have to admit, I have a very obsessive personality. When I get interested in something, lets use poker as an example, I have to learn everything about it and buy any relevant materials that’ll help me become more knowledgeable on the subject. As a result with my poker obsession, I am currently the proud owner of more than 20 poker books (not to mention a healthy stack of poker DVD’s as well), all of which I’ve read front to back at least once.
Have I incorporated strategies from all 20+ books into my game? To be honest, I don’t know, and I think that’s because I’ve given myself a little sensory overload by throwing too many theories and tips into my brain without trying to properly absorb them the way I should. So now a question I pose to myself and to you is; is it better to read multiple instructional poker books to try and open your mind to as many strategies as possible, or would the average player benefit from re-reading the same two to three books they seem to identify with over and over again?
The two books I know for sure that really changed my game are “Playing Poker Like The Pros” by Phil Hellmuth and “Harrington on Hold’em: Volume II” by Dan Harrington. I instantly related to the styles of Phil and Dan upon cracking open their books, which is probably why I was able to retain a large amount of info from those pages. However, neither of these were one of the first five poker books I ever bought, so how would I have known how well they were suited for me unless I continued to buy book after book?
I think the final solution is research, of which I admit I did none when choosing my poker books. If I had read user reviews and found out what types of plays and techniques each book tried to teach, I’m sure I could’ve made much better decisions in the selection process. If you’re looking to pick up a book or two to help advance your game and you don’t want to open up an entire library in your house just to have a place to keep a couple dozen poker manuals, hit the description and comment sections on sites like Amazon.com as well as some poker sites in order to get a good upfront idea on which poker books are right for you.
The Round Table – Get to Know – Darryll ‘DFish’ Fish
May 14, 2009
He’s only 23 but he’s already made over $800,000 in online tournaments. After a recent win in the Full Tilt Poker weekly 1k, Darryll Fish is showing he is an up-and-coming online force to be reckoned with.
KL: How did you get started playing poker?
Darryll: Well, when I was like 16 I started playing Magic: The Gathering, and was pretty much hooked from the start. I started traveling and playing the game on a pretty competitive level for a year or so, making enough money to freeroll my travels and get by. When I was 17, one of my friends who had started playing a little poker, made me sit down and watch Rounders, and I was so intrigued I knew I had to find out more about the game. I started buying every poker book I could find and studying the game, and eventually we started having little poker games at the hobby shop where we played Magic. Nothing crazy, just betting dimes and quarters, but it was just so much fun I couldn't get enough. I pretty much fell in love with the game and never looked back.
KL: Was it a slow start or did you move up quickly
Darryll: Well like I said, my Magic buddies and I started out playing for change, but slowly we eventually got a good group together, and started getting together at one of our friends' place to play SnGs, and we started out with $5 games, and slowly moved up. We also took trips to the local dog track to play $1-$2 Limit Holdem. I was more into it than anyone else in the group, and eventually deposited $50 on PartyPoker. In like 3 months I had $12,000 in my account just from playing Limit holdem, and felt like a king. Then I decided to take a shot playing 4 tables of $15-$30 and lost half of my bankroll in one day. That was an eye-opener and I went back to the grind, playing $1-$2 no limit home games and moving back down to $3-$6 and $5-$10 limit hold’em on Party. After a couple years of grinding cash games, I started to gain interest in tournament poker, and after my 2nd summer in Vegas (2008) I decided to move there and devote myself almost entirely to learning NLHE Tournament poker.
KL: How do you work to improve your game?
Darryll: I think about poker a ton, and I am always analyzing hands I play and thinking about what I could do differently. I often sweat players I think are better than me and see what they are doing in different spots. I am constantly analyzing hands with friends as well as studying forums.
KL: How much do you talk poker with your friends?
Darryll: Probably too much, lol. I discuss hands as well as different poker concepts on a daily basis.
KL: Who do you talk with?
Darryll: Well, I live with Matt Graham (MattG1983 online), who has been a major influence on my tournament game, and we talk about poker pretty much nonstop. Other people I try to learn from include Scott "SCTrojans" Freeman, Adam "Roothlus" Levy (who is a longtime friend and has done a lot to help rise through the ranks in poker), Russ "Rcrane" Crane, among quite a few others, mostly regular posters on the 2+2 HSMTT forum.
KL: Do you spend much time on the forums? Have they helped you?
Darryll: I have recently (in the past few months) become a fairly active poster on 2+2, as well as Pocketfives.com, although I generally prefer 1 on 1 discussion with someone I respect. I feel like forums can really help as far as keeping up with the current metagame and learning how others think about poker in general as well as specific tournament situations. Reading forums has certainly helped my game, but nowhere near as much as what I've learned from specific individuals.
KL: You recently won the Monday $1000 on Full Tilt. Tell us about that tournament.
Darryll: It was a huge monkey off my back, especially since I already had a win in the Stars 1k back in 07, and had always wanted to back it up with a win in the Full Tilt 1k. I was on the worst downswing of my career and that win really helped me regain my confidence, and get my groove back so to speak. As far as the tournament itself, it started off pretty amazing. In the first level, I got all in with K-K versus my good friend Geoff "Geoffras22" Rasmussen, who held A-A, and I spiked a king on the turn to double up.
I coasted for a while just picking up small pots, and then a big hand came up where I flopped a boat with 9-9 and doubled through A-K. After that hand, I was chipleader and sailed for a while. I ran J-J into Q-Q for a pretty huge pot with like 3 tables left, and then grinded down to like 14 players before I played another big pot. I reshoved like 16 big blinds on an extremely aggressive open raiser with A-9o, and he happened to have A-Q. Luckily, I happened to flop a 9 and went to the final table in like 4th place, and grinded it out until we were 3 handed.
I won a race with K-9 against David "Bakes" Baker's 2-2, and then got really lucky and beat his T-T with 5-5 all in preflop. I was chipleader heads up and the first hand I had T-T and my opponent had 8-8, so that made it pretty easy.
KL: How did you celebrate?
Darryll: Did a few victory laps, gave a few high fives to my roommates, and that was about it. It was really late so I was pretty tired and ready to pass out.
KL: What goals do you set for yourself?
Darryll: Well, I hope to be a millionaire by 30, which is probably a pretty common goal, lol, but I still like it. I also want to be a consistent winner in high stakes live cash games, because that’s where I think the best money is. Other than that, I want to eventually own a business and spend most of my time traveling and enjoying all the experiences life has to offer; only playing poker here and there. I guess winning a bracelet or two would be cool too.
KL: What do you think is your greatest strength in the game?
Darryll: I am always striving to get better, as I feel poker is a game where you should always be evolving and adapting to new ideas and situations. I also feel like I am very good at adapting to different players/situations and playing according to what is going on at the table rather than what cards I am being dealt. I also have nearly no emotions in poker, other than excitement after a tournament win. I almost never let bad luck affect how I play because I recognize I'm in it for the long haul and bad things are gonna happen no matter what.
KL: What do you think is your biggest weakness?
Darryll: I sometimes level/outthink myself in situations that are really quite simple. I also sometimes lose confidence in my game when going through a downswing.
KL: What do you play mostly? Where?
Darryll: Although I am a cash game player at heart, I am currently devoting most of my time to high stakes no limit tournaments. I mostly play online, between PokerStars, Full Tilt, and UltimateBet. When I play live cash I usually play at Venetian.
KL: What makes your respect another player’s game?
Darryll: Their ability to adjust to different situations and player tendencies. I also respect when people don't let their emotions get the best of them, and are able to remain in control at all times. And I respect/wonder how Shaun Deeb can play 30 tables on a 17" laptop with a touchpad.
KL: Who do you respect in the poker world?
Darryll: Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, Durrr, Allen Cunningham, basically all the guys who regularly crush high stakes NL cash games.
KL: What do you have coming up? What are you playing live and online?
Darryll: Heading to New Orleans this weekend to finish up FTOPS and then the $5k WSOP Circuit championship there, then back home to get ready for WSOP.
KL: What are your WSOP plans?
Darryll: I’m gonna play almost all of the smaller no limit hold’em events, as well as a few PLO and some other games. I’m Probably gonna grind some cash here and there as well and then win the Main Event, obv!
Like a wheel, the Round Table is a circle of adventures and victories, beats and stories, and life as it unfolds with a cast of characters that may, or may not, have joined you in your home on a local TV program. There's so much more to poker than what you see on TV. Although I won't use canvas, I will paint the full picture for you as I follow the lives of some of your favorite (and some unknown) players. The Round Table is an ongoing series of life, viewed full circle.
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