If you don't LOSE IT, you don't LOSE

Tilt is something that people rarely put emphasis on in poker. Often we talk about skills and strategy but tilt is something that really separates the pros from the wannabes. I know a poker pro who busted his entire bankroll in 2 sessions because both times he started the session after a fight with his girlfriend.

The key to playing well and consistently is DON'T LOSE IT. Don't lose your cool, don't tilt. I have seen so many great players lose it after a bad beat, a needling comment, a bad call/fold and went on to dump their money like a fish. So how do you do it?

1. Know when you're on tilt

It's like being drunk. Some people don't know that they ARE on tilt. Recognize that you are is a great start to stopping it. If you feel that you are upset, or your face turns red, or sometimes it can be as subtle as losing patience, tempted to play with bad cards.

2. Walk away

If you're a smoker, go light up a cigarette, go to the bathroom, go and punch a punching bag, jump rope, get a cold shower.... whatever you do, just do something else.

3. Let it go

Let it go, let it go..... the cooler never bothered me anyway....
Some players are out there intentionally trying to tilt you so that you don't play your "A" game. Don't let it bother you. I used to host a game everyday and there was a player who would make comments about my mom, my sister, me, my play, my chips, anything to get me pissed off. I was never affected. However I know I get tilted to see fish win from a bad beat even if I am not involved.

4. Know what ticks you off and work on it

You have to find out what affects you, like losing a big hand, or fish play, etc. Once you recognize what affects you, work on it. Can you learn to accept it? Can you not let it affect you? If yes, great. If no, then the next time it happens, do something before it escalates. If you can, stop playing.

5. Recognize tilt in other players

If you see a player who is on tilt, there's an opportunity to pounce on their mistakes. Don't try to bluff a player on tilt. But you can value call pretty thinly sometimes.

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My Poker Quotes

This is my most recent poker quote. I posted it on Instagram and Josh Beckett (2015 WSOP main event runner up) liked it and followed me. Hahaha. Thanks Josh.

Weekend Excursion to Manila

This past weekend I ventured to Manila for the APT Weekend Series. Didn't do too well with the main event. Felt that I didn't have the mental stamina as before so I stopped all tourneys and just focused on cash games.

 Cash game at City of Dream Manila

Cash game at Manila Pavillion Hotel & Casino

It was a fun trip, fishy cash games, great seafood (no pun intended), won on Pontoon, OFC and craps too. It was raining hard some days but still didn't damper my mood. 

All In Or Fold Strategy - Omaha

Lately some online poker rooms have been offering the new version of poker, ALL IN OR FOLD. It is an interesting concept for those wanting a gamble but I found out that there is quite some skill involved in the Omaha version of it.

First of all how it works is there are four players. Each time you buy in you have to buy in 4bbs and small and big blinds are posted as usual. For the omaha version you get to see the flop. Then you can decide if you want to shove or fold. Every time you balance drops below 4bb it will top up automatically, if you have more than 4bb you can choose to remove some. Rabbit holers will love this game.

My friend turning Royal Flush and earning him a USD 4500 bonus as well!

First of all I must say, it is a "gambly" game, be ready to get some bad beats and dish some out as well. But if you know your strategies and odds, you can be +ev long term. 

1. Beware of the paired board: 

I know nut flush draw or flush and straight draw combos look really nice, but on a paired board, it is worth so much less. You may already be drawing dead or drawing thin if your opponent has trips with 3 open kickers. You may want to shove to take down the pot and you rarely want to see a call. But calling with a flush draw on a paired board is a bad play long term.

2. How high is your flush draw:

For some reason we all love flush draws. But honestly in Holdem, you are likely to be 36% at best and in Omaha, if someone has a set or two pairs, you are not in great shape. Being there are so many possible combos, I would normally fold a J high flush draw and lower, unless I got more equity in the hand like straight outs, or top pair. Calling again is always a bad idea, you will be getting your money in bad. However there are some fishes on Natural8 that would shove a small flush draw so read your opponents carefully, there might be some merit to calling with the nut flush draw late. Also multiway pots then you have the right odds to catch your flush.

3. Position is key

Since this is a 4 handed game and the game is All in or Fold, then late position don't mean anything. If anything the advantage is with UTG. Let's say flop is A82 rainbow, and you have AJxx. I would sometimes fold here because you have three people behind you. You lose to sets, two pairs, better kickers, etc. However if you're on the small blind and it is folded to you, then you can steal the pot. Remember we all start with 4bb, so stealing 1bb without showdown is great value. 

4. Power of the paired board

Let's say the flop is 992. Everyone folded to you and you're in the sb. Only the bb behind you. What are the chances of the guy holding one of the remaining 9s. If you shove there, it would be hard for him to call with Queens or worse. 

5. Wraps are not great

There is no way of betting your opponent out on the turn because the game is All In Or Fold. Wraps are good on PLO but not on this game. You can steal with wraps but I would not recommend calling with them after someone has shoved

6. Watch the stack sizes

Let's say you've won a couple of pots, and you have 20bb instead of 4. No one else on the table has more than 5bb so you're fine. However let's say the guy on your left has you covered, you should be really wary and I would usually remove the rest and drop back to 4bb. Reason being, let's say you're making a move to steal the blinds with a draw, you are now risking 20bb to win 1.5bbs. The guy behind you might just be sitting with a monster to take you down. 

7. Big stack in position

However on the flip side, you have a big stack and so does the guy on your right, then keep it! This is your chance to control that player. Let's say the flop is KK2, even if he has AA he would think twice about shoving a big stack. What if you really had the K? Let's say he has J high flush draw on a unpaired flop, what if you had a bigger flush draw? If he shoves you can always evaluate before deciding what to do. If you flopped a monster you can pick him off. If not you can fold risk free.

8. Bottom two multi way

Against two shoves before you, I might fold bottom two. Chances are you are already beat, or you have to dodge a lot of outs to win. Again taking the initiative to shove first is okay, but otherwise I would say fold your lousy two pairs.

9. Observe the time taken

AIOF is a very fast game. You need to read the board quickly and react just as fast. I tried multi-tabling 4 tables and it is really tiring. A few times I folded a monster because I ran out of time or read the board wrong. Observe your other players. Do they click on auto shove before their turn? Usually that means strength or a big draw. Flopped a nut flush draw, easy decision, click! But there are other players as well who take their time with a monster, pretending to think longer than usual. Observe your opponents and make notes. Do they shove with a small flush draw? wrap? air? Maybe you can call them down with marginal hands. 

10. Always try to have a back up plan

If the flop is TTQ two diamonds, you are holding AAKJ two diamonds, you have some back up plans. In case the guy has a T, you are still in good shape. If he flopped a full house, you got Royal Flush draw and bigger house outs. You hate shoving and seeing the dreaded 0% next to your name.

This is a very fun and addictive game. I would not recommend the hold-em version as it is just pure gamble. But with Omaha you can read the flop and get the money in good and be profitable long term.

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