Quick note. Check this one: Online Poker’s Big Winner
Highly recommended!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Poker Has Changed (case study: Daniel "KidPoker" Negreanu vs. Viktor "Isildur1" Blom)
TODAY'S POKER IS SUPER AGGRESSIVE
Poker has changed. A lot. I have already written about this subject in: 8 and 10 = The New Black.
What happens when everyone is aggressive? Like everyone is nowadays, especially in online poker world. The tables are full of young guns betting aggressively with the most imaginable hands. Bet, raise, reraise, reraise the reraise... and there is the preflop all in: AQ vs J9 suited. Common scene.
Yet still, if you read any poker advises they will continue to tell you to be aggressive. To the certain point aggression is good in poker. With aggressive playing you will win pots. That is the fact.
One of the golden rules in poker however is, that you should play against the table. If the table is loose, you should be tight. If the table is tight, you should be loose. So what now, when all the tables are aggressive? Is folding one answer, like written in: Fold To Win.
Naturally that is not the whole answer, since if you fold all the time you can't never win anything. But is it possible, that wise and simple tight playing will see new daylight? Playing like the amateurs. Folding all the questionable hands? Folding all the hands, if they don't hit? Careful playing? It would make sense when thinking of "playing against the table" -rule.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Players are not just aggressive, but they are aggressive with all sorts of hands imaginable. And that is what is the key difference between these days and the old days.
In the old days you could be quite sure that opponent had monster hand AA, KK, QQ, AK etc, if he bet or called 5 times the big blind before the flop.
These days you can't have any idea what your opponent has. T8, 97, 86, 65, JT, JQ etc are well used for calling (and even betting) big bets before the flop.
Huge impact on today's poker has been made by poker "idols" such as Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen and Daniel Negreanu, to name just a few. All of these players play witty game, in where you can't predict what they have in hand. Hansen and Negreanu have also made education-videos about this. You can watch one of Negreanu's video-series from here: The video that have influenced poker-world on the internet the most.
CASE STUDY: "KIDPOKER" vs. "ISILDUR1", LEARN FROM NEGREANU
Keeping all this in mind, it was amazing that Negreanu, who has himself educated to play hands that are unexpected, played as he did against Viktor "Isildur1" Blom in their first match. To put it more straightforward: Negreanu played badly those big pots.
You can check the hands of those big pots from here: The Hands.
Right after the game Negreanu was upset. 24 hours after the match he calmed down and admitted he played badly, and that Blom was dominating in that game. (Check: Daniel - Poker Journal)
If you look especially at the hands #4 (Isildur1 T8 suited, against KidPoker's 56) and #8 (Isildur1 68 suited, against KidPoker's AK suited), you'll notice those are so typical hands in today's poker. Isildur1 knew them and had them. KidPoker was trapped. I would like to say, that many poker player who play regularly online could have expected those hands. At least they would have been very cautious. Maybe because Negreanu is more live poker player than online player, he wasn't cautious. At least he wasn't cautious enough.
However, Negreanu is the true poker player and pro. Not "a" but "the". He practiced a lot before their first match. And after losing that match he practiced even more intensively whole week for the rematch.
He won that rematch.
Everyone should learn from him. Because the most important lesson here is, that no matter how much you have played and won, you must always learn more. Players change. Therefore the game is different from day to another. You have to keep up with it.
There just isn't any absolute "right" or "wrong" in today's poker. That is why you have to keep up with current trends and styles by practicing and learning. Not just once and awhile but all the time. If not every day, at least every week.
Poker changes all the time. It evolves from year to another. So should you and your playing. If Negreanu, poker mentor, millionaire and idol, is humble enough to practice constantly to improve his playing, why wouldn't you? You think you are good enough? Think again.
T8, J9, QT, 68... they are all there against you. And never forget Doyle Brunson's T2. Learn from the past and present. Practice always. For the better future. Just like the true poker players do.
Poker has changed. A lot. I have already written about this subject in: 8 and 10 = The New Black.
What happens when everyone is aggressive? Like everyone is nowadays, especially in online poker world. The tables are full of young guns betting aggressively with the most imaginable hands. Bet, raise, reraise, reraise the reraise... and there is the preflop all in: AQ vs J9 suited. Common scene.
Yet still, if you read any poker advises they will continue to tell you to be aggressive. To the certain point aggression is good in poker. With aggressive playing you will win pots. That is the fact.
One of the golden rules in poker however is, that you should play against the table. If the table is loose, you should be tight. If the table is tight, you should be loose. So what now, when all the tables are aggressive? Is folding one answer, like written in: Fold To Win.
Naturally that is not the whole answer, since if you fold all the time you can't never win anything. But is it possible, that wise and simple tight playing will see new daylight? Playing like the amateurs. Folding all the questionable hands? Folding all the hands, if they don't hit? Careful playing? It would make sense when thinking of "playing against the table" -rule.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Players are not just aggressive, but they are aggressive with all sorts of hands imaginable. And that is what is the key difference between these days and the old days.
In the old days you could be quite sure that opponent had monster hand AA, KK, QQ, AK etc, if he bet or called 5 times the big blind before the flop.
These days you can't have any idea what your opponent has. T8, 97, 86, 65, JT, JQ etc are well used for calling (and even betting) big bets before the flop.
Huge impact on today's poker has been made by poker "idols" such as Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen and Daniel Negreanu, to name just a few. All of these players play witty game, in where you can't predict what they have in hand. Hansen and Negreanu have also made education-videos about this. You can watch one of Negreanu's video-series from here: The video that have influenced poker-world on the internet the most.
CASE STUDY: "KIDPOKER" vs. "ISILDUR1", LEARN FROM NEGREANU
Keeping all this in mind, it was amazing that Negreanu, who has himself educated to play hands that are unexpected, played as he did against Viktor "Isildur1" Blom in their first match. To put it more straightforward: Negreanu played badly those big pots.
You can check the hands of those big pots from here: The Hands.
Right after the game Negreanu was upset. 24 hours after the match he calmed down and admitted he played badly, and that Blom was dominating in that game. (Check: Daniel - Poker Journal)
If you look especially at the hands #4 (Isildur1 T8 suited, against KidPoker's 56) and #8 (Isildur1 68 suited, against KidPoker's AK suited), you'll notice those are so typical hands in today's poker. Isildur1 knew them and had them. KidPoker was trapped. I would like to say, that many poker player who play regularly online could have expected those hands. At least they would have been very cautious. Maybe because Negreanu is more live poker player than online player, he wasn't cautious. At least he wasn't cautious enough.
However, Negreanu is the true poker player and pro. Not "a" but "the". He practiced a lot before their first match. And after losing that match he practiced even more intensively whole week for the rematch.
He won that rematch.
Everyone should learn from him. Because the most important lesson here is, that no matter how much you have played and won, you must always learn more. Players change. Therefore the game is different from day to another. You have to keep up with it.
There just isn't any absolute "right" or "wrong" in today's poker. That is why you have to keep up with current trends and styles by practicing and learning. Not just once and awhile but all the time. If not every day, at least every week.
Poker changes all the time. It evolves from year to another. So should you and your playing. If Negreanu, poker mentor, millionaire and idol, is humble enough to practice constantly to improve his playing, why wouldn't you? You think you are good enough? Think again.
T8, J9, QT, 68... they are all there against you. And never forget Doyle Brunson's T2. Learn from the past and present. Practice always. For the better future. Just like the true poker players do.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Poker In ABC's first "QueenOverAces" -Lady is Tehmeena "Missmeena" Afzal
Poker In ABC's first ever "QueenOverAces" -Lady is Tehmeena "Missmeena" Afzal. Tahmeena was clear choice to get this honor. Beautiful. Sexy. Hot. Sweet.
There can be only one who is the first. Tehmeena is the first, because she is the perfect 10 lady. And that is why we published whole 10 photos of Missmeena in our Facebook-page! Make sure to visit and check them.
More "QueenOverAces" -Ladies will be published only there. New Lady will be chosen regularly. Like Poker In ABC's Facebook-page and you will be updated.
http://www.facebook.com/Poker.In.ABC
There can be only one who is the first. Tehmeena is the first, because she is the perfect 10 lady. And that is why we published whole 10 photos of Missmeena in our Facebook-page! Make sure to visit and check them.
More "QueenOverAces" -Ladies will be published only there. New Lady will be chosen regularly. Like Poker In ABC's Facebook-page and you will be updated.
http://www.facebook.com/Poker.In.ABC
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Poker pro. Professional poker player. Redefine it.
Celebrity poker millionaires such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Gus Hansen, Patrik Antonius, Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari and so on, are the names that come in to mind, when average people think about professional poker players. The group of players they represent, who live millionaire lifestyle and play in the highest possible stake levels, are... the very small fraction of the truth.
Vast majority of professional poker players are not familiar faces from magazines or TV-broadcasts. They are regular people from all around the world, playing poker to achieve their day's salary.
Only very few poker pro play cash games where big blind is 1'000 dollars. In some countries that one big blind of 1'000 dollars can be more than the average per capita income for whole year! Yet still you might find people from these countries playing professionally.
How much player needs or wants per month is a tricky question. It is a extremely individual thing.
Let's say European or American wants to make 6'000 USD per month. (He would need only 3'000 USD, but he wants that 6'000.) He plays 20 days per month, so he should win 300 dollars per day. Not too hard task, for example playing on $2.00/$1.00 stake level? Even easier on $4.00/$2.00 level? Yet still not totally and absolutely impossible on $1.00/$0.50 level either?
His countryman, two hours drive north from his home, is little bit modest. He doesn't want anything. He only needs something to make reasonable living. For that he needs 2'600 USD per month. He also plays 20 days per month, so he should win "only" 130 USD per day. To achieve that, he hits tables from $0.25/$0.10 to $0.50/0.25. Sometimes he might visit $1.00/$0.50 level, if he feels wild or extremely comfortable. Generally he doesn't want to take any risks with his bankroll.
At the same time on same poker site man from Philippines, woman from Ukraine and man from Nicaragua are ruling the micro stake levels. Day after day. They play regularly on $0.04/$0.02 level and $0.10/$0.05 level. They are extremely skilled and they just rule there! Every each one of the three players make every day 10 USD minimum profit, usually much more. With that salary their income is way above their country's annual average per capita, and they do well in life as a professional poker players.
I have seen these players online. And I have seen their statistics. They are real.
None of these players will ever make the cover of any famous poker-magazine. They are not sexy enough. They don't have luxury cars in their garage, or three homes in Hollywood, Las Vegas and Switzerland. Yet still, they are poker pros. They play for living. And they are good.
Keep this in mind, when you'll go playing next time. No matter what stake level you play... there is, and always will be, both really good players and really bad players. The game doesn't change, even so the amount of big blind does. Only the bankrolls behind the players change.
Links to annual average incomes in different countries:
Per Capita Income
Indicators on income by UN
Gross national income per capita 2009 (PDF)
Vast majority of professional poker players are not familiar faces from magazines or TV-broadcasts. They are regular people from all around the world, playing poker to achieve their day's salary.
Only very few poker pro play cash games where big blind is 1'000 dollars. In some countries that one big blind of 1'000 dollars can be more than the average per capita income for whole year! Yet still you might find people from these countries playing professionally.
How much player needs or wants per month is a tricky question. It is a extremely individual thing.
Let's say European or American wants to make 6'000 USD per month. (He would need only 3'000 USD, but he wants that 6'000.) He plays 20 days per month, so he should win 300 dollars per day. Not too hard task, for example playing on $2.00/$1.00 stake level? Even easier on $4.00/$2.00 level? Yet still not totally and absolutely impossible on $1.00/$0.50 level either?
His countryman, two hours drive north from his home, is little bit modest. He doesn't want anything. He only needs something to make reasonable living. For that he needs 2'600 USD per month. He also plays 20 days per month, so he should win "only" 130 USD per day. To achieve that, he hits tables from $0.25/$0.10 to $0.50/0.25. Sometimes he might visit $1.00/$0.50 level, if he feels wild or extremely comfortable. Generally he doesn't want to take any risks with his bankroll.
At the same time on same poker site man from Philippines, woman from Ukraine and man from Nicaragua are ruling the micro stake levels. Day after day. They play regularly on $0.04/$0.02 level and $0.10/$0.05 level. They are extremely skilled and they just rule there! Every each one of the three players make every day 10 USD minimum profit, usually much more. With that salary their income is way above their country's annual average per capita, and they do well in life as a professional poker players.
I have seen these players online. And I have seen their statistics. They are real.
None of these players will ever make the cover of any famous poker-magazine. They are not sexy enough. They don't have luxury cars in their garage, or three homes in Hollywood, Las Vegas and Switzerland. Yet still, they are poker pros. They play for living. And they are good.
Keep this in mind, when you'll go playing next time. No matter what stake level you play... there is, and always will be, both really good players and really bad players. The game doesn't change, even so the amount of big blind does. Only the bankrolls behind the players change.
Links to annual average incomes in different countries:
Per Capita Income
Indicators on income by UN
Gross national income per capita 2009 (PDF)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Poker In ABC now also on Facebook
Poker. Internet poker. Online poker. Live poker. Tests. Reviews. Experience. Advices. Tactics. Playing. All that you will find from here: www.pokerinabc.blogspot.com in a matter-of-fact and to the point form.
From Facebook: www.facebook.com/Poker.In.ABC you'll find more relaxed atmosphere, which isn't always possible here.
While this page is mainly about information, Facebook-page is that too, but it is also about relaxing and enjoyment. Life is about good things, enjoy them. It is all about good moods and sharing.
Comments, links, news, questions... updated daily! But not so seriously.
Welcome to both pages! Whoever you are. From where ever you are. Nice to meet you.
From Facebook: www.facebook.com/Poker.In.ABC you'll find more relaxed atmosphere, which isn't always possible here.
While this page is mainly about information, Facebook-page is that too, but it is also about relaxing and enjoyment. Life is about good things, enjoy them. It is all about good moods and sharing.
Comments, links, news, questions... updated daily! But not so seriously.
Welcome to both pages! Whoever you are. From where ever you are. Nice to meet you.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Fold To Win
One of the best (but the most underrated) strategy to win is to fold a lot. Especially in tourneys, but also in cash games.
You can't win tourney with one hand, but you can lose it all with one hand. You should always remember that fact.
If you are not sure about your hand, don't call that all in. Fold instead. There will come another hand for you sooner or later. Your goal is to stay in on the tourney. All the way to the payout, and all the way to the final table and victory.
Same goes to cash games. Folding is good. If you don't value your money, maybe you do value your time? Ask yourself a question: "If I'll pay this bet now and lose, how long I have to sit down and play to win this amount back?"
Most often when you think: "OMG! Did he pay all my raises with Q9 to hit that straight on river?!", or whatever doubts you have like: "Is it possible he has that hand?", they usually do have that hand. It is strange but true. Therefore fold. Get them later with some other hand.
You can't win tourney with one hand, but you can lose it all with one hand. You should always remember that fact.
If you are not sure about your hand, don't call that all in. Fold instead. There will come another hand for you sooner or later. Your goal is to stay in on the tourney. All the way to the payout, and all the way to the final table and victory.
Same goes to cash games. Folding is good. If you don't value your money, maybe you do value your time? Ask yourself a question: "If I'll pay this bet now and lose, how long I have to sit down and play to win this amount back?"
Most often when you think: "OMG! Did he pay all my raises with Q9 to hit that straight on river?!", or whatever doubts you have like: "Is it possible he has that hand?", they usually do have that hand. It is strange but true. Therefore fold. Get them later with some other hand.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Another research proves again that you shouldn't play poker when you are tired
As mentioned earlier in here: Getting Serious With Poker? according to research playing tired is almost as bad as playing drunk.
Now another research shows same thing again. In The Journal of Neuroscience was published results of research in where gamblers were tested both in normal condition and when tired.
"Sleep Deprivation Biases the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Economic Preferences" research by Vinod Venkatram, Scott A. Huettel, Lisa Y. M. Chuah, John W. Payne and Michael W. L. Chee says:
"Whereas well rested subjects tended to minimize losses, the same subjects tended to maximize gains after a night of sleep deprivation."
"A single night of sleep deprivation (SD) evoked a strategy shift during risky decision making such that healthy human volunteers moved from defending against losses to seeking increased gains."
To put it in short, when player is tired he will take huge risks seeking fast winnings. Even those players who normally wouldn't take risks.
The links to published research results in The Journal of Neuroscience:
Sleep-Deprived Subjects Alter Gambling Strategy to Maximize Wins
Sleep Deprivation Biases the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Economic Preferences
Now another research shows same thing again. In The Journal of Neuroscience was published results of research in where gamblers were tested both in normal condition and when tired.
"Sleep Deprivation Biases the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Economic Preferences" research by Vinod Venkatram, Scott A. Huettel, Lisa Y. M. Chuah, John W. Payne and Michael W. L. Chee says:
"Whereas well rested subjects tended to minimize losses, the same subjects tended to maximize gains after a night of sleep deprivation."
"A single night of sleep deprivation (SD) evoked a strategy shift during risky decision making such that healthy human volunteers moved from defending against losses to seeking increased gains."
To put it in short, when player is tired he will take huge risks seeking fast winnings. Even those players who normally wouldn't take risks.
The links to published research results in The Journal of Neuroscience:
Sleep-Deprived Subjects Alter Gambling Strategy to Maximize Wins
Sleep Deprivation Biases the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Economic Preferences
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Test and review: FREE Poker Clocks a.k.a. Blind Timers a.k.a. Home Game Organizers
Blind Timer. Poker Tournament Manager. Poker Clock. Poker Timer. Poker Home Game Organizer. Poker Home Game Manager. It has many names, but basically it works all the same: it tells what the blinds are and how much time left before the next level begins.
I searched days for FREE blind timers. Although internet is full of so called "free" poker home game managers, further investigation shows that it isn't true. Many who claim to be free in fact are not, only the test-version of actual software is free. These test-versions may only have limited 5 blind levels etc. Those are useless.
But don't worry! And don't waste your time no more to search those best FREE poker blind timers and poker home game managers... because I just did all that.
Here is the collection of THE BEST FREE poker clocks that really do work. Both for Mac and Windows.
BLIND VALET
This one is simply the best. It is easy to use, has many great features and everything works like a dream. Very enjoyable to use. It has all what you need to create any kind of poker tournament. Highly recommended!
Blind Valet
POKERDIY
This one is also available for download. However the downloading part was little kinky. I was able to download the software only after few minutes running the internet version first, and then it prompted me suggestion to download the program in to my computer.
Has nice features and works well. Highly recommended.
pokerdiy blinds timer
POKERBOARDONLINE
Very simple but easy to use poker clock a.k.a. blind timer. It doesn't have anything extra, but it works well.
pokerboardonline
THAT POKER CLOCK
Same result as PokerBoardOnline clock/timer: doesn't have any extra features, but works well.
That Poker Clock
THE POKER TIMER
It looks high-tech and seems to have lot's of good features. The only problem is, they don't work. At least they didn't work when I tested them, didn't calculate right payouts and so on. However the blind timer do work, so you can use that, if you didn't like any other blind timers above.
The Poker Timer
So here they are. The only poker clocks, blind timers, home game organizers and home game managers that are truly FREE and truly work in both Mac and PC. And yes, there are dozens and dozens that claim to be free and claim to work... but not really. I know, since I searched through them all.
However, if you find (or you know) FREE clock, timer or home game organizer that is not listed here, please leave a note and I will add it to here as soon as I have tested it.
I searched days for FREE blind timers. Although internet is full of so called "free" poker home game managers, further investigation shows that it isn't true. Many who claim to be free in fact are not, only the test-version of actual software is free. These test-versions may only have limited 5 blind levels etc. Those are useless.
But don't worry! And don't waste your time no more to search those best FREE poker blind timers and poker home game managers... because I just did all that.
Here is the collection of THE BEST FREE poker clocks that really do work. Both for Mac and Windows.
BLIND VALET
This one is simply the best. It is easy to use, has many great features and everything works like a dream. Very enjoyable to use. It has all what you need to create any kind of poker tournament. Highly recommended!
Blind Valet
POKERDIY
This one is also available for download. However the downloading part was little kinky. I was able to download the software only after few minutes running the internet version first, and then it prompted me suggestion to download the program in to my computer.
Has nice features and works well. Highly recommended.
pokerdiy blinds timer
POKERBOARDONLINE
Very simple but easy to use poker clock a.k.a. blind timer. It doesn't have anything extra, but it works well.
pokerboardonline
THAT POKER CLOCK
Same result as PokerBoardOnline clock/timer: doesn't have any extra features, but works well.
That Poker Clock
THE POKER TIMER
It looks high-tech and seems to have lot's of good features. The only problem is, they don't work. At least they didn't work when I tested them, didn't calculate right payouts and so on. However the blind timer do work, so you can use that, if you didn't like any other blind timers above.
The Poker Timer
So here they are. The only poker clocks, blind timers, home game organizers and home game managers that are truly FREE and truly work in both Mac and PC. And yes, there are dozens and dozens that claim to be free and claim to work... but not really. I know, since I searched through them all.
However, if you find (or you know) FREE clock, timer or home game organizer that is not listed here, please leave a note and I will add it to here as soon as I have tested it.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Test and review: CarbonPoker
There are two obvious (and very good) reasons to play on CarbonPoker:
1. The easiest players on internet. If you can't make it on CarbonPoker, you can't make it anywhere.
2. Their bonus-/VIP-systems award active players so much, it beats most of the rakeback deals.
(The review considers Texas Hold'em No Limit games only, if not otherwise mentioned.)
CarbonPoker is still, after years in business, relatively small site with only 4500-8000 players online. Even so the major sites in business can offer better and bigger tournaments, it is difficult to understand why more cash game players haven't found CarbonPoker? Especially when the players on all stake levels on CarbonPoker are bad, worse, poor, fishes, terrible, calling-stations... you name it. The worst and the easiest players in whole world have gathered around CarbonPoker's cash tables.
Usually you would think that the regulars would be good, (ok, there are few good ones as well), but not on Carbon; some of them who sit there every day are even worse than irregular visitors. Nowhere else I have met players who call huge bets on river with K-high. You would think that would be the world record? No. Next day other player called huge all in on river with 8-high! I think that tells quite a lot about the players there.
Naturally these sort of players eliminate some playing styles from your play. You can't bluff! Take this advise seriously. You will be called almost every time, especially on river.
Here is the list of hands needed (usually) to win all in bet on river:
$0.02/$0.04 Top pair.
$0.05/$0.10 Top pair with A kicker.
$0.10/$0.25 Two pairs, set or flush/straight.
$0.25/$0.50 Top pair with A kicker.
$0.50/$1.00 Top pair with A kicker.
$1/$2 Two pairs.
$2/$4 Top pair with A kicker.
$3/$6 Two pairs.
As you can see the players are extremely loose. Only the $0.10/$0.25 tables are tight. I have no idea why this stake level is the exception from all the other levels, but anyone going to CarbonPoker and playing on different levels will soon notice this fact.
Positive sides of CarbonPoker
- As mentioned above, the players in general are very loose. Calling stations and bluffers. Easy money.
- Fast buttons: 1/2 pot, 2/3 pot, 3/4 pot, pot, X2 bet, X4 bet and X8 bet are very useful. All in -button can be hidden.
- Hand descripton helps player to see immediately what he got. Especially useful feature in games like Omaha and Omaha H/L.
- Very easy to write and read notes about other players.
- Bad Beat Jackpot. It works and most often it is huge.
- Mac-download available.
- USA players welcome.
- Fantastic VIP-system for active players. Lot's of extra money every week straight into player's account.
- Lot's of freerolls.
- CarbonPoker has good variety also other poker games than Texas Hold'em. They have Omaha, Stud, 5 Card Draw, Triple Draw, Badugi and mixed games. Those just weren't tested and reviewed in this review.
Negative sides of CarbonPoker
Why CarbonPoker still, after so tempting easy money available, is not one of the biggest sites? Some of the answers might be here:
- At the moment place is not for Sit & Go -players. The waiting times for Sit & Go to start is minutes, which can't compete with the biggest sites with their "less than minute to start" with almost any Sit & Go. (To make Sit & Gos more tempting and getting more players involved, why not to add extra 25% to payouts in all Sit & Gos? Would for sure attract players from everywhere and get that Sit & Go -side going for good. Free hint for all there in CarbonPoker.)
- The lobby and the system in general is heavy and slow. No matter if you use PC or Mac with the fastest internet connection available, it is slow. It takes too many seconds to open available table. And finally when it opens up, it again takes too many seconds to reserve available seat, which often is gone by then. That is very annoying after several attempts.
- CarbonPoker has great guaranteed tourneys all the time, but the guaranteed price money is small compared to larger sites. These guaranteed tourneys are fantastic for players who like buy ins from $1 to $60, but after that there isn't those "really big money" tourneys available. Missing those will for sure keep some players away.
- Withdraws takes days! That is awful, since in major sites withdraws takes just seconds or minutes.
CarbonPoker's support is terrible
Customer service sucks big time. When player contacts customer service, he must have reason to it. He assumes to get help with his problem and possibly some refund, if/when the problem is on site's end. However, CarbonPoker's customer service main policy seems to be "customer is always wrong".
Typical conversation with customer service's live-chat:
CS: "How may I help you?"
Me: "I was just in the middle of three different hands. I had quite a good amount of money on the game when your system tilted and all my money was gone. Can't get in."
CS: "Let me check this. Just a moment."
Me: "Ok."
CS: "Sir, I have checked this and our systems are running perfectly. The problem must be in your internet connection. Sorry."
Me: "Erhmm... now wait a moment. You are saying I lost my internet connection?! Ok, now tell me, if I don't have any internet connection, how in the h*** I am chatting here with you right now?! Here is little data for you... just tested and checked it. Downloading speed 8.90 Mbps and uploading speed 0.81 Mbps. All the other poker sites work well here, just tested while waited you. And here is some information where the problem is. (When the problem occurs CarbonPoker's platform is able to test and show where the problem is.) There you have it, and as you can see, it is in your end."
CS: "Ok Sir. You are correct. Yes, the problem is in our end."
Me: "Thank you for admitting this. Now... I lost some money there. Is there anything you can do?"
CS: "I'll check the hand numbers and forward this issue to right department. They will contact you with this matter."
Me: "Ok. Thank you."
Naturally I never got any mail, except one asking me which hands those were. The hand numbers were checked and listed with live chat customer service, who already forwarded them to the right department. I never got any refund or never heard from them later.
That was just one example. It wasn't even the worst. In fact, that gentleman in CS was the most willing to help and really worked there for me, when he tried to find out those hand numbers (the discussion was shortened from that part, since it last over an hour). Beside very usual start "customer is always wrong", which I wanted to show you with this example, he was really good, but unfortunately rare exception.
Others just lack knowledge of players, game itself, their own system... and intelligence to realize anything what might be out from their user's manual. I even lost over 600 notes of players, which were priceless, when one lady told me to uninstall and reinstall CarbonPoker software. I did so and lost all the notes. Contacted again: "What just happened?!" Answer from other CS: "Of yes, we had have some proxy problems lately. They should be fixed now in few hours." Whoah! This lady told me automatically to do that, uninstall and install their software, without warning me I would lost all my notes (lack of knowledge of their own system and lack of knowledge how important notes are to players) and without knowing they have problems with their proxy-servers (lack of knowledge of their own system and lack of will to find out what is wrong).
When something goes wrong and player loses money, because of poker-site is not working correctly, it is very important that customer service knows what they do. In CarbonPoker they don't. And customer is always wrong. And customer never get any refunds. All that can't be tolarated. So it is no wonder they lack some players, when for example Full Tilt have in similar situations refunded immediately exactly the amounts player have lost, when they had have problem in their system.
If I would be owner of CarbonPoker, I would without hesitation do like Donald Trump does. Say those famous words: "You are fired", to 80% of their customer service employees. Before they do so, and as long as they have these problems and not refunding players... it is no wonder that their online players will stay under 8000.
The results
(0 the minimum, 5 the maximum.)
Lobby: ***
Variety of games available: *****
Side games (blackjack, roulette etc): ****
Cash games: *****
Sit & Gos: **
Guaranteed tourneys: ****
Percentage of fishes and bad players: *****
Extra money & regular bonuses: *****
Customer service: -
Conclusion
Despite the fact that their system is heavy and slow, and the customer service is not customer service at all, CarbonPoker has that what is the most important to player: easy players. Lot's of easy players. The most easiest players on internet. It means easy money, and that should be the only thing that matters to any poker player. Highly recommended.
1. The easiest players on internet. If you can't make it on CarbonPoker, you can't make it anywhere.
2. Their bonus-/VIP-systems award active players so much, it beats most of the rakeback deals.
(The review considers Texas Hold'em No Limit games only, if not otherwise mentioned.)
CarbonPoker is still, after years in business, relatively small site with only 4500-8000 players online. Even so the major sites in business can offer better and bigger tournaments, it is difficult to understand why more cash game players haven't found CarbonPoker? Especially when the players on all stake levels on CarbonPoker are bad, worse, poor, fishes, terrible, calling-stations... you name it. The worst and the easiest players in whole world have gathered around CarbonPoker's cash tables.
Usually you would think that the regulars would be good, (ok, there are few good ones as well), but not on Carbon; some of them who sit there every day are even worse than irregular visitors. Nowhere else I have met players who call huge bets on river with K-high. You would think that would be the world record? No. Next day other player called huge all in on river with 8-high! I think that tells quite a lot about the players there.
Naturally these sort of players eliminate some playing styles from your play. You can't bluff! Take this advise seriously. You will be called almost every time, especially on river.
Here is the list of hands needed (usually) to win all in bet on river:
$0.02/$0.04 Top pair.
$0.05/$0.10 Top pair with A kicker.
$0.10/$0.25 Two pairs, set or flush/straight.
$0.25/$0.50 Top pair with A kicker.
$0.50/$1.00 Top pair with A kicker.
$1/$2 Two pairs.
$2/$4 Top pair with A kicker.
$3/$6 Two pairs.
As you can see the players are extremely loose. Only the $0.10/$0.25 tables are tight. I have no idea why this stake level is the exception from all the other levels, but anyone going to CarbonPoker and playing on different levels will soon notice this fact.
Positive sides of CarbonPoker
- As mentioned above, the players in general are very loose. Calling stations and bluffers. Easy money.
- Fast buttons: 1/2 pot, 2/3 pot, 3/4 pot, pot, X2 bet, X4 bet and X8 bet are very useful. All in -button can be hidden.
- Very easy to write and read notes about other players.
- Bad Beat Jackpot. It works and most often it is huge.
- Mac-download available.
- USA players welcome.
- Fantastic VIP-system for active players. Lot's of extra money every week straight into player's account.
- Lot's of freerolls.
- CarbonPoker has good variety also other poker games than Texas Hold'em. They have Omaha, Stud, 5 Card Draw, Triple Draw, Badugi and mixed games. Those just weren't tested and reviewed in this review.
Negative sides of CarbonPoker
Why CarbonPoker still, after so tempting easy money available, is not one of the biggest sites? Some of the answers might be here:
- At the moment place is not for Sit & Go -players. The waiting times for Sit & Go to start is minutes, which can't compete with the biggest sites with their "less than minute to start" with almost any Sit & Go. (To make Sit & Gos more tempting and getting more players involved, why not to add extra 25% to payouts in all Sit & Gos? Would for sure attract players from everywhere and get that Sit & Go -side going for good. Free hint for all there in CarbonPoker.)
- The lobby and the system in general is heavy and slow. No matter if you use PC or Mac with the fastest internet connection available, it is slow. It takes too many seconds to open available table. And finally when it opens up, it again takes too many seconds to reserve available seat, which often is gone by then. That is very annoying after several attempts.
- CarbonPoker has great guaranteed tourneys all the time, but the guaranteed price money is small compared to larger sites. These guaranteed tourneys are fantastic for players who like buy ins from $1 to $60, but after that there isn't those "really big money" tourneys available. Missing those will for sure keep some players away.
- Withdraws takes days! That is awful, since in major sites withdraws takes just seconds or minutes.
CarbonPoker's support is terrible
Customer service sucks big time. When player contacts customer service, he must have reason to it. He assumes to get help with his problem and possibly some refund, if/when the problem is on site's end. However, CarbonPoker's customer service main policy seems to be "customer is always wrong".
Typical conversation with customer service's live-chat:
CS: "How may I help you?"
Me: "I was just in the middle of three different hands. I had quite a good amount of money on the game when your system tilted and all my money was gone. Can't get in."
CS: "Let me check this. Just a moment."
Me: "Ok."
CS: "Sir, I have checked this and our systems are running perfectly. The problem must be in your internet connection. Sorry."
Me: "Erhmm... now wait a moment. You are saying I lost my internet connection?! Ok, now tell me, if I don't have any internet connection, how in the h*** I am chatting here with you right now?! Here is little data for you... just tested and checked it. Downloading speed 8.90 Mbps and uploading speed 0.81 Mbps. All the other poker sites work well here, just tested while waited you. And here is some information where the problem is. (When the problem occurs CarbonPoker's platform is able to test and show where the problem is.) There you have it, and as you can see, it is in your end."
CS: "Ok Sir. You are correct. Yes, the problem is in our end."
Me: "Thank you for admitting this. Now... I lost some money there. Is there anything you can do?"
CS: "I'll check the hand numbers and forward this issue to right department. They will contact you with this matter."
Me: "Ok. Thank you."
Naturally I never got any mail, except one asking me which hands those were. The hand numbers were checked and listed with live chat customer service, who already forwarded them to the right department. I never got any refund or never heard from them later.
That was just one example. It wasn't even the worst. In fact, that gentleman in CS was the most willing to help and really worked there for me, when he tried to find out those hand numbers (the discussion was shortened from that part, since it last over an hour). Beside very usual start "customer is always wrong", which I wanted to show you with this example, he was really good, but unfortunately rare exception.
Others just lack knowledge of players, game itself, their own system... and intelligence to realize anything what might be out from their user's manual. I even lost over 600 notes of players, which were priceless, when one lady told me to uninstall and reinstall CarbonPoker software. I did so and lost all the notes. Contacted again: "What just happened?!" Answer from other CS: "Of yes, we had have some proxy problems lately. They should be fixed now in few hours." Whoah! This lady told me automatically to do that, uninstall and install their software, without warning me I would lost all my notes (lack of knowledge of their own system and lack of knowledge how important notes are to players) and without knowing they have problems with their proxy-servers (lack of knowledge of their own system and lack of will to find out what is wrong).
When something goes wrong and player loses money, because of poker-site is not working correctly, it is very important that customer service knows what they do. In CarbonPoker they don't. And customer is always wrong. And customer never get any refunds. All that can't be tolarated. So it is no wonder they lack some players, when for example Full Tilt have in similar situations refunded immediately exactly the amounts player have lost, when they had have problem in their system.
If I would be owner of CarbonPoker, I would without hesitation do like Donald Trump does. Say those famous words: "You are fired", to 80% of their customer service employees. Before they do so, and as long as they have these problems and not refunding players... it is no wonder that their online players will stay under 8000.
The results
(0 the minimum, 5 the maximum.)
Lobby: ***
Variety of games available: *****
Side games (blackjack, roulette etc): ****
Cash games: *****
Sit & Gos: **
Guaranteed tourneys: ****
Percentage of fishes and bad players: *****
Extra money & regular bonuses: *****
Customer service: -
Conclusion
Despite the fact that their system is heavy and slow, and the customer service is not customer service at all, CarbonPoker has that what is the most important to player: easy players. Lot's of easy players. The most easiest players on internet. It means easy money, and that should be the only thing that matters to any poker player. Highly recommended.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Is Full Tilt rigged?
"Full Tilt is rigged!" is one of the most popular shouts around Full Tilt tables and internet. Is it rigged? Or is it not? Naturally there won't ever be published proof about that subject to either way, but anyone can do their own research and investigation on their own.
As I wrote in one text some time ago earlier, I used to work for one poker-website. I did test, evaluate and rate different poker-sites. That ment a lot of playing in every poker-site tested, and in many different levels. Usually I played 6-12 months, 3-10 hours a day, per poker-site before my test-results were published.
What I faced while playing at Full Tilt, I played there over 18 months, was something else. It didn't compare to any other site I had tested before or after.
But since the poker-website, which I worked for, was one of the Full Tilt's affiliates, my results were never published. Ok well yes, the evaluation about how the platform works and what type of tourneys they have etc... naturally those were published. But what I found out at the side, they were not published. I don't have those results and details anymore, there was exact information hand by hand details and percentages which hands won and which not. Still, here is little summary of those things what I remember...
- In all other poker-sites I tested, I won many times the money I had deposited in, by playing tight aggressive. When I finished my 6-12 months testing period in poker-site, usually my bankroll was 10-50 times bigger compared to first day I stepped in. In Full Tilt I had to deposit again, again and again, and lost all the time. I never won by playing "wise" and good poker there, which worked well in the other poker-sites.
- I started to look more carefully, not only to my own hands but all the hands in general, how well the favorite hands hold against weaker hands, especially in preflop all ins. They didn't. At all. And this is something strange... it is the fact that the best hand doesn't always win. It makes sense. But at Full Tilt in preflop all ins, the favorite hand got beaten appr. 70%-80% of time (on one particular two weeks period) at those tables I was in. And the percentage should be somewhat opposite in long run!
- Especially vulnerable to bad beats were AK, AQ and KK hands against much weaker hands.
There is often repeated argument that it doesn't serve any purpose for poker-site to be rigged. I have no idea if Full Tilt is rigged or not, maybe I have just faced extremely long run of bad luck there day after day, but I do know that this argument is incorrect.
Huge majority of internet poker players are bad and small minority are good/excellent. And the more players play on poker-site, the more rake and money (profit) the poker-site will get. Very simple mathematics. If only the good players would win, the bad ones would get bored and stop playing. This would mean huge loss on income to poker-site. But if the bad ones would get very lucky repeatedly, they would be happy and would continue to play. This would mean huge winnings on income to poker-site, since the bad ones are the majority of all the players. So, saying "it doesn't serve any purpose to be rigged" is false statement. This we all know for sure, if (and probably) nothing else.
Interesting texts to read from elsewhere:
http://fulltiltrigged.info/
http://fulltiltpokerrigged.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-tilt-rigged-confirmed.html
Now. I don't play at Full Tilt at all anymore. But I would like you, if you play there, to start collect statistics (since I lost my own as explained in the beginning of this text) from preflop all ins. Not from hour or two, but from weeks and months. I would be very interested to see what the situation there is nowadays? And what are the percentages of stronger hand winning against weaker hand in preflop all ins? Would be great to collect information from many players, from many tables and from long run, just to get this thing straight and see how it is.
I'll might go back to Full Tilt the day when they put some Bad Beat bonuses there. That would be the first step to prove the site is not rigged.
As I wrote in one text some time ago earlier, I used to work for one poker-website. I did test, evaluate and rate different poker-sites. That ment a lot of playing in every poker-site tested, and in many different levels. Usually I played 6-12 months, 3-10 hours a day, per poker-site before my test-results were published.
What I faced while playing at Full Tilt, I played there over 18 months, was something else. It didn't compare to any other site I had tested before or after.
But since the poker-website, which I worked for, was one of the Full Tilt's affiliates, my results were never published. Ok well yes, the evaluation about how the platform works and what type of tourneys they have etc... naturally those were published. But what I found out at the side, they were not published. I don't have those results and details anymore, there was exact information hand by hand details and percentages which hands won and which not. Still, here is little summary of those things what I remember...
- In all other poker-sites I tested, I won many times the money I had deposited in, by playing tight aggressive. When I finished my 6-12 months testing period in poker-site, usually my bankroll was 10-50 times bigger compared to first day I stepped in. In Full Tilt I had to deposit again, again and again, and lost all the time. I never won by playing "wise" and good poker there, which worked well in the other poker-sites.
- I started to look more carefully, not only to my own hands but all the hands in general, how well the favorite hands hold against weaker hands, especially in preflop all ins. They didn't. At all. And this is something strange... it is the fact that the best hand doesn't always win. It makes sense. But at Full Tilt in preflop all ins, the favorite hand got beaten appr. 70%-80% of time (on one particular two weeks period) at those tables I was in. And the percentage should be somewhat opposite in long run!
- Especially vulnerable to bad beats were AK, AQ and KK hands against much weaker hands.
There is often repeated argument that it doesn't serve any purpose for poker-site to be rigged. I have no idea if Full Tilt is rigged or not, maybe I have just faced extremely long run of bad luck there day after day, but I do know that this argument is incorrect.
Huge majority of internet poker players are bad and small minority are good/excellent. And the more players play on poker-site, the more rake and money (profit) the poker-site will get. Very simple mathematics. If only the good players would win, the bad ones would get bored and stop playing. This would mean huge loss on income to poker-site. But if the bad ones would get very lucky repeatedly, they would be happy and would continue to play. This would mean huge winnings on income to poker-site, since the bad ones are the majority of all the players. So, saying "it doesn't serve any purpose to be rigged" is false statement. This we all know for sure, if (and probably) nothing else.
Interesting texts to read from elsewhere:
http://fulltiltrigged.info/
http://fulltiltpokerrigged.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-tilt-rigged-confirmed.html
Now. I don't play at Full Tilt at all anymore. But I would like you, if you play there, to start collect statistics (since I lost my own as explained in the beginning of this text) from preflop all ins. Not from hour or two, but from weeks and months. I would be very interested to see what the situation there is nowadays? And what are the percentages of stronger hand winning against weaker hand in preflop all ins? Would be great to collect information from many players, from many tables and from long run, just to get this thing straight and see how it is.
I'll might go back to Full Tilt the day when they put some Bad Beat bonuses there. That would be the first step to prove the site is not rigged.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Carbon Poker treats Brazilian players well with Boleto Bancario
Brazil has taken off as a hotbed for poker and poker players since 2006. So it is with a great deal of excitement that Carbon Poker have added Boleto Bancario to their cashiers. Boleto is one of the most popular online payment processors in the country of 190 million people.
Boleto allows Brazilian customers to move money online using their bank or by visiting any branch of their bank in Brazil with a payment slip they can print off from the Boleto Bancario website. Boleto is currently used for one fifth of all online payment transfers in Brazil, and is growing by 100% a year.
Some other info:
Limits
Minimum: $10
Maximum: $3000
(O texto de seguimento foi traduzido usando o software da tradução. Pesaroso para erros possíveis.)
Brasil descolou como um viveiro para o póquer e os jogadores de póquer desde 2006. Assim é com muito excitamento que o Carbon Poker adicionou Boleto Bancario a seus caixas. Boleto é um dos processadores em linha os mais populares do pagamento no país de 190 milhão povos.
Boleto permite que os clientes brasileiros movam o dinheiro que usa em linha seu banco ou visitando toda a filial de seu banco em Brasil com um deslizamento do pagamento podem imprimir fora do Web site de Boleto Bancario. Boleto é usado atualmente para um quinto de todas as transferências em linha do pagamento em Brasil, e está crescendo em 100% um ano.
Alguma outra informação:
Limites
Mínimo: $10
Máximo: $3000
Boleto allows Brazilian customers to move money online using their bank or by visiting any branch of their bank in Brazil with a payment slip they can print off from the Boleto Bancario website. Boleto is currently used for one fifth of all online payment transfers in Brazil, and is growing by 100% a year.
Some other info:
Limits
Minimum: $10
Maximum: $3000
(O texto de seguimento foi traduzido usando o software da tradução. Pesaroso para erros possíveis.)
Brasil descolou como um viveiro para o póquer e os jogadores de póquer desde 2006. Assim é com muito excitamento que o Carbon Poker adicionou Boleto Bancario a seus caixas. Boleto é um dos processadores em linha os mais populares do pagamento no país de 190 milhão povos.
Boleto permite que os clientes brasileiros movam o dinheiro que usa em linha seu banco ou visitando toda a filial de seu banco em Brasil com um deslizamento do pagamento podem imprimir fora do Web site de Boleto Bancario. Boleto é usado atualmente para um quinto de todas as transferências em linha do pagamento em Brasil, e está crescendo em 100% um ano.
Alguma outra informação:
Limites
Mínimo: $10
Máximo: $3000
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
How long to stay in cash table?
How long player should stay in cash table? That is good question.
There are two extremes on disciplines about this subject, if Hit&Run players are left out from this calculation. (And they truly are left out.)
A) The tight way:
Chris Ferguson says that player should bring to table max 5% of his bankroll, and he should leave when he have doubled his stack. That is very strict and (probably) safe way to operate on cash tables. And if thinking about Ferguson's 5% rule it also makes sense, since when player have doubled his stack it is then 10%, which is way more than Ferguson's recommend 5% rule with bankroll management.
B) The loose way:
When Phil Ivey answered to this question, his opinion was totally opposite to Ferguson's. On Ivey's point of view player should stay as long as he can, many many many hours, if there is potential fish or fishes on table. Ivey thinks it is best to get the most out from these fishes whenever possible, and if it asks player to stay in same cash table for long hours, then player should stay and play.
The problem with A), leaving when doubled:
It doesn't take in to consideration that fact what Ivey talks about: it is not often when super bad players sit down, so when that joyful happening occurs, you shouldn't think about do you have 5%, 10% or 25% of your bankroll in table... you should only think about milking the money out from the fish. Yes, it is very safe way to leave immediately when you have doubled, but is it the most profitable? The momentum, and taking the best out of the momentum, is big part of playing profitable poker.
The problem with B), staying in many hours:
You get tired, and when you get tired you start to play worse. One legendary example of this is Patrik Antonius who played continuously over 24 hours (at least once) on the same tables and on one sitting. After few hours play, he was winning way over 1'000'000 dollars altogether. However, after this extremely long session, he ended up to lose way over 1'000'000 dollars from his bankroll.
Other problem is the fear factor of your big stack. I have noticed players tend to get very tight against me, when my stack is 3-6 times bigger than the second largest stack. It is obvious that other players don't want to take risk to lose all their stack against the largest stack in the table, therefore they aren't that loose anymore, which makes harder to get big pots.
C) The BEST way(?):
I think the best answer to question isn't that simple as Ivey or Ferguson suggests. Those short advices do not take in consideration all the things involved. Yes, it is safe to get out when you have doubled your stack. And yes, you should try to milk the fishes. Very understandable advices. But.
Think about
- other players
- your position (important!) in table, especially towards difficult player and the fish
- your physical condition
- your mental state
Now... if all these are in your favor (you dominate the table, your position is right after the most difficult and dangerous player and also after the fish, you feel well and sharp both physically and mentally) why to leave from the table? There is no reason to leave. You for sure should stay in, if the stars are really on your side this much!
And... when the things change (dangerous player sits down after you and start to take your pots, you start to feel tired and losing the sharpness of your concentration, the fishes leave the table etc), then you should leave from the table.
To put it simple:
- Play long hours in table, when you are able to play your best game and all the (or most) pieces in table are in your favor. Stay in, play and win!
- Play short time, when the most things are against you. Then you should at least change the table, if not call it for a day and end whole playing session.
Usually people play long hours when they are tired and out of focus, and it should be just the opposite. Long hours = when going strong. Short hours = when going bad. Use the momentum, if it is good. Understand when it isn't, and leave.
There are two extremes on disciplines about this subject, if Hit&Run players are left out from this calculation. (And they truly are left out.)
A) The tight way:
Chris Ferguson says that player should bring to table max 5% of his bankroll, and he should leave when he have doubled his stack. That is very strict and (probably) safe way to operate on cash tables. And if thinking about Ferguson's 5% rule it also makes sense, since when player have doubled his stack it is then 10%, which is way more than Ferguson's recommend 5% rule with bankroll management.
B) The loose way:
When Phil Ivey answered to this question, his opinion was totally opposite to Ferguson's. On Ivey's point of view player should stay as long as he can, many many many hours, if there is potential fish or fishes on table. Ivey thinks it is best to get the most out from these fishes whenever possible, and if it asks player to stay in same cash table for long hours, then player should stay and play.
The problem with A), leaving when doubled:
It doesn't take in to consideration that fact what Ivey talks about: it is not often when super bad players sit down, so when that joyful happening occurs, you shouldn't think about do you have 5%, 10% or 25% of your bankroll in table... you should only think about milking the money out from the fish. Yes, it is very safe way to leave immediately when you have doubled, but is it the most profitable? The momentum, and taking the best out of the momentum, is big part of playing profitable poker.
The problem with B), staying in many hours:
You get tired, and when you get tired you start to play worse. One legendary example of this is Patrik Antonius who played continuously over 24 hours (at least once) on the same tables and on one sitting. After few hours play, he was winning way over 1'000'000 dollars altogether. However, after this extremely long session, he ended up to lose way over 1'000'000 dollars from his bankroll.
Other problem is the fear factor of your big stack. I have noticed players tend to get very tight against me, when my stack is 3-6 times bigger than the second largest stack. It is obvious that other players don't want to take risk to lose all their stack against the largest stack in the table, therefore they aren't that loose anymore, which makes harder to get big pots.
C) The BEST way(?):
I think the best answer to question isn't that simple as Ivey or Ferguson suggests. Those short advices do not take in consideration all the things involved. Yes, it is safe to get out when you have doubled your stack. And yes, you should try to milk the fishes. Very understandable advices. But.
Think about
- other players
- your position (important!) in table, especially towards difficult player and the fish
- your physical condition
- your mental state
Now... if all these are in your favor (you dominate the table, your position is right after the most difficult and dangerous player and also after the fish, you feel well and sharp both physically and mentally) why to leave from the table? There is no reason to leave. You for sure should stay in, if the stars are really on your side this much!
And... when the things change (dangerous player sits down after you and start to take your pots, you start to feel tired and losing the sharpness of your concentration, the fishes leave the table etc), then you should leave from the table.
To put it simple:
- Play long hours in table, when you are able to play your best game and all the (or most) pieces in table are in your favor. Stay in, play and win!
- Play short time, when the most things are against you. Then you should at least change the table, if not call it for a day and end whole playing session.
Usually people play long hours when they are tired and out of focus, and it should be just the opposite. Long hours = when going strong. Short hours = when going bad. Use the momentum, if it is good. Understand when it isn't, and leave.
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