Sit n Go Holdem Poker.com

Monthly Sit n Go Poker Update - September 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:01:50 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 238 pages. So far this month, there have been 16 pages added, 0 deleted, and 0 revised.

The Site Map 'added' and 'revised' page annotations will be removed in a few days, at the end of this month.

So, if you have not visited the site lately, this would be a good time to take a look at the Site Map before the annotations are deleted.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

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When you click any of the text links in this notice, a new window will open, revealing tons of important sit n go information.

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If you are looking for the ultimate in online opponent tracking software, then visit my website, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info. There you will find tons of user tips and strategies.

PokerEDGE delivers four real-time ways to improve your game:

Find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
Find and fix your weaknesses,
Learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
Learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Looking for even more software and freeware?

Then, check out my poker software website, Internet-Poker-Software.info. There you will find all of the best choices in one place. Plus, lots of purchasing tips and advice.

____________________________________________

Need some recommendations for good poker, tournament, poker math, and many other poker related books?

Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, each written with the total player in mind.

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

Looking for some really great sit n go poker tournament articles?

Then check out my latest poker website, Online-SitnGo-Poker-Strategy.info. These articles are packed with many of my best winning sit n go tips, tactics, secrets, statistics, and strategies.

My most recent article, The Strategy and Statistics of a Sit 'n' Go Poker Tournament Winner, is an absolute must read. But, only if you want to learn the ultimate strategy secrets for becoming a winning sit n go player!

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And, be sure to visit My-Poker-Rewards.com to learn how you can really benefit when you use my links to buy poker books, or poker software, or poker stuff, or for that matter, when you buy almost anything online.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Monthly Sit n Go Poker Update - August 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:53:11 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 222 pages. So far this month, there have been 3 pages added, 0 deleted, and 0 revised.

The Site Map 'added' and 'revised' page annotations will be removed in a few days, at the end of this month. So, if you have not visited the site lately, this would be a good time to take a look at the Site Map before the annotations are deleted.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

___________________________________________

When you click any of the links in this notice, a new window will open, revealing tons of important sit n go information.

____________________________________________

If you are looking for the ultimate in online opponent tracking software, then visit my website, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info. There you will find tons of user tips and strategies.

PokerEDGE delivers four real-time ways to improve your game:

find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
find and fix your weaknesses,
learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Looking for even more software and freeware?

Then, check out my poker software website, Internet-Poker-Software.info. There you will find all of the best choices in one place. Plus, lots of purchasing tips and advice.

____________________________________________

Need some recommendations for good poker, tournament, poker math, and many other poker related books?

Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, each written with the total player in mind.

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

Looking for some really great sit n go poker tournament articles?

Then check out my latest poker website, Online-SitnGo-Poker-Strategy.info. These articles are packed with many of my best winning sit n go tips, tactics, secrets, statistics, and strategies.

____________________________________________

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Notice Of Poker Book Reviews - August 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:59:21 -0500

Hi! Here are the recently reviewed poker and/or poker related books at Poker Book Reviews.info. You may click any of the book title links to open the review in a new window.

War Strategy: (A new book category)

Art of War by Sun-tzu.

Brain Power: (A new book category)

Bottom Line's Mind Boosting Secrets by Ray Sahelian, MD.

Thinking Better by Ph.D. David Lewis and M.A. James Green.

Come take a look. There are 85 poker and poker related book reviews in 19 categories, poker articles, poker music CDs, poker magazines, poker instruction DVDs, poker software, and poker and gambling movies.

Plus, there is a Recommended Reading list of 14 of today's most relevant poker books. Along with all of the New Releases, and some very special Offers.

And, I have a new poker site - Online-SitnGo-Poker-Strategy.info. There you will find tons of the very best online articles, containing tons of winning sit n go tips, tactics, secrets, statistics, and strategies.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum

www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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New Website: Online SitnGo Poker Strategy.info

R. Steve McCollum — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:38:18 -0500

Hi! Just a quick announcement. I have a new website, Online SitnGo Poker Strategy.info.

This is the site where I will be presenting all of my published sitngo and poker strategy articles. There are 48, and many more to come.

You will find some really great stuff here, even if I do say so myself. Come take a look. There is something of benefit for all types of poker players.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Notice Of Poker Book Reviews - July 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:33:25 -0500

Hi! Here are the recently reviewed poker and/or poker related books at Poker Book Reviews.info. You may click any of the book title links to open the review in a new window.

Mind Control: (A new book category.)

Mind Penetration: The Ancient Art of Mental Mastery by Haha Lung.

Tournament Books:

Poker Wizards: Wisdom From The World's Top No-Limit Hold'em Players by Warwick Dunnett.

Come take a look. There are 82 poker and poker related book reviews in 17 categories, 38 poker articles, poker music CDs, poker magazines, poker instruction DVDs, poker software, and poker and gambling movies.

Plus, there is a Recommended Reading list of 14 of today's most relevant poker books. Along with all of the New Releases, and some very special Offers.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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The Eight Paradoxes of Poker

R. Steve McCollum — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:20:43 -0500

Hi! Life is full of puzzling, intriguing paradoxes. For our purposes, a paradox is usually a suggested action that when taken literally would produce a seemingly contradictory result. The essence of the paradox is typically expressed in pithy little paradoxical statements. The paradoxical statements are often catchy gems that become standards of wisdom.

The paradoxical statements, to follow, embrace these characteristics:

They are puzzling - their contradictory nature adds to their appeal.
They are surprising - the result of the action is rarely what would be expected.
They are universal - often applying across all of life's endeavors, especially sports and poker.
They are intriguing - in many instances they are keys to the secrets of human behavior and accomplishment.
They are fun - a neat way to play with simple words, yet convey sage advice. And,
They are philosophically true, appear literally false, but nevertheless, are timelessly accurate.

Here are eight paradoxical statements that not only hold a special meaning in poker, but also often hold special meanings in sports, as well as for life in general.

1. Less Is More.

I suspect that we have all heard this one many times, and probably in all of its many applications. For example, less is indeed more, when by talking less you are heard more. A lesson most politicians (and some parents) have yet to learn.

In poker, less is more in at least one very specific application. When we play too many hands, our bottom line will suffer. By playing less hands (folding), we win more.

2. Damned If You Do, and Damned If You Don't.

This paradox is about finding balance. In poker, it has many applications. For example, in a tournament if you do not take risk, you cannot win. But, if you do take risk, you could lose. Or, you can raise too much, or too little. Or, fold too much, or too little. And, on and on.

Each presenting the problem that if you do, you can be damned. And, if you don't, you will be damned. Finding balance in poker, learning when to turn-on and to turn-off, is a never ending challenge. One that can almost drive a player crazy.

3. You Have To Get Worse To Get Better.

Certainly, if you swing a tennis racket or a golf club, or throw a baseball or a football, you understand the meaning of this paradox. It is about re-training your muscles for improved performance. The process of re-training involves un-learning your existing style, and then learning for the first time a new, better style. You cannot help but get worse before you get better.

In poker, the paradox occurs when learning multiple playing styles. Usually, we are naturally inclined towards a particular style of play - for example, tight-aggressive. We might become a very proficient tight-aggressive player, but we would not be playing optimally. Because, there is also another successful style of play - loose-aggressive. So, to become a more formidable player, we should become proficient at both styles of play.

However, when we challenge ourselves with learning a new style, our game will initially suffer. We are fish out of water, so to speak. But, does our game getting worse, mean that we should not try to learn the new style? No. Because, once learned, we will have become a more complete, and thus a much better player.

4. Think Long, Think Wrong.

This paradox is a great contradiction in terms. It is one of my favorites. Especially, when I use it to try to prod along a slow player. You know. The one player who is always holding up the entire game with his slow thinking. Of course, more than likely he is an inexperienced player, so speeding up is, for him, self-defeating. Proving, I suppose, that these seeming contradictions, for some people, are not always contradictions.

Of course, there is no substitute for thoughtful play. Every player should take their time at the table to think as long as is allowable about every situation before making a commitment. But, the trouble arises with over-thinking. For an experienced player, over-thinking, and sometimes even any thinking at all, can be counter-productive.

An experienced player's sub-conscious is a vast storehouse of all his previous play, as well as volumes of related information. Thus, the sub-conscious can supply the answers to problems in such a way that they seem to leap into your mind. So, if you learn to listen to your gut, you already have a quickly delivered correct answer, without even asking. But, if you start noodling, you might allow your logic to erroneously override your intuition.

It does not hurt to weigh or test intuition against logic, but usually the first answer in your mind is the right answer. And, the first answer, the one you did not have to think about, is the product known as your intuition. So, gain lots of experience. Then, learn to trust your intuition. And, you will not be needing to think long.

5. The Harder You Try, The Behinder You Get.

In sports, in life, and in poker, this paradox universally means that we can try too hard at almost anything, and as a consequence our performance, or chance of success, will fall. I suspect that too much self-imposed stress is the culprit. While some stress can motivate, there comes a point where stress begins to stifle keen mental and physical performance.

Perhaps, here we can take a lesson from James Bond, Agent 007 - the guy who can escape any trap, win any girl, and beat any enemy; yet, never break a sweat, never spill his drink, never soil his jacket, and all in about an hours time.

Confidence, born of experience, will allow us to stay calm, cool, and collected under the most extreme of circumstances, and perform almost as good as Bond.

6. Fear Of Failure Causes Failure.

This one seems to be as much an accepted truism, as it is a paradox. But, paradoxically speaking, why should fear of failure cause someone to fail? Would not their fear motivate them to ever higher levels of achievement? Nope. Apparently, fear of failure is not that good of a motivator. Physiological things inside of us tend to mess up when our mind is occupied by fear of failure.

In sports, fear of failure is the principal cause for a competitor to choke. Choking is a failure to perform at the most critical moment in a contest. We have all choked, even if we have never participated in sports. We choked when we refused to speak into a microphone to greet a large crowd. We choke when we can stand perfectly straight atop a dime on the ground, but not when that dime is moved to atop a flagpole.

We choke in poker, for example, when our fear of losing our too short bankroll causes us to immediately lose our bankroll. Like they say, scared money can't win.

7. Playing It Safe Is Dangerous.

How can playing it safe ever be dangerous? In poker, this paradox represents one side of a two sided coin. The other side of the coin would be, not playing it safe is dangerous. Sort of a paradox within a paradox, if you will. Anyway, the concept goes back to something mentioned earlier in Paradox Statement #2, finding balance in poker.

Specifically, for example in a tournament, if you are inclined to play it safe, you will very likely not play enough hands. Thus, allowing the increasing blinds to eventually force you into having to make dangerous push-or-fold plays in order to have any hope of survival.

So, playing it safe is dangerous. And, so is not playing it safe. Finding the correct balance between the two is the key to real safety.

8. Win By Losing.

I really like this one - it is the epitome of the simply stated, universally true, paradoxical contradiction of terms. Win by losing, who would have ever thunk?

But, in one way or another, you probably win by losing many times every day. You lose to (don't compete with) your boss, thus you are not a threat, and get that sweet promotion. Or, you are a great driver who prefers to drive, but you ride instead, allowing your wife to drive. Because, you know that she really likes to drive, even though she is a terrible driver. Of course, you are hoping, at the proper place and time, you will be richly rewarded for your gallantry and service beyond the line of duty.

In a poker tournament, you can win by losing in many ways. Most notably, you win by avoiding the big stack, even when you hold a good hand. Or, you win by not entering a multi-way race on the bubble when there is just one elimination between you and the money, even when you hold a good hand.

I hope that you will find this article to be as mentally liberating, as I have. To finally have called out all of these poker paradoxes, feels like an exorcism. Now, if I can just not try too hard; maybe, I can do a whole lot less, fearlessly win a whole lot more, without ever having to play dangerously, think, or get worse before getting better.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Monthly Sit n Go Poker Update - July 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:53:37 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 219 pages. So far this month, there have been 6 pages added, 0 deleted, and 0 revised.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

____________________________________________

If you are looking for the ultimate in online opponent tracking software, then visit my website, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info. There you will find tons of user tips and strategies. PokerEDGE delivers four real-time ways to improve your game:

find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
find and fix your weaknesses,
learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Looking for even more software and freeware? Then, check out my latest poker website, Internet-Poker-Software.info. There you will find all of the best choices in one place. Plus, lots of purchasing tips and advice.

____________________________________________

Need some recommendations for good poker, tournament, poker math, and many other poker related books? Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, each written with the total player in mind.

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

You might find some benefit in my published sit n go poker tournament articles. These articles are packed with some of my best tips. Check them out at Ezine Articles.

____________________________________________

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The Seven Levels of Mastery For Tournament Poker

R. Steve McCollum — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:37:43 -0500

It (poker) takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. ~Mike Sexton

Even though the following seven levels are presented separately, and in a certain ascending order, as if they were the independent steps of a ladder; the levels will instead, each overlap, share component parts, and often be accomplished in a different order. This is because the process of learning and advancement is different for every player.

There is not a uniform, fixed template, or ladder, for success; as the arrangement of these levels might imply. Instead, there is just you, doing as best you can with what you got, and advancing at your own pace and in your own way. Thus, as you might imagine, there are as many paths leading to tournament poker success, as there are successful players.

Every one of us is different in many ways. We each have different strengths and weaknesses, different temperaments, and we each learn differently and at different rates. And darn it, there are a lot of players who just have a lot more natural talent, or gray matter, or photographic memory, or something else real cool, than the rest of us.

Consequently, some players will have to work much harder at various of the levels than will others. For some, there will be things that will come easy and naturally. While for others, those same things might be extremely difficult, even entirely alien. Most every player who masters these levels, will do so at a different rate, and probably in a different order, than any other player.

In the final analysis, though, every successful tournament player will have mastered each of these levels, one way or another. So, let's get started.

This presentation begins with poker fundamentals, then adds layer-by-layer the capabilities that will usually lead to the next level of performance. Thus, these seven levels are arranged somewhat in order of difficulty, somewhat in their usual order of mastery, somewhat in the order that they build upon each other, and from the fundamental to the most advanced.

Level #7. Command of Fundamentals - Playing the Cards.

What I know about poker, you can fit into a thimble with room left over, but I'm learning. ~Wilford Brimley

Learn the fundamentals, the mechanics of poker. Things, for example, such as:

playing position,
starting hands,
bankroll management,
outs and odds,
bet sizing, and
reading the board.

These are among the things you must first master before there is any hope at all. This is the beginning point for everyone. Practice. Think. Study. And, learn.

Level #6. Understand the Tournament - Playing the Game.

Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers. ~Magic Johnson

Learn the formula for success for each style of tournament that you intend to play. There are very many different and difficult factors that influence tournament play, such as:

Full table, and short table play,
Heads up play,
Bubble play,
Rate and amount of blind increases,
Early, middle, and late game play,
Starting stack size to blind ratio, and
Single table, and multi-table tournaments.

Each style of tournament, and each stage of a tournament, requires specialized techniques for successful play. Becoming a tournament specialist requires an immense amount of plain old hard work spent in research, calculation, and strategic planning.

The most important attribute a player must have is mental toughness. ~Mia Hamm

The preceding two, and to a degree some of the following, levels deal with mastery of the mechanics of the game. That is, what you might already know, and can learn about the basics of the game. The book learning and dues paying sides of the game, so to speak.

Next, the following five levels primarily address matters about the mastery of yourself - how you think, how you decide, what you desire, and overcoming your internal roadblocks. Thus, the remaining five have to do with the oftentimes more difficult aspects of the game - the things going on inside your head. In a sense, mastery of the following are what, to use a common expression, separate 'those that can, but don't' from 'those that do'.

In other words, almost anyone can become proficient at executing the mechanics of the game. But, only a relative few advance from basic proficiency to becoming winning professional quality players. Like many have said, the basics of poker can be learned in a few minutes; but, the game takes a lifetime to master, provided you are also mastering yourself.

In the lingo of poker, it is at this point that you will have learned how to 'play the cards' and to 'play the game'. But, there is a whole lot more to learn.

Level #5. Know Your Opponents - Playing the Player.

Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand. ~Paul Newman, Cool Hand Luke, 1967

This level is about a lot more than simply identifying an opponent's playing style - for example, loose, tight, tricky, etc. Or, being able to run a bluff on an opponent. Or, for that matter, being able to put your opponent on a hand.

Knowing your opponent is also about the higher levels of thinking. Like, thinking what he is thinking about what you are thinking about what he is thinking. And, then taking the necessary action to mislead his thinking.

This level requires that you really sharpen your observational skills. As T. J. Cloutier puts it in Poker Wizards by Warrwick Dunnett, "...if a wing fell off a gnat at the other end of the table, I would see it." Of course, our focus here is with on-line play, but there are plenty of on-line opponent tells throughout a tournament.

Again in poker lingo, at this point you will have advanced beyond the basics to being able to 'play the player'. But, there is much more yet to learn.

Level #4. Strategic Adjustment - Playing the Situation.

To succeed in baseball, as in life, you must make adjustments. ~Ken Griffey Sr.

Strategic adjustment is just a fancy way of saying something we have all heard about - switching gears. Once you have mastered multiple playing strategies - for example, small-ball, long-ball, push-or-fold, tight aggressive, loose aggressive - you will be able to switch between them as an evolving situation might require.

In addition to helping you to become an unpredictable player, switching gears will also provide you the versatility to address all manner of challenging situations. Like, for example, the ability to pull yourself out of a nose dive, or to correctly respond to any given table texture.

You are just about there. You have learned a lot, and now you have a command of the advanced capability to 'play the situation'. But, there is still more.

Level #3. Decision Making Under Pressure - Playing Yourself.

You are really never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself. ~Arthur Ashe

Your ability to make accurate tournament decisions while sitting in a comfortable chair watching the pros play on TV is one thing. But, being there, and doing it under pressure is quite another. Especially, when after a few hours of play, you have been struggling with being card dead, misreading your opponents, betting too much with too little at the wrong time, and getting kicked in the butt repeatedly by Lady Luck.

After all of that, if you are to return to contention, somehow you have to pull yourself together, and start afresh making good decisions. Even though, being under the even greater pressure of playing with a short stack.

So, how do you become able to routinely make good poker decisions, regardless of whether you are calm, cool, and collected, or stressed out and under pressure? Most players are mentally inclined to solve problems (make decisions) either logically or intuitively. There are plenty of winning players in either camp, so it does not matter how you reach your decisions, logically or intuitively. Although, with a great deal of game experience, your inclination will be to think more intuitively, that is, going with your gut. That is a natural consequence of that huge storehouse of the seen and the unseen, your sub-conscious, at work.

Either way, all that really matters is that your decisions be correct, at least more frequently than any of your opponents. Here, there is no substitute for lots of experience, including lots of bad decisions and failures. Failures are the feedback necessary for improvement. So, make lots of mistakes (you will anyway without my encouragement), but just be sure to learn from your mistakes.

Out of all of this experience, the good and the bad, and your desire to improve, is born a principal ingredient of good decision making - mental toughness. Without mental toughness, when at a crucial point and under stress and pressure, you would likely be the most vulnerable of your opponents to crack - to make that fatal tournament mistaken decision.

If you invariably make bad decisions or use poor judgment, regardless of your book learning, experience, and other capabilities, you will never achieve beyond basic competency, if that.

Level #2. Determination to be The Best - Playing to Win.

Setting a goal is not the main thing, it's deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. The key is discipline. ~Tom Landry

To be the best poker tournament player, you have to want to be the best. But, 'wanting' is not enough. Your goal must be translated into a step-by-step action plan. That is pretty much the standard formula for achievement for anyone, regardless of their enterprise. However, if action planning is not your strong suit, do not lose hope. Because, if you possess an abundant supply of a few other key traits - such as discipline and desire - then you should be in good shape.

Discipline is a good example of an overlapping component, one that applies to every one of the levels. Without discipline, you really can never leave square one. Because, you will not have applied yourself to learn how to correctly execute the fundamentals. Nor, will you accomplish any of the other more advanced tasks. And, in the case of poker, discipline has an even broader meaning. Away from the table, discipline speaks to expending the effort to accomplish your goals. At the table, disciplined play is the hallmark of an accomplished player, while undisciplined play leads to certain disaster. In other words, it takes discipline to study and practice, and then more discipline to properly execute the play of the game.

As to the matter of desire, the effect is rather predictable - you will almost always find a way to achieve your heart's desire. It is that extra psychological push from within - your desire - that will see you through to overcome obstacles and weaknesses, and on to becoming a consistently great player.

And, now for Level #1, the top dog. Or, should I say, the top 'attack' dog. If you have mastered all of the preceding levels, you have really come a long way. In many poker circles, you definitely will have arrived. But, there is one last finishing touch. The one that separates the great 'also rans' from the champions.

Level #1. Relentless, Suffocating Aggression - Playing for Keeps.

My aggressive style has nothing to do with being macho at the poker table - it is simply the right way to play the game. ~Gus Hansen, Every Hand Revealed

Once you can say that you have mastered all of the preceding six levels, then you indeed will have become an accomplished player. Perhaps, even a great player. But, if you have not achieved the highest level of performance that you desire, it may be because you are lacking this finishing touch - the ability to relentlessly, suffocatingly aggress. Especially, if it does not feel comfortable.

We have natural inhibitors - mainly fear and logic - that tend to restrain our ability to correctly aggress. When we have learned to unleash the power of aggression our game will skyrocket. At the minimum, the ability to aggress demonstrates to ourselves and our opponents, that we are in mental control of our game. With aggression, we are announcing to the world that we are not mentally shackled by uncertainty, fear of the unknown, or fear of failure. And, that is a powerful and enabling statement.

Take note though, that correct aggression is very different from blind aggression. For aggression to work correctly, you must still pick your spots and targets, and know when to switch gears. But, when you have identified an opportunity to accumulate tournament chips, you must be willing to act - quickly, boldly, and decisively. Tournament windows of opportunity can be few and far between, and they open and close quickly, forever.

Winner: Someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. ~Larry Bird

And, there you have it, the seven levels of mastery for tournament poker:

Playing the Cards,
Playing the Game,
Playing the Player,
Playing the Situation,
Playing Yourself,
Playing to Win, and
Playing for Keeps.

Is there a better plan, perhaps one with more or different levels? Probably. There are many individual traits and aptitudes, and many facets of poker and tournament play, with which one could sculpt a much different, yet successful path.

Nevertheless, you now have a good overall inventory of the skills required for professional level performance. If you will rigorously set about the mastery of each, you will find that not anything, nor anyone, can stand between you and whatever it is in tournament poker that you desire to achieve.

Here is an extra bonus: change a few words, and you will find that this format for the mastery of tournament poker will work for any of life's ambitions. Like they say, "poker is life."

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find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
find and fix your weaknesses,
learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

You might find some benefit in my published sit n go poker tournament articles. These articles are packed with some of my best tips. Check them out at Ezine Articles.

____________________________________________

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Win Sit 'n' Go Poker Tournaments With Relentless, Suffocating Aggression

R. Steve McCollum — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:54:52 -0500

Hi! While patience, revered as the most important virtue in poker, will protect your chip stack, patience alone will not win a sit n go poker tournament. Aggression, on the other hand, is the flip side of patience. Patience is about waiting. Aggression is about acting. And, it is aggression that wins poker tournaments. And, it wins at almost everything else in life, too.

So, what is this mystical, magical, valuable poker commodity we call aggression? Tournament aggression is the unified application of a finely honed set of skills - a deep understanding of both probabilities and psychology, together with knowing when, where, against whom, and how much to most effectively bet.

In the context of relentless, suffocating aggression, our definition of aggression includes all of these possibilities:

Bluffing, semi-bluffing, continuation betting, and betting and raising with air.
Doing all of those things, but with a legitimate hand. And,
Exotic moves and plays, against strength or weakness, with or without a hand, against any number of opponents, and in position or not.

Does this mean that you should bet and raise every hand like a maniac? Nope. You must still carefully pick your spots and targets, that is part of the skill. But, when you do decide to play, you usually play very aggressively.

All of the preceding describes the obvious, mechanical side of aggression. The visible output, so to speak. Now, for the good part. The mental side of aggression. Learning how probability affects aggression, and how aggression affects psychology.

Before you can become naturally and suffocatingly aggressive, you must first gain the confidence to overcome your fears and uncertainty about aggression. That is where a deep understanding of probabilities comes in. Poker probability favors aggression. So, let's talk about the counter-intuitive science of probability.

Most aggression seems counter-intuitive. Indeed, it may seem like throwing good chips after bad. You are concerned, and concern is a natural instinct. Your brain wants to protect you, it does not want to see you hurt yourself. So, you cannot help but think:

What if my hand is beaten?
What if I are walking into a trap?
What if I run out of chips during the hand?
What if I get unlucky?

These are seemingly legitimate concerns. So you are hesitant. Consequently, you are inclined to wait patiently for a solid hand, rather than to act in a way that seems unwise. In a very real sense, achieving the ability to aggress, is mostly about learning to overcome your fear and uncertainty - fear of the unknown and fear of losing. Fearlessness, in this setting though, is a learned skill, not blind maniacal behavior.

When you have been stopped by fear, you are failing to appreciate that the probabilities are actually with you. This is because, probabilities often seem to, and indeed often do, work counter-intuitively.

A good example of the way counter-intuitive probabilities work is the solution to The Monty Hall Paradox. Behind one door is a valuable prize, but nothing is behind the other two doors. You are asked to pick one door. Then, Monty opens one of the two other doors, which opens to reveal nothing. He then offers you the chance to change your pick to the other unopened door.

Should you change? Would you change? Most folks do not change. But, the counter-intuitive, probability correct, answer is that you should change.

Why? Because, in very lay terms, you probably picked wrong in the first place, when the odds were 2-to-1 against you. But, now Monty has offered you what likely is a 1-in-2 chance to win. Definitely better odds than your first try. So, if you change your pick to the other unopened door, rather than your first choice, you will win the big prize more often than had you not changed.

Still not a believer? Okay, go to http://math.ucsd.edu/~crypto/Monty/monty.html. Play their Monty Hall Paradox game a few thousand times. Then, let me know about your new found appreciation for the counter-intuitiveness of probability science.

Alright, so what does Monty Hall have to do with poker aggression? Well, not much. But, the example serves well to illustrate how problems in probability often have answers that do not seem logical. So, in the case of poker, aggression will indeed tend to shorten your odds, as you will soon see below. Just as Monty shortened the odds for you by allowing you to change doors. Neither intuitively seem right, changing doors or aggression, but probability-wise they are the correct plays.

Here is a short explanation of how poker aggression works. For example, most of the time, neither you nor your opponent will hold or flop a solid hand. That is an absolute mathematical fact. One in which you can have a great deal of confidence. Indeed, one upon which you can bet, a lot. In the Monty Hall analogy, think how the odds are against you selecting the right door on your first attempt. In poker, the probabilities work the same. The odds are against anyone, including yourself, holding or hitting a solid enough hand worth risking a lot of chips.

Therefore, when you aggress, since no one likely holds a playable hand, you give yourself several possible ways to win. For example, you could win right there because:

Your opponent prefers for himself to be the first aggressor, and folds.
Your opponent may value his currently comfortable situation over engaging in any risk taking, and folds.
Your opponent likely does not have a solid enough hand to play, and folds. And,
Your opponent, fearing your tactics, does not want to lose chips or damage his table image by having to back down later in the hand, and folds.

So, you see, an affect of aggression is that it tends to transfer your fear and concern to your opponents. Once you aggress, your worrying is likely over. Then, it is your opponent's turn to worry. Reverse psychology at work. Now, your opponent is having concerns like:

Does he really have it?
Is he bluffing?
Can I out play him?
Can my hand beat his?
Can my hand improve to beat his?
If I give up will I lose my good table image? And,
If I lose the hand will I have enough chips left to play my game?

Hence, your opponent begins to fashion his own probability model for the situation:

He has me beat, thus I lose.
He is bluffing, but still has a better hand, thus I lose.
I have him beat, but I get unlucky, thus I lose. And,
I have a better hand that stands up, thus I win.

So, he thinks to himself, 'three out of four ways to lose, I fold'. This is not necessarily good logic, nor is it an entirely accurate statement of the probabilities. But, it represents a likely, intuitive style of thought, skewed by the heat of battle, to fit a battered opponent's perspective, supplied by a brain that wants to protect its owner from harm.

In other words, aggression can help make your opponents think wrong. And thus, you have yet another advantage of aggression. There in, is the essence of the psychology of aggression. Thus, for all of these reasons, aggression will shorten your odds. Or said differently, aggression will significantly increase your chances of winning the pot right there, regardless of whether you hold or hit a playable hand. So, rather than aggression being a wasteful proposition; which would be our natural inclination, since probabilities are often counter-intuitive, aggression is, probability-wise, a winning proposition.

And, as you refine your aggressive skill, you will become very hard to read, still another benefit of aggression. At that point, all that your opponents will know for certain is that if they play in a hand with you, it is going to be a rough, expensive ride. And, that they could lose a lot of chips. Consequently, they will often decline your invitation to the dance.

For a lot of players, though, aggression just does not feel right. It runs against their natural or cultural tendencies. In some cases, it might even make them physically uncomfortable. Not only does it go against their logic, as when aggressing with nothing; but, it also can trigger feelings of guilt, as it is akin to bullying, lying and stealing. Well, I just hope that those players are sitting at my table.

To sum up, aggression is not something we can easily learn in a book. We have inherent roadblocks - such as our logic, our fear, and for some, their ethics. Nevertheless, it works. Time and time again, it is aggression, plus a bit of luck, that wins sit n go poker tournaments.

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find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
find and fix your weaknesses,
learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

You might find some benefit in my published sit n go poker tournament articles. These articles are packed with some of my best tips. Check them out at Ezine Articles.

____________________________________________

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Monthly Sit n Go Poker Update - June 2009

R. Steve McCollum — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:16:17 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 213 pages. So far this month, there have been 5 pages added, 0 deleted, and 1 revised.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

____________________________________________

find and exploit opponent weaknesses,
find and fix your weaknesses,
learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and
learn (to avoid) the loser's ways.

Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

____________________________________________

Plus, you will find all the latest poker book releases, and a recommended reading list.

____________________________________________

You might find some benefit in my published sit n go poker tournament articles. These articles are packed with some of my best tips. Check them out at Ezine Articles.

____________________________________________

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Small-Ball, Long-Ball, and Push-or-Fold - Which Strategy is Best For a Sit 'n' Go Poker Tournament

R. Steve McCollum — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:50:37 -0500

Hi! You will find in many of today's poker books that there are discussions and mentions of three strategic styles of tournament play - small-ball, long-ball, and push-or-fold. In case you are having trouble visualizing these strategies, and fitting their pieces together, here is an article that might help in answering the question - which strategy is best?

First of all, the mental images that these strategies might conjure are quite accurate. In baseball, small-ball is about the infield plays - bunts, base hits, stealing bases. Which you can think of as similar to small-ball poker tactics. Basically, all of the small risk plays that can add up to a score, so to speak.

Long-ball represents all the big plays in the outfield - action like home runs and grand slams. Small-ball is quite, simple, and methodical. Long-ball is bold, forceful, and aggressive. Small-ball is about finesse, while long-ball is about force.

Just as baseball teams strive to incorporate both styles into their overall game plan, so should a poker player. In this sense, a poker player has a choice, a strategic choice that is situation dependent. In other words, as different situations arise during a tournament, a player should decide his best strategy - small-ball, long-ball, or even push-or-fold.

For example, in a given hand, a player might choose to limp to safely see a cheap flop, figuring to outplay his opponent post-flop. That is the essence of small-ball play. Or, he might choose to come back over-the-top of his opponent to attempt to win the pot pre-flop right there. And, that would be typical of long-ball play. The choice depends on the situation - stack sizes, opponent playing style, pot size, etc.

But, later in the tournament during the very high blinds stage, a player no longer will have a choice of playing strategy. To continue with the baseball analogy - it is the bottom of the ninth, your team is behind, and there is only one possible winning play. This is when long-ball morphs into the poker equivalent of push-or-fold. It has become a 'Hail Mary, pass' time, to borrow another sports analogy.

Truth is, push-or-fold could be an appropriate strategy at any point in a tournament, even for an entire tournament. But, once the very high blinds arrive, say on the bubble or in-the-money, push-or-fold would likely be the only possible winning strategy.

So, to tie this discussion of strategies together, using the single table sit n go tournament as an example, you would typically select playing strategies according to blind levels and remaining players, as follows:

Early Stage. Typically, 7 to 9 players. The blinds are at their lowest, and your starting stack is intact, yielding a comfortable ratio of blinds-to-stack. This is a good time to see lots of safe, cheap flops against inexperienced opponents. Your losses, if any, would be minimal and manageable. But, you likely would get a head start over your tighter opponents in chip accumulation. Thus, small-ball could be the favored playing strategy during the early stage of a tournament.
Middle Stage. Typically, 5 or 6 players. The blinds are higher, but not yet crippling. The higher blinds mean larger pots. Limping, and other small-ball tactics, are no longer reasonable in terms of a pot-to-stack ratio. In other words, the risk-reward equation has turned upside down - more chips are required to enter a pot, which requires a larger percentage of your stack, which builds a larger pot, which your opponent(s) will be less willing to abandon. Long-ball is now favored over small-ball. It is now a good time to begin to exert substantial force to win the pot pre-flop, or to force your opponent off his hand post-flop.
Late Stage. Typically, 3 or 4 players. The blinds are now, or near, crippling in their impact. You must at least win the blinds once every round, or become ground into oblivion. There is only one effective strategy - push-or-fold. You have no other choice. Unless, you can sit-tight for a while on a dominate stack. But, even then your bets would represent a push-or-fold decision for your opponents.

Be sure to make note of the strategical sequencing just described - small-ball, then long-ball, then push-or-fold. It happens to be a valid, winning game plan for a single table sit n go tournament. I know, because it is the plan that I have followed for my last one-thousand, or so, tournaments. And, it works.

So, what is the answer to the question - which strategy is best? Well, as you can see, the question is slightly misleading. As any one of the three can be the best at different times and in different situations, but no one of them is best for all situations.

The trick is to master all three, so that as a player you become capable of switching gears on the proverbial dime. Switching gears, by the way, has a much larger meaning than simply adopting one of the strategies to fit a particular blind level or situation. Switching gears from one strategy to another can even occur during the course of play of a single hand, and from hand to hand.

If you are not already, start thinking in terms of macro (the tournament), as well as micro (the hand), strategic adjustment (switching gears). Poker situations are dynamic changing events, and you should be mentally focused and mentally flexible enough to continuously respond with the correct, and often changing, strategy.

Our goal should not be to pick one strategy over another for our favorite playing style. Instead, our goal should be to achieve the ability to play any of the strategic styles at any moment in any situation regardless of the frequency of change, correctly.

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Click this link to learn more about my exclusive, private poker website dedicated to beating the Turbo Sit n Go STT. The site contains 213 original pages (and growing) with 1,000's of tips, tactics, secrets, and strategies, including my Anatomy of the Turbo.

And, if you are looking for online poker software, then visit either of my websites, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info, or Internet-Poker-Software.info. Between the two, you will find tons of software user tips and strategies.

Need some recommendations for good poker books? Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of 80 book reviews, all with the total poker player in mind.

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Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Notice Of Poker Book Reviews

R. Steve McCollum — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:27:50 -0500

Hi! Here are the recently reviewed poker books at Poker Book Reviews.info

Poker Principles:

The Virgin Guide to Poker: If You Can't Spot the Sucker, It's You by Alex Tanner

Poker Life And Lore:

Check-Raising the Devil by Mike "The Mouth" Matusow

Come take a look. There are 80 poker and poker related book reviews in 16 categories, 38 poker articles, poker music CDs, poker magazines, poker instruction DVDs, poker software, and poker and gambling movies.

Plus, there is a Recommended Reading list of 14 of today's most relevant poker books. Along with all of the New Releases, and some very special Offers.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Notice Of Poker Book Reviews

R. Steve McCollum — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:06:21 -0500

Hi! Here are the recently reviewed poker books at Poker Book Reviews.info

Hold'em Limit:

Killer Poker Hold'em Handbook: A Workbook for Winners by John Vorhaus

Sit n Go:

Texas Hold'em On The Net: How to Maximize Your Winnings by David "Maximum Dave" Bradshaw

Latest Poker Book Releases (not yet reviewed):

Eat Professional Poker Players Alive! by Frank Wiese

Professional Middle Limit Hold'em: Real Play: Hand by Hand by Tristan Steiger

Come take a look. There are 78 book reviews in 16 categories, 36 poker articles, poker music CDs, poker magazines, poker instruction DVDs, poker software, and poker and gambling movies.

Plus, there is a Recommended Reading list of 14 of today's most relevant poker books. Along with all of the New Releases, and some very special Offers.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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The R. Steve McCollum PokerEDGE Success Story and Interview

R. Steve McCollum — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:17:23 -0500

Hi! My use of PokerEDGE online opponent tracking software has made all the difference in my bankroll. And, the help I have received from the PokerEDGE Community Forum moderators and members has made the experience even more enjoyable. All together, just two words suffice: richly rewarding!

Below, you can read and listen to my entire PokerEDGE Success Story. If there are any problems with listening to the interview, try this page.

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Read this true story and listen to the whole interview below...

Hold’em player learns powerful online "tell" system—recovers losses and becomes profitable player

First, a little background. I recently heard from Steve, a guy who was a pretty good live poker player, but really struggled playing online.

That’s right. He could win consistently playing in person at the casinos, bringing home many hundreds to thousands per session, but had a terrible time online.

In the red from the start, he watched his online losses mount as he tried to figure out what the problem was when playing online. It was extremely frustrating to win so big in live games, and lose equally big online.

As his bankroll dwindled, he began to fear that he had just somehow lost his game. Having played Hold'em for almost 40 years (way before online poker existed), Steve knew for certain he was a good player, but online was different...

Steve was uncertain what to do, but he thought his problem might be this:

Playing in person, he was good at reading the “tells” of other players. But playing online, no way - there's just not enough information available. So Steve did some research of his own, scouring the Internet looking for something that would enable him to turn his online game around.

Then Steve found out how to actually read opponent “tells” while playing online. And he started winning - a lot. He recovered all his losses and once again became a good poker player—this time online!

Figuring this out and becoming a consistent online winner felt great!

Steve is a guy a lot of us can relate to. Someone who just needs that “extra something” to take his game to the next level.

Well, Steve found that extra something, and was kind enough to share the details with me. He also gave me permission to share it with you…

Here’s Steve's story:

Steve started playing Texas Hold’em almost 40 years ago.

Back then in Dallas, TX, he played in underground games in garages, in homes and in bars. He played in games with $5 limits, games with $10 limits-- and in games with no limits.

Things were different back then - poker as we know it was not yet the big, popular pastime and opportunity it is today. It was the 1970s and the WSOP was a little known brand, just getting started.

Seeing how there were no casinos in Texas (and, of course, no online poker anywhere back then), Steve regularly made the couple-of-hour-drive to the Oklahoma or Louisiana border, where legal casino operations were located.

Steve played poker, a lot of it, over the years. He had become a winning recreational player and felt like he was a better-than-average, all-around player.
But even though Steve was doing well at the casinos, he was growing tired of the grind.

Playing at the casinos involved long drives, eating out and staying overnight in a hotel or motel somewhere. So, in late 2006, Steve decided to focus his poker interest online.

Confident in his poker-playing ability, Steve jumped right in playing online cash games. But Steve’s online experience was a losing one - right from the beginning...

He had trouble with the pace of the game, and the inability to read other players’ “tells.” Steve was in the red from the get-go. Steve was in shock.

How could this be?

Shaken, Steve tried to play through it, figuring he would catch on eventually. But he found himself deeper and deeper into the red. He changed over from cash games to SNGs, figuring it would be a good way to improve his play with less financial risk, and slow the bleeding and poker deposits down some.

Steve decided to seek help so that he could compete better in this new, online world. He read every SNG book he could find, and discovered the Royal Flush Club online. He studied Rick Braddy’s “Secrets of Winning Sit and Go Tournaments” ebook and tried his hand at the online tables once again.

Although his winnings improved, Steve felt he had reached a plateau and was only breaking even or slightly ahead. Frustrated, he considered using several poker calculator products, but none of them offered quite what he wanted and needed, as an experienced player.

Then Steve stumbled upon the Poker-Edge site. Steve read about how to use the Poker-Edge software product to see other players’ stats, based on their history of playing, and how to choose the most profitable cash game tables using Lobby-Edge.

He was excited to learn that Poker-Edge software gives you access to a massive database of player statistics, showing the strengths, weaknesses, betting patterns and stats of all your opponents in real time while you play.

This was just what Steve needed! Poker-Edge finally gave him a way to read “tells”—online! (an advantage that Steve was accustomed enjoying at the live games and casino poker rooms).

Armed with knowledge of a player's past and current tendencies, Poker-Edge would help Steve predict his opponents’ future hand play and behavior … Steve decided to give it a try.

It took Steve a bit to get used to the software and its massive player tendency database. But he played and got experienced with Poker-Edge … and started winning again very quickly!

Using Poker-Edge, Steve could see his opponents’ stats at a glance: their playing preferences in key situations, even their peculiarities.

Using Poker-Edge helped Steve improve his game in several ways. He now had the ability to know his opponents well at the table, sure. But he also used Poker-Edge to study and learn the tendencies of other winning players. He could model this playing behavior to win even more. And Steve also studied the stats of losing players - to learn more about how NOT to play like them and how to best them more consistently.

Steve even used Poker-Edge to study his own playing history and stats. Armed with this knowledge, Steve learned what he could do to plug the leaks in his own game. And start winning again.

Steve did not have to get up to speed with Poker-Edge all on his own. He joined the Poker-Edge forum, where he was able to learn a lot from all the forum members and its experienced moderators.

Using Poker-Edge, Steve was able to go from deep in the red, to recovering all his losses, to climbing into the black, to winning regularly again and moving up four playing levels!

In addition to winning more online, Steve also won his confidence back. And that made him feel best of all.

In Steve’s own words: “Literally, I would not play without it.”

Listen to the actual interview with Steve to get the full story in his own words.

The Steve McCollum Interview

Listen to Steve tell his entire story

So, why is Steves' story so important and relevant to you?

Because today's online poker rooms are full of very experienced online players, sharks, and pros who are also using advanced tools like Poker-Edge to gain that extra edge that makes the difference between winning and losing consistently.

And Steve's story is just one of many examples of a Poker-Edge customer who is enjoying the tremendous feelings of accomplishment associated with winning online, building a bankroll and having a lot more fun.

Steve's story isn't an isolated incident. We see these kinds of stories played out every single day on our forum, with people winning amazing amounts of money, buying cars, boats and anything else they want with their winnings.

These folks don't talk a lot about this outside the Poker-Edge forum, since they typically want their best-kept secrets quiet and invisible to the poker public.

The online tell system you get with Poker-Edge makes that big of a difference, and you actually get a whole lot more with the latest product version...

So, why not add powerful online tells to YOUR poker game and gain your own edge by knowing everything about your competition -- with Poker-Edge?

There's going to be no stopping you, once you make up your mind and join the thousands of successful, satisfied Poker-Edge winners like Steve.

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For complete details about PokerEDGE, visit my website, PokerEDGE-Online-Poker-Software.info.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com Monthly Update

R. Steve McCollum — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:26:58 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 207 pages. So far this month, there have been 5 pages added, 0 deleted, and 1 revised.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

And, if you are looking for the ultimate in online opponent tracking software, then visit my website, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info. There you will find tons of user tips and strategies. PokerEDGE delivers four real-time ways to improve your game: find and exploit opponent weaknesses, find and fix your weaknesses, learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and learn (to avoid) the loser's ways. Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Plus, you can visit this page to read and hear my personal PokerEDGE success story!

Looking for even more software and freeware? Then, check out my latest poker website, Internet-Poker-Software.info. There you will find all of the best choices in one place. Plus, lots of purchasing tips and advice.

Need some recommendations for good poker books? Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, and all written with the total player in mind.

Then, visit My-Poker-Rewards.com to learn how you can really benefit when you use my links to buy poker books, or poker software, or poker stuff, or for that matter, when you buy almost anything online.

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Announcing My Poker Rewards

R. Steve McCollum — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:41:20 -0500

Hello everyone. Just a short post to announce my new website and rewards program, My Poker Rewards.

Come take a look. You will be surprised! Simply buy poker stuff, and earn points. Then, use your points to buy more poker stuff, or neat collectibles, or even a classic Ms Pac-Man arcade video game!

Unbelievable? Believe it!

Thanks!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com Monthly Update

R. Steve McCollum — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:50:22 -0500

Hi everyone! If you are a member of my private poker website, Sit n Go Holdem Secrets.com, this message is a reminder for you.

As of today, the site contains 201 pages (a milestone!). So far this month, there have been 12 pages added, 2 deleted, and 3 revised.

If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the site, click here for complete information.

And, if you are looking for online poker software, then visit my website, PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info. There you will find tons of user tips and strategies. PokerEDGE delivers four real-time ways to improve your game: find and exploit opponent weaknesses, find and fix your weaknesses, learn (to mimic) the winner's ways, and learn (to avoid) the loser's ways. Try out the PokerEDGE 5-day test drive.

Need some recommendations for good poker books? Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, all with the total player in mind.

Thanks!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Fifteen Tips For Purchasing Online Poker Software

R. Steve McCollum — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:55:57 -0500

Hi! Generally speaking, online poker software products can be grouped into three broad categories - pre-game, game play, and post-game. Pre-game software would be the training type of applications, such as a bubble trainer. Game play would be the software that would provide information to assist in decision making during a game, such as an odds calculator. And, the post-game software would be programs that help a player analyze completed games, such as an hand history converter.

Altogether, not much different than what one would expect to find available for any modern, highly competitive sporting enterprise. By way of example, try to think of all the technological assets that are available to an NFL football team. The pre-game, game day, and post-game technologies are marvels of our age that have elevated the sport at every level. Indeed, the keener the competition (because of the better technologies), the more richly rewarding the game experience is for everyone - owners, players, and fans, alike.

Which leaves me at a loss to understand why some online poker rooms have prohibited the use of several of the most useful of the poker software products. Somewhere along the way, the powers that be have forgotten, or perhaps they never knew, that poker is a game of information. The player who does not utilize every shred of available and observable information will become a long term loser. No exceptions.

In the past, when there were only brick and mortar games, we could gather information by observing a table before we were seated. Share information with other observers. And, collect even more data while we played. We could record both written and verbal notes the entire game. Then, before we played again, we could categorize and easily review everything we knew about every one of our opponents. Eventually, we could predict their every move.

Then came books written by players. And, magazines. And, TV. Soon, we knew almost everything about everyone. This universe of information helped us to understand every type of player, and every one of our opponents.

During that time, also appeared the Internet and on-line poker. Overnight, there were new ways to accumulate, store, reference, and analyze everything - game data, opponent data, and even personal playing data. Unfortunately, this quantum leap in technological sophistication has been deemed by a few poker rooms to yield an unfair advantage. And so, our use of many of the best poker software products has been prohibited. Yet, most of the prohibited software represents nothing more than just another next-step in the evolution of poker information.

In substance, is there really a difference between the two forms of poker information gathering and analysis? That is, between off-line and on-line poker information? The answer is, no. Because, in either case the result is simply better informed decision making.

So, what is the real effect of these software prohibitions? Is it to protect the public? I do not think so. To me, the real effect is nothing less than to dumb down the competitiveness of the game. And thus, to decrease the long term potential for growth and advancement of the sport. Drawing again upon the NFL for an example, think of professional football of a few decades ago versus professional football of today. Where would the sport be if all the teams were stuck in the 1960s?

In the entire history of humankind, restricting any form of information, sometimes known as book burning, together with every other form of similar censorship, have never served any ultimate good, and have never proved to be in the best interest of the public.

Alright, now that I have finished my rant, here are fifteen suggestions regarding the purchase of online poker software:

1. Compare competing brands for price and features. If two products appear identical, they may be the same product, but with different skins.

2. Make certain that the product supports your poker room. While some products will work at practically every poker room, there are some that will not. And, there are a few that are poker room specific.

3. Make certain that your computer can handle the additional processing demand. If you own an older computer you might encounter slowdowns, especially if you run multiple products simultaneously.

4. Make certain that the speed and capacity of your Internet connection is adequate.

5. Make certain that you have adequate data storage capacity available on your computer. Some products are web based. While others will store data on your computer.

6. If you are considering multiple products, and plan to use them simultaneously, make certain that they are compatible.

7. Make certain that you understand the application of the product. Some products are stand alone. While others can only be used in concert with, or to enhance the features of another product.

8. If you have concerns or questions, email the product's support department. If you do not receive a prompt and complete response, that may be all the answer you need to make a decision.

9. Check for free trials and special offers. There are usually both. Always accept the free trial. As this would be your opportunity to assure that the product meets your expectations, and to work through any bugs or issues.

But, carefully consider any poker room sign-up special offers. Because, poker room sign-up offers will sometimes prevent or diminish your future rakeback. In those cases, the sign-up offer will not be such a good long term deal.

10. Search the Internet and poker forums for product insights, reviews, and critiques.

11. Check your poker site's End User License Agreement (EULA) to assure that the product is permitted to be used while playing. If you are caught using prohibited software, your poker room account could be forfeited.

Permissions and restrictions vary from poker site to poker site, with various prohibitions against:

data mining,
shared hand history databases or stat tracking,
ICM calculators or end-game analyzers,
sharing hole card information,
hand strength calculators and other poker advisors, and
bots or automated poker-playing software.

In other words, at a very few of the more than 600 online poker rooms, about the only non-prohibited or non-grey area software would be an odds calculator that did not also offer advice for playing your hand.

Sharing hole card information is cheating. However, well informed competing is something that should always be encouraged. Where as, cheating in any form is never condoned.

12. Beware if the product appears to be too good to be true, or suspicious in any way. For example, a product that claims to be able to read in real-time an opponent's hole cards. Any such product may be malware or spyware, and in any event is certainly worthless.

13. Check if the product supports a user's forum. If so, a forum would be a definite bonus. There you would find a place for sharing experiences and information. That would be a huge win-win-win situation for everyone. You benefit. Other users benefit. And, the product support team is made aware of any needed improvements.

14. No one product does it all. So, think in terms of your overall needs. You may require several products. That is the case with most players.

15. But, do not overload yourself with multiple new products. It takes time to become familiar and comfortable with new software. The learning process can be a distraction from your game. So, add products slowly. Master the use of one first, then add the next.

There are scores of poker software products available in the marketplace. Furthermore, some products exist under several different names, each with different skins. And, the product scene is constantly changing. New ones appear, old ones disappear, updates are continuous, and new versions are released from time to time. It is much more dynamic than an individual could hope to follow thoroughly. But, even though the task of finding the software that is right for you will be challenging, the rewards will more than compensate.

Finally, keep in mind that the purpose of any software product should be to help you to learn to make better poker decisions. In other words, to help you to become a better player. Not to do your playing or thinking for you.

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Click this link to learn more about my exclusive, private poker website dedicated to beating the Turbo Sit n Go STT. The site contains 191 original pages (and growing) with 1,000s of tips, tactics, secrets, and strategies, including my Anatomy of the Turbo.

Need some recommendations for good poker books? Check out my website, Poker Book Reviews.info. There you will find an amazing selection of book reviews, all with the total player in mind.

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Thanks!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Poker Training Weekly

R. Steve McCollum — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:00:32 -0500

Hi, everyone! Here is news about a new poker training program called, Poker Training Weekly. In fact, it is so new that it is not even open for business yet. But, the May 5th launch date is not far away.

This new training program has been exclusively developed by Phillip D and his team of Las Vegas poker professionals. It utilizes a new breakthrough in poker training technology called, "SFT".

Phillip has proven that with SFT you can master specific, winning poker skills, strategies and techniques faster, and retain the information longer, than ever before.

SFT is a unique and proven method in training technology. It is guaranteed to work, if you will follow the program. Because you will have a laser focus on winning strategies and systems, SFT will give you a major advantage over other players.

To learn more, Phillip has prepared this video that will explain everything: Poker Training Weekly Video.

By the way, if you like what you see, then you had better sign up. The program is limited to the first 1,000 to register. And, quality new programs like this one fill up fast!

Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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Turbo Sit n Go Poker Secrets

R. Steve McCollum — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:28:27 -0500

The Turbo Sit n Go is Pokerdom's answer to the amusement park roller coaster. Starts kind of slow, then all hell breaks loose. Thankfully, it is over in a few minutes. Even though the ride can be terrifying, you cannot wait for the next. And, so it is with the Turbo, too.

The Turbo forces you to immediately resolve all sorts of contradictions. You find yourself slamming on the brakes, even while the other foot stays on the gas. You gamble with your stack relentlessly, then you fold, fold, fold. If you were a car, you would wear out your clutch before the game was half over.

In a nine-player single table tournament, the Turbo is, frankly, the tenth player. Weighing-in at 900 pounds, this gorilla sets the rules. Every hand you play is against both your opponents and the gorilla. Eventually, the big guy will devour all but one.

So, that is the Turbo: fast, furious, and unforgiving. Can you win? Sure. Here are a few winning strategies:

1) If you are timid, do not play. Turbos are not for everyone. So, if your style leans toward conservative, passive, card dependent play, stick with slower tournaments. Slower tournaments allow for more skill, while luck is less of a factor.

2) Controlled aggression is mandatory. Our battle cry is, 'attack, attack, and then attack some more'.

3) Tight is mostly right, at least very early in the tournament. Except, that this is also an opportune time for some small-ball play. Know the difference between small-ball and long-ball, and when each is most effective.

4) Play only small pots early in the tournament. Avoid becoming pot committed without a very good hand. Call an all-in bet with AA or KK only.

5) Making the money is the supreme objective. By any means. Cowardly, or bravely. Just do it. First, play to survive. Then, when in the money, play to win.

6) Reject any risk that threatens survival. Like calling a big raise from a tough opponent sitting in early position. There is too little time to make up for big mistakes.

Envision a Turbo as being a lot like a peaceful mountain brook. This would be the early orbits. Soon, the brook is a faster flowing stream, with boulders and logs strewn about. You have just entered the middle stage. The stream grows faster and more dangerous. You are appproaching the bubble. The stream is now a punishing river of rapids and whirlpools. You have arrived at the bubble. Suddenly, there is a moment of still, just before the river crashes down a 1,000 foot waterfall. You made it into the money. But, now the furious race for first place has begun.

Winning Turbo Sit n Go Secrets Membership Site

The above six strategies are just a simple few of the 1,000's of winning tips, tactics, secrets, and strategies you will find at my private membership Turbo Sit n Go website. The site was developed through my personal experience in playing 1,000's of consecutive Turbo Sit n Go tournaments.

This site is not about hand analysis. In fact, there is little mention of how to play a particular starting Hold'em hand. There are plenty of great books on that subject.

Instead, I reveal the skills and strategies needed to win a Turbo, regardless of your starting hand. Indeed, winning Turbo play is much more about 'how you play', rather than 'what you play'. Let me say it differently: winning Turbo strategy is not based on your two starting cards!

Here is why. Over 85% of your two starting cards are worthless and without potential. Most of the remaining 15% become worthless on the flop. The few that survive the flop, die on the turn or river.

Meanwhile the blinds are rapidly increasing. Meaning that if you are a conservative poker player, who patiently waits for good cards, you are more likely to be 'blinded-out' of the tournament, than to finish 'in-the-money'. Loose play will not make you a winner, either. There is instead, a certain balance that must be found.

Finding that 'certain balance' for winning Turbo play is the essence of my site. Our goal is to meld logic and intuition into winning poker decisions. That is, poker decisions based upon every relevant consideration.

Each of the current 209 original pages (and growing) is loaded with the skills and strategies you need to beat the Turbo. Or, for that matter, to beat practically any style of sit n go tournament. Plus, keep in mind that my 209 Internet pages are roughly the equivalent of 400 printed book pages. Literally, there are 1,000's of winning tips, tactics, secrets and strategies.

At only $27, the one-time membership fee is cheap. And, there is a money back guarantee. Use the Buy Now button at the top of the right column to get started. It will be one of the best poker decisions you will ever make!

Bits and pieces of my Turbo strategy are found throughout my several poker websites (see list below). If you want a test drive, read some of my blog posts and articles, including the ones that have been published in eZine Articles, for a small sampling. Here is a link to my 39 published eZine Articles.

The information product I am providing contains great value. And, I back up every word with email access, and open comment pages. Purchasers may contact me anytime with their comments and questions, or post directly onto any page in the website. Every question will be answered as quickly and thoroughly as possible. And, every comment, question, and answer is added to the site.

Thus, the site is a growing, living document. Something that is much more valuable, for example, than a printed, out of date poker book. Or, having to buy multiple volumns of a book just to stay current. And, all of my site's continuous additions and updates are available to all of the members.

So by design, the value of the site is steadily increasing. Consequently, there have been and will be membership price increases. But, there will never be a price increase for an existing member.

The site should be regarded as a long term investment. One that pays dividends now, and, over time, appreciates in value. It is my committment, that we both enjoy every possible opportunity to grow and prosper as Sit n Go Turbo players.

Of course, I nor anyone can promise success, financial or otherwise. But, I can promise to all members, that the site contains every one of my personal, 'tried and true' winning Sit n Go Turbo strategies.

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Visit my poker sites for more information:

Winning Turbo Sit n Go Secrets

Poker Book Reviews.info

SitnGo Holdem Poker.com

PokerEDGE Online Poker Software.info

Internet Poker Software.info

eZine Poker Articles

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Thanks and Good Luck!

R. Steve McCollum (rstevemccollum) www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

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