EthanCainePoker.com

Getting Back Too It

After my first live game I think I overdosed on poker and haven’t touched it in a week. However now that I am rested up and settled down I think I’m ready to jump back into it.

Going to start by reading and mindmapping key parts of Everything Texas Hold’em Poker by Jimmy Wenzel. Once I feel I’ve mastered the basics I will proceed to Killer Poker Math and really get a strong grasp of the mathematical aspect.

My goal is to make money playing cash games online not to win tournemrnts. Therefore math is paramount. It’s also a must for anykind of poker.

-Ethan

First Live Tourney Style Game For Money

A friend was having a poker tournament style game at his house that I was invited to.  Fun game.  I definitely learned a valuable lesson today.  I’m not as disciplined as I thought I was.  I played fairly tight but made alot of stupid decisions near the end and lost all of my chips.

Going all in heads up when you have nothing is not the smartest way to play the game.

The Good:
Calculating outs and hand percentages on the fly using the Rule of 4 and 2.  Myself and one other person were the only ones doing this
Played tight and made it fairly far with good plays
Almost everyone at the table were a bunch of calling stations so I knew not to bluff much

The Bad:
Disipline – I went all in on a garbage hand and blew it
My math does need work however – this I will hone in the next couple weeks

I’m glad I did blow that last hand because I needed to learn the lesson that I’m not as disciplined as  I thought.

A Tight / Aggressive game is what all poker pros use and I will strive for this.

Joel Won With A Pair of Stupid 2s

As Phil Gordon said his video The Final Table: “You never learn anything about yourself when your winning, its when your losing is when you take stock of yourself.”

-Ethan

Poker Players – 4 Different Kinds

I have a very strong background in network marketing, sales, and have made a study of knowing the different kinds of people that I might come into contact in my daily life.  When I read Chapter 9 in Johnny Quads Everything Texas Hold’em Book about the different poker playing types and discovered his interpretation was 100% inline with what I learned in network marketing I was thrilled.

Essentially there are FOUR player types you will come across:
Loose Passive Players -  These players are often refered to as calling stations.  They will limp in and call on almost every hand so they can see the flop hoping for a miracle.  They also see the river on very questionable hands as well.  These players rarely bet or raise.  When they do however, they usually have the nuts and you should promptly fold.
Play a tighter game against Loose Passives, don’t bluff cause they will just call you on it.

Tight Passive Players – These players are often called ROCKS.  They play only the best hands, rarely raise or bet unless they have the nuts in which case you should fold.  These players can be very boring to play against but you can force a fold and steal their blinds very easily.  Just don’t abuse it.
Play a looser more aggressive game with these players but if you get caught bluffing tighten up.

Loose Aggressive Players – These players are often called Maniacs and can be a problem.  Ironically its the Tight Passive players or the Rocks that usually take these players down, not the pros.  These players are here to play not fold.  They chase draws and raise and re-raise often.  There chip stacks get big very fast but shrink at the same speed.
Play a tighter more selectively aggressive game with Maniacs. Do not bluff because they will just raise.  If you have the nuts or a strong hand trap them by value betting so you can extract the most chips out of them.  Heads up play is preferable with Maniacs.

Tight Aggressive Players – These players are the pros.  The key here is to be SELECTIVELY aggressive.  These players adapt to the playing style of their opponents so they have the highest possible chance of winning.  Very hard to read.  They are very natural and confident.  Vary their playing style so you don’t really know what they are up to.
Play on the side of caution with these players – establish yourself as a Tight Aggressive so you won’t be as much of a target. Pro’s know that you can make more money off a table with a few bad players than you can with all good players.

Fortunately for students of poker like you and I we know that almost all players who have played for awhile consider themselves much better than they really are.

-Ethan

John “Johnny Quads” Wenzel Texas Hold’em Book

I read this book in its entirety about 5 days ago and I am re-reading it again today and tomorrow.  Wonderful book that explains the ins and outs with easy to understand flowing language.  I am very glad my friend Dustin from www.DustinJanzen.com lent it to me.

You Can Buy Your Very Own Copy On Amazon
CLICK HERE

Its just over 300 pages but almost every page has a gem of information on it.  The book suggests that pros are Tight Aggressive players which I was not being tonight.  I was aggressive but I have to work on my tight since I got beat so much and instantly regretted playing alot of hands.

O well that is what the FREE money tables are for…to learn on.

-Ethan

Late Night Tired Poker Playing On PokerStars.net

I was just on a low stakes play table and I am realizing just how important discipline is.  I honestly can say I went into on crap hands for most of the game.  I read the players ok, however had some big beats because I thought I had the nuts and didn’t.  Also a moderately loose table which doesn’t give me the right to be loose.

2 Things I am taking away from tonight is:

1.  Be more disciplined and play tighter and higher valued hands
2.  Learn my odds better because I was wrong on a few occasions

Otherwise I had some good plays and am beginning to understand the game more.

-Ethan

What Makes A Great Poker Player?

What makes a great poker player?

I have always been interested in personal development and poker seems to be a great way to achieve the upper echelons of human potential while at the same time making lots of money doing it.

I have read a couple top rated Poker Books and they all seem to be saying the same thing.

A great poker player is made up of:

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE

This is very generalized but is an excellent place for me to start I think. I am currently working on Mind and Memory. Build a solid math game first, then move on to the psychological aspect of poker.

If anyone has any suggestions or comments please let me know.

-Ethan

EthanCainePoker.com is LIVE!

EthanCainePoker.com is LIVE and UP!

3 Days ago I knew nothing about poker.  I am starting out as a complete noob and wanted to blog about my journey to becoming a great player.  Some of my reasons for learning poker are the same as yours while others are not.

Reason 1: I want to replace my working income with poker income by the end of the year.  $2000 a month to be exact.

Reason 2: Personal Development – I read all those crazy Tony Robbins books and do those self improvement seminars in hopes of making my life better.  To be an excellent poker player you have to have a highly developed intelligence and personality.

Reason 3: On the spiritual side of things I have been facinated with people who have keen senses of intuition in all walks of life.  I have since learned that intuition is a skill that can be developed.  What better arena to test intuition than at the poker table?!

I invite you to check back often because I will be sharing what I learn every step of the way.

-Ethan