Balancing Poker and Life

Team Full Tilt

I am always trying to find the balance between family and poker, and I know a lot of you struggle with the same issue. For the serious player with a significant other, the poker lifestyle can be a real challenge. Here’s a little advice for making poker work with the rest of your life. I’ve included five tidbits of advice for both the player and his or her partner.

Advice for the Poker Player

1. Don’t punish your partner over your bad play or bad luck. Let it go when you walk away from the table. If you can’t release that bad energy quickly, then let your partner know that you need a little while to cool off. Snapping at your partner isn’t good for anyone.
2. Don’t lie about wins or losses. Remember, you’re incredibly lucky if you found someone who supports your dreams. If the money in play makes your partner nervous, sit down and discuss a business plan that works for both of you. Talk honestly about the pros and cons of serious poker. Don’t even consider going pro until you can cover all of your bills for at least six months in advance.
3. If you make plans with your partner, don’t play that day. If you get stuck or if a sucker sits at your table, you aren’t going to want to leave, and feelings are going to get hurt. Believe me.
4. If you’re traveling the circuit, be courteous and answer your phone. It’s hard enough on a partner when you’re out of town. There’s no need to make them wonder who you’re with or what you’re doing.
5. Remember, there’s life outside of poker. If you can remember a hand you played five years ago, then it’s not too much to ask to remember your partner’s birthday.

Advice for the Player’s Partner

1. If your future champion walks through the door looking a little grey, don’t ask, “Did you win?” Just back off and give them some space. I promise they just need to analyze what happened and, maybe, replay a few hands in their mind. The last thing they want to do is disappoint you by talking about a big loss.
2. Poker players don’t change. If you don’t try to understand a player’s fascination with the game, your relationship is going to see some very tough times. Andy Bloch, for example, has an incredibly supportive girlfriend (soon to be wife). She’s smart and ambitious. Once she started dating Andy, she realized that if the relationship was going to work, she’d have to adapt to his travel schedule. You know what she did? She started a website called PokerWire. For a time, she traveled everywhere with Andy, reported on chip counts, and interviewed players. Now, Jennifer is back in school and Andy has moved to be with her, supporting her choice.
3. Don’t be quick to assume the worst. If your poker pro doesn’t come home until 5AM, you can bet that they were stuck in some game or that a favorite fish walked in the door right as they were about to leave. Most poker players are honorable people. They might bluff an opponent, but they don’t bluff in life. We are weird that way. So, unless they give you a reason to think they were up to no good, give them the benefit of a doubt.
4. A player can’t choose the day or time that a sucker will be at the table. Sometimes, they’ll need to play on Thanksgiving or Christmas – or even on your birthday. If we get a phone call that “Ramin’ Jamin’ John” is in town, there’s nothing that’s gonna stop us… except a car wreck because we were speeding to get to the game.
5. If you want to learn how to play the game, your partner may not be the best teacher. They will have less patience with you than anyone else. Get some books on poker, and start with them. It’s hard to teach someone that has never played, and it’s going to get frustrating for both of you. Play online at the lower limits to practice what you’ve learned.

I hope y’all enjoyed this one and, remember, bad beats make for lousy pillow talk.

Play More Pots

Erick Lindgren

In tournaments, I play lots of hands. I’ll put my money in with all kinds of connected cards, especially when in position. I might limp, I might min-raise or raise a little more than the minimum, depending on the circumstances. I’m looking to keep my table off balance so they don’t know where I’m coming from.

My overall goal is to pick up a lot of small pots without a lot of resistance. I might raise in position and hope for a call from one of the blinds. If I raise pre-flop with something like 6-7, I might miss the flop entirely, but the raise puts me in control of the hand. On the flop, I’ll likely bet if checked to, even if I miss. That small bet on the flop will usually win me a small, but helpful pot.

Of course, sometimes it won’t work out. I’ll bet and get check-raised on occasions. But that’s okay, because I actually don’t lose much in the hands that I have to surrender. Overall, I get to gradually add to my chip stack by chopping at small pot after small pot.

The other major advantage to my style is that, occasionally, I will hit a flop hard. If I do happen to flop a straight, it’s difficult for other players to put me on something like 5-7 or 6-8. If one of my opponents also gets a piece of the flop, I’ll get paid off in a big way.

By adding to my stack early, I have a real advantage over players who play a cautious, tight game. The extra chips that I accumulate allow me to survive some tough spots. So, if I happen to get involved in a race with A-K or a pair of Tens, I can withstand a loss. An opponent who’s playing tight will likely be on the rail after losing a single race.

New players often ask me how they can learn to play more pots. I always suggest that they drop down significantly in stakes and practice. If you’re playing $2-$4 no-limit, drop down to $.50-$1 – a level where some losses won’t hurt you.

Once you’re at that table, try to play eight hands out of 10. Play everything but 2-8 or 3-9 – hands that are entirely unconnected. When you get yourself involved with this kind of frequency, you’ll have to concentrate more on your opponents than on your own cards. You’ll have to be on the lookout for opportunities to take down pots with well-timed stabs. You’ll also learn how to proceed in situations where you flop a good, but dangerous hand.

By dropping down and playing a lot of hands, you’re going to learn a lot about poker. You’re also going to have a lot of fun. Lord knows, playing 50% of the hands is a whole lot more entertaining than sitting around waiting for Aces.

If you look at the success that Gavin Smith, Daniel Negreanu and myself have had over the last couple of years, you’ll see that being active can be an excellent way to score big in tournaments. It takes practice to play this style, but it can lead to great results and be a lot of fun.

Heads-Up vs Multi-Way Hands in Omaha Hi/Lo

Andy Bloch

Earlier this year, I cashed in the $2,000 Omaha Hi/Lo event at the World Series of Poker*. I enjoyed the tournament; it was great to spend some time playing a game other than hold ‘em. One thing that surprised me about the tournament, however, was that the quality of play was quite poor. Some players didn’t even know the very basics, like starting hand values. I was amazed that so many people would put $2,000 into a tournament where they didn’t understand even the most rudimentary elements of the game’s strategy.

For this article, I want to discuss how the quality of your Omaha Hi/Lo hand relates to the number of people in a pot. If you’re playing a multi-way pot, you need a very strong hand going one way or the other. The nuts or a draw to the nuts is preferable. Absent that, in multi-way pots, you want to have strong draws in both directions.

In heads-up play, however, you can continue with far weaker hands if your opponent is going to need to play all four of his cards in order to scoop the pot. An example should clarify what I mean.

Let’s say you have 2-3-4-7 in the big blind and call a late-position raise. The flop comes K-Q-7 and you both check. The turn, a 3, gives you two pair and a low draw. You check again and your opponent bets. You’d absolutely want to call. Your two pair may very well be good and, if it’s not, there’s a chance your low draw will get there. Should the river bring an 8, you’d definitely want to call a bet and showdown the hand.

In this situation, in order to scoop the pot, your opponent would need to have something like a better two pair and A-2 or A-4. All four of his cards would need to be involved in the hand. This is unlikely enough that you should call his bet.

If you had the same hand, but were playing a four-way pot, you probably wouldn’t want to call any bets. Say you make your same two-pair and low draw on the turn but, this time, after you check there’s a bet and two calls. It’s likely that you’re not going to get either part of the pot as someone probably has a stronger high while someone else holds a better low draw.

This is only one important aspect of Omaha Hi/Lo. If you spend some time polishing your game, you can make some good money in cash games and get great value in tournaments since so many players are just starting to learn the game.

What’s more, you might also find that you enjoy taking a break from hold ‘em once in awhile.

Playing Big Slick in Deep Stack Tournaments

Paul Wolfe

 During this year’s World Series of Poker*, I talked with a number of pros about the problems that so many online qualifiers had playing Big Slick during the early blind levels. It seemed to us that a huge percentage of the field – we estimated as much as 70 percent – was more than willing to go broke with this hand if they hit a pair on the flop.

But many pros, myself included, feel that Ace-King is a very difficult hand to play in the early levels of big buy-in tournaments, when the stacks are deep compared to the blinds. The fact of the matter is, top-pair/top-kicker is probably no good if another player is willing to risk all of his chips. This isn’t always the case – you may find an extremely weak player willing to go broke on K-Q, but that’s the rare exception.

The real problem with A-K early on is that it’s very difficult to get an idea of where you’re at in a hand. Even on an innocuous looking flop of something like K-9-2, you may think your hand is good. But you can’t be sure.

Say that you raise pre-flop with A-K and a late-position player calls. The two of you see a K-9-2 flop. You bet strong on the flop and then again on the turn. He calls on both streets. What now? Do you bet the river and pray that you’re not raised? Or do you check and hope that your opponent does the same? It’s a difficult spot and there are no great options.

Playing the same hand in position is a little easier, but it’s still tough.

While the blinds are low in a big buy-in tournament, I’m actually looking to see flops against the players who overplay top-pair/top-kicker. When I’m in position, I’m happy to call a raise with something like a small pocket pair, 5-6 suited, or even 8-T suited. I’m looking to flop a big hand or a big draw.

If I flop a set, I have a good chance of wiping out the guy with top pair. If I flop a draw, I have a chance to see if my opponent will give me a good price to hit my hand. The beauty of a suited hand like 5-6 or 8-T is that there’s no way I’m going to get in serious trouble playing them. If I flop anything less than two-pair or a quality draw, I’ll fold, having lost very little.

I think there are two major reasons many players over value Ace-King. First is that in online tournaments, where the stacks start relatively low, Ace-King is usually worth playing aggressively. Players who win online satellites do so by playing Ace-King fast, so they come to big tournaments feeling good about this starting hand. The second reason is that many people have seen TV commentators crow about Big Slick, calling it a “huge hand.” At a six-handed final table, Ace-King is a very big hand, but as Howard Lederer has pointed out, you need to realize that short-handed final-table strategy differs greatly from early tournament play.

When you’re playing in deep-stack games, learn to play A-K cautiously. The pros don’t like to go broke with this hand and you’d do well to follow their example.

Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone

Ben Roberts

Many beginner poker players naturally gravitate toward a level of game where they feel most comfortable. The reasons for their choice may vary, but often include the size of their starting bankroll, and the amount of money they feel comfortable wagering in a particular hand or throughout a session.

This is perfectly normal and reasonable. One of the things that separate truly profitable players from winning players, however, is their willingness to step out of their comfort zone and explore higher limit games.

After a few hundred hours of play, many people can determine whether or not they are beating their regular games. For those players who are showing a profit, there are some for whom taking home an extra $100 or $200 per week is perfectly acceptable. They’re mainly playing for fun and the winnings are a nice benefit. For others, however, poker may be a steady source of income, and boosting their bottom line could significantly affect their lives away from the table.

One of the smartest things these players can do is to stretch their games and play at higher limits. With proper planning, and the right approach, the rewards can be immeasurable. To that end, I have some suggestions for players who are thinking about taking their game to the next level.

First and most important, make sure you have the bankroll to sustain yourself at a higher level. If you take a shot and lose, you shouldn’t have to worry about rebuilding your bankroll from scratch. A good recommendation is to stockpile enough money so that you can comfortably afford between eight and 10 buy-ins before you have to retreat to a smaller game.

This leads to my second piece of advice, which is not to let a few losing sessions affect your attitude or impair your judgment. I’m not saying that losing doesn’t sting and that tilt doesn’t happen. They do. But, players who successfully move up the ladder understand that not every session will be a winning one, and that by constantly analyzing their games – and those of their opponents’ – they’ll be able to make adjustments that will help them succeed.

When moving up the poker ladder, you’ll inevitably encounter players with more experience and skill than you possess. Recognizing these players and learning from them is one of the smartest moves you can make. Conversely, letting your ego and pride get in the way of observing these players can lead you to keep investing money in a losing situation and, eventually, affect your overall performance and excitement toward the game.

Remember, successful people fail more often than unsuccessful people. Successful people try new things, fall down, pick themselves up, and try again. So, if your first attempt to move up to a higher stakes game falls short of your expectations, don’t despair. Look at your play and the play of your opponents, regroup, and try again. The experience will be worth it.

Playing Cap Games

Howard Lederer

This week, Full Tilt Poker launched Cap Games – a version of our Pot- and No-Limit games in which no player can commit more than 30 big blinds to any pot. The biggest cash games in the world, the ones that Jennifer Harman and Phil Ivey play in, use a cap when they play No-Limit Hold ‘em or Pot-Limit Omaha, and we thought you’d enjoy the experience as well.

For this tip, I am going to discuss some of the advantages of Cap Games over traditional big-bet poker, then I’m going to cover some strategic points that should help you when you first sit into a Cap Game.

Advantages of Cap Games

Most players reach a point where they grow uncomfortable with the thought of risking all the money they have on the table in a single hand. For example, say that a player in a $.50/$1 No-Limit game has done well and has built his stack from $50 to $300. He’s certainly happy with that turn of events but, if there’s another big stack at the table, he may be unwilling to stay at the table for fear of losing a very large sum on a difficult hand. In a Cap Game, however, this player can keep his seat, knowing that he can’t lose more than $30 on any single hand.

When a cap is in place, there tends to be a lot of action. Players open up their games when they know their losses will be limited and will commit for the cap on hands they might be more cautious with in a standard No-Limit game. So Cap Games can be action packed and a lot of fun.

Cap Game Strategy

For the most part, Cap Games play just like other big-bet games. But there will be some key pots where you can use the cap to your advantage. You’ll be able to take some shots at pots that you probably wouldn’t take in deep-stack games.

In particular, Cap Games offer great semi-bluffing opportunities. For example, say that you’re in a $1/$2 No-Limit Hold ‘em Cap Game and a player opens for a $6 raise. You think he’s weak and decide to re-raise to $20 with the 9c-Tc. The blinds fold and the raiser calls. The flop comes 2c-6c-Js. He checks to you and you decide to bet about the size of the pot – $40 – with your flush draw.

With this bet and the pre-flop action, you’ve reached the cap; you can’t commit any more money to the pot. That makes this flop bet a pure semi-bluff. There’s a good chance that you’ll force a fold and, if you don’t, you’ve still got about a 1 in 3 chance of hitting your flush on the next two cards. In a standard No-Limit game, however, this play could go very badly. You could be check-raised or called. If called, you could face a large bet on the turn after missing your flush. Either way, you might be forced to fold without having the opportunity to hit your hand.

Also in Cap Games, you can play some medium-strength hands more aggressively than you would in a traditional No-Limit game. For instance, you might be reluctant to commit 100 big blinds on a middle pocket pair, even if you felt your opponent was playing overcards and missed the flop. But in a Cap Game, you might play for the maximum on something like pocket 9s if you feel it is, in fact, the best hand.

In addition, there are more opportunities for slow-playing in Cap Games. Say that you hit a set of 5s when the flop comes 5d-7d-9c. You could be up against some sort of draw here and, in a standard No-Limit game, you’d probably want to bet so that you didn’t risk letting a flush get there for free. But in a Cap Game, you might give the free card. The draw will probably play for the cap no matter what you do, and if an opponent had overcards and missed the flop, he’d only commit money if he connects with the board on the turn.

In general, you don’t need to be so concerned about super-fine reads or making big laydowns in Cap Games. If you think there’s a reasonable chance you’re ahead, you can play for the cap without putting an excessive amount at risk.

Give our new Cap Games a shot. I think you’ll enjoy the more open style of play that accompanies these games. They really are a lot of fun.

Richard Brodie

Until a few years ago, players interested in learning poker would start out by playing in fixed-limit games. Most casinos and card rooms only offered Limit Hold ‘em or Limit Stud, so players had to get used to the dynamics of structured betting. But now, many players are jumping directly into No-Limit. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but lately, I’ve seen a lot of players at the Limit tables who are applying big-bet principles to fixed-limit games. They’re making big mistakes that reflect their inexperience with limit betting.

In No-Limit, the biggest mistake you can make is putting money in a pot when drawing dead or very slim. Usually, by the turn or river, you’ll face large bets that threaten your entire stack, so calling on a second-best hand is a huge error. In Limit Hold ‘em, however, the biggest mistake you can make is folding the best hand on the river. By the river in Limit Hold ‘em, you’re often getting odds of 9, 10, or 11 to 1 to make a call. Given these odds, it’s often proper to call on the river with some very modest holdings, even if there’s only a small chance that you can pick off a bluff and win the pot at showdown.

For example, say you’re playing in a short-handed Limit Hold ‘em game and you raise on the button with As-7s. A very aggressive opponent in the big blind calls. The flop comes Jd-8d-7c, giving you bottom pair. The big blind checks, you bet, and are check-raised. On this board, there are a variety of straight draws and flush draws. An aggressive opponent could be raising on any number of hands, so you’d need to call this raise or even consider three-betting.

If the turn brings a scary card, say the Td, you can fold, as there are very few hands you can now beat. However, if the turn is a blank, like the 2c, you’re probably going to be in a position where you’d need to call your opponent down. Third pair isn’t much, but it will win at showdown enough of the time to make the call worthwhile.

In No-Limit, you’d probably want to fold if you were check-raised while holding bottom pair. It would cost too much to figure out whether or not you were ahead. But in Limit, your total liability in the hand is only two more big bets, making the call worthwhile.

The other major error I see from No-Limit players who move to Limit is that they fail to play enough hands from the big blind. In a recent tip, Jennifer Harman discussed big blind play in Limit Hold ‘em in some detail. She suggested playing a lot of hands from the big blind, including any two cards that can make a straight. Jennifer’s an expert player, and you might be better off being a little more selective than she is. But still, you should be playing a lot more hands from the blinds in Limit than you would in No-Limit.

Think of it in terms of odds. In a Limit game, you’ll be getting 3.5 to 1 to call a single raise from the big blind (two small bets from the raiser, your big blind, and the small blind). Plus, in many games, you can count on the pre-flop raiser to follow up with a bet on the flop, whether he hit or not. That gives you odds of 4.5 to 1. If the raiser is an aggressive player in late position, you can’t give him credit for much of hand to start with, so, even a hand like 5-6 off-suit is often good enough to play from the big blind.

In No-Limit, you probably want to fold the same hand and wait for a better spot. But this is the type of adaptation you’ll need to make if you want to master all forms of poker, including Limit and No-Limit. If you’re moving from No-Limit poker to Limit, keep in mind that you’re going to be calling opponents down more often and that you’re going to want to play many more hands from the big blind.

Steve Brecher

In No-Limit Hold ‘em, drawing hands can be very difficult to play out of position. Most beginners take a straightforward approach when they flop something like a straight or a flush draw; they check, then call a bet and hope the turn brings something helpful. But, simply check-calling can present difficulties later in a hand. If you miss on the turn, you’ll probably have to check and, oftentimes, end up facing a turn bet that is too large to call. Any bet of normal size in relation to the pot will be too large because the odds against hitting your hand are typically more than 4-to-1.

The problems don’t end there. What happens if you check-call the flop, then hit your draw on the turn? If you check the turn, your opponent might very well check behind you, fearing that you hit. If you lead at the pot, you’re pretty much announcing that you made your hand and your opponent might fold. So, even if you hit, you may not get paid in proportion to the risk you took by calling on a draw.

Rather than check-call, I often like to check-raise when I flop a draw out of position. This sort of situation comes up most frequently when playing from the blinds. For example, say that I’m in the big blind with Ad-6d and I call a raise from a late position player who popped it to three times the big blind. The flop, Td-5d-3s, gives me the nut flush draw.

After calling from the blind, I’d expect to check the flop almost every time. It’s the natural progression of the hand: my opponent took the lead pre-flop and I’m going to allow him to keep it. I’d expect him to make a continuation bet most of the time, even when he misses the flop completely. Most aggressive players will stab at small pots in these situations.

If he does bet, this is the perfect kind of flop for a check-raise. It’s likely that my opponent raised with two big cards – something like A-K or A-Q – and, if that’s the case, he’s missed this flop completely and will almost certainly fold to the check-raise. Or, if he’s got something like A-T or K-T, he may be worried that he’s run into a bigger hand and he’ll likely just call the raise.

If he does call the check-raise, I can then make a decision on the turn. Sometimes I’ll check and sometimes I’ll lead out, regardless of whether I hit my draw. If I missed, I may continue the semi-bluff or I may check with the hope that my check-raise on the flop was sufficient to make my opponent nervous and get me a free river card. If I hit, I may choose to continue my aggressive play and put my opponent to a decision or, I may check, deceptively representing fear of my opponent’s having the draw.

Of course, things won’t always work out. If the initial raiser has something like pocket Aces or a set, I’m likely to be re-raised and shut out of the hand. But nothing works out every time in poker.

Try varying your play when you flop draws. Look for opportunities to check-raise. It may be the best way to proceed with a draw when playing out of position.

Andy Bloch

In No-Limit Hold ‘em, it can be difficult to know what the right play is on the river when you’re out of position with a marginal hand. In my experience, if you think your hand is good enough to call with, you should consider betting the river if you don’t think your opponent will try to bluff.

Say you’re playing in a tournament and raise in late position with K-10. You know K-10 isn’t a great hand, but from late position, it’s strong enough to pressure the blinds. The player on the button calls and both blinds fold.

Now the flop comes 10d-7c-3d. This is a nice flop for you and you lead out at the pot. The button calls. What are you to make of the call? Well, he’s probably got something – maybe a flush draw or another ten – but it’s hard to pinpoint an exact hand.

The turn brings the 2c. This wouldn’t appear to have helped your opponent, but you don’t really know where you stand and you’re trying to avoid playing a big pot at this point in the tournament, so you check. Your opponent bets about half the pot and you call.

The river brings an interesting card: the 4c, making the board, 10d-7c-3d-2c-4c. What’s your best play? It’s tempting to check again, because of the completed flush draw. But betting here has a few advantages over checking and then having to make a decision if your opponent fires at the pot.

Since the flush cards came backdoor (on the turn and river), your opponent probably doesn’t have the flush, and he may doubt that you have it, too. Thus, he will suspect that you’re bluffing, having missed the diamond flush draw. So if you bet here, he may call with a hand weaker than yours, like J-10, Q-10, or even 9-9 or A-7. However, there’s still the possibility that you have the club flush, so your opponent probably won’t raise with a hand like A-10, J-J, or maybe even a set. On the other hand, if you check, your opponent might bet on the river with those hands and you may pay him off, because you think he might be making a thin value bet with a weaker hand like Q-10.

The trick here is to bet a little less than your opponent would have, had you checked to him when he had the best hand. By putting out a somewhat smaller bet, you get to show down your hand cheaply against a better ten or a set, and you will also get your opponent to call with weaker hands that he would have otherwise checked with. Your bet here serves a purpose whether you’re ahead or behind in the hand.

If your opponent raises, you can be pretty sure he has you beat and you can fold (unless he’s a tricky opponent who may bluff in this spot), having gotten some very good information on the strength of his hand at minimal cost.

Note that this is the kind of bet you want to make when you’re pretty sure that your opponent has some sort of hand that you have a decent chance to beat, and that he won’t bluff if you check. In spots where your opponent might hold a busted draw and bluff, it’s often more profitable to check and then pick off the bluff with a call. For example, you might check and call in this same situation with 10-9 or 9-9 against an opponent who bluffs a lot.

There aren’t too many worse hands (if any) that your opponent will call you with if you are beat, and your opponent may check some of the marginal better hands like J-10 or Q-10. The idea in this situation is to lose fewer bets against better hands while you get some value from your opponent’s bluffs.

Do that often enough and you’re sure to have a good poker career.

Jay Greenspan

View Players Tips

Back to Pro Tips Archive

On Friday, Allen Cunningham completed another amazing World Series of Poker*. He made three final tables in the 2006 WSOP*, won one bracelet, and finished 4th in the Main Event. This comes on the heels of his 2005 WSOP* performance, when he was named Player of Year after making four final tables and winning a bracelet.

During this year’s WSOP*, I wrote a blog for Full Tilt Poker and, during the Main Event, I decided to focus my coverage on Allen. For four days, I observed his play and, in that time, I came to see some of the qualities that make him so great. For this tip, I thought I would share some of what I have learned about the best WSOP* player over the past two years.

Big Pot – Big Hand

The pros often say they’re not going to play big pots without big hands, but Allen applies this principle better than most. Over the two days leading to the final table (about 18 hours of play), Allen played a total of four big pots. In two of them, he had sets. In one, he had the nut flush and, in the last, he had pocket Aces and was all-in pre-flop against pocket Kings.

When he had something like top pair, Allen played far more cautiously. He’d simply call bets or check one street so that he could control the size of the pot. When the big money went in, Allen had a hand that would hold up.

Don’t Panic

The WSOP* Main Event is a grueling two weeks. During that time, there are bound to be big shifts in fortune and Cunningham saw his change several times. On days 2 and 3, he was among the chip leaders. But a bad stretch of cards brought him close to the felt on day 4 and again on day 5. At one point on day 5, Allen had to survive a race to stay in the tournament.

When his chips got low, Allen didn’t panic. He didn’t push his chips in the pot with dreadful cards. While he had enough chips to survive a few rounds with the blinds, he waited for a hand that could win at showdown.

Of course, it took some luck to survive when his stack got low, but by being calm and patient, Allen gave himself the best possible chance to see another day.

Always the Observer

At the table, Allen is quiet, but friendly. He doesn’t say anything during the course of a hand and he never shows his cards unless a hand goes to showdown. In the Main Event, Allen’s opponents regularly showed their bluffs or tabled big hands that were uncalled. This gave Allen a distinct advantage that he could exploit. He was gaining knowledge on how they played their big hands and their bluffs, while his opponents were learning next to nothing about him.

Allen was always focused on his opponents, even when he wasn’t in a hand. When a big confrontation occurred at his table, he studied the players’ actions, picking up information that he could use later.

It’s been an incredible year for Allen Cunningham. When ESPN broadcasts his play in the coming weeks, you’ll get to see just how well he played in this year’s WSOP*.