POKER UNSLEPT - “Team Challenge”

Jumping into normal work mode early this morning there was a difference. Starting over facebook a team poker challenge was being formed. As I worked the day through I continually checked on facebook to find this team challenge was becoming very exciting. Could I go all night playing internet poker? This was going to be a real challenge for me as for starters the last two nights I had had minimal sleep and working flat out.

Team Challenge was to start at 11pm and the last game to register was 5.30am which had over 20,000 players (this game alone could take over 12 hours). I continued working raidbet.net while attending to the kids and preparing for an all nighter filed with poker on the agenda.

In the very early hours of the morning after the muddiest coffee ever I found my poker strategy was being affected by poker unslept. Then out of the blue a hand! The dazed look on my face was transformed into a grin, while the coffee kicked and I was buzzing again, loving every minute that poker brings to my soul.

Challenges test our limits, strengths, survival skills, determination in adverse situations. Listening to our body when it needs rest, we are able to achieve anything we set our sights on. This challenge taught me one very important lesson! I’m getting too old for such challenges Justify Fullwithout preparation. This Bee needs her zzzzzzzzz.

.1. Have you ever been faced with this challenge?
.2. What was your preparation and survival kit?
.3. What would you do different next time?
.4. If this challenge became an option for you, would you have a go at it?

Predictability or Diversity - “Taking advantage of all fifty two”

Nothing frustrates me more than these kind of statements in a poker game: “can’t believe you called my raise with that” for one. How about this: “Oh My God you Donk, How can you call that?” Or better still “Thought I was playing poker, not bingo”. Though this may raise one’s temper a bit, and force one to respond, it actually tells me that these players are more comfortable with predictability.

Let’s clear one thing up before we proceed with our poker game. Imagine if your poker playing opponents were able to verbally expose their cards to you prior to calling your raise. You are sitting with AA pre-flop and BB says “I have A4, would you like me to call?” I’m sure you would reply exactly what I would “HELL, YEAH!” Great poker strategy knowing that you are so ahead, only needing to dodge out the possibilities of BB winning the hand (but they do).

So why on earth is it that when we do get called by these hands and they do suck out big time do we come back with these above statements - myself included (I am just as guilty of this at times). Is it because we prefer winning on predictable poker strategy, instead of the emotions of diversity? Yet while saying this it all changes when we decide to be the caller; then it’s all ok, because we love to win, so we see an opportunity to be diverse and go for it (taking the risk). So why do we allow it for ourselves and not for others. Human competitive nature and not liking to lose is the answer here I feel. I’d be interested to know what you think!

I’d like someone to also tell me where the poker rule book is, which says that you can only play, call or take any action for cards over ten; which says that if you play any cards under ten, you are a donk, crap player and so on? Let’s look at this from another angle. The angle I and several other players see. To me there are fifty two cards: all potential winners. Why not use every card to your advantage whenever possible to play poker. I will enter into any pot that I choose to be amongst with any two cards. Why? It’s simple! There is no such rule that you should only play high cards.

Imagine how boring poker would be if it was played just that way. No exciting play, no suck outs, NO adrenaline rushing chasers and so on. Players would play less, eventually no poker at all and it’s literally back to bingo, sadly leaving us with no online poker or live poker games to thrive on. If a player is willing to put the chips in on the two cards in his hand, think to yourself: go for it, as you now have action. Enjoy what the hand brings, be it good or bad. This is what returns us to the tables constantly. No one likes to be out of the game ever. How boring again if no one got out. Where is the challenge or fun in that?

So bring on all the players who are diverse in playing all 52 cards like me for it’s all of us that bring the excitement to the poker game. Using your learning and your brains on the felt will chip you up when used at the right time. The feeling of making the decision to enter into a pot for instance with an 8,9 suited connector and smashing your opponent’s AK, QJ to bits is sheer ecstasy. Sit back and rejoice in the fact that you chose to play, that you chose to back that hand at that point.

I too have been hit with “How could you play that after my raise” and I think well: “caller, caller, and caller! Mmm, nice pot while putting them on high cards”. “I will see the flop”. Gee I’m glad I did use my fun poker strategy (ship those chips to me!).

Feel free to comment on whether you prefer diversity in the game or predictable play. For me diversity all the way, even though it is driven by my emotions, this is why I play online poker and return for more.

HIVE OF DREAMS - “Queen-Beez Journey” -Part - 2

While learning how to play poker from my son I realised that I had achieved my actual goal: reconnecting with my son! I did not realize, however, that at this point it was also mapping my future. We spent hours laughing and chatting and exchanging notes and I was truly learning something from my son I was falling in love with: poker strategy.

James, my son, found the time and location of a free roll league that played in our area and was keen for his parents to attend. I was so not ready to experience this poker game with live players, especially strangers so soon and I declined. Hours later James returned with his father who was showing an amazing grin of success; he placed second. The following week, nerves-tensed, stern-faced I walked into a new world of free poker players battling for minimal prizes that didn’t matter; it was the game that drew them together. At that point, my brain was mush; I had forgotten everything I’d been learning, adrenaline kicked in.

Then I won my first pot! It was then that I was hooked and my poker strategy paid off. It was like: wow, I want that experience again! It was fantastic!

For me a true passion was born and I was now thirsty to learn everything! Even poker rules from scratch to really strive hard and perform well in this poker world. I had found my destiny and my goal from there on was to become the best poker player I could be. That was hardly over two years ago and look where I am today!

You can make your poker dream a reality like I did mine. Stay tuned for incidents and stories regarding how I achieved mine, which I sincerely hope may inspire you to follow your dreams and desires. Please feel free to comment as we go along.

HIVE OF DREAMS - “Queen-Beez Journey” -Part -1

Sharing my journey with you from everyday, routine living to my HIVE of DREAMS, will surely inspire you to start following your hopes and dreams, remembering the simple adage about “no pain no gain”.

If someone had said to me two years ago that I would be writing blogs today about my “poker strategy” I would have replied with a very confused “WHAT THE!!” Here I was a mum raising four kids and running a family business. I basically did the same thing day in day out! Classically the routine that most women and mothers put themselves in!

I wondered what my self worth was and where my achievements, passions, desires were? I hope you do not misunderstand me; I am a very, very proud mother, although I dreamed of something beyond being a mere secretary. I WAS NOT PUT ON THIS EARTH to lead an existence merely in order to pay the bills; I knew that there must be something more rewarding for me instead of passing each day without achieving much at the end of it.

Well, it began with my son. Overnight my eldest son turned 16 and with attitude to match. Wow! I was not given a rule book for this when he was born. I had no idea that his turning 16 would change my way of looking at life, my focus to excel. No way. I had no idea that my love for my son would culminate with me living my desire and enhancing my self-worth, all passionately rolled up in a Texas hold em poker dream!

Natural Moves

From time to time we send it through,

A simple message you can view,

The lift of an eye

The amazing gentle sigh,

Fingers through the hair

Followed by the poker stare

Shifting in the seat

With a sad look of defeat

The unnatural cough continued

With the wipe of the mouth

Long face down on chips

Reveling scared to make that slip

Play some hands blind

To open your mind

To learn the tells we show

For if you can your poker will grow

POPPING BUBBLE

This comes up a lot in conversations.

Would you play this hand on or around the money bubble?

If so how would you play it?

Last month during the Melbourne Champs with 30 players left to the money.

What happened and should I have played it differently.

After 2 days of play and very low stack with 30 players left to the money bubble in dealer position, I look down at KK. My first instinct is oh know this is decision time. I scan the table and don’t really see any poker players looking strong with their hands. I run through my head do I risk my tournament on KK? Do I simply fold and try and last till the bubble pops. Do I push all-in when it’s my go. Or simply put in a raise.


Now dealer position is prime and sitting with KK, I need to use this hand to chip up. Each player folds around to me. I raise with small blind folding. Big blind re-raises. What are the chances of him having AA? Without too much thought I push all-in putting the pressure back on him. Does he want to risk his tournament? Time seemed to stand still with silence so thick a knife would surely slice through. Playing with his poker chips and realising it will leave him very short stack if his hand does not pay off.

I am feeling confident he will fold, for if he had AA he would have called instantly. With his actions I now put him on AK, Q, J or mid pockets. I am nervous now as other players have noticed the all-in action about to take place. At this point after hours and hours of play so close to bubble who would risk their stack and the chance to be knocked out. Well he did calling and turning over 99.

As soon as I saw the mid pair I knew I was done. That my poker tournament life was about to be smoked and as the flop fell with a 9, I now was fighting for my tournament life. Even turning the gut shot was still very little chance for me. As the river fell I leant over shook his hand and thanked the players on the table and the dealer. As I walked away feeling nothing, blank, silent.

Once over the emotion of being out we all seem to start playing the hand again over and over in our heads. Should I have played it like this or that or even folded.

For me this is what I decided I should have done being so close to the popping bubble. First of all not get caught up with KK as any hand can and will be beat by the river.

This is how if given the chance again I would have played the KK hand in dealer position. I would have raised small blind folded, big blind re-raised. Here I would and should just call. The flop rag, a, 9. Big blind would have checked hoping I hit my A if holding one. I would have put out a bet just to feel out this big blind player. Now he would of called giving me the idea he has hit, therefore I would not have committed any more chips and would have stayed in the game behind dealer although very low stack but giving me a chance to hold while bubble popping. Or he would have gone over the top putting me in a position of having to put him on the A or a set and me therefore folding leaving me in the game.

I had waited so long for a good poker hand. Seeing KK got my adrenaline going and seeing it as a winning hand, a chance to chip right up and smooth through the bubble. No hand is a winner till river has flowed.

How would you have played this or would you have played it like I did?

QUEEN-BEE

Always packing the sting for learning!

THE HIVE ANSWERS ALL!

My name is Cindy “QUEEN-BEE” Morgan and I am bursting to share with you all my experiences and teachings. My passion is playing poker, filled with amazing opportunities such as being the Brand Ambassador for RAIDBET.NET.

I find the most important part of improving our poker game is through learning. Especially asking those questions that stump us all until answered.


This wonderful new blog is a spot for you THE NEW PLAYER. A place to have all those questions answered without feeling silly or shot down by a more experienced poker player. Questions you have racing around in your poker passionate mind will now be answered.

I too am still learning myself as poker is a life’s journey and I do remember what it was like to be THE NEW PLAYER.

My driven mission here is to help you grow within yourself and your poker skills, so one day you may teach the next NEW PLAYER.

For without NEW PLAYERS poker would surely die.

Please make yourself welcome here by leaving your questions in the HIVE and I look forward to our future together learning and growing in this wonderful world of poker game.

QUEEN-BEE