Rec Poker

Hand Scenario: $280 buy-in tournament with 6 day 1's which includes buy backs (if advance to day 2 twice, you play the bigger stack and get $1,200 for the small one that is forfeited). Start with 20,000 chips and will play 16 30 minute levels on day 1. Advanced with small stack in day 1A and playing day 1B. Have a very tough table but have managed to build from 20k up to 60k about half way through the day. We are in level 8 with the blinds at 300/600 and a 50 ante. 10-handed table. I am in the cut-off and it's folded to me. I have a very solid image as everything I have had to shown down has been a very good hand. I decide to open to 1500 with KJ offsuit (K spade, J clubs) (thoughts?) I get called by the button, a very solid player who doesn't get out of line but is definitely capable of floating and applying pressure. He is the only stack at the table bigger than me (of course) with about 70k (Derek Murphy for those of you in Minnesota). The blinds fold and Derek and I are heads up with a pot

In a special edition, we move away from strategy for a week and celebrate the success of the All-in for Africa VII tournament by hearing interviews with several players that were done at AIFA. Thanks to everyone who was involved in this great tournament with great impact.

In this episode, we consider the pros & cons of wearing sunglasses and hoods. This topic was triggered by Mike Johnson. You will hear thoughts from your host (Steve Fredlund) resident experts (Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, Mike Schneider), as well as Dr. Tricia Cardner and Zach Elwood.

In this episode, we look at playing post-flop when we were the pre-flop caller. This topic was triggered by Mike Johnson and others. You will hear thoughts from your host, Steve Fredlund and resident experts Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, and Mike Schneider.

In this episode, we look at playing post-flop when we were the pre-flop raiser. This topic was triggered by Mike Engelhaupt and others. You will hear thoughts from your host, Steve Fredlund, but also from our resident experts Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, and Mike Schneider as well as pulling some insight from on-line articles. Next week we will look at post-flop play against an opponent that was the pre-flop raiser.

In this episode, we continue our conversation about pre-flop play, discussing when there is a raise in front of us. This topic was triggered by questions from Dan Young, Mike Engelhaupt and others. You will hear thoughts from your host, Steve Fredlund, but also from our resident experts Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, and Mike Schneider as well as pulling some insight from Greg Raymar and Dan Harrington.. Next week we will start looking at post-flop play.

In this episode, we talk about when we have the decision to be the first person to voluntarily put chips into the pot. In other words, it's folded to us pre-flop and we have to decide what hands to play and how to play them. This topic was triggered by questions from Dan Young and others. You will hear thoughts from your host, Steve Fredlund, but also from our resident experts Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, and Mike Schneider. Next week we will look at our response when someone raises in front of us pre-flop.

In this first episode of the new format, we look at what happens in multi-table tournaments as we near the bubble. This topic was triggered by questions from Steve Vang and Paul Morton. Often this is a tricky place for many recreational players trying to balance playing tight to get in the money with playing aggressive to give themselves a chance to win the tournament. You will hear from Jonathan Little, Chris "Fox" Wallace, Mike Schneider, and Dr. Tricia Cardner -- your host Steve Fredlund even chimes in with ICM considerations.

Jonathan Little briefly discusses Chapters 10-15 of his book "Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker - Volume 1" followed by a discussion by a number of recreational players. This is the fifth of five episodes covering the book.

Jonathan Little briefly discusses Chapter 9 of his book "Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker - Volume 1" followed by a discussion by a number of recreational players. This is the fourth of five episodes covering the book.

Jonathan Little briefly discusses Chapters 7-8 of his book "Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker - Volume 1" followed by a discussion by a number of recreational players. This is the third of five episodes covering the book.

Jonathan Little briefly discusses Chapters 5-6 of his book "Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker - Volume 1" followed by a discussion by a number of recreational players. This is the second of five episodes covering the book.

Jonathan Little briefly discusses Chapters 1-4 of his gook "Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker - Volume 1" followed by a discussion by a number of recreational players. This is the first of five episodes covering the book.

Host Steve Fredlund announces great new partnerships with Jonathan Little (pokercoaching.com), Chris "Fox" Wallace & Brian Soja (Next Level Poker), and Mike "Schneids" Schneider (Poker is Fun Tour). Steve also shares a few personal insights into the game before sharing interviews with Chris Hanson (Poker Night in America) & Jim LeVoir (Running Aces Tournament Director)

Host Steve Fredlund interviews professional poker player Kou Vang

Host Steve Fredlund interviews player Mark Hodge

Rec players Stacey Nelson, Taylor Maas, Steve Olson, Rocky Wylie, Steve Fredlund and Chris Gorton answer the following questions: 1) How has your game improved over the past few years? 2) What are the areas of your game you want to improve? 3) What are the most common mistakes you see less experienced players repeatedly making? 4) What are the things you do to improve your game? 5) What are your primary goals

Host Steve Fredlund interviews local regular recreational player Steve Olson.

Reconstructed from the best of my memory of a hand from about 2 years ago at Running Aces. $100 No limit hold 'em tournament 10-handed table 120 people started 40 people left 12 get paid 30,000 average stack 75,000 our starting stack Blinds 500/1,000 with 100 ante • Folded to us in the cut-off with 6h6d and we raise to 2,400 (started with 75,000) • Button calls (started hand with 80,000 chips) -- player has been pretty straightforward ABC; betting/calling when he has it and folding when he doesn't. • Small blind folds • Big blind calls (started hand with 60,000) -- player has been a bit spewy; playing a much wider range of hands pre-flop than most other players at the table. Total pot size 8,700 Flop Js9c6s • Big blind checks • We bet 6,500 (out of our remaining 72,500) • Button calls the 6,500 (out of their remaining 77,500) • Big blind folds Total pot size 21,700 Turn card 10s making the board Js9c6s10s • We lead out for 14,000 (out of our remaining 66,000) • Button calls 14,000 (out of their remainin

Another hand scenario that several people provided input on. (thanks to Steve Webb, Nick Krautkremer, Doug Behrens, Jason Root, Vic Swanson, Matt Hamilton, Steve Olson, Taylor Maas, Rob Washam, Mike Engelhaupt, Rocky Wylie, Chris Nelson, Brian Soja, Andy Kaplan, Hunter Cichy, Joe Barnard, and Mike Schneider). This one is also from Steve's trip to Vegas. WSOP Daily Deep Stack $235 tournament 1,200 entrants; 180 paid; 200 remaining 90,000 chip average with blinds at 500 / 2,000 / 4,000 UTG -- 25 year old pretty LAG (Loose Aggressive) makes is 11,000 from 110k stack Cut-off -- 50 year old TAG (Tight Aggressive) makes it 20,000 from 75k stack We are on the button with AQ suited and 80k stack #1) What is the correct pre-flop play? #2) What changes would cause you to take a different action (stack sizes, knowledge of players/types, our starting hand, tournament situation, etc)? #3) Any other considerations/insights?