A lot of players would quickly say yes. But I say…well, sort of. I think there is a much bigger picture. There is good aggression and bad aggression. Aggression just for the sake of aggression, while probably profitable in spurts, I don’t think can be +EV in the long run. Actually these types of players, players who are just aggressive for the sake of it (let’s call them “Aggressive-BAD”) are easy to beat in my opinion.

I think most players would agree that passive poker is the least profitable playing style possible. If you’re always soft playing your hands, then you’re obviously not maximizing your overall value. And if it is always your desire to get to showdown in hopes that you have the best hand, then you are missing one huge weapon in your betting arsenal: bluffing. So passives are also limited in how they can win. Put simply: passive=bad. When you’re always calling and calling and you only raise when you have the nuts, you will never be profitable in the long run. It’s impossible. You’re also very easy to beat; any decent player is just going to value bet you to death and simply fold to your raises.

Have you ever sat at a mostly tight-passive table and watched a GOOD, aggressive player absolutely steamroll everybody? It is always one of my favorite events to observe. You watch these passive players consistently limp in or make chintzy raises and just continually get re-jacked or outplayed if they are brazen enough to call pre-flop. Then they mumble to themselves when they feel compelled to muck. Then, all of a sudden, an interesting dynamic shift happens; the gang of passives, without even muttering a single word to each other, decide to “gang up” on the aggro player! They secretly hope and pray that if they can’t do it, then one of their passive-bad cohorts will take a huge pot off the good, aggressive player. Only problem is, their traps don’t work, their bluffs don’t work; nothing works! And this player continues to play aggressively, bluffing in spots where he could show up with monster hands, and also value bets in spots where he could show up with air. He balances his ranges well and poses a lot of problems both pre and post-flop.

This player fits under the description of “Aggressive-GOOD.” He gives you headaches at the table. He makes you want to quit cards forever. He’s the guy you think is just blessed, just running good. He’s the guy you so desperately want to trap, damn it! But you don’t, and you won’t.

Plain and simple: Aggression + purpose=Good. Very good.

But what about those players that learned aggression in and of itself is good, but don’t apply the concept well at all? These players are still in every pot, just like the “passive-bad” players we discussed earlier. But they bet and raise in spots that are inconsistent with any kind of strong hand. They are aggressive just for the sake of being aggressive. Their betting lines usually don’t make any sense, so savvy players adjust quickly by calling, raising, and even re-raising light. They are also easy to trap, because they overplay hands and bet and raise in spots where it’s quite obvious they can never be winning. Spend enough time with this player and he or she will exhibit the same kind of betting pattern over and over and over again. For example, I was playing heads-up limit with an “Aggressive-BAD” the other day. After about 10 hands, I noticed that this player always always always checked the flop and then bet the turn without fail. What an easy adjustment to make to know that all I had to do was widen my check-raise range on the turn against this player. Even lowest pair made me confident enough to double his big bet on Fourth Street.

So what player profile do you think you fit under? Passive-bad, Aggressive-bad, or Aggressive-good? What works (and doesn’t work) for you? Can you think of some ways you can begin to combat all three playing styles? Hopefully this entry will shed a little light on the “Aggression” theory as it relates to poker as well as make you think a little more about your own aggression level at the table.

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Having basically zero knowledge of bankroll management, I was consistently playing levels that were too high.

It was around this time that I got an invite to a game that took place after hours in a video game store.  This place was run amok with gaming prodigies, not just poker, but Magic The Gathering players.  If you’ve never heard of MTG, its sort of like Dungeons and Dragons played with playing cards.  My poker buddies walked in on a few young teens playing, and my one friend remarked “Hey be careful, I think he has pocket Demons!”

But I digress.

This store had plenty of computers as well, and we all would spend many hours on Party Poker or Ultimate Bet winning and losing unknown sums of money.

One night I sat down at an out of the way computer to play.  I sat at 4 tables of $5/10 (which I had no business doing with an $11,000 bankroll) and started to grind away.

This one guy who I barely knew asked me if I minded if he watched. “Nope,” I said.

After about 5 minutes, he asked politely, “Mind if I give you some pointers?”

“Please.”

A fold here where I would’ve called, a raise here where I would’ve called, a call here where I would’ve folded…

You get the idea.

30 minutes later I was $2500 richer, and he wouldnt take a red cent.

“No, I insist.  It’s ok.  I just like to teach.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

Your 12th place finisher in this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event:
Adam “Roothlus” Levy.

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I’ve mentioned before my M.O. at the poker table:  full fledged “poker armor” consisting of a large hood, dark shades and most important, the IPOD.

I believe in listening to cerebral music when I play.  This usually consists of classical music, but in particular the Bach Cello Suites performed by Pablo Casals.

I cant really put into words how amazing this piece of music is.

“Bach is the most ancient of the future’s musicians” is a statement Casals once made.  And  no matter how many times you listen to the Suites, you’ll always feel the genius in Casals’ playing.

It was well documented that Casals dedicated his life to this piece of music.  Just trust me all of this comes across very well in the art.

And to me, the unaccompanied cello: a little melancholy, a little brilliant, alone, determined…hey, kind of sounds like a poker player, right?

Anyway one day I am playing $1/$2 at the Hard Rock (notorious for wild action) and I pick up QQ.  I open to $12 with a pretty wild image.  A real tight player, I mean squeeze-water-out-of-a-rock-119-years-old-playing-with-his-pension-tight, re-raised me from the big blind to $25.  I had a good mind to just open fold.  I mean, I was 90% sure he had KK or AA.  But I decided to call.  Since I was in position, if the flop was A high, and he had KK, I was pretty sure I could get  him off his hand.  And if I was fortunate enough to flop a Q, well then I knew I could win his whole stack.

The flop turns over: Qs10h9c.

Bingo.  He c-bets $30 and I value shove all in for $175.  Then the old man tanked for a minute.

RIGHT at that moment, I look down at my IPOD. “Suite Nº5 Para Chelo En Do Menor Bwc 1011-Ii-Allemande-Molto Moderato – Pablo Casals” -MY FAVORITE MOVEMENT FROM MY FAVORITE SUITE…

Now pause with me in this moment of time, if you will.

I’ve heard that when a person is drowning, somewhere in the moments between complete panic and total unconsciousness, is a moment of absolute euphoria. Similarly, there are moments where The Suites encompass you so completely and aural texture washes over you to such an extent that you’re literally drowning in sound. Then when the weight and sheer mass of music is about to crush you…it happens…

The most comforting, wonderful sound washes over you, around you, and through you. Suddenly, you’re floating…

Not to mix metaphors too drastically, but if it were possible to climb inside a song, live with it, die with it and experience its rebirth, this would be the vehicle to take you on such a trip. In this unbelievable marriage of chaos and bliss, I’ve actually driven off the road, hypnotized in its melody…I find myself moved to tears.

Old Man River calls all in and shows KK.

The turn card: 2d

The river: Js

Charlie shows: three of a kind, Queens

Old Man River shows: a straight, King high.

So here I am felted after a ridiculous beat.  And now I have a couple of tears revealing themselves from underneath my dark sunglasses to all the degenerates at the poker table.  An acquaintance of mine named Willie said, “Wow Charlie, youre upset?  I’ve seen you take way worse beats than that!”

I admit that the irony of  the situation is hilarious, but when Willie spoke to me, I just smiled to myself, knowing that no one could understand how swept away in beauty I was at that moment.  Funny enough it had nothing to do at all with cards.

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This happened to me not too long ago.  Except I was on the poker table, now grinding poker for income, when I got the phone call from the ex.

“Hey Charlie…how are things?  Its been a while.  Blah blah blah gratuitous blah blahs…would you like to meet up?  I will buy you dinner.”

“Sure”

I get up from the table and cash out my chips.  Wait for the 2003 Camry to flash her lights at me from the valet section in front of the casino.  Me, dressed in full Unabomber garb that has become part of my daily habit: black hoodie…extra dark shades…large, studio type headphones. ..huge, comfy (albeit ripped for assured air-conditioned air flow) jeans.

I get in the car and slump against the passenger side door.

My ex took one long look at me.  The same ex who never understood anything about poker, why i loved it, why i played it, hell, why ANYONE played it, taught me one of my biggest lessons about the game that night.

“I finally understand why you love poker so much.”

“Eh?” I mumbled.  Barely was I paying attention.

“It’s your escape.”

I didnt say anything.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized…she was right.

The poker table is the one place you can totally zone out your problems.  You replace each individual worry in your mind with each particular donkey that chose to sit down with you and attack them with the same vigor and zeal that you wish you had to deal with your real problems.

Is this kinda cowardly?  Perhaps.  Unhealthy? Maybe.

But I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Shuffle up and deal, suckers.

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DALLAS, June 25 /PRNewswire/ — PokerTrainingNetwork.com today announced that Montel Williams, an Emmy Award(R)-winning television personality, radio talk show host and avid poker player, has joined PTN as part of its corporate structure and is partnering with PTN to actively promote its products and business opportunity.

“We are pleased to have Montel Williams join our team,” said Dennis Nadeau, CEO of PokerTrainingNetwork.com. “For many years we have known about Mr. William’s focus on helping people live better lives physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually. Utilizing Mr. William’s global popularity and reach along with PTN’s one-of-a-kind poker training products and business opportunity, we will change the landscape of poker. We look forward to making a difference in people’s lives with our direct sales business model.”

Mr. Williams hosted The Montel Williams Show, a nationally syndicated talk show by CBS Paramount Television, for 17 years, taping over 3,500 shows and interviewing more than 30,000 guests focusing on key social issues involving ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances. He received a Daytime Emmy(R) Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host and later his show was nominated for Outstanding Talk Show two years in a row.
Battling Multiple Sclerosis daily, Williams has built the Living Well with Montel brand by incorporating life experience and the information he has accumulated through personal account and professional opinions.

Mr. Williams sharpened his poker skills during a twelve-year career as an officer in the U.S. Navy after graduating from Annapolis. Williams was the overall chip leader for hours and the rest of the day he was near the top at the Main Event of the World Series of Poker in 2007.
Texas Hold ‘em poker has been used as the game of choice for supporting local and national charities, and Mr. Williams has been at the forefront of many charitable campaigns. “Together we are developing dynamic charitable platforms that will help raise money, gather donations and raise awareness for well deserving charities. And, there is no one better to have on this journey with us than Montel Williams,” continued Nadeau.

About PokerTrainingNetwork.com
PokerTrainingNetwork.com is committed to becoming the global leader in Poker Education and Training. PTN has built a proprietary learning center that utilizes Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) as its primary teaching method as well as built a world-class game room for its members to practice what they’ve learned. To achieve our goals, PTN’s marketing vision combines poker training and educational products with one of the most powerful distribution methods today — Direct Sales.
Our Mission: PokerTrainingNetwork.com is building a Global Community that is dedicated to providing the highest poker training, education and business opportunity in a dynamic, social, entertaining and rewarding environment for its members.

Visit us on the Net: http://www.pokertrainingnetwork.com

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Jim Karol ands The Wiseguys of Comedy

Poker Training Network, Jim Karol, and “The Wiseguys of Comedy” descended upon the SportsZone84 sports bar in Ft. Lauderdale last night. The standing room only crowd was treated to a full menu of comedy, cards, and visual mindbending entertainment.

Very seldom have I seen all four acts shine so brightly in an intimate venue. The Wiseguys opened up with Perry Sak (third from left in photo) who got the crowd rockin’, followed by “Always Dangerous Dougie Almeda” (right side of photo) . By the time Lenny Travis (first on left in photo) finished off the triumvirate, it seemed like the people had already gotten their moneies worth. I laughed so hard I almost brought beer up my nose.

After intermission the truly amazing Jim Karol (the guy with the Jim Karol t-shirt in the photo…) took the stage. Jim mezmorized the crowd with astonishing, seemingly supernatural psychic abilities. Jaws dropped in unison as Mr. Karol crawled into our minds. Jim truly is in the “Amazing Business.”  Cards flew through the crowd and appeared in places that they never should have been. Melons split. Knives flew. It was kind of like “Gallagher meets Houdini” except without the sledge-o-matic. If you thought that Jim’s show is only card tricks and mental impossibilities, think again. Mr. Karol brings down the house with non-stop laughter worthy of any stage or comedian. He signs autographs after the show too

So support Jim and buy the new book “Psychic Madman” if you didn’t make it to the show. If you are smart, you WILL be there next time.

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SportsZone84 is at 2440 W. State Rd. 84 in Ft. Lauderdale. Call 954.734.2424 for details. The Admission is $15.00 and the show starts at 8:00 pm.

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Join Jim Karol “The Psychic Madman”, Donnie D’Auria, poker professional, and Dennis Nadeau, CEO of PTN for a 2 day poker event at the Rockingham Park Poker Room. Be there May 15th and 16th as Mr. Karol astounds and amazes the crowds with his mastery of the human mind. Be sure to visit the Poker Taining Network leadership in the seminar room as well. There will also be a special celebrity guest attending, and those of you that make the journey to Salem, New Hampshire, will be in for a great PTN experience.

Learn more about the Poker Training Network: Click Here.

Learn more about Jim Karol, “The Psychic Madman”: Click Here.

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SportsZone84 is at 2440 W. State Rd. 84 in Ft. Lauderdale. Call 954.743.2424 for details. The Admission is $15.00 and the show starts at 8:00 pm.

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The Florida Legislature approved the further expansion of poker in the state today, including the removal of a maximum buy-in for no-limit poker and the elimination of a maximum bet per round in limit games.

The new legislation also allows for casinos and cardrooms located at horse tracks, dog tracks, and jai alai frontons in Florida to offer the expanded no-limit poker, which removes the $100 maximum buy-in and the $5 maximum bet per betting round in limit games. poker tournament buy-ins limits will also be removed, as a $1,000 limit had been imposed from previous legislation. This opens the door for major poker events to consider Florida as a venue.

While Poker Training Network is non-gambling site, and major tournaments do not affect our education only software, this bill will allow for more entertainment in the form of live events to be held in our regional casinos.

To learn more about Poker Training Network: Click Here.

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