One of the most intense times in a large multi-table tournament is the breaking point between which players cash and which go home with nothing. This is known as ‘the bubble’; the point where mediocre players turn weak-tight to sneak into the cash and good players steal blinds and antes without mercy; where big stacks bully and small stacks cower.

Most intermediate players make the mistake of tightening up at the bubble - this is wrong. Take, for example, the Full Tilt Poker Early Double. This tournament typically gets 950 or so entrants, and 153 get paid. If you’re a medium-to-big stack with 154 players left, don’t use that as an excuse to relax and cruise into the money: steal blinds, pressurise shortstacks; burst that bubble yourself!

In the above example, the 153rd-placed finisher recieves $7.50. Did you really play for four hours and beat 700 people to make $1.50 profit? It shouldn’t matter if you finish 950th, 400th, 154th or 153rd. You’re playing to win.

With a board of 3c-5c-Js-7c I was put to a decision for all of my chips on the bubble of a large MTT. I held 53o, and was well aware that if I called, dozens of hands beat me - flushes, straights, sets and higher two pairs. But I made the call, because I had a decent read and I didn’t care if I bubbled, and was shown Ac-Jd. The river blanked and I doubled through to 2nd in chips. I went on to take down that tournament, and that hand was a turning point. It was the first time I’ve ever seen an entire table type “good call” into the chatbox too.

So if you’re faced with a big decision on the bubble, treat it as you would any other time. You’re not playing to make less-than-double your buy-in. You’re playing to win.

Categories: Poker Strategy
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Poker players are lazy – it’s why we like to make money by fiddling with cards and chips rather than working in an office. That’s why we’ll always prefer a DVD to a book, and that in turn is why Phil Gordon’s Final Table Poker is a success.

This DVD is a fantastic learning tool for a beginning to intermediate player, although more advanced players will not gain much from it. It discusses several techniques that seem advanced to a beginning player, such as folding easily-dominated aces pre-flop and not falling in love with a pocket pair.
Gordon accurately captures the atmosphere of a final table, and the cast of characters are humourous yet accurate. The internet young gun, the aggressive maniac and Chris Ferguson assemble at the table. Also try to spot the Jennifer Harman-based character. Hint: she’s the one with breasts.
My only issue with the DVD is not poker-related: there are adverts throughout the feature which is annoying when you’ve paid for the product, but please – if you are a player who knows how to play and wants to learn slightly more advanced techniques, I urge you to buy this.

Categories: Reviews
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The book on tells, this illustrated guide to ticks, twitches and betting patterns is a very good read; especially for a live player.

Caro writes very clearly and explains his concepts well - each tell is illustrated and explained and a scenario in which it might be useful is given. It’s an idiot-proof guide to a very complex thing, i.e. the psychology of reading people.

Online players will get less out of this than live players will, as many of the tells are actions people make - in fact, I would not recommend this for an online player. In all fairness, though, the amusingly anachronistic hairstyles are proof that this book was written far before the age of online play. Also, you will need a grasp of Stud and Draw poker in order to understand all the situations.

All in all a serious live player cannot be without this book, and I would advise any online players who wish to give live play a shot to peruse this text also. Many of these tells are still very common today.

Categories: Poker Books, Reviews
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