Lately my poker is red hot! It’s quite like shooting fish in a barrel. I’m winning about 75% of my sit n go poker games right now. I’m playing a combination of heads up and 9 player sit n go tournaments, mostly at the $10 limits since my bankroll took such a large hit last week. I’m building it back up quickly and will return to my $20 games soon. This is my discliplined approach to bankroll management. When I lose and get below 20 buy-ins for the limit I’m playing, I drop to a lower limit until I build my bankroll back up. I’ll be back in the $20 games soon and hope to continue improving my game. The players in $20 games aren’t really that much better than the ones I encounter in the $10 games, but I will exercise good bankroll management so I don’t bust out and have to buy in again. I need all my spare money for beer!

Here’s my tip for the day. Don’t get into the habit of depositing money in your poker account, playing until it’s gone, and then rebuying. Use my simple tips for bankroll management to make sure you don’t become one of the career losers in the poker rooms. It doesn’t have to happen.

Play using solid poker strategy and you can enjoy the beer and fish too!

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* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT”

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I’d like to welcome four new players at Full Tilt Poker.

IxNEEDxLESSONSx
SoCalDeeva
Skills Wins
Bustin Yo Nuts

Hey you guys. Thanks for signing up for a Full Tilt Poker account. If you haven’t done so, make sure you take advantage of Full Tilt Poker’s generous 100% deposit bonus (for first time deposits).

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Enter Bonus Code “DrunkBlonde” to ensure we both get a bonus!

Look me up at Full Tilt Poker (I’m “DrunkBlonde”) sometime and maybe we can chat or play a game together. If you do look me up and say hello I’ll be happy to show you around the site. It’s a great poker site!

Best of luck on the felt.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT“

Ahhh, how good it feels to be back to normal, after riding out the recent losing streak I blogged about a couple days ago. I don’t think I’m drinking as much these days. Life is good. I just took first place in a SNG tourney and it is time for bed but I felt some other drunk poker player might benefit from reading about my experiences.

We all have these runs of bad luck where we get beat by suckouts and/or when our cards never seem to hit on the flop. After seeing suckout after suckout, it’s tempting to deviate from your normal (solid) strategy – Don’t do it! Deviating from solid poker strategy will simple prolong your losing streak and you’ll find yourself needlessly squandering your bankroll. Just ride it out and accept that this is a normal part of poker. It happens to all of us. It happens to the best of us.  And, it passes.

Here is a good bit of advice for sit n go players; If you lose three games in a session, stop playing for the day. Maybe the cards just aren’t going your way. Sometimes losing streaks are very short and taking a break will help minimize your losses while increasing the probability that you will return to your winning ways during your next SNG session.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT“

I just went through a horrible series of tough losses and bad beats in my sit n go poker games. I played 12 games and lost every one of them even though I felt I was playing at the top of my game. The beer bottles stacked up fast as each loss stung even more than the last.

If I had two aces in the pocket and went all in preflop then some knuck with ace king offsuit would call me and hit a straight or a flush. In all of the games (except one where I misjudged my opponents hand) I had my money in the pot with the best hand but the other players always seemed to draw out on me. Out of 12 losses I made it to middle to late stage every time but managed to finish outside the money in all of them.

As my losses added up I was tempted to stray from my normal strategy but I didn’t. I decided to take a little break and play some cash games where I was able to recover most of my sit n go losses. Still, sit n go is my game so I made my way back and persisted, playing the strategy I believe works best.

I felt I just needed one win to turn the tide and it happened. In the 13th game I believe I was still playing the same game as I played in all the prior 12 games. This time I took third place. It wasn’t great, but it was in the money. In the next two games I took first place and so the string of bad beats ended just as quickly and unceremoniously as it had started.

I know, I know… as I’ve said before, “nobody gives a damn about your bad beats” and that isn’t really the message I’m trying to get across here. I’m saying that we need to avoid going on tilt and that can be easier said than done. We need to play the proper strategy even when we see loose players sucking out all around us. By playing a solid game, using proper strategy and avoiding going on tilt we can overcome the bad beats and strings of losses that invariably strike all poker players from time to time.

I hope my string of bad luck is over for a while now. I’m back to my normal percentage of winning about 60 to 70% of my sit n go games.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT”

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Biggest Mistakes in Sit N Go Poker
Playing Too Loose Early in the Game

I have made an observation that I wish to share with you about the single biggest mistake I see in the online Sit n Go Poker games. This affects virtually all newcomers to the game and even many experienced players.

Many of your opponents will play far too many hands at the beginning of a sit n go game. This is especially true of low limit sit n go games and newer players. One of the most common examples of this is playing ace – rag (an ace with a small kicker). Such hands make for very difficult decisions after the flop and should usually be avoided in early sit n go play. When you play only the best hands early in the game you will enjoy the following advantages;

1. Increased probability that you will make the final money positions
2. You’re able to sit back and watch the table to learn player types and betting patterns
3. Bigger pots raked in from loose players when you do have monster hands
4. You conserve chips so you have more available to push when you hit the monster hands
5. You will frequently make the later stage of the game with a solid chip stack

Play Tight Aggressive Poker in the early stage of a sit n go poker game

Here’s a tip for you: If your opponents are playing too loosely (as they almost certainly will be) make strong raises when you’re dealt premium hands and rake in the chips from your looser opponents.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT”

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Why the Fish Play Online Poker

This article isn’t another one of those self aggrandizing diatribes about how much better I am than weaker poker players. If you read through this you’ll see that online poker offers advantages for new players who want to learn poker in a safer, less expensive environment. This is also a great situation for experienced players who want to win consistently by beating the fish that gravitate to online poker. Please allow me to expound.

Definition of Fish: In poker slang, fish are those players we encounter who don’t have a clue. They chase bad draws, they over bet mediocre hands and under bet their monster hands allowing their opponents to draw out on them and rake in huge pots. They think they are better than they really are. They attribute their losses with all the “bad beats” and terrible luck – anything but their poker skills.

Nobody knows it all. If you realize that you need to continue learning throughout your lifetime of poker playing then you’re well on your way to being a winning player. Why don’t you bookmark my site and come back so you can read through the tips that I share in my blog. I love poker and I love to write – what a great combination!

I could write a book on why good poker players should never berate weak poker players. It’s bad for business. When someone pays for a draw and sucks out on the river you should simply smile and borrow a line from Doyle Brunson, ”that’s poker.” Make a mental note of the players betting patterns and use that information in a later hand. All too often I hear supposedly informed players calling others donkeys, fish or making unkind remarks about their play. First, I would suggest that many of these “informed players” are indeed fish themselves – they just don’t know it. Second, it’s just bad for the game when you chase away the weak players, leaving only the stronger ones. Third, it’s just bad etiquette. I may be a drunk blonde, but I know how to behave in public.

Getting us back on topic… Why are there more fish playing online poker than in the casinos?

As we have discussed, the fish get intimidated in casinos. Other players may pick on them. New players are overwhelmed by the action and the antics of experienced players. Do you remember what it was like when you started playing? Eventually, all the regulars get to know who the fish are and they use this knowledge to pummel on the weak players. Eventually the fish will get tired of being both belittled and beaten out of their money.

The stakes at casino games generally start at about $1 – $2 and go from there. For beginning players this can simply be too expensive – especially while they’re learning the game of poker. Playing in a casino is a very costly way to learn. There are a few comps along the way, but no major bonuses for casino poker players. In contrast, many online poker sites offer very generous bonuses for first time players. I highly recommend that you take advantage of these bonuses. For example, at Full Tilt Poker you can get a 100% bonus on your first deposit, up to $600. You deposit $600 and get $1200. Where can you find a casino that will match that offer?!

Click Here to Get Your Full Tilt Poker 100% BONUS UP TO $600 
Enter Bonus Code “DrunkBlonde”

Playing online also offers some other definite advantages for new players and experienced players alike. Experienced players enjoy the bonuses, multi-table playing and weaker competition. Another added advantage is the fact that no dealer I’ve seen in the online poker rooms will accept tips! This adds to your hourly rate (of profit) in the online poker rooms. New players will also be able to enjoy the bonuses for new players. They won’t be beat up on quite so badly because they will find many players at their own level. They don’t need to tolerate being berated by other players – you can usually turn chat off or block offensive players. There is a certain degree of anonymity when you play online. The “DrunkBlonde” seated next to you could be a very serious and experienced player. The “PokerShark” could be a complete newbie. Perhaps the biggest draw for new players are the ultra low limit rooms offered by online poker sites. Full Tilt Poker offers games starting at $0.05 – $0.10 blinds. What a great way to learn the game without having to remortgage the house!

Playing online offers a wider selection of games at lower limits, with less intimidation, while offering the most generous bonuses available anywhere. This is why online poker sites offer advantages for both new and experienced poker players. If we must be vile - this is why you’ll find more fish in the online poker rooms.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT”

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 Sit n Go Poker Video

$10 Heads Up Game on Full Tilt Poker 3/15/08

This is my second effort at recording my sit n go poker games so you can learn from my mistakes…. heh heh

Here are the stats for our showdown;

Drunk Blonde: 10 clubs, 10 diamonds = 56% chance of winning the hand
The Villain: Ace clubs, Queen diamonds = 43% chance of winning the hand

Let me know what you think of these videos. Leave me a comment. Do the videos help? Do you want to see more? Any suggestions?

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT“

How to Play Multi-Table Sit n Go Poker

I enjoy playing multi-table sit n go poker and have moved up to four games at once. I started out playing 1 sit n go at a time, then progressed to 2, and then to 3. Now I’m playing 4 at a time with no problems. The key is to move up gradually. Also, when I play 4 games I’m playing at a lower limit than usual. So far, this is proving to be more profitable than playing 1 or 2 games, even at higher limits. For example, I played 4 sit n go games the other evening. I took 1st place in 1 game and 2nd place in 2 games. I busted out of the other game prior to making the money.

I bought in for $5 + .50 for 4 games. This was a total buy in amount of $22. I cashed out $22.50, 22.50 and 13.50 for a total of $58.50. That is a profit of $36.50 for about an hour of poker. I have been repeating this result over and over. I don’t always win $36.50. Sometimes I win less but I have only lost money 1 time so far.

Here’s what I have learned about sit n go poker so far; Once you master single table sit n go poker, you can start winning consistently and earning a nice income by playing multi-table sit n go games. Please notice that I said “once you master single table sit no go poker.” The bankroll variance tends to be more stable with sit n go games so you may be able to sleep better at night. This can be a way to earn a living or at least to generate a great second income.

Sit n go games are much easier to multi-table than cash games because you don’t have to watch every single little element of the games and continually weigh the actions of your opponents. By playing a tight, aggressive game and picking your spots wisely, you can find yourself in the money more often than not. I don’t recommend the turbo (rapidly increasing blinds) for multi-table play because those games favor luck much more than the regular sit n go games where the blinds increase more slowly.

All other things being equal, skilled players will benefit from longer (regular) sit n go games.

All other things being equal, lucky players will benefit from shorter (turbo) sit n go games. 

I highly recommend 9 player sit n go games as opposed to the short-handed 6 player games if you’re going to play at multiple tables. Short handed games require much closer attention to your opponents and the action will be much more difficult to follow on multiple short handed tables.

If you find yourself losing money then step back down in buy-ins and/or the number of tables you’re playing. Build your bankroll and skills back up. You should constantly be striving to make the best possible decisions, so ask yourself if you’re making good decisions at the tables and answer as honestly as you can.

It is important that you be able to see all tables at once when you’re multi-tabling. From the picture above you can see that I’m able to see all four games at a glance. I tend to keep my cursor about centered and 3/4 of the way down the page so I can move quickly to any room to take action. This is one of many reasons Full Tilt is my favorite poker site. You can easily resize any poker room to full screen or as small as you wish. I’m able to easily resize all four games where I can fit them all on one computer screen. The rooms are easy to see and the text remains very readable.

Another great feature of Full Tilt is that they rotate the table so you are always located bottom center. You can change position to any seat at the table if you wish. This is really important for multi-table sit n go players because you must know exactly where you’re seated. If you’ve played at other sites where you might be at any seat, then you know how confusing it can be to search for your seat at different tables. It’s amazing the other sites haven’t caught on and redesigned their software to include this important feature.

I believe it is easier to win consistently at lower stakes sit n go games than it will be to win at the higher stakes. This is because of the skill level of the players in the higher buy-in games. Some players might disagree with me, and I may eventually change my mind but for now this is what I believe.

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT”

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Sit n Go Poker Video 3/12/08

$10 Heads Up Game on Full Tilt Poker 3/12/08

I’m messing around with screen capture software that can convert my poker games into Flash files. I will post some of my games so you can learn from me, both from my mistakes and from the things I happen to get right. This is a very fast $10 heads up game.

This is my first attempt. I promise I’ll get better at this. Somehow the audio was lost but the poker action really says it all. If you want to view the video full screen you can click this link: Drunk Blonde Heads Up

I’m not sure what Moosebird was thinking. You run into a lot of players who go all-in any time they see an ace in the pocket. The problem with that is when your opponent has a truly strong hand.

Here were the odds preflop;

A 6 offsuit:  28.88%
9 9:            70.84%

As the game progressed Moosebird got very aggressive going all in hand after hand. I had just uttered that one of these times we’ll look him up when it happened.

I hate knocking off one of our men in uniform this way, but hey! – he was trying to take advantage of a drunk blonde.

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Here is a list of the top 20 best starting hands in Texas Hold ‘Em. Your two hole cards (or pocket cards) start a chain of decisions that you must make. Learning how to play them properly is critical for your long-term success. In the short term you might luck out and hit with 8 2 offsuit but in the long run these best starting hands will show the profit. I recommend that you play the good hands and fold the bad ones. Learn to consider other factors such as your relative chip stack, your position and the playing styles of other players.

Best Starting Hands in Texas Hold ‘Em

1. AA
2. KK
3. QQ
4. JJ
5. AK suited
6. 10 10
7. AQ suited
8. AJ suited
9. AK
10. KQ suited
11. A 10 suited
12. KJ suited
13. AQ
14. 99
15. QJ suited
16. K 10 suited
17. 8 8
18. Q 10 suited
19. A 9 suited
20. AJ

>> Play Online Poker FREE with Play Money
>>>> Play Online to Win with Real Money
>>>>>> Download Full Tilt Software
>>>>>>>> * Double Your Initial Deposit!

* Double your money requires an initial deposit. Full Tilt Poker will give you an initial deposit bonus up to $600. When prompted, enter code “DOUBLEDEPOSIT“