Episode #98: AnteUp! Game Show

MAIN TOPIC

Fasso played Alex Trebek as the intrepid hosts faced off in an intense battle of who knows more worthless poker trivia. You'll have to listen to the podcast to find out who won, but we will tell you that it wasn't a blowout!

Play along at home. Here are the questions (answers will be posted in the Comments section of this post):

GENERAL POKER KNOWLEDGE (loosely defined, you might say)

1. Which of these poker-playing actors has been quoted as saying "the game exemplifies the worst aspects of capitalism that have made our country so great"?
a. Gabe Kaplan
b. Walter Matthau
c. Telly Savalas
d. W.C. Fields

2. What was the first WSOP prize?
a. $25,000
b. a bracelet
c. the winner's weight in gold
d. none of the above

3. We all remember that Stu Ungar won the WSOP main event in 1980, 81, and 97. But he also has a Series bracelet from 1983. What was the event?
a. Razz
b. Pot Limit Omaha
c. Seven Card Stud
d. Limit Hold Em

4. What is the name of Vince Van Patten's poker novel?
a. The Rembrandt Call
b. The Puccini Raise.
c. Flop the Nuts
d. The Picasso Flop

5. You are all-in against two red aces. You have the best chance of winning with:
a. 78 hearts
b. JT clubs
c. 89 clubs
d. 78 spades

6. Who finished second in the WSOP in both 1985 and 2000?
a. Jesus Ferguson
b. Dewey Tomko
c. Bill Smith
d. TJ Cloutier

7. Who was the first European player to win a WSOP bracelet?
a. Gus Hansen
b. Thor Hansen
c. Devil Fish Ulliot
d. Carlos Mortensen

8. Which Omaha 8 hand has the best chance to scoop?
a. A234 all hearts
b. TTA3 four suits

9. Who is the chip leader going into today's final table at the Five-Star World Poker Classic?
a. Scott Fischman
b. Carlos Mortensen
c. Gavin Smith
d. Paul Lee

10. This poker player was born on New Year's Eve, 1928.
a. Hebert O. Yardley
b. Johnny Moss
c. Amarillo Slim
d. Brian Sailor Roberts

ANTE UP KNOWLEDGE (you'd think we'd know more about our own show)

1. On Show 29, the first of the New Year's resolutions shows, which one of these was not one of Scott's resolutions?
a. Be more disciplined
b. Blog more
c. Learn a new game
d. Read a book

2. On that same show, which one was not one of Chris' resolutions?
a. Blog more
b. Be nicer when with family
c. Enter more tournaments
d. Get better at limit hold em

3. On Episode 55, Joe Sebok explained his father's toughness with a story of an injury Joe suffered:
a. playing Yahtzee
b. on the basketball court
c. playing touch football
d. at the poker table

4. After Kenna James achieved success at smaller stakes limit Hold Em, he moved up the ladder and continued to win but then hit a wall and lost his confidence at what level?
a. 40-80
b. 20-40
c. 50-100
d. 30-60

5. Jennifer Harman said it was "amazing to watch" this player put others on tilt.
a. Phil Hellmuth
b. Mike Matusow
c. Jean-Robert Ballande
d. Freddy Deeb

6. Mark Seif said his new infant Sarah:
a. had seen over 20,000 hands on Absolute Poker
b. was signed up for a play-money account online
c. has a poker chip mobile
d. is nicknamed "Sarah Slim"

7. Johnny Chan asked the hosts for their favorite:
a. poker game
b. gambling destination
c. color
d. food

8.  When Greg Raymer was struggling to cash in tournaments early in his career, a friend give him this advice:
a. Play tight early, then more aggressive
b. Keep track of BB won/lost each level
c. Keep track of chip stack relative to average stack
d. Fold low pocket pairs in early position.

9. Episode 88: Best poker lines. "Must be a peach of a hand:"
a. Tilt
b. Cincinnati Kid
c. Rounders
d. Tombstone

10. Razz Episode 39: The Bard opens with some lines from:   
a. Hamlet   
b. Romeo and Juliet
c. Timon of Athens
d. Macbeth

LIGHTNING ROUND

1. In season one of the WPT, this player won both the Five Diamond Poker Classic and the L.A. Poker Classic.

2. Covering the 1981 WSOP, The Biggest Game in Town has been called "the best book ever written on poker." Who wrote it?

3. Give me the name and the nickname of the player who bets "quack quack."

4. According to Joe Navarro, which is a high confidence tell, a pursed lip or a hidden lip?

5. According to the Pet Peeves show, what really burns Mike's toast?

6. In suit rankings, spades are highest. Which suit is next highest?

7. In the SS/2 chapter on Triple Draw, Daniel Negraneau says don't leave the gate without a what?

8. True or False? Phil Ivey has more bracelets than Huck Seed.

9. The film The Cincinnati Kid was directed by Norman Jewison. Which director was fired off the film a couple weeks into shooting? Hint: He also directed Straw Dogs.

10. He played "The Matador" on the series Tilt.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

1. It takes a 5 or a 10 to make a straight. In Hold Em you are dealt 5/10. There is one straight you can't make, what is it?

OTHER TOPICS

VEGAS, BABY!: Chris, Scott and Fasso will be Vegas the first week of July for the World Series of Poker. All three have pledged to play an event: Fasso in Event #46 (Stud 8), Scott in Event #51 (SHOE) and Chris in Event #49 (No-Limit Hold'em). Chris and Scott will also attend the WSOP Academy, and of course will roam the Series as members of the working media. We'll likely record the show out there, and of course would love to have an AnteUp! MeetUp if some of you will be out there. We can get a $4.95 steak dinner at Ellis Island.

AIPS: We hailed the success of forceweaver, who wins Event #4: Razz, and of course give Scott his props for taking his "74 chips and a chair" all the way to the Final Table. Get all the details at the previous post.

BARNEY FRANK, POKER'S HERO: The Massachusetts congressmen introduces the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, which would allow licensed and regulated online gambing in the United States, with a few exceptions. Read more two posts down.

UNCLE JUNIOR'S POKER GAME: It was sad, yet very funny, to see Uncle Junior rule over the psych ward poker game on the Sopranos this week. Maybe we'll switch to buttons in future AIPS events.

OMM: Surprise! Columbo folds his JJ, but we get to see the hand play out as a caller goes to war with the limp-raiser.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Like Columbo, Greg from Fontana, Calif., struggled with JJ this week, but Greg took it all the way to the end. At a $2/$4 limit game at San Manuel Casino, Greg gets the pot capped preflop, then hits top set on the flop. Capped again, the board pairs on the turn, giving Greg top boat. Greg's called, and then the river brings a Queen. Greg and his opponent raise back and forth (no cap on heads-up raises), and Greg loses the pot to pocket Queens. Ouch.

Our advice: Be careful how much you escalate it on the river when you're holding less than the nuts, even in a loose $2/$4 game.

AIPS II Event #4 champion: forceweaver

Congratulations to forceweaver, who wins the fourth AIPS II banana as champion of the Razz event, which drew 86 entrants.

forceweaver took down the title with 6-5-3-2-A against storit's J-9-8-6-4. Congrats! And props to storit, who claimed two bounties. Tune into the podcast to learn how Scott (OffDeadline) turned 74 chips into 4,431 in less than 15 minutes and then cruised to eighth place.

Bounties go to:

• storit (Scott, 8th place)
• storit (Chris, 51st place)
  Dante1126 (Fasso, 81st place)
  (Columbo did not play)

NEXT EVENT: No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed, Thursday, May 17, 9 p.m. Eastern

Click here for the Player of the Year standings. (Special thanks to Ante Up! scorekeeper Gambit for compiling them and the first bananahead of the year Blazman for hosting the results).

Click here for the schedule and all the info on AIPS II events. We'll update it as we set dates for future events, and recognize champions. (This link is also permanently posted on the right-hand side of the blog with all the other important links).

- SCOTT

Congratulations to forceweaver, who wins the fourth AIPS II banana as champion of the Razz event, which drew 86 entrants.

forceweaver took down the title with 6-5-3-2-A against storit's J-9-8-6-4. Congrats! And props to storit, who claimed two bounties. Tune into the podcast to learn how Scott (OffDeadline) turned 74 chips into 4,431 in less than 15 minutes and then cruised to eighth place.

Bounties go to:

• storit (Scott, 8th place)
• storit (Chris, 51st place)
  Dante1126 (Fasso, 81st place)
  (Columbo did not play)

NEXT EVENT: No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed, Thursday, May 17, 9 p.m. Eastern

Click here for the Player of the Year standings. (Special thanks to Ante Up! scorekeeper Gambit for compiling them and the first bananahead of the year Blazman for hosting the results).

Click here for the schedule and all the info on AIPS II events. We'll update it as we set dates for future events, and recognize champions. (This link is also permanently posted on the right-hand side of the blog with all the other important links).

- SCOTT

Congratulations to forceweaver, who wins the fourth AIPS II banana as champion of the Razz event, which drew 86 entrants.

forceweaver took down the title with 6-5-3-2-A against storit's J-9-8-6-4. Congrats! And props to storit, who claimed two bounties. Tune into the podcast to learn how Scott (OffDeadline) turned 74 chips into 4,431 in less than 15 minutes and then cruised to eighth place.

Bounties go to:

storit (Scott, 8th place)

storit (Chris, 51st place)
Dante1126 (Fasso, 81st place)
(Columbo did not play)

Online gambling bill introduced

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., has introduced a bill to the House of Representatives that would let licensed operators offer online gambling to Americans. Though he admits it's a longshot, it's a step toward reversing the effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Below is a (weak) Associated Press story about it. Click here to go to Frank's Web site, which has a lot more information and a link to the actual bill.

We'll give Frank's people a ring to see if we can get the Congressmen on the podcast soon.

- SCOTT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The ban on Internet gambling enacted last fall would be overturned under legislation proposed Thursday by a senior House Democrat, but the bill faces long odds in Congress.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said the law preventing the use of credit cards to bet online “is an inappropriate interference on the personal freedom of Americans, and this interference should be undone.” More bluntly, he has called the ban “one of the stupidest things I ever saw.”
Because traditional forms of legal gambling exist in nearly every state, Frank said, a continued prohibition on Internet gambling for Americans leaves those who choose to gamble online “without meaningful consumer protections.” He said his bill includes safeguards to ensure that gamblers are at least 18 years old and live in a jurisdiction that permits online gambling, and to prevent compulsive gambling and fraud.
The $12 billion Internet gambling industry is based outside the United States — most of the companies are British — though about half of its customers live in America.
Supporters of the U.S. ban maintain that Internet betting can be addictive and potentially drain people’s savings, a risk they say is especially acute for young people who are frequently online.
Frank acknowledged that the Democratic leadership of the House likely would not support it. The Bush administration also could be expected to oppose the legislation.
The vote for the ban in the House, for example, was 317-93 last year. Lobbying for it were the horse racing industry and professional sports leagues, which argued that Web wagering could hurt the integrity of their sports.

How did you become a Rounder?

No, I'm not going to break into more analysis of the movie Rounders! Though, didn't you feel Teddy KGB represented the struggle between ... OH NEVERMIND!!

What I mean is, during Show 97 I alluded to the exact moment that I became the type of player who likes to make a profit and hang on to it rather than play some more just to play. But that doesn't mean I've pinpointed how I became a poker player. I've always been competitive, and when I stopped bowling competitively I needed something to fill that void. I think I've mentioned this before on the show, but one night I came home and my stepson and his friend were playing Texas Hold Em with little chips from that game Sequence. They didn't completely understand the rules, but I had seen the game on TV and wondered what the hell was going on. So I sat down, and that was it. I found something that could get the competitive juices flowing again. I loved playing cards with my dad when I was kid, and despite not knowing what I was doing except that I knew what beat what, it was so much fun. (And what I mean by not knowing what I was doing, I mean strategy.) So when you put those things together, and combine it with the fact that my wife enjoyed playing too, I had to become a poker player.

What's your story? When was the moment you realized "Hey, I can play this game?" Of course I don't expect Scott to answer this since he still can't play poker. LOL!

-- Chris

Double Flop strategy

So I hit Derby Lane last night for the $50 stud hi/lo tournament. I made an unusually quick exit (before the second break. Yikes!). Three straight 2-way draws not getting there will do that. So I decided to lick my wounds at Double Flop. Good move. I took $138 out of the game is less than 3 orbits. I scooped my very first hand with QdJd, with the nut straight on top and a flush on bottom. It had been capped on the flop, turn and river. (You gotta love Derby players).

Double Flop plays just like limit hold'em, except there are two flops/turns/rivers. You can win on one board, or both. And, of course, with $2 no-fold'em hold'em here in Florida, it's an action game.

I wrote a quick strategy article when Derby first offered the game, but I've been spending a little more time thinking about it lately, so I'm offering up a revised strategy here for the Nation to noodle over. I stuck with this plan throughout my session, deviating only once. I was just about to toss pocket Jacks on the button in a raised pot when I noticed that the single blind had just two $1 chips in his hand to call. Not fearing a reraise, I decided to gamble. The bottom board flop: J-J-x. Yay.

So let me know what you think.

PREFLOP

Call up to four bets: Suited Broadway cards

Call up to two bets: Two Broadway cards, suited Ace-X, suited connectors, suited gappers.

Call one bet: Unsuited connected cards in position.

ANALYSIS: You'll notice a couple things missing here, the most obvious being pocket pairs. Pairs (even A-A) don't play well in this game. As with all split pot games, the object is to scoop and it's just too hard to scoop with a pocket pair. And to even have a shot at one profitable board, you'll likely need to hit a two-outer. Also missing is raising. I see no reason for it preflop. There are two reasons you raise: to thin the field and to build a pot. Double Flop is a drawing game, so you don't want to thin the field. And because 7-10 people see every flop, and stay to the end if they get even a piece of one board, why raise on the come when you'll get paid off anyhow when you hit and can fold cheaply if you don't? Finally, I skipped a "call up to 3 bets" category because you rarely face such a situation. Most often, it's raised just once. If it's raised twice, you can count on some donk who's just been itching to say "Cappuccino!" to make it $8 to go. But if you do find yourself in a three-bet situation, I'd play most two-bet hands, except maybe non-Broadway suited gappers, if in position.

FLOP/TURN

Bet out or raise: If you hit one board hard (flush or higher) or hit one board reasonably strongly (two pair or higher) and have a nut draw or near nut draw on the other.

Call up to two bets: If you have piece of both boards, including good draws.

Call up to one bet: If you have a nut draw to one board, and some sort of out (overcard, etc.) to the other.

ANALYSIS: The no-fold'em hold-'em mentality in Florida makes this easier than it should be. There's never a good reason to slowplay. You'll always get paid off if anyone has even a piece of either flop, and if no one does, the pot will never get bigger anyhow. So bet away. On lesser holdings, you'll want to be careful to not get caught up in the inevitable raising war for half of the pot.

RIVER

Bet out or raise: If you have the nuts on one board or strong holdings on both. Also raise if your read is that you're the only one working on one board and everyone else is playing for the other board. But you must be reasonably sure.

Call: If you have anything on either board, call one bet. Call more bets based on the table's play and if your hand is stronger.

ANALYSIS: Like in most limit games, if you have anything at all, it's worth calling on the end, so never fold to a single bet, and think hard before folding to two bets (you'll likely have insane pot odds). While trusting a read is much less important on earlier streets, it can be powerfully profitable on the river.

- SCOTT

In honor of Show #100

To commemorate our 100th show I designed a special logo. Everyone knows the standard color for a chip worth 100 units or $100 is black. So with that in mind I took it a step further and made this. I have inserted the logo on the left and what it looks like on a shirt on the right. You can buy this shirt at our store, and we offer different types of shirts (long and short sleeved) but only in white. The chip would get lost in a black shirt.

As for poker, I played in Gambit's home game Friday night and won a little in the cash game portion of the evening but went out first in the tournament when I turned a straight, plus picked up a straight flush draw. Someone bet out and I pushed. After much deliberation he turned over a very low made flush and my one out was in his hand. Oh well, I still played well and went home and won $40 playing Stud/8 and NLHE on Full Tilt. It was a positive weekend despite the tournament bust. Also, Saturday Scott and I worked on Show 100 at his house ... oh, and I kicked his butt in Chinese Poker! We played the standard 13-card game, then the 13-card variation with the middle board playing as 2-7 lowball, and then we played 18-card Chinese Poker where the second board from the top was 2-7 and the first, third and fourth boards were progressively better hands. That's when I trounced him!!!! I may have cured him of his Chinese Poker obsession. If he can't beat, me he can't beat anyone!

Also, keep sending those trivia questions to Fasso@sptimes.com for this week's show. If you don't know what I mean, click here.

-- Chris

One-Minute Mystery: The Case of the Pristine Table

We're at a $1/$3 no-limit hold'em table at a Las Vegas casino. It's a brand new table, and everyone buys-in for $200. On the first hand, we're dealt J-J in the small blind. We have three limpers in front of us, and pop it to $15. We get a caller, and then are raised to $50. The button folds, and the action is back to us. What do we do?

Episode #97 recap: Online ethics

MAIN TOPIC

Is there a different ethical standard for online poker than live poker? And what exactly is that standard? Those were some of the questions we weighed in on during a spirited discussion.

Chris sees no difference between online poker and live poker. What isn't acceptable live shouldn't be allowed online, including joint sessions, tracking software and collusion. Scott agrees in theory, but he says he's a realist, and since there's very little we can do to stop the aforementioned practices, we need to accept that it is a part of online poker even if we decide not to use any of them.

Paul Wasicka, runner-up in last year's World Series of Poker Main Event and one of the hottest players around now, got this all started with a recent article in Bluff Magazine where he outlined the advantages of joint sessions online (two players share a bankroll and decisions, but play only one hand). He called in to give us his views on it. He admits that he never considered the fact that anyone would consider it unethical when he wrote the article, but was forced to consider the notion based on feedback he got. In the end, though, he decided that it's alright because online poker is a different animal, and since everyone else can use joint sessions or tracking software or any number of other aids, you shouldn't deny yourself the same advantages. His final point: If you play online, you need to be aware of these issues.

It's all a fascinating discussion, so please join in here.

And we asked Paul about much more than online ethics. Find out what he has to say about that kwickfish nickname, the famous open-ended straight flush draw at the WSOP and his new deals with Poker Royalty and FullTilt. Oh, and yes, Chris tried again to barter bowling lessons for poker lessons. This time, it seems like he's got a kwickfish on the line.

OTHER TOPICS

A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD: Chris pinpoints the exact moment when he knew he'd grow up to be a poker player. He lost $13 to his neighbors in Acey-Deucey at age 6 when he paired his Ace while holding A-2. (No wonder he hates Omaha 8).

SCOTT'S 10-SECOND MYSTERY: Scott was playing in a $32+$8, 5,000 chip multi tournament at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday. With 18 players remaining (top 9 cash), he was short-stacked with 13K in chips and blinds of 1500/3000 with a 300 ante. He looked down at 9-9 in middle position, and was ready to push all-in when the UTG chipleader opened for a raise. Scott admits most people, including Chris, wouldn't think any longer than a millisecond before calling all-in, but he wonders if there's room in freezeout tournament strategy for at least the consideration of folding and hoping to open a hand with a push. When you're done laughing, weigh in on your opinion.

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE: Lots of action in Tallahassee regarding poker. Scroll down a few posts and find out what's up.

TO TIVO .. OR NOT TO TIVO: Chris gave us the lowdown on Texas Hold Em Billiard Championships. It turns out it has much less to do with poker than it does with pool. Also, Alex Outhred, an instructor at the WSOP Academy series of instructional poker camps and fourth place finisher at the 2006 WPT Mandalay Bay Championship, became the biggest winner ever on FoxTV's hit prime-time game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?  He raked in a cool $500,000 - much more than his poker tournament winnings - using poker strategies.

IT'S ALL ABOUT US: Here's a few reminders - call in for the 100th show roll call ... the AIPS razz is event is Thursday ... next week's show is the Ante Up! Game Show edition, so email Fasso some questions.

HAND OF THE WEEK

In honor of Thursday's Razz AIPS event, we analyzed a hand from Rob "RonTrout" from Charlotte, N.C. Trout started out with 6-3-5, but never raised even after catching a 4 on 4th Street (opponents' boards then were A-6 and 3-3) and making his 6-low on 7th Street (remaining opponents' board was was A-6-9-Q). Our advice: Razz is a drawing game, at least through 5th Street. Push the action when you have good draws.

- SCOTT

Building a poker table

I've noticed a lot of the Ante Up! Nation building their own tables lately, and I have to admit I'm quite impressed. I didn't realize we had so many handy people in the Nation.

My wife and I have recently re-arranged the furniture and space in our vast living room, and it turns out we'll have a nice area for what could be a permanent poker table. Jeanne would like it to be multifunctional, serving as a poker table when we play, but then covered (with a really nice wooden top, like this) to serve as a dining table for guests. And this makes sense since I don't want a table that will be folded up and put away, I'd want it to be permanent, but I also don't want an eyesore either. (And I know, no poker table is an eyesore, that's blasphemy, but you get my point.)

So, I had been thinking of building my own table, but the more I thought about it the more I realized this table would end up costing me nearly as much as it would to just buy the damn thing, and it might not come out as nice. I wouldn't want those little fold-out legs or even the poles that remind me of a bar or cafeteria serving line. I'd want the nice carved legs, and the cover would have to be real nice, too (varnished, etc.)

My stepson Charles is really talented when it comes to crafting and working with power tools and building stuff, but I think we'd be out of our league if we wanted to build the kind of table my wife and I envision. So I ask you, how much do you really save by building a table yourself (and I mean a table that rivals the kind you see at casinos or higher quality types online), or is it worth it to just save up and buy one already made?

-- Chris

Now I've gone and done it!

Remember that heated topic I posted a little while back about Paul Wasicka and his Joint Sessions article that ran in Bluff? Well, his manager saw the thread and contacted us, saying Paul would love to come on the show and discuss this and other things. So, as we stated on Show 96, we will have Paul Wasicka on this week's show. If you have any questions (they don't have to pertain to Joint Sessions or Ethics) then email them to us or type them in here. We'll do our best to get to the bottom of this Joint Sessions hotbed of controversy and we'll get to know this very talented up-and-comer a little better, too.

-- Chris

Higher poker limits in Florida?

How's that for a headline?

Some changes to bills making their way through the Florida Legislature just might make it happen. But remember, we have a long way to go before any of this stuff becomes law. But here's an update on changes to some bills (note: "CS" stands for "committee substitute" to the original bill), followed by some commentary:

--------------------------

**UPDATE**

I've updated this post to reflect changes made to HB 1377

------------------

THE BILLS

CS/SB 752: The bill as it stands now does a lot of things. It raises the bet limit to $10, it allows cardrooms to be open from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. (or longer, or on more days than live racing exists, if a local governing body says so), provides a legal framework for poker tournaments and lets poker rooms install electronic poker tables (but not video poker machines). It received a favorable staff analysis on April 4, and on Thursday moved to the Finance and Tax Committee. A similar Senate bill, CS/SB 1192, has been in the Finance and Tax Committee since April 4 after receiving a favorable staff analysis. It allows for electronic tables and cardrooms to be open year-round from noon to midnight. It doesn't raise betting limits, though.

HB 1377: The House companion bill to SB 752 has been approved by the Committee on Business Regulation and was received favorably by the Jobs & Entrepreneurship Council on Wednesday with some amendments. It lets cardrooms remain open any 12 hours a day and lets cardrooms open 365 days a year if an agreement can be reached with the dog, horse and jai-alai associations. It bumps betting limits to $5, and allows for no-limit hold'em with a $100 buy-in. It lets cardrooms offer high-hand jackpots and allows a legal framework for rooms to hold tournaments.

CS/SB 216: This bill, which would allow cardrooms to hold two, high-stakes televised poker tournaments a year, didn't change much in committee. It is now on the agenda of the Finance and Tax Committee, though a hearing scheduled for last Tuesday was postponed. There hasn't been any action on the House's companion bill, HB 591, in a month.

WHAT I THINK

There's a lot to like here, and the recent action on SB 752 and HB 1377 should give us room for optimism. If sponsors can align the wording between the bills (and SB 1192), we'll be in much better shape.

BETTING LIMITS: A $10 betting limit would be huge. That would allow, at the minimum, a $5/$10 limit game, mighty expensive for those no fold'em hold'em players. I'd imagine we'd start seeing a larger menu of games ($1/$2, $2/$2 or $2/$4 for the no fold'em hold'em players, and $3/$6, $4/$8 or $5/$10 for those of us who like to play real poker. It also gives cardrooms a lot of leeway in designing other games, including something like a $2/$10 spread limit game, particularly in stud. As it is now, stud is unplayable in Florida because the limits and chip denominations don't allow for a reasonable ante structure. Even a bump to $5 would be an improvement, and I could see a straight $5 game being offered, and certainly a playable $1-$5 spread limit stud game. The $100 max buy-in no-limit game would be very well received, but the people I've heard from about this mentioned it applies only to tournaments. Without access to  the real amended bill, I can't tell. But from the staff analysis summary, sure seems like it applies to ring games.

LONGER HOURS: Either way, we'll be in need of some group to approve longer hours. I can't see why the groups representing the dog, horses and jal-alai players would object. Ultimately, all local players should be rooting for Tampa Bay Downs to be allowed to be open much more than it is now, if for no other reason than it gives us one more option for play.

TOURNAMENTS: This might sound odd to players, since we already have them. But remember a ways back when tournaments were shut down a couple of times? That's because there's nothing specific in the laws allowing them. This cleans that up. And regardless of what HB 1377 really means, it'll open the door to $100 buy-in tournaments, which would be welcomed by bigger players. It'll be interesting to see how cardrooms respond to this: Bump all tournaments to $100+buy-in amounts, spread different buy-in tournaments at different times of the day, adjust the rake to make them playable and profitable for the house, etc. This could be a something that lets rooms really distinguish themselves.

HIGH HAND JACKPOTS: Sigh. I suppose I'll go along with it because it gives licensed cardrooms a chance to compete with the Indian casinos, which do this. But remember - that's at least one more buck coming out of your pot (after the $5 rake and dealer toke). If you really want a jackpot, spend your dollar on the Lotto. At least you can retire if you win that. There's nothing stopping cardrooms now (that I know of) for giving you a hat or a hot dog for getting a royal flush. Be happy with that, and save those dollars for your bankroll.

ELECTRONIC TABLES: Sigh again. I suppose I should embrace the future, but I just don't like these things. You really can't "stare down an opponent" since everyone is frantically trying to figure out how to see their cards. And call me old-fashioned, but I like having a friendly, knowledgeable dealer at my table. And I'm willing to tip he/she for that privilege. Now, I'll totally change my tune if they use these things to offer  something other than hold'em, particularly a difficult game to deal like HORSE or some variation. But I know better.

HIGH-STAKES TOURNAMENTS: With House inaction, it doesn't look this is going anywhere this year. As I said before, I'm not sure this bill would have done what the sponsors wanted anyhow, since pro players aren't going to want to come to Florida to play in a high-stakes tournament without having high-stakes cash games, too. Eliminate the TV requirement, and at least there's something for us weekend warriors to get excited about.

- SCOTT

Episode #96 recap

MAIN TOPIC

Chris returns from the World Poker Tour event at Foxwoods, and he snagged some great multiquestion interviews with some pros:

CYNDY VIOLETTE: Learn about her positive clothing line, her honesty on her blog and an interesting take on while Doyle Brunson shut done his Web poker room to U.S. players.

"MIAMI" JOHN CERNUTO: Get some insights on razz, gastric bypass surgery, how he got the "Miami" nickname, how evil pocket 10s can be, and do it all with a groovin' Whitney Houston soundtrack.

MICHAEL "THE GRINDER" MIZRACHI: He talks about playing Chinese Poker, how he'll return to Florida when, or if, the $2 bet limits are lifted and get some quick advice from a "special guest."

LINDA JOHNSON: She's busy - very busy. From writing a CardPlayer column, to running CardPlayer Cruises to announcing at the World Poker Tour. And she talks about razz (listen to her: she has a bracelet in it. You don't).

DAVID SINGER: Learn about a string of bad TV beats, why you should really be playing on the East Coast and what he thinks about the ability to chat with pros on FullTilt. And he gives a solid tip for stud beginners. :)

OTHER TOPICS

WAIT, THERE'S MORE THAN HOLD'EM ON TV?: ESPN has announced which World Series of Poker events it'll broadcast this year and, surprise, it's good news! We'll get 6 hours of HORSE (and it's all HORSE, not no-limit hold'em. What a concept), plus at least one Omaha event (and as many as three) and some interesting hold'em events (mixed, pot limit and maybe heads-up). Bad news is four more hours of the Main Event than before.

FIGHTIN' THE GOOD FIGHT: Alfonse D'Amato, the new chairman of the Poker Players Alliance, held a Webcast on Thursday. Chris says you didn't miss much at least in the first 20 minutes, but you can visit their site to read the excerpts and see video highlights.

IF YOU CAN HANDLE HELLMUTH, YOU CAN WIN A TV: Check out PokerListings.com, where you can fun your way through some comic strips with Phil Hellmuth maybe win a 52-inch TV. And then invite us all over to watch the WSOP HORSE tournament.

LUXOR TAKING RESERVATIONS: No, not for hotel rooms. Well, of course, hotel rooms. But now poker tables as well. If you have a group, give the Vegas poker room a ring and get your own table. And food service, too.

THE DEUCE MAKES IT THREE: Well, actually four - that we know of. Sam Minutello, who brought poker tournaments to Derby Lane, then built a class facility at Tampa Bay Downs and then outdid himself at the Sarasota Kennel Club (and made a name for himself at the WSOP), is now helping Tampa Greyhound Track set up their room. But don't worry, One-Eyed Jack's fans, he's not leaving Sarasota. And stay tuned here for a post from Scott over the weekend about local card rooms - what he likes, what he'd like to see. Hopefully, the local members of the Ante Up! Nation will chime in, too.

OMM: Mark these fateful words from Columbo: "Don't be an idiot!" He rushes into a call when his dork opponent bets into a dry side pot, and regrets it when the clues add up to A-A. Ouch.

HOUSEKEEPING: Welcome our new producer, Debbie Wolfe! That's her with the camera. She has big shoes (have you seen the size of Dave's feet?) to fill, but she's doing great work out of the gate ... We're lining up Paul Wasicka as a guest for next week's Poker Ethics show, in part to talk about joint sessions ... We've fixed the link to our very first show, so all you sadists out there can relive the pain ... And don't forget to call in your contribution to the Roll Call for the 100th episode. Dial toll-free 1-866-371-9605.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Matt from, well, somewhere, offers us a more cautious way to play a nut flush draw with bottom pair, and later, the nut flush draw with trips. Playing from the small blind, he checks himself into a corner, and eventually folds when he gets too much heat. Our advice: In a cash game, be less afraid of going broke when you have lots of outs.

It's the Ante Up! Game Show!

No, we aren't hiring Vanna White to turn over our cards, but Scott and I are going to put our poker (and Ante Up!) knowledge on the line for Episode 98. Mike "Fatso, Pesto, Bard, Lance" Fasso will be our mediator/host as he tests our tiny brains on poker trivia. Here's where you come in: Email Mike at fasso@sptimes.com with your trivia questions (he will be providing a bunch as well). Since each host will be asked questions, you can tailor your questions to one of us (e.g. Scott, how many times has Chris used the word "Hysterical" on the show?) and of course we don't want the questions to be this hard since there's no way to know the answer to that one. But you get the idea, and you must know the answer and provide it for Fasso. You can also submit True/False questions, multiple choice and general poker knowledge (Who won the first World Series Main Event?). Just be sure to get these questions to Fasso in a timely manner and be sure your answers are correct and maybe we'll use them on the show. Sound cool? Should be fun. And thanks.

-- Chris

WPT photos are posted

There aren't many, but I posted the shots I took while at Foxwoods this time. Again, the photography isn't stellar, but I tried a different camera this time to avoid the blurry shots. I avoided blurs, but it was very dark. I may have a few more shots, but it's highly unlikely. Please go to the gallery and look at them, and click through them if you can. Thanks.

-- Chris

The Lew Archer 10-Second Mystery

Today on a 0.25-0.50 NLHE cap table, I folded a straight flush that was the winning hand. I know I play tight, but come on. How did that happen?

MIKE

One Minute Mystery: The Case of the Opaque Mirror

We're close to a bubble in a two-table SNG that pays four spots. Seven players left. Blinds are 200/400 and Columbo is in fourth place with 4,000 in chips.

The under the gun calls 400, Columbo is UTG+1 with KQo and calls. The short stack moves all in with 735. The limper and Columbo call.

Flop is 7d-Qd-8c, and UTG bets 1,000 into a dry sidepot. What do you do?

Episode #95 recap

MAIN TOPIC

Chris calls in from Connecticut, where he was an intrepid reporter at the World Poker Tour. Foxwoods made some changes to the structure, which pros seemed to like, but it also made for some weird days.

Chris met up with listeners John Silva and Jason, which was a great time, and he won some cash at the tables, to boot. He also gave us a preview of next week's show, which will include interviews with Miami John Cernuto, Cyndy Violette, The Grinder, David Singer and Linda Johnson. Great work, Chris!

OTHER TOPICS

NO BUCKEYE FANS HERE: Chris teases Scott about Ohio State losing to Florida in ANOTHER national championship game, but Scott "reminds" him that he's been a Florida fan every since he was kid.

CLOUDY IN CONNECTICUT: Well, more like cold. And dreary. And thin-blooded Chris can't handle it.

ROCKIN' ON THE RIVER: Conn radio has lost that lovin' feeling. But there's a new station called The River!

OUT OF THE WOMB: In prep for the 100th episode of Ante Up, it's unanimous - we were terrible on Day 1. Thanks for sticking with us! And speaking of the 100th episode, keep those Roll Call calls coming in.

PEANUT GALLERY: Check out the comments on iTunes about the show. Mostly positive ... except one. Ha!

NEW LEVEL TO CHRIS' CHEAPNESS: He has the audacity to call Scott out for taking back the 2 dollars he "gave" him on the last show. He's worse than that punk newspaper kid in Better Off Dead. But word is, there was at least not-displeased waitress at Foxwoods this trip. But don't ask about the dealers.

WPT MOVING: The World Poker Tour is moving to GSN, formerly the Game Show Network, next season. (Call your cable company and tell them you want GSN! if you're as cheap as Chris is). And High Stakes Poker returns to GSN, for a Monday night poker bloc.

CARDPLAYER ON A DIET: A post on Poker Biz about Bluff's deal with the World Series of Poker seemed a little fishy, and it was traced back to ... CardPlayer! And the granddaddy of poker magazines was absent in Connecticut. Word is some staff shakeups are imminent.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Chris stepped up to $2/$5 no-limit table, and won a whale of hand playing off of his tight table image.

One hand after telling a "live straddlist" to his right that he was playing too tight, Chris bumps it to $30 with QQ under the gun. One caller comes along for the ride, and then Straddlist pops it to $110. Chris squeezes out the limper in the middle by moving all-in.

The Straddlist thinks long and hard, and says he puts Chris on one of three hands, only one of which he has beat. Odd? We thought so. In the end, the guy calls with JJ and Chris wins. (Doesn't he always in the Hand of the Week?)

- SCOTT

WPT @ Foxwoods FINAL UPDATE

Well, it wasn't exactly the tournament to end all tournaments that's for sure. But the Foxwoods Poker Classic did allow me to interview some more players, make a few more contacts for the show, get some more material for future shows, turn a nice profit and come to the realization that I won't be doing this here again for a while.

A couple of corrections from earlier posts. The WPT champ, Raj Patel, owns a hotel in Meriden, CT, but he lives in Rocky Hill, CT, another one of my old stomping grounds when I worked for the Middletown Press in the mid '90s. In the picture Raj is sitting with his winning hand in front of Mike Sexton, Sabina Gadecki and Vince Van Patten. Also, the runner-up was Paul "The Don" Matteo and he lives in the same town where I'm staying this week, Plainville. It's quite remarkable that the top two players are locals, and that they have only been playing for 2-3 years. Matteo said he had talked to Patel earlier in the week and said "We're gonna finish 1-2 this week." Amazing. They called Matteo "The Don" because of the Godfather character Don Matteo and because Paul is in the garbage business.

The players I talked with were very generous and stayed with me for as long as I needed them, agreeing to interviews even though they had planes to catch, personal problems, had just gotten knocked out or they had to get ready for the broadcast, etc. One of the best interviews was David Singer (pictured). He asked me what I did and how the show was going, how many people listened to it, etc. He was just real cool and it was like he cared about who he was talking to. It was a conversation, not an interview. Great guy.

Of course I'll talk about the meetups and my poker playing on the show, but I just want to thank the guys who came out to meet me over the course of the week. It was excellent talking/playing with you and I appreciate your effort, even the Ante Uppers who showed up but never found me. And especially John, who drove more than three hours to come to Foxwoods from New York. That's me and John in the photo in front of the WPT sign.

I can't wait to go home. I should have never booked this trip to end Sunday. I should have shipped out tomorrow. I love being around my family/friends up here, but I miss my wife and family back home. I could never be the type of person who travels all the time away from home without their loved ones. It's just not worth it.

OK, I'm signing off. I won't blog anymore until I return to work on Monday, though I may post my photos in the gallery.

-- Chris

IT'S OVER!!!

Raj raised to 200K preflop and Paul called. The flop was Kh, 5c, 3d. Paul bet 400K and Raj called. The turn was the Ks and Paul bet 400K. Raj called and the river was a 7h. Paul went all-in and Raj instacalled with 4h, 6s for a straight. Paul turned over Kc, 2d.

The final table play was perhaps the worst in WPT history as players were so passive. There were so many problems at this table it's too much to get into here, but I might bring it up on the show Friday. If either of these guys head to the poker room there will be a LONG waiting list to play at their table. But we have a new champ: Raj Patel of Meriden CT.

I'll have a final wrapup later tonight.

-- Chris

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

It's headsup between Raj and Paul "The Don" Matteo and these guys don't know what it is to be aggressive. They have checked down EVERY single hand since it got headsup. It's like Teddy KGB "CHECK CHECK CHECK!" Come on guys, bet!

-- Chris

Hand of the night (so far).

And we're down to headsup! Tony Bagels moved all-in for 2 million with Ad, Ac and Raj, the chipleader called with quickly with Ah, 8h. The flop came 7h, 8s, 8d for trip eights!!! The 6c came on the turn and 3s hit the river to oust Tony Bagels in third place. There is no justice in this game. More to come. Maybe this will be over soon after all. Here comes the money presentation.

-- Chris

Goldberg OUT!

Fred Goldberg is no Chris Moneymaker, LOL!

With the blinds 40K-80K and the antes 10K, Fred raised to 330K (he had 1.1M to start). Paul Matteo (1.6M) called and the flop came 6s, 4s, 2c. Fred pushed and Paul called pretty quickly. Fred turned over two jacks, but no spades. Paul turned over As, 5s. He had 15 outs to win the hand and the 10s came on the turn. The river, a 6h, was inconsequential. Both "pros" are out, and an amateur will win this event!

At this point Raj, who by the way is from my old hometown of Meriden, CT, has 3.45M, Paul has 2.8M and Tony Bagels (that's what they are calling him cuz he looks like a mafia underling) has about 2M.

This is taking forever!

-- Chris

Berger burnt

We have our second casualty: Seth Berger. He pushed all-in with Ac, 5h and then Raj went all-in behind him with As, Ad. The flop made it exciting: 6c, 4s, 3h to give Berger an openender, but an 8S and Ah eliminated his dream. We're down to 4 players after 45 hands. Raj is the overwhelming chipleader with more than 4M and the rest have about a million. More later.

-- Chris

We have our first elimination at Foxwoods!

In what has to be the tightest table in WPT history, Paul Matteo limped in (AGAIN) for 50K with Ah8d and Allen Kessler pushed with Ac10h. With a little deliberation Matteo called the additional 215K. The flop: 6c, 3d, 7d. The turn: 5s. River: 4h. BRUTAL! So long Allen, it was nice, and I'm sure the $137K will make the suckout a little easier to swallow. Our first elimination only took 37 hands. And now Tony is on fire with nearly 1M in chips.

-- Chris

P.S. Now Joe Sebok just said, "These are the worst poker players in the history of the planet. I could beat these guys without ever seeing my hands. Just give me $200K in chips."

Our first big hand

The blinds just increased and we finally had a hand of substance, and it only took 26 hands. Fred Goldberg raised to 150K UTG and it folded to the chipleader, Raj, who went all-in (3M). Fred took some time then called with KK. Raj turned over 33 and Fred had his suits covered so he needed a three. It didn't come and Fred "Call Me MoneyMaker" Goldberg doubled up to almost $2M. He's second in chips.

-- Chris

Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy

Well, we're at the first break, but not much has happened. It's amazing these six players got to where they are because there is NO aggression except from Raj (the chipleader, which is to be expected). There are some raises and calls, but then they keep checking it down to the river. Everyone in press row and even the audience is just laughing because it's getting ridiculous. Why won't these guys bet? I understand that four of them are amatuers, but you have a guaranteed 6-figure payday, loosen up man! If I was in there I'd be raising just about every hand, and you can bank on that. Guys are checking on the end with trips. When I mentioned this would be boring I think underestimated my guess. This is MONUMENTALLY boring. This is one of the few instances when I think it's a GOOD THING that the WPT has those insane television blind structures, otherwise we might be here till Thursday.

On a personal note, I had a massive day at the $2-5 NL table and I think I have a hand of the week coming from it. I have a turned a significant profit after that debacle with Jason, so I'm feeling good about my game, and I wasn't the least bit intimadated.

-- Chris

Anatomy of a final table event

It's pretty interesting how they set this up, with having the audience do fake cheering and fake booing for the editing process later. EVERYONE at the table and the hosts have tons of pancake on their faces. One of the things that's very prevelant is behind the scenes, and I'm talking about the politics, especially between the competing poker sites, etc.

I'm sitting with the crews now on the media perch, and everyone is fighting for their spots, etc. They told me that since I wasn't doing hand-for-hand coverage that I couldn't have a spot. But I told them the Ante Up! Nation comes first and I was here in plenty of time. So I made them squeeze me in. Then, they didn't have a plug for my laptop, so I used the strip on the WPT crew's table. About 10 minutes in one of the WPT guys says they need the strip so they unplugged me, even though they had plenty of outlets. That's fine, my laptop is plenty charged. But these guys are like children sometimes. It's foolish, and I'm starting to understand the thinking behind the Rich Belsky incident. These guys at like two hippos fighting for the right to mate with the fat female hippo in the river. The good ol boys clan doesn't pertain to just NASCAR.

-- Chris

Final Table is about to start

Hey Ante Up! Nation, this is the start of the final table of the WPT event at Foxwoods. It could be the most boring final table in the history of the WPT, but it should still be cool. Here are the chipleaders, and you may know Fred Goldberg. He was the guy who went far in the WSOP Main Event and he looks a little like Chris Moneymaker. ESPN rode that angle for all it was worth, until Goldberg donked it all off.

Raj Patel 3,347,000
Seth Berger 1,505,000
Antonio Cavezza 1,391,000
Fred Goldberg 1,044,000
Paul Matteo 570,000
Allen Kessler 444,000

I'm pulling for Kessler because he was so far down at one point it's ridiculous. Anyway, I will update you as people get knocked out. By the way, I just landed interviews David Singer and Linda Johnson so that will be cool. OK, things are getting started. Blinds are 15K-30K.

-- Chris

P.S. Joe Sebok is sitting behind me and he said "This is the only final table where Allen Kessler can look like a God!"

Dave Palm wins Ante Up NCAA banana

Congrats David Palm!

Not only were you Nostradamus-like in predicting that Ohio State would once again break the hearts of Buckeye faithful everywhere by losing to Florida AGAIN, you racked up 171 points during the tournament to edge Adam Petrusky by 2 points for the Ante Up title. Wendy Mortensen takes third with 162 points.

Thanks to all 42 of you who played in the Ante Up bracket. David, you win an unofficial Ante Up banana, so e-mail us your address.

- SCOTT

Day 2 Final Update

Well another long day comes to a close. Only 56 players remain, and to be honest I can't believe they are going to have another 16 hours of tournament play before the final table of 6 on Wednesday afternoon. But then again, I remember the whole hand-for-hand debacle last time. It took forever!!!!

The leaderboard isn't exactly a who's who, and it would probably take you at least six places down before you recognized a player (Ted "Yeah Man!" Lawson, 280K), and if you don't watch a lot of poker then you'd probably have to drop all the way down to 16th place (John "World" Hennigan, 193K). Lawson, for those of you who don't know, is the guy back in 2004 who won the Pot Limit Omaha bracelet, and en route to winning that title misread his hand and thought he had a straight. He's also famous for coaching Lee Watkinson (who then won the same bracelet two years later under Lawson's tutelege).

Chau Giang's impressive run continues, sliding in right behind Hennigan (192K). Other names you might recognize: Darrell "Gigabet" Dicken (157K) and Paul "The Truth" Darden (147K). I'm actually pulling for Darden (pictured) because he's from Connecticut, actually growing up in the same county I lived in and he used to play in the backroom of his dad's pool hall, a place I frequented when I was in college.

Scott's Player of the Year, Nam Le is still alive with 127K, then there's Bobby Bellande, who had a meltdown (60K), Allen Kessler (53K) and Bill Gazes (43). Maybe Gazes shouldn't wear flip-flops. For a full list of the chip counts go here.

That's about it for me. I won't return until the final table on Wednesday. I'm gonna take the next two days off and spend them with my granddaughter and family. I may play a little on Wednesday to get some of that suckout money back, but other than that I'm probably not going to play again at Foxwoods this trip. I might be playing in a home tournament on Saturday, so that's cool.

-- Chris   

Day 2 Update ... The meetup!

So at about 12:10 Blazman walked into the Sunset Ballroom and we chatted for about 15 minutes before another Ante Upper, Jason, showed up. That's me and Jason in the photo. It started to look like we were going to have a big turnout, but then that was it. Everyone either didn't show up by 12:30 and we missed them, or they just couldn't break away. But it was great hanging with the guys. We got a bite to eat at Fuddruckers and then went to the poker room. Blaz doesn't play $1-2 NLHE so he went to his $4-8 O8B table and Jason and I sat down at $1-2.

I should've taken his seat because he made some massive hands!!! He took home a rack and a half and played real solid. Me on the other hand? Not so fortunate. But I got my money in with the best hand every time and was sucked out on when I lost. The best part was I felt like I played impeccable poker regardless of the outcome.

The two hands where I lost most of my stack (and ultimately all of it) both were J-10 suited (which used to be my favorite hand, LOL!). About 30 minutes in I was on the button and looked down at J10d. So it was $10 to go and there was like $40 in the pot already. I called and the flop came A-K-Q two hearts. The initial raiser bet out $25 and I pushed the rest of my stack with the stone-cold nuts. It got folded around to him and he said "I know you have J-10 but I have to call." Then he said "Pair the board, but not the queen!" I thought he had a set and wondered what the hell he was talking about. He turned over AK with one heart. The turn was a heart and he picked up a whole new set of outs. River? Ace of Spades. I HATE MOTORHEAD!!

So I rebought for another $100 and milked it for five hours. (The rake ($60) is really what beat me this time at Foxwoods.). Another hand: I had K9 on the button in an unraised pot. Flop came with a K and someone bet $15, so I raised to $40. He called and another king came on the turn. He checked and I pushed. He called with K7 and a jack on the river made us split. Anything under a 10 and I win a big hand. Good gawd!

So finally I had J10h with $67 left. The flop came 10 high but all diamonds. I bet out $15 because I didn't want someone hitting the flush for free. After one call another guy raised to $60. I studied him and replayed the hand in my mind and there was only one hand he could have: The bare Ace of diamonds. I went all-in and the initial caller folded. Sure enough he was semibluffing with the Ad and the 9d came on the turn. I made a perfect read, my call/reraise was enough to scare the other guy (he had K-10) and I lost a race.

It's the least bad I've felt about losing (and my streak of winning sessions comes to an end at about 2 months) because I made very good reads all day and got my money in with the best of it. But I was entertained, met another fan and really played well despite the outcome.

And I learned something that I didn't know. When I first came to Foxwoods years ago, if you were playing, say, roulette, and you gave the pit boss your Wampum card, they would sign you in, and when you left they signed you out. But you never had to do anything else. So when Jason and I were getting ready to split he said: &qu