The Nation is about to go BANANAS!!!

That's right, Scott and I finally got off our lazy butts and mailed the Bananas to our AIPS champs through the first five events!!! Expect them sometime around Christmas!!!!

And don't forget Event No. 6 is Omaha/8 on June 9 at noon ET, Full Tilt Poker, $5+.50 and the password is anteup. Also, Erwin Blonk (aka eblonk on FTP) has some sort of deal with this thing too, so check with him for an additional bounty. I believe if you knock him out before he cashes you get your entry fee back, and if you knock him out after he cashes you get your entry fee back plus something like 10% of his prize. Not too shabby! No pressure Erwin!

And, BANANA WINNERS, don't forget to send us a picture of you with your BANANA!!!

-- Chris

Confidence shaken

Given the popularity of the post(s) that saw me lose to Fasso in a hand for the ages (LOL!) I had been waiting to post this. But since the other posts have seemed to finally slow down and we're going to have Fasso on the show this week to discuss it, I figure it's OK to move on.

As you can see by the title of this post my confidence has been teetering on shaky ground lately. I suppose it's the cyclical nature of the sport, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Let me break it down into categories, along wth my latest results:

HOME GAMES: The last home game I played was Gambit's, and of course you know what happened there. But, actually, it was the stuff that happened before the tournament that gave me pause; the suckout at the end of the night was only the capper. It was the first time I lost in the cash-game portion at Gambit's. I've busted out of the tournament a few times, but in the cash games I've always come out ahead, and usually I win enough to freeroll the tournament. But not Friday, and it all points to one hand. It was NLHE, with a $15 cap. The blinds were $.25-$.25 and New Scott opened for what I think was $1 or $1.50. He got one caller and then I looked down at 10-10, plus I had position. So I re-raised to $6. Both guys called (oops!). With $18.50 in the pot the flop came K-K-5. Both players checked, and a flop like this is generally very good for two 10s, because the likelihood of them having a King is rare. So I bet and Scott called, the other player got out of the way. We checked a blank turn and then on the river he checked again so I thought I was good. I capped it, he called and turned over QQ. I should've known I was beat by the smooth call, but I just figured what's another $4? I ended up losing $8 in the cash game. If I treated the 10-10 like a middle pair (as Daniel Negreanu rightly suggests) I might've saved myself about $14. Now, $8 is not that big of a deal, but I usually win in this game, and granted some better players have started playing since I was beating this game regularly, but it still stings.

Also, I suffered a loss the last time I played in Long's home game. Most of the big losses I had that day came via bad timing. I'd have A10, the flop comes 10-10-9. We get our chips all in the middle and Gambit turns over 9-9. So that's the kind of stuff I have been dealing with at the home games.

CARD ROOMS: I decided to play at Derby Lane last Saturday, trying my luck in a single-table SNG (in preparation for a possible WSOP satellite opportunity). I went out 4th (they pay 2 spots), and I was card dead. In complete honesty here, I did not hit ONE flop. NOT ONE. All of the chips I got I earned on bluffs or continuation bets, or timely all-ins. But my luck ran out. I had brought $100 with me so I now had $55 left. I went to the live tables and enjoyed beating the Double Flop game, winning all of my $45 entry fee and then some in about an hour. So I decided to give another one-table SNG a shot. But when I got back up to the tournament room they had a spot open in a 30-player SNG. So I played in that and went out on the bubble. I took my $60 back down to the live tables. The Double Flop game had broken up, so I sat down at stud (I suck at stud but it was the only game with immediate seating). I brought it in almost every single time and never took a hand past 4th street. Then they called my name for Hold Em and I lost my remaining $40 when I twice made the second nuts. I usually leave Derby Lane's cash tables with more than I start, and I did on Saturday the first time, but I went back to the tables, and that was what did me in. I should have gone home after I actually posted a profit. But when I do this I always get crap from people, saying "How come you always leave when you make a little profit? If you're winning you should stay!" So I stayed. And now you know why I leave. 8-)

INTERNET: In an attempt to get used to SNGs again for the WSOP, I played some of those token SNGs, and lost in everyone of them, either getting sucked out on or having something like QQ and someone waking up wtih KK. Also, I had been killing Full Tilt's razz cash games over the past month, but playing at the larger stakes ($5-$10) finally caught up with me, losing two monster hands (one with a 65 to a 64). I won some of it back Saturday morning, but then Saturday night I lost a bunch on a NLHE hand that I had no right trying to bluff. Some Ante Uppers saw that hand, and it hurt! So now my large FTP bankroll has shriveled up again, giving me just enough to play in the remaining AIPS events and a little bit more. So I won't be on the Internet any time soon, unless I'm playing with FTP points.

PLAYING AT HOME: Last night I played a few fun three-handed SNGs with my wife and stepson (he's almost 30 so don't think he's a kid, and he's very good at NLHE). One of the confidence shakers that came here was when my wife was bluffing and I KNEW she was bluffing. I thought long and hard about it but when it came right down to it I didn't call her. I had the best hand, and she later told me she was bluffing. Then twice after that I had the best hand, made the right call (or bet) and got sucked out on the river to be eliminated from the tournaments (sound familiar?).

You add all of these things up and it equals shaky confidence. I can't even cash in SNGs anymore, and I keep going out on the bubble or getting sucked out on when I have the best hand. I suppose I can take solace in the fact that I have the best hand most of the time and it takes an unfortunate turn of events to make me lose. But with a home game coming up (New Scott's this weekend) and the WSOP a month away, I need to put together some wins. Otherwise I can't imagine myself entering those satellites. I think I might be buying directly in to the $1500 NLHE event on June 30.

-- Chris

What Chris Had...

If you haven't read "Did I Play This Wrong?" below, read that first. Thanks for all the responses. There seems to be a consensus that my calling Chris' UTG raise with 89 suited on the button was a bad play. And if that wasn't a bad play, then it was certainly wrong not to fold to Chris' bet on the flop. I'll think about it.

Chris had AT (unsuited as I recall; I'm certain he'll correct me if I'm wrong). So he had flopped top pair, top kicker, and bet 1/3 of his stack (300 of 900) on that flop of T-9-4. Now I raise. Can he fold? I don't see how, really. I wouldn't have. But I wonder if it occurred to him that I could have an overpair or a set here? My raise would be in keeping with a holding of 44, 99, TT, JJ, QQ, KK, or AA, all of which have him crushed. And I do sometimes limp with a big pair. As wrong as that is. (I also sometimes open-raise all-in with a big pair.) After a fold, he would have 600 units with blinds at 25-50 (the next level is 50-100) and would probably get to see 10 hands to decide which one to push with. As I say, I can't see folding, but if his raises are supposed to get respect, what are mine, chopped liver?

AT offsuit is a Group 6 hand that Sklansky doesn't recommend playing up front, by the way. (Granted, he's talking about medium limits, but let's not pretend that it's a monster.)

So we're both all-in after the flop, me behind. And what should peel off on the turn? Other than an 8 or 9, this was the most BEE-YOOO-TIF-UL turn card imaginable: Jack of clubs. Now I have four clubs and an open-ended straight draw, plus my 8s and 9s to make me a winner. Chris is still ahead, however, a 55 percent favorite (down from about 75 percent).

And the river is ... the Queen of Spades, completing my straight and sending Chris home. You see that little box over there with his picture? Part of the caption reads, "he tends to act like Phil Hellmuth if you make a bad play against him," and boy, is that true. Quote: "You put all your chips in with NINES? NINES? Unbelievable. Freaking nines." I started to say something but just then the door slammed.

I don't think I won another hand that night, but driving home I couldn't have been happier.

An unwinnable hand that wins

You ever have a hand that you take one look at and say, "There's NO way I can win with this hand" and then, well, you win with it? That happened to me today. It really makes you appreciate how anything can happen in this game we love:

Full Tilt Poker Game #2513938670: $20 + $2 Sit & Go (19077196), Table 1 - 50/100 Ante 10 - Limit Seven Card Stud - 13:45:28 ET - 2007/05/26
Seat 1: Dianiimal (513)
Seat 2: PUNKART (1,341)
Seat 3: OffDeadline (1,231)
Seat 4: DOCTOR LB (1,737)
Seat 5: KK_QuadKings_KK (2,453)
Seat 6: Gooey911 (2,053)
Seat 7: itchyivey (1,421), is sitting out
Seat 8: skins1960 (1,251)
Dianiimal antes 10
PUNKART antes 10
OffDeadline antes 10
DOCTOR LB antes 10
KK_QuadKings_KK antes 10
Gooey911 antes 10
itchyivey antes 10
skins1960 antes 10
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to Dianiimal [6h]
Dealt to PUNKART [Ts]
Dealt to OffDeadline [9h 6s] [4h] << Ha! Just have to laugh when you see a train wreck like this. Two 6s out, and plenty of overcards. I'll bring it in and wait for someone to complete so I can go back to watching TV. And even if no one completes, it'll have to check around on 5th Street for me to even get close to being able to win.
Dealt to DOCTOR LB [Ac]
Dealt to KK_QuadKings_KK [Js]
Dealt to Gooey911 [6c]
Dealt to itchyivey [As]
Dealt to skins1960 [Tc]
OffDeadline is low with [4h]
OffDeadline brings in for 15
DOCTOR LB calls 15
KK_QuadKings_KK folds
Gooey911 folds
itchyivey folds
skins1960 folds
Dianiimal calls 15
PUNKART calls 15
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to Dianiimal [6h] [Ad]
Dealt to PUNKART [Ts] [7d]
Dealt to OffDeadline [9h 6s 4h] [6d] << LOL! The case 6. Who woulda thunk it? So much danger out there I'm happy to fold to any bet. Put me out of my misery, folks. Wanna get back to watching Shannon Elizabeth melt down against Paul Wasicka.
Dealt to DOCTOR LB [Ac] [Jd]
DOCTOR LB checks
Dianiimal checks
PUNKART checks
OffDeadline checks << Checked around, REALLY?!?! I suppose I should have taken a stab here, but doubtful any of the overs are going to fold to one bet with 3 more cards to come.
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to Dianiimal [6h Ad] [Td]
Dealt to PUNKART [Ts 7d] [2s]
Dealt to OffDeadline [9h 6s 4h 6d] [Ah] << Sigh. Now the poker gods are just toying with me, giving me an Ace.
Dealt to DOCTOR LB [Ac Jd] [Kc]
DOCTOR LB checks
Dianiimal checks
PUNKART checks
OffDeadline checks << Oh COME ON, now! Seriously, no one has ANYTHING?!? What about you, Doctor? A-J-K showing not worth betting in this pathetic hand? I REALLY should bet here, but I'm still stunned that I'm still in this hand, so I meekly check.
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to Dianiimal [6h Ad Td] [7h]
Dealt to PUNKART [Ts 7d 2s] [9s]
Dealt to OffDeadline [9h 6s 4h 6d Ah] [2h] << This is unreal. I went from one of the worst starting 3 in stud to a nut flush draw with a pair. Where's Rod Serling? Allen Funt? Ashton Kutcher?
Dealt to DOCTOR LB [Ac Jd Kc] [7s]
DOCTOR LB checks
Dianiimal checks
PUNKART checks
OffDeadline bets 100 << OK, I've donked long enough in this hand. I'm betting. And, surprisingly, I'm hoping for a call.
DOCTOR LB folds
Dianiimal folds
PUNKART folds
Uncalled bet of 100 returned to OffDeadline
OffDeadline mucks
OffDeadline wins the pot (140) << Um, wow. Just a few minutes ago I was laughing at this hand. How did this happen?
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 140 | Rake 0
Seat 1: Dianiimal folded on 6th St.
Seat 2: PUNKART folded on 6th St.
Seat 3: OffDeadline collected (140), mucked
Seat 4: DOCTOR LB folded on 6th St.
Seat 5: KK_QuadKings_KK folded on 3rd St.
Seat 6: Gooey911 folded on 3rd St.
Seat 7: itchyivey folded on 3rd St.
Seat 8: skins1960 folded on 3rd St.

- SCOTT

Did I Play This Wrong?

One thing that bugs me is when people go over hands and miraculously discover all kinds of "deep thoughts" they were supposedly thinking in the 15 seconds they took to make a decision. I won't do this here, I promise. My thoughts at the time were worthy only of a reptile's brain-stem.

This happened in a home game tournament tonight, with me (Mike) against Chris. We start nine-handed with 1,500 chips and are on Level 2, with blinds at 25-50. We both have a little less than the starting stack, I think. Chris makes a standard raise, to 150 under the gun, and it's folded to me on the button. I have 8-9 of clubs. I like this hand in this position and call. The blinds fold and we're heads up.

The flop is 9-T-baby, one club, and Chris bets out about pot, say 300. Now seriously, here is my thinking: This flop did not connect with him and this is simply his standard continuation bet. If there is an Ace or paint in that flop, I fold, because I have no (realistic) draws and only second pair. But on this flop, I believe I am good. So I am going to raise to get him to fold. My raise is something like another 400 or 500, whereupon Chris quickly moves all in (for an additional 600 or 700, something like that) and I think, "Oops." At this point, my read must be bad, but even so (and this part only flickered in my subconscious) I have six outs in the four eights and two nines. With 2,600 sitting out there, can I really fold? Why did I call the raise if I was going to be pushed off the hand after a flop in which I hit my pair and I believe he missed?

So I did call, but before I say what Chris had and how it turned out, I wonder if that was the right play.

Mike

Episode #102 recap: Barry Greenstein

MAIN TOPIC

The "Robin Hood of Poker" Barry Greenstein joined us for a very lively, entertaining interview that's easily our longest pro interview ever. (And he did it all live from the Bellagio poker room, where he had been playing all night!). To hear the show, click here. Here are highlights:

ACE ON THE RIVER: We delved into his book in good detail, from the dedication, to its strategy lessons to what he left out (hint: making deals at the final table - next week's Ante Up! topic)

CHARITY WORK: It's well known that he donates all of his tournament winnings to charity, especially Children Inc. But he wants you to know he has to pay taxes on his winnings, so people who say he has ulterior motives don't really understand how generous he really is.

JOE: He has plenty to say about this son Joe Sebok and the challenges of being a poker player with a family. Don't miss "his side" of the infamous basketball episode.

WSOP: He's planning on playing several events at the World Series this year, though it depends on the side game action, which he predicts will be drier than in the past thanks to legal challenges. And Bodog has Barry and Joe at 3-to-2 odds to be the family pairing that will cash the most in the Main Event.

TRAVEL: If you've ever taken a loooooong trip, wait to you hear the turnaround Barry had traveling from Reno, to Europe, to Connecticut, to home.

DUSTUPS: Barry gives his side of the Andy Beal matches, and the grief he took from pros, talks about his heads-up matches with Daniel Negreanu and says he hasn't always been as calm, cool and collected as he appears. And check out his player rankings on his Web site. Yes, he's taken some grief for being this open and honest about biggest pros in the game.

OTHER TOPICS

WSOP: The World Series has changed the payout structures this year, making it easier to cash but less lucrative to win. And with online poker sites kicked to the curb, the Gaming Life Expo will be a different affair this year. It's transforming into a "men's lifestyle" event, with race car simulators, golf exhibits and "lovely" women playing volleyball.

KINGS AND LOWS: You know what this game is? Neither do we. But one of our listeners is pretty good at it, and he wants it to become a bracelet event. We're all for it, since it's not hold'em.

WORLD SERIES OF GOLF: Some interesting names made the money at the WSOG. Ever hear of some dude named Phil Ivey?

AIPS: Be sure to sign up for Event #6, and if you finished 5th to 12th in Event #5 and don't think you've received your $5.50 credit, e-mail FullTilt.

OMAHA' S ORIGINS: Don't you love it when Chris and Scott fight like little girls? Some listeners took issue with Scott's claim (from the book Roll the Bones) last week that Texas Hold'em may have originated FROM Omaha. Bottom line, like most everything in poker, no one knows the truth, so it all depends on whom you trust more. So there. :)

ONE-MINUTE MYSTERY: Columbo reigns when he correctly puts his opponent on AK and calls a river bet with pocket Aces.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Barry sticks around to help his analyze a hand from listener John (aka Croker). John gets involved preflop with pocket 4s, and flops an open-ended straight flush draw. Barry wasn't happy with John calling the preflop reraise, but was more bothered by John not making a do-or-die decision on the flop. Without knowing where he stood in the hand, John put himself in a situation where his opponent could draw out on him or bluff him off the hand. And, yes, it was the latter that cost John the pot on the river.

- SCOTT

TRUMAN'S CARDS

For those of you who haven't listened to Show 101 this is a little spoiler, but during the show I mentioned how President Harry S. Truman was playing poker when he made the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima? One of our listeners (Steve) sent us this photo and this email today. Unreal. That ace looks an awful lot like the Ace of Spades in a Foxwoods deck.

I had the opportunity to tour the National Museum of the United States Air Force this weekend. It just so happens, they have Harry S. Truman's "Independence," the plane on which he flew, on display. Inside, believe it or not, is a table set up, supposedly with the very poker hands being played when he gave the order to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. I took some photos with my camera phone. I apologize for the quality.

Thanks Steve!

Barry Greenstein on Show 102

OK Ante Up! Nation, here's your chance to ask one of the greatest poker players on the planet a question or two. Barry Greenstein will be on Ante Up! tomorrow (5/25/07). If you have something you'd like to ask the Robin Hood of Poker post it here. We'll be sure to ask him about his relationship with his son Joe Sebok, and of course his book Ace on the River, etc. But this is your chance to ask him something you'd like to know. We'll try to fit it in.

-- Chris

Coupla things

BRICK CITY: Remember those bricks I talked about that I laid at the $2-4 Razz table recently before moving to the $5-10 table and scoring a big win? Well my job as head mason got transferred to the $5-10 Razz table last night and I finally hit a wall. There were a few crappy hands where I bricked early, but three hands really hurt. I made a 65 (the bets were capped on 3rd and 4th) and lost to a 64 on the river and then I had A234 and A345 to start in a 5-hand span (and those hands saw some serious raising) but of course I bricked all the way on both hands. Before I knew it I was down more than $100. God that sucked. All of those wins that I had posted on the blog over the past week have been erased. I'm still up on FTP, but not so much that I'm happy about it. I'll need to dial it down for a bit so I can claw my way back up again.

WPT FOXWOODS: Just one final reminder that the November WPT event at Foxwoods that I covered will be on TV tonight on the Travel Channel at 9 p.m. ET. If you want to see me, look over Mimi Tran's shoulder a few rows back. I'm wearing a white golf shirt (though the lighting might make it look like I have a light-blue shirt on). It'll be interesting to see what the hands were that got folded. And, if I remember correctly, the final table was over very fast, so we should see a lot of the hands played believe it or not.

-- Chris

Are you a chopper?

No, I don't mean do you have two wheels and long forks, I mean what would your plan be for a 1-table satellite at the WSOP?

In about a month Scott, Fasso and I will be faced with playing satellites to enter our events at a much reduced rate. But we can only imagine that there's a lot of chopping going on when it gets down to two people (provided you're playing a winner-takes-all format). Would you offer a chop if you were, say, playing in the $175 one-winner SNG for the $1,500 chip + $120 cash? Or would you take it to the end and hope to win?

If you pay $175 to enter and split the prize so that you get back $810, is it worth it? And what I mean is, you would make a profit of $635. Plus you'd have to give the dealer at least a $20-$35 tip. So, you made $600 but you still have to pay $900 to play your event. Should you take your chances and try to win it all? Look for a better-than-chop deal? Chop it and then enter another one? What do you do? I'd be interested in hearing what others have done and what they are planning to do. I know NEW SCOTT has some thoughts.

-- Chris

AIPS II Event #6 created

AIPS II Event #6 (Limit Omaha Hi-Lo) has been created and is open for registration. Everyone help us keep an eye on the payout structure so I can go back to my normal one-email-a-month to FullTilt habit. And sorry to those loyal listeners who will be fleecing tourists in Vegas and unable to play. June is a busy month in Ante Up Land, and June 9 was the only opening. Here's Las Vegas Advisor's list of free Wi-Fi hotspots in Sin City, so pack your laptop and duel EBlonk to the end.

Here are the details:
Name: AIPS II Event #6
Where: FullTilt
Cost: $5+.0.50
When: Noon Eastern, Saturday, June 9
Password: anteup

You can find it under the "Private Tournaments" tab.

- SCOTT

WSOP Satellite options

Our friend Dave from Ohio sent me the satellite options for the WSOP. Since a few members of the Ante Up! Nation (as well as the Times Mob) are headed there I thought they might like to see this.

Single-table satellite [STS] with 10 players.
Hold'em (no-limit, limit and pot-limit) or Omaha (Hi and Hi/Lo; limit or pot-limit). Here are your options:
$65 buy-in winner gets $500 Buy-In Chip + $ 50
$125 $1000 Buy-In Chips + $120
$175 $1500 Buy-In Chips + $120
$225 $2000 Buy-In Chips + $120
$275 $2500 Buy-In Chips + $120
$325 $3000 Buy-In Chips + $120
$525 $5000 Buy-In Chips + $120
$1030 $10,000 Buy-in chips + $150

Here are two-winner tables and payouts:
$120 buy-in with two winners (2) $500 Buy-In Chip + $ 50
$235 (2) $1000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$335 (2) $1500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$435 (2) $2000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$535 (2) $2500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$635 (2) $3000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$1035 (2) $5000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$2050 (2) $10,000 Buy-in chips + $150

Six-handed tables: Hold'em or Omaha games as well as 2-7 Lowball:
$290 six-handed wins $1500 Buy-In Chips + $110
$460 $2500 Buy-In Chips + $130
$875 $5000 Buy-In Chips + $120

Two-table, two-winner SNGs:
$120 buy-in two winners (2) $1000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$170 (2) $1500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$220 (2) $2000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$270 (2) $2500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$320 (2) $3000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$520 (2) $5000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$1030 (2) $10,000 Buy-in chips + $150

Three-winner, two-table SNGs:
$175 buy-in and three winners (3) $1000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$250 (3) $1500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$325 (3) $2000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$400 (3) $2500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$475 (3) $3000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$775 (3) $5000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$1545 (3) $10,000 Buy-in chips + $200

Three-table, three-winner SNGs:
$120 buy-in and three winners (3) $1000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$170 (3) $1500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$220 (3) $2000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$270 (3) $2500 Buy-In Chips + $100
$320 (3) $3000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$520 (3) $5000 Buy-In Chips + $100
$1035 (3) $10,000 Buy-in chips + $200

8-handed games like 7-Card Stud, Stud H/L, Razz, HORSE and 2-7:
$150 buy-in wins $1000 Buy-In Chips + $70
$215 $1500 Buy-In Chips + $90
$280 $2000 Buy-In Chips + $110
$345 $2500 Buy-In Chips + $130
$410 $3000 Buy-In Chips + $150
$660 $5000 Buy-In Chips + $150

I won't get into the $50K SNGs. Thanks for the info Dave!

-- Chris

AIPS credit issued

Full Tilt's Private Tournaments department just sent me an email saying those players who finished 5th through 12th in AIPS II Event #5 have been credited $5.50.

Thank you all for your understanding. Hopefully, this was an isolated incident. But keep an eye on those payout structures, and let us know ASAP in the future if there's a problem.

- SCOTT

My biggest Razz hand ever!

After again getting crippled in a NLHE tournament pushing too hard with a flush draw that never got there, I decided to play a little Razz. I started with $2-4 because the $3-6 was full and the $5-10 wasn't going. But I lost like $35 playing $2-4 when EVERY hand that I had that started with three to a wheel would brick twice after I had reraised. Then some guys started the $5-10 table and I jumped in. I won a hand or two, but nothing big, then lost one before this hand came up. Everyone left the table and I was playing heads-up.

Full Tilt Poker Game #2473654844: Table Hollywood - $5/$10 Ante $1 - Limit Razz
Seat 3: willhopper ($89.50)
Seat 4: patmcb ($299)
patmcb antes $1
willhopper antes $1
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [3h 5s] [4d]<--- I'm hoping to God I don't brick again like the $2-4 table.
Dealt to patmcb [8s]
patmcb completes it to $5
willhopper raises to $10
patmcb calls $5
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [3h 5s 4d] [Qc]
Dealt to patmcb [8s] [2d]
patmcb bets $5
willhopper calls $5<--- I thought about raising even though I bricked, but I just called to see what developed.
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [3h 5s 4d Qc] [As]<--- I have the best hand here and the best drawing hand. I know I likely won't make a wheel since he has a pair of deuces showing, but I'm drawing to the nuts.
Dealt to patmcb [8s 2d] [2h]
willhopper bets $10
patmcb raises to $20<--- Really? The best you can be drawing to is an 8 and you raise me? Looks like someone hasn't read their Sklansky!
willhopper raises to $30<--- BAM!
patmcb calls $10
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [3h 5s 4d Qc As] [8h]<--- Perfect! At best he's drawing to a 6, but likely will only make an 86.
Dealt to patmcb [8s 2d 2h] [6c]
willhopper bets $10
patmcb raises to $20<--- Again, really? No one ever believes me when I play this game, even after I re-raised him on the street before.
willhopper raises to $30<--- BAM AGAIN!
patmcb calls $10
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [3h 5s 4d Qc As 8h] [Qd]<--- An 85 is a good hand and I know it's best. The only way I'm beat here is if he made his 6, and I'll take my chances.
willhopper bets $10
patmcb calls $10<--- That call can mean only one thing.
*** SHOW DOWN ***
willhopper shows [Qd 5s 4d Qc As 8h 3h] (8,5,4,3,A)
patmcb mucks
willhopper wins the pot ($171.50) with 8,5,4,3,A
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $172 | Rake $0.50
Seat 3: willhopper showed [Qd 5s 4d Qc As 8h 3h] and won ($171.50) with 8,5,4,3,A
Seat 4: patmcb mucked [7s 6s 8s 2d 2h 6c Ac] - 8,7,6,2,A<--- Even worse than I thought.

You know what I love most about this hand? The rake was 50-cents!!!! Ok, I love that second most, what I love most is that I won this massive pot. Limit poker, who woulda thunk it?

-- Chris

Lots to blog about (kinda long post)

WSOP TRAINING: It's no secret I haven't been playing tournaments lately, and with the WSOP quickly approaching I felt I needed to get in some practice. And I don't mean tournaments online. So I called Derby Lane this morning and reserved a spot. When I got there they said my name wasn't on the list and the tourney was sold out. I wasn't happy and made that known, but the tournament director knew I had called and ultimately got me in.

My first table was really weird. I had a guy on my left who had flopped a straight on the first hand and doubled up early, but he had NO clue how to play and I only regret I didn't pick up any playable hands to get his chips. Another guy drove me crazy. He was the most deliberate player I've ever played with. Every hand was a decision and every hand he had to have a coversation with himself (and usually the dealer) that took at least 15-30 seconds. I wanted to knock him out so bad, and I kept raising his weak calls because I knew he was terrible. But mostly I just played tight because I just couldn't get anything worth playing. (The entire tournament the best hand I saw was 99, and I got AK once).

Eventually I just waited for squeeze plays to earn my chips, taking advantage of my tight image. After the first break I was just a tad above even, then I built a decent stack and got moved to another table, where I took out a couple of players. At that table I made a bunch of hands with rags and actually got up to about 12K in chips. At that point there were about 50 players left in the 150-player field (paying 15). And that's when I made my only real mistake of the tournament.

With the blinds 300-600 I was in the BB with J♥8♥ and only the button limped in. The SB called and we saw a flop: 6♥4♥6♦. The SB checked, as did I, with the intention of check-raising. The button, who had about 6K, bet 1,000. After the SB folded I went ahead and check-raised 3K hoping to represent the 6 or have outs if he called. Well, he pushed for another 5K and I had to call (there was almost 11K in there). He turned over 5♠6♣. I never made my flush and went down to about 4K.

I played the SS really well and survived another 20 spots or so, but ultimately I went out in what looked like 34th place. I was happy with the way I played, reading players for weak and reading situations as ripe for the taking. But that one mistake really hurt. If I made my flush I would've been pretty close to tourney chipleader. And that's EXACTLY how I wanted it. I refuse to milk shortstacks anymore. I want chips and want to get into the money with those chips. So I went for it on that hand, and it cost me. That's OK, I played well and was entertained for three hours.

STUD/8 PLAY: This morning, before I went to Derby Lane, I sat down at Karina Jett's $2-4 Stud/8 table on Full Tilt Poker and made what I think was the best call I've made in a while, but I think if you read the Hand History you'll think I'm a donk. Here's the hand:

Seat 2: caddymatty ($128)
Seat 3: TABASCO KAT ($32.70)
Seat 4: Karina Jett ($98.55)
Seat 5: fatangel ($119)
Seat 6: willhopper ($106.25)
Seat 7: leapin1 ($42.10)
*** 3RD STREET ***
Dealt to caddymatty [Js]
Dealt to TABASCO KAT [Ah]
Dealt to Karina Jett [5d]
Dealt to fatangel [Ad]
Dealt to willhopper [4c 4h] [Kc] <----I had just won a nice pot and was feeling frisky. I broke the platinum rule by playing a hand that really can't scoop, but I just wanted to limp to see if I could see 4th street, maybe catch another 4 or a King.
Dealt to leapin1 [Qs]
Karina Jett is low with [5d] Karina Jett brings in for $0.50
fatangel folds <--- This is good because he had an ace and I think the other ace might fold to give me the highest board card so I call.
willhopper calls $0.50
leapin1 folds
caddymatty folds
TABASCO KAT folds <--- Yes, now I'm heads up.
*** 4TH STREET ***
Dealt to Karina Jett [5d] [7s]
Dealt to willhopper [4c 4h Kc] [5c] <---- Ok, I picked up another club and another wheel card. Not the greatest hand, but I think I'm ahead, as it's obvious to me she's going low only.
willhopper bets $2 <---- Why not? I'm representing either two kings or a club draw.
Karina Jett raises to $4 <--- I take this as she isn't worried about my hand because she thinks I'm going high and she's pretty much got her low already.
willhopper calls $2
*** 5TH STREET ***
Dealt to Karina Jett [5d 7s] [2s]
Dealt to willhopper [4c 4h Kc 5c] [Ac]<--- Ok, I have four clubs to an AK flush, and I have three to a wheel, meaning I can still make a better low than her. Now I have a hand that can scoop after all.
willhopper checks<--- No reason to bet out here, I know she'd raise me with that deuce.
Karina Jett bets $4
willhopper calls $4
*** 6TH STREET ***
Dealt to Karina Jett [5d 7s 2s] [3h]
Dealt to willhopper [4c 4h Kc 5c Ac] [Ts]<---- DOH! Man, why couldn't the 3♣ come?
willhopper checks
Karina Jett bets $4
willhopper calls $4<--- At this point she has two cards showing that are under my fours, no real flush draw and I don't think she would've played the hand this way if she had say, 7-6 in the hole. So at this point I'm hoping to make my flush or two pair to take half (which sucks).
*** 7TH STREET ***
Dealt to willhopper [4c 4h Kc 5c Ac Ts] [Qh]<--- Damn! Missed everything. Now, are my fours good?
willhopper checks
Karina Jett bets $4<---- I replayed the hand in my head and I thought, "Why is she betting here? I represented kings or a flush or kings-up the whole way." After a few seconds I decided there was $32 in the pot and I'm getting 8-1 on my money, or 4-1 for half.  All I could come up with was "She only has a low and is trying to put me to a decision because she's freerolling. If she knows I have high locked up she probably wouldn't bet." I didn't think she could have a straight because I had two of the fours she needed. So I called.
willhopper calls $4
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Karina Jett shows [Kh 8s 5d 7s 2s 3h 6h] (King Eight high)<----YES! Don't ask me how, but I just knew it! *** SHOW DOWN ***
willhopper wins the high pot ($17.20) with a pair of Fours
Karina Jett wins the low pot ($17.20) with 7,6,5,3,2

OK, let the bashing begin. But I just felt like I had the best high hand and I made the call.

WSOP UPDATE: Scott and I both booked our flights today for Vegas. I'll be landing at 11 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, and Scott will be there Saturday at about 12:30 p.m. We'll head home on the same flight Saturday morning (and the date, by the way, is 7-7-7). We'll be at the WSOP Academy on July 3-5 and we'll take in the Expo on the 5th and 6th. I'm (hopefully) playing in the $1,500 NL event on June 30. (And what I mean by "hopefully" is I just hope the event isn't sold out.) Scott's likely playing the $1,000 S.H.O.E. event that Sunday. And don't forget Fasso's in the $1,000 Stud/8 event on the 28th. Hopefully he'll still be alive when I land so I can root him on. All in all an eventful day.

-- Chris

One-Minute Mystery: The Case of the Cold, Cold Aces

ec It's a three-table multi no-limit tournament.

Our opponent pops it 4x from middle position, and we look down at A-A on the button. We reraise to 200, and see a flop.

Our opponent check-calls all the way to the river, when he bets out a third of the pot on a board of Qc-8s-Js-Kd-9d.

What do you do?

Episode #101 recap: Poker 101

MAIN TOPIC

Chris thought it would be cute to explore the History of Poker, like professors, on our 101st episode. (Get it? Poker 101?) Turns out, he was right. There's a lot about this game we love that we bet you didn't know. Couple of tidbits:

• The creators of poker were too busy playing to write down what they were doing. So it's almost impossible to accurately track the game's origins. But games such as As-nas from Persia and Pochen from Germany likely played a role.
• There are some famous folks depicted on cards. Like Julius Caesar on the Ace of Diamonds.
• The requirement that a player had Jacks or Better to open a pot is what brought us "jackpot."

For the whole deal, listen to the show. And check out the tremendous amount of source material we used:

• Jim McManus' articles on the History of Poker at CardPlayer.
• David Schwartz's exhaustive book, Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling.

OTHER TOPICS

AIPS: Congrats to the J-Chitown. And, um, regrets to Chris (101st place!) And if you didn't see the earlier post, FullTilt has told us they're giving $5.50 to players who finished 5th through 12th to make good on messing up the payout structure.

BIZARRO ANTE UP!: Chris is playing almost exclusively limit poker these days, and Scott is playing almost exclusively no-limit. What the heck is going on?

FLAT PAYOUTS: Scott loves these, mostly because he nurses a short stack. But there's some interesting strategy in play when every casher gets the same prize.

POKER AFTER DARK: Women always be talking. Well, at least on this show. Chris has had enough of it. Play some poker, he says!

PROMO VIDEO: Yes, there were some, um, oddities in that promotional video that we shot. (You can watch it by clicking to the right). And we thank listener Brian for good-naturely pointing them out.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Bob from Plainfield, Ill., puts a new twist on the HOTW. He tells us his opponents' cards, but keeps his a secret until the end. His opponent, comfortable with second pair/top kicker, isn't buying what Bob is selling with his pocket 9s from the small blind. Tough break, but some good things to ponder.

- SCOTT

AIPS II Event #5 Champion: J_Chitown

Congratulations to J_Chitown , who wins the fifth AIPS II banana as champion of the No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed event, which drew 112 entrants. (And when we know more about the payout snafu, we'll let you guys know).

J_Chitown bested Aquaman H20 with pocket 9s over pocket 5s to take the title. And a special shoutout to HollidayNuts, who went out on the most brutal bubble in AIPS history.
 

Bounties go to:

• Rant2112 (Columbo, 36th)
• loser64 (Scott, 47th place)
  PokerGeek (Fassso, 67th place)
  JLBSox (Chris, 101st place)

NEXT EVENT: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Saturday, June 9, noon 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 J_Chitown , who wins the fifth AIPS II banana as champion of the No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed event, which drew 112 entrants. (And when we know more about the payout snafu, we'll let you guys know).

J_Chitown bested Aquaman H20 with pocket 9s over pocket 5s to take the title. And a special shoutout to HollidayNuts, who went out on the most brutal bubble in AIPS history.
 

Bounties go to:

• Rant2112 (Columbo, 36th)
• loser64 (Scott, 47th place)
  PokerGeek (Fassso, 67th place)
  JLBSox (Chris, 101st place)

NEXT EVENT: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Saturday, June 9, noon 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 J_Chitown , who wins the fifth AIPS II banana as champion of the No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed event, which drew 112 entrants. (And when we know more about the payout snafu, we'll let you guys know).

J_Chitown bested Aquaman H20 with pocket 9s over pocket 5s to take the title. And a special shoutout to HollidayNuts, who went out on the most brutal bubble in AIPS history.
 

Bounties go to:

Rant2112 (Columbo, 36th)

loser64 (Scott, 47th place)
PokerGeek (Fassso, 67th place)
JLBSox (Chris, 101st place)

AIPS TONIGHT!

Hey Ante Up! Nation!

Just a reminder that Event #5 of the second annual AnteUp! Intercontinental Poker Series is tonight at 9 Eastern on Full Tilt Poker (password is anteup). We'll be playing No Limit Texas Hold 'Em Short Handed, and watch out for willhopper because he will be a force to be reckoned with. I finished 10th in this event last year and was just shy of cashing and the final table. I plan on improving on that finish tonight so beware. Remember, it's MY ASCENSION DAY!

OK, was that a little over the top? LOL!

Seriously, everyone have fun tonight and good luck ... you're going to need it! Mwah-ha-ha-ha!!!

-- Chris

The Ante Up Dead Pool

Starting June 28, the Ante Up crew is putting its money where its collective (big) mouth is and playing three events at the WSOP. The DEAD POOL is a contest to guess how far we go. How many levels, in total, will these donkeys travel? Each level is an hour, and here are some tournament facts:

Event 46 (Mike): Limit stud/8. Starting stack, 2,000. Level one: ante 5, 15-30; level five: ante 25, 100-200; level 10: ante 100, 600-1,200. Last level on structure sheet: 23.

Event 49 (Chris): No-limit hold em. Starting stack, 3,000. Level one: 25-50; level five: ante 25, 150-300; level 10: ante 200, 800-1,600. Last level on structure sheet: 23.

Event 51 (Scott): Limit SHOE (stud, hold em, omaha, stud/8). Starting stack, 2,000. Level one: ante 5, 15-30; level five: ante 25, 150-300; level 10: ante 200, 800-1,600. Last level on structure sheet: 40 (really 20, since in SHOE the game changes every half-hour but the limits go up every hour.)

Send your guesses for the total number of levels the three of us achieve to me at fasso@sptimes.com, topic DEAD POOL, and I'll compile them. (Making a level counts, even if you bust out on the first hand of that level.) We have made our guesses, which I'll keep under wraps for now. I'll repost the contest a final time in a couple weeks and we'll close entries by mid-June. The winner will get some kind of hat, right Chris?

TIEBREAKER: Guess which order we'll go out in, with the first to bust out listed first.

-- MIKE

Episode #100 recap: The 100th show!

We made it! 100 shows ... and counting. We're not going to do a long, drawn-out recap this week because we packed plenty of surprises into this week's show and don't want to spoil them. So listen to the show by clicking here. (And block out an afternoon - it's a staggering 3 hours and 20 minutes!). But here's a couple of highlights:

• The best advice from the pros who have been on our show
• Tidbits from our best poker roadtrips
• A look back at all the games we've discussed
• Some laughs we've had
• The best - and worst - Hands of the Week

And, of course, plenty of thank-yous. Most importantly, a huge thank you to every one of our listeners. Stick around for the end of the show for the Roll Call of listeners. It's truly great. And a special shoutout to those who chipped in for the amazing trophy that arrived yesterday. Chris and I appreciate it more than we can say. (Here's a picture of it).

Now, on to the next 100 shows ...

- SCOTT

Another reason to save online poker

You know how people always talk about the World Series of Poker as pretty much the only sport where, if you have the money, you can sit down and compete with world champions for the world title? No prejudice, no prerequisites, just cold hard cash will do.

Well, the Internet provides you this opportunity too, and often on a much smaller scale. Imagine telling Tiger Woods you want him to come to the house and chip in the back yard with you for 50 cents a shot. Yeah, right! You couldn't get within a country mile of Tiger, and even if you did he ain't coming over to your house. And yet, on just about any given day you can find a professional poker player online playing for microlimits. Online poker brings world champs into your homes and can provide you with stories/memories/experience that you'll never forget. They play against you, and most of the time they talk to you about poker or whatever. How can anyone say this isn't a good thing?

Here's why I bring it up: Over the weekend I played Razz with Chip Jett. Though he didn't talk much we still played together for about an hour or so at $1-2 (the $2-4 tables were packed and no one was playing $3-6). I won about $25 at that table, including about $12-15 from pots where I was heads-up with Chip. It was a great feeling playing him and taking his money. If he stuck around he may have gotten some of that back from me, but he left when I was up so I stopped playing. It was just awesome sitting with one of the best poker players in the world, and to beat him was a thrill. Now, I know it was only $1-2 Razz and it could have been some flak that was fulfilling Chip's requirement to play lower limits once a week, but I don't think so. I've always liked Chip and his wife Karina and for the government to take these types of opportunites away from the average guy is just sad. Thanks for playing with me Chip!

Some of the pros I've played with online include Kenna James (I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT BLUFF I PUT ON HIM IN AIPS RAZZ LAST YEAR!), Andy Bloch, Lee Watkinson, Clonie Gowen and now Chip Jett. But I haven't been able to play against any players live, even after covering a couple of WPT events. (Scott got to play with Daniel Negreanu!) But with the World Series coming up I think I'll get my chance soon. Do you have an anecdote from playing with a pro online or live? I'd be interested in hearing it.

-- Chris

Lucky You ...

If you haven't seen this movie yet, then the title is truly apropos. ... Lucky You!

To be completely truthful I don't know where I stand on this movie. As a flick, it pretty much sucked. As a poker movie, it pretty much sucked. But there were moments that entertained me, like the degeneracy that is prevelant in Vegas, especially in poker.

As for the acting, I was surprised by the cast: Robert Duvall, Drew Barrymore, Debra Messing, Robert Downey (though he was on screen for less than 10 minutes in just one scene), Jean Smart, Horatio Sanz and of course Eric Bana. These are some pretty big names in the business (frankly I think this movie is WAY beneath Duvall and Barrymore) so it shocks me that they would take these roles based on this script. Then again, there's only so much an actor can do with lines like "Never chase what you can't catch." But the funniest line in the movie came when someone was giving Bana advice and he said he was too sympathetic: "If you're looking for sympathy you can find it in the dictionary somewhere between sh*t and syphilis."

I'll take a moment here to discuss Barrymore. She served as the "public common denominator" in this movie. She was the one who had to represent the "ignorant" crowd so Bana could make her understand that poker is skill, etc. Again, I think she should have said "No thanks" when they offered her this part, but then again, she has made bad career choices before (Can you say Firestarter?).

But, there's one side of me that loved this movie, and that's my poker snob side. There were things that made me smile, like John "The World" Hennigan playing the part of a badass, or just seeing all of the poker players I know or have spoken with, etc. It's kinda cool seeing these people up on the big screen and knowing just a short while ago they were just nobodies making a living at poker. Now they're bonafide celebs, so from that standpoint it was enjoyable.

I know what you're all wondering: How much poker was there and how believable was it? Well, there actually was a decent amount of poker, and Eric Bana's character, Huck Cheever, throws in enough cliche "poker" lines ("Money is just a way of keeping score.") during his everyday dialogue to remind you the writers did their homework to try to keep it as legit as possible without losing the audience.

Were there any Hollywood hands? Really just one, and yes it was a straight flush, but I won't tell you when it comes in case you plunk down $10 to see this thing. Were there unbelievable things? Absolutely, and too many to list here. But I will give them this: They clearly cared enough to consult these players to make sure pretty much everything was authentic, like super satellites, betting (no string raises, etc.). You could nitpick some things, but for the most part it was techincally sound.

Was it corny and predictable? Yep. Does it have a happy ending? What do you think?

Oh, and I think there are parts Scott would like, such as when Duvall and Bana play GUTS, or the prop bets that come up occasionally.

Quick points:
-- I was EASILY the youngest person in the theatre, though I did go to a matinee.
-- Don't show up for a movie early these days because they run actual commercials now, and it's ridiculous.
-- A LOT of poker pros were in Lucky You, and quite a few had actual lines: Barry Greenstein, Ted Forrest, Jennifer Harman, Jason Lester, Sammy Farha, Chau Giang, John Murphy, David Oppenheim, Minh Ly, Marsha Waggoner, Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, Antonio Esfandiari, Slim Preston, Matt Savage and more (but the other people mostly just were seated at tables that the camera picked up during scans, so it could have been footage from an actual tournament).
-- The moment where I had to bite my tongue came pretty early on when I saw Hasan Habib at the table and I wanted SO BADLY to yell HASAAAAN HAAAABIB!!!!!! Jeanne laughed when I said that to her and we both knew NO ONE in that theatre would know what the hell that meant. And IMDB doesn't even know who Habib is because they don't have him listed in the credits!
-- Speaking of these players, I can't understand why some got to play themselves and others didn't. Harman, Hennigan, Oppenheim and Savage had fake names, which made no sense. How does it hurt the film for Matt Savage to be called Matt Savage instead of Gil Edwards?

Overall, Jeanne and I didn't think much of this flick, and I won't buy it on DVD when it comes out. She summed it up perfectly for me "There wasn't enough of anything in it" to make it enjoyable or memorable. I give it a 6-2-offsuit. You can make a straight with these cards, but do you really want to play them?

-- Chris

Episode #99: Jeffrey Pollack

MAIN TOPIC

Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker, joined us for an insightful look at issues at play for this year's edition of Poker's Greatest Marathon. To listen to the show, click here. Highlights:

NEW SCHEDULE: This year's schedule (and TV coverage) includes a much more varied list of games. Jeffrey said it was in response to players' requests, and next year's schedule will reflect how this years' is received.

IT'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY: Jeffrey equated the Series to an entire sports season compressed into less than 2 months. He says disputes are inevitable, but this year they've beefed up training for dealers and other personnel and expect the player experience to be better than ever. Restrictions on logos have been reduced as well.

RULES INFRACTIONS: Jeffrey addressed the discussions with Jamie Gold that concluded last month with no penalty, but he reminded players that retroactive penalties (such as sitting out a few rounds in a future tournament) can be enforced.

MAIN EVENT FIELD: Jeffrey reiterated that he's not predicting any amount of players for the Main Event, but the Series is prepared to host 10,000. He said the success of this year's event will be judged on quality, not quantity.

ONLINE QUALIFIERS: The WSOP is not accepting entries paid for by online poker sites, and Jeffrey said he couldn't address what may or may not happen to players who win their seats through online sites and then buy-in directly. And he said it's buyer beware on seat scams that have developed. Be careful out there.

SPECTATORS/SATELLITES: The spectator experience will be much improved this year, Jeffrey said, including the Final Table viewing areas. And check the WSOP Web site soon for details on satellites.

THE WORLD SERIES BRAND: Jeffrey isn't worried about the effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and says he's not expecting any changes once Harrah's becomes a private company. He's excited about the brand's expansion into Europe, and says he's open to expansion into Florida, but it's unlikely given that Harrah's doesn't own any properties here.

OTHER TOPICS

LUCKY US?: The Eric Bana/Drew Barrymore movie Lucky You opens tonight. Despite horrid reviews, Chris is taking his bride to see it. Let's hope at least seeing real poker players makes it somewhat worth it. And The Grand, a movie that was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, improvised the final table. Now, that's kinda cool.

HARVARD EDUCATION: The Wall Street Journal this week wrote about a poker symposium at Harvard University where the discussion was about whether poker is a game of skill. We know the answer, but it's nice to know other people are talking about it.

POKER LEGISLATION: U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., says he'll introduce a bill that says poker is a game of skill. And in Florida, we're awaiting the governor's signature before celebrating better poker conditions in the Sunshine State.

YOU WANT ACTION ON US?: Chris quickly dismissed an offer for he, Fasso and I to each have a share of each other's action at the World Series of Poker. With the stakes involved, seemed like a good risk. Hope he finds a way to explain it to the wife.

WORLD SERIES OF GOLF: Look for it on NBC in June. Here's the deal: Golfers put up $10,000. In groups of four, they bet, raise or call after each shot on the golf course. Once your money is gone, so are you. You just need to beat your group to get your buy-in back, and beat 14 players to win the $250,000 grand prize.

ANTE UP, LONDON CHAPTER: We heard from the London contingent. Mighty cool that you guys are getting together.

ONE-MINUTE MYSTERY: It's on hiatus this week so Columbo can prepare for a special edition for next week's 100th episode.

HAND OF THE WEEK

It's a special audio edition! Our hero gets his boat sunk by quad 5s. Ouch. Our advice: Sometimes there's nothing you can do in a hand. But here, we would have raised preflop with our AQ, and probably checked on the river. But it's unlikely any of those actions would have changed the result.

- SCOTT

Pollack this week's guest; AIPS Event #5 set up

Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker, will be this week's guest on Ante Up! We'll follow up on some of the great questions Ante Upper Alan Stewart asked him earlier this year, and ask a few new ones. If there's anything you want us to ask, post here.

Also, AIPS Event #5 (No-Limit Hold'em Short-Handed) has been created and is open for registration. You might consider registering early to avoid being shut out. Someone's been shut out before? Maybe once. I'm not naming names. But it starts with "G" and ends with "ambit."

Here are the details:
Name: AIPS II Event #5
Where: FullTilt
Cost: $5+.0.50
When: 9 p.m. Eastern, Thursday, May 17
Password: anteup

You can find it under the "Private Tournaments" tab.

- SCOTT

Gadecki gone? And last call for Roll Call

Hey Ante Up! Nation!

NOT AGAIN! We just got word that Sabina Gadecki may be gone from the WPT. Here's the link. If this is true, you can add Ante Up! to the list of entities that curse individuals for showing up on our show (see Sports Illustrated and EA's Madden football) except our curse only pertains to WPT hostesses. I love the headline: Gadecki get's Friel'd! I tried calling her and got her voice mail. She says she's in the Bahamas and will call back, then when the automated voice comes on it says the mailbox is full and you can't leave a message. LOL! Guess we know why.

ROLL CALL: I just wanted to remind everyone we're gonna cut off submissions to the Roll Call on Monday (May 7, 2007) and we're still missing some regulars (Can you say Erwin? Gambit? Zooks?) so if you plan on calling and leaving a message please do so otherwise you won't be immortalize in Show #100. (LOL!)  Toll-free 1(866) 371-9605.

Anyway, the show's coming together nicely and we're sure it will be the longest podcast in the history of the Internet. Prepare to listen to this in stages, and for those of you who usually put the show on an Audio CD, that ain't gonna work, you'll have to spring for an MP3 player or put the show on a DVD. LOL!

-- Chris

Florida poker bill passes!

Both houses of the Florida Legislature have approved a bill that significantly improves the poker condititions in Florida. The bill now awaits Gov. Charlie Crist's signature. If he signs it, it'll take effect on July 1. Click here to go to the bill's page, and click on "Enrolled" to read the entire final bill. But here's a summary of what will change for players:

• Bet limit raises to $5
• No-limit Texas Hold'em cash games are allowed with a max $100 buy-in
• Tournaments may be conducted with a total buy-in (including re-buys) that can't exceed "the maximum amount that could be wagered by a participant in 10 like-kind, nontournament games"
• Cardrooms can operate for any 12 hours every day
• Cardroom can give away high-hand jackpots

Whew. A heck of a lot to like here if you're a Florida poker player. Let's break it down. (Again, remember that the governor still needs to sign this):

WAGERING: No-limit players have to be rejoicing. They'll finally get to play "real" poker with no-limit cash games. And while us limit players would have rather seen a $10 bet limit, we'll make do with $5. Expect to see straight $5 games being offered, and hopefully $1-$5 spread stud games. I'd imagine the $2 tables won't disappear, but they'll certainly be in shorter supply. I'll also be curious to see whether $2/$4 limit games will appear. They might get squeezed out by demand for straight $5 and $2 games.
To be honest, I'm not sure what the tournament section is saying, but I'm certain it means the days of the $32+$13 tournament are gone. Does that mean the total entry fee can be $200 (10 hands of $5 poker with three raises a round)? Or $800 ($20 per round, times 4 rounds, times 10 games)? Hopefully, this will allow cardrooms to offer tournaments with reasonable rakes. The question for low-limit players is whether any of them will bother to run affordable tournaments.

HIGH-HANDS: Expect every cardroom to start raking an extra buck out of every pot so degenerates can have their high-hand jackpots. Ugh. My plea: Instead of a high-hand jackpot, award money based on a range of high-hands, like Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas does. If you get any four of a kind or any straight flush, you win the current "jackpot" for that hand. Once someone gets that hand for the day, it resets to a nominal amount (like $20). It builds until someone hits it. That gives everyone a chance to get all those buck rakes back, instead of piling it up for one lucky soul.

PLAYING: Hopefully this means Tampa Bay Downs will be able to swing its doors back open on July 1, and never close them again. Maybe Derby Lane will reopen on Sunday. If so, on July 1 we'll have five land-based cardrooms open for up to 12 hours every day of the year. Competition benefits the player, and you better believe every cardroom is going to be watching every other cardroom and responding to what's working elsewhere. There's a tremendous amount of leeway in this bill for rooms to set themselves apart; the ones who treat the player with respect and offer the games/tournaments they like at the limits they like will profit handsomely.

- SCOTT