Episode #129: The Jetts

Times photo  - Debbie Wolfe

MAIN TOPIC

Don't adjust your computer monitors; you are reading this correctly! Episode #129 is up and ready to roll. Chip and Karina Jett are in town to play in the Pros vs. Joes tournament at One-Eyed Jacks so they stopped by the studio. Listen to the episode here.

We chat with them about balancing poker, marriage and a family, their business ventures (including JettPoker Inc. and the Pokers Most Wanted card deck), how they handle playing against each other and ... and you're not going to want to miss this ... our version of the Not-So Newlywed Game. You're gonna learn a lot about the Jetts.

OTHER TOPICS

Negreanus splitting up: Unfortunate timing, on a show when we have a very happy poker couple as our guests, but Kid Poker and his wife are splitting amicably.

Who signs with PokerStars? Yeah, that's right ... ex-tennis star Boris Becker, that's who.

Casino Player surprises us with good poker stuff: The general interest gambling magazine has never been really insightful on poker, but the November issue had three articles worth discussing: 1. Mad Genius Mike Caro suggests changing gears based on your chip stack, 2. Which is the better table image - rude and in your face or sweet as honey?, and 3. Classic Poker Cruises is now World Poker Tour Cruises.

Hotline: It's buzzing again, with calls about multitabling online and how to play heads-up at the end of a MTT.

Columbo's Revolving Mystery: It's solved with a raise just big enough to pot-commit our opponent. Unfortunately, the cards aren't in our favor, though.

HAND OF THE WEEK

The Jetts stick around to help us break down a hand that ended up being a duel between Karina and long-time AnteUpper Sharkey. (And Sharks, just warning ya, Karina wrote down your name. Savor success, because we're not sure she's going to let you again).

The $3/$6 razz hand on FullTilt begins nicely for Sharkey, who has (3-6) 4. He completes it, and gets three callers, including Karina, who has an 8 showing.

Fourth Street is very nice to Sharkey (Ace) and Karina sticks around with 8-9.

Fifth Street bricks Sharkey (10) and presumably puts Karina in the lead (3). She bets out, but Sharkey likes his draw and calls.

Sixth Street gives Sharkey a 9 and Karina a scary 5. She keeps firing, but Sharkey isn't going anywhere.

Seventh Street is perfect for Sharkey (2), and turns out to be a brick for Karina, who calls and loses with a 9-8.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Remember - it's a long layoff. We'll be back on Dec. 7 (salute your local WWII vet, please) with the always popular Fasso for a show on Stud 8.

- SCOTT

What card are you?

Tomorrow we will have Chip and Karina Jett in the studio, and one of their projects is called Poker's Most Wanted. It's a deck of cards using famous poker players, and we'll be sure to ask them some questions about this venture. But it got me to thinking: What card are you? Have you ever given that some thought? When I was a kid I used to love the King of Clubs because for some reason it reminded me of root beer, which to this day is my favorite soda (pop). Don't ask me why, and even if Dr. Freud were alive he'd never solve that riddle. But it just stuck with me and so I liked the King of Clubs. Also, my nephew, as he grew up, associated cards with his family members, and to him I'm the King of Diamonds. My wife in turn would be the Queen of Diamonds, etc. So, what card are you, and why? We'll have a little fun with Chip and Karina on this subject tomorrow. And don't forget to keep those questions coming. We have a bunch already from you, but if you get them in we'll try to ask them.

-- Chris

Episode #128: Foxwoods interviews

MAIN TOPIC

Chris got some awesome interviews while prowling around Foxwoods this month. Click here to hear the whole show, which includes interviews with:

• Bill Edler: When is he "Bill"? And when is he "William"? And man, he really loves his wife.
• Freddy Deeb: Chris' BFF talks about his big HORSE win, those colorful shirts and why the poker boom will never be over.
• Lee Childs: Ante Up's resident pro chats about how his life has changed now that he's on the pro tour, and why playing online is tougher than playing live.
• Eugene Todd: Trust us, you will be on the floor rolling after this interview, bro.

OTHER TOPICS

Episode guide: Many, many thanks to Ante Upper Nikademus, who's compiled an amazing resource of past Ante Up! shows. Click here to see it.

"Foreign" happenings: First, some U.S. congressmen are fightin' mad that the U.S. Trade Representative isn't asking them for help in dealing with the ongoing World Trade Organization disputes over online gambling. Also, Harrah's is pondering entering the online poker business in Europe.

Knockout tournaments: Don't call them "bounty" tournaments, Full Tilt says, but the online poker site has started "knockout" tournaments where you earn a prize every time you felt a player.

Hotline: Two great calls this week: one about dealing with a bad run of calls and one about unfortunate muckage. (Is that a word? I guess it is now).

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Derby Lane has rolled out a number of changes, including later hours. Click here for the details.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Nick from Jersey phones in an audio HOTW.

In a $1/$2 no-limit game in an underground card room, he's looking at a $5 straddle and a mess of callers with his 4-4 on the button. He limps in, and hits his set on a flop of 4-5-J. Checked around to him, and he puts in a bet of $25, which chases everyone out but one.

The turn is a 9; he bets $65 and is check-raised to $165. With $320 left, he decides to call.

The river is a 5, and his opponent puts him all-in. Somehow he has the strength to lay this hand down. Good thing, too: His opponent had J-5.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

On a special Tuesday edition, Chip and Karina Jett visit the Ante Up! studios to tout One-Eyed Jack's Pros vs. Joes event and to talk about a whole lot more.

- SCOTT

Columbo's Rotating Mystery: Ace-Ace

We're in an online MTT, just past the first break. We have an above average stack of 9K.

Blinds are 120/240, with a 25 ante.

It's folded around to the button - a player who we know nothing about - and he pops it to 1,200, leaving him 5K behind.

We're in the SB, and look down at A-A.

The mystery:

How do we get our opponent's chips? Go for it now, or wait for the flop? And if so, what do you plan to do on the flop?

Times file photo

The Jetts confirmed for Show 129

Photo by Getty Images
When I sit down to my turkey dinner tomorrow I know I'll be giving thanks for a lot of things, including being thankful for Chip and Karina Jett, who are coming to our studio on Nov. 27 to record a very special edition of Ante Up! Chip and Karina are always on Full Tilt, playing in low limit games (especially Razz and Stud/8) against a lot of our Ante Up! faithful (I had a Stud/8 hand vs. Karina that was so memorable she practically yelled at me over it when I met her at the WSOP this year). They are in town to play in One-Eyed Jacks' Joes vs. Pros tournament on Nov. 30-Dec. 1. But before then we have them all to ourselves and we have a LOT to talk about. But, here's your chance to ask one of the most famous married poker couples on the planet a question. Ask it here or send them in to poker@tampabay.com and we'll do our best to ask it.

-- Chris

Changes at Derby Lane

I just got word from Derby Lane of some pretty big changes. Normally we'd save this stuff for the show, but since some of the changes will happen before Friday's show, we felt obligated to post it now. Plus you'll be sure to hear about it in the spots on the show as well.

Starting immediately: The poker room now offers $2/$5 no limit with a $100 min/max buy-in.
Effective Thursday (11/22/07): The Bad Beat Jackpot changes to four (4) Equal Progressive Royal Flush Jackpots. You must hold two parts in your hand for Texas Hold 'Em and 7-Card Stud.
Effective Thursday (11/22/07): The room will offer a $3/$5 limit structure for Hold 'Em and Omaha/8, and a $2/$4 limit with a $5 kill for both games as well.
Effective Nov. 30, 2007: Derby Lane's hours of operation will be Sunday-Thursday 1 p.m.-1 a.m. and Friday-Saturday 2 p.m.-2 a.m.
Effective Nov. 30, 2007: In honor of the new hours of operation Derby Lane will run a high-hand promotion of quad deuces, 2 p.m.-2 a.m. The hand wins $222.

A few more things:

• On Thanksgiving, the high hand of the day will win $1,621, in honor of the year of the first Thanksgiving.
• Two new tournament formats are debuting: Rerun ($20+$0, with $15+$5 rebuys) and Rebuy ($35+$15, with $20+$0 rebuys).

That's it, but that's a lot. And, of course, tune in to Ante Up! to hear more about Derby Lane's upcoming plans and tournaments.

-- Chris

Anatomy of a $26 token victory

I can feel Scott's pain. If you recall, a few shows ago we talked about his attempts to win a $26 token for the AIPS Main Event. We laughed at how many times he failed and how the $26 token ended up costing him like $35 or whatever. Well, I won't risk my puny bankroll on such things, but I had thousands of points saved up and decided (since there isn't Full Tilt Poker toilet paper in the FTP store, though that Photoshopped image is my dream) to give those 600 FTP SNGs a shot. I never thought I'd use those points for anything except these types of satellites, etc. anyway, so what the hell? But, as I said on the show this week, I played like four of them and finished third every time, but once (I had KK raised 6X, got one caller and the flop came AAQ. Guy had A2 and I was out in last place). Last night I was still stinging from my tough-luck session the night before, but I thought, "I still have enough points to try for a token, and since technically it's not costing me anything let me try again."

Well, after folding a bunch of horrible hands, I finally got 99 on the button. I raised 3X and the SB raised 9X and the BB shoved. My patience got to me and I thought "Screw it. They may think it's just a button raise and they may have each other's cards. They only pay one spot in these things and I'd be short if I folded. So a triple-up might propel me to winning one of these damn things."

So I shoved. The SB instacalled with AA. The BB had AK. The flop was ragged and I turned a 2-outer to triple up. Woo-hoo!!! But by all rights I should've been gone. Two hands later I picked up KK, I raised, got a reraise and I just called. The flop came jack-high and I bet half his stack. He shoved and I called. He had AQ and I eliminated another player. I was chipleader and kept thinking I had to close this out; I couldn't let it slip away. But just like that the poker gods giveth and they taketh away.

After a lull for about 10 minutes I picked up KK again. There was a raise UTG and I re-popped it to 3X his raise. That's when the button shoved for 2K. (??!!??) The initial raiser, who said he had 66, folded. My raise was 720, so I instacalled and he had 10-10. Of course the flop came with a 10 (and a 6, BTW, though since he folded his 66 I don't know if a 6 would have come if he had stayed in). The guy with 10-10 apologized, saying he misread me. I said "No sweat, I'm actually freerolling after that 99 hand so I can't complain).

So now he was chipleader and I was middle of the pack with like 2,300. My stack got all the way down to 1,900 while the guy with the 10-10 grew his stack to about 7K.

One thing I failed to mention was the guy on my right. He employed the KILL PHIL tactic and either folded or shoved on just about EVERY HAND. He got us down to 3-handed with this strategy, and the chipleader and I kept talking to each other about him, calling him a one-trick pony, etc. But this guy shoved with KJ and the chipleader called with AQ. The chronic shover hit his king and doubled through, bringing the leader back to the pack. On the next hand I had 99 and the all-in-or-fold guy shoved with A3. I called and doubled through him. So now we all had about 4,500.

I kept praying the shover and the other guy would get involved in a hand. I knew I could outplay either one, I just wanted it to get heads up no matter what the chip differential. Finally they got it all-in with a similar hand as before AJ vs KQ and the Kill Phil guy won. So he had a 2-to-1 chip lead on me when it got to heads up. But, the funny thing is, he kept folding his blinds or just minraising. He got away from his strategy and that was what let me get even fairly quickly.

I just remained patient, read his betting patterns and chipped away. Then with him ahead about 1,100 chips I got KK and limped. Every time I limped he raised me, so I wanted to trap him. On cue he shoved and I called. He had 77 and that left him with 1,100. He actually got back to about 4K before I picked up 55. He minraised and I thought, if I shove here I think he'll call. I shoved; he took a while, typed in "LOL, gl" and called with Q7o. I knew he would call because I was outplaying him and he needed to double through. The flop came 3-4-A and I said "Put a deuce up there and end it." Sure enough, a deuce turned and I finally won a damn token.

But, I had to get lucky (for a change), otherwise I would've been out early again.

In live play, in my last 5 SNGs, I have 4 firsts and a second. Online in my last 5 SNGs I have 1 first, 3 thirds and a last.

But that Kill Phil tactic worked well for this guy. He clearly didn't know how to play, though a lot of the Internet pros institute a tactic very similar to this when the blinds get high in SNGs, so maybe he did know what he was doing. But it all fell apart for him in the end. And I'm glad it did, as I am playing the AIPS M.E. for free!

-- Chris

Maybe I'm just unlucky?

I've never given luck, good or bad, much credence once I read SuperSystem a handful of years ago. Doyle Brunson made me understand there's much skill in poker and consistent winning is not tied to luck. There may be luck on any given hand or even session, but we all know the cliche: In the long run the skilled players will get all of the money.

So when someone says luck dominates poker, I always steam a little, and try to explain to them why they're indeed ignorant. And ignorant isn't a harsh word or an insult. It merely means "being uneducated in a specific area," and in this case, when people don't understand how to play poker and they always lose, they say they were unlucky. And I'm the first to say "No, you just need to understand the game better." I'm actually working on a piece about this for the paper.

But lately, the losing I've been experiencing online has me wondering about this luck factor. I keep waiting for variance to catch up, but I'm not sure my bankroll can handle it. And it took my wife listening to another one of my sick hands to point it out to me. She said "I think you're just unlucky online." I started to laugh, but then I wondered if there's actually merit in that point of view. And this post comes immediately after I finally won a $26 token with my FTP points last night (and I needed to get lucky one time during the match. I'll talk about that a little later in another post).

So here's a hand that sparked the conversation, but I'm not whining about it (calm down Zerbet, if you're even reading this blog anymore) and it's not a bad beat, just an unfortunate turn card. I'd been up and down playing NLHE for small stakes (one time my kings held up vs. AJ and once they lost to 10-10). But I was finally up to about $30 (after starting with $10). I was dealt 6♠8♠ in the BB. It's unraised with two limpers (the SB folded). The flop came A♠4♠4♥. So I checked and it got checked around until the button, who bet the minimum. Everyone called. I thought about a check-raise, but chickened out because I don't like ALWAYS betting a draw and a check-raise there screams "flush draw."

The turn was the 5♠, which gave me the flush and a straight-flush draw. I bet pot, thinking if someone has an ace I'm going to either felt them or I need to protect my hand from someone having a higher spade. Both called. DOH! "Someone has a 4 and someone has the K♠," I thought. The river was a 3♥. I considered checking, but I thought, "I better put out a defensive bet in case someone has a higher flush." So I bet like a third of the pot. The cutoff min-raised and the button shoved. Well, it was a nominal re-raise and didn't open the betting again so I called, as did the min-raiser. THEY BOTH FLOPPED A FULL HOUSE!!! They both had A4!

Now, how unlucky is that? I saw the flop for free, made my hand on 4th street (practically drawing dead, ultimately drawing to one out after the turn). I can't fold after that flop, right? For a min bet? The odds of someone holding A4 and flopping a boat is 1,088-to-1 or .9% (according to SuperSystem's tables). I can't imagine what the odds are of two people having A4 and both flopping a full house. So I have to think a flush might be good on the turn. On the river I thought I might've lost to someone who limped with J♠10♠ or some spade-spade variation, or A♣5♣. But I had to pay it off regardless. Should I have I checked the river and called anything reasonable?

I lost about half my stack on the hand, and I understand with the paired board I shouldn't have gotten too committed to this hand, and it's really not a bad-beat story. I got away for the minumum, I think. Plus you really shouldn't go broke in an unraised pot (another SuperSystem gem). I just think I got unlucky again. I mean, 8♠6♠ is the type of hand you want to bust people with, and I see it all of the time. But when I make my hand TWO people have monsters? I used to say that I can't be afraid of the monsters under the bed all of the time, but I've been getting so unlucky lately that I am gun shy. Not live, but online.

And can I play this hand any differently? Obviously I'm not raising out of position with 8♠6♠. So I can't be faulted for letting the A4 hands see a flop, right? And shouldn't I protect my hand when the turn completed my flush? How much do you bet there on the turn? Do you check-call? Do you shove? Do you bet half the pot and let someone with a lone 4 call to hit his 10 outs? As it turned out they both had boats (flopped no less). I actually had one out on the river, but that isn't happening unless there's $420 in the pot. LOL!

And if I say my losses are from bad luck, am I now a hypocrite? Did I just play it wrong? Do I not understand NLHE anymore? Even if I did play this hand wrong (which I'm definitely open to suggestions on how I should've played it), it still doesn't account for the other beats I've been taking, such as set over set, etc. I won't list the bad beats AGAIN!

I think I'm destined to be a "live" player only. The bad beats and unlucky hands may still come, but as you all have pointed out to me, we don't see as many hands live so it doesn't hurt as much and as often. I'm WAY more successful live than online these days, and that hurts. I used to win so much online.

Those days are gone, I'm afraid. I used to think if I played higher limits the luck wouldn't be so much of a factor, but that clearly isn't the case. And if you play low limits people play anything. Poker is a tough beast to tame for me lately, and the frustration continues to mount.

-- Chris

Episode #127: Jean-Robert Bellande

CBS photo

MAIN TOPIC

Jean-Robert Bellande, recently booted off the hit reality show Survivor, gives us a ring to chat about the show, poker and how the two worked together. This spring, he has a book coming out, Broke and Living Like a Millionaire, and he gives us a preview of some of the humor that'll be in it. And check out the exhaustive, and entertaining, interview with him in Bluff. Click here to listen to the show.

OTHER TOPICS

AIPS: Congrats to two-time banana winner C furbee, and mark the calendar for the Main Event on Dec. 15. Click here for details.

Conn home game: Chris shares some more details from the Ante Up! MeetUp home game in Connecticut.

Don't eat these chips!: The state of Arizona says there is too much lead in Paulsons.

Hotline: Listeners call in to chat about the possibility of a daily show ... as long as it isn't in a parking garage. You, too, can be on the show. Just call toll-free 1-866-371-9605.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Scott recounts his experience at the Vinny Lecavalier charity tournament, including an odd encounter with Ante Upper and WSOP bracelet winner Don Baruch; the first Battle of the Bay goes to the Silks Cardroom at Tampa Bay Downs; and we chat briefly about the Seminoles' compact with Florida.

One-Minute Mystery: Did you make the call? Well, you're on the rail then, as our opponent had K-10.

HAND OF THE WEEK

SamRiver57 does us the pleasure of letting us break down a pot-limit Omaha High hand.

With an early position min raise, and a call from the cut-off, our hero makes the call from the SB with 10s-7d-10c-5h, and the BB bails. We're not a fan of entering this pot out of position with such a weak holding.

The flop is 10h-6c-Ks, so we hit middle set, but that's dangerous in Omaha, especially with a straight draw on board. Our hero bets out pot, gets the raiser to fold, but the cutoff calls. Ouch.

The turn is 9h, completing two straights and adding a flush draw, none of which we have. But our hero bets out big again, and is raised big by his opponent. Seeing erratic play from his opponent previously, SamRiver moves all in for a small raise and learns he's up against the nut straight. The river is no help.

Our advice: Position is huge in Omaha, and you need a monster - or redraws - to bet confidently out of position. Second set doesn't cut it.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Chris shares his interviews with pros from his trip to Foxwoods

- SCOTT

AIPS II Event #11 Champion: C furbee

Congratulations to C furbee, who wins the 11th AIPS II banana as champion of the HORSE event, which drew 108 entrants. It's C furbee's second banana of the season, after winning Event II (Stud).

C furbee won the last hand against Aquaman H20 , but I can't offer any details since my Internet connection failed with two tables left and just came back this morning (Imagine if I had been still playing - or worse! Chris had still been playing!). Congrats to the entire final table!

Bounties go to:

• bodie25 (Fasso "stpetebeach" 42nd place)
• CallMyBets and wvapoker (Scott "OffDeadline" 83rd place)
• Mickey Jay (Columbo "columbo" 96th place)
• Big Koi (Chris "willhopper" 104th place)

NEXT EVENT: No-limit Hold'em Main Event, Saturday, Dec. 15, 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 C furbee, who wins the 11th AIPS II banana as champion of the HORSE event, which drew 108 entrants. It's C furbee's second banana of the season, after winning Event II (Stud).

C furbee won the last hand against Aquaman H20 , but I can't offer any details since my Internet connection failed with two tables left and just came back this morning (Imagine if I had been still playing - or worse! Chris had still been playing!). Congrats to the entire final table!

Bounties go to: