Episode #157: Chris in Connecticut

MAIN TOPIC
Chris calls in from the land of pink carpet and princesses (can't make that up if I wanted to) to give us the lowdown on Mohegan Sun's new electronic-only poker room (live poker returns Sept. 1) and his usual ringing endorsement of Foxwoods. Click here to listen to the show.

OTHER TOPICS

World Series of Poker: Kenna James cashes, Jerry Buss busts in time to catch his Lakers, another Man vs. Machine is scheduled and a doctor abandons his stack to help a fallen player.

Mixed games mania: The Imperial Palace in Vegas is dealing a $3/$6 limit mixed game at 7 p.m. on Sundays. Some crazzzzzy games being offered. We love it.

Gas up at the Commerce: Commerce Casino in L.A. is randomly dropping $50 gas cards into poker pots in July.

Sinatra's home game: Who played in it? It was a fun one: Jack Lemmon, Angie Dickinson, Gregory Peck and more.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa bad beat jackpot is hit for $564,912. Glen Upchurch of Clearwater wins $282,452 for his losing quad 6s, while William Lewicke of Winter Haven takes $141,227 (and the pot) with a straight flush. The other eight players at the table won $17,654 each.

One Minute Mystery: We make the call, and take down the pot when our opponent shows K-6 for top pair, weaker kicker.

HAND OF THE WEEK
It's a Crazy Pineapple hand! Dan, a fellow journalist from Greeley, Colo., offers us a home game no-limit high-only hand with loose players who have been hitting the sauce.

He's dealt K-K-7, pops it 5x and gets two callers. The flop is K-8-6, two spades, and Dan bets pot but can't shake either opponent. He dumps the 7, and the turn is an Ace. With just $5 left, he checks (Chris would have pushed, I kinda like the misdirection), but one opponent bets $2 and both players call. The river is a 6, completing the flush but also filling Dan up. He gets it all-in and takes down a nice pot against two smaller boats.

- SCOTT

Episode #156: AJ Benza

MAIN TOPIC
AJ Benza calls us all the way from Hollywood as he waits for the unlikely news that GSN will pick up High Stakes Poker, the hugely popular show he co-hosts with Gabe Kaplan, for another season. We talk cards, and he dishes on celebrities, pasta and The Godfather. Click here to listen to the episode.

OTHER TOPICS

World Series: The WSOP has begun. Attendance is breaking records, and pros are faring well. We'll update the blog after each event when the WSOP certifies the results as official.

UB scandal: Many of you asked us to address the latest scandal at Ultimate Bet. We do, but caution again: online poker is the wild, wild West.

PPA ups the ante: The Poker Players Alliance wants to turn its free members into dues-paying members by offering perks for those who do.

Deadbeat dads: If you're a parent who's walked on out child support, shame on you. But if you have no shame, you might want to avoid casinos in Colorado and West Virginia. Those states will look for you there.

Hotline: We have a little fun with Mike from New Jersey, who finds out how hard it is to analyze a hand on the fly.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Derby Lane is sending four players to the WSOP. Good luck to them, and all the other bay area players who have or will qualify in local card rooms.

HAND OF THE WEEK
Adam from Dedham, Mass., gives us an excuse to revisit strategy for FullTilt's cheap Knockout tournaments, where you get money for each person you felt. He calls a raise with As-10s, and the flops a royal flush draw. Try to take it down quickly? Or wait to hit your hand, figuring that early in a tournament like this you'll get paid off? He chooses the latter and is put to the test when he doesn't improve on the turn but two players move all-in. He calls, hits and goes on to cash - picking up bounties along the way.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW
Chris is on the road, and unlike Scott who goes to wild and exotic and different locations on each vacation, he's going back to Connecticut yet again. Let's hope he has time to make it over to Foxwoods and even Mohegan Sun.

- SCOTT

Episode #155: Poker music

MAIN TOPIC
St. Pete Times pop music critic Sean Daly, who also co-hosts the Stuck in the '80s podcast, rocks our studio to talk about the best music to play for your home game and the best tunes to fire up your iPod with at the tournament table. Click here to listen to the show.

OTHER TOPICS
We're TV stars: If you missed our appearance on TV this week, here's your chance to catch it.

AIPS: Congrats again to rascony for winning the wild, wild rebuy event. Remember, razz is next!

WSOP: The World Series of Poker gets started on Friday with a $10,000 World Championship event (pot-limit hold'em). An eco-friendly poker table will be on display this year, and we wonder aloud about the quality of dealers in Vegas for the next couple of months with a bouquet of other tournament series in town at the same time.

Hotline: PokerGeek says Ante Up helped him through recent tornadoes in Minnesota (glad to hear everyone is alright), and Sharkey gets his aces cracked.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: The bad beat jackpot at the Seminole Hard Rock casino in Tampa is north of $400K, and One-Eyed Jack's in Sarasota is launching new WSOP guarantee tournaments.

One Minute Mystery: Columbo gets cold feet and checks his A-7 down. Good thing. His opponent had played 9-9 - poorly.

HAND OF THE WEEK
Nicholas from Australia sends us a stud8 hand where he starts with buried aces and a 6 door card. He caps the action on 3rd Street, pairs his 6 on Fourth but can't chase anyone away.

It's bricks around on Fifth, and it's bet, call, call. But on Sixth, the original frisky bettor pairs his door card (7) and the action gets capped. On 7th, everyone slows down, which is good for our hero, who loses the high half of the pot to Aces and sevens. Ouch.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW
TBA

- SCOTT

Episode #151: World Series of Poker preview

MAIN TOPIC

Responding to the day's big story, we called an audible and devoted this show to a look-ahead to the upcoming World Series of Poker, which begins May 30, and the announcement that the final table of the Main Event will be delayed 117 days to build anticipation. We summarize a media conference call led by WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, and also include a recording of that entire call at the end of the show. Click here to listen to the show.

OTHER TOPICS

Sweden doesn't mess around: Two guys who lacked the proper permits to host a poker tournament in Sweden have six to eight months to reflect on that mistake - in a Swedish jail.

Hotline: Listener BitGuru calls in with a buffet of comments, including a question about whether the Mirage keeps those dollars they collect from the Texas Hold'em Plus redraws. Nope - they go straight into the pot.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: I ventured out to Lucky's at Tampa Greyhound Track, and was surprised to find not one limit game going at all, and that you can buy into the $1/$2 no-limit for as little as $20. If you're in a charitable mood, help out the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hernando County in a $100 tournament on May 18. For details, call (727) 233-1018.

HAND OF THE WEEK

A new listener Trey writes in with a hand from Ante Up!'s official game - razz.

He starts perfect - 2/3 underneath, with an Ace up. He completes, gets raised and reraises. We like it so far.

On Fourth Street, he picks up a 7 and keeps the pressure on. A Q/6 and a 3/8 come along.

On Fifth Street, the bricks start falling. He gets a J, keeps the pressure on, but can't shake the Q/6/4 or 3/8/K.

On Sixth Street, it's a mixed bag. He gets a 9, but the 3/8/K/5 is stubborn.

The river improves him to an 8 low, and he's lucky he's not raised by his opponent, who takes down the pot with a 7-5.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

We're beginning to sound a little like Jimmy Kimmel ("... our apologies to Matt Damon") each week as we delay yet again our Dissection of a HORSE Tournament show. We'll try again next week.

- SCOTT

Episode #148: Delay the WSOP Final Table?

MAIN TOPIC

It's just a rumor, but hey, that's what rumors are for - to debate endlessly. Chris and I take a point-counterpoint approach to whether Harrah's should consider delaying the final table of the World Series of Poker's Main Event for 90 days. I chose the right side, and Chris chose "in favor." And the only Ante Upper to play in a WSOP Main Event Final Table, Lee Childs, calls in with his opinion. Click here to hear the show.

OTHER TOPICS

New host for Poker After Dark: It's LeeAnn Tweeden, who also hosts NBC's National Heads-Up Championship, which begins airing this weekend.

CardPlayer tidbits: Take a tour of Phil Hellmuth's house (he has heated floors in his office!), get a glimpse of Larry Flynt's high-limit stud game at the Hustler Casino and tipping is back in the news.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: One-Eyed Jack's is holding new Friday night WSOP qualifiers, and the Top Jack at OEJ's, Sam Minutello, is once again running the charity tournament at the Playboy Mansion.

One Minute Mystery: Columbo is taking a well-deserved break and will return soon.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Jerry (loser64) offers up a $1/$3 no-limit hold'em cash game hand from Sam's Town in Tunica, Miss.

The under-the-gun player is a retired local with $250, and the small blind is a maniac with $180. Jerry is in mid to late position with $95.

UTG makes it $9 to go, and Jerry and the SB call.

The flop: 2d-2s-3h

SB bets out $10, UTG and Jerry call.

The turn: 9h

SB bets out $10 again, UTG raises to $35, Jerry and the SB call.

The river: Kc

SB bets $35, UTG raises to $70 and Jerry calls. SB folds, saying he had 7-7.

UTG turns over 3-3 for a flopped boat.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Scott calls in live from Las Vegas!

- SCOTT

Episode #147: Joe Navarro returns

MAIN TOPIC

Ex-FBI agent Joe Navarro, our favorite expert on nonverbal communication, swings by the studio again to dish on some more tells you should look for at the poker table (hint: look at the thumbs). He has a new book, What Every Body Is Saying, and is still heavy on the poker academy circuit. Click here to hear the show.

OTHER TOPICS

Chris gets a gift: Annie Duke's book has made it to the Dollar Tree!

Chris gets a scoop: So, have you heard about the high-stakes poker player who has been using high-priced call girls? You'll never believe who it was.

Chris gets a lawyer: Well, not yet, but he and other members of the Poker Players Alliance can now get legal advice on poker laws in their hometowns through the PPA's Litigation Support Network.

Chris goes to Washington: Well, again, not yet, but if he had, he would have heard testimony on Capitol Hill this week about how the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is a bear to enforce. Ante Upper Short-Stacked Shamus covered the hearings, and he also has a new podcast.

Chris gets a bracelet: Okay, now I'm really stretching the fantasy. But if he wants a bracelet, Harrah's says cash buy-ins to the World Series of Poker this year of $3,000 or more will have to come with a Social Security or Tax ID number. Also, the Golden Nugget plans a monthlong tournament during the World Series, and check out David Matthews' blog Gambling in Space for some good reviews of Vegas card rooms.

Hotline: StatikKling is relieved to learn that our Omaha analogy was to a stool, not, um, stool. And John from Texas wants to know how people fit all those multitabling tables on their computer screen.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: The Florida Senate has passed a bill allowing quarter horse racing, which could lead to several new Florida poker rooms if the House and governor go along with it. One-Eyed Jack's is now running Daily Doubles, and help out the students at St. Petersburg Catholic High School by playing in their $200 charity tournament.

One Minute Mystery: Columbo makes the call with his rivered wheel on a board that has flush possibilities, and is rewarded for his bravery as his opponent had just two pair.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Alan (aka BigAl) sends us a hand from a $2/$5 no-limit cash game from Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls.

An early position player, new to the table and believed to be tight aggressive, bumps it to $20, and Alan calls with Js-Jc. The loose button calls as well.

The flop: 3h-Ks-6c.

The raiser bets out $30, Alan calls and the button folds.

The turn: Ac.

Check-check.

The river: Ah

Raiser bets $30 into the $127 pot, Alan calls and takes down the pot against pocket 9s.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Dissecting a HORSE tournament. A member of the Ante Up Nation sent us the strategy he uses to attack HORSE tournaments, and we'll share ours. Send us yours, too.

- SCOTT

Episode #144: Tax expert Russ Fox

MAIN TOPIC

Russ Fox, an enrolled agent for Clayton Financial and Tax in Irvine, Calif, and a poker author, calls in to offer us tips on how to handle our winnings and losses on our income tax returns. For more answers, check out his blog, and he also welcomes e-mails - though hr reminds you that this is his busy season. He's the author of three poker books, including his latest called Winning Strategies for No-Limit Hold'em, which deals with deep stack cash game play. Click here to listen to the show. (And our IT folks continue to work on the iTunes feed).

OTHER TOPICS

Help the animals: Jennifer Harman is hosting a charity tournament on Full Tilt at 9 p.m. Eastern this Sunday. The $5+$5 no-limit hold'em tournament benefits the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. A long list of Full Tilt pros and celebrities will be playing. The tournament is listed under the tournament tab and called "Animal Lovers."

Poker on TV ... and around the world: Chris continues his bed-ridden assault on The Best Damn Poker Show, and reminds us that the World Poker Tour debuts on GSN this month. Also, check out Ante Up celebrity Lee Childs in a new ad for the WPT Boot Camp, coming to magazines near you soon. PokerStars in May launches the Latin American Poker Tour, and the India Poker Tour gets under way, too. And there's more grumbling in Europe about the U.S. stance on online gambling.

Hotline: Blazman calls in with his own unique look at playing A-J, and John from Dallas wants us to delve deeper into how to avoid being quartered - or worse - in Omaha 8. We offer tips from Super System 2 and Winning Omaha 8 Poker. Both are good books that should be on the shelves of every Omaha 8 player.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: The Seminole Tribe of Florida has announced when the new Class III games will make it to Tampa. Slots will be here this summer, with card games (blackjack, baccarat and pai gow) coming in the fall. The tribe is hiring more than 3,000 dealers. Want a job? Click here.

HAND OF THE WEEK

James from OZ offers us a hand from a $.05/$.10 no-limit ring game on Full Tilt.

UTG, he's dealt Js-Jd and raises to 35 cents. He gets one caller.

The flop: 2c-10s-5c.

He bets out 90 cents and gets a quick call.

The turn: 8c.

He bets $1, and is immediately raised all-in to $7.50.

James decides to fight another day and folds.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Steve Heston, one of the authors of the new poker strategy book Kill Everyone, tells us about the book.

- SCOTT

Episode #142: Heads Up With Michael Craig

MAIN TOPIC

Full Tilt "red pro" Michael Craig joins us from Las Vegas to assess the field for NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship, which begins today. Michael will be covering the tournament on his excellent blog. He named a guy I've never heard of as a possible winner. Where is Chris when I need him? Chris would have heard of this guy! Craig also has some tips for playing limit heads up and recounts his very good day on Full Tilt this week. How good? Let's just say he puts my cash in Full Tilt's $26 token frenzy to shame. Click here to listen to the show.

OTHER TOPICS

Chris: Who? Oh yeah, him. The painkillers are working, and he's still got a few one-liners left in his trembling frame. Seriously, he's doing fine, resting at home, and we miss him. Kind of.

Daytona: Scott and another one of his gearhead adventures. But with a poker ending.

Full Tilt:  Uncle Tilty has made it easier for Scott to replenish his account. Either that, or they were going to have to start offering 23-cent sit-n-gos. Plus some other good changes at our favorite, totally random, poker site.

21: Mark your calendars for March 23, opening day for a movie about the MIT blackjack card counters that looks pretty good.

Hot Line: We have a call from a listener with a good technical suggestion involving PSP and RSS and some other stuff. Most of you will understand it. Scott, however ... He actually said this before today's show while staring at a laptop: "Where's the 'on' button?"

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Scott tries a NL O8B tournament, and a knucklehead tries my patience.

HAND OF THE WEEK

I am weak-tight, so I don't even play Ac8s in middle position, but fearless JLBSox raises it up at the final table of the AIPS Main Event and gets called by the button (Zerkaboid). The flop is 2h 5h 3d and our hero's continuation bet is met with a min-raise. Me, I'm done, but JLB thinks his opponent has nothing and calls. Turn is 2s and JLB bets big. Zerk raises all-in, putting in his last 965 chips, and JLB says, "I figure I'm crushed when he moves in." Turns out Zerk has Ah6h. River comes 9d and our hero wins a 76K pot with deuces, A-8 kicker. These guys are good.

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

We interview Martha Frankel, author of Hats and Eyeglasses, a memoir on gambling addiction. And change the keys to the studio so Chris can't get in.

- MIKE

Full Tilt photo

Episode #138: Mailbag!

MAIN TOPIC

Yes, we know we promised Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, but the new chairman of the Poker Players Alliance had to postpone again, this time to stump for Sen. John McCain. We're reskedded for next week. (So keep those questions coming!)

So we present our latest installment of everyone's favorite ace in the hole: Mailbag!

Click here to listen to the show, where you'll hear our answers to questions that delve into adjusting to table changes, restealing, mixed games at home, the differences between tournament play and live play, online etiquette, tournament satellites, variance, the Chimps series, bingo and much, much more.

OTHER TOPICS

Windy City: I recap my fab time in Chicago, and we share some clips from the Ante Up! MeetUp, courtesy of Chicago Mike. Thanks Mike!

Pot odds: Raise your hand if you're surprised that we had an error or two on last week's attempt at pot odds redemption? We try to set the record straight.

It's all about timing: I endured a run of bad timing last night at Derby Lane, but the only timing that counts is the last.

QuickDraw freerolls: Doyle's Room is offering these new tournaments. They're freerolls, but you can rebuy for a juiceless $1. Scott's intrigued, Chris is yawning.

WPT news: The World Poker Tour is now offering Cash Game camps, and our very own Ante Up! superstar Lee Childs is among the faculty. Also, ClubWPT kicks off. It's a membership site where you can play poker and blackjack tournaments for prizes.

Hotline: Mike from California says last week's One Minute Mystery is a common play in online SNGs and Charlie from New York says razz is illegal in New Jersey! True? We'll find out.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Why is it so hard to find a live stud tournament that's dealt and structured properly? We review Fasso's debacle at the Hard Rock.

HAND OF THE WEEK

The wait is over for Justin "Irish_Fan_34." We finally break down his hand from a .25/.50 Stud8 table on FullTilt.

He starts with (5d-3s) 6c, raises the bring-in's complete and gets three callers.

On 4th Street, he picks up the 8c, raises and gets reraised by 2c-8s.

On 5th Street, he improves with the Ah, and check/calls. We'd raise here to drive out a player going high so we can get heads-up with the remaining player, who is going low.

On 6th Street, he pairs his 6 with the 6d, bets out, gets raised and reraises. We'd rather have gotten to 7th as cheaply as possible.

On 7th Street, he miffs with a Js, but it's checked down and our hero scoops with his pair of 6s and 8-6 low.

Whew. Nice outcome, but a dangerous path to get there.

Justin, send us your address and we'll ship out some swag.

- SCOTT

Score another one for non-hold'em games

Got my pretty Wynn Classic flier in the mail this week, and I found this note in it promising for those of us hungry to see tournament versions of any game other than no-limit hold'em:

"Last year we received so much positive feedback about offering a variety of games that we decided to bring them back!"

This year's Classic, which runs from Feb. 26 to March 19 at the Wynn in Las Vegas, includes events for Omaha Hi/Lo, HOSE and Pot-Limit Omaha with rebuys.

The variety isn't as vast as the much larger World Series of Poker, but the "we received so much positive feedback" comment is good sign that players are demanding options in tournaments these days - and some directors are listening.

- SCOTT

Episode #131: Holiday Poker Gift Guide

MAIN TOPIC

Just 11 shopping days left before Christmas, so there's no time to waste on looking for great poker gifts for your loved ones. Good thing you have us to go out and scout the weird, wacky and maybe even useful items being peddled this year. Click here to listen to the show. Remember - lots of great Ante Up! products also available at our CafePress store! What others are selling:

Personalized Poker Tavern Sign: Get your name on a tavern sign for your poker room. ($44.95, Exclusively Weddings).

Poker Chip Cufflinks: When the invitation says "Black Tie," don't share up without these jewels hanging from your wrists. (14.99 pounds, DrinkStuff.com)

Poker Chip Chair: You've built your table, so buy some chairs. These have a poker chip cushion for your rump and a fanned-out royal flush for your back. ($142.99, LogoProducts4Less).

Star Wars Poker Chip Set: May the Force be with you as you play with these themed chips and cards that glow in the dark. ($149.95, Sharper Image).

Poker Chip USB Flash Drive: Store your FullTilt hand histories on this 1GB drive with poker touches. ($17.99, Staples).

Abstract Poker Art: Jazz up that poker room with some unique paintings. (Various prices, Sculptr).

Poker-Themed Tools: Admit it - you've always been upset that your pizza cutter didn't have spades, diamonds, hearts and clubs on it. Now, your dreams have come true. (Various prices, Poker Fan Addicts).

River Rim Shaded Sunglasses: These specs are shaded on the top to hide your eyes but light on the bottom so you can see your cards. ($88.88, BigFish Poker).

Eat Sleep Poker Cap: The only three things you need to do in life, emblazoned on one hat. ($16.99, Pixel Gear).

Intimate Poker Cards: Introduce your loved one to the game you love, with an activity that we all love. ($9.99, CandleLight Messages).

World Poker Tour Pinball Machine: It's a great time-filler for the loser who busts out of your tournament first! ($4,500, Stern Pinball Inc.).

Pot Committed Card Guard: This card guard shows that you're pot-committed - literally - since there's a picture of a marijuana leaf on it. ($16.99, Poker Weights).

de-FIB-ulator: This handy gadget uses voice cues to tell you whether your opponent is lying. Montel Williams says so. ($39.95, Gadget Universe).

Poker Address Labels: Quit using those charity ones you get in the mail unsolicited and don't donate to. Instead, these labels have your name, address, cards, chips and, for some reason, dice. ($8.99, Colorful Images).

Poker Medal: Honor the next champ in your home tournament with a gold, silver or bronze poker medal. ($2.29, Crown Awards).

OTHER TOPICS

Scott freezes in Wisconsin: Check out his earlier post, and the poker is good in the frigid state, especially if you like kill games and cool accents.

Limit heads-up: Fasso got us thinking this week about strategy for limit hold'em heads-up SNGs after he watched Michael Craig destroy all comers. Fasso says you can use something called a Truth Tree to plot the right moves. Scott tried it, won and got verbally abused by his opponent (17 references ranging from "donk" to "luckbox" to "tool.")

Cool tune: Be sure to listen Ante Upper Luigi Cappel's great podsafe song, "I Tilted."

Priest playing poker? Chris was entranced this week by news that a priest, Paul Kammen, is among the Ante Up Nation flock. And a priest who has penned books on stud, no less.

New on the tube: Michael from England alerts us to Food Poker, a new show on BBC where chefs get two hole cards with ingredients, and have to make a tasty dish using three ingredients from a community board. And Mike Greenberg hosts a new ABC show called Duel that's supposed to marry Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with the World Series of Poker.

Hotline: Two good calls this week - Brian from Chicago wants to know how we pick the Hand of the Week and Thitsa from New York tells us CardPlayer Cruises are the real deal.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Scott fills you in on the new Silks cardroom at Tampa Bay Downs, and Derby Lane is hosting a tournament with Fisher from 97X.

One Minute Mystery: Columbo folds his three ducks, and never finds out if it was truly the best decision as his opponent wouldn't tell him what he had.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Ben from Wisconsin sends us a $1/$2 no-limit hand from a charity casino.

With two callers, he bumps it to $8 from the small blind with Qd-Qc, and the callers call. We're not a fan of the smallish raise, but Ben likes to play small ball.

The flop: Qs-9d-2h.

A great flop, and Ben wants to string his opponents along, so he checks. (We advocate betting out). The button bets $10, and Ben calls as does the third opponent.

The turn: 10s

Trouble begins - a gutshot straight could have gotten there, so Ben bets $35 to find out. He's raised to 70 and the button folds. Ben calls.

The river: 7h

No improvement for Ben, but no spade if his opponent was on an odd flush draw. Ben folds his hand face-up to a $70 bet, and saves himself some cash. His opponent had J-8. 

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

We're hoping to interview the AIPS Player of the Year (so if that's you, get in touch with us ASAP about your availability for a phone interview around 1 p.m. Eastern on Friday). If not, we'll do our annual Kongkeys - that's right, our awards for all things poker. Have an idea for a category? Or a winner? Let us know!

- SCOTT

Episode #130: Stud 8

MAIN TOPIC

Fasso joins us to talk about our favorite game - Stud 8 (and to deliver another stirring dramatic reading). Click here to listen to the show. For some really great advice on this great game, we highly suggest you check out Todd Brunson's easy-to-read chapter in Super/System 2 or Ray Zee's book High-Low Split Poker.

But some quick tips from your local experts:

• The goal is to scoop. Make sure your starting hand can do that.
• Start with only strong hands (preferably two-way hands). Bail most times if you don't improve on 4th Street, or you'll get swept into the oh-so-common Stud 8 vortex.
• Jam the pot when you're good.
• Don't always be afraid to call on 7th Street with a marginal high hand, especially if you think your opponent is going low. He/she might not even have a pair.

OTHER TOPICS

Chip Reese, RIP: Truly a sad, and shocking, week for the poker world. Chip was the classiest of class guys. He'll be sorely, sorely missed.

More scandal: FullTilt kicks two players off after one of them sold his account to the other while at the final table of a big event. Bad, bad news. But again - it's online. Be prepared for anything out there, kids.

High Stakes hand: Chris gets amped up over a hand in High Stakes Poker when two players are all-in, but the one with the most money doesn't want to "run it twice," Doyle Brunson pipes up, and then the big stack takes the pot without a turn and river. Odd? Very. But hey, it's a private game. Weird stuff happens, say Fasso and Scott.

E-mails and Hotlines: Our good friends from Down Under let us know that they snicker every time they hear one of us Ugly Americans say "Aussie" when it's actually pronounced "Auzzie" ... Ante Upper Opus is worried about the world now that Chris has been photographed wearing pants ... Ante Upper Jeff tells Chris not to quit online poker, but to play for bigger money. The Ante Up home game thanks Jeff for the suggestion.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Chris scores his usual awesome interviews (Sam Minutello, Chip Jett, Gavin Smith (sort of) and Lon McEachern) at One-Eyed Jack's Pros vs. Joes tournament ... the new Silks card room has opened on the 3rd floor of the grandstand at Tampa Bay Downs ... Derby Lane has a holiday tournament this month.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Scott, a lawyer from Texas, submits a big-money pot-limit Omaha Hi/Lo hand that has humbled Chris (his words!).

UTG raises to an allowed $25 in the very loose $2/$5 game at an underground cardroom. Two players call, and our hero calls from the cutoff with Ac-3h-4d-9c. The button and BB come along, too.

The flop: 4c-7d-10c.

BB bets $70 into the $150 pot and two players call before it gets to our hero, who calls with his nut-nut draw. The button, however, pops it pot ($430). The BB calls, the other two players fold, and our hero calls.

The turn: 2c

Bingo for our hero, who pushes all-in after the BB checks. Both remaining players call.

The river: 3c

Are you kidding us? And just to make sure you're not, the BB pushes all-in for a side pot, which the button calls.

The BB has Ad-2d-5c-6c for the wheel and a straight flush, and the button has Ah-5s-7c-7d, also for a wheel. That's right - our hero goes from scoop to poop in one card. Omaha is a brutal, brutal game.

We offer no advice on how our hero could have played better, but do have questions about the BB's play.

Scott, send us your address and we'll send you some of our new swag (Pokers Most Wanted cards from Karina Jett or "Got Tilt?" shirts and FullTilt hats from Sam).

NEXT WEEK'S SHOW

Our annual holiday poker gift guide. If you've seen something cool on the shelves or online, ship us an e-mail.

- SCOTT

Aaaaaaaand they're OFF!

I'm glad to see my co-host has been posting to our blog on a daily basis in my absence ... oh wait ... he hasn't. Way to keep the blog momentum going, Scott. It's like the blog is Vito Corleone and I've left it under the protection of Fredo. I just hope the blog can survive five shots to the chest.

Well, I'm on vacation, my family's in town and last night HORSE made its debut on ESPN. Could life be any better? I have to admit I don't have any criticism for the HORSE coverage yet. I liked the dual percentages for the split games (loving every minute of Stud/8). Plus the way they went to commercial and came back to the next discipline in rotation was a nice way to transition. The field is just incredible; each table loaded with world champs and high stakes gamblers. Like I said, could life be any better? I'm just sad we're one-third of the way done with the coverage already after just one week, but I'll take what I can get.

So what did I do after the coverage ended? Played Razz with my son Matt, and he trounced me. Did I say I hate Razz lately? I am running so bad in Razz it's laughable. At least it wasn't for money! After it was over I paraphrasd Norman Chad: "Razz is a game that doesn't require as much skill, so that's why you beat me."

Just kidding, I didn't say that.

What did you think of the coverage? Could they improve upon it?

-- Chris

Poker fodder

SAME OL DOLLY: Remember back when we had Jennifer Harman on the show? No? Here's the link. We asked her about Doyle Brunson and how in his first Super System he says he doesn't think women should be at the poker table. But then now he asks Harman to write his updated Limit Hold Em chapter in Super System 2. She said basically that she likes to think that times have changed and that Doyle has much more respect for the female player these days. I got all warm and fuzzy when I heard that. But then I watched the WSOP last night, and saw Brunson's daughter on there. She asked Doyle to back her in the main event and he turned his own daughter down because he said "It was a crapshoot." (Is Doyle hanging around Paboo?) Can you believe this? This is a man who (as my wife said) will bet $50K on the color of his snot when he blows his nose, but he won't give his daughter $10K for the main event? I was absolutely thrilled when she outlasted EVERY Brunson on the planet in that tournament and even won a last-longer bet with Todd. We'll have to ask him about that when he finally gets on our show someday (soon hopefully). But for Doyle to bet hundreds of thousands of dollars on Todd and his friends and even golf, and deprive his daughter a $10K buy-in was plain sad.

RESPONSIBLE GAMING: Remember my plan to set my limits on FTP to something manageable? Well, Full Tilt's function doesn't work like that. It basically is a way for you to say "DON'T LET ME PLAY FOR XX HOURS!" but it can't limit how much you can lose. I think PokerRoom has that option, but FTP doesn't. So much for that plan.

BACK IN THE SADDLE: I played extremely low-limits last night and quit when I doubled my buy-in. I played just about every game, but had my most success in Razz and Pot Limit Omaha Hi. I'm just going to have to grind it out online and try my different tactics on there at the low limits and then try it out in the home game and live at the local card rooms.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: We'll have a big announcement soon, maybe as early as tomorrow, but defintely by next week. Not sure if you are going to like it. Stay tuned.

-- Chris

Is tonight the night?

I have a feeling by the time tonight's coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event is over you will see our good buddy Lee Childs on TV. If you paid real close attention lately you could see him in the background (his shiny bald head was gleaming) but I'm hoping we get to see him in action at the tables tonight at some point. Tune in to ESPN at 8 p.m. ET to see if our Ante Up! National makes his debut!!!

-- Chris

Poker academy article

Here's a link to a a New York Times article on the World Series of Poker Academy and WPT Boot Camps.

Ante Upper Lee Childs is quoted, as is Ante Up guest Joe Navarro and Tampa player Donny Campbell.

- SCOTT

We have our John Daly!!!

 

Last night, as I watched ESPN's coverage of the final two sessions of Day 1 at the WSOP's Main Event, I came to realize Chris Moneymaker is the John Daly of poker. Let's compare, shall we?

If I said "This person came along in his sport at a time when it was struggling and needed a boost." who would I be talking about? (Moneymaker is credited with the poker boom and Daly's "Grip It and Rip It" style and beer drinking on the course endeared him to millions of Average Joes in a country club sport.)

If I said "This person came out of nowhere to win one of the most prestigious titles in his sport in his first attempt and he got into the event in a non-traditional way." who would I be talking about? (Moneymaker won a $40 satellite and eventually won the 2003 WSOP Main Event; Daly's win at Crooked Stick in the PGA Championship as an alternate gave golf the shot in the arm it needed.)

If I said "This person has a huge following to this day, even though he pretty much hasn't done anything since winning that title." who would I be talking about? (The galleries behind Moneymaker and Daly rival the greatest players in their respective sports, and autograph-hounds surround them wherever they go. And yes, Daly won the British Open later and Moneymaker also cashed a couple more times in the WSOP and made a WPT final table, but you get the point.)

If I said "This person is a little chubby for his frame, wears baseball caps (even though his sport isn't baseball), has been known to have a little scruff on his face from time to time and wears a gawdy chain bracelet." who would I be talking about? (Just look at the pictures, which came courtesy of Getty Images.)

If I said "This person is from Tennessee and had/has a problem with gambling and addiction." who would I be talking about? (Moneymaker is from Tennessee and though Daly is originally from Arkansas, he calls Memphis home now. Moneymaker admits in his book that gambling led to problems at home and in his bank account, and I don't need to list Daly's problems do I?)

If I said "This person has had marital problems." who would I be talking about? (Moneymaker lost his first wife due to his poker lifestyle and got remarried, and Daly has had at least 4 wives.)

Conclusion: Chris Moneymaker is the poker world's John Daly, there is no denying it. And, just like Daly, who almost always gets disqualified from a tournament if he isn't in contention due to frustration, you can see that frustration creeping into Chris' face, as evidenced by his poor play last night. Hopefully he will be able to quell his frustration and problems so he won't end up where Daly is now.

Are there any other similarities that I'm missing?

-- Chris

Episode #113: Downtown Chad Brown

MAIN TOPIC

"Downtown" Chad Brown was in town, and scooted on over to our St. Pete studios to chat about a gazillion cool things. (Listen to the show by clicking here). Among them:

• His new book, Act to Win in Texas Hold'em, available at Bluff Magazine's Web site.
• The future of the Ultimate Poker Challenge
• His great run in this year's World Series of Poker, and some of the best poker TV ever (his 2004 WSOP Stud final table)
• His girlfriend, pro player Vanessa Rousso
• And we got him talking about his old days playing baseball and acting.

OTHER TOPICS

Back in the USA: Scott is back from the Dominican Republic, where he watched his wife scorch the Caribbean Stud tables and he reports that the "new Texas Hold'em craze" has arrived in the DR. Ha!

Au Jus, Redux: Remember how Chris teases Scott for pronouncing "au jus" like "au juice"? Well, the "jus" returned in a game other than poker. Scott gets some vindication, even if he still can't pronounce it correctly.

Happy B-Day, Dolly! Doyle Brunson is 74 years young today. Here's hoping he's enjoying 10 slices of double-chocolate cake. (Wait for it ... Wait for it... C'mon, 10-2?!? Oh, forget it)

WPT goes to China: Problem is, gambling isn't allowed in much of China. What are they doing? Beats us.

The Hand: Poor Lee Childs. Jerry Yang has told the world what he held in that fateful Q-Q hand with our Ante Up Main Event Superstar. It was J-J . Grrrr...

Ante Up Hotline: Maybe we should just shrink-wrap our laptops in plastic wrap. :)

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Derby Lane will make someone $75,000 richer on Sunday, Sept. 30. The $500+$50 tournament will pay out $250,000 with a full field. Satellite in with $65 SNGs, or win a seat by having one of the two high hands every day.

HAND OF THE WEEK

At this risk of offending the Ante Up Nation, which loves to hear their hands shredded by pros, we asked Chad analyze a hand from his book since he was in our studio and the book contains lots of great real-live hands by pros. Better yet, this was a hand in which Chad disagreed with his co-author.

In a 7-player, $120,000 buy-in invitational, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson opens from early position with Ad-Jd, and David "Devil Fish" Ulliott calls in late position with 4-4. The flop comes King high, and Devil Fish calls Jesus' continuation bet. The turn doesn't help either player, and Devil Fish again calls Jesus' bet. Chad said he would have raised here, believing his 4s were good unless Ferguson paired the King. The river brings no help to either, and it's checked down and Devil Fish wins the pot.

Tune in to learn a "secret" play Chad uses in these situations. It's an interesting one.

- SCOTT

Episode #112: WSOP Expo

MAIN TOPIC

It wasn't all games at the World Series of Poker, it was fun, too. (Get it, fun and games?) Listen to this week's show by clicking here.

Chris and I made a few passes through the World Series of Poker's Gaming Life Expo, which without the online sites of yesteryear morphed into a smaller "men's lifestyle" event this year. But there was still plenty of poker goodies in the big ballroom, so here are some of the highlights:

LONE STAR POKER TABLES: A very unique poker table company, run by real-live Ante Upper Pat Mulry. All of his tables are custom made, and the coolest part is that the drink holders and chip rack are built in as sliders, so they close up neatly.

POKERTEK BAR TABLES: Look for these cool amusement devices in your local bar and tavern soon. Play heads-up poker against a friend (though we can't guarantee you'll get to play Phil Laak or Antonio Esfandiari). Very easy to use, and with a credit card swiper, just as convenient to play as a pool table or a Golden Tee game. (Chris beat me).

PLAY HARD GAMING TABLES: If you're a teetotaler like Chris, you'll have to get your video poker table kicks at home. Play Hard offers three models - a 10-seater, a 6-seater and a 2-seater. (Yes, Chris beat me again. Like he's some sort of poker god or something. Geez).

MONSTER CHIPS: If you can shuffle these big bad boys, you're doing something Chris can't. Use them as a conversation piece (or more likely as a coaster), but these larger-than-life chips are pretty neat. Buck up the full $20,000 for the entire set, including case, dealer button and cards. Ha!

THE NUTZ: Every poker player wants to be holding the nuts. Buy one of these card protectors, and you'll always have the nuts. (Well, metal replicas of real nuts, at least).

OTHER TOPICS

Poker fashion: No one is ever going to accuse Chris and I of being fashionable, but it's a different story with folks like Robert Williamson III, Johnny Chan and Clonie Gowen. USA Today did a fun little read on poker fashion at the table. Can you guess how many high-end pairs of jeans Clonie owns? Try 65.

Phil Laak vs. the Poker Bot: Some smarty pants up in Canada built a computer, gave it a lame name (Polaris - PIP would have been better) and then challenged The Unabomber to beat it.

Daniel Negreanu more animated than usual. Kid Poker will voice three characters in the upcoming Disney cartoon The Replacements. No word on whether any of them will sport PokerStars logos.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: How smart is it to sit down in a Florida no-limit game late in the night?

One Minute Mystery: Aha! Chris was right! Our opponent was holding "The Cosenza" (A-10). So now we know there are at least two donks out there.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Youv from Israel has taken up HORSE, so we give him a little advice on where he went wrong in a Stud 8 hand.

He brought it in with a 3h-Jd-2c, and rightly took one more card off after he collected the 5h on Fourth Street. But the wheels came off on Fifth, when he picked up the 7h, and called two bets cold when one his opponents was going high, the other had a lower board and many of his "scoop" cards were gone. It gets worse on Six Street, when we get the 4c and raise, and then stick around in a capped Seventh Street when we don't improve.

Our advice: Try to get heads up, don't draw to half the pot unless it's the nuts.

- SCOTT

Episode #111 recap: World Series of Poker Academy

MAIN TOPIC

We welcome Ante Upper John Lanier of Lutz to the show as we review the World Series of Poker Academy. The newspaper paid a nominal fee for Chris and me to attend while we were in Vegas, but John bucked up the entire $2,200, so listen to the show and get three opinions on whether you get your money's worth.

What it is: A 3-day instructional camp with professional players (Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, Phil Hellmuth, Mark Seif, Scott Fischman, etc.) among the faculty. (They also offer shorter camps for less money).

What you get: Classroom instruction (pros contribute tips, plus a session with Joe Navarro on tells), "lab" instruction (sit at a table with a pro), two tournaments (top prize in each for our camp was a Main Event entry), some meals/parties and a goodie bag.

Is it worth it? Our general consensus was that there's too much in the camp that you can't put a price on, so it'll be a personal decision on the value. For example, if you're really excited about playing cards and learning from a particular pro, what exactly is that worth to you? For some, that alone might be worth $2K. For others, maybe not. Getting two shots at Main Event seat certainly has some value, too. All three of us thought the instruction could have be better structured. The labs were the highlight. If all the instruction was done in this manner, it would have been better.

Other options: While we didn't attend a World Poker Tour Boot Camp (though John will later this year), we did talk with some officials while in Vegas and an interview is included on the show to give you some perspective.

OTHER TOPICS

Who let the dogs out? We found out how fond Chris is of cute puppies when we talked about the dog poker chip set being sold by dogpokerchips.com.

New Florida games: We discussed what a wild and crazy game $2/$5 no-limit can be, since your max buy-in is $100. We also talked about how a good player can clean up in the $1-$5 spread limit hold'em game being dealt.

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Scott reviews Derby Lane.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Listener Mike found himself with Kh-Ks in a $4/$8 limit hold'em game at B&M cardroom near his house.

UTG+1, he raised and got four callers. The flop came Qd-7d-2d, and our hero bets out, gets raised and one caller. He calls. We thought a 3-bet here would have been better. It's the "cheap" street, so use it to narrow your future decisions. If the raiser caps it, you can consider folding or proceeding cautiously in the rest of the hand. If he just calls, you've retaken the initiative, and if he folds, well, even better.

The turn is the 4c, and it's checked around to the raiser, the caller folds and now we're heads-up with a decision to make. Mike calls. At this point, we agree. We didn't get enough info on 3rd street to know how strong or weak we are. The river is the 9h, Mike checks, the bettor continues and Mike ultimately calls (good move - one bet to win a huge pot) and takes down the pot as his opponent had Ad-Qc.

- SCOTT

Sans hole cams: yay or nay?

As I began to nod off around 5 a.m. during the final table of the WSOP Main Event, I started to have delusional thoughts. I suppose this is when I normally experience my REM sleep, so forgive me if this sounds ludicrous.

Maybe it was the fact that DA MAN Lee Childs began the day at this final table, or maybe it was because I participated in the WSOP this year, or maybe I had been watching this final table for 14 hours and needed to get some serious shut-eye, but I had a thought as I finally gave up on watching the final hand of the tournament: Would anyone out there PREFER to watch poker this way? Let's face it, the drama is pretty intense. You have absolutely no idea what cards they had, especially Jerry Yang. When we have the luxury of the hole cams, we know if he's bluffing or if he has a monster and will call the all-in. This makes it anticlimactic.

These "lipstick" cams are bittersweet in that it makes poker engaging when you can see that this player is risking millions of dollars by "making a play" but at the same time, it detracts from what would be anxious moments had we not known that this guy had 7-2 and will fold to the reraise but he's just Hollywooding for the cameras.

Is this a case of "6 of one, half-dozen of the other" or was I just caught up in the whole excitement of having an Ante Upper! at the final table? I mean, this final table was clearly more exciting than any of the old-time final tables that re-run on ESPN Classic, and yet it only differed in money and amount of chips.

Could you handle a steady diet of zero hole cams or do you HAVE to see the cards now?

Just curious.

-- Chris

P.S. We're working on the SPAM problem and I'll post an update with the solution as soon as I get one.

Episode #110 recap: Lee Childs

MAIN TOPIC

The Ante Up Nation's first superhero, Lee Childs, gives a ring just a day after returning home $705K richer from finishing seventh in this year's World Series of Poker Main Event. To hear the show, click here.

Get the lowdown on his poker history, how those ESPN interviews went, his endorsement deals, his reaction to the pay-per-view announcers, what he thinks of champion Jerry Yang, how CardRunners helped him, what other games he plays, what he plans to do in the future, what he plans to do with all that cash and what he thinks is harder to do: make a World Series Main Event final table or win an AIPS banana (we think you know the answer. It's yellow).

Oh, yeah, and he talks about a certain hand where he laid down QQ and showed his opponent. Maybe you've heard about it?

OTHER TOPICS

Chris and Fasso kiss and make up: OK, there's no proof there was a kiss, but Chris shaved his beard, so all is right in the Ante Up universe.

AIPS: We recount Chris' lightning fast exit, Scott's inability to defend against the resteal and congratulate GapBand85 for his victory. Click here for the schedule of future events.

WSOP: Chris and Scott debate Jerry Yang's final table strategy, Scott gives props to Alex Kravchenko, who cashed six times, made three final tables (including the Main Event) and won a bracelet - all in different events, and take a guess at how many chips Harrah's produced for World Series play? (Psst: Hint is 310,000).

Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Scott gives his thoughts about Tampa Greyhound Track's new room, Lucky's. Bottom line: Nice room, great management, but no loyal base of customers yet.

One-Minute Mystery: Columbo puts it all together, remembering that in all great mysteries, the biggest clue is in the first act. Since a Jack was folded, and a 2 underneath is an unlikely holding for an opponent who completed on Third Street, our Aces up should be good and we should be jamming. In fact, they are, and we win.

HAND OF THE WEEK

Lee sticks around to share with us a death-defying hand from the World Series.

With about 36 players left and blinds at 15,000/30,000, his opponent raises to 160,000 on the button. Lee looks down at Ac-9c in the big blind and calls. Lee checks a flop of 3h-2h-2s, and when his opponent bets 225,000, he check-raises to 500,000, hoping to push his opponent off. It almost works, but after a period of contemplation, his opponent calls and Lee resigns himself to ending the hand. But the turn brings a 9d, and now that he has a hand, Lee pushes 450,000 chips into the pot. But his stubborn opponent won't go away, and a terrible, terrible card hits on the river - 4h, putting a flush and straight on the board, as well as the pair. Lee checks, but when his opponent instantly pushes all-in, Lee takes some time to think over his options. Finally, he deduces that no hand that he's scared of would react the way his opponent did, and he calls the 1,085,000 bet and wins with top two pair. His opponent's holding? 5c-5s.

And, that, folks is how you make it to the World Series of Poker Main Event final table.

- SCOTT

Episide #109: Vegas, baby!

MAIN TOPIC

Part II of our four-part Vegas experience has us reliving our stops at the various poker rooms around town and sharing with you some great interviews that we (and by we, I mean Chris and Fasso. You don't really want me interviewing folks again, do ya?) got with pros at the World Series of Poker. Next week's show will break down the World Series of Poker Academy, and the final installment will highlight the cool and unusual items being peddled at the WSOP Gaming Life Expo. Listen to this week's show here.

ROOMS: Chris and I played at Monte Carlo (Scott's favorite), Orleans (tough, tough), Luxor (odd 3-blind structure), Paris (no cell phones allowed, yay!), Caesars Palace (Scott likes it, Chris doesn't), Treasure Island (off by itself down a hall with shops) and, of course, Binion's (how can you not like a room that not only spreads Juarez, but teaches you how to play it?)

INTERVIEWS: Marcel Luske complains about the dealers, Roxci Roads also complains about the dealers, new World Poker Tour host Layla Kayleigh tells us why she's excited about her new gig (and cheats certain firing by talking to the Ante Up! WPT Host Killers), Frank Henderson gets old-school with Fasso, Nick Frangos talks about stud and Gus Hansen makes Fasso's trip by supporting a return of 5-card stud.

OTHER TOPICS