Q&A with RoundTower

Ste05 · 31-05-2007 04:46PM #1

Standard stuff for these "Well's"

Do you think it's a bad idea to risk all your chips on a draw in a poker tournament, especially early in the the first few levels?

Several noted professionals have commented on how they fare better against stronger opposition. Do you find this is true for you?

Do you consider yourself a lucky player? If you think of the four or five biggest pots you've ever played in cash games -- or the most crucial points in tournaments -- have you been lucky or unlucky overall?

What table selection techniques do you use while playing online?

Suppose you are playing a heads up cash game with blinds €1-€2, and €200 stacks. You are on the small blind and you get dealt AK. While you are thinking about what to do you accidentally flip over your cards and your opponent sees them, however you are still allowed to play the hand. Should you go all in? Or fold and wait for a better spot? Would it ever be better to do something like raise to €7, just to mix up your play?

5starpool · 31-05-2007 04:58PM

All Omaha questions from me.

1. Do you think it is better to be aggressive rather than passive when playing draws in a 3 way pot (for example) when first to act? Standard nut flush draw and a gutshot in this example. If raised are you happy to put all your chips in if necessary at this point?
2. At a table of mostly unimaginative players (such as the Fitz 50 game) do you think it is more important to be aggressive or somewhat nut peddly?
3. If you flop a pair and a combo draw (non nut flush draw, and open ender) against a player you believe has AAxx on a 9 high board do you think it is good to check raise them if they always continuation bet when checked to them? If multi way pot (4) and he leads as first to act and you are next to go, what do you do? Assume 6h8x9xTh on a 8hJh4c board.
4. For lower stakes Omaha play (.50/1 and 1/2) what do you think are the most important considerations? What sites are best for Omaha considering player volume, player standard etc?
5. When are you going to Vegas and how long are you staying for?
6. How is the leg?

Cheers Dave

Mellor · 31-05-2007 05:16PM

Whats the largest stake cash game you play regularly? And ever played?

Whats the largest buy-in tourney you play regularly? And ever played?

What do you enjoy more (as opposed to play for purposes of winning more money) cash games or tourneys?

DeadParrot · 31-05-2007 05:31PM

Given the recent few threads about playing while hungry/drunk/tired/stoned etc...What is your take on all this, is there anything to it or a load of cobblers trying to gain an 'edge'?

What is your view on pokerbots? Do you feel that programs such as Pokeroffice/Poker tracker etc are just as bad, ie giving users an advantage based on mathematical statistics?

What do you think of the theory of open limping AFC in omaha when you have a 200xBB stack?

You no the way giraffes are really tall and their necks are really long – does it take ages for their food to travel down to their stomachs?

31-05-2007 05:38PM

This post has been deleted.

Hitman Actual · 31-05-2007 06:03PM

1. My favourite Well question: do you think tournament-only players understand the game less than cash-only players?

2. Are you still happy with your 22 exit hand in last years ME? [Edit: By "happy", obviously I mean do you think it was the right move!]

3. I know omaha is your main game, but what level do you consider yourself to be at in other games? NLHE/Stud/lowball, etc.

4. When you started playing the game seriously, how much effort did you put in away from the tables in analysing hands, posting on forums ,etc? How important is that, or do you think putting in mucho hours is more important.

5. Playing live, do you think you have good instincts? Have you ever made big calls/laydowns because of them, when maybe the 'maths' of the situation dictated that you do the opposite?

6. What are (or were??) you studying in college? Do you expect to get a high finish? Does what you study help with poker theory in any way?

I'm sure I have more, but that's it for now...

Hectorjelly · 31-05-2007 06:31PM

1) Please describe a few interesting hands from your WSOP experience.

2) Imagine you are faced with the following decision, you must personally kill three people that are very close to you, best friend, lover, mother that type of person. Or every single person in China is sent off to death camps to be worked and tortured to death. (For the purposes of the decision, ignore any economic or social effect of chinas loss). You will get away with their murders and noone will know it was you no matter what decision you pick. Which do you choose?

califano · 31-05-2007 07:35PM

1.) At the first €200 montly game in the S.E i noticed you turned up well late. afair i read you say that you like to turn up late or just as the game starts. Is this because you prefer not to do the pre game bullsh!t talk as players hang around or can there be any another reason?.

2.) Did anyone ever ask you for advice about something and you purposely game them wrong advice to set them up for a laugh?. If so describe an ammusing case?.

3.) Did you ever make a monkey out of a teacher in secondary school or a lecturer at college to the amusement of your fellow pupils/students and if so can you tell of an amusing case or two that comes to mind?.

Goodluck2me · 31-05-2007 08:19PM

if you could persuade one 2+2er to post here who would it be and why?
What would you do differently to improve advice here?
Who is the best irish player you have played against in i)cash ii) tournaments
Same question for international.
Favourite Tournament
Favourite palce to play cash
where did you learn to play poker?
What drives you in the game?
If you could win the WSOP and noone would ever know who you were, and you would only receive nominal prizemoney, would you still be happy?
who is better between Marq, Biteme,Cardshark, (any other dealer in the fitz posts here) at tournaments/cash.
Say one good one bad thing about each above.

Whats the worst habd you have ever played?

sikes · 31-05-2007 10:25PM

what are your plans for vegas this year? How many tournaments or just sticking to cash?

how has you trip gone so far, are you heading home after vegas or continuing travelling?

best place you visited, how about the worst place. Country with the hottest women? funniest story since you started?

plan for the future? Do you see yourself playing for a living for a good while?

ArmaniJeanss · 31-05-2007 10:29PM

Was there a fraction of a second in your ME exit hand where you saw the 2 on the flop, but didn't see the T ?

Do you have much optimism about if/when UIGEA will be repealed?

Do you play any snooker/8ball/9ball and if so are you above average?

Marq · 31-05-2007 11:41PM

Do you believe in god or an afterlife?

Do you have a "philosophy" of life, and if so, what is it?

Do you know how to play klag or mythical?
Fancy getting schooled in either of them for bankrollz?

hotspur · 01-06-2007 12:24AM

How come I don't see you playing HORSE on Stars anymore? It still has O8!

Lafortezza · 01-06-2007 02:20AM

Criticise several regular contributors to the poker forum on there general approach to poker, and to this poker forum.

RichieLawlor · 01-06-2007 02:38AM

Do you think it's a bad idea to risk all your chips on a draw in a poker tournament, especially early in the the first few levels?

Several noted professionals have commented on how they fare better against stronger opposition. Do you find this is true for you?

Do you consider yourself a lucky player? If you think of the four or five biggest pots you've ever played in cash games -- or the most crucial points in tournaments -- have you been lucky or unlucky overall?

Do you know how to play mythical or klag? Would you like to play some time?

What table selection techniques do you use while playing online?

Suppose you are playing a heads up cash game with blinds €1-€2, and €200 stacks. You are on the small blind and you get dealt AK. While you are thinking about what to do you accidentally flip over your cards and your opponent sees them, however you are still allowed to play the hand. Should you go all in? Or fold and wait for a better spot? Would it ever be better to do something like raise to €7, just to mix up your play?

Well someone had to;)

5starpool · 01-06-2007 02:44AM

Well done Richie, you are only the 3rd person to post this (1 of which was deleted by the poster already). If I am missing the irony then it is late and that is my excuse.

mewso · 01-06-2007 02:49AM

Hectorjelly wrote:

2) Imagine you are faced with the following decision, you must personally kill three people that are very close to you, best friend, lover, mother that type of person. Or every single person in China is sent off to death camps to be worked and tortured to death. (For the purposes of the decision, ignore any economic or social effect of chinas loss). You will get away with their murders and noone will know it was you no matter what decision you pick. Which do you choose?

Jesus Daragh talk to someone. They don't charge that much. Feck I'll listen over a pint if you really need to get something off your chest.

mewso · 01-06-2007 03:00AM

Is Rambo IV destined to be the greatest movie ever made?

How would John Rambo do in 6-max 5/10 PLO?

If John Rambo asked you for advice on how to play AAxx UTG in an Afghanistanian refugee camp what line would you suggest he take?

John Rambo has AKTJ double suited in MP in a 2/5 PLO game at a Green Joker Poker festival with Marq to act after him and Flipper on the BB should he:-

a) make a pot raise
b) limp with the intention of re-raising
c) jump onto the table and open fire on all players due to act after him, throw a few grenades towards the blinds and scream "POT".

mdwexford · 01-06-2007 05:15AM

If you played halibut heads-up PLO for bankrolls who do you think would win??

Are you playing the WSOP PLO event this year??

Can you play chinese poker to a decent standard??

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 05:13AM

OK a lot of questions, I'll try and get to them all.

Ste05 wrote:

Do you think it's a bad idea to risk all your chips on a draw in a poker tournament, especially early in the the first few levels?
only if you lose, of course.

Several noted professionals have commented on how they fare better against stronger opposition. Do you find this is true for you?
No, I tend to do better against morons.

Do you consider yourself a lucky player? If you think of the four or five biggest pots you've ever played in cash games -- or the most crucial points in tournaments -- have you been lucky or unlucky overall?
Yes I think I've been lucky. The WSOP cash is a good reason why, most of the biggest pots I've ever won were in that one tournament and I won nearly all of them against the odds. I also think I've been lucky to run good at the right times especially when I started playing seriously, I could easily have gone broke.

What table selection techniques do you use while playing online?
I mostly play on iPoker which takes care of most of the table selection issues. There just aren't enough games there now, and I am playing from Australia so I find it tough to play at peak times. When I played on Stars/FT I mostly looked for big pots and known fish, but I would sit at almost any open table.

Suppose you are playing a heads up cash game with blinds €1-€2, and €200 stacks. You are on the small blind and you get dealt AK. While you are thinking about what to do you accidentally flip over your cards and your opponent sees them, however you are still allowed to play the hand. Should you go all in? Or fold and wait for a better spot? Would it ever be better to do something like raise to €7, just to mix up your play?
I would go all in. I've done the maths and seen this subject discussed in a Sklansky book. Before I saw the result I expected the correct answer was to fold.

Really good questions Ste BTW.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 05:31AM

5starpool wrote:

All Omaha questions from me.
I haven't read the questions yet, I expect there's going to be a lot of "it depends" though.

1. Do you think it is better to be aggressive rather than passive when playing draws in a 3 way pot (for example) when first to act? Standard nut flush draw and a gutshot in this example. If raised are you happy to put all your chips in if necessary at this point?
In general I would bet or checkraise these hands more often than check/call. I almost never fold this kind of hand on the flop, but I'm not always happy about it.

2. At a table of mostly unimaginative players (such as the Fitz 50 game) do you think it is more important to be aggressive or somewhat nut peddly?
I think an important factor many overlook is how many players see the flop. If there are 7 to the flop you are going to need a good hand or a good draw to play, but in short handed pots in this game you can be much more aggressive. Also because short handed pots don't come along as often, you can surprise unobservant people who've just seen you sit tight all night.

3. If you flop a pair and a combo draw (non nut flush draw, and open ender) against a player you believe has AAxx on a 9 high board do you think it is good to check raise them if they always continuation bet when checked to them? If multi way pot (4) and he leads as first to act and you are next to go, what do you do? Assume 6h8x9xTh on a 8hJh4c board.
Depends a lot on stacks, but yes I would checkraise the first hand a lot, and usually just call the second.

4. For lower stakes Omaha play (.50/1 and 1/2) what do you think are the most important considerations? What sites are best for Omaha considering player volume, player standard etc?
I guess playing in good games is the most important thing. You don't have full control over this though, so I think more useful advice is to control tilt and be really observant of others' tendencies. I'd recommend Stars or iPoker for low stakes games for various reasons, but I wouldn't be shocked if other sites are softer/more volume. Bonuswhores.com is a good resource here.

5. When are you going to Vegas and how long are you staying for?
Leaving Sydney on the 26th of June, spending about a day and a half flying but due to the date line I arrive in LA on the 26th as well. Probably Vegas on the 27th. Leaving LA on the 17th of July, depending whether I am sick of Vegas or still in the ME I might leave Vegas before or after this.

6. How is the leg?
Pretty good. I went on a 3 day 33 mile trek in New Zealand (not the best idea) and it was in bits after that. But I can run, swim and play football on it now. I can't jump off that leg very well but almost anything else.

Cheers Dave

Cheers Dominic, good luck.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 05:40AM

Mellor wrote:

Whats the largest stake cash game you play regularly? And ever played?
10 20 on iPoker is the biggest I play semi-regularly. I've played some 25 50 live and online, and some 10 20 that played about as big as online 25 50.

Whats the largest buy-in tourney you play regularly? And ever played?
I don't really play any tourney regularly. Maybe the Stars Sunday million which is usually $215 or $530, I've played that a fair few times with terrible results. I played the WSOP main event once, which has a buyin of $10k.

What do you enjoy more (as opposed to play for purposes of winning more money) cash games or tourneys?
Cash games, but variety is the spice of life.

I'll try to get through all the rest today but I have to go when the rugby starts.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 05:47AM

DeadParrot wrote:

Given the recent few threads about playing while hungry/drunk/tired/stoned etc...What is your take on all this, is there anything to it or a load of cobblers trying to gain an 'edge'?
I think it's really important and interesting. Drunk, bloated, tired and stoned are all bad for me. I try to avoid playing in those states, and seek out people who are.

What is your view on pokerbots? Do you feel that programs such as Pokeroffice/Poker tracker etc are just as bad, ie giving users an advantage based on mathematical statistics?
I'm fascinated by the idea of getting computers to play poker well. I don't know very much about the field though. I think bots, and the fear of bots, are very bad for the game and in the short term future sites will live or die depending on how they tackle this problem. I don't think PO/PT are "just as bad", but there is a slippery slope there.

What do you think of the theory of open limping AFC in omaha when you have a 200xBB stack?
I love this idea and am always happy to play with players who espouse it.

You no the way giraffes are really tall and their necks are really long – does it take ages for their food to travel down to their stomachs?
I don't think so, but they probably give really good head.

Hope this helps.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 06:04AM

The Scientist wrote:

When did you start playing?
I think summer of 2004. I was on a J1 in New Jersey and the Raymer WSOP was on TV. We played $5 freezeouts among ourselves. One night we went to Atlantic City and I played a $20 rebuy. I could afford the buyin and the addon, no rebuys. I played like a rock and finished about halfway up the field. I can still remember some of the players and the hands. Next week I cashed for enough to be in profit overall. When we got back in September I found the Fitz and played the freerolls and the 20rs.

Where did u pick up the majority of your poker knowledge?
Definitely from 2+2 which I started reading/posting on I think a little before boards. It's still my main resource for thinking material. Also learnt a lot here starting out. Also a lot in the Fitz, from watching players I knew were better than me.

Do you think intensive study of the game is useless without practice?
Not useless, I think some mathematically inclined people could become competent players without ever touching a card. But speaking as a former chess coach it helps so much to play and review your own play.

For anyone interested here is the first well I did, on 2+2. I'll try to answer all questions here but some questions like "when did you first play" haven't changed since then.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 06:19AM

Hi Lenny, I think I know you but can't remember who

lenny_leonard wrote:

1. My favourite Well question: do you think tournament-only players understand the game less than cash-only players?
In general I think yes. Similarly I think it is easier to be a winning tournament player with a poor understanding of the game.

2. Are you still happy with your 22 exit hand in last years ME? [Edit: By "happy", obviously I mean do you think it was the right move!]
Not really. I remember thinking afterwards that it had to be close. I still think so but I think it was on the wrong side.

3. I know omaha is your main game, but what level do you consider yourself to be at in other games? NLHE/Stud/lowball, etc.
I play NLHE pretty well, I guess I could beat online 1 2 or 2 4 if they haven't got too much harder. Higher than that I doubt it, it would take a lot of practice.

4. When you started playing the game seriously, how much effort did you put in away from the tables in analysing hands, posting on forums ,etc? How important is that, or do you think putting in mucho hours is more important.
It was never a question for me of allocating time to play, time to study. I would play when I could and read/post on 2+2 and boards whenever I was in front of a computer. I was a computer science student so I could do quite a bit of that.

5. Playing live, do you think you have good instincts? Have you ever made big calls/laydowns because of them, when maybe the 'maths' of the situation dictated that you do the opposite?
yes, I think so. There is a lot of positive reinforcement when you do something like this though (you remember the times when you were right much more than when you were wrong). So I don't think I'm in a good position to judge this, you should ask people who have played with me a lot.

6. What are (or were??) you studying in college? Do you expect to get a high finish? Does what you study help with poker theory in any way?
I studied maths and computer science in UCD. I expected to get a high grade, but didn't work hard enough and got a 2.2.

I'm sure I have more, but that's it for now...

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 06:42AM

Hi Daragh, I can't remember now if I gave you a hard time in the well or not.

Hectorjelly wrote:

1) Please describe a few interesting hands from your WSOP experience.
I never know how to answer this question, there aren't many strategically interesting hands. Most of them go like I raise, someone goes all in, I make a close fold or a close call, nothing spectacular. But because it's you I've found some.

One hand I remember I really butchered was against Per Erik someone, a young Norwegian guy. We were the two big stacks on the table, I think it was early on bubble day. Board was something like K857J. I raised, bet the flop, check raised the turn nearly pot, bet 1/3 pot or so on the river. He had top pair, I had J9 or some muck. The flop and turn weren't too bad as he could have had nothing there, but once he called the turn I had to c/f the river or all in for just over the pot -- I knew he had a made hand and should have known he wouldn't fold for the small bet.

The hands that would have made good TV:

1. first day in the money (I think?) Eric "Rizen" Lynch raises in the CO, I 3 bet from the BB with QQ. He calls, I remember thinking he didn't quite have set value but close enough (7/1 or so implied odds). Flop J86r or something. I bet 75% pot he calls, there is about 125% pot left. I plan to cr almost any turn all in. Turn Q, I check he shoves I beat 66. It doesn't look like a bad beat because when the money went in I was ahead, but in my mind it was as good as in because I didn't expect him to need a set there.

2. Also a hand just before a break where I opened UTG (9 handed table I think) A4o or something, the crazy Costa Rican guy (Stars qualifier, backwards visor or upside down, early chip leader) 3 bets smaller than normal in LP (wouldn't have been out of order for him to go all in), I shove for the other half of his stack and lose to KK. Everyone thinks I am crazy, I think they are right and I should have known he had a hand there, I misread the dynamics a little bit.

2) Imagine you are faced with the following decision, you must personally kill three people that are very close to you, best friend, lover, mother that type of person. Or every single person in China is sent off to death camps to be worked and tortured to death. (For the purposes of the decision, ignore any economic or social effect of chinas loss). You will get away with their murders and noone will know it was you no matter what decision you pick. Which do you choose?
Working is good for the soul, I think I might let the Chinese people work themselves to death. It would bother me a lot more if you just said they were killed on the spot, then I might go the other way. Is this rational?

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 07:02AM

rounders123 wrote:

1.) At the first €200 montly game in the S.E i noticed you turned up well late. afair i read you say that you like to turn up late or just as the game starts. Is this because you prefer not to do the pre game bullsh!t talk as players hang around or can there be any another reason?.
Interesting, I don't think I played this tourney but I do like to turn up round the start of the game (not late). I feel I concentrate better, also I don't like waiting around.

2.) Did anyone ever ask you for advice about something and you purposely game them wrong advice to set them up for a laugh?. If so describe an ammusing case?.
A few weeks ago I was travelling with friends in Bolivia, in a volcanic region in the south of the country. We stopped at a big lake full of flamingos. It was very cold and the water at the side of the lake had frozen. I was on crutches at the time and poked at the ice with my crutch. I said something like "wow, that ice is really thick, you could stand on that". My friend ends up with a shoe covered with sticky black tar.

3.) Did you ever make a monkey out of a teacher in secondary school or a lecturer at college to the amusement of your fellow pupils/students and if so can you tell of an amusing case or two that comes to mind?.
This might have happened once or twice. I don't have anything really interesting in mind, I might come back to this.

.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 07:55AM

This is a lot of questions including some toughies.

goodluck2me wrote:

if you could persuade one 2+2er to post here who would it be and why?
pete fabrizio seems like an interesting guy who gives good advice, I think there are better answers but he's someone who came to mind.

What would you do differently to improve advice here?
I said this before I think but tough love seems to be the way to go for good advice. Too much ass licking on this forum, if people hated each other a bit more maybe there would be some better debate. That said there is some good advice here, you just have to pick through some noise.

Who is the best irish player you have played against in i)cash ii) tournaments
I played a fair bit against Peter Roche and Colette Doherty, they are very good and tough to play with. I haven't played anyone enough in tournaments to know if they are really good, Padraig Parkinson is a legend.

Same question for international.
Among name players I thought Rob Hollink was really impressive when I played with him in Barcelona. At least I think it's him, some famous Dutch player anyway.

Favourite Tournament
The Fitz end of month is a great institution

Favourite palce to play cash
The Fitz again, one of the most fun games I ever played in was in a small club Clonmel. After the games in the hotel finished we had a smaller game with several posters from this forum, the guys in the club really did everything for us and made it a good experience.

where did you learn to play poker?
see above somewhere

What drives you in the game?
I enjoy the competition but no matter how much someone says "it's not about the money", it is.

If you could win the WSOP and noone would ever know who you were, and you would only receive nominal prizemoney, would you still be happy?
I'm happy now, I don't think that would change much.

who is better between Marq, Biteme,Cardshark, (any other dealer in the fitz posts here) at tournaments/cash.
Probably Marq or Snowy, I'm not sure who deals there now.

Say one good one bad thing about each above.
Marq has been known to solicit tips.
Marq taught me a lot about dealing, and live poker in general.
Biteme can be a right bitch when he's losing.
Biteme is prepared to give a bit of action to help a game along.
Cardshark is a bottom feeding welching cheating British bastard.
On the other hand, whatever the game, it's always a pleasure to have him at the table.

Whats the worst habd you have ever played?
I remember check calling a bet with K high on a A55x board when the guy had raised preflop, I really didn't think he had AA. River came a 5, I shoved and he folded AA face up. Also there's a hand I posted here where I fold middle set on a K25r flop in the Fitz 50 hold'em for one more bet, because I had a read. KT was good.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 08:09AM

Hi Simon,

sikes wrote:

what are your plans for vegas this year? How many tournaments or just sticking to cash?
I plan to play the main event and one other, hopefully the 10k omaha but more likely a 1000 or 1500 event.

how has you trip gone so far, are you heading home after vegas or continuing travelling?
Trip has been great, after Vegas hopefully I'm going to Seattle, Fiji, and almost definitely back to Australia.

best place you visited, how about the worst place. Country with the hottest women? funniest story since you started?
Every country we went to was great, Bolivia was possibly the most enjoyable because we saw so much of the country. The worst places were just too touristy, in parts of Peru and Bolivia you can't move without people trying to sell you stuff.

Brazil has the hottest women, I don't think it's close. I was pleasantly surprised by New Zealand in this department.

We have some funny stories, some of them are unrepeatable. A lot of them you had to be there: acting out the Baywatch intro on a boat in Bolivia, pretending to be gay in New Zealand so this ugly stalker bitch would leave my friend alone (yes, isn't he gorgeous? but leave him to me).

plan for the future? Do you see yourself playing for a living for a good while?
I don't know, a few years I would say.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 08:16AM

ArmaniJeanss wrote:

Was there a fraction of a second in your ME exit hand where you saw the 2 on the flop, but didn't see the T ?
No, actually I saw the T first. From his reaction I'm pretty sure Jamie saw the 2 first.

Do you have much optimism about if/when UIGEA will be repealed?
I doubt it will be repealed any time soon. I think the best hope is that easy workarounds become available, that the banks stop cracking down on it, that no one bothers enforcing it and the average American doesn't know it's illegal or doesn't care. A bit like downloading music online.

Do you play any snooker/8ball/9ball and if so are you above average?

I've played a fair bit of 8 ball. I'm not very good.

RoundTower · 02-06-2007 08:23AM

Hi Marq

Marq wrote:

Do you believe in god or an afterlife?
I don't know. Definitely not in the same way, say, my grandmother believes in them.

Do you have a "philosophy" of life, and if so, what is it?
No I don't think so.

Do you know how to play klag or mythical?
Fancy getting schooled in either of them for bankrollz?
I think I've played them once or twice, I'd love you to teach me.

Q&A with RoundTower

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