Dear
So what's different about this year's WSOP?
It's that time of year when all we want to talk about is the World Series of Poker. The 2008 WSOP will deliver a new set of historic firsts from the moment the first cards are dealt to the ground breaking format change in the Main Event. Firstly the season opened with the newest bracelet event, the USD10, 000 World Championship of Pot-Limit Hold'em which kick started the 39th annual event on the 30th May. Nenad Medic walked away with USD794, 112 and his 1st WSOP bracelet. Congratulations Nenad on your result and your 1st WSOP bracelet.
Below are some of the records established at the 2007 and we will be watching to see if any of them fall this year.
- Most total entrants for all events: 54,288
- Largest Prize Pool: USD159,796,918
- Largest Ladies World Championship: 1,286 players
- Largest Seniors World Championship: 1,882 players
- Largest USD50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.: 148 players
- Largest preliminary event prize pool: USD7.1 million for USD50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.
- Largest preliminary event top prize: USD2.2 million for USD50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.
- Largest Field of Players (non-Main Event): 2,998 for USD1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
- Oldest player to compete in a WSOP event: 94-year-old Jack Ury in Main Event
- Youngest player to win a WSOP gold bracelet in the United States: Steve Billirakis - 21 years, 11 days - in USD5,000 World Championship Mixed Hold'em Limit/No Limit
Good Luck to our latest winner 'Gerard D' and all our other players heading out to Vegas for the WSOP! Check out our range of sports betting markets for this year's World Series of Poker and make sure you get some of the action!
Playing A, K unsuited in the big blind.
Picking up A, K unsuited on the big blind is always interesting, you have strong cards, and you have position before the flop as you are the last to act. After the flop this all changes and you are now one of the first to act. Is your goal to try and take this pot right here right now, or should you slow play?
What to do? Click here for some great advice on playing this hand.
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Check the tournament lobby for the next available satellite.
Situation: Moderate stakes online game. The table has been playing generally loose. The small blind is extremely aggressive, playing almost half of all pots.
Your hand: Ah,Kc
Action: Players A through E fold. Player F raises to $30. Player G folds. The small blind calls $25. The pot is now $70.
Question: Do you call or raise?
Answer: You're certainly going to raise with your ace-king. Slightly larger than the size of the pot, your goal is to end this now. You don't have a pair and after the flop you will be out of position. A pot-sized raise here would be $110 that's $20 to call and $90 to raise the new pot, you put in about $150.
Action: You put in $150. Player F and the small blind fold.
If you just make a normal sizes raise and get called, about 70 % of the time you miss the flop and find yourself sandwiched between an aggressive player and an unknown quantity with an ace-high hand. That's not an especially good situation.
If you had a good pair, you could just make a normal raise to $100 or so, knowing that you'd be in reasonable shape whatever flop came. Also make sure you occasionally overraise with a big pair so your opponents can't put you on ace-king.
Source: Robertie, B. and Harrington D. (2008) Harrington on Cash Games Vol. 1, Nevada, Two Plus Two Publishing LLC.
Congratulations to 'Frank P' for winning last week's Token. Play poker in the next 24 hours and stand a chance to win a free entry to the daily $12,500 GP R/A at 15:10 ET (day of your choosing) OR any Maui Sit 'n' Go. All players that play cash games will be entered into a draw and the winner will receive the free entry. Shuffle up and deal!
