BLIND-FOLDED! Given the eruption of anger by Daniel Negreanu at the World Series of Poker over a last minute switch from ten player tables to six player tables at the Omaha High-Low Event I have been asked what it means to be “blinded out”? It’s a simple but useful way for a player to respond to what he or she feels is an injustice at a tournament. Daniel was so furious at arriving at a six player game when he had been told there would be ten players, he simply refused to take part. When you refuse to take part you are thrown off that particular event automatically and cannot re-enter it. (The terms used are “blinded off” or “blinded out”) Why did Daniel make such a fuss? Simple. As a Champ he is very selective about the games he wants to play in order to ensure the most profitable outcome from his participation in the WSOP. He had prepared for a ten player game the dynamics of which are totally different to a six player game.
FREQUENTLY ASKED POKER QUESTIONS Q:What is a “Gapped Straight”? A: If you’re holding Jack-King or Six-Eight or Ten-Queen you’re holding a “Gapped Straight”. It would also apply to Six-Eight-Nine or similar on the board (The three face-up community cards on the table).
Q: What is a “Made Hand”? A: If you are holding Queen-King and the flop delivers Ten-Jack-Ace, wow have you ever got a made hand.
Q: I’ve heard players talk about taking a “Free Ride”. What are they on about? A: There are several situations that come up which enable you to continue to play without entering anymore chips to the pot. That’s a free ride.
POKER TIP OF THE DAY As with most things in life, size does matter. My advice to any new player is rail-bird for a while (watch actual play from the sidelines). Once you have decided on the level of cash game you want to enter make sure you enter with the biggest stack of chips you can properly afford. When you arrive at a new table with a bigger stack than anyone else in the game you are making a statement about yourself that all the players will pick up on. This is particularly true with online poker where your opponents have almost no other way of evaluating you as a new player. A big stack is like a big stick. It sends out an aggressive message and in Texas Hold’em that’s the right message.
