FREEROLLERS WIN BIG! It’s always great to see people who have only been playing for a year or two hit the jackpot in freeroll tournaments. You’d think suddenly winning $500,000 would tend to make you go a bit wild but I recently had the opportunity to enjoy the totally “grounded” reaction of the winner of the excellent 888.com UK Poker Open. It was a big time televised event won by father of three Ian Frazer, a builder from Croydon in Surrey.
$500,000 FROM 888! Ian, who claims to have no luck at all in social games, hacked his way through thousands of online hopefuls to win first place and the accompanying $500,000. “My feet are firmly on the ground! This money has dropped straight out of the sky and into my bank account! I shall be spending it wisely!” Freerolls are definitely the future. They are a brilliant way to get new players into the swing of possible big time winnings without an expensive buy-in. The key is to make sure you have schooled yourself thoroughly on the different style of play required to cope with tournaments as against cash play.
IT’S NEW! IT’S BADUGI! Dailystarpoker.com has recently released a new variation of poker called “Badugi”. It’s an action-packed concept combining the most exciting elements of poker with a new spin on hand values and psychology. “Badugi” is a triple draw four card low-hand wins game. The best low hand is comprised of four cards, with none of the same suit, and none of the same rank. For example: Ace, two, three, four all of different suits is the best possible hand! When you find yourself holding four cards of different rank and suit then you are holding a BADUGI!
FREQUENTLY ASKED POKER QUESTIONS: Q: I saw a reference in a chat box to a “Donald Campbell”. What on earth is a “Donald Campbell”? A: It’s a common dealing accident where, by mistake, a card you are sliding across the felt lifts off the table top and flips over! Maybe you are too young to remember brave Donald’s horrendous somersault on Coniston water whilst attempting the world water speed record.
Q: What does the term “rainbow” mean? A: It is usually applied to a flop where all three face up community cards are from different suits.
Q: What is a “rush”? A: It’s when good cards come one after another and you can’t lose.
ALL THE ACES poker column: Monday, April 03, 2006: Freeroll Tournaments, $500k from 888.com, and Badugi Fever
