THOU SHALL NOT USE CAPS LOCK

Blog Watchers,

I have been trying day by day to slowly build my PokerStars account but easier said then done. I think because I have had a taste of the high-life (Winning Thousands), I try desperately to get up there as soon as possible. The problem is my bankroll doesn't give me an opportunity to play in even low-stakes tournaments. So what I have to do is grind it out in tourneys with buy-ins less then $5. I don't enjoy it really because they are such "crap shoots"! You usually encounter crazy play like people calling your EP (early position) raise with Q4-off or go all-in with bottom pair with raggedy kicker. Don't get me wrong, I love playing them because usually you can pick off the weaker players very easily but with more weaker players you have many more all-in draws and suckouts on the river. Anyway it is an occupational hazard you have to deal with it.

I played a $3 NL Hold'em Tourney today and I was able to cash for a minimal R.O.I (return on my investment). Everything went pretty smoothly and I was able to get up to 6k in the first hour. I played my big-stack very well, taking some coin-flips when I was getting the right price and was able to get full value on some hands I really should not have. Hands that I would spell out obviously what I was holding, but they just wanted to keep paying to see. AA won 3k...Turned Flush for another 3k. I always wonder how people are not able to recognize these draws on the board or people's strengths through there betting patterns. Even though the tournaments are for penny-stakes, when someone calls with two hearts on the board you have to think flush draw and when someone goes all-in they often have enough of a hand to risk their tournament life on the line. What I have realized when playing micro-stakes tournaments is this...1) People always let their emotions get the best of them. The tilt factor goes up by 500% and 2) If you suck out on someone for a minimal pot, they will never forget it! I often try to use this to my advantage by literally trying to annoy, intimidate and frustrate people as much as possible. It makes it easier to take people of there game, allowing them to try to make plays that are unnecessary and not optimal!

A strategy that works for me with absolute perfection is talking in the chat box, with the CAPS LOCK on. Do not ask me how or why it works, but it does. People ask you to "Turn it down", or "Stop Screaming". I tell them "I AM NOT SCREAMING, I JUST ALWAYS WRITE IN CAPS". They all attack me for no reason. I tell them "WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN AS LAW THAT WRITING IN CAPS=SCREAMING?" But they get worse and worse, and the tilt starts to seep in. By me talking in CAPS they somehow see my typing as a loud voice in their head screaming. "I'll shut him up" they say to themselves and sure enough they play right into my hands. Calling with middle pair, or reraising me with rags. I keep chipping up and they keep getting the boot. So if you are ever playing in low-stake tournaments try it out. You have to talk a lot in order for it to work, but I have always seen great results.

THOU SHALL NOT USE CAPS LOCK IN THE CHAT BOX
Dave