G 4 M 1 N G 0 L 0 G Y

Friday, October 27, 2006

BPT Event 2: Wild and Wooly

The $30,000 Blogger Poker Tour's Season #2 has thus far completed two events and it's way too early to declare any of the 70+ participants a clear favorite. The second installment, Royal's Bluff Till You Drop Bender, took place October 7th at Poker.com.

Quackpot and brodoughno both made their second consecutive final table, finishing 8th and 5th, respectively. But their consistency was overshadowed by natsdad, who followed up a strong 5th place finish by winning event #2 with a combination of good solid play, and a small gift from the poker gods. With just three players remaining and a slight chip lead, natsdad pushed all-in with pocket nines. The bet was quickly called by number two chip man damriver, who was dealt Ace-King. The flop, a King and two blanks, was very favorable for Big Slick. But Slick got sick when natsdad caught 2 runners to complete an unlikely jack high straight, sending the aptly named damriver to the rail. That left only one player standing between natsdad and the $125 first prize. iyatoni had been "laying low" for most of the tournament before coming to life at the final table in an impressive display of grit and determination. natsdad was up to the final challenge, however, and had just enough momentum to score the win.

After a three week hiatus, the BPT will be back in action this Saturday at Poker.com, which firmly supports and welcomes players from the U.S.A. This week's tourney will be hosted by the Ultimate Poker Forum.com Tournament Blog, so drop in and check them out. The season is still young, so everyone has bloggin' good chance to win it all. Here is the current top 20 heading into event #3:

natsdad 321
ViezeMan 320
DawgRoyal 300
ReplicantPoker 241
Michael1965 238
brodoughno 218
DamRiver 211.5
Quackpot 201
BobbyOlsen 196
elc3105 189
Irongirl 185.25
iyatoni 177.5
JCL514 151.25
Hacksaw2000 148
booboy119543 144
Mada1970 116
Porkrind333 116
astinaguy 112.5
purechaos 112
xScrewballx 112

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Risking It All: Olbermann Lambastes Bush On MSNBC: Must Read

Published on Friday, October 6, 2006 by MSNBC:

"A Special Comment About Lying - The difference between terrorists and critics"

by Keith Olbermann

While the leadership in Congress has self-destructed over the revelations of an unmatched, and unrelieved, march through a cesspool ...

While the leadership inside the White House has self-destructed over the revelations of a book with a glowing red cover ...

The president of the United States — unbowed, undeterred and unconnected to reality — has continued his extraordinary trek through our country rooting out the enemies of freedom: the Democrats.

Yesterday at a fundraiser for an Arizona congressman, Mr. Bush claimed, quote, “177 of the opposition party said, ‘You know, we don’t think we ought to be listening to the conversations of terrorists.’”

The hell they did.

One hundred seventy-seven Democrats opposed the president’s seizure of another part of the Constitution.

Not even the White House press office could actually name a single Democrat who had ever said the government shouldn’t be listening to the conversations of terrorists.

President Bush hears what he wants.

Tuesday, at another fundraiser in California, he had said, “Democrats take a law enforcement approach to terrorism. That means America will wait until we’re attacked again before we respond.”

Mr. Bush fabricated that, too.

And evidently he has begun to fancy himself as a mind reader.

“If you listen closely to some of the leaders of the Democratic Party,” the president said at another fundraiser Monday in Nevada, “it sounds like they think the best way to protect the American people is — wait until we’re attacked again.”

The president doesn’t just hear what he wants.

He hears things that only he can hear.

It defies belief that this president and his administration could continue to find new unexplored political gutters into which they could wallow.

Yet they do.

It is startling enough that such things could be said out loud by any president of this nation.

Rhetorically, it is about an inch short of Mr. Bush accusing Democratic leaders, Democrats, the majority of Americans who disagree with his policies of treason.

But it is the context that truly makes the head spin.

Just 25 days ago, on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, this same man spoke to this nation and insisted, “We must put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us.”

Mr. Bush, this is a test you have already failed.

If your commitment to “put aside differences and work together” is replaced in the span of just three weeks by claiming your political opponents prefer to wait to see this country attacked again, and by spewing fabrications about what they’ve said, then the questions your critics need to be asking are no longer about your policies.

They are, instead, solemn and even terrible questions, about your fitness to fulfill the responsibilities of your office.

No Democrat, sir, has ever said anything approaching the suggestion that the best means of self-defense is to “wait until we’re attacked again.”

No critic, no commentator, no reluctant Republican in the Senate has ever said anything that any responsible person could even have exaggerated into the slander you spoke in Nevada on Monday night, nor the slander you spoke in California on Tuesday, nor the slander you spoke in Arizona on Wednesday ... nor whatever is next.

You have dishonored your party, sir; you have dishonored your supporters; you have dishonored yourself.

But tonight the stark question we must face is — why?

Why has the ferocity of your venom against the Democrats now exceeded the ferocity of your venom against the terrorists?

Why have you chosen to go down in history as the president who made things up?

In less than one month you have gone from a flawed call to unity to this clarion call to hatred of Americans, by Americans.

If this is not simply the most shameless example of the rhetoric of political hackery, then it would have to be the cry of a leader crumbling under the weight of his own lies.

We have, of course, survived all manner of political hackery, of every shape, size and party. We will have to suffer it, for as long as the Republic stands.

But the premise of a president who comes across as a compulsive liar is nothing less than terrifying.

A president who since 9/11 will not listen, is not listening — and thanks to Bob Woodward’s most recent account — evidently has never listened.

A president who since 9/11 so hates or fears other Americans that he accuses them of advocating deliberate inaction in the face of the enemy.

A president who since 9/11 has savaged the very freedoms he claims to be protecting from attack — attack by terrorists, or by Democrats, or by both — it is now impossible to find a consistent thread of logic as to who Mr. Bush believes the enemy is.

But if we know one thing for certain about Mr. Bush, it is this: This president — in his bullying of the Senate last month and in his slandering of the Democrats this month — has shown us that he believes whoever the enemies are, they are hiding themselves inside a dangerous cloak called the Constitution of the United States of America.

How often do we find priceless truth in the unlikeliest of places?

I tonight quote not Jefferson nor Voltaire, but Cigar Aficionado Magazine.

On Sept. 11th, 2003, the editor of that publication interviewed General Tommy Franks, at that point, just retired from his post as commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command — of Cent-Com.

And amid his quaint defenses of the then-nagging absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, or the continuing freedom of Osama bin Laden, General Franks said some of the most profound words of this generation.

He spoke of “the worst thing that can happen” to this country:

First, quoting, a “massive casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western World — it may be in the United States of America.”

Then, the general continued, “the Western World, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we’ve seen for a couple of hundred years, in this grand experiment that we call democracy.”

It was this super-patriotic warrior’s fear that we would lose that most cherished liberty, because of another attack, one — again quoting General Franks — “that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass-casualty-producing event. Which, in fact, then begins to potentially unravel the fabric of our Constitution.”

And here we are, the fabric of our Constitution being unraveled, anyway.

Habeus corpus neutered; the rights of self-defense now as malleable and impermanent as clay; a president stifling all critics by every means available and, when he runs out of those, by simply lying about what they said or felt.

And all this, even without the dreaded attack.

General Franks, like all of us, loves this country, and believes not just in its values, but in its continuity.

He has been trained to look for threats to that continuity from without.

He has, perhaps been as naïve as the rest of us, in failing to keep close enough vigil on the threats to that continuity from within.

Secretary of State Rice first cannot remember urgent cautionary meetings with counterterrorism officials before 9/11. Then within hours of this lie, her spokesman confirms the meetings in question. Then she dismisses those meetings as nothing new — yet insists she wanted the same cautions expressed to Secretaries Ashcroft and Rumsfeld.

Mr. Rumsfeld, meantime, has been unable to accept the most logical and simple influence of the most noble and neutral of advisers. He and his employer insist they rely on the “generals in the field.” But dozens of those generals have now come forward to say how their words, their experiences, have been ignored.

And, of course, inherent in the Pentagon’s war-making functions is the regulation of presidential war lust.

Enacting that regulation should include everything up to symbolically wrestling the Chief Executive to the floor.

Yet—and it is Pentagon transcripts that now tell us this—evidently Mr. Rumsfeld’s strongest check on Mr. Bush’s ambitions, was to get somebody to excise the phrase “Mission Accomplished” out of the infamous Air Force Carrier speech of May 1st, 2003, even while the same empty words hung on a banner over the President’s shoulder.

And the vice president is a chilling figure, still unable, it seems, to accept the conclusions of his own party’s leaders in the Senate, that the foundations of his public position, are made out of sand.

There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

But he still says so.

There was no link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaida.

But he still says so.

And thus, gripping firmly these figments of his own imagination, Mr. Cheney lives on, in defiance, and spreads—around him and before him—darkness, like some contagion of fear.

They are never wrong, and they never regret -- admirable in a French torch singer, cataclysmic in an American leader.

Thus, the sickening attempt to blame the Foley scandal on the negligence of others or “the Clinton era”—even though the Foley scandal began before the Lewinsky scandal.

Thus, last month’s enraged attacks on this administration’s predecessors, about Osama bin Laden—a projection of their own negligence in the immediate months before 9/11.

Thus, the terrifying attempt to hamstring the fundament of our freedom—the Constitution—a triumph for al Qaida, for which the terrorists could not hope to achieve with a hundred 9/11’s.

And thus, worst of all perhaps, these newest lies by President Bush about Democrats choosing to await another attack and not listen to the conversations of terrorists.

It is the terror and the guilt within your own heart, Mr. Bush, that you redirect at others who simply wish for you to temper your certainty with counsel.

It is the failure and the incompetence within your own memory, Mr. Bush, that leads you to demonize those who might merely quote to you the pleadings of Oliver Cromwell: “I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.”

It is not the Democrats whose inaction in the face of the enemy you fear, Sir.

It is your own—before 9/11 - and (and you alone know this), perhaps afterwards.

Mr. President, these new lies go to the heart of what it is that you truly wish to preserve.

It is not our freedom, nor our country—your actions against the Constitution give irrefutable proof of that.

You want to preserve a political party’s power. And obviously you’ll sell this country out, to do it.

These are lies about the Democrats -- piled atop lies about Iraq -- which were piled atop lies about your preparations for al Qaida.

To you, perhaps, they feel like the weight of a million centuries -- as crushing, as immovable.

They are not.

If you add more lies to them, you cannot free yourself, and us, from them.

But if you stop -- if you stop fabricating quotes, and building straw-men, and inspiring those around you to do the same -- you may yet liberate yourself and this nation.

Please, sir, do not throw this country’s principles away because your lies have made it such that you can no longer differentiate between the terrorists and the critics.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Port Security And.......Online Gambling???

Whether you're a terrorist or a tourist, you have to question the addition of online gambling restrictions to port security legislation. The sad thing is that most Americans have turned a blind eye to the law making process. The "New World" media doesn't care, either. What's next? Will the 2008 presidential election be cancelled? It seems like the next logical step in this, the most illogical sequence of events in U.S. history.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Chase The Straight?

The Right Time To Chase A Straight

------------------------------------------------------------
This column is provided free of charge by www.RoyRounder.com

"Roy Rounder" is the pen name of a successful professional
poker player and author. To skyrocket your Texas Holdem
winnings, join his free newsletter. Just click here.
------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Poker Player,

Chasing straights and flush draws will BURN you... there's
no doubt about it.

The term "chasing" means you stay in the hand... hoping to
catch a certain card (or cards) that will complete your
straight.

The problem with chasing is that the ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU.
And as you know, successful Texas Holdem poker is all about
keeping the odds in your favor.

But sometimes chasing a straight IS the right thing to do.

SOMETIMES.

Let me explain...

First off, let's look at the two different types of straight
draws:

1. GUTSHOT - This is when you're trying to make an INSIDE
straight... like if you have 4-5-6-8 and you need the 7.

2. OPEN-ENDED - This is when TWO cards can "make" your
straight... like if you have 4-5-6-7 and need EITHER the 3
or the 8.

There's also what's called a "double belly buster", which is
actually like two gutshots at once. We'll talk about this a
little later.

OK, so how should you play a gutshot straight draw? Let's
look at the odds... if you FLOP an inside (gutshot) straight
draw, the odds of making your straight are 16.47%.

If you have an inside straight draw after the TURN... with
just the river card to go... your odds are 8.70%.

So the odds aren't good. 16.47% might SOUND like it's worth
it... but you've got to ANTICIPATE the bet after the turn
card.

For instance, let's say you flop an inside straight draw and
someone makes a big bet. If you call and then miss your
straight on the turn, what then?

Your opponent makes ANOTHER big bet... do you call to see
the river card? You feel pot committed, but you know the
odds are against you...

This is how you get into trouble with gutshot straight
draws. You become pot committed and you chase a hand that's
not worth chasing.

As a general principle, you should NOT chase gutshot
straight draws... especially on the river.

When I flop a gutshot, I might call a small bet but that's
it. And that's only when the odds are worth it.

As we'll discuss in a moment, you must also factor in the
IMPLIED ODDS... but first, let's look at how to play
open-ended straight draws.

For an open-ended straight draw, your odds of making your
straight are MUCH better. If you flop an open-ender your
odds of hitting are 31.45%.

If you have an open-ender with just the river card to go,
your odds are 17.39%.

Notice that you have BETTER chances of completing an
open-ended straight draw just on the RIVER than completing a
gutshot straight draw on both the turn AND the river.

Interesting, huh?

OK, so what's the right way to play an open-ender?

Many players will just CHECK with an open-ended straight
draw... and then CALL any bets.

This is REACTIVE card playing... and it's the WRONG thing to
do.

You need to be PROACTIVE... and here's why:

Let's say you've got 6-7 of diamonds and the flop hits:

4-5-K

You've got the top half of an open-ended straight draw...
either an 8 or a 3 will give you the nut straight.

The NATURAL TENDENCY here is to check. You don't have
ANYTHING yet... no pairs, no high cards, nothing. So
obviously you'd LOVE to wait to see if you make your
straight before you risk any chips, right?

Wrong.

If you just check, you're making three dangerous mistakes:

Mistake 1: You're showing weakness.

Mistake 2: You're not increasing the pot size.

Mistake 3: You're giving your opponent a read on you.

There's a strange analogy I like to use for this.

If you're ever in the forest or wilderness and you encounter
a mountain lion, bobcat, or other similar PREDATOR, the
NATURAL TENDENCY is to get scared.

Most people would run away!

However... the RIGHT thing to do is to SHOW AGGRESSION and
NOT show fear.

I'm dead serious here.

The right thing to do if you see a bobcat is to make a lot
of noise, to raise your hands in the air and possibly hold
up a coat or jacket (in order to appear bigger), and to
snarl or growl.

It's counter-intuitive... but it's what you MUST do if you
don't want to get attacked (or eaten).

Now... back to Texas Holdem... LOL.

Your OPPONENT is your PREDATOR. Show them weakness and they
will likely attack you.

When you have an open-ended straight draw, you want to see
the next two cards... and you don't want to risk a lot of
chips to do so.

So the RIGHT PLAY is to BET or RAISE the pot.

In our example above, you want to throw out a
reasonably-sized bet. Your opponents might fold right there.
Or you might get one or two callers.

NOW, when the TURN card comes, your opponents will probably
check to you. So basically you're getting a FREE CARD. You
can check and see the river for free.

If you HADN'T taken control of the betting, your opponents
would have made you PAY A LOT to see the river card. And you
might of been forced to FOLD your open-ended straight draw.

By taking control of the betting and coming out strong after
the flop, you're actually investing LESS money overall to
see the next two cards.

Now... the other reason taking control is important is
because it doesn't give your opponent a read on you.

Say your opponent checks the flop and you also check. The
turn card comes and it's a 3... giving you the straight.

Your opponent checks again and now all of the sudden you
come out betting strong.

Obviously, your opponent will SEE what's going on here and
will have a hunch that you just made your straight... and
he'll fold.

If you DON'T bet after the 3, the odds of you making any
real money off of this hand are slim, and you've let your
straight go to waste.

So the key is to bet EARLY... that way if you HIT you're
golden and you'll get paid. And if you DON'T hit you won't
have to invest any more chips.

Say you took control of the betting after the flop and your
opponent called with A-5. He's probably putting you on the
King, but isn't sure... He's got middle pair along with an
Ace.

The turn card comes and it's a 3, so you bet again. Your
opponent calls again.

Finally the river hits and it's an Ace, giving your opponent
TWO PAIR. By now he's confident that you have the King...
and not the straight... since you were betting consistently
after the flop.

So your opponent puts you ALL-IN with his hand... not
knowing that you've got him DOMINATED. You win a big pot,
all because you played the open-ender properly.

There's also what's called a "double belly buster" straight
draw. A regular (single) belly buster is simply an inside
straight draw. A DOUBLE means there are TWO different cards
to make your straight... but it's not open-ended.

For example, if you were holding A-5 and the flop hit 3-4-7
you would have a DOUBLE BELLY BUSTER.

Either a 2 or a 6 would give you a straight.

Double belly busters are great because your opponents will
often never see them coming... and your odds of hitting are
the same as an OPEN-ENDED straight draw.

When an opponent doesn't put you on a hand, THAT is when
you'll be able to win the most chips. This is known as
IMPLIED ODDS.

Implied odds means that when you make your hand, you're
going to get paid a LOT for it.

Implied odds is a very important part of making decisions in
Texas Holdem... just like regular odds. Except the key
distinction is that implied odds doesn't necessarily involve
numbers or math percentages.

Implied odds is more about getting a SENSE for how big the
pot will be if you make your hand.

When your implied odds are HIGH, you can often bet more
early in order to build the pot size.

An example of high implied odds is when there's a straight
draw on the board with HIGH CARDS. For instance, let's say
you're holding J-10 and the flop comes Q-K-3.

You've got an open-ended straight draw... but you might face
opponents who have a REALLY GOOD HAND right now... something
like A-K, A-Q, or K-Q.

An opponent with a big hand is going to be very aggressive
with his bets... and if a 9 or an Ace hits, you're going to
win a ton of chips. Those are high implied odds.

On the other hand, this type of flop is BAD for you because
it means you'll probably have to PAY DEARLY to see the turn
and river cards.

Be careful... don't chase the straight if it's going to
break your chip stack.

An example of a straight with LOW implied odds would be when
it's all low cards on the board. After all, if no one has
anything decent, no one is going to give you a lot of
action.

When you have an open-ended straight draw with low cards and
you sense weakness in your opponents, the best move is to
act aggressively and take the pot down right there.

After all... nearly 70% of the time you are NOT going to hit
your straight. So if you can win the pot by betting, do so.

If you do get a caller, that's OK too, because you still
have a lot of outs and a good chance at busting your
opponent (and now the implied odds are higher since he's pot
committed and must have a good hand).

Another example of low implied odds is when the straight
draw on the board is OBVIOUS. This is especially relevant
when there's only ONE card needed to make the straight.

For instance, let's say you have K-7 and the board reads
3-4-5. And then the turn card comes and it's a 6.

Of course, with 3-4-5-6 on the board, your opponents WILL be
suspicious that someone has the straight. This type of
situation is sometimes good for a check-raise... or a strong
bet to make it LOOK like you're buying the pot. (It just
depends on your table image.)

With straight draws, be extra careful to pay attention to
what ELSE is out there on the board. You will often
encounter hands that BEAT you and wipe out your entire chip
stack.

For instance... look for possible FLUSH draws. If your
opponent might have made a flush, back off. Muck the hand if
you need to and live to see another day.

Full houses are dangerous too. If two cards on the board
pair up, be careful.

And last but not least, always think about what OTHER
straights are possible. For instance, if you're holding A-2
and the flop hits 3-4-5, you have the BOTTOM end of the
straight. Someone could have 7-6, or maybe 6-2, and would
have you beat.

It's the same way with our double belly buster example. In
that example the flop was 3-4-7 and you had A-5. Let's say a
6 hit the board.

Even though you have the straight (3-7), it's NOT the best
possible straight. Your opponent could be holding 8-5...
which would be the nut straight.

It's the same way with FOUR consecutive cards on the board.
If the board reads 5-6-7-8 and you've got the 9, that
doesn't mean you have the "nuts".

The nuts would be 10-9... which would give someone the
straight (6-10).

The possibilities are ENDLESS... and you'll soon discover
that the more you play Texas Holdem the more IMPORTANT every
possibility becomes.

For the most part, keep in mind that you want to only
"chase" a straight when the odds of hitting are most
favorable, when the implied odds are good, and when you
think you can see a cheap (or free) river card.

Knowing how to INCREASE your winnings and DECREASE your
losses is the name of the game. Strategies like these will
also minimize your risk during each pot... and help you
secure a CONSISTENT winning streak.

I can show you how to master the game of Texas Holdem and
play like a pro... whether you want to want to become a
full-time "rounder", win some tournaments, or just knock the
socks off your friends.

With my free poker tips newsletter, you'll learn simple,
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Each newsletter is written in plain English that's easy to
understand-- no matter what your current level of play.

So go to this webpage right now and sign up for my FREE,
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Here's the link:

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See you there.

Your New Friend,

Roy Rounder

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Disclaimer: I do not promote illegal, underage, or gambling
to those who live in a jurisdiction where gambling is
considered unlawful. The information within this site and
newsletter is being presented solely for entertainment
purposes. I will not be held responsible for any personal
loss of wagers or damages you may incur. Anyone concerned
about having a problem can contact Gamblers Anonymous for
further information.
------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, March 24, 2006

9/11/01 From My Point of View

Here's my take on 9/11 the way I saw it live. I had just returned from working out of town and I had the week off, and was sleeping in. My wife was watching CNN and woke me up when the first images from Manhatten were being shown on the air. I saw the whole thing from soup to nuts. Although unrelated to gaming, this topic deserves great attention and was written in its entirety by the editor of Gamingology.

Like many Americans, I watched the events of 9/11/2001 unfold on CNN and FOX (then later NBC, ABC,CBS). During the crucial first moments when the news media broke what was to be the biggest story of the decade, there was no apparent cause for concern. I was intrigued at the notion of a Cessna hitting the World Trade Center. There was no reason to doubt the story, but this was certainly an unusual development. So I was drinking my coffee waiting for them to name this freak/stroke victim/obviously dead pilot. I had watched enough news to know that usually when planes are involved, a few things are usually disclosed almost immediately. Airport of origin, time of departure, and intended destination are the norm, and usually some back- ground information.

CNN and FOX News were repeating the same sketchy account of this mystery Cessna. This is where you should focus your attention. Instead of reporting the facts, which obviously would have been extremely alarming, the exact opposite occured. Most of the free world has seen footage of the second WTC tower being impacted and the reaction from people on the ground. When the first jet impacted the WTC earlier that morning, don't you think it was equally if not more dramatic? Have you seen the footage where a fireman is giving an interview which is interrupted by a jet flying overhead and hitting a skyscraper? If you have, then that is the only known video footage of the first WTC tower being struck at 8:46AM on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001.

Inside the tower, many were killed instantly by the impact and explosion. Others were less for- tunate; trapped and/or clinging to life while burning to death and/or suffocating from the smoke and fumes created by thousands of gallons of burning jet fuel. New York City at 8:46AM was in the middle of RUSH HOUR. The area around the WTC was bustling with commuters.
Buses, taxis, bicyclists, and mostly pedestrians were all going about their normal Tuesday morning routine. At street level, the usual soundsof the city were interrupted by the sound of approaching jet engines, attracting everyone's attention as they looked skyward for the source.

Confusion would have quickly been replaced by panic at the moment of impact as everyone scrambled to escape deadly projectiles. Many injuries ranging from minor to fatal are a fact of life when very big jets hit very tall buildings during rush hour in very big cities. Desperate calls for help to 911 probably jammed the lines. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grand- parents, and friends surely made/received tragic cell phone calls to/from loved ones. The calls for help probably also jammed the cell phone circuits, which could only have made matters worse. Imagine the chaos and uncertainty that must have been spreading throughout New York City as the sounds of sirens filled the air.

Meanwhile, at 8:48AM (two minutes after the first plane hit) a CNN news break painted a completely different picture. The news anchors were stuttering and confused (interestingly one lady was new and 9/11 was her first day on the job) "Apparently... some sort of... small.. Cessna ...type plane ...has struck one of the WTC towers. That's about all we know ....at the moment." As they spoke, they were pressing on their ear-piece as if they were repeating these words as they heard them. There was no implied urgency in their voices, and none was invoked by the images that were shown. From their camera's perspective, which wasn't from the best angle, the story fit the picture. The situation did not appear to be serious.

CNN went to commercial I flipped over to FOX News, only to find the same camera angle (which by the way appeared to be a looped video made shortly after impact since there was very little smoke visible) and similar explanation. They took the Cessna story a step further and spec- ulated as to why and how it might have happened while comparing it to a recent incident where a Cessna strayed into restricted airspace near Washington, DC and was intercepted by F-16's. How do you think witnesses reacted when they turned on live news expecting to get some information and heard the Cessna story? Of course, had the TV cameras shown images from street below the WTC, the seriousness of the crisis would not have required any commentary.

There apparently were not any field reporters dispatched to the WTC by CNN or FOX. No colorful eye witness accounts live at the scene that you would expect. Nope.. nothing like that. They must not have fielded any phone calls from good sources, or looked out the window, removed the ear muffs and their heads from their collective asses that morning. At this early juncture of 9/11, there was a clear and present danger. But niether CNN or FOX gave a hint of urgency to the situation. Why? Did it have anything to do with the stock market? While Americans lay dead and dieing, and many New Yorkers fleeing Manhatten in fear for their lives,
surely ONE of the networks would accurately depict the scene... Afterall, advising viewers of the situation could help prevent further loss of life and make it easier for EMT's to reach the scene.

Instead, they reported that the buildings were safe and the minor damage was confined to a small area and actually encouraged people that worked in and around the WTC that it was business as usual! Why? Is it fathomable that anyone witnessed a JET in NYC disappearing into a skyscraper but mistook it for a Cessna, quickly called a few news executives, and they all bought the story? How likely is it that all of the networks, many with offices in plain view of the WTC, could be so clueless? ABC, CBS, and NBC eventually broke from their regular program- ming to cover the WTC story, all exhibiting similar confusion, speculation, and basically
incompetent news gathering capabilities. Had I not seen this deception play out first hand, I would never have considered such an industry-wide curtain of propaganda to be a remote possibility.

Instead of warning of the inherent dangers and urging people to stay clear of the WTC, they were actually giving the "all clear". I wonder how many viewers in NY headed towards Man- hatten either on business or for a better look to satisfy their curiosity? Something was important enough for the networks to put more lives at risk while losing a little thing called CREDIBILITY. Who is responsible for the muzzle of secrecy that apparently was imposed on the media the morning of 9/11? Was this in place before the first tower was struck? Did space aliens take over the bodies of the news people?

I guess we were supposed to believe that in an age of breaking news stories from highly competitive networks who thrive on accuracy and being the first on the scene; a jet could roar into NYC striking a national landmark during rush hour without drawing attention. Bad news
travels fast. Maybe it headed towards the Atlantic Ocean and had to circum- navigate the globe on 9/11. Further, are we supposed to believe that before anyone had time to run this monumental breaking news story that they were ALL immediately contacted by some entity that instructed them to misinform the public with the Cessna story? All of this
instantly concocted plan of action was perpetrated under the guise of looking out for America's best interest? Every major news agency in America knowingly lied to their viewers/listeners costing many of them their life savings, and others possibly their lives.

Imagine how different it might have been if they had reported the truth. Imagine how many people in the news industry ditched all their stocks! While 99.9% of the stockholders and tax- payers in America and abroad went about their daily lives, their holdings became practically worthless. I'm sure the vast majority of American people would be interested to know the specific activity on the NYSE on and around 9/11. That, however, would require an investigation carried out by a branch of the government that is interested in uncovering facts, which is against
current policy.

Amazingly, it wasn't until the second tower was struck that the ugly reality was revealed to the viewing public in a sick example of shock TV. They made sure that every camera was coined on the WTC live at 9:03AM to show the second "surprise attack". Nobody was on commercial
break at the time. The shock value was so great that the media's earlier bout of amnesia went virtually unnoticed. Then, and only then, the news networks finally started their coverage of 9/11 while acting just as unsuspecting as the general public. In another amazing turn of events, there is no recorded footage of the alleged jet that struck a section of the Pentagon that housed financial records for the Department of Defense. CNN announced at 9:32AM that the NYSE was closed until further notice.

The NYSE opening bell shouldn't have even sounded that day. Time lines on 9/11 have been questioned and there are many variations around, most stating that the NYSE never even opened on 9/11. Whether or not our own government carried out the inhumane acts of terrorism on the WTC is not open for debate. What caused the towers and WTC7 to collapse is trivial and serves as a diversion. The financial implications of 9/11 and what part the media played should be the issue. Many records were conveniently lost. Apparently "We the People" does not refer to American civilians anymore. At some point "We" became "Them".

The state of the union has suffered. It's time to think about getting back to basics. I'm of the opinion that all peace loving Americans should band together and secede from the union. History has shown, however, that such a people would have to live in
heavily guarded bunkers under the deepest ocean to protect against eminent attacks from the United States.

To summarize:

My argument is that the WTC towers did not collapse as a result of damage caused by planes and the resulting fires.

First of all, I don't claim to hold a degree in engineering or related fields of study. My opinions are based not only on the visual evidence and eye witness accounts, but also political and economic factors as well.

IMO, it is quite possible that weakening of the infrastructure created by the impacts, in conjunction with the heat generated by the fires, was sufficient enough to cause structural failures on the affected floors of the WTC towers. But, for both towers to completely collapse
as a result of damage so high up on the structures did not obey the laws of physics. In addition, there were numerous reports of at least one loud explosion near ground level before the first tower collapsed. I was watching along on TV. The CNN news anchors were verbally startled
by an explosion that rocked the WTC area just before the first tower fell. They emphatically confirmed this on live TV with a reporter close to ground zero. As the massive cloud of dust engulfed lower Manhatten, the explosion was likewise shrouded in a cloud of mystery. The same
cloud hung over the Pentagon attack when vital accounting records were destroyed by a low flying jet that punched a relatively small hole in a freshly reinforced section of concrete, while hardly damaging the lawn.

Why the transcripts of various 9/11 broadcasts does not reflect the entire dialogue is beyond me. I can say, without a doubt, that the official record was altered. People close to ground zero gave similar accounts of explosions. This was not thoroughly investigated by the media in the aftermath of 9/11, nor were the numerous shortcomings of the Defense Department and the official story. Instead of feasting upon the veritable smorgasborg of coincidences and failures, the media largely turned a blind eye to the difficult questions.

The massive pile of debris at ground zero was carted away in record time, and assaults on Afghanistan and U.S. civil rights were quickly organized while a pipeline was being covertly constructed. Then, somehow it seemed logical to go to war with Iraq against the wishes of the UN and the majority of tax paying Americans.

As you can see, the role that the fires played in the WTC towers on 9/11 are not that important to me in the overall scheme of things. I cannot adequately express the urgent need for all sides to engage in intelligent debates on the subject of 9/11. If we can all treat each other with respect and keep our emotions in check, a great resource of information is at our fingertips.

What Are Your Opponents Holding

Know EXACTLY What Your Opponents Are Holding

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"Roy Rounder" is the pen name of a successful professional
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***QUESTION FORM A READER***

Roy,

Your newsletters have greatly helped my play I used to be a
tight wad player. Now that I have changed gears (play more
aggressively) in my head its thrown players off balance a
lot. I take notes on my friends poker play so it helps me
remember betting patterns etc.

I am really good at sniffing out stone cold bluffs (I've
been known to call with queen high before) or strong hands
that are hard to recognize like small sets and low and
medium straights. I've even folded full houses before
knowing that other players have four of a kind by their
erratic breathing and confidence in their voice and shaky
hands.

However I need advanced improvement on reading tells and
avoiding traps. Other then the ones mentioned in Caro's book
of poker tells it is a little outdated. Especially I have
had also a problem with reading people when they play medium
strength hands aggressively - especially in casino
tournaments unlike my weekly poker games with my friends.

After a while you learn your friends play but in tournaments
they are all strangers how to get a read on them? Some
players bet medium strength (not weak strength hands)
aggressively. Does your e-book cover these questions?

Does it also have a section on poker tells as well. I've
played players giving off false tells as a trap such as
acting weak when weak and strong when strong? My friends do
this as well giving off false tells doing the opposite of
the opposite of what you would expect - we've read the same
books.

Thanks,
A.C.

***MY COMMENTS***

I want to start off by saying CONGRATULATIONS, my friend.

Calling bluffs with a queen high and laying down full boats
is a sign of a BALLSY player... That level of faith in your
abilities is a CRUCIAL step towards a successful poker
career.

I am also impressed by your choice to take notes on your
opponents. I notice that there are a lot of players who
CLAIM to want to be better, but don't take the TIME to do
what is needed.

As far as your question about reading poker tells against
players you aren't familiar with... here's what you can do:

When you are at a new table, it is obviously VERY important
that you pay close attention to the GAME and to the PLAYERS
right away.

Most players... when they sit down... get so caught up in
themselves and their own heads that they don't even make it
to this first step...

To put it bluntly:

"SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, and WATCH."

Don't start running your mouth... don't try to act cool...
and don't daydream. The first few minutes you're at the
table is perhaps the most IMPORTANT time there.

Once you've done this, be sure not to rush into any hands.
In fact, I recommend NOT getting involved in any hands at
the very beginning... and here's why:

If you're an experienced tournament player, you know that
most players are eliminated from tournaments when they are
in "shuffle times" (when they are moving from table to
table).

It is at these times when the BIGGEST MISTAKES are usually
made.

Let's say that you sit down a new table. You may have been
playing at a tight table where you could buy a lot of
pots...

You sit at this new table... and fall right back into your
betting pattern. You make a bold move, try to buy a pot, and
get burnt because THIS TABLE is much LOOSER than the last
one.

This puts you at a disadvantage right away... one which you
might not recover from.

When I move to a new table... or begin at a game where I
don't know the players... I always wait at least 3-4 rounds
of betting before I get involved in a hand... and a lot of
times I wait EVEN LONGER.

This gives me a chance to get to know my opponents... BEFORE
I risk any chips.

I call it my "Study Period."

Of course, the WHOLE GAME is a study period in itself... but
these first few hands is 100% devoted towards just watching
my poker opponents.

And here's the added benefit:

If I don't know my competition, THEY don't know ME, either.
By taking my time and doing my study period, I learn about
THEM... but they DON'T LEARN ABOUT ME.

If anything, they just ASSUME that I'm a tight player...

That means within 10 minutes, I immediately have an
advantage over all the other players at the table... even if
I haven't won a pot yet... or even played a hand.

OK, so when you do your study period, what should you look
for?

A lot of newbies think it's all in the face and in the
eyes... which is a mistake.

Most poker tells are the COMBINATION of an entire set of
movements and behavior...

On TV-- especially in movies-- poker tells are portrayed as
something as simple as the twitch of a nose or the movement
of a leg.

Kind of like in "Rounders," when Mike McDee figures out
Teddy KGB based on how he ate his cookies.

TAKE NOTE...

For the most part, this type of portrayal of poker tells is
a TOTAL MYTH.

If you think you can figure out a player's hand just based
on how he blinks, you're in for a rude awakening... and
you'll lose your chips fast.

In REAL LIFE (where you play), tells are more complex...

...VERY RARELY are they "cut and dry."

When you study your opponents... here are the things you
should think about:

1. Past Play

Think about how this player has acted in the past...

Is he usually strong or weak?

Aggressive or timid?

Smart or dumb?

And so on...

2. Timing

If your instinct tells you that a player deliberated for a
long time trying to make a choice, chances are that his hand
isn't too strong.

However, you should also note how long he has taken to play
in the past, to make sure that the move wasn't just a
regular timing move.

3. Posture

Especially with bad players, the posture of a player is a
key tell that will reveal a lot about a hand...

If the person leans back, that USUALLY represents strength.
If he leans forward, that USUALLY represents weakness.

Once again, poker tells aren't black and white. It's a gray
area, where everything needs to be considered together...

4. Bet Amount

If a player tends to make small bets, but then places an
unusually large bet, he could be holding a strong hand. Or
he may be trying to buy the pot.

Always watch for irregularities in betting patterns... most
amateurs don't mix up their bets enough, which gives you an
easy edge if you pay attention.

5. Pulse

This is one of the only "body tells" that I find works most
of the time. You can usually see the intensity of a player's
pulse by looking closely at his neck.

Often if a player gets "shaky," he usually has a great hand.
If the player is cool and collected, it's probably a fake.

6. Your Gut Feeling

Depending on your poker experience, your gut will often be
your best guide...

I've been playing poker for so long now that when I sit down
with newbies, I can usually read the players almost
INSTANTLY, without much thought.

It just comes naturally... and it will come naturally to
you, too... once you gain a lot of experience under your
belt... and once you spend enough time studying the game.

With the pros, of course, you've got to be much more
careful, because they DO know how to disguise their tells
and play their hands in an unpredictable manner.

So, to recap:

1. When you sit down to play at a table of strangers...
especially in a tournament... take your time before becoming
involved in a hand.

2. Go through a careful "Study Period." During this time,
SHUT UP and STUDY the players intensely.

3. When you start betting, watch for the six things we
discussed: past play, timing, posture, bet amount, pulse,
and your own gut instincts.

Finally... there's one more step to add...

And that is:

NEVER REVEAL THE WAY YOU THINK.

Here's what I mean...

Poker is truly a BATTLE of minds. The tells we've been
discussing are mostly simple REFLECTIONS of how a player is
thinking at the time of a bet.

For some reason, it's a natural tendency in all of us to
share our thoughts at the poker table... ESPECIALLY when we
aren't involved in hands.

This is more common during "home games" than in tournament
play or casinos...

For instance, let's say there's a heads up match between Don
and John after the river card.

Don goes all in...

The river was the third diamond on the board. John has trip
Aces.

(Of course, a flush would beat John's three of a kind.)

Anyway... John's has to decide whether Don is a on a
bluff... or if he caught the diamond flush.

THIS is where everyone starts screwing up:

Since Don is all in... and can't change his mind... John
shows his trip Aces to the other guys at the table who
aren't in the hand.

He says, "Man, I don't know whether to call. Don made a
pre-flop raise... I think he's just pot-committed and is
trying to buy it."

Someone else might chime in, "Yea, but he seems like he's
got the flush. Did you notice how he's been quiet the whole
hand?"

Someone else says, "C'mon wuss. Just call his bet and go
all-in... I'm getting tired and want to get going."

And so on...

Do you see where I'm going with this?

John should NEVER show his Aces to the other guys of
course... aside from being bad poker etiquette, now they
just saw an entire "free hand" and got to see how John acted
the whole way with his three of a kind.

The next guy just revealed that he's been watching how
SILENT Don has been... which clues everyone in on how this
guy thinks about tells. Now you know to be very conscious
about how much you talk around this player.

And the third guy reveals an attitude of carelessness...
which means as soon as I caught a good hand I'd try to get
in a heads-up match with him and go all in... because
there's a decent chance he'll call.

When you reveal your THINKING PROCESS, you're simply GIVING
AWAY tons of crucial information... FOR NO REASON.

The other players at the table with pick up a read on you
quickly... both consciously and subconsciously.

So don't do it.

Period.

As you know, Texas Holdem is filled with TONS of techniques
and strategies like these, that anyone can understand if
they just take the time to learn them.

Unlike popular belief, poker is NOT about having natural
talent.

It's about LEARNING-- through experience, analysis, and
expertise-- how to MASTER the game.

To develop YOUR poker genius, subscribe to my one-of-a-kind
poker strategy newsletter. You'll gain the exepertise you
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Your New Friend,

Roy Rounder

------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: I do not promote illegal, underage, or gambling
to those who live in a jurisdiction where gambling is
considered unlawful. The information within this site and
newsletter is being presented solely for entertainment
purposes. I will not be held responsible for any personal
loss of wagers or damages you may incur. Anyone concerned
about having a problem can contact Gamblers Anonymous for
further information.
------------------------------------------------------------