Online pointers from KrazyKanuk

A poker player for over ten years, KrazyKanuck only started playing seriously about two years ago – and he’s been tearing up the online tournie scene ever since. As you might expect with a handle like his, KrazyKanuck (or James Worth, as he’s known to his mum) lives in Toronto, Canada where he recently sold a coffee company to devote himself full-time to poker.

Last summer he finished second to TJ Cloutier in the $1,000 pot-limit hold’em event at the Bellagio. Recently he also placed fourth in a World Series circuit event at Harrah’s Casino in San Diego, receiving an impressive $158,850. He made his name, though, playing online at UltimatePoker.com and has earned several hundred thousand dollars.

1. His big tip

View bad beats as a learning tool – think back about the play and analyse it to see if you could have done something different or better, or even if you should have played the hand at all.

2. Keep focus

Some bad beats can’t be helped so it’s what happens next that matters most. Get a good grasp on the tilt factor and your bottom line will rise for sure.

3. External influences

The tilt factor doesn’t always strike from within the game itself. It can also come from outside distractions or aggravations. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to clear your mind before you sit down and start playing. It makes a huge difference: I ended up final-tabling 21 online tournaments in 14 days and winning seven.

4. Get busy

Save yourself from the tilt factor by going for a walk, a drive, or maybe even going to work out.

5. Table limits

Don’t move up table limits until you now that your bankroll can sustain a horrid run of cards for a long time – because you know that horrid run is out there somewhere. It’s cool to be sitting in the biggest game with the opportunity to drag bigger pots, but how cool is it to walk away from that bigger game completely broke, have to sit down at the baby tables and start all over again?

6. Be flirtatious

Go ahead and flirt with bigger games on certain days, but only when you’re up a fair amount on that day, and only with a strict loss-limit in mind. Staying and playing within your abilities will maximise your profits and minimise your exposure to risk.