The fishtank part 6

Stamina training

I recently played in The Conquest Of Paradise Island tournament, lasting a mammoth nine hours, by which time I was absolutely shattered. How do you maintain your concentration over such a long period of time?

HillyTheFish

SF: Everyone has their own strategies for staying focused and the ability to do so successfully is one of the single most important factors in tournament play. You really just need to find something that works for you. Not everyone can sustain their concentration over what can sometimes be 14- hour days, and that’s often the difference between good tournament players and great tournament players. If you’re unable to play for long periods of time, go for cash games or small single-table tournaments, where the time investment is smaller.

Sleight of hand

I was playing in a home game the other night and the following situation arose: I was holding pocket Fives, the flop gave me trips and the turn brought a full house. The wife had 1400 chips showing so I put her all-in, or so I thought… I flipped over my cards and then she showed 4000 chips she had hidden in her hand. Obviously, if I’d known I would’ve pushed her all-in. What’s the ruling please because I’m not speaking to her until I know what’s right.

Tufty

SF: The rule is that all your chips must be visible to all players at all times. However, if you were playing in a tournament and flipped your cards up when you thought you’d put her all-in (and she still had chips left), you’d get a warning and possibly a penalty, for exposing your hand. It’s your duty to determine how many chips the other player has – you can ask if you can’t tell by looking. In a cash game, you wouldn’t get a penalty for exposing your hand, but she would have the option of calling or folding with her remaining chips. If her intent was to hide her chips, then she’s at fault, but there’s nothing you can do.

Nervous virgin

I’m due to play in the World Series – one of the $1,500 no-limit tourneys – and although I’ve played live tournaments before I’ve never played anything of this magnitude and I’m nervous and excited in equal measure. Have you got any advice for a WSOP virgin?

Alan Smith

SF: You should arrive early, play some satellites and try to get comfortable in the room. You can’t make your decisions based on how far you’ve come. You’re not the only person who’s going to be nervous, but if you have that attitude when you’re playing you’ll be ‘dead money’ and players will pick on you straight away.

Your call

Can you play like a two-time WSOP winner? Email us your answer and win a chipset!

The situation
Mandalay Bay: $1,500 buy-in; 300 entrants; 3000 starting chips

Scott’s hand
9♣ – 8♦

Second level, blinds 50-100, and I have 11,000 chips. I limp in with 9-8 off-suit in middle position. The player on the button has 4500 and limps in. Small blind completes, and the big blind checks.

Both blinds have about 2500 each. The fl op comes 6♦ -10♦ -7♣, giving me the nuts. The blinds check. I bet 200 into a pot of 400. The player on the button calls. The small blind folds, while the big blind hesitates, looking confused, and finally decides to call. The turn card is 9♠ . At this point the big blind pushes all-in for 2300. The pot size was 1000. It’s my turn to act with 2300 to call and one player behind me with 4300. The question is, what do you do and why?

Send us your answers (with a reason) and the best one wins a chipset. Find out how Scott would play the hand next month.

Last month’s answer: Fold

The winner to last month’s Your Call is George Gavin who argued that you should fold. Any under-pairs and you’re behind, and against A-A or K-K you’re in bad shape. You’re not pot-committed, and there’s been two re-raises. Get out.

• Email us your answers and problems