#483 - My Pro Chat During FTOPS Event #15 - Part II of IV

Question From bobarnuts:  How much harder do you find online tournaments versus live tournaments
Michael Craig: They have such different features I’m not sure I can compare them. And I’m not sure they are harder, though some elements may be more difficult.

Question From KHALILONE:  Did you start online? Or hit a big tourny to be sponserd by FT?
Michael Craig: I started playing in 1990, so pre-online. I’m not really “sponsored” by FT in that I buy my own way into online and live tourneys. My connex with FT was from The Full Tilt Poker Strat. Guide and from writing the Full Tilt Poker Blog.

Question From Asians Bluff:  Do you think PLO will be more popular than NLHE in the coming years?
Michael Craig: I understand it’s getting that way in the big online games. But I expect NLHE will remain bigger overall for the foreseeable future. But it’s great when the games change and players have to adapt.

Question From MustanqGT:  what was the best hand you’ve ever played?
Michael Craig: I made a royal and got paid at a bloggers tournament at the Imperial Palace in, I think, December 05 or 06. It’s been written up online. Then I busted with AA 20 mins later.

Question From 706shark:  how is it that most of the pros on here play high stakes plo rather that holdem
Michael Craig: Like Willie Sutton said when asked why he robbed banks. “That’s where the money is.”

Question From Redstripe33:  hey Michael whats your biggest score?
Michael Craig: Bluffing Jo Anne Mendelsohn into marrying me in 1981.

Question From Professor Perez:  Are there any pros that you have played with that you think are jerks? And will you name 1? (or you gonna be all PClike evey1 else) Gavin Smith named 1
Michael Craig: I’ve played with Gavin Smith. He’s a delight. But this is easy. Devilfish.
Michael Craig: http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/poker-blog/2008/07/460_wsop_notebook_33_my_day_1-a_recap_part_ii_devilfish_goes_to_war.php

Question From ponk:  how do you think you will in event 15
Michael Craig: I’ll all in right now.
Michael Craig: all in with 33 (1000 chips w/50-100 blinds). Reraised by A-8. He hit an ace and an 8. Out in 1722nd place.
Michael Craig: But I’ll stay around chatting at least another half hour. We’ll see after that.

Question From BostonCeltics22:  is it good to fold kk
Michael Craig: only if you know you’re against AA.

Question From bobarnuts:  what do you prefer online or live?
Michael Craig: Different things about each. I like being able to play a lot of different tourneys - say 10 tourneys on Sunday for $1k-$1500 total instead of one event at a casino. I think FT rakes less than most regular casino tournaments. I like playing 5-6 hours to a result. But I also enjoy being able to absorb the atmosphere of the table and adapt to that at a live tournament.

Question From Bruno Wolf:  I love the 5+5 charity tourneys pros play in any chance of getting a few pros together for another one soon?
Michael Craig: I don’t know. I’ve always enjoyed those events too.

Question From Mandy B:  who is the best Turbo Hundo player of all time?
Michael Craig: Amanda Baker. As long as we can agree the best looking Turbo Hundo player of all time is Michael Craig.

Question From southside2005:  What you think of WSOP Final Table delay?
Michael Craig: I was strongly in favor of it. I think they were looking to boost the popularity of poker to the masses, and we players benefit tremendously from that. I wrote about it in my blog. you can check the archives.

Question From LParreira:  what is your favourite game?
Michael Craig: Whichever one you’re NOT playing LParreira! (Seriously, this guy is an awesome player. Watch out for him.) Ha! Now your cover is blown, smart guy.

Question From BostonCeltics22:  is it good to fold qq preflop if someone raised all in
Michael Craig: Depends on a lot of other factors: the type of tournament (I’d call in the Midnight Madness but not the first hand of the Main Event); the type of player you’re against; stack sizes; level of the tournament, etc.

Question From EatShootNLeave:  why is it that you dont mention ellie anymore in your blog? has she finally straightened up?
Michael Craig: Ellie is in my office right now. She says, “That is NEVER going to happen.” She’s too fun and wacky to be completely mainstream.

Question From Redstripe33:  whats your favorite casino to play in
Michael Craig: The Wynn. Though the Amazon Room at the Rio during the WSOP is in a league by itself. And the Bellagio is awesome. And probably a bunch of places i haven’t had much chance to play.

Question From SimoneK:  have u ever played hu versus ivey?
Michael Craig: I haven’t but I WATCHED Phil Ivey play heads-up and felt intimidated.

Question From scott96dl:  who do you rate as the best poker player in the world at the moment
Michael Craig: I’m playing the $500 + $35 HORSE right now and it better be Michael Craig or else I wasted my money.

Question From BostonCeltics22:  did u lose?
Michael Craig: In the Turbo FTOPS … yeah. Or, I didn’t lose so much as the other guy won.

Question From huntingdogz:  I’m new here and i see people call people a fish. what is that?
Michael Craig: It’s a derogatory term, but used so often that it generally shows lack of imagination by the person saying it. And besides, what benefit is there EVER in insulting an opponent?

Question From JohnnyGstaks:  hey mc, gl 2nite. can we get soem 2nd chance ftops turbo tournies for the last half of the series?
Michael Craig: Thx Gstaks. That’d be a great idea, though I haven’t heard anything like that.

Question From 706shark: Michael i am a friend of dave ulliott and we often attend the races together why do you think he is a jerk?
Michael Craig: Actually, I don’t think he’s a jerk. I thought in my interaction with him, he behaved like a jerk. Maybe in another circumstance - maybe even almost all the time - he wouldn’t seem like a jerk. I described it in the blog I gave the link to earlier.

Question From MustanqGT:  who do you think will win this year’s main event?
Michael Craig: Good question. But I have to educate myself before I can answer it. I’m going to be writing about the players, certainly the ones wearing the Full Tilt colors, so I’ll try to post some opinions in the blog.

Question From Redstripe33:  Do you think Online pros or Live pros are better?
Michael Craig: Online pros are better online. Live pros are better live. When online pros play live, they have a chance to prove (sometimes successfully) that they are great live players. Then they become “live pros”.

Question From Professor Perez:  Not sure how long you will be here just wanted to say ty for answering my question, well all of our really . Thx for your time, and if no1 else says it TY
Michael Craig: Nice of you to say, Prof. I enjoy talking with players on Full Tilt. Guys like Ivey can afford to be aloof (and maybe they CAN’T afford to be chatty at the stakes they play) but I feel I’m contributing to the experience mixing it up in the chat.

Question From bobarnuts:  Which casino in vegas has the best live tournaments
Michael Craig: Bellagio’s tourneys are always great, though they just feature NLHE. The Wynn Classic is starting to be a great tournament. And I love the World Series of Poker.

Question From Asians Bluff:  What are your thoughts on overbetting?
Michael Craig: I try not to overthink that. Seriously, I generally don’t want to bet amounts that give away the identity of my hand, unless it’s in my interest to let opponents know. Then I’ll make a huge overbet to force a fold or a terrible call.

Question From keepitmoving10:  you think beal will come to vegas and play again?
Michael Craig: Never say never, but these days, he’s playing in a bigger game. In this financial environment, banking has got him very fired up, at least when I’ve talked with him.

Question From dodger0325:  is it true that there are more suckouts online then in live poker?
Michael Craig: I’d say yes BUT that’s because I’ve played 100 times as many hands online as live. So I’d say there are 100 times as many suckouts.

Question From Professor Perez:  Do you think Mandy B would ever stake you in a live game ? LOL (ask her some time, tell her Professor Perez told you to ask)
Michael Craig: I’m sure she’d LOAN me the money, if my collateral was great and I was playing against her.

Question From Asians Bluff:  Do you think Americans are the best poker players?
Michael Craig: There are some great American poker players but I don’t think that’s categorically true.