PRO CHAT TRANSCRIPT - November 17th 2010
QUESTION FROM 21ASH21: when your deep into a long tourny and u have pocket 5's 4's 3's or 2's and ur low on chips do u go ahead and push em or do u wait for a better hand
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: when you have 10 big blinds or less, those are fine times to push, but make sure you are the one raising, not calling
QUESTION FROM xxgt89xx: whats your favorite game?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: whatever has the least good players in it :-) i like HORSE a lot
QUESTION FROM PanCake Boy: my bankroll is 51 dollars lol, whats thje most i should be spending on buy-ins on a tournament?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: $1
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: eight or better stud
QUESTION FROM xxgt89xx: Well that seems to be a reasonable answer, but what is your favorite game in HORSE?
QUESTION FROM uDontNoMeYet: if im getting 3:1 or better in the sb and there has been no raise should I ALWAYS be playing with ANY two cards?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: depends on your stack size. not with more than say 25 big blinds
QUESTION FROM PanCake Boy: In a rush tourney to you recomend raising with AJ off in early position
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: rush or no rush, i don't recommend AJoff in early position
QUESTION FROM uDontNoMeYet: big stack can fold? short must play?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: yes, that's in general. the blind overlay only changes the odds slightly
QUESTION FROM PanCake Boy: Do you recommend any good books on poker I have few, but I would like to know if you might know any i dont.
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: phil gordon's little green book dan harrington's series
QUESTION FROM EL TERIBBLE: does phil ivey play small ball poker in live tournies?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: i guess. not sure how to characterize his play. he adapts to every condition.
QUESTION FROM uDontNoMeYet: im in a tourny now, blinds are 500-1000 125 ante so pot is 2625. if everyone folds to me in the sb seems to me i must at lrast call. correct?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: what's your stack size?
QUESTION FROM marlonking1: When your M is 5 or less do you shove with any two cards with first hand vigorish, or do you choose your spots?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: it's not based on cards at that point, just position and the stack sizes of the two blinds. you want a chance to win without a caller.
QUESTION FROM uDontNoMeYet: 25k
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: You have 25 big blinds so you are fine. once you get to 15, look for a spot to RE-raise all in.
QUESTION FROM C_MORTENSON: how do you smallball ?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: this just referrs to playing a lot of hands by raising the minimum (or close to it) so as to get the advantage in the hand vs weaker players who you will outplay preflop.
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: i mean, outplay POSTflop
QUESTION FROM jmc1882: how much time u make a buy in before ur bankroll was big enough ?? and how much is big enough?? when i got 1000 dollars what for blinds i have to play nlh
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: when i started there was not nearly the options, nor was there any wisdom for the questions you ask. but if you have $1000 i wouldn't play bigger than $25 buy-in live NLH.
QUESTION FROM C_MORTENSON: why dont players limp with good hands instead of raising and getting out floped
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: they don't limp with good hands so that they make opponents pay to chase
QUESTION FROM uDontNoMeYet: please answer yes or no. with a stack 25x the bb do you ever fold from the sb when no one has entered the pot and you are getting 5:1 to complete the bet?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: yes.
QUESTION FROM Slutaments: what is your biggest tournament win?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: $350k (wsop plh in 2006)
QUESTION FROM jmc1882: so i should play 10cent 25 cent when my bankroll is 1000 dollar.. thanx that u i could take your time
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: that sounds like the right level
QUESTION FROM las vegask68: I ask the last question because i always deposit 100 build it up to 5-6 hundred and then go broke playing 1-2 2-4 am i just playing to high of limits for my roll i fell more comfortable playing at that level feel like the play is better but when
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: by definition, if you go broke, you are playing too high.
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: try adjusting your game selection based on your bankroll such that you are never putting more than 5% at risk on any given day.
QUESTION FROM C_MORTENSON: why is it that i keep thinking everyone has the nuts or scared to bet if an ace falls
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: because you are playing too big for your bankroll
QUESTION FROM jmc1882: how much should i haven by 2/4 play
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: if you are playing $2-$4 with $400 buy-in NLH then you should have over $8000 bankroll. if you lose 10% of your roll, then drop stakes down so you are not risking more than 5% ever.
QUESTION FROM MIKE O JAMES: hi Rafe, how long have u been playing @ ftp. & do u have a job during the day ? if so what do u do @ work when not playing poker ? thx.
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: i started playing here when it first opened. i don't play full time anymore. my background is in computer science, entrepreneurship and angel investing. you can lear more on rafefurst.com or wikipedia
QUESTION FROM jmc1882: s it better to start with cash game ir tournament ????
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: depends on what you like better.
QUESTION FROM zoothorns: How did you break it to your parents you were going pro and how did they react?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: I started playing in middle school recreationally, and slowly backed into playing "professionally" when the web bubble burst and my company went out of business. i'd already been successful in business though so i didn't have the pressure grind a living
QUESTION FROM MIKE O JAMES: what part of the globe r u from ? & do u like las vegas ?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: ew up in southern california (venice beach).
QUESTION FROM MIKE O JAMES: i have noticed a rise in euro players here @ ftp. do u think because it is known that n. american players R softer ?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: lol. maybe, but it's traditionally been the other way around. obviously american dominance in poker is over or will be soon.
QUESTION FROM MIKE O JAMES: R U playing in a tourney right now ? # 21
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: i played it but busted a while ago
QUESTION FROM Will T 930: Hey I read your book. The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide. Well done sir.
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: thank you. for others who don't know, i wrote a chapter on roshambo and co-wrote one on pot limit holdem (with andy bloch). other FTP pros wrote other chapters.
QUESTION FROM las vegask68: When blind's are still early in tourneys how often do u take big risk's our do u stick to top 5 hand? Also same question close to the bubble?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: the earlier it is, the less i take big risks. on the bubble i take maximum risk because other players play too tight and it's the most positive EV situation you can find if you play ultra-aggressive on the bubble
QUESTION FROM Xavyier: Hi Rafe...One Question: today i've begun to play SNG 10$ cuz I've reached 500$ on my BRoll: i've played 18 sit today...but unfortunatley i'm down 100$ that is normal cuz the variation is too high...(part 1 of the message)
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: yes
QUESTION FROM Xavyier: (part 2)...So...what do u think? Do u think i must play again SNG 5 $ (so i'm rolled on 100 buy in, than 50 buy in like SNG 10) or do u think i must continue with 10$? i've decided to play until i've 275 $(equal: 50 buy in for SNG 5$)..
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: you've dropped your br by 20% right? so drop down the limits your are playing by 20%
QUESTION FROM JK2213: Is there a proper way to play AA when you are first to act after the big blind preflop?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: nope. there's no one proper way. ideally you'd like to get heads up for all the marbles pre-flop. whatever you have to do to get there is the correct play.
QUESTION FROM MIKE O JAMES: i just tried 2 make a deposit 4 1st. time on my debit card & they said new law as of may wont allow that anymore ! & min. 4 western union is $ 100. which is 2 much 4 me right now. do u know why they put new law out ?
ANSWER FROM Rafe Furst: later all. good luck at the tables and thanks for all your good questions!