Gamblers Anonymous (UK) Website

Final Table                                                      

Well you've made it through at last! Whether it’s your first time or not congratulations, heart pumping like mad, buzzing with excitement, in the money now which in its self, adds to the drama? You've seen it all? The bad beats players have had, the luck and good cards they have had, you've even been lucky you’re self? On the flop, turn, or river! Even causing frayed tempers, between players.
But hopefully you've been learning and gaining experience along the way. Taken in the good and bad play from male or female players, whenever some male players come across a female player after looking at there profile or name to give them a clue? They tend to play loose, they are wrong! There are some excellent female players who know this fact and take advantage, believe me they are good. And after finally getting there, you will be more open to make mistakes, due to the buzz and excitement. But those mistakes can cost you dearly, remember the blinds and antes will be high and you may be short stacked. If you are short on chips, you’ve got to play well, even with moderate hands, you can’t afford to sit and wait for those big hands to come.

When I got to my first final table I came 8th and thinking back, I know I could've done better, but everything got to me. After congratulating everyone else and play started, the size of the blinds and the way the other players were playing against me, made my inexperience open to them. You've got to keep your emotions in check and when your not in a hand, watch closely how other players are playing and what they are doing in certain positions, it will help you, because players will bluff more and go all in more with high blinds and antes. The thought of not wanting to leave the final table and of Corse the first prize if a big one, puts a lot of pressure on players not wanting to risk going out.
Players will take advantage of this if they sense weakness. But if you can try and relax and not let events affect your natural game, you will be fine. And once you've got your first pot, your confidence will grow and your play will be freer (In other words, the quicker you settle down the quicker you can win and take advantage of other players as I have explained).  As the game unfolds hopefully you’re still in and gaining confidence and experience, one way to have this before any final table you may get too, is to enter on some poker sites a 5 dollar or more table of 10 players. The prize would be around 40 to 80 dollars, but the experience of playing 10 players, reducing to the short game of 5 players to just heads up to possibly win is valuable.

After playing a 10 handed game for 3 to 4hrs then acclimatizing to a short game as each player is eliminated, is hard work but you've got to learn to adjust quickly. But however you play, ENJOY YOURSELF and learn from it. And one day you will win and to come first is a buzz that will last, a payment for all that hard work and effort. And getting paid for it too! Whatever your motives are to win for the money? Or to be a star player, like Greg fossil man rammer, Phil ivy, Doyle Bronson, Gus Hanson to name but a few. Even to win the ultimate holdem players dream of a "WSOP bracelet" good luck to you. It’s my dream one day, I hope to see you there, but as an internet holdem player, I have to relearn and adjust too playing real cards and to know how too look for tells, on real peoples faces and actions. I would like to end by saying “TO ME TEXAS NO LIMIT HOLDEM is like love, A CRULE BUT WONDERFUL THING!