Up until recently, the poker media have portrayed veteran pro Thuan “Scotty” Nguyen as a pleasant, fun-loving character. Famous for his boisterous laugh, gold medallions and referring to everyone he meets as “Baby”, Nguyen often came across as one of the most enjoyable players to watch. Even when playing against him, opponents often found themselves caught up in his ability to turn the tense atmosphere of a major tournament into a home-game-style party.

That image has suffered since the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. With the final two tables in play, Nguyen was the chip leader. By all accounts, he should have made the final table and stood a very good chance of joining Moss, Brunson, Ungar and Chan as the only multiple Main Event champions. Instead, he attempted to force his will on European pro Philip Hilm, who refused to be intimidated by the former champion. Nguyen’s ego and recklessness cost him his final table berth and earned him an eleventh-place finish.

At this year’s World Series of Poker, Nguyen won the prestigious $50,000 buy-in HORSE event. Most poker experts consider this to be the toughest tournament in the history of the Series: the field is almost exclusively made up of experienced pros, the buy-in keeps out all but the most elite players and the mixture of games requires the highest skill levels of the participants. Nguyen’s victory under such circumstances, especially after his flameout in last year’s Main Event, should have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

Instead of displaying the class and dignity befitting his stature as the “Prince of Poker”, Nguyen chose to behave so disgracefully that his fellow pros have questioned both his state of mind and his sobriety. Some examples of his outlandish behavior:

• During a seven-card stud hand, Nguyen showed his hole cards to the crowd.
• In another hand, he left the table to high-five audience members before the action had finished.
• He hectored young pro Michael DeMichele on his behavior while acting worse by the moment.
• His repeated use of foul language at the table while calling for more cocktails did not draw a penalty from tournament officials, unlike in previous years with players such as Mike Matusow and Sean Sheikhan.

Many players have speculated that Nguyen’s behavior at the HORSE tournament reflects a “hangover” from last year’s Main Event failure. Nguyen also issued an online apology to his fans, though that statement did not mention Lindgren, DeMichele or World Series staff.

Nguyen’s talent for the game is undeniable. He will go down in history as the first man to win both the World Championship and the David “Chip” Reese Memorial Trophy. The question remains: will the Prince of Poker become an admired leader like Henry at Agincourt, or will he still be the loutish Prince Hal throwing back beers with Falstaff?

Let me tell you a story about a guy named Phil.

No, not that Phil. No, not that Phil, either. Not that one, either. Definitely not that Phil.

This Phil.

Phil Gordon is a man of many talents: author, TV commentator, teacher, video producer, movie star and, on occasion, poker player.

He is also a man given to extremes: he is extremely intelligent (graduated from Georgia Tech at age 20), extremely rich (made millions in the dot-com years), extremely tall (at 6’9”, even LeBron James looks up to him) and extremely charitable (his Bad Beat on Cancer charity has raised millions of dollars for cancer research).

For players who are looking to improve their game, especially at the final table of a big tournament, I recommend his Final Table Poker DVD. The production values and visual presentation are top-notch, as opposed to most poker videos that look like they were made in someone’s basement. His narration takes you through his thought process as he navigates through his opposition to make the best decision during each hand. He includes guest players like UFC announcer Bruce Buffer and former World Champion Chris Ferguson. He also uses actors to portray characters that may or may not resemble certain famous pros.

Phil Gordon’s books also contain a lot of sound poker advice. His first book, Poker: The Real Deal, features great stories and insights into the lifestyle of the touring poker pro. His Little Green Book and Little Blue Book, modeled after golf instructor Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, carry excellent tips for players at all levels in all situations.

Most people recognize Phil from his hosting duties on Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown. His astute analysis and conversational tone helped to make that show one of the highest rated programs in the history of the channel.

Recently, Phil landed a role in the film The Grand with Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines and Ray Romano. Going against type, Phil gives a stellar performance as a TV poker commentator (what a stretch!) who doesn’t always get along with his co-host.

A certain old saying goes, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” Phil Gordon is a rare example of a player who “can do” and who “can teach”.

While these nuggets of wisdom may not compare with stone tablets from on high, they’ll be of much more use at the poker table and should be a lot easier to remember. These rules are also useful for any and all poker games, not just no-limit hold’em.

I: Thou shalt play good starting cards.
In hold’em, that means you should stick with high pairs and high suited aces (A K s, A Q s). In Omaha/8, that means double-suited low aces (e.g. Ah2hAc3c), which should give you better opportunities to scoop the pot rather than playing for a split or, worse yet, a quarter. In razz, that means you should play only when you have three to an eight-low or better. When you start out with a weak hand, you’re playing uphill the whole way.

II: Thou shalt not chase cards.
This rule doesn’t mean that you should fold all your open-ended straight draws or ace-high flush draws. It means that you should choose your drawing hands carefully. It means that you shouldn’t chase draws that will still leave you with a second-best hand.

A number of inexperienced players who come to the game by watching TV tournaments think that the game is all about brave bluffs and lucky draws, but the best players know better. If the odds are against hitting your draw, or if your draw could lead to a “sucker straight” or a low flush, fold your hand and fight another day.

III: Thou shalt play within thy bankroll.
From both a financial and an emotional perspective, this is the main rule to remember. If your bankroll is only a few hundred dollars, then stick to the lower limits and weaker opponents before trying to tackle that 25/50 no-limit hold’em table.

Poker is not like craps or roulette or a slot machine. By its nature, poker is a long-term game that rewards patience over impulse and good decision-making over reckless gambling. When you play within your bankroll and win, you’ll increase your stake in steady, measurable increments. When you lose and play above your means, your roll can vanish before you can blink.

Keep these three rules in mind. Better yet, print out this page and keep it in your pocket. Either way, it’ll be a lot easier than carrying two heavy stone tablets down a mountain!

My Poker Hero

Chris “Jesus” Ferguson is one of the most accomplished tournament poker players over the last ten years. He is also one of the most boring to watch on TV. He won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2000, the National Heads-up Poker Championship in 2008, three WSOP Circuit titles and over thirty WSOP cash finishes in the last five years, more than any other player. He has never belittled an opponent, trumpeted his manhood or wrecked a racecar. He doesn’t dress up like a general or a jester, favoring his basic black hat, jacket, shirt and sunglasses. He doesn’t curse, jump, scream or yell. All he does is win.

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris at last year’s WSOP (see photo). I told him that I was the Houston affiliate for FullTiltPoker.net, the site he endorses, plays and helped to develop. He gave a warm smile, a firm handshake and said, “Oh, cool!”

(Start Goofy Fanboy Moment)
Heh, heh. My poker hero said I was “cool”. Heh, heh.
(End Goofy Fanboy Moment)

Chris has been playing poker online since the days of Internet Relay Chat. In those days, today’s young online poker “superstars” were still playing on jungle gyms at recess. Chris also has made his own internet legend by starting from literally nothing and growing his bankroll to over ten thousand dollars. His perserverance and force of will have inspired me to start a similar challenge.

Many poker TV commentators have noted on how Chris maintains such a calm, serene manner at the table, even in the most pressure-packed tournament situations. He never gives off a tell, never shows his emotions and never makes a silly mistake. He’s stiff, he’s unexciting, he’s not prone to dramatics and, physical appearance aside, he makes for boring TV. So why is Chris Ferguson my poker hero?

All he does is win.

With bar league tournaments under intense scrutiny, home games becoming victims of robberies, and private games raided by police , many Texas players are taking a trip across the Sabine River to the numerous riverboat casinos in Louisiana. If you were to visit any casino poker room in Louisiana, you’re likely to hear as many Texas twangs at the tables as you’ll hear Cajun accents.

Of course, many players are familiar with Harrah’s New Orleans from their World Series of Poker Circuit televised tournaments of the last few years. While Harrah’s holds their tournaments in their spacious theater, cash games are another story. The poker area (only a low rail separates the poker tables from the casino floor) holds twenty-five tables crowded closely together. For no-limit cash games, the house takes a six-dollar rake from each player every half-hour instead of raking the pot for each hand. Just to add to the adverse conditions, a genuine (and genuinely loud) New Orleans brass band parades through the casino every hour. Just try reading your opponent after hearing “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” for the sixth time!

One of the better casinos in Louisiana is Coushatta Casino Resort near Kinder, LA. Their recently renovated poker room features twenty-three tables, numerous cash games and a variety of weekly and monthly tournaments. At noon on the last Saturday of every month, they have a “Half-and-Half” tournament: alternating rounds of no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha. Coushatta is one of the few casinos in the country to offer this type of tournament. Also, on the last Sunday of the month, Coushatta holds U.S. Poker Tour tournaments. Winners can earn points toward their National Points Championship.

Less than a half-hour from the Texas line in Lake Charles, LA, is the local franchise of the Isle of Capri chain. This room holds twenty-five tables and takes up the entire third deck of one of the two docked riverboats. While the scenery and accommodations may leave something to be desired (unless you happen to like staying next to a chemical plant), the poker action is fast and furious. From $3/$6/$12 limit hold’em to $25/$50 pot-limit Omaha, the cash games at Capri Lake Charles are loud, loose and lots of fun!

So put away the chicken fried steak and pick up some jambalaya, we’re going to play some Louisiana Hold’em!

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Pai Gow Poker originated from the traditional Asian game played with tiles that look like dominos. To make it easier to understand, an American version was invented using standard playing cards and the hands were likened to poker.

Pai Gow is played with a standard deck of 52 cards and one joker. The joker either is used as an ace or a wild card to complete a straight, straight flush, or flush only. The game holds up to six players and a banker. The players play against the banker, which is usually the casino, but players can choose to bank the game if they wish. They just have to have enough money to cover all the other players’ bets.

At the start of the game the players make their bets. The dealer then shuffles the cards and deals out seven piles each containing seven cards, it doesn’t matter how many players it’s always seven. Then the banker shakes a cup containing three dice to determine who gets the first hand.

The player must set up the cards into two hands — a five-card hand and a two-card hand. The five-card must be a higher value than the two-card hand. If you make a mistake, you automatically lose. If both your hands beat the banker’s hands, you win. If one hand wins and one hand loses, it’s a push. And if your hands equal the bankers, the banker wins.

Pai Gow is a slower paced game with a lot of pushes, which I like because I can play a lot longer on the cash I have on hand. The banker has a slight advantage due to the fact that it wins the copies. But if you like to gamble for the fun of it, Pai Gow is the way to go.

The European wheel has thirty-seven slots that are numbered zero to thirty-six making the house edge 2.63%. The American wheel has thirty-eight slots because it features a double zero slot which ups the house edge to 5.26%. Not a great game for the player, but here are the bets and the odds.

When you buy into a roulette table you have to get special roulette chips. Each player at the table receives a different color so there are no arguments about who placed which chip where. It also allows players to bet on the same numbers because everyone has his or her own color. These chips are only good at the table you buy them. When you’re done playing you have to cash them out at the table and be given regular casino chips.

Each table has a minimum and maximum bet, and you can’t combine the two to make the table minimum. If the table is a $5.00 minimum, you must place five dollars on the inside and the outside for a $10.00 total.

Inside Bets:

1.) Straight up - wager on a single number (pays 35 to 1)

2.) Split bet- wager on two numbers (pays 17 to 1)

3.) Street bet - wager on all the numbers in a straight row (pays 11 to 1)

4.) Quad bet - wager on four numbers in a square (pays 8 to 1)

5.) Basket bet - wager on 00, 0, 1, 2, 3 (pays 6 to 1 and the worse bet)

6.) Double Street bet - is a wager on six numbers (pays 5 to 1)

Outside Bets:

1.) Red, Black, Odd, Even - wager is placed on corresponding spot on the table (pays even odds)

2.) Dozens bet - a wager placed on twelve consecutive numbers 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36 (pays 2 to 1 but if zero or double zero comes up — you lose)

3.) Column bets - also a 12 number bet, but in vertical columns not consecutively (pays 2 to 1)

The poker game that is all the rage these days is Texas Hold’em. It became so popular that there even were televised events of celebrities playing the game for their favorite charities. This particular game relies more heavily on strategy than other forms of poker, and with all the cards on the table the game can seem a little daunting. But really the rules are quite simple to learn.

Here is how a hand of Texas Hold’em is played, including when you bet:

Ante up.

1) Hole Cards. Each player is dealt two cards face down. These are the players’ cards, and no one else at the table can use them to help their own hand.

Place a bet here. Tip: if you have low cards and no pairs, fold and sit this hand out. It is better to lose only your ante and not all your chips.

2) The Flop. Three cards are dealt on the table face up. These are community cards that any player can use for the betterment of his or her hand.

Place a bet here.

3) The Turn. The fourth card is a community card and dealt to the table face up.

Place a bet here.

4) The River. The fifth and final card is dealt to the table and is also a community card.

Place final bet.

You can fold at any betting point, and that is why strategy is so vital to this game.

To determine the winning hand, you make the best poker hand that is possible by using five out of the seven cards dealt — a combination of your two hole cards and the community cards. It is important to remember that any player at the table has the use of the community cards, so and take that into account when you devise your strategy for each round.

As you walk through a casino, the loudest area of the room will be where the craps tables are located. Craps is one of the most high-paced, exciting, and energetic games in the casino, and players really get into the game. They aren’t afraid to let their emotions show with whooping, hollering, and slapping each other high fives. Because of how fast the game moves, the crowds it draws, and how much noise it generates, it can be quite an intimidating table to walk up to, especially if you’ve never played it before.

In fact, craps is a really easy game to learn and one of the gambling games with the best odds in a casino. In reality there are over forty bets you can place on a crap table, but you only need to know two. With the other thirty-eight the odds are against you even more, so I never really play them. Why bother, when you’re almost guaranteed to lose.

The first bet you need to know is the Passline Bet. The passline bet is when you place your bet on the passline before a new shooter comes out. The Shooter rolls two dice, and if the total of the dice equals either a seven or an eleven, you win. If they roll a two, three, or twelve — you lose. If the Shooter rolls anything else it’s the point number. Your money stays on the table, and the Shooter has to roll that number again before a seven is rolled. If that happens, you win even money. If it doesn’t and they roll a seven first, you lose.

The other bet is called an Odds Bet. An odds bet is made after the Shooter has rolled the dice and gotten a point number. Then if the Shooter rolls the point number again before the seven, you win.

Now you can confidently be a part of the rowdiest game in the casino. Let’s roll.