Howard Lederer
Apr0
In my pursuit of chasing the Full Tilt Poker team, I came across the exploits of Howard Lederer. He plays exclusively at full tilt tables and has been in the game since the 1980’s. Lovingly called “The Poker Professor” he surely is an inspiring player. as I poked into his past, I discovered that he is the brother of Poker pro, Annie Duke which proves that Poker runs in the family.
Howard had a chance discovery of poker as he was more keen on Chess. But once he made the transformation, there was no looking back. From playing with buddies endlessly to practising at the MayFair club in New York to winning the WSOP bracelets, the Professor has come a long way. He is also famed as being one of the first few who experimented with No Limits Texas Hold’em when it was introduced in New York.
The bro-sis combo have worked on their game together which has proved good for both of them. After he moved to Las Vegas in 1993, he never looked back. From concentrating on cash games, he moved to WPT tournaments. Then came his big break when he won his first gold bracelet in the $5,000 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo event at the 2000 WSOP. The following year he won his second gold bracelet in the $5,000 Deuce to Seven event at the 2001 WSOP. His poker exploits have extended to the WPT tables also where he has won 2 titles.
Now with the Full tilt team, I have watched him keenly and think he remains the analytical and thoughtful player he has been for a decade. His strategic skills have fetched him his nickname. With live earnings exceeding $5,200,000, he is now a frequent at the Full tilt tables and is a pleasure to watch.
Jack Strauss Played Remarkable Mind Game
Oct0
In poker games luck and combination of card is not of sole importance. A star player should have the confidence and an intelligent strategy to challenge his opponent. I have always seen how great players with fake hands pretend to turn the table and their rivals feel in the trap to think that his hand is weak compared to the other and give up. Such an amazing hand was played by Jack Strauss in the 1982 World Series of Poker.
Strauss was playing no-limit Texas Hold’em game and already had a 7 and a deuce from two different suits. Any ordinary player would think of folding at this stage. But Jack played the historical bluff still famous history. He called on successive bets giving a mind challenge to his opponent. Strauss felt pressurised when the bet amount rose to $5,000 but he still continued to fight back. The fourth card that Strauss received from the lot was again a deuce and paired other hole card. Strauss made a bigger bet of $18,000 and played the famous bluff. He gave a proposal to his opponent to hand him a $25 chip and see any one his cards. The opponent fell into the trap and pointed one of the cards. The card flipped by Strauss was a deuce again.
The opponent player made a mistake in guessing that the other card was a deuce also and folded in the situation. Strauss turned the table with this combination and got a renowned victory.