RatPackPoker consults a 2005 Phil Hellmuth

The 'Packs' been playing for a long time and they've developed their own unique strategies and styles but when they first started out they had to have a foundation. One of those fondations came via Phil Hellmuth Jr. and a book entitled Phil Hellmuth's Texas Hold'em.  Here's an except from that book that's called Phil's "Animal Types"

• The Mouse:  is like your old aunt Elda, a conservative type who probably wouldn't even approve of you reading this book.  The mouse-like you-plays only the top ten hands but hates to invest any money with a hand as weak as 7-7 or 8-8.  The mouse hardly ever raises someones else's bet; but when he does raise, look out, because he has the goods!
• The Lion: is a tough competitor who plays fairly tight poker but doesn't limit himself to the top ten hands.  He bluffs with excellent timing and seems to know when the other players are trying to bluff him. Though he plays pretty tight, he's occasionally out on a limb with a bluff or a semi-bluff.  You could do worse than play like a lion.
• The Jackal: is loose and wild, and some days it seems as though he's just giving his money away. Because he's involved in so many pots and raises so often, his play can take some pretty big swings. The jackal's logic seems at odds with logic of all the other players. He just seems crazy! (He's what many of us in poker call a megalomaniac, or sometimes just a maniac.) The jackal can hurt you and himself too with his crazy play, because he puts in so many bets.  But there is some method to his madness.  He's good at raising the pots at the right times (his style of play gives him many occasions to think about what's going on), and whne he does at last win a pot, it's generally huge!  If a jackal runs hot by catching good cards for a while, you may become convinced that he's the best player in the world, but when his cards come back to earth, he can lose money as fast as he won it. anyone think this sounds a lot  like all high stakes online players.
• The Elephant: is fairly loose (which mens he plays a lot of pots) and seems to be from Missouri, the "Show Me" state. He's what we refer to in poker as a "calling station": he never folds when he is supposed to fold, because he doesn't ever believe that you have the goods. Because he's impossible to bluff, no one with much experience ever tries to bluff him-with one exception: can you guess who that is? The elephant keeps feeding the other players his chips, slowly but surely. The elephant isn't very sharp and isn't a very dangerous opponent for most players, but he seems to do well against the jackal, because the jackal keeps on trying to bluff the elephant.

Well there's a nice little excerpt and hopefully it'll help you discern some types of players at your tables. good luck!

SInatrasStyle: Shower and Plans

     As I walked out of the penthouse suite down the hall to the elevator I couldn't help but think to myself 'Damn that was one beautiful woman and woman she was, not like the girls normally found in this town; The ones who even at 30 are still trying to act like it's there prom night or they're in a sorority.' Just then as I reached the elevator I heard some one call out "Sin!" I looked back to see her standing there in the doorway wrapped in the sheets I just left and she looked just as beautiful as the night before, then she simply said "Sophia". I replied "Beautiful name, it suits you" in turn she said "yes named after a beautiful woman..Sophia Loren", I felt a brief rise but I had to go. "Indeed Sophia, I'll see you again soon, till then" I flashed a quick wink and a smile as I stepped into the elevator. As I stood there and my mind shot back to the business at hand, and the need for a cup of joe.

     I called SappyD on the way back to my place, obviously he got worried and it didn't help that none of us could get a hold of Riviera, which in truth wasn't really that big of a surprise.  However we needed as many of us together for this job as possible. I was looking to set up a big game, one that would straighten us out with the 'Stache' and make us flush. But first I needed a cold shower and that cup of joe.

     Showers, that's where I come up with some of my best ideas and this one was no different.  There was a concert this coming up this  weekend. The venue was a large rap party with names like Thug Hound, Paper Machete, and the Full Automatics headlining the show.  Lucky for us our friend 'Shakes' is working as a PA for the venue and he had informed us before that these groups like to start gambling after the after, after pary while they're completely baked.  There was one small problem, they carry guns, as do we when needed, but they tend to have twenty or so guys with them packing as well.     We have to make sure they enjoy losing their disposable income and massive rubberband bills to us and lose it they will.  These guys have a tendency to chase flushes and straights to the end and they never pay attention to how much they're betting. We're sure to make a big score, but not without testing our stones.

-SinatrasStyle

Rat Pack Poker News & Reviews: Sept. 15th - 20th

Alright! we all had a great time watching some football over the weekend, the games were good, the cook outs were awesome and the friends and family were the most important part. Now though we go back to the grind and give you your poker news.

• RatPackPoker.net posted a fantastic script idea for Rounders II (see the article below)
• Phil "The Unabomber" Laak won his first WSOP bracelet for WSOPE 6max NL tourney win and a cool $297,000. Follow him on twitter/RealPhilLaak
• SpadeClub was kinda aquired by Zen Gaming Network. Card Player which owns SpadeCLub said it was merging SpadeClub and the members would be redirected to Zen which has the same membership type of play.
• Anders "Donald" Berg a PokerStars Onine team member won his 2nd WCOOP bracelet
• Ilari aka "Ziigmund" annihilated Brian Hastings and Cole South at the Full Tilt high stakes PLO tables. Placing Ilari's winnings this year around $1.5 Million
• Phil Ivey won $52k but I sure he's focusing on the WSOPE
• Patrik Antonius won around $83k online
• Gus Hansen won $36K on Full Tilt 
• Dwan "durrrr" lost $160k to "AAROOKIE" and is still losing his own challenge to "JungleMan12"
• WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship Event Day 5 started on Sept. 18 

Theres some updates for you and be sure to follow us on twitter @ twitter/RatPackPoker

Kill 'em at the tables