When Bush leaves the White House to Texas, to sign what his reputation?
He was Air Force One as President, what is the call sign of aircraft will be that transport him back to Texas?
I think regardless of the level of the call sign is there, he is a member of the public We like his, never rename it a plane, just because I'm flying it. I think they should.
This Texas Longhorns Men’s Tri-fold Wallet is made of genuine cowhide leather with an embroidered team logo. This officially licensed wallet has slots for credit cards, flaps for pictures and comes in a metal tin.
This watch shows team spirit with its Texas A&M Aggies logo on the dial. The decorative bezel and luminescent accents add detail, completing the look of this finely crafted timepiece.
Texas created from the names of Texas’ largest cities accents the front of this long sleeves shirt. Constructed of soft cotton, this shirt is finished with a classic crewneck.
Great tee for casual summer wardrobeT-shirt features screenprinted poker chips and cards with ‘It’s All About Texas Hold ‘Em on backTraditional tee styling with crew collarScreenprinted chips and cards on front
This watch shows team spirit with its Texas Tech University logo on the dial. The decorative bezel and luminescent accents add detail, completing the look of this finely crafted timepiece.
This Texas Longhorns Bi-fold Wallet is made of genuine cowhide leather with an embroidered team logo. This officially licensed wallet has slots for credit cards, flaps for pictures and comes in a metal gift tin.
Disc 1:Faded LoveBubbles in My BeerKeeper of My HeartDeep in the Heart of TexasNew San Antonio RoseSouth of the BorderAcross the Alley From the AlamoCimarronHeart to Heart TalkImage of Me…
This fashionable tri-fold wallet by Texas Longhorns features the team logo accent on the front. This genuine leather accessory is a stylish way to stay organized.
This Texas Rangers Bi-fold Wallet is made of genuine cowhide leather with an embroidered team logo. This officially licensed wallet has slots for credit cards, flaps for pictures and comes in a metal gift tin.
The Texas on the front of this T-shirt is created using the names of Texas’ largest cities. Constructed of soft cotton, this shirt is finished with a classic crewneck.
This fashionable money clip card holder by Texas Longhorns features the team logo on the bill clip. This genuine leather accessory is a stylish way to stay organized.
Disc 1:DISC 1:Sunbonnet SueNancy JaneOsage StompGet With ItI Can`t Give You Anything But LoveSpanish Two StepMaiden`s PrayerWang Wang BluesSt. Louis BluesGood Old OklahomaBlue R…
Disc 1:San Antonio RoseEight`r from DecaturDeep in the Heart of TexasSilver Bells (That Ring in the Night)Across the Alley from the AlamoCimarronSouth of the BorderMilk Cow BluesMy Adobe Hacie…
Disc 0:No track list availableDisc 1:I`m Feelin` BadNew Spanish Two-StepStay A Little LongerRolypolyTexas Playboy RagGoodbye, Liza JaneYou`re From TexasHome In San Antone…
The Texas image on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art hoodie is made up of the slogan ‘Don’t Mess With Texas.’ Crafted in a soft cotton blend, this cozy sweatshirt will be a new favorite.
The Texas image on the front of this Los Angeles Pop Art T-shirt is made up of the slogan ‘Don’t Mess With Texas.’ Crafted in soft cotton, this cozy tee comes in a variety of colors.
A classic souvenir collection of 46 hits from those Kings of Western Swing, complete with an introduction and an extensive photo section of the band through the years. Songs include: Across the Alley from the Alamo * All Night Long * A Big Ball in Cowt…
The Texas Ranger: When Texas Ranger Marc Brannon returns to the line of duty, a high-profile murder mystery pits him against a vibrant junior investigator from his past. He and Josette Langley hard parted on explosive terms, but this time a lot more is…
Born in 1895 in a remote fishing village in Spain, Cristsbal Balenciaga learned sewing and tailoring at his mother`s knee. By 1937, the talented and persistent young man had opened his own design salon in Paris, and in the years following World Wa…
Martial arts star Chuck Norris made his transition to the small screen with the action-packed television drama WALKER TEXAS RANGER. Lasting for nine seasons, the series followed the crime-fighting adventures of tough-guy Texas Ranger Cord Walker (Norri…
Multi-Disc Set Martial arts star Chuck Norris made his transition to the small screen with the action-packed television drama WALKER TEXAS RANGER. Lasting for nine seasons, the long-running series followed the crime-fighting adventures…
Martial arts star Chuck Norris made his transition to the small screen with the action-packed television drama WALKER TEXAS RANGER. Lasting for nine seasons, the series followed the crime-fighting adventures of tough-guy Texas Ranger Cord Walker (Norri…
7-Disc Set Martial arts star Chuck Norris made his transition to the small screen with the action-packed television drama WALKER TEXAS RANGER. Lasting for nine seasons, the series followed the crime-fighting adventures of tough-guy Tex…
Rip Esselstyn shares the special four-week diet program that changed the lives of his fellow firefighters in Austin. When the former triathlete became aware that his colleagues had serious health issues–including high cholesterol–he introduced a diet…
These Houston Texans Men’s ‘Block 2′ Sunglasses feature UV filters to block 100-percent of UV rays to safeguard your eyes. These officially licensed NFL sunglasses are designed for optimum visual acuity and clarity and made for comfort and durability.
For eight seasons, Chuck Norris starred as the title character in the CBS action series WALKER, TEXAS RANGERS. This set contains every one of those over 200 episodes that featured Walker working with his regular partner, retired pro-footballer James Tr…
This set contains all 25 episodes from the seventh season of the Chuck Norris starring television series WALKER, TEXAS RANGER. This season featured Walker and his regular gang of partners tackling cases involving terrorism, racists, and envelopes fille…
The #1 best-selling author of More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives serves up his first cookbook, a collection of 125 recipes that includes such dishes as Irish Nachos, Waterfall Thai Salad, Texas Hold `Em Sandwich, Crab & Asparagus Pizza, Duck Frie…
San Antonio catering company Don Strange of Texas, known across the state as “the king of caterers,” has earned a reputation for serving delicious, freshly prepared food with imaginative flair, even at events attended by thousands of people. From its h…
In Cormac McCarthy`s ninth novel, his first in seven years, Llewellyn Moss, a hunter in McCarthy`s Texas border country, happens upon $2 million in cash and a small fortune in heroin (as well as a heap of dead bodies), takes the money and drugs, and
Bodie may be small, but he believes that one day he will grow into a great longhorn. This rhyming children`s book follows Bodie on his adventure across Texas as he attempts to become the strong, brave Bevo that University of Texas at Austin fans look f…
Funnyman Rodney Carrington brings his Southern shtick to the stage in this live performance delivered with a Texas drawl. With his down-home attitude, the stand-up comedian`s fare is fit for fans of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. This Comedy Central sp…
Trophy wife Celeste Beard wasn’t satisfied with a luxurious lifestyle and her rich Austin media mogul husband’s devotion — so she took his life!The wife:She wanted everything, but her husband stood in the way.Th…
A serial killer shifts his focus from hunting female victims to stalking the two detectives attempting to end his reign of terror in this tense crime thriller inspired by actual events. When a secluded Texas marsh becomes the dumping ground for a murde…
Author Mary Lou Sullivan sat with Johnny Winter for hours of exclusive, no-holds-barred interviews, covering the guitar slinger`s entire career. From toughing it out in Texas to his appearance at Woodstock, his affair with Janis Joplin, his stadium-fil…
Disc 1:DISC 1:That Cheap Look in Your EyeYou Were the Cause of It AllTexas Toni LeeTennessee Central #9Southland PolkaSteel Guitar RagI Hear You Knockin`Keep Them Cold Icy Fingers Off of Me
In The Last Mercenary, Micah Steele is forced to pick up his gun once again when a woman from his past is kidnapped by his sworn enemy, and in Matt Caldwell: Texas Tycoon, Matt Caldwell, the most-sought-after bachelor in Jacobsville, on…
There are a number of reasons why Playradioplay!’s debut album, Texas, feels like peeking into a teenager’s journal instead of listening to an album. Part of it has to do with the deeply personal lyrics that are both obscure and intimate, offering just enough detail to help listeners relate, but not enough to give them the whole story. But in this case, the fragile vulnerability on display isn’t a stylistic choice, but genuine expression — Daniel Hunter, the one-man show behind the project, was just 17 (and not yet out of high school) when he signed with Island Records. The lyrics and emotions on Texas lay his youthful angst and uncertainty out for display, but why fault a teenage artist for being, well, a teenage artist? Though their music is nothing alike, Hunter’s situation calls to mind another young Daniel — in this case, Silverchair’s Daniel Johns — in the sense that the album captures not only Hunter’s current skill, but also his future potential. Like Silverchair’s Frogstomp, Texas is not a perfect album, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s refreshing and exciting enough to listen to Hunter explore his sound, often with shimmering results. His voice is haunting and delicate, blending into the background of electronic beats, loops, and guitar only to come back to the forefront for the inevitably catchy refrain. The effect makes Texas an album that’s suitable as both trendy club music and introspective listening. A case in point is “Madi Don’t Leave,” whose dance-ready chorus is framed by verses about the impending collapse of a relationship. Like the rest of the songs on the album, “Madi Don’t Leave”‘s light melody contrasts with darker lyrical content. It’s a mix that usually hits, though not always. There are several places where the album falters (“My Attendance Is Bad But My Intentions Are Good” quickly devolves into repetition, while “Corner Office Bedroom” sounds like a pale rehash of a Coldplay outtake), but it’s never enough to bring down Texas entirely. Hunter didn’t need to seek perfection with his debut — he did well enough in seeking himself. ~ Katherine Fulton, Rovi Performers: Ingrid Michaelson – Vocals (Background); Texas Molesters – Vocals (Background); Dave Swanson – Guitar; Jon Cooke – Drums
Declared Texas State Photographer for 1997, the author celebrates his native state with a collection of some 114 pages of color photographs, along with a thoughtful, accompanying essay by John Graves that captures the essence of Texas. UP.
The south needed Texas for men and supplies to carry on the war, but in Texas, another war was raging — and that one was between the secessionists and the sympathizers. Roy Talley was a rancher, and he wasn’t looking for a fight. But two of his brothers
Texas Jim Lewis appeared in numerous films and scored one national hit (“Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry” in 1944), but isn’t often counted among the top rank of Western swing bandleaders. His band featured high-profile players such as Spade Cooley and
Newly married and dreaming of settling down on his ranch on the Guadalupe River, Texas Ranger Andy Pickard is dispatched to central Texas to investigate a series of murders and cattle thefts. Pickard and his new partner, Logan Daggett, soon learn that the
Franco Nero. A Texas sheriff heads with his brother into lawless Mexico to avenge his father’s murder but instead discovers a shocking family secret. 1966/color/92 min/NR/widescreen.
Guy Clark is a songwriter and performer who often performs in the country style. He was born in Monahans,Texas, and his early musical influences were the Spanish music and songs he heard in West Texas. He is married to songwriter and artist Susanna Clark.
"This book ranks as the best overall study of the French experience in Texas ever assembled. It will be useful to both specialists and general readers curious about the many French accomplishments and failures in Texas."—Jack Jackson, editor of Texas by TerAn: The Diary Kept by General Manuel de Mier y TerAn on His 1828 Inspection of TexasThe flag of France is one of the six flags that have flown over Texas, but all that many people know about the French presence in Texas is the ill-fated explorer Cavelier de La Salle, fabled pirate Jean Laffite, or Cajun music and food. Yet the French have made lasting contributions to Texas history and culture that deserve to be widely known and appreciated. In this book, FranGois Lagarde and thirteen other experts present original articles that explore the French presence and influence on Texas history, arts, education, religion, and business from the arrival of La Salle in 1685 to 2002.Each article covers an important figure or event in the France-Texas story. The historical articles thoroughly investigate early French colonists and explorers, the French pirates and privateers, the Bonapartists of Champ-d`Asile, the French at the Alamo, Dubois de Saligny and French recognition of the Republic of Texas, the nineteenth-century utopists of Icaria and Reunion, and the French Catholic missions. Other articles deal with French immigration in Texas, including the founding of Castroville, Cajuns in Texas, and the French economic presence in Texas today (the first such study ever published). The remaining articles look at painters ThIodore and Marie Gentilz, sculptor Raoul Josset, French architecture in Texas, French travelers from ThIodore Pavie to Simone de Beauvoir who have written on Texas, and the French heritage in Texas education. More than seventy color and black-and-white illustrations complement the text.
From the disgraceful end of his Tennessee governorship to the epic fight for the land that would become the State of Texas, this is the story of Sam Houston, a bigger than life western hero.
After decades of playing Texas dancehalls, Don Walser enjoyed his first national recognition in 1994, thanks to the gleeful celebration of his unmistakable vocal talent in Rolling Stone from Texas. Texas Top Hand finds him enjoying the fruits of his succe
Winner of the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984, Wim Wenders’s PARIS, TEXAS tells the haunting story of an amnesiac (Harry Dean Stanton) and his struggle to rebuild his shattered life. Featuring a story by Sam Shepard and a renowned score by Ry Cooder, the film also stars Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell.
This five-CD set is the only extant collection by this legendary Western swing outfit. At 140 dollar list, it’s a hefty investment, but it’s such solid music that it’s difficult not to justify on the basis of quality. Disc one, covering sessions from 1937, is justified by the presence of the greatest version ever of “Milk Cow Blues,” with a vocal by Leo Herbert Raley that will curl every hair you have; an awesome Western swing version of “You Got to Hi De Hi”; the bluesy, fiddle-driven “Can’t Nobody Truck Like Me”; the smooth yet touching “Under the Silvery Moon”; and a trio of distinctive alternate takes of three of the best numbers here, only uncovered in 1997. Disc two has even more of a freewheeling feel to it, and some of the best rags and dances ever cut by anybody. By the late 1939 sessions that open disc three, the group isn’t as much of a blues band, no less lively but playing more straight dance material. Disc four moves into the 1940s, and topicality is reflected by the presence of the rollicking “Draft Board Blues”; the disc also encompasses the extended periods of recording inactivity by the group, including a gap from 1941 and 1944, and then, again, until 1947. By this time, Bruner and his band were losing the edge that had made their earlier music such a delightfully intense listening experience. Their playing was as good as (and more polished than) ever, but as they moved into the late ’40s and the dawn of the 1950s — covered on disc five — their overall sound lacked sharpness, although it was still eminently listenable. The notes and discography are both exceptionally detailed. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi Performers: Cliff Bruner – Fiddle
After a rebellious beauty, fleeing from an arranged marriage, disappears after nursing him back to health and stealing his horse, Texas Ranger Travis McMurray is determined to track down this intriguing woman and bring her back to the Whispering Mountain Ranch as his wife. Original.
The true story of the formation of the Texas Rangers provides the backdrop for this youth-oriented Western. In 1875, after the Civil War, Leander McNelly (Dylan McDermott) organizes the Texas Rangers to battle the outlaws terrorizing Texas, notably crime kingpin John King Fisher (Alfred Molina). With a team of experienced gunmen (Robert Patrick and Randy Travis) and enthusiastic but green recruits (James Van Der Beek, Usher Raymond, and Ashton Kutcher), McNelly and his Rangers bring law and order to the wild Texas plains; McNelly must also keep order among his charges when two rangers fall in love with the same woman, Caroline Dukes (Rachael Leigh Cook). Tom Skerritt and Vincent Spano are also featured in the supporting cast; the screenplay, adapted from a script by John Milius, was at one time set to be filmed by Sam Peckinpah, shortly before the legendary Western director’s death in 1984. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Based on a true story, TEXAS JUSTICE recounts the events surrounding Texas millionaire T. Cullen Davis (Peter Strauss). Jealous, bitter, and vengeful, Davis was forced to stand trial for attempting to murder his ex-wife (Heather Locklear) in addition to actually taking the lives of people who were close to her. Features a standout supporting turn from Dennis Franz as Davis’ flamboyant lawyer Richard Racehorse Haynes.
The Texas Hold’em poker phenomenon has taken the country by storm. There are reportedly over 100 million active poker players worldwide. Poker’s popularity is largely the byproduct of technology and several recent trends: 1) online gaming, where players engage and socialize in real-time over the Internet, and 2) the broad publicity created by high profile TV shows like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour.
With all the poker-mania, there’s an amazing shortage of quality information to help people learn how to play properly and become great players quickly. This is the first in a series of Texas Holdem strategy articles aimed at helping players learn how to win at Texas Hold’em poker. Tournament play is a popular, fun sport. These articles will help players understand how to approach tournaments, which differ greatly from regular “ring game” play.
This installment deals with the most-asked question: “How do I deal effectively with aggressive players?” Many players struggle against “maniacs”, the aggressive, wild players who play most every hand, somehow seem to pull cards out of thin air, and often manage to dominate the table.
Here’s what actually happened in a recent poker tournament. I entered a tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, about 20 minutes from my home in South Florida. This weekly $300 entry-fee tournament fills the poker room with 220 players every Monday night.
The blinds start at 50/100 and go up every 15 minutes. I spent the first 30 minutes just hanging out and occasionally limping in to see a flop. The reason for “treading water” was to study my opponents and their playing patterns very closely. There were a number of solid poker players, but right away I spotted the aggressive ones.
I was sitting in the middle, directly across from the dealer. There were two “wild men” to my right. These two participated in most every hand, and agonized with themselves whenever they had to throw a hand away. This was hilarious to me, and it was also very telling. I knew these dudes were doomed from the onset, yet they were extremely dangerous if they caught something with one of their trash hands. These types are great targets, but only when you know how to play them correctly. If you do, you’ll end up with most or all of their chips in your stack. The key is to get to their chips before someone else does.
There were some squeaky-tight and solid players, as usual. Finally, there were two other players to my left who knew one another very well and spoke what sounded like Russian. These two played very aggressively. They rarely called or checked. They would bet or raise the pot significantly, so if they played a hand, you knew they were going to bet it big and you’d better be prepared to push a bunch of your chips into the middle. As a result, the table became tight overall, except for these four players who controlled the early action and dictated the table tempo for the first hour or so. They gambled with wanton abandon, trading chips with each other as the rest of us just observed and wished for a real hand to materialize.
It became apparent that our maniacs were playing mostly garbage hands, and using assertive chatter in an attempt to intimidate everyone. They were enjoying pushing everyone around with their aggressive betting and raising style. Humorously, they got into a number of showdowns, causing all of their trash hands to become openly exposed; e.g., 69 off-suit, Q3 suited, etc. I definitely had these guys pegged now – if only I could get a strong hand…
Later, one of my Russian “friends” came in over the top of a bet I’d placed with a huge raise, then smiled at me as he leaned his head back as if to say “Go ahead. I dare you”. My middle pair just wasn’t strong enough to engage with him, but I remembered this little “lesson” and my mistake. He’d used this tactic many times against the others and I should’ve expected it. I also realized that we had not seen any of his supposed “big hands”, as he always mucked them. Whenever you see an aggressive player dominating, and then mucking all those supposed “great hands”, you know you’ve spotted a target.
We played on, with the two maniacs to my right getting busted out by the Russian contingent. It’s been an hour and fifteen minutes – and I still haven’t seen even one decent hand yet! This is, unfortunately, typical poker.
After about an hour-and 45 minutes, I finally pick up a pair of wired 9′s (99). Now I was hoping the flop would yield a set (trips). Sure enough, it came: 9, K, 5. I was elated and jumping up and down (inside). I was finally in a position to make my move, and hoped it would be against one of my aggressive Russian friends with their big stacks.
To prepare my trap, I delayed and muddled around for about ten seconds, and then casually “checked” verbally and using my hand in a chopping motion, with a slightly disgusted look. Next, the younger Russian moves in with a big bet of 3,000 chips. I was sure I had him now. As expected, everyone else quickly folded and got out of his way – except me. This fellow had pushed everyone around and I was finally properly armed and ready to do battle on my own terms. Note that this had been my “battle plan” all along. I was deliberately targeting these aggressive characters, knowing that when the time was right, their ill-gotten stacks would become mine!
The action came back around to me, so now it was just the two of us heads-up. The two Russians said something to each other that the rest of us couldn’t decipher. I delayed and bobbed my head around as if to be struggling with my decision. Then, I motioned with both hands and uttered “I’m all-in”. I knew this series of actions would likely trigger an aggressive reaction, since my “check-raise” made it appear as if I was trying to steal this pot! A check-raise almost always triggers a full-tilt response from an aggressive player.
He immediately called me – he was so aggressive (and pot-committed) that it was like a fish taking the bait and running for deep waters – hook line and sinker! I threw my pair of 9′s over, revealing the trip 9′s. There was a low murmur around the table from the other players. My young Russian friend reluctantly flipped his five/trash hand over – he had a pair of fives (with a King over-card showing on the board!). He was definitely angling to drive me out of this pot with his ascertive play – one too many times…
You see, no one actually gets that many great hands in poker – nobody. If someone plays 30% to 40% or more of the time, they’re just “gambling” and bluffing. This guy thinks he has a “good” hand, because he actually had a real pair – something he doesn’t often have when pushing everyone around with mostly aggressive betting as his only real weapon.
The turn came and it wasn’t a five – then someone pipes up and says “he’s drawing dead”. Believe me, you never want to hear that when you’re in a showdown! I looked over as he said something in Russian to his buddy – another violation of tournament rules, as everyone is compelled to speak English at the tournament table. It wouldn’t matter, as he stood up, grabbed his jacket and left after receiving some consolation from his friend.
His older friend glared over at me and uttered something derogatory in Russian. I had no clue what he said, but I knew from his tone that I didn’t like it. I also knew I’d gotten under his skin by taking down his buddy and raking in all of his chips. I responded with “what’s that, I don’t understand what you’re saying since you’re not speaking English?” loudly so everyone at the table could hear me.
He mumbled something about his friend…I smiled and said politely with a smile “I deliberately laid that trap for your friend and he fell right into it!”, pushing the knife in deeper, knowing he’d be gunning for me anyway – might as well make sure my next trap was fully set. This also signaled to everyone else at the table that whenever I checked or limped, it could be extremely dangerous if assumed to be a sign of weakness – something I’d leverage later as the blinds and antes rose and the proper time to bluff and steal blinds actually arrived.
After a slight pause, my Russian friend noticed that everyone was now looking at him. He looked down at his chips and said “nice play” with a reluctantly polite tone.
Boy, I was elated! My battle plan was definitely becoming field-proven here – and my next target was clearly sighted. It had taken careful observation, planning and a lot of patience to wait for the right hand, and then play it correctly to take this highly-skilled, aggressive player out and rake in all of his chips.
About ten minutes later, it was tournament break time, after two hours of play. I counted my chips, which totaled 14,900 (we started with 5,000 each), then grabbed a quick bite to eat, reflecting on what had just taken place.
Within ten minutes of returning from break, I finally picked up a serious starting hand: Cowboys (KK). I knew it was time for my new Russian friend and me to tango, so I fired out a bet of 3 times the big blind: 3,000 chips, bait that I was sure he couldn’t turn down. Sure enough, he bit – big time. His all-in raise came almost instantaneously, before I could even get my bet onto the table. He was totally ready to engage, and had been laying in wait for me – just like I had planned. I had set him up by taking out his friend and then challenging his poker ego in front of everyone. He just had to retaliate against me – it was a totally predictable “full-tilt” response from this kind of player.
This is what the game of poker is really all about – having a well-defined strategy, the patience to wait for the right hand, and then executing properly. It’s what makes poker a game of strategy instead of a game of chance (for some of us).
He raised by going all-in with around 8,000 chips to my roughly 14,000. I quickly called his all-in bet. Everyone else quickly folded and got out of our way.
I flipped my pocket kings over, then looked him straight in the eye and just smiled. Then someone says “Yeah! Now we’ve got some action!” He sighed and flipped over QQ – he actually had a real hand for a change. That’s one of the problems with these kinds of “semi-solid, aggressive” players, like my Russian friend here, and other poker greats like Gus Hansen. You never really know exactly what to expect from them. Of course, my opponent could’ve held pocket rockets (AA), but I’ll play those KK cowboys strong each and every time I get them, since there’s only one hand that can beat them heads-up. I also knew this aggressive player on tilt was likely to be overplaying his hand, improving my odds significantly.
The flop, turn and river came and went without another Queen and it was done – my cowboys stood up and I had all of both Russian’s stacks, which included most of the other two poor maniac’s chips (who lost to the Russians earlier). This instantly made me by far the chip leader at our table with well over 22,000 chips!
I went from having an average chip stack to being the table chip leader, against tough, aggressive opponents, within less than half an hour by:
a) Playing solid, reasonable tournament poker,
b) Not taking big, undue risks with weak or “drawing” hands,
c) Studying my aggressive prey and where the chips were sitting,
d) Formulating and refining a battle plan while observing the game progress,
e) Remaining patient while waiting for the right hand to make my move, and
f) Executing this plan with precision against a predetermined opponent, and on terms of my choosing – not the opponent’s.
There was no luck involved at all – except that my opponent didn’t hold AA or pull some lucky cards with a trash hand – which was simply playing the odds in my favor.
I started out with a high-level strategy to target aggressive chip leaders, and go after them with strong hands from the right position. I planned this before I ever arrived at the casino that day, or knew who these players would be. Then, I refined my plan once I knew for certain whom the evening’s targets would be and how I’d provoke them. It certainly helped that I caught two decent hands during those first hours of play.
Unfortunately, I later lost to a legitimate full house, but made it into the top 40 – it happens…
The key to playing against aggressive and maniac players is having a viable Texas Holdem strategy you can profit from when you get some good hands. If you have a good plan, you can convert it into a formidable stockpile of chips – a stack that you’ll definitely need as the blinds and antes increase and the tournament field narrows in the latter stages.
This is how I approach Texas Holdem strategy for tournaments now – at least when the tables are full with 8 or more players, some of them aggressive and maniacs. So, the next time you encounter wild and aggressive players at your poker table, get ready to have some fun! It’s like Tae Kwon Do – using the opponent’s own energy and momentum against them.
In the next installment, we’ll detail this Texas Holdem strategy more formally, along with exploring some other tournament tips for playing better Texas Holdem poker.
