by Andrew Brokos
Previously published on CardPlayer.com
I play mid-stakes no-limit hold’em cash games and tournaments online. I provide exclusive coaching videos for Card Player Pro, powered by PokerSavvy Plus. My columns will explore important concepts illustrated by hands that I analyze in my instructional videos. As a Card Player reader, you’ll have access to clips of these hands and many others.

I recently finished 35th in the main event of the World Series of Poker, winning $193,000. This column will examine a big pot that I won in the first few hours of the tournament and illustrate the benefits of playing a big hand fast from out of position.

We were less than an hour into the tournament, but I was already a little unhappy with the way things were going. My starting table didn’t include a lot of superstars, but the player on my left was a phenomenal young pro named Tony Rivera who had already won a bracelet in the inaugural $10,000 Mixed Games.

This hand begins with Tony making a small raise from first position. The blinds were 50-100, and everyone had roughly the 20,000 chips we started with. Tony raised to 250, and another pretty solid player across the table from us called. The action folded to me holding A-5o in the big blind.

Besides sports, Tony enjoyed music and cards, especially poker. When he wasn't hanging out with family or friends, his time was spent with his beloved dog, Lourock. Anthony Rivera's Results, Stats, Gallery & Pictures. Date Country Place Prize; 13-Jun-2011: United States $ 2,500 8 Game 42nd World Series of Poker - WSOP 2011, Las Vegas.

Many people consider Ace-rag to be a “trouble hand”. Especially with deep stacks, there is nothing wrong with just folding here. Playing a weak off-suit Ace out of position against two good players is not exactly an ideal situation. However, if you are disciplined enough to get away from top pair cheaply when it is correct to do so and skilled enough to get full value from your hand when you make something big, then calling to take advantage of the better than 4:1 pot odds is also justifiable. This is what I elected to do.

Casio keyboard power supply. I was lucky enough to get one of those dream flops: 955, all different suits, giving me trips with the best possible kicker. It can be very tempting to check here and slowplay such a big hand. After all, most hands that would call a bet are going to bet if I check, plus there is a good chance that Tony will bluff at the pot if I check simply because he is the pre-flop raiser.

However, I am concerned about more than just a flop bet. The pot is just 800, and my opponents both have nearly 20,000 chips. To realize the full potential of my hand, I need to get big bets into the pot on every street. Checking now might induce a bluff, but it will also put my savvy opponents, both of whom have position on me, in control of the pot. By checking the flop, I represent weakness. But once I put more money into the pot, whether by raising or calling, the jig will be up. My opponents will realize that I could have trips, and while they may not fold, they will probably check behind at least one street if I give them the option.

Tony Rivera Poker Club

Thus, I decided to take control of the pot right away with a bet. Betting three streets is still a strong line, but it is less suspicious than check-raising or check-calling and then betting out on a future street. I bet 600, Tony folded, and the second player called. I put him on a pocket pair on something like T9 that paired the flop. If I was really lucky, he would have trips with a worse kicker, but I couldn’t really count on that.

The turn brought a 6, I bet 1500, and my opponent called again. The river was another blank, I bet 3000, and he paid that off as well. I didn’t get to see his hand, but he later told me he had a pair of Kings and that he didn’t expect me to bet right out with trips on the flop.

It’s very important that I did, though. One of the advantages of position is the ability to control the size of the pot. Good players will generally avoid inflating the pot with a one pair hand by checking at least one street. Thus, when out of position, you cannot afford to put your opponents in charge of the action. When you have a big hand, you need to take control and start building the pot right away.

| @PokerStars | In Asia Pacific Poker Tour

3pm: BREAK TIME
Two hours and two levels down; players go on a ten minute break.

2.45pm: All-in good but rivered bad
Kelly Flynn has been eliminated by Alexander Ciruela. Flynn flopped the nut flush and Ciruela pushed all-in with middle pair. Flynn called but the board paired the turn. Ciruela then made trips on the river to make a full house.

NOTE: This hand was originally reported incorrectly. Apologies to those involved for our mistake.

2.35pm: Win some lose some
A double up for one, another hit for another. Diosado Allado on table 18 just doubled up after his ace-queen survived a brief skirmish with ace-jack. Then a few tables along Terrence Chan took another hit against Tony Rivera.

On a board of A♦4♠2♦J♥4♣ and roughly 8,000 in the pot, Rivera bet 2,200 which Chan called after giving the situation some thought. 'I have queens,' said Rivera. Chan mucked.

2.25pm: Long flight for a short game
Team PokerStars Australia member Eric Assadourian is already out. Fellow Team mate Tony Hachem explained to us that he'd got it all-in with pocket kings versus an opponent with king-queen. The flop was disastrous, containing as it did two queens. He picked up a flush draw on the turn but it missed on the river.

Assadourian only flew in from Perth a couple of hours ago. His only consolation, an early chance to sleep.

2.15pm: Up and down
Terrence Chan was up a lot, now he's just up. He doubled up early in the day but just lost a few thousand, calling a T♠Q♠ all-in with A♦J♠. After a mean looking flop of 4♠T♣8♠ Chan suspected things might have turned against him. 'I think I might be losing,' he said before a 2♦ and 5♠ hit the turn and river. Chan back down to around 35,000.

2.10pm: Champ's in town
TD Danny just made ANZPT Perth Champion Tony Hachem stand up to receive a well deserved round of applause from tournament room. It's less than twenty hours since his victory and he's had no sleep before sitting down today. He's right back into the swing of things though and just took down a pot to move up to 24,000.

Six players limped to see a 7♣9♦2♦ flop. A player to Hachem's right bet 375 and he was the only player to call to go to the Q♠ turn. This time Hachem called a 575 bet and then faced another 1,000 on the 8♦ river. He studied his opponent for a while before raising to 2,300. His opponent's expression seemed to indicate he hated the scary river card and after a minute's thought threw his cards in the muck.

2pm: LEVEL UP
We're into level two where the blinds are 100/200.

1.50pm: Record breakers
With most players now seated tournament director Danny McDonagh has announced that this is now the largest event ever held in the Philippines, breaking the guaranteed prize pool.

1.45pm: Le button
Nam Le is just one of the big names in today's field and he's off to a winning start. There were two limpers before he raised to 450 from the button. Both limpers called to go to a K♥A♠3♠ flop. It was checked to Le who bet 1,200 and got one caller.

Heads-up to the 6♣ turn where it was checked straight through to the J♣ river. It was checked to Le who bet 1,700. His opponent called but mucked upon seeing Le's A♥Q♣. Le up to 25,000.

Le's close friend Chino Rheem is also off to good start and is up to 27,000 chips.

1.30pm: One gone
With 40 or so people, still waiting to register the first player is already out. Amie Martini got her chips in against David Beda on a flop of 6♣9♥Q♦ with A♠Q♣ only for Beda to show K♣K♦. The 8♦ turn and K♠ river were no good to her. 'I'm out,' she said to a friend on another table, laced with some disbelief. Can't be any clearer than that.

1.15pm: End of the line
A much bigger field with table 18 now being set up and players now queueing out of the door.

1pm: Un