Ruff Poker Blog
Learn Train Dominate Poker

In any walk of life there are always unexplainable phenomenons -or at least inexplicable behaviors-and poker is no different. In this article I want to give you three of these instances where the vast majority of players are either unaware of the proper way to play in these scenarios, or the misinformation is almost taken [...]

In days of old it was big things that made the difference between winning and losing poker players; players either knew pot odds, the chance of making a straight draw, and starting hand rankings or they didn’t. In today’s poker world the emphasis has shifted to the little things in poker, as the overwhelming majority [...]

In their new book, Don’t Listen to Phil Hellmuth, Dusty Schmidt and Paul Hoppe are not bashing the strategies per se, what they are doing is bashing people that still follow these once useful rules and guidelines in what is a vastly changed poker world. With the speed that information is now readily available to [...]

In older strategic books balancing your play would be known as “mixing up your play”, but the correct terminology for this topic is simply: BALANCE. Balance in poker encompasses everything from the rank of cards you play in certain positions, to the amount you bet with bluffs and made hands, to the number of times [...]

Strategies for tournament poker can often be more generalized than those for cash games, especially in the later stages of a tournament, but there are also situations in poker tournaments where the right play can be quite clouded, with numerous different approaches that can be taken. In this column I will outline three of these [...]

When it comes to reading your opponent’s hand in a poker game there are two separate steps that need to be taken and then merged together, both with their own information you need to take a look at: The first is concrete data (or as concrete as you can get in poker!) and the second [...]

One of the most frustrating aspects of poker is that the game has an odd way of causing players to overestimate their actual ability. The difference between being a break-even poker player and a winner capable of supporting themselves financially through poker is very thin, and often comes down to mindset.
It’s fairly easy to tell [...]

One of the most frustrating aspects of poker is that the game has an odd way of causing players to overestimate their actual ability. The difference between being a break-even poker player and a winner capable of supporting themselves financially through poker is very thin, and often comes down to mindset.
It’s fairly easy to tell [...]

Regardless of the game you are playing –whether it’s at the Bellagio, or online at Full Tilt Poker; whether you are playing No Limit Holdem or Badugi-there are certain things that you can do to insure you have placed yourself in the right position to make money at the poker tables.

1. Know when to say [...]

Preface: If you are a professional poker player, or make a good portion of your income from poker STOP READING THIS NOW! Ok, now that all the sharks have left the room let me explain why casual poker players have no use for bankroll management.
Here is the reality of a poker bankroll: If you are [...]