PokerSchoolOnline Live Tour

NewJane Interviews ibepatti, Top PSO Finisher of the BUS Poker Open

NewJane: First, let me congratulate you on your fine finish on the Card Player Cruise, a PSO LIVE TOUR event. Tell us a little about the qualifying tourney.

ibpatti: This was a CardPlayer Cruise aboard the Carnival Legend and was $120 to buy in. The tournament was no-limit hold'em. We started with 120 players and I believe 8 alternates.

NewJane: Tell us a little about yourself. Where you live, etc. Any interesting facts about your life would be appreciated!

ibpatti: I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and am married to a really terrific guy named Ed. We celebrated our 15th anniversary while on the cruise. We have 5 children and 2 grand children (Robby, 2 and Destiny, 5). We travel a lot building U.S. Post Offices. We love to play poker when we travel and have seen the inside of a lot of poker rooms across the country.

NewJane: Tell us a little bit about your poker background, such as how long you have played, games of choice, limits you like when you play live, other tourney successes. And anything else about your poker background that you want to share.

ibpatti: I have been playing 6 or 7 years. I play hold'em, Omha hi-lo, stud and stud hi-lo. I prefer tournaments but play 4/8 or 10/20 limit. Above that I'm over my head. I have won quite a few tournaments including a tournament in Albuquerque in which the prize was this cruise plus $1,000.

NewJane: How long have you been a member of PSO?

ibpatti: I have only been a PSO member for a few months. I read everything I can get my hands on to improve my game. I thought PSO would be a good investment to give me more information and chances to improve my game. I play on a couple of real money sites but would never play the free games because the play is totally off the wall. I really enjoy the tournaments at PSO because the tournaments are played as if there were real $$ involved in order to keep your average up. There are some very good players there.

NewJane: Where is your favorite place to play poker, both live and tourney action?

ibpatti: My favorite place to play live is Bellagio in Las Vegas, Sandia Casino in Albuquerque (that's my home casino and there is a level of comfort there) and Midnight Rose in Cripple Creek, Colorado (their max limit is $5 but the setting is beautiful and the buildings are old west). I also like the Mirage in Las Vegas for tournaments away from home.

NewJane: What were some hands you remember from the tourney, both won and lost?

ibpatti: One hand I was big blind with A3 of clubs and small blind had pocket Kings. He only raised double the blind so I called. The flop brought 3 clubs. He bet, I raised, he re-raised, and I went all in. He called and I doubled up. This is the hand that made me chip leader and allowed me to win. Had he made a larger bet pre-flop I would have folded.

NewJane: What did you feel was your strength / weakness in the tournament?

ibpatti: My strength in tournaments is patience. I don't really start playing until late in the tournament. Unless I have a huge hand I fold everything and let field drop out. Not to say I can't get knocked out with a huge hand (can and have) but this has worked well for the most part. My weakness is I sometimes don't pay close enough attention to what everyone else is doing. Don't know if it's my age or not but my mind seems to wander a little.

NewJane: If you could play one hand over, which one would it be and why?

ibpatti: Heck, I won the tournament! If I were to change one hand it might have had an effect on all of them and might have changed the outcome. I don't think I'd change anything.

NewJane: What are some of the differences you see live and online play?

ibpatti: It's a lot easier to be brave online. When you're actually sitting there it's much harder to shove all your chips in on a call. Think it's also easier to bluff on-line and to be bluffed. I really think body language is important and has been helpful for me.

NewJane: What are your feelings about what is going on with poker now, the incredible growth? Do you see it as a positive thing?

ibpatti: I love the fact that poker is getting big. I have made a lot of money off people seeing it on TV and showing up in the poker room playing Gus Hanson hands! I also am glad casinos are adding or enlarging poker rooms. I do think there is a down side.

I'm sure players who cannot afford to do so will lose a lot of money. Hopefully people will learn the game, play responsibly and not play in a game too large for them. They need to play at a level where they can afford the swings,which happen with all players.

NewJane: What new poker game are you anxious to learn?

ibpatti: I really don't know much about Omaha hi. I've been playing it some on PSO (I forget what I'm playing and stay with A234 to the river only to find out there is no low in this game) I really need to work on it though.

NewJane: What poker books might I find in your home library?

ibpatti: My library is pretty extensive but since I'm traveling I couldn't begin to name them. I recently subscribed to Card Player Magazine. It got so hard to find locally I decided to make sure and get it. I faithfully read it cover to cover. I also watch every poker show on TV. Even though I've seen them all over and over I really pick up something each time I watch, I would caution new players that what you see is not how these same players might play the earlier rounds and that tournament play is very different from a live game.

NewJane: If there is anything I didn't ask you that you want to say, now is the time!

ibpatti: I enjoyed meeting you and the other PSO players. I think we made a good showing for PSO and might even get some new members. A lot of players were asking about it and I think we left a good impression.

NewJane: Good luck to you at the Grand Final in Tunica, and we will be keeping our eyes on you!!

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