PokerSchoolOnline Live Tour

NewJane Interviews KAELAINE, the Top PSO Finisher at the Grand Casino

NewJane: Congratulations on your excellent finish at the Live Tour event! Tell us about the event that qualified you for the Live Tour Final tourney next year.

Kaelaine: The event was the $500+50 NLHE tournament January 7th at the Grand Casino, Tunica, which was part of the WSOP Circuit Event. There were 1345 entries, making it the largest event on the circuit to date. I made the money in that event, too!

NewJane: Tell us some interesting facts about your life, such as place of employment, family matters, hobbies, or educational background.

Kaelaine: I was laid off last summer by my employer of 21 years, so I don't currently have a regular job. I've done some mentoring at PokerSchoolOnline and I'm currently doing live tournament reporting for PokerPages.com at the World Poker Open in Tunica, at the Goldstrike Casino. I would like to be able to support myself doing this type of poker-related stuff, so I don't have to get another "real job".

NewJane: Give us a little glimpse into your poker background. How long have you played? Do you prefer online play or live? Where is your favorite place to play live? Do you like tournaments or ring games? What is your game of choice?

Kaelaine: I've been playing poker since college (you don't want to know how long ago that was) but I've only been a serious student of the game since 2003. I prefer to play live…I'm too easily distracted when playing online. We don't have legal poker in Georgia, so my favorite place to play live is "Larry's house". I like both tournaments and ring games, for different reasons, and NLHE is my game of choice, even though I like to dabble in Omaha.

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

Kaelaine: Three years this April.

NewJane: What do you think was your greatest strength in the tourney? Your biggest weakness?

Kaelaine: My biggest strength was my ability to look for the right situations to make plays without having strong hands, since I didn't get very many. My biggest weakness is when I get a big stack, I start to play Sheriff and I shouldn't - I should guard those chips carefully.

NewJane: Do you remember any key hands you want to tell us about? Positive or Negative outcomes…

Kaelaine: Well, the 6-4 offsuit hand was definitely key. 100/200 blinds, two players had limped, I was on the button with 6-4 offsuit and I made it 1000 to go, expecting everyone to fold (you know, the "punish the limpers" move - my cards were irrelevant). A weak-tight player called me and when she checked the K43 flop, I had to make a continuation bet, so I bet another 1000. She came over the top all-in, but only had another 475. I was caught but couldn't fold for another 475 with 4500 in the pot. Had to call even though I was embarrassed to turn over my cards - turned out I was ahead - she was making her stand with A7 and my pair of fours was good. I got some interesting looks from the guys at the table after that hand - I think they were surprised that a woman was making that kind of play.

NewJane: What are some of the differences you notice in online play as opposed to live play?

Kaelaine: I don't play online a whole lot and when I do it is mostly tournaments. I think people play more loosely online - there's more of that "double up or move on" mentality. You can do that online as there's another tournament starting every 15 minutes somewhere, but in live tournaments you don't have that luxury, so you have to stick it out.

NewJane: If you could have dinner with any current poker tourney pro, who would it be and what would be the question you would ask first?

Kaelaine: Doyle Brunson... Can I borrow a million dollars?

NewJane: What poker books have helped your game?

Kaelaine: All of them, in different ways.

NewJane: What new poker games are you interested in learning?

Kaelaine: I think Pot Limit Omaha is the next game I want to tackle.

NewJane: Here is your chance to address anything I neglected to ask that you are dying to share.

Kaelaine: After winning the Live Tour Final for 2004, I was really disappointed not to qualify in 2005. Now I'm glad I've got my qualification out of the way for 2006... it is going to be a long wait for the Final at the convention in July 2007!

NewJane: Thanks for your time, and best of luck to you at the Grand Finale!!

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