PokerSchoolOnline Live Tour

NewJane Interviews Kdogg66, a Top PSO Finisher of the Big One Final Table

First, let me congratulate you on your fine finish at the Big One Final table tourney! Your accomplishment has guaranteed you a seat in the PSO LIVE TOUR Final event in Tunica in January.

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

Kdogg66: I live with my 12-year-old son in St Louis Park, Minnesota. I currently work as a computer analyst. I've also worked as a chef and a chemist and one day I'd like to add professional poker player to that list.

NewJane: Share with us some of 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.

Kdogg66: I started playing poker in March of this year. Like a lot of people, I became interested in poker after watching the professionals and celebrities play on TV. I started out playing online with play money and then moved on to the very low limit real money tables. I've spent a lot of time reading, studying the game and using computer simulations. I prefer playing online but also play a couple times a month at Canterbury Card Club at the $2-$4 limit tables.

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

Kdogg66: I've been a member of PSO since April of this year. PSO has really been helpful in improving my game. The level of play is far superior to what you will find at any other play money tables, the lessons are good and the forum provides a great place to discuss the finer points of the game. One of the more experienced students, thehazyone, offered to spend time helping me improve my game and his help has been very valuable.

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

Kdogg66: Canterbury Card Club is the only place I've played live poker except for home games. I look forward to playing at the Horseshoe in Tunica in January so that I'll have something to compare it to.

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

Kdogg66: There was one hand early in the tourney that really hurt me. I had twice the average chip stack when I tried to steal the blinds from the button with Q3s. The bb called. I flopped a flush draw and the bb moved all-in. Although I had him far out chipped, I still wasn't getting the right price to chase a flush, but I called anyway. The flush never came, and more importantly, the table saw the Q3s that I had raised with and my raises never got any respect after that. Between that move and a run of bad cards, it wasn't long before I was very short stacked.

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

Kdogg66: My short stack play kept me in the game. I spent the majority of the tournament with less than 10 times the big blind. I remained very selective with my starting hands and when I looked down to find a big ace or big pair, I'd put all my chips in the middle and hope for the best. I didn't let myself become desperate enough to play any ace or any pair unless I was going to be blinded out in less than two orbits. The strategy paid off and I finally caught a break when it was down to 12 players. I won three hands in a short time, which gave me enough chips to work with at the final table.

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

Kdogg66: I would play the blind steal hand with Q3s, which I talked about above, differently. I would fold to the all-in bet by the bb on the flop. That is what led to my short stack, although it might have been that short stack that kept me out of other trouble along the way.

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

Kdogg66: I don't see a lot of difference. Online and live I see people playing for different reasons. Some play for fun, others are trying to win money and some are just learning the game.

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

Kdogg66: What is happening with poker now is great. The media exposure is what got me interested in the game and continues to bring new players to the game all the time. Tournaments keep getting larger, which also makes the prize pools larger.

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

Kdogg66: It's not exactly new but I want to improve my 7-card stud game. I've been playing Texas Hold'em almost exclusively, so it's time to work on some of the other games.

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

Kdogg66: Doyle's Super System, Skalansky and Malmuth's Holdem for Advanced Players and Caro's Book of Poker Tells.

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

Kdogg66: I look forward to playing in the live tour final and meeting some fellow PS0ers.

Good luck to you at the playoffs, and I look forward to meeting you in January!

Thanks...

NewJane

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