ALL THE Aces

ROAD TO JOY

Will you shed a tear of joy on claiming the ‘Mini’ title at Leg 11 of the ‘Genting Poker Series’, which kicks off today at the Genting Casino Luton in Bedfordshire? Or simply punch the air and bellow “Yessss!!” as you turn your £220 buy-in into a meaty chunk of the £35,000 guaranteed prize pool? You could be a champ in Glasgow instead, where a ‘2525 Series’ gets underway at the Grosvenor Casino Merchant City. And don’t forget Nottingham. The Dusk Till Dawn is hosting the

£50,000 GTD ‘Grand Prix Mini’ this weekend with a bargain £50 + £10 buy-in (online Day

1 flights are available today and Friday on partypoker)! Wonder if you’ll get to a scenario like partypoker sets up in its pokerschool? “You’re down to the tournament final with just one opponent, whose stack size is about a quarter of yours. She moves all-in. You’ve only got a 2-2. Should you call?” (Check: www.tinyurl.com/PPtourney)

EXPLOIT TIMIDITY

In Sit&Gos or tourneys, watch out for overly passive blind-on-blind play. It’s a common habit some players fall into when hands involve just the blinds. When everyone else folds and the cautious small blind guy just limps in, letting you see a cheap flop in the big blind, if he then checks the flop, bet at it. Having shown only weakness, you may as well take him at his word and try to steal the pot. Of course, if he bites back with a check-raise, you can fold out of there, re-adjusting your image of the player or recognising that he must have nailed some piece of the flop.