Urban Girl Squad recently bellied up to the table to learn poker basics from instructor Simon Feil. Simon is a man of many talents -actor, sushi enthusiast, and poker teacher- who enjoys exposing new people to the joys of playing poker.
Read the interview with Simon to learn some of the tips that he shares with beginners.
UGS: Do you specialize in teaching poker to women? Almost all of the students who come into my classes are women. Women are more willing to admit there's something they don't know and need to learn -- especially when it comes to something macho like poker. Men will just try to learn it on the fly. There are an increasing number of women who play professionally. They're high caliber players. They've got some moxie and know how.
UGS: Assuming our readers know the basics of the game, what are the rules of thumb you share with beginners?Poker is a social game. You always want to pay attention to your opponents and not just pay attention to your cards. Patience and discipline are very important. If you watch poker on
TV, it looks like the game is all about high drama and high stakes hands, but that's really the result of editing. Good poker players fold 80% of the time.
UGS: How do you know when to hold or fold?It really depends on the variables of the table. Information is power and that asserts itself a lot in poker. Your position is part of what gives you information because players act in order. The later your position, the more you've seen other players' actions. You might play a weaker hand in a later position. The first person to act is the weakest.
The players themselves are another variable. If you've just joined a new table, it can be difficult to judge - but you're looking for a variety of things: aggressive behavior, loose playing, whether they've been drinking, how obsessed the players are with the money, and anything else that might influence players' emotional state.
Chip stack is another variable. Someone with a big stack can bully, can afford to take bigger risks. In cash game play, a small stack doesn't really matter, but in a tournament where people are getting eliminated, small stacks can also result in aggressive behavior - because if someone is on the verge of getting booted, they're likely to act out.
There are certain hands you would play no matter what, but there are a great number of hands that you'd have to judge based on the situation. You want a hand that has potential - something that can grow into a powerful hand.
UGS: What's the most common mistake people make when they're playing a hand?There are a lot of beginners who get bored and just want to play. The biggest mistake would be to just play any 2 cards because you want to get in on the action.
UGS: What's the deal with bluffing?Teaching someone how to bluff is like giving an acting class. It's a difficult thing to teach. And putting on a poker face is silly - you don't need a stone façade, you just don't want to give everything away in your expression.
Whenever you act in a poker game - how you're sitting, how you're playing - you're telling a story. If you bluff in a way that doesn't make sense, isn't consistent within that story, your opponents' antennae will go up. A good bluff is consistent with what has happened at the table until that point.
I recommend that beginners start off tight. Sit there and fold a lot of hands and watch the other players, perceive the rhythm of the game. If you have something strong, then play it. But don't worry about all the fanciness until you internalize the basics.
UGS: Finally, what do you think of the Lady Gaga Song?I'm not a huge Gaga fan, although I do appreciate her sense of showmanship. That song is the perfect example of poker infiltrating popular culture.
Urban Girl Squad is thrilled to offer a private sale with jewelry designer Nikki Baker! Nikki's sophisticated and hand-crafted jewelry line, Gioielli, is inspired by Classical Greek architecture and sculpture and features stunning combinations of color and stones. Her pieces are made with rare and beautiful gems sourced from all over the word and have unique handmade clasps and beautiful shapes.
Attention Moms! Olympic superstar Nastia Liukin is launching a girl empowerment-themed line of clothes for girls aged 4 to 12 called "Supergirl by Nastia". In prep for back to school and Nastia's new line, Urban Mom Squad has a $100 gift certificate to JCPenney to raffle off to our members and their friends. The gift
certificate is valid for any purchase at JCPenney, online or in-store. Click here to enter to win! One lucky Urban Mom Squad winner will be announced via e-mail on July 24. Please spread the word to your friends!
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We'd like to extend a special thank you to Laura Casner Photography for taking beautiful photos of our events and especially for the new headshot Laura took of me here. Laura is a marathoner by day and a photographer by night, and we love her artsy style and personality. She's tons of fun to work with and took beautiful shots despite the 30 mph winds and near-freezing temperatures during our photo shoot. Laura made the day look sunny and me look warm. Thanks, Laura!
