Posts Tagged ‘New to Poker’

At 6'5" tall, people often called me The Poker Amazon, but I just can't quite see myself at the poker table as the classical Greek figure clad in a short leather toga with a bow and arrow.

However, I do relish what Dr William Mouton Marston intended when he created the comic book superheroine, Wonder Woman, in 1941. As a member of an all-female tribe of Amazons, Wonder Woman was a "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to 'a world torn by the hatred of men'."

As a young child growing up in the 50's & 60's in the coal mining camps of Virginia, I recall the fear that hung over my head because of the 'cold war'. We had absurd drills at school where we would jump under our wooden desks to protect ourselves against an impending atomic bomb.

To help insulate myself from this fear, I imagined myself having Wonder Woman's powers of super strength, super speed, stamina, and flight. I saw myself in her red, white and blue outfit with shiny red boots and indestructible bracelets. I could easily vision myself skilled at hand-to-hand combat and in the art of tactical warfare. Of course, I was a natural when it came to animal-like cunning and always had an instant rapport with animals.

Looking back I wonder how strongly the powers of this comic book character imprinted on that girl and later affected my poker game as well as my approach as a poker coach. I do know that for me, poker has been all about embracing my inner courage and facing my fears head on.

Remember my motto…

If you can't raise, don't call.

Donna Blevins
Poker Strategy Coach

New to Poker?  Do you want to learn to play poker and find YOUR courage?   Get instant access to my FREE Poker Teleseminar. 

• What: Poker for Beginners
  
• Where: http://PokerForTheBeginner.com

Poker lessons everywhere! Who would ever think that having your host server hacked could result in a right-on poker lesson?

One of the ways I coach my poker playing students is helping them hear that ever-so-tiny voice inside. Doyle Brunson even talks about it. Slightly paraphrased, he says it is likely our brains are acting like a computer and feeding us back information we did not realize we actually had.

Do you ever know that you know something, but still resist listening? Well, I certainly have! For the last couple of months of 2009, I keep sensing that I should move my site, then the server was hacked around New Years, and nearly 20 days of content went to the virtual world.

It is interesting that even though I had been telling my husband that I wanted to move the site, I was still putting it off. After the host was hacked, even thought he did not say, I told you so, he lovingly reminded me to listen to that voice and get it done. This site is now safely moved to its new host, and I am grateful for the reminder lesson.

• What have you been putting off that your tiny voice has been nudging you to do?

Rather than resist, listen to the message. Just go and do it.

Speaking of a tiny voice, remember my motto…

If you can't raise, don't call.

Donna Blevins
Poker Coach

By the way, on Thursday, January 21, 2010, come to my FREE premier teleseminar called Poker for the Beginner. Space is limited, so please go there now and reserve your seat. You will get a surprise gift just for reserving your seat NOW: http://PokerForTheBeginner.com

While you are at it, please forward the link to a friend who would like to learn to play poker. Many thanks! Donna

Poker cruises have distinct advantages to playing online poker or even to playing live in a card room or in a tournament venue. Following are only three of the many that come to mind.

First and foremost, a poker cruise is a perfect vacation, and people in the U. S. really need vacations. Period. Consider this fact – in 1980, people in 10 other countries lived longer than people in the United States. By 2008, people in 41 countries lived longer.

Why? Because we stress ourselves out and do not give our bodies, minds and spirits time to rest and recharge.

Second, most of the time during a poker cruise, you are out of range of your cell phone service. Once you get over the withdrawal panic, it can be a wonderful thing. We are in a multi-tasking world, and we feel we must do everything at one. Despite the fact that cell phones are prohibited at poker tables, there is still that nagging feeling that you must make a call, or that someone is trying to reach you. That will hurt your game and dilute your focus.

If you doubt that being out of range of your cell phone signal is a valuable benefit of poker cruises, see the first item above.

Finally, new players can learn to play poker in an environment where they have personal access to professionals. During onboard workshops and coaching sessions, both new and seasoned players can pick up pointers from poker pros. Players have often been reading these professional's articles for years, and finally they have the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the best in the industry.

My first poker cruise was in 2000 to Alaska where I spent time with two of my dear friends, Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher. Affectionately known as the First Lady of Poker, Linda was the perfect host. She and Jan are two of the owners of Card Player Cruises, and they put on a top-notch cruise.

During that cruise in 2000, I first met Mike Caro and was able to spend some quality time with him in a workshop setting as well as at the poker table. Mike's work on Poker Tells is world famous, and he has a colorful history as well. I promise more specifics about Mike another day, however, it was that poker cruise environment that gave me the opportunity to get to know and bond with Mike as well as several other famous poker personalities.

I'm looking forward to working with several Florida based companies that have plans for 2010 poker cruises. I'm putting my money on this coming year as the turning point in our economy. I also expect it will be a terrific year for the poker industry and for poker in general.

If you are interested in upcoming poker cruises or in poker coaching, contact me here http://biggirlpoker.com/contact-us/ and I will forward more information as it comes available.

Remember, if you can't raise, don't call!

Donna Blevins
Poker Strategy Coach