Questions and Answers with Mitchell Cogert

Mitchell Cogert is a successful strategist to Fortune 500 companies. His first poker book “Play Razz Poker to Win” was selected by PokerStars IntelliPoker to be translated and used on their international website. Mitchell has recently launched a brand new book called “Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves” and it is simply awesome!

I recently read “Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves” and I was very impressed with the quality of the information, and with Mitchell’s writing style. He writes in a way that keeps you interested and wanting more, which is difficult to do when writing about poker strategy (it is a dry subject after all!). Please pick up Mitchell’s book from Amazon.com today. It’s a quality product and it’s reasonably priced at $19.50.

Mitchell was kind enough to do an interview with MyPokerCorner.com and we are pleased to present you with a special “Questions and Answers” article, which is something we’ll be doing more frequently in the future.

Q1. When did you start playing poker?
A: I started playing poker in high school although I didn't start playing hold'em until around the 1990's.

Q2. What was the most valuable poker lesson you've ever learned?
A: The most valuable lesson in poker--Don't go on Tilt. Great lesson. Impossible to follow 100% of the time.

Q3. What was your worse "bad habit" that would cause you to be a losing player, and how did you overcome it as you gained experience?
A: My worst bad habit in tournament poker is playing by the book--meaning waiting for premium hands--which makes me too patient. To overcome this habit I try to be alert to the opportunities to steal blinds and pots and always remember that I need to accumulate chips to win a tournament.

Q4. In your book, you talk about how taking risks is essential in winning poker tournaments. What do you say to people who come back to you and say "I've risked it all, and I've lost it all"?
A: If you make the right play, which lets say is to risk it all in a given situation, and you get knocked out...don't feel bad. You should feel good about the play you made because next time you'll win and have the chips you need to win the event.

If you risk it all on a bad decision than you should learn from it and adjust your play...
For example, you check raise all in on the flop with a flush draw knowing that your opponent will call your bet. This is a bad play since you gave yourself only one way to win--hitting your flush draw--where the odds are significantly against you. In fact, this play is not a semi-bluff when you know you are going to be called. It's just a bad play.

Q5. At what point in the tournament is stealing blinds important?
A: In general, after the earliest stages where the blinds are very small, you should look to steal blinds. It is even more important when the antes come into play. That's why limping with premium pairs is a viable play early on in an event.

Q6. Under what conditions it OK to be aggressive in early position?
A: In early position, starting from the middle stages of a tournament if you are going to play a hand in early position, you should lean towards always raising with it. The reason is that you don't mind just winning the blinds.

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Q7. What is the most important skill to develop in order to bluff successfully?
A: The most important skill is to know when your opponent is weak. Being able to figure this out is usually due to identifying betting patterns of your opponent. For example, the flop is 10 high and your opponent bets the size of the flop. You call with your potential draw, knowing he has top pair. On the turn, you miss your draw but a King hits. Your opponent bets half the size of the pot. You know this means he is worried that the King hit your hand. In this case, a raise by you will likely win you the pot. If he calls, and another rag hits the river bet again...osince you know your opponent has 2nd pair, and you've bet like you have top pair.

Q8. What cues do you look for to determine when you're beat?
A: Again betting patterns will often tell you when you are beat. Also, when the flop misses your hand, and you are not the pre-flop lead bettor, it is usually irrelevant---your opponent may even be making a c-bet, but it is usually best to fold. Another hand will be dealt, promise.

Q9. Is it wise to slow play in tournaments when, as you put it in your book, "time is against you" because of the increasing blinds?
A: Slowplaying is a viable option in early rounds when the blinds are small.
Slowplaying is a viable option when you hit the nuts and your opponent is aggressive.
Slowplaying is a viable option later in a tournament when you have pocket Aces, an opponent raises before you, you need chips to get back to a good chip stack size, and you know a re-raise will get him to fold. Take the risk and see a flop.

Q10. Being on tilt during a poker tournament can be your quick ticket out. How do you get off tilt and refocus on the game?
A: The best thing to do is to walk away. But, since no one does, the second best thing is to try to avoid playing the next hand.

Q11. What are your thoughts on using table chat strategically to get others on tilt?
A: That is just nonsense.

Q12. Why did you decide to write poker books?
A: I decided to write poker books to help players improve their game and have a better chance to win.

I wrote "Play Razz Poker to Win" since there was no new information on the game, and there are new tools available that will make you a better player. In fact, I believe that Razz poker is the easiest game to beat since so few players take the time to learn the probabilities.

I wrote "Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves" since so much of the current advice on how to play poker tournaments keeps players from being successful or where there is good information the info is incomplete.

For example, books often tell players to be tight aggressive, you need to survive to win, play tight early on, play these hand groups in these certain positions, etc. It is fine advice for the Poker Pros to tell you this stuff, since they want to know what you have when you enter a pot. It will not help you win, but it will help them win. If you watch these Pros play you know the advice is nonsense, since they don't play that way! You shouldn't either!

Some books and articles do provide excellent information but they only give you a small part of the entire picture.

Overall, my tournament poker book will address both how to approach a tournament, that is, getting your mindset right to win the event--and gives one hundred and one moves you can add into your arsenal, including heads-up play at the final table, so you can win it all.

MyPokerCorner.com would like to thank Mitchell Cogert for taking the time to talk to us! Grab his new book “Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves” right now. It’s worth it!