Is Tiffany Williamson qualified to write a poker column

[betgo]

I assume the main reason James McManus' poker columns in the NY Times have been so bad is that he doesn't know enough about poker to write them. The bridge, backgammon, and chess columns in the NY Times are all writen by top players. Someone who came in 5th in the US Open Chess Championship would have to be a very strong player, even if he was not a big name. The same is not true for poker.

McManus is a very polished professional writer. His book on his 5th place WSOP ME finish was well written, interesting, and entertaining, but very naive about poker strategy.

You have to pay to read back articles on the NY Times website, but the two ones posted here were atrocious.

His review of HOHv1 and SS2 just summarized the contents of each book. I never had seen a review like that. It appeared he read neither book. Any professional player would want to read both books anyway atleast once. Even someone with no familiarity with poker could see what was wrong with this review.

In his latest article, on AQ, he quotes at length weak/tight BS from Cloutier/McEvoy saying you should fold AQ in the first 5 positions and you shouldn't call a raise with AQ. Then he gives 2 examples of AQ allin preflop losing to Ax as a 3-1 favorite. There is no discussion of how AQ can be dominated, how you can make top pair and lose a big pot to a set, the problem you are in if you miss the flop, and how you are behind a pp and only slightly ahead of Kx. AQ article (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/08/sports/othersports/08poke.html?emc=eta1)

Atleast McManus is an excellent writer. The same cannot be said of Robert Varkonyi who writes a column in Card Player. Varkonyi is a competent poker player, but his articles are not well written and have little content.
Varkonyi reveals his secrets to winning the WSOP (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/?a_id=13878&m_id=87)

[benkahuna]

What does this post have to do with Tiffany Williamson?

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
What does this post have to do with Tiffany Williamson?

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you think it has to do with Tiffany Williamson?

[benkahuna]

Forget it.

[betgo]

Tiffany Williamson finished in the top 20 in the WSOP with a much bigger field than McManus. Shouldn't she also be qualified to write a poker column for a major newspaper.

[Leavenfish]

If I hit the powerball this weekend, am I qualified to write about playing the lottery?

---Leavenfish

[benkahuna]

[ QUOTE ]
If I hit the powerball this weekend, am I qualified to write about playing the lottery?

---Leavenfish

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on whether you can write. Looks like a yes so far.

[Leavenfish]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If I hit the powerball this weekend, am I qualified to write about playing the lottery?

---Leavenfish

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on whether you can write. Looks like a yes so far.

[/ QUOTE ]

Alas, I disagree. Ideally, I would have to be able to write...and be knowledgable about the subject matter and convey those points well. As regards the latter, just because I got lucky and picked lucky numbers one day does not mean I really know a hill of beans about playing the lottery or that people should listen to me.

---Leavenfish

[AustinDoug]

I don't know if Tiffany is qualified to write a poker column. However, I do know that if she wrote one, it would take her a really, really, really, really, really . . . long time.

[4_2_it]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If I hit the powerball this weekend, am I qualified to write about playing the lottery?

---Leavenfish

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends on whether you can write. Looks like a yes so far.

[/ QUOTE ]

Alas, I disagree. Ideally, I would have to be able to write...and be knowledgable about the subject matter and convey those points well. As regards the latter, just because I got lucky and picked lucky numbers one day does not mean I really know a hill of beans about playing the lottery or that people should listen to me.

---Leavenfish

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact that someone would pay you to write a column about the lottery ought to be the only criteria that you use.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if Tiffany is qualified to write a poker column. However, I do know that if she wrote one, it would take her a really, really, really, really, really . . . long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Looking forward to Norman Chad's commentary on her play. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[gildwulf]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if Tiffany is qualified to write a poker column. However, I do know that if she wrote one, it would take her a really, really, really, really, really . . . long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

NH

[greatwhite]

You don't need to be qualified to write anything about poker. Just look at Warren's work.

[Swax]

Wow - OP has a point, that's for sure.

Varkonyi's skill (or lack thereof) aside - this article reads like it was written by a four-year old! It sounds like a commercial for a something with a brand name of "Lucky".

"Get your new Lucky (TM) shades, you can't lose!"

Pan to Varkonyi flopping a full house with Q-10 offsuit - he gives the camera a thumbs-up and says "Now that's lucky!"

Seriously, although I've read quite a few poker books, I've never read a poker magazine - are they really all just a bunch of fluff like this? I kind of figured that any magazine that's given away free in casinos ain't gonna be packing the most high-level information, but this is bad.

Although, I guess it's the appeal of schlock like this that makes fish at a 4/8 table talk for ten minutes about what cards Phil Ivey was holding when he bluffs someone but still cold call raises with J7o. It's like the guy who thinks that he's a "football expert" because he memorizes a bunch of stats but only knows what a post route is from playing Madden...lol...

[lautzutao]

Only a noob would run a post route in Madden. It's all about the Slant N Go and hook patterns

[Swax]

[ QUOTE ]
Only a noob would run a post route in Madden. It's all about the Slant N Go and hook patterns

[/ QUOTE ]

lol - not exactly my point but you are quite correct. Really, against most junky opponents and all CPU levels except all-madden, you can throw to the dudes running the fly routes 100% of the time and still toss quite a game.

[adsman]

I liked McManus' book overall. I cringed however, whenever he mentioned T.J. Cloutier and his miserable publications. Taking the plane to Vegas and choosing Cloutiers Championship No limit book as your reading material seemed to me a sure-fire way of going down the toilet in the first round. So he's still quoting Cloutier eh? I'm not going to bother even clicking on the link.

[mike4bmp]

I have not seen her play at all yet so i couldn't say...I think most people that make it far in the WSOP main event are hacks especially in the last few years...I think alot of players are getting undue credit and aren't really that good. I know I am not good enough to be playing at that level....but alot of these guys just get LUCKY...but keep track of how many major tournaments they win a year...even I can get to the final table or close to it once in a while online against a field of 6K players....
Tiffany Williamson qualified writer? As of right now...have to say no!

[Rudbaeck]

Mostly poker literature is written either by writers who can't play poker, poker players who can't explain what they do, and lots of people who can't do either.¨

Who is Ed Miller, and why is he qualified to write a book? Topics of yesteryear are always fun.

[SlantNGo]

[ QUOTE ]
It's all about the Slant N Go

[/ QUOTE ]

*cough* Pay up.

[daveymck]

Tiffany Has Already Wrote an Article (http://www.gutshot.com/articles/371.html)

Indeed I did, and it did not take me that long to write it! /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Although, to be fair, a solitary article does not a regular column make, so I doubt it would prove satisfactory evidence to betgo.

I'm not sure why betgo uses my name to try to make his point. And I'm not sure why it is of concern to anyone whether I'm "qualified" to write a column. I can and have writen about my own experience at the WSOP, as noted by daveymck. If someone is interested enough to ask me to write about my experience at the WSOP (which was extraordinary), I'm happy to oblige.

As for Mr. McManus, I don't follow his column but I certainly enjoyed his book.

[tipperdog]

Odd thread.

1. Yes, Jim McManus is qualified to write a poker column. He is an oustanding journalist and a more than competent poker player. Is the NYT boxing columnist a former world champ?

2. Yes, McManus' early columns have been extremely disappointing. I expected great stuff and got drivel. I'm hoping he turns it around, but see no evidence of that happening.

3. Yes, Robert Varkoni is qualified to write a poker column. He's bright, has a heck of story to tell, and has played in many high-limit events. Unfortunately, his columns to date completely suck.

4. I have no idea if T. Williamson would do any better, though I thought the...it...will...take...a...long...time joke was extremely funny.

It's a huge error to assume that poker column quality is directly correlated to poker playing ability. Look at Danny Negraneu's CP columns vs. Dan Abrams'. Abrams' are far better, though I think few would disagree that Negraneu is the better player.

[cwsiggy]

This is going to be the one time I am glad ESPN edits the hands, cause otherwise it would be torture to watch Tiffany take 5 minutes for every street decision. I heard she drove the tables nuts with her slow playing.

[Sintax]

What a stupid comparison. McManus is an author by trade, which is what qualified him to write an article. Placing in a tournament has nothing to do with it.

[xxx]

I enjoyed Tiffany's article.

McManus is not one of my favorite writers.

Varkoni may not be a great writer, but he had a great line in his: But who has the time to be lucky and good?

Who has time, indeed?

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
This is going to be the one time I am glad ESPN edits the hands, cause otherwise it would be torture to watch Tiffany take 5 minutes for every street decision. I heard she drove the tables nuts with her slow playing.

[/ QUOTE ]
They won't show the it in real time, but I am sure they will show some of it, complete with the expressions of the other players.

[betgo]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Yes, Jim McManus is qualified to write a poker column. He is an oustanding journalist and a more than competent poker player. Is the NYT boxing columnist a former world champ?

[/ QUOTE ]

The backgammon, bridge, and chess columns are ostensibly written by strong players. I assume the boxing columnists are very knowledgable on teh technical aspects of boxing. From McManus' columns, he evidently does not have that kind of knowledge of poker.

[cwsiggy]

McManus just came in 4th at a Bellagio $2,500 buy in for $40,975. 298 players. He also placed in the money in a tourney last week.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is going to be the one time I am glad ESPN edits the hands, cause otherwise it would be torture to watch Tiffany take 5 minutes for every street decision. I heard she drove the tables nuts with her slow playing.

[/ QUOTE ]
They won't show the it in real time, but I am sure they will show some of it, complete with the expressions of the other players.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I had a great interaction with nearly all of the players with whom I sat during the WSOP. Although I did take some time on certain of the key hands in which I was involved, the majority of my hands (countless hands over the course of 7 very very long days of playing poker, including satellite day) were played in fairly quick fashion. In any case, as I've not participated on this forum up until now (and I know that there has been some discussion of my play on twoplustwo since the WSOP), please let me say that on nearly all of the decisions where I did take what some may view as too much time, I was making critical decisions for my tournament life. I can't say for sure whether I offended any of my table mates, because none of them approached me about it. The clock was indeed called on me several times; but the clock was called on other players at my tables as well (some only once or twice and others more than that). I myself had occasion to call the clock on players during some hands. I think the key issue that has been raised with respect to my play was whether or not I was angle shooting (which prior to reading the threads here, was a new term to me). Some have speculated that I was; but anyone who knows me, or knows how inexperienced I am to big tournament play, would know that I could not have dreamed up such a scheme. As I said before, I was faced with critical decisions during those moments, and it honestly did take me as long as I took to make those decisions. In fact, on one occasion I simply couldn’t decide, the clock was called on me and my hand was declared dead. Obviously, players with more experience than me (such as those who frequent the twoplustwo boards) would have been able to make those decisions much quicker than I did. I appreciate that and you can be sure that one of the aspects of my game that I have been working on is my ability to make decisions in an almost second nature fashion. But this only comes with experience. In any case, I can take a joke just as well as the next gal, so…



[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if Tiffany is qualified to write a poker column. However, I do know that if she wrote one, it would take her a really, really, really, really, really . . . long time.

[/ QUOTE ]

NH

[/ QUOTE ]

nh /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[betgo]

I can understand that an inexperienced player making a decision where several hundred thousand in real $s is at stake might take a while.

[Easy E]

[ QUOTE ]
Obviously, players with more experience than me (such as those who frequent the twoplustwo boards) would have been able to make those decisions much quicker than I did.

[/ QUOTE ]

Understated and all- classic!

[whiskeytown]

it's a sad fact of life that some of the best players (TJ, for example) are also some of the worst writers -

that sorta applies to anything - I wrote a chapter in a book years ago that was technical and educational in nature - and it's a fact that many, many network engineers know how to do something but don't know how to teach how they do it - That's why I got the writing - not because of my gig, but because I could write it clearly and explain it in a way a person would get it for the exam -

I'm having that issue with a new employee at work right now - I have to teach a firewall guy subnetting and I have a real easy way to do it in my head, but I have to re-explain/reexamine it for the guy that doesn't know anything about subnetting.

I read a lot of great poker and gambling related material but it doesn't have to be all written by world champions - sometimes one of the best articles are written by guys who say "Hey, here's what I'm learning while I play - watch out for this" whereas a pro may not be able to regress back that far.

I liked Varkoni's column - if for no other reason then it answered some of my questions about how he won - but I'm not reading him for that grand insight I get when I read something Jennifer Harman wrote, for example, but I think sometimes, what Robert writes may have more application for my current level then what Jenn writes.

RB

[bwana devil]

very nice post. sounds like you have a great sense of humor and great confidence...not to mention a nice bankroll that most everyone but a few on this board are w/out.

bwana

[college_boy]

If your thought process consists what we heard during your KJs vs AA hand then all the time in the world aint gonna help you.

Judging by Tiffany's articulate reply she would probably say the she's already written an article. Thanks for the link, btw.

I hadn't heard of her before but I like her already after reading her responses.

It seems as if there's always a rush by players who haven't made the top tables in a big tournament to claim they are better players and "could have done that". Sure.

[jj_frap]

[ QUOTE ]
Indeed I did, and it did not take me that long to write it! /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Although, to be fair, a solitary article does not a regular column make, so I doubt it would prove satisfactory evidence to betgo.

I'm not sure why betgo uses my name to try to make his point. And I'm not sure why it is of concern to anyone whether I'm "qualified" to write a column. I can and have writen about my own experience at the WSOP, as noted by daveymck. If someone is interested enough to ask me to write about my experience at the WSOP (which was extraordinary), I'm happy to oblige.

As for Mr. McManus, I don't follow his column but I certainly enjoyed his book.

[/ QUOTE ]

" I had won two big pots in the previous days with AQ, so I was happy to see my old friend again. And this time, it’s suited!"

BUT THEIR S00T3D!!1!1!!!11!1!1!11

[benkahuna]

[ QUOTE ]
Tiffany Williamson finished in the top 20 in the WSOP with a much bigger field than McManus. Shouldn't she also be qualified to write a poker column for a major newspaper.

[/ QUOTE ]


I find the notion of qualification to be inane used in this context. She can write and she's played poker, therefore she's qualified to write about poker. We're not talking open heart surgery here. Does she possess the same qualifications as her colleagues in bridge and other games? Clearly not.

Tiffany became extremely marketable and it almost doesn't matter if she knows even less about serious poker strategy than she appears to know. She will help the NY Times produce profit because of her high finish and her membership in two minority groups in competitive poker. It's only entertainment. She's payed to write, thus qualified.

I think she's as qualified as anyone to write about her own experiences in poker. And I could see those experiences being quite interesting and maybe worth my time.

From a strategy standpoint, she has credibility just based on her finish. I wouldn't listen to all of her advice based on her play of which I'm aware, but even in her musings, some innate sense of tournament poker is present when she talks about intimidation and aggression.

I don't find your comparisons particularly applicable to Tiffany mainly because I don't see writing prowess nor poker skill and achievement that important for someone to write a poker article, even for the pomposity that is the NY Times. They are features I prefer in a writer on poker, but it's pretty clear the poker world doesn't revolve around my desires which appear to be the same as yours.


P.S.

I knew who Williamson was (I was live for the AQ all in pf that sucked out on the guy's KK), was just waiting for you to get to the point.amson finished in the top 20 in the WSOP with a much bigger field than McManus. Shouldn't she also be qualified to write a poker column for a major newspaper.

[/ QUOTE ]

McManus is an idiot when it comes to poker. I suspected this after reading his book, but after reading his AQ article, I'm 100% convinced.

In the article, part of his evidence as to why AQ is a bad hand is that it lost to A4 and to A9 at the final table. Yeah, going in as a 70/30 favorite with AQ on those two hands was just bad poker.

As a long time reader of the NYT, I find it insulting that they print his garbage.