Internet Hold Em - Information Blog

This is one of the very best online poker articles I have ever come across.

2008-11-10T00:29:00.001-08:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your online poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

Tournament Poker and Cash Game Poker: A Two-headed Monster - Part 1

by Gary Gates

Tournament poker and cash games are like checkers and chess; they�re played on the same board, but the structure and strategies of each game are quite different. So different, in fact, that most players who excel at one type of poker typically struggle to find success at the other. Certainly, there are players who have mastered both brands of poker, but the majority of players consider themselves either tournament players or cash game players.

More than anything else, the structure of each type of poker distinguishes it from its counterpart. Cash games afford players the opportunity to buy more chips anytime they go bust or wish to add additional ammunition to their arsenal. Poker tournaments on the other hand, with the exception of rebuy tournaments which allow players a small window of time during the beginning of the tournament to buy new chips, do not. When you�re out of chips, you�re done.

The safety net of always being able to buy more chips in a cash game, provided you have deep enough pockets, affords players a greater amount of flexibility and creativity within the game. Consider two scenarios:

The first, a no-limit cash game with $1 and $2 blinds. You bought in for $200, and have $1800 in reserve tucked away in your back pocket. You�re dealt the A-10 of diamonds and call a $12 raise made by a relatively loose player who you�ve seen make raises with weaker hands than you�re currently holding. The flop comes A-6-2, with two diamonds. He makes a pot sized-bet exhibiting strength, but you don�t give him credit for an ace. You call. The turn is an offsuit jack and your opponent moves all in, putting you to a decision for all of your chips.

The second scenario finds you in a $200 buy-in tournament with no rebuys, and you�ve outlasted 400 of the 500 players who started. The top 50 finishers get paid and you are dealt the same A-10 of diamonds. The hand plays out the same way it did in the first scenario, and again, you�re facing a decision for all of your chips.

Based on a strong feeling that your pair of aces is ahead and that another diamond on the river will give you the absolute best hand no matter what your opponent is holding, you are relatively certain that you currently have the best hand, but here�s where things get tricky. When contemplating whether to call or fold, though the hands are identical, each scenario requires an entirely separate thought process. A cash game player, assuming he or she is operating under a sufficient bankroll, might have an easier time making this call because a wrong decision can be mollified by dipping into the bankroll for rebuy money.

Tough decisions in tournament poker, however, carry even tougher consequences, as one mistake could spell the end of a tournament. Therefore, a tournament player must consider a multitude of questions, many of which are non-factors in cash games, before making a final decision. We�ll elaborate on this idea in part II.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=tournament-poker-cash-game-poker-part-1.html

Latest Hold Em News:

Poker Room Review: Terrible's Rail City Casino, Sparks, NV

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:30:00 -0800
Terrible's Rail City Casino has a well-lit poker area, complete with new cards, clean chips, and fairly comfortable chairs inside a Sparks casino that is geared toward the local low roller. You will find a $2/4 limit hold'em game, $3 blackjack, and...

Harrah's Earnings: Results Down, But Online-Poker Optimism

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:28:00 -0800
Just prior to the resumption of the World Series of Poker Main Event, Harrah's Entertainment announced that it had posted a loss of $129.7 million for its third quarter. Only a year earlier, Harrah's Entertainment's third quarter...

PokerStars 'Choose a Champion' – Right Now!

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:05:00 -0800
With the next world champion of poker about to be determined as today's final table begins in Las Vegas, PokerStars is inviting you to 'Choose a Champion' yourself! PokerStars will run six special tournaments today...

2008 WSOP Main Event: The 'November Nine' Return

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:17:00 -0800
One hundred and seventeen days of waiting are almost over. Beginning at roughly 10:20 a.m. Las Vegas time on Sunday morning, the nine finalists in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event will return to play in the Penn and Teller...

FTOPS X Rewind: Jeff 'GrampaJeff' Gray, 'tommy2tyme' Notch Event Titles

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:26:00 -0800
FTOPS Event #4 was a $300+22 affair allowing for one rebuy and one add-on. The tournament attracted 815 entrants with 558 rebuys and 538 add-ons. When all was said and done, the prize pool fell just a bit short of its $600,000...

Find Local Ladies
Hot Free Webcams
Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
casino poker | no-limit poker | no-limit hold em

This great article contains great poker tips as well as news items.

2008-11-08T20:31:00.001-08:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Featured Texas Hold Em Article

You Have To Lose To Win

GOAT - �What the hell is Goat talking about? You have to lose to win?? Sounds like Goat has been munching on too much grass.�

You gotta lose to win. You have to risk chips, in the right situations, to win chips. Sometimes you will lose more chips than if you would have just folded when you didn�t hit the flop and someone bets before you. What are these plays then?

I guess my best answer is it depends on what you personally like to play aggressively. I don�t know that answer, I�m just a rook myself, but I want to learn how to play better.

Let�s say you�re a fan of Ah 10c (as I am in certain situations). 10 handed game online at Partypoker and you are 2 from the button. Not great position, but pretty good. UTG folds, 2nd folds, 3rd calls and 4th raises to you�. What do you do here? Lot�s of people would fold it and save in essence 1 big bet, or call 1 big bet to see how the old flop falls. If you�re comfortable folding here, go ahead and fold no problem. But if you would just like to call it, Instead, try risking 2 big bets for some �pot ownership� type displays. Raise it, make it 3-bets to go. Now if you are in a loose table, you could likely have 2 more callers behind you� or just as likely they could all fold. I would count on the Big Blind calling w/ a drawing hand, so watchout for him if he just calls to the river and there is a possible draw completed.

Anyway, right there you raise it and you find out where you stand. If you get a re-raise, someone probably has high pockets or A/Ks. Your raise puts you at a potential advantageous position after the flop. In more flops than not, you miss, right? So do I. Sometimes I hit great though. Regardless, you�ve just put yourself in the position to win the pot after the flop. Let�s say that the big blind calls along with 1st and 4th seats.

Flop: 4s 8s Qd

Ok, so that pretty much sucked. You�ve a 2 outer for a straight, it�s rainbow, board.
First position checks.
Seat 4 bets out into you.

Now I�d ask myself 2 questions. First, Is this guy for real or is he trying to take it from me? That depends on how he has been playing. I recommend taking notes (partypoker features a �notes� section available, USE IT). Poker is a game about feel� if this guy is a �Mouse� More or less if this guy never bets unless he has hit top pair, I�d probably fold right there� or the more likely story would that this guy is with 2nd pair or a draw.

So, what do you do here? Again, it�s feel, maybe raise it up. If the Bigblind didn�t hit something he will fold and my guess is first position will have the check/fold button already pressed. When it gets back around to 4th position, he could likely fold it right there giving you the pot as well. Not too bad, you just took down a nice little pot, and a little pot is always nice.

So you go ahead and raise, saying �No sir, you�re 9�s and your drawing hand are weak. My A/Q is much more powerful�.

The big blind folds his spade draw.

So now it�s up to 4th position to act. If he was totally bluffing he folds, if he was on a decent draw he folds or calls, if he has a strong hand he raises. If he raises you there, he�s probably got ladies with a high kicker. He�s re-raised you twice, I would in most situations fold unless I got a read on the player, then I try to go with it. Remember, this is about learning, if you don�t lose some chips you won�t win some.

Let�s assume for further discussion�s sake, that he calls your bet to see the turn

Turn: 5s

Current board: 4s 8s Qd 5h

Ok, if he was on a draw that card didn�t help. In a lot of the online passive (lower limit games, where rooks like me dwell) you will get a check here. Why? Because you�ve represented that you�ve got this hand, you�ve raised twice. He didn�t hit his draw he checks. He might even have a pair of 8�s and is leary of you having a Q, you�ve certainly represented that you have a strong hand. He might even a have a pair of jacks or lower in the pocket. If he checks to you, a bet is certainly in order. You are giving yourself the opportunity to win the pot right there. What if you checked it and an 8 comes on the river? What if you check it and an K comes up, did he just hit his K/8? Risk some chips to win some chips I think. Bet it and see. Again, you have the opportunity to win the entire pot for 1 bet right here. Lot�s of people will call in the lower limit games on the river because of �pot odds�. Try and win it there.

Well, this dude just won�t go away. No respect for you whatsoever. Quite likely on the old flush draw. He calls your bet again, deciding see the river.

Ok, so now it�s river time. You are still in the advantage here at this point. Regardless of how the river turns out, you get the last move.

River: 5d

Final board 4s 8s Qd 5h 5d

So, you�ve got a pair of 5�s with an A kicker. My guess is I�m up against a stronger pair, but he doesn�t know it. He�s got 8�s with a K or maybe a J. He checks to you and now its up to you. For one more bet you have a chance to win this pot right here, and it�s a pretty sizeable pot. On the other hand, will this guy really fold with the pot this size? You�ve played the hand aggressive so far, you�ve gotta bet it again at the river. Again, give yourself the chance to win it. A check leaves it up to the cards and I would have to think that I�m probably beat. So bet it again. Again, putting yourself in position to win. My guess is unless he has just been smooth calling you all along he will either call or fold. More times than not he will call. Yeah, but you only need to win a few of those pots to make it worth your wile to try it on occasion. Lose some, win some. My experience has shown me that by making aggressive plays similar to this is that I win the pots before we reach river. If I�m aggressive pre-flop and right after flop then when I make my bet/raise on the turn that I�ll win lots of pots right there.

Well, that�s all from this rook. Just play your game to learn what works for you, if this is the most idiotic advice you�ve read, well� at least you�re reading.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/you-have-to-lose-to-win.htm

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

Antigua Approved for UK Online Gambling Whitelist

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:55:00 -0800
The island nation of Antigua & Barbuda, for years a nexus for companies offering online-gambling services, has been approved as a member of the United Kingdom's 'whitelist' of approved jurisdictions. The addition of Antigua...

PokerStars LAPT Nuevo Vallarta Mexico Stop Announced

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:47:00 -0800
PokerStars has now announced plans for the latest addition to the Stars-sponsored Latin American Poker Tour, the upcoming stop at Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The Mexico event, scheduled for December 5-7, 2008, is one of three...

The PokerNews Profile: Dario Minieri

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:25:00 -0800
He could be playing in Denmark in February or Las Vegas at the height of the desert's scorching summer heat, but you'll hardly ever find Dario Minieri playing a hand of poker without the maroon-and-gold-striped scarf that has...

Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
poker stars | online casino

We cut through the fluff to bring you these hard-hitting Texas Hold Em tips.

2008-11-06T20:00:00.001-08:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your Texas Hold Em game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Online Poker Article

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

Getting a look inside the mind of a professional poker player should prove a valuable resource to any aspirant. Author Brandon Adams is such a player; a high stakes online pro who�s managed to make final tables in both the WPT and WSOP Circuit. Broke, while not technically about him, is a novella drawn from his experience.

I say novella because the length of the book is 96 large print, small-sized pages. This is a one-day read, and as such probably isn�t worth the $10 asking price for the paper version. For half that though, one can retrieve the text online. For that price, Broke is a worthwhile investment as both educational and entertaining text.

Adams left me wanting more. His first person protagonist makes the same rounds as its author, traveling to major events at major casinos, winning or losing huge amounts in seconds online, experiencing the ups and downs that are part of the pro poker territory�even losing $3,200 on a phone call-induced misclick. We�ve all made that mistake at one point, but Adams� narrative allows us to feel the adrenal implosion of making it at the highest stakes. There�s more, but I don�t want to ruin the surprises.

For a first attempt, �Broke�s author shows a lot of promise. He writes from what he knows and weaves a precautionary tale in the process that paints no pictures about his profession. Parents, if your kids are playing poker professionally, get them to read this; the $5 will probably save them a lot more money down the road. If nothing else, it will show them where they�re going.

I�d go on, but this review would then be longer than the book. Brandon, make it longer next time. I wanted more.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=book-broke-poker-novel.html

Latest Online Poker News:

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
winning poker | online poker tips

Are you ready to start winning at poker? Im going to show you how.

2008-11-04T10:20:00.001-08:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Featured Texas Hold Em Article

4 Levels of Poker Play- Take Your Self Assessment

Here are Four Levels Of Poker Play

Level 1: This player plays too many hands pre-flop (any two suited any Ace any king, etc.). They don�t raise much pre-flop and when they do it�s usually not the right amount. They go to the river with any piece of the pot (low pair, inside straight draw, Ace high). They pay no attention to position, betting patterns, previous hands, etc. They will never fold a pocket pair, even if there are 3 overs on the board. They bluff too much and go all-in too much.

Level 2: This player has figured out a few things, like tight pre-flop play keeps you in the game longer. This player has tightened up pre-flop, but has over compensated by becoming two passive. They no longer play Kx or any two suited, but they still can�t fold hands like KJ or AT or Axs or suited connectors. They can�t get away from top pair. They have a little understanding of odds and outs, but don�t apply it to their game. They don�t raise enough pre-flop. They don�t bluff enough. They�re easy to fold with a big bet. They rarely, if ever, re-raise or check raise. Basically this is tight, predictable poker.

Level 3: This is where the player starts to really understand the complexities of the game. They realize that you have to have a better hand to call a raise than you do to open raise. They have a decent understanding of the odds and can apply them (I have 12 outs, there�s 1,000 in the pot I can call around a 300 bet without making a mistake). They play their position and they bet aggressively pre-flop. They�ll put in a continuation bet on the flop to see where they�re at even if they haven�t hit the hand. They�ll bluff and steal blinds effectively. They are starting to pay attention to betting patterns during a hand and are able to put players on a range of hands. They can categorize players as tight, aggressive, loose, passive, etc.

Level 4: This player can read other players based on past betting patterns and has a mental note of the hands different players have shown down. They use �moves� like check raises, re-raises, slow plays, etc. effectively and often. They truly play the player and will bet aggressively regardless of their cards if they have a read on a player. They have the math down and can calculate odds and probabilities immediately. They win a lot of hands without having to go to showdown.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/4-levels-of-poker-play.htm

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

PokerStars 'Million Dollar Men' Promo Offers Players Chance to Share the Wealth

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:00:00 -0800
With the 117-day hiatus in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event almost over and action at the final table about to begin, PokerStars continues to offer its players a chance to share in the excitement in a very real...

WSOP-C Hammond, Final Table: Steve Billirakis Caps Wire-to-Wire Run

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:46:00 -0800
In an impressive display, Steve 'MrSmokey1' Billirakis took the chip lead on Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Horseshoe Hammond and never let go, going wire to wire to take down the $208,885 first prize...

US Government Files Brief in iMEGA UIGEA Challenge

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:20:00 -0800
The US Department of Justice filed a brief late last week in connection with the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association's ongoing challenge to the United States' Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act...

WSOP-C Hammond, Day 2: Billirakis, Woolf Headline Final Table

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:59:00 -0800
Several big names remained near the top of the leader board as Day 2 kicked off of the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Horseshoe Hammond, including Dustin 'Neverwin' Woolf and Steve 'MrSmokey1' Billirakis...

Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
Amateur Models
Mens Style
Texas hold em | poker strategies

The internet is full of fluff- these Texas Hold Em tips are the best of the best.

2008-11-02T15:14:00.001-08:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on Texas Hold Em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Online Poker Article

When playing poker, keep your attention at the table

By Johnny Kampis

If you?re playing poker the patient and correct way, folding most of your hands, you?ll be left with a lot of downtime where you?re not involved in the action. That doesn?t mean you should just rest on your laurels, or turn your attention to the baseball game on the television.

To become a better poker player, you should pay attention at all times when at the table, learning your opponents? tendencies. Who is aggressive? Who is timid? Who raises with only strong cards? Who bluffs a lot? All of these questions can be answered if you just pay attention.

Over the years, I?ve developed a couple of mental exercises to help me focus on the action while playing Texas hold?em. These exercises can also increase your decision making and problem solving abilities at the poker table.

The first one is to guess what each of your opponents is holding based on how he plays the hand. Say the flop comes J-10-2 with two spades. There is a bet, a call and a raise. What sorts of hands could these players have? Perhaps the better has something like J-K for top pair and the caller has a straight or flush draw and the raiser has two pair or a set. The more you study your opponents, the better you will be able to guess their holdings, and that ability will only help you in the long run.

During a recent friendly game, one player bet out on a board of A-A-10-2 and Steve called. A third player raised, the initial bettor called and Steve re-raised. Before Steve turned his cards over on the river, I called out ?Ace-Ten,? and that?s precisely what he had. How was I able to guess this? Steve had a monster hand and didn?t want to chase out the other players on the turn so he just called the initial bet, but after there was a raise behind him he could go ahead and re-raise and get more money in the pot. If Steve held three aces, without a full house, he most likely would have raised on the turn initially to try and eliminate any flush and straight draws. You can only learn these kinds of tendencies by paying attention.

A second exercise I like to employ while playing hold?em is to think up a hand and visualize how I would play it. Let?s pretend the flop is 8-J-3. Now, I may have folded a 5-2 or some other junk hand, but I?m going to now pretend I have a 9-10 in my hand and the action is to me. Do I bet, check, raise or fold? Or I could pretend I have flopped a set of threes. Now what do I do? This exercise allows you to continually think about how you would play certain hands, which will only help you when you actually hold those cards.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=be-attentive.html

Latest Online Poker News:

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

If you enjoy poker, we're sure you will enjoy some great casino games at a top online casino.
JackpotCity.com also offers you to learn more about games such as online blackjack
to increase your winnings.

WSOP-C Hammond, Day 2: Billirakis, Woolf Headline Final Table

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:59:00 -0800
Several big names remained near the top of the leader board as Day 2 kicked off of the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Horseshoe Hammond, including Dustin 'Neverwin' Woolf and Steve 'MrSmokey1' Billirakis...

Poker Room Review: The Alamo, Sparks, NV

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0800
Most traveling poker players tend to stay on the beaten path of well-known poker rooms, finding themselves in the likes of the Bellagio, Binions, Commerces, and Foxwoods. Other players, myself included, get a thrill from playing...

PokerStars EPT Budapest, Final Table: Will Fry Hoists Trophy

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 07:01:00 -0800
After four grueling days of poker at the Las Vegas Casino in Budapest, England's Will Fry outlasted 531 opponents to claim victory in the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Hungary Main Event. Fry took down €595,839 for winning...

Bowl Better
Amateur Models
online casino | Texas hold em

Are you ready to start winning at poker? Im going to show you how.

2008-09-09T08:43:00.001-07:00

Todays Online Poker Article

Tournament Poker and Cash Game Poker: A Two-headed Monster - Part 1

by Gary Gates

Tournament poker and cash games are like checkers and chess; they�re played on the same board, but the structure and strategies of each game are quite different. So different, in fact, that most players who excel at one type of poker typically struggle to find success at the other. Certainly, there are players who have mastered both brands of poker, but the majority of players consider themselves either tournament players or cash game players.

More than anything else, the structure of each type of poker distinguishes it from its counterpart. Cash games afford players the opportunity to buy more chips anytime they go bust or wish to add additional ammunition to their arsenal. Poker tournaments on the other hand, with the exception of rebuy tournaments which allow players a small window of time during the beginning of the tournament to buy new chips, do not. When you�re out of chips, you�re done.

The safety net of always being able to buy more chips in a cash game, provided you have deep enough pockets, affords players a greater amount of flexibility and creativity within the game. Consider two scenarios:

The first, a no-limit cash game with $1 and $2 blinds. You bought in for $200, and have $1800 in reserve tucked away in your back pocket. You�re dealt the A-10 of diamonds and call a $12 raise made by a relatively loose player who you�ve seen make raises with weaker hands than you�re currently holding. The flop comes A-6-2, with two diamonds. He makes a pot sized-bet exhibiting strength, but you don�t give him credit for an ace. You call. The turn is an offsuit jack and your opponent moves all in, putting you to a decision for all of your chips.

The second scenario finds you in a $200 buy-in tournament with no rebuys, and you�ve outlasted 400 of the 500 players who started. The top 50 finishers get paid and you are dealt the same A-10 of diamonds. The hand plays out the same way it did in the first scenario, and again, you�re facing a decision for all of your chips.

Based on a strong feeling that your pair of aces is ahead and that another diamond on the river will give you the absolute best hand no matter what your opponent is holding, you are relatively certain that you currently have the best hand, but here�s where things get tricky. When contemplating whether to call or fold, though the hands are identical, each scenario requires an entirely separate thought process. A cash game player, assuming he or she is operating under a sufficient bankroll, might have an easier time making this call because a wrong decision can be mollified by dipping into the bankroll for rebuy money.

Tough decisions in tournament poker, however, carry even tougher consequences, as one mistake could spell the end of a tournament. Therefore, a tournament player must consider a multitude of questions, many of which are non-factors in cash games, before making a final decision. We�ll elaborate on this idea in part II.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=tournament-poker-cash-game-poker-part-1.html

Latest Online Poker News:

Partouche Poker Tour Cannes Main Event, Day 3: Gus Hansen Bubbles as Final Set

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:39:00 -0700
Play took off like a hare on Day 3 of the Partouche Poker Tour Cannes Main Event, with multiple eliminations within the first hour, but slowed to a tortoise-like plod as the field grew short before the final table of eight was finally...

Win a trip Down Under thanks to CarbonPoker!

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:22:00 -0700
CarbonPoker are giving you the chance to win an all expenses paid trip Down Under for two highly anticipated poker events…

Poker Room Review: Boomtown Resort and Casino, Reno, NV

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:21:00 -0700
Boomtown is about ten minutes outside of Reno in the small community of Verdi. It's literally in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. A beautiful location you can only get to by car -- it's worth the drive, if only for...

with poker room signups!

Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
Amateur Models
Mens Style
online poker | poker tips

Anyone from beginner to expert poker players can benefit from these poker strategies.

2008-09-07T16:25:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

What I Like About Poker

GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

Latest Hold Em News:

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

Play Better Golf
Find Local Ladies
Hot Free Webcams
Seduce More Women
winning poker | online poker tips

With these poker tips, you can not help but improve your game.

2008-09-05T05:06:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

AK - The Misplayed Monster

Ace King � How To Play The Misplayed Monster

Tell me if this sounds familiar; �I can�t win with AK�, �I had big slick, I can�t believe you beat me with that!�, etc., etc. etc.

AK is a very strong hand, however it can and does get beginners in trouble. If I were to hazard a guess, I�d say that AK is the most misplayed hand in No-Limit Poker.

The Strength of AK
AK is a monster hand. According to Poker Room�s Expected Value (EV) calculator AK suited is the 5th strongest hand (behind AA, KK, QQ & JJ), and AK off-suit is the 7th strongest (behind TT).

There is absolutely no doubt that AK is a positive EV hand. That�s pretty much in line with what all the Poker books teach as well.

The strength of this hand is that when it hits, more often than not, you�re going to have the best hand. Of course there will be the suck outs even when it does hit, but that�s the nature of the game. Most of the time when you pair you�re Ace or King, you�ll go on to win the hand. The other thing that makes this hand strong is that when it doesn�t hit, it�s easy to get away from, or should be. I�ll touch on this more in a minute.

The Weakness of AK
AK is very pretty to look at, but it is still a drawing hand. If you don�t hit an Ace or King, you�ve just got Ace high. Unfortunately many new (and not so new) players get sucked in by its beauty and just can�t seem to let it go, even when it doesn�t hit. How many times have you seen a player call to the river and turn over and AK that didn�t hit?

Another weakness is that you�re mostly playing for top pair top kicker (TPTK). You can only make one straight and most of the time your flush draw won�t hit. Because of this, it�s not a hand that plays well against multiple players.

Pre-Flop
We�ve established the obvious, that AK is a big hand. We�ve also established that it�s lack of draws make it weaker against multiple players (but still strong enough to play). So this tells us that we need to raise with AK.

Until the game is heads up at the final table, see very few situations where limping with AK is justified. I understand the whole �mix up your game� theory, but save it for another hand. AK NEEDS to be raised or re-raised pre-flop.

With AK you will miss the flop 66% of the time (against 3 limpers), but on those hands where you hit, you want to be isolated as much as possible and you want the pot as big as possible. Let�s do the math.

I�m assuming equal bets to keep the math simple. If you limp with AK vs. three limpers you will win 4 Bets 33% of the time (ignoring post-flop). It costs you one bet each time, for a net 1 bet per 3 hands or 0.33 bets per hand.

By raising, 33% of the time you win 8 bets, costing you 2 bets each for a net of +2 bets per 3 hands or 0.66sb per hand. So, by not raising in this situation your EV per hand goes down by 0.33 bets.

This is obviously very simplistic and it doesn�t take into account the additional EV you get by folding your opponents, but it still illustrates the point. This is not a hand to limp with.

How to Play AK When It Hits
This is the easy part. BET IT! How much you bet is dependent on the texture of the flop of course. If there are draws that can hurt you, bet more. If there aren�t any obvious draws, bet what you need to and maximize your winnings. Easy, right?

How to Play AK When it Misses
I spent some time on pre-flop play, but frankly most of the problems players have with AK are not related to pre-flop play. They have a problem because when they miss the flop, they play it like they have a real hand instead of just Ace high. This is where players get into trouble.

So how should you play your AK if it misses? Well, it depends. (That�s the answer for most poker questions, isn�t it?) It depends on your position, number and type of opponents, and the exact texture of the flop, among other things. This is a fairly complex topic and there are no exact approaches, but there are some general rules that will save you some chips.

Please commit this to memory: Just because you raised pre-flop does not mean you are obligated to bet the flop.

A continuation bet (a flop bet following a pre-flop raise) is very powerful and should be used, but the situation has to be right. One thing to keep in mind is that you do not want to bet into a large field from early position.

With several players to act after you, generally the best approach is to check and either fold to a big bet or call a small bet if you have the odds to draw to your over cards and the texture of the flop is favorable. Mostly you�ll want to fold.

There are situations where you�ll want to bet. You want to bet your unimproved AK on the flop if any 2 of these conditions exist (#1 being the most important)

.1. You are up against 2 or less opponents (that are not calling stations!).

2. You are in late position and it is checked to you

3. The board is rainbow and uncoordinated

4. You have additional draws to go with your over cards

I�m sure there are other times when it would be smart to bet, but these are the general rules I follow (try to follow).

Don't get married to over cards. If they don�t hit on the flop, chances are, even if you hit, you�re going to be second best. Trying to push through several opponents with only over cards is a good way to lose a lot of chips. Remember, AK is profitable, in part, because it is easy to fold.

-jtd

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/AK-the-misplayed-monster-how-to-play-big-slick.htm

Latest Poker News:

Poker News Bytes, September 3, 2008

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:24:00 -0700
According to published reports, the European Union plans to resume trade talks with the U.S. Trade Representative's office over the US Department of Justice's pursuit of online-gambling firms and officials, the UIGEA and other matters...

Race to the finish with PokerRoom's $500k Race Trophy Final!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:25:00 -0700
Win a package to PokerRoom's televised Race Trophy Semi Final in Monza, Italy for a chance at the live televised Final Table in Vienna and a share in the $500,000 guaranteed prizepool…

PokerStars.com APPT Macau Main Event Day 1c: Mark Walsh Tops Final-day Starters

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:24:00 -0700
Day 1c of the PokerStars.com Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau Main Event marked the largest poker tournament in Asia, with 229 Day 1c competitors swelling the total field to 538 players, building a prize pool of $1,620,000, a record...

Hot Free Webcams
Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
online casino | Texas hold em

Texas Hold Em can be tricky. This article will help remove some of the guesswork.

2008-09-03T01:29:00.001-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on online poker to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

Two Important Rules To Always Keep In Mind

Rule #1: Apply pressure.

Your bets MUST apply pressure to those acting after you. This is the first thing I tell struggling / timid players and the first thing I remind myself of when I�m running bad. You have to make sure that your bets cause the other players to have to make difficult decisions. How often do you see players opening with a minimum bet, or raising the minimum from late position? These bets don�t apply pressure, they merely build the pot.

Here�s a typical example:

Blinds are 50/100, early in a live multi-table tournament; assume everyone has 1800 in chips. You have AKo (Big Slick) in late position.

2 players call before it gets to you in the cutoff seat (one before the button). You like your hand and decide to raise. You raise to 200. While it is a fantastic idea to raise with Big Slick, you need to raise a larger amount... you need to apply pressure!

This is a very common example of a no-pressure bet that is very common by new players and bad players! If you are going to raise, you need to make a hefty sized raise to make most everyone fold!

Think about this, You have two callers who already have 100 invested plus the button, SB and BB left to act. Your raise didn�t cause anyone a second of anxiety. The button now has odds to call with many drawing hands, the BB only has to put one bet in to see the flop and there�s no way the initial limpers are going to fold for one more bet each.

What have you accomplished here? The answer is nothing good. Not only have you not isolated against a single player, which should be your goal with this hand, you have built the pot to an amount that gives the chasers a great reason to stick around!

The right move here would be to raise a minimum of 3xBB. But I think in this situation, with 2 limpers and 3 players to follow that�s amount is still probably too small. I think a bet of 4-5xBB is the better move.

This bet will apply enough pressure that you may actually win the hand right there.

But in this situation, you've bet $200 pre-flop (the minimum raise).
The SB folds and everyone else calls. The pot has 850.

The Flop comes 78K with two hearts, it�s checked to you.

You've hit Top Pair, Top Kicker which is a strong hand. You are most likely in the lead right now but there are 2 hearts on the board (you don't hold the King of Hearts, either).

You bet 200.

This was a great flop for you, but it is dangerous. There�s a possible 4 flush and 4 straight. You�ve got to bet an amount that will put pressure on the drawing hands and 200 just won�t cut it. No one is going to fold their flush draw to a 200 bet when they can win a 1000+ pot.

You need to size your bet accordingly. So, what sized bet would be good enough to put pressure on the flush draw? A bet of about � of the pot should do it.

If you put 600 in the pot, the flush draw now has a big decision to make. That bet will put more than half of their stack in the pot, if they call they�re basically committing to play for the rest of their chips. (This is a very important point. Pay attention to your opponent�s chip stack. A bet that commits their stack is a pressure bet.) If they know what they�re doing, they�ll fold right there, if not you�re about a 3:2 favorite to win the hand and more than double your stack.

In this situation you bet 200 on the flop. The BB & first limper call. The pot has 1450.

The turn is a 2 of spades. You bet 400.

The turn was great for you, it didn�t help the straight or flush draws, but your bet was again too small. A flush or straight draw only has to pay 400 for a chance at 1850. The pot is giving almost 5:1 on a 4:1(approximately) draw. A � pot bet would have put the necessary pressure on the chaser, while 400 is an easy call.

The BB calls.

The river is a T of clubs. You check, the BB bets 500 and you call. The BB shows 96s for the straight.

This is where you glare at the BB and storm off to tell your friends how your AK got cracked by 96. But this wasn�t a matter of the BB getting lucky. He played it right on every street. You made his decisions easy by not applying pressure with your bets.

The next time you�re ready to throw your chips in the pot ask yourself this question; �Is this bet going to be easy to call?� If the answer is yes, then grab some more chips and put some pressure on your opponents

Rule #2:

Don�t swim with the sharks. This is the newest addition to my rule book and it has helped me increase my winnings over the last 6 months more than anything else.

The basic rule is this. Avoid playing heads up against players who are as good as or better than you.

Get your chips from those players that are less skilled / knowledgeable than you.

There are a number of quality players that I play against every week with whom I have never been involved in a big hand. If a typical table has 4 good players and 5 poor players, why would you bang heads with the good players? Get your chips from the ones you know you can outplay.

This is really very easy to do. If a player that you believe to be better than you raises, fold. Simple. Unless you have a premium hand (AA,KK,QQ,AK), why get involved? Just wait for an opportunity against a fishy player.

That means you�ll be folding hands you might normally play, like AJ or KQs, etc. If you do have a premium hand, then don�t just call, re-raise instead. You want to try to win the hand pre-flop so you won�t be out played post flop.

Of course, you won�t always be able to avoid confrontation with a good player, but you can definitely limit it.

As an example, I recently took a trip to Tunica with a friend of mine who is a very good player. Over two days, we played at the same table for about 16 hours. In all of that time we only played one hand heads up and that one was for small dollars. I�m sure over there were several hands over those 16 hours where we could have done battle, but why would we when there was a super fish at the table giving away enough for all of the good players to share?

There are plenty of fish to get chips from, so save the sharks for the final table. Recognize who the quality players are and adjust accordingly.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/2-poker-rules-to-live-by.htm

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

Ozzie Smith, Seth Joyner to Headline 'Par and Poker' Charity Event

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:32:00 -0700
It's the season for charity poker events, with major sports stars stepping up for good causes in a big way, and using poker as the fundraising tool. The second annual Par and Poker Celebrity Challenge for Charity has been announced...

Sexton's Corner, Vol.60: Johnny Chan, Legend of Legends, Part 5 - Promos and Viewpoints

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:30:00 -0700
In Part 4 we learned how Johnny Chan is known for having the golden touch in poker tournaments and for his famous movie appearance in 'Rounders', where we trapped Erik Seidel to win the WSOP title. We also heard Johnny's analysis...

APT Macau Final Table: Timoshenko Destroys Competition

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:01:00 -0700
Out of 257 original entrants, only eight made the final table of the APT Macau Main Event at the StarWorld Galaxy Hotel and Casino. Of those eight, Casey Kastle held the lead in big tournament experience and chips, but it was 20-year-old...

Updated – iPoker's PNC Super Satellites now feature guaranteed packages

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:27:00 -0700
iPoker's successful PokerNews Cup Australia Super Satellites will now feature a two package guarantee, with the final Super Satellite to carry a three package guarantee…

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts

Are you ready to improve your Texas Hold Em game? Its time to get started...

2008-09-01T05:58:00.001-07:00

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Hold Em Article

Avoiding Draw Poker

By Bill Ricardi

I�m going to be brief this week. This is a comment on sites bringing the wonder of draw poker into the realm of online play.

I frankly see no reason to play draw poker online. The entire point of draw poker is playing with a LACK of public information. All you have to determine your actions are the number of cards drawn and the bets being made. There are no community cards. There are no exposed cards.

Why would you want to play a game that is based mainly on tells online; where reads are difficult if not impossible? Without tells, after the basic odds tables are figured out, the game is somewhat boring on one hand, somewhat of a craps shoot on the other.

Some might claim that playing their own cards and analysis of betting patterns is enough to take online draw poker out of the realm of lottery play. Maybe. But why play a bad version of a good game, when there are so many good versions of good games already available to the online poker playing community?

I never play games just because they�re �good enough�. They have to give me an edge, and they have to be worth my time and effort. There will be very, very few people who will be able to get a significant edge playing draw poker online, and even fewer who will be properly rewarded for their time and effort.

In short: I won�t be jumping on the draw poker train, just to entertain the nostalgia of playing at the kitchen table with the family. I�d rather play Razz. And that�s saying a lot!

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=avoiding-draw-poker.html

Latest Hold Em News:

Lineup Grows for Poker Battle Pre-launch

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:02:00 -0700
Poker Battle, the brand new poker "social networking" and high-end poker fashion brand, has added several more new faces to its official brand pre-launch on the Partouche Poker Tour in Cannes, France, September 2-7, 2008. The Poker Battle...

APT Macau Day 1b: Heavy Turnout Swells Field to 257

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:12:00 -0700
One hundred and fifty-four players joined the field for Day 1b of Asian Poker Tour Macau play, bringing the total number of entrants to 257 for the event at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino. Among the entrants were John Juanda, J.J. Liu...

Full Tilt's 'Million Dollar Cash Game' Announces Season 3 Lineup

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:09:00 -0700
Full Tilt Poker has announced an all-star lineup for its third season of the Million Dollar Cash Game, which will take place on September 17th and 18th in central London and will be taped for later broadcast. In Season 2, Team Full Tilt...

with poker room signups!

Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
poker tips | poker stars

This is one of the very best hold em articles I have ever come across.

2008-08-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Online Poker Article

Tournament Poker and Cash Game Poker: A Two-headed Monster - Part 2

by Gary Gates

�Should I fold and wait for a better spot to put all my chips at risk? With only 50 players left to the money, do I have enough chips to survive the blinds and antes? How long until the blinds go up? Which players at my table are susceptible to getting eaten up by the blinds? Which players can I steal blinds from?�

When we left part I, we began to consider the additional factors a tournament poker player must consider within his or her decision-making process. These �special� circumstances often call for special action. A player might make one play in a cash game that he would never even consider in a tournament, and vice versa.

The unique decision-making processes required of these two very different brands of poker are necessitated by the manner in which profit is earned in each type. Cash games reward players instantly, as every pot pushed your way comes in the form of legal tender that you can walk away with at any time. In other words, a player can sit down at a cash game, double up on the first hand, put his chips back in the rack and proceed to the cashier with his newfound wealth. Though I do not recommend this method, as it won�t earn you many friends at the table, no one is going to stop you. (Who needs friends at the poker table anyway, right?)

Tournaments, however, reward only the top few participants who are able to outlast the masses. Described by many as marathons that call for hours of intense boredom, speckled with a few moments of sheer terror, poker tournaments require a great amount of time and patience. In a tournament that pays the top ten players, 100th place pays exactly as much as eleventh: nothing. Therefore, major decisions within the game are heavily influenced by the size of players� chip stacks, the number of players remaining, and the size of your own stack relative to the blinds. Before you take tenth, you have to guarantee yourself eleventh, and that fact is what makes survival a tournament player�s number one priority.

Cash games, because of their static blinds and the option to buy more chips at any time, tend to suit more conservative poker players. The never-increasing blinds allow them to sit back and wait for big hands with which they hope to win massive pots. Tournament play forces aggression to some extent, as the blinds and antes are constantly on the rise. The track records of Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar and Johnny Chan are prime examples of the kind of success that can come from aggressive tournament play.

Which brand of poker should you play? First consider the style of poker that comes most naturally to you. Do you tend to play passive or aggressive? Are you the kind of player that can recognize the multitude of situations that will be presented to you throughout a poker tournament and adapt your play accordingly, or do you feel more comfortable playing the player rather than the cards and situation? Be sure to try your hand at both and know the differences between the two before you decide which is right for you.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=tournament-poker-cash-game-poker-part-2.html

Latest Online Poker News:

Full Tilt's 'Million Dollar Cash Game' Announces Season 3 Lineup

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:09:00 -0700
Full Tilt Poker has announced an all-star lineup for its third season of the Million Dollar Cash Game, which will take place on September 17th and 18th in central London and will be taped for later broadcast. In Season 2, Team Full Tilt...

The PokerNews Profile: John Phan

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:42:00 -0700
His friends call him 'The Razor' — not only for his tendency to raise every pot he's in or his affinity for the sleek Motorola cell phone, but for his uncanny instincts for reading weakness in his opponents. To the uninitiated, John Phan...

Brian Townsend Admits to Multiaccounting

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:15:00 -0700
Brian 'sbrugby' Townsend, one of the principals of poker video instruction site CardRunners.com, has admitted in a recent blog post to using two accounts on both of the largest online poker sites, Full Tilt and PokerStars. Full Tilt...

Play Better Golf
Find Local Ladies

Here are some useful strategies to assist you in becomming a better Texas Hold Em player.

2008-08-28T15:42:00.001-07:00

Another Great Poker Article

5 Tips To Use When Playing Heads Up Poker

Here are my 5 tips you can use to improve your 'Heads Up' poker play

1. You don�t have to play every hand. It�s ok to fold your small blind if you have a lousy hand. Most players heads up play every hand. IMO, this is a mistake. You can�t wait for the best of the best, but you don�t have to play 63o either.

Don�t worry about the chips you�re losing here. Folding the small bind makes the other player think you�re only playing good hands so you�ll be able to raise him off of his BB enough to make up for it.

2. Don�t limp from the small blind, at least not very often. For the most part, you should either fold it or raise it. Save your limping for the BB. You don�t have position, so you need to win most of these hands pre-flop. The BB will probably raise you anyway. You need to be the one leading the betting.

The exception is if you get a monster like KK or AA.

3. Slow play the monster hand. If you get a big pocket pair, let the other overly aggressive player do the betting for you. This is player dependant, but if you�re against a player like I was playing last night, who kept using the all-in bluff, why not let him lead the way.

4. Mix up your play, a lot. I like to play a few hands in a row where I raise every hand and follow that by several folded small blinds. Switch up your raises from the minimum raise to a big half your stack raise. Keep the other player confused.

A confused player tends to be a passive player.

5. Don�t forget what got you there! If you�re a tight aggressive player and that�s what got you to the final two, then keep being tight aggressive. Don�t suddenly become loose aggressive. You�ll be out of your element.

Obviously your play has to loosen up when you get to this point, but you don�t have to be an �any two cards� type. It�s still ok to fold middle or bottom pair to an all-in bet.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-to-use-when-playing-heads-up-poker.htm

Latest Poker News:

APT Macau Upcoming Events: APT Poker Room, Doyle Brunson Book Signing

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:04:00 -0700
Today promises to be a busy day as the Asian Poker Tour (APT) lands with a splash in Macau. The APT Macau event, the second leg of the 2008 Asian Poker Tournament, will run from August 27 through 31. But as players and fans descend...

Poker and Politics: The PPA and the Republican Platform

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:03:00 -0700
With the Republican National Convention just a week away, supporters of online gambling have turned their attention to two troubling sentences of the Republican Party's platform...

Online Poker Weekend: 'Ship Hamilton', 'NFrost_10' Big Winners

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:31:00 -0700
Another big weekend on the online poker circuit saw both the big tournaments just get by their published guarantee numbers. Both the big rooms proved they are psychic when it comes to knowing their user bases, and how to set their guarantees....

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
Amateur Models
no-limit poker | no-limit hold em

Are you ready to start winning at poker? Im going to show you how.

2008-08-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

The Idiot Approach

MYSTIC - Playing online poker can differ greatly from playing poker on the pro circuit. While on the pro circuit you can get to know the opponents you encounter quite well, and can study and adapt to their personal methods of play.

In online poker, however, the players you encounter will often differ greatly from day to day as new players enter the game. Many of
these players will lack skill at the game of poker, backing up bad hands with good money, while still others will be lurking at tables waiting to take advantage of these weaker players. You can take advantage of this
phenomenon by taking the idiot approach.

The idiot approach can give you great results when you're playing against the weak player or the player who wants to prey upon the weak. It involves putting good money behind bad hands when starting play, then suddenly switching gears to play a much more conservative game - more conservative, perhaps, than even your normal style of play. Basically you want the good players to think that you are a weak player, and the weak players to gain confidence after they win a few beefy pots.

This gambit will lose you money in the short run, but the potential for strong gains in the long run will be increased. If you can throw in a bit of money on a weak hand and play it until the hand is over, then unless you've accidentally bluffed your way to a win, your opponents will see your pocket cards and will notice that you are playing money on weak hands.

This could potentially persuade stronger opponents to start putting chips behind weaker hands, thinking that they've got pretty good
bets against your hands considering that you are playing weak poker. Meanwhile, the weaker opponents will start playing bigger money, thinking that they are on a lucky streak or sitting at a good table due to taking some early wins. At this point, however, you will have tightened your game and will only be playing your better hands.

This strategy is weak if you're playing against excellent opponents who notice right away that you have switched gears, or against opponents who play based on their hands and not based on the actions of the other players at their table. It's also a bad idea to gamble away too much money up front using this tactic - don't throw away so much money that getting those initial losses back becomes an insurmountable chore.

But against a table full of random players, a few badly placed bets here and there in the early hands can win you some good money on later deals.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/the-idiot-approach.htm

Latest Hold Em News:

Poker and Politics: The PPA and the Republican Platform

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:03:00 -0700
With the Republican National Convention just a week away, supporters of online gambling have turned their attention to two troubling sentences of the Republican Party's platform...

Online Poker Weekend: 'Ship Hamilton', 'NFrost_10' Big Winners

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:31:00 -0700
Another big weekend on the online poker circuit saw both the big tournaments just get by their published guarantee numbers. Both the big rooms proved they are psychic when it comes to knowing their user bases, and how to set their guarantees....

EPT Awards: 'Best Performance' Nominees Announced

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:20:00 -0700
The PokerStars.com European Poker Tour today released the names of the five finalists in the 'Best Performance' category, one of seven honors awarded as part of its upcoming EPT Awards ceremony in Barcelona on September 9th. The 'Best...

A PokerNews First – One ENTIRE Month of Daily Freerolls

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:19:00 -0700
September sizzles for all PokerNews players as we host at least one freeroll for every day of the month – that's a chance to go home a winner every single day in September!

Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
online poker | poker tips | poker stars

We have searched high and low to bring you these tips on online poker.

2008-08-24T18:54:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your online poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Online Poker Article

Phil Hellmuth's rap and hip hop

By Adam Johnson

His head was buried in the sleeve of his black jacket, his left arm extending toward the middle of the table. Listening to music from his Ipod, he decided to have some connection to the outside world, however disconnected to his present world it may have been.

Yet there was Phil Hellmuth, the self-proclaimed best hold-em player in the world, struggling with his short stack in the $1500 Pot-Limit tournament at the World Series of Poker.

If someone who couldn�t spell poker walked up to the table, they probably would have guessed this downtrodden man wasn�t much in the poker world.

How deceiving their deductions would have been.

Suddenly he sprouted to life and sought out myself, one of many media members in the Amazon Room near his table, to be his much needed set of ears.

�You want to hear about some hands, I�ll tell you about some hands,� said Hellmuth, the then ten time bracelet winner with an eagerness that made me wonder if I asked him a question.

After hearing how his A-A couldn�t beat seat 10�s A-6 and how his late position pre-flop raise was defended by a guy out of the blind with 6-high, it was quite clear that he felt like Peter Weber in a prestigious bowling tournament with bumper lanes. His skills just didn�t seem to translate and his frustration was visible if not tangible to those present.

Such is the life of a gifted tournament poker player on most days, when failure can last for months and someone with little experience can win a major tournament.

Seated to Hellmuth�s left was another short-chipped professional and good friend of Hellmuth�s, Gavin Smith.

Known as one of the most gregarious players on the tournament circuit, Smith was up to his usual antics at the table, taking a completely different route than Hellmuth.

Upon a request from the aforementioned seat 10, the main subject of Hellmuth�s diatribes, Smith grabbed Hellmuth�s Ipod and read the display, �Bad Boys for Life, P Diddy,� he said.

A poll wasn�t conducted at the time, but P Diddy didn�t exactly seem to be in Hellmuth�s �range� from reading the table�s body language. Seat 10 and a few other players chuckled and Smith told them that Phil is actually a big fan of rap and hip hop music.

Wearing black designer shoes that likely cost as much as the tournament entry and a black and yellow Ultimate Bet Hockey jersey, nothing about Hellmuth�s style screams hip-hop.

Perhaps in a giving mood after sending Hellmuth into a momentary tailspin, seat 10 sent his Ipod to Smith, who hooked it up to Hellmuth�s while his head was buried.

Hellmuth continued on as if nothing happened, and listened to a Kanye West song seat 10 doctored up for him.

Completely amused by the situation, Smith asked for my phone and took a picture of Hellmuth listening to the man�s Ipod. Smith organized that I send the picture to the man so his friends and kids could see Hellmuth listening to his Ipod.

A conversation about rap ensued between the two, exchanging similar tastes in music. Much like Hellmuth, Smith�s gears were stuck in neutral as well.

�If I get up to 20,000 chips, I�ll be dangerous,� he said, with a stack that was probably a third of that number.

After sheriffing (not a real word) a player who bet K-J on the turn and went all-in on the river on a paired board with all baby cards, Smith check called on both streets after betting the flop, revealing the best hand with a measly two-pair.

The busted player seemed shocked as did others at the table, that Smith knew his hand was good. To those familiar with Smith�s ability, the result seemed pretty standard.

Hellmuth busted within the next hour and Smith held true to his prediction, finishing 2nd in a field of 781 players.

They provided a contrast of playing styles and personalities in a time when chips were hard to come by for both, but as always, they are never short on entertainment value no matter what.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=phil-hellmuth-rap-and-hip-hop.html

Latest Online Poker News:

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

If you enjoy poker, we're sure you will enjoy some great casino games at a top online casino.
JackpotCity.com also offers you to learn more about games such as online blackjack
to increase your winnings.

The Other Side of the Felt #13 – Thoughts on Scotty Nguyen's HORSE Final Table

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:41:00 -0700
I received a barrage of emails and phone calls about the recently televised ESPN $50,000 H.O.R.S.E Tournament in which there was a lot of controversy over the actions of Scotty Nguyen and the reactions of....

Poker Room Review: Hard Rock Poker Lounge, Las Vegas, NV

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:10:00 -0700
The all-new 'Poker Lounge' at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada recently opened its doors to the public and we stopped by to see what the hype was all about....

Hoyt Corkins Las Vegas Home Robbed

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:52:00 -0700
Top poker player and two time WSOP bracelet winner Hoyt Corkins' Las Vegas home was broken into, and many of the veteran player's prize possessions were taken. Corkins, who is currently vacationing...

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
online poker | poker tips | poker stars

Anyone from beginner to expert poker players can benefit from these hold em strategies.

2008-08-22T22:37:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

Playing with Bubbles

By Garry Gates

After three long hours of play, you find yourself down to the last two tables of a poker tournament that started with just under 200 players. There are twenty players left, but only the top eighteen are rewarded. Not wanting to get knocked out �on the bubble,� or just outside the money, you notice that almost everyone at your table has tightened up their game. The exception is a player to your left who seems to be taking down pot after pot without even seeing a flop. He makes a standard raise of three times the big blind to which everyone folds, each time earning him the blinds and dead ante money, a decent chunk of change at this stage of the tournament. Before play started, this player had an average sized chip stack and now he�s the tournament chip leader, in position to make a big run at the final table.

Switching to an aggressive playing style when nearing the bubble in a multi-table tournament is an extremely effective method of padding your chip stack, in preparation for the final table. Truth be told, most players do not want to risk getting knocked out of a tournament after playing for hours when they�re just a couple of spots away from cashing. The fear of a bad beat or the possibility of running into a superior hand causes even the loosest of players to fold practically everything except aces or kings during this unique stage of the tournament. Throughout a poker tournament, you will make decisions based on an array of situations, rather than your cards and opponents. The decisions you make when approaching the bubble can mean the difference between first place money and just getting your buy-in back.

Changing your playing style to aggressive at this stage of a tournament carries as much risk as it does reward. You should practice selective aggression with your raises, being careful not to get involved with the tournament�s big stacks, or players you feel might be willing to come over the top of your attempted blind steal. Continue to make standard sized raises in position and try to avoid stealing when one or more players has limped into the pot before you; a limper here is often trying to set a trap with a premium hand.

Focus your pressure on tight players whose stacks are big enough that they will be able to fold their way into the money, but not so big that they can afford to challenge one of your raises without putting their entire stack in harm�s way. If one of these players does come over the top of your raise, do not hesitate to throw your hand away immediately. The possibility exists that he may have picked up on your aggressive assault and is simply making a play, but it is more likely that this player walked into a big hand and is making a stand.

Often times, when the bubble has been �popped,� or the last player before the money is eliminated, play will return to normal. Players will return to their regular playing styles, which means it�s time to put the brakes on your relentless aggression and resume solid poker. Before you attempt to apply this technique in a big tournament, consider your goals. If you�re content with just making the money, then by all means, conform with the masses and fold away. But if you�ve got your eye on the big prize, raise it up!

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=on-the-bubble.html

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

Hot Free Webcams
Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
free poker | free online poker

Looking for the best poker tips? You have come to the right place.

2008-08-20T02:42:00.001-07:00

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

Getting a look inside the mind of a professional poker player should prove a valuable resource to any aspirant. Author Brandon Adams is such a player; a high stakes online pro who�s managed to make final tables in both the WPT and WSOP Circuit. Broke, while not technically about him, is a novella drawn from his experience.

I say novella because the length of the book is 96 large print, small-sized pages. This is a one-day read, and as such probably isn�t worth the $10 asking price for the paper version. For half that though, one can retrieve the text online. For that price, Broke is a worthwhile investment as both educational and entertaining text.

Adams left me wanting more. His first person protagonist makes the same rounds as its author, traveling to major events at major casinos, winning or losing huge amounts in seconds online, experiencing the ups and downs that are part of the pro poker territory�even losing $3,200 on a phone call-induced misclick. We�ve all made that mistake at one point, but Adams� narrative allows us to feel the adrenal implosion of making it at the highest stakes. There�s more, but I don�t want to ruin the surprises.

For a first attempt, �Broke�s author shows a lot of promise. He writes from what he knows and weaves a precautionary tale in the process that paints no pictures about his profession. Parents, if your kids are playing poker professionally, get them to read this; the $5 will probably save them a lot more money down the road. If nothing else, it will show them where they�re going.

I�d go on, but this review would then be longer than the book. Brandon, make it longer next time. I wanted more.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=book-broke-poker-novel.html

Latest Poker News:

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

If you enjoy poker, we're sure you will enjoy some great casino games at a top online casino.
JackpotCity.com also offers you to learn more about games such as online blackjack
to increase your winnings.

Amateur Models
Mens Style
Play Better Poker
online poker tips | online poker strategies

This article will aid you in your quest to become better at hold em.

2008-08-18T17:10:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your hold em game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Online Poker Article

AK - The Misplayed Monster

Ace King � How To Play The Misplayed Monster

Tell me if this sounds familiar; �I can�t win with AK�, �I had big slick, I can�t believe you beat me with that!�, etc., etc. etc.

AK is a very strong hand, however it can and does get beginners in trouble. If I were to hazard a guess, I�d say that AK is the most misplayed hand in No-Limit Poker.

The Strength of AK
AK is a monster hand. According to Poker Room�s Expected Value (EV) calculator AK suited is the 5th strongest hand (behind AA, KK, QQ & JJ), and AK off-suit is the 7th strongest (behind TT).

There is absolutely no doubt that AK is a positive EV hand. That�s pretty much in line with what all the Poker books teach as well.

The strength of this hand is that when it hits, more often than not, you�re going to have the best hand. Of course there will be the suck outs even when it does hit, but that�s the nature of the game. Most of the time when you pair you�re Ace or King, you�ll go on to win the hand. The other thing that makes this hand strong is that when it doesn�t hit, it�s easy to get away from, or should be. I�ll touch on this more in a minute.

The Weakness of AK
AK is very pretty to look at, but it is still a drawing hand. If you don�t hit an Ace or King, you�ve just got Ace high. Unfortunately many new (and not so new) players get sucked in by its beauty and just can�t seem to let it go, even when it doesn�t hit. How many times have you seen a player call to the river and turn over and AK that didn�t hit?

Another weakness is that you�re mostly playing for top pair top kicker (TPTK). You can only make one straight and most of the time your flush draw won�t hit. Because of this, it�s not a hand that plays well against multiple players.

Pre-Flop
We�ve established the obvious, that AK is a big hand. We�ve also established that it�s lack of draws make it weaker against multiple players (but still strong enough to play). So this tells us that we need to raise with AK.

Until the game is heads up at the final table, see very few situations where limping with AK is justified. I understand the whole �mix up your game� theory, but save it for another hand. AK NEEDS to be raised or re-raised pre-flop.

With AK you will miss the flop 66% of the time (against 3 limpers), but on those hands where you hit, you want to be isolated as much as possible and you want the pot as big as possible. Let�s do the math.

I�m assuming equal bets to keep the math simple. If you limp with AK vs. three limpers you will win 4 Bets 33% of the time (ignoring post-flop). It costs you one bet each time, for a net 1 bet per 3 hands or 0.33 bets per hand.

By raising, 33% of the time you win 8 bets, costing you 2 bets each for a net of +2 bets per 3 hands or 0.66sb per hand. So, by not raising in this situation your EV per hand goes down by 0.33 bets.

This is obviously very simplistic and it doesn�t take into account the additional EV you get by folding your opponents, but it still illustrates the point. This is not a hand to limp with.

How to Play AK When It Hits
This is the easy part. BET IT! How much you bet is dependent on the texture of the flop of course. If there are draws that can hurt you, bet more. If there aren�t any obvious draws, bet what you need to and maximize your winnings. Easy, right?

How to Play AK When it Misses
I spent some time on pre-flop play, but frankly most of the problems players have with AK are not related to pre-flop play. They have a problem because when they miss the flop, they play it like they have a real hand instead of just Ace high. This is where players get into trouble.

So how should you play your AK if it misses? Well, it depends. (That�s the answer for most poker questions, isn�t it?) It depends on your position, number and type of opponents, and the exact texture of the flop, among other things. This is a fairly complex topic and there are no exact approaches, but there are some general rules that will save you some chips.

Please commit this to memory: Just because you raised pre-flop does not mean you are obligated to bet the flop.

A continuation bet (a flop bet following a pre-flop raise) is very powerful and should be used, but the situation has to be right. One thing to keep in mind is that you do not want to bet into a large field from early position.

With several players to act after you, generally the best approach is to check and either fold to a big bet or call a small bet if you have the odds to draw to your over cards and the texture of the flop is favorable. Mostly you�ll want to fold.

There are situations where you�ll want to bet. You want to bet your unimproved AK on the flop if any 2 of these conditions exist (#1 being the most important)

.1. You are up against 2 or less opponents (that are not calling stations!).

2. You are in late position and it is checked to you

3. The board is rainbow and uncoordinated

4. You have additional draws to go with your over cards

I�m sure there are other times when it would be smart to bet, but these are the general rules I follow (try to follow).

Don't get married to over cards. If they don�t hit on the flop, chances are, even if you hit, you�re going to be second best. Trying to push through several opponents with only over cards is a good way to lose a lot of chips. Remember, AK is profitable, in part, because it is easy to fold.

-jtd

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/AK-the-misplayed-monster-how-to-play-big-slick.htm

Latest Online Poker News:

Poker News Bytes, August 17, 2008

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:15:00 -0700
PartyPoker's recurring bad beat jackpot paid off in a big way on Thursday evening when the prize find climbed to $1,013,381.63, a new record for an online poker jackpot, before being hit. German player 'Judith75' had the losing...

Hollywood Poker all set with two PNC Australia packages

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:01:00 -0700
Hollywood Poker's two upcoming PokerNews Cup Australia Freerolls give players the chance to compete for entry to Australia's most anticipated poker event, plus entries to qualifiers for other major poker tourneys…

Inside the Tour, Vol. 96: Punta del Este 2008

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700
The landscape is beautiful, the site a delightful choice; if only I spoke Spanish I would be in heaven! Well, I likely wouldn't lose with kings to queens on the river and be writing this story if I was in heaven...

Poker Room Review: Arizona Charlie's Decatur Casino & Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:23:00 -0700
I played at Arizona Charlie's on Decatur during my most recent trip to Las Vegas, during the World Series of Poker. I had decided to go to the poker rooms that were off the beaten track. Anything in North Las Vegas, as Arizona Charlie's...

PartyPoker's 'Poker Den' Promises 36-Hour Marathon Session

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:45:00 -0700
PartyPoker and Matchroom Sport have announced the latest edition of their popular 'Poker Den' series. 'PartyPoker.com Poker Den: The Big Game III' is set to film in London on September 30th and October 1st, 2008, and promises to draw...

Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
online poker strategies | poker

Consider this article on online poker. The techniques will make you a better player.

2008-08-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of online poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Poker Article

The Idiot Approach

MYSTIC - Playing online poker can differ greatly from playing poker on the pro circuit. While on the pro circuit you can get to know the opponents you encounter quite well, and can study and adapt to their personal methods of play.

In online poker, however, the players you encounter will often differ greatly from day to day as new players enter the game. Many of
these players will lack skill at the game of poker, backing up bad hands with good money, while still others will be lurking at tables waiting to take advantage of these weaker players. You can take advantage of this
phenomenon by taking the idiot approach.

The idiot approach can give you great results when you're playing against the weak player or the player who wants to prey upon the weak. It involves putting good money behind bad hands when starting play, then suddenly switching gears to play a much more conservative game - more conservative, perhaps, than even your normal style of play. Basically you want the good players to think that you are a weak player, and the weak players to gain confidence after they win a few beefy pots.

This gambit will lose you money in the short run, but the potential for strong gains in the long run will be increased. If you can throw in a bit of money on a weak hand and play it until the hand is over, then unless you've accidentally bluffed your way to a win, your opponents will see your pocket cards and will notice that you are playing money on weak hands.

This could potentially persuade stronger opponents to start putting chips behind weaker hands, thinking that they've got pretty good
bets against your hands considering that you are playing weak poker. Meanwhile, the weaker opponents will start playing bigger money, thinking that they are on a lucky streak or sitting at a good table due to taking some early wins. At this point, however, you will have tightened your game and will only be playing your better hands.

This strategy is weak if you're playing against excellent opponents who notice right away that you have switched gears, or against opponents who play based on their hands and not based on the actions of the other players at their table. It's also a bad idea to gamble away too much money up front using this tactic - don't throw away so much money that getting those initial losses back becomes an insurmountable chore.

But against a table full of random players, a few badly placed bets here and there in the early hands can win you some good money on later deals.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/the-idiot-approach.htm

Latest Poker News:

PPA Announces Fundraiser for Paralyzed Veterans at DNC

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:46:00 -0700
The Poker Players Alliance has announced a fundraiser to be held at Coors Field in Denver, amid the hoopla surrounding the Democratic National Convention held in that city later this month. The August 26th event will be called 'Poker...

FTOPS IX, Event #12: Ben 'bmf823' Fineman Captures Short-handed Title

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:48:00 -0700
FTOPS IX Event #12 attracted a field of 1,405 players to the $1,000+60 six-max NLHE affair, generating a prize pool of $1,500,000 and a winner's share of $300,000. With so much talent and skill in the field, there were several big...

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Play Better Poker
Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
free poker | free online poker | poker tricks

Here are some useful strategies to assist you in becomming a better Texas Hold Em player.

2008-08-11T06:39:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Texas Hold Em Article

ADVANTAGES OF TIGHT vs. LOOSE GAMES

The makeup of a no-limit hold�em game can vary greatly from table to table depending on the lineup of players in each setting. Oftentimes, only the addition of one reckless player can cause the entire game to change from a relatively tight and conservative match to one in which all the players begin to loosen up and the chips start flying in an attempt to win the money of the reckless player. Here are some characteristics of tight and loose games:

Tight

A raise often takes the blinds, or a continuation bet after the flop takes the pot if the pre-flop bet is called.
Players aren�t willing to put much money into the pot with even relatively strong hands such as A-Q or 10-10.
Big pots rarely develop due to the lack of contestants, and bluffs are usually effective because the pots aren�t worth fighting over.
Loose

Raises are usually called, as are significant re-raises.
Players are willing to put a lot of money into the pot with mediocre hands such as K-J or 5-5.
Big pots are commonplace, as are big bluffs, which are generally less successful than bluffs in loose games but are worth much more when they do work.
So what are the advantages of each type of game? First and foremost, you�d much rather be playing in a loose game because you can play very selectively and be more likely to get paid off on your big hands. But to be successful in a loose no-limit hold�em game, you must have a lot of heart because there are going to be some tricky situations when you are facing a big bet. If you can learn to figure out who�s bluffing and who�s not and have the courage to act on your convictions, you will do very well in loose games. And on the flip side, you�ll have to figure out when to pull your own well-timed bluff to rake in some pots yourself.

On the other hand, tight games also have their advantages. In these games, an aggressive player can steal a lot of small pots. This strategy is most effective in games with decent blinds. If you�re playing $1-$2 there�s not much in the pot to steal, but if it�s a tight $2-$5 or $5-$10 game, then there�s more worth going after. Make your standard raise of 2.5 to 3 times the big blind and you�ll take a lot of pots. Those not won pre-flop can usually be obtained on the flop with a standard continuation bet of half to two-third the pot size.

Players in tight games also tend to play more straightforward. You�ll face far fewer check-raise bluffs than you would in loose games. When someone pushes back with a check raise or re-raise in a tight game, it�s best to let your mediocre hands go.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=advantage-of-tight-vs-loose-games.html

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

If you enjoy poker, we're sure you will enjoy some great casino games at a top online casino.
JackpotCity.com also offers you to learn more about games such as online blackjack
to increase your winnings.

FTOPS IX, Event #10: 'Harlindo' Takes $1.5M Guaranteed

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:09:00 -0700
FTOPS IX Event #10 drew 4,985 entrants to the $300+22 no-limit hold'em event, with a total prize pool of a guaranteed $1,500,000. Full Tilt pros Scott Clements and Paul Sexton made the money, but it was Josh Arieh with far and away...

Harrah's Bottom Line Still Hampered by Debt

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:15:00 -0700
Considering that 2008 has been a challenging year for the casino industry thus far, Harrah's Entertainment did a good job managing its top line. In its second quarter 2008 results, Harrah's revenues were down only 3.7% for the quarter...

Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
Play Better Golf
no-limit poker | no-limit hold em

Poker can be intimidating. Here are some strategies to improve your overall game.

2008-08-09T04:55:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Poker Article

Tournament Poker and Cash Game Poker: A Two-headed Monster - Part 2

by Gary Gates

�Should I fold and wait for a better spot to put all my chips at risk? With only 50 players left to the money, do I have enough chips to survive the blinds and antes? How long until the blinds go up? Which players at my table are susceptible to getting eaten up by the blinds? Which players can I steal blinds from?�

When we left part I, we began to consider the additional factors a tournament poker player must consider within his or her decision-making process. These �special� circumstances often call for special action. A player might make one play in a cash game that he would never even consider in a tournament, and vice versa.

The unique decision-making processes required of these two very different brands of poker are necessitated by the manner in which profit is earned in each type. Cash games reward players instantly, as every pot pushed your way comes in the form of legal tender that you can walk away with at any time. In other words, a player can sit down at a cash game, double up on the first hand, put his chips back in the rack and proceed to the cashier with his newfound wealth. Though I do not recommend this method, as it won�t earn you many friends at the table, no one is going to stop you. (Who needs friends at the poker table anyway, right?)

Tournaments, however, reward only the top few participants who are able to outlast the masses. Described by many as marathons that call for hours of intense boredom, speckled with a few moments of sheer terror, poker tournaments require a great amount of time and patience. In a tournament that pays the top ten players, 100th place pays exactly as much as eleventh: nothing. Therefore, major decisions within the game are heavily influenced by the size of players� chip stacks, the number of players remaining, and the size of your own stack relative to the blinds. Before you take tenth, you have to guarantee yourself eleventh, and that fact is what makes survival a tournament player�s number one priority.

Cash games, because of their static blinds and the option to buy more chips at any time, tend to suit more conservative poker players. The never-increasing blinds allow them to sit back and wait for big hands with which they hope to win massive pots. Tournament play forces aggression to some extent, as the blinds and antes are constantly on the rise. The track records of Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar and Johnny Chan are prime examples of the kind of success that can come from aggressive tournament play.

Which brand of poker should you play? First consider the style of poker that comes most naturally to you. Do you tend to play passive or aggressive? Are you the kind of player that can recognize the multitude of situations that will be presented to you throughout a poker tournament and adapt your play accordingly, or do you feel more comfortable playing the player rather than the cards and situation? Be sure to try your hand at both and know the differences between the two before you decide which is right for you.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=tournament-poker-cash-game-poker-part-2.html

Latest Poker News:

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

If you enjoy poker, we're sure you will enjoy some great casino games at a top online casino.
JackpotCity.com also offers you to learn more about games such as online blackjack
to increase your winnings.

Guilty Pleas for Three Minor Defendants in BetOnSports Case

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:32:00 -0700
The federal case against people connected with former US-facing sportsbook site BetOnSports moved forward with the acceptance of guilty pleas from three relatively minor defendants on Wednesday. The three Florida defendants...

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool

Are you ready to improve your hold em game? Its time to get started...

2008-08-07T05:56:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

Getting a look inside the mind of a professional poker player should prove a valuable resource to any aspirant. Author Brandon Adams is such a player; a high stakes online pro who�s managed to make final tables in both the WPT and WSOP Circuit. Broke, while not technically about him, is a novella drawn from his experience.

I say novella because the length of the book is 96 large print, small-sized pages. This is a one-day read, and as such probably isn�t worth the $10 asking price for the paper version. For half that though, one can retrieve the text online. For that price, Broke is a worthwhile investment as both educational and entertaining text.

Adams left me wanting more. His first person protagonist makes the same rounds as its author, traveling to major events at major casinos, winning or losing huge amounts in seconds online, experiencing the ups and downs that are part of the pro poker territory�even losing $3,200 on a phone call-induced misclick. We�ve all made that mistake at one point, but Adams� narrative allows us to feel the adrenal implosion of making it at the highest stakes. There�s more, but I don�t want to ruin the surprises.

For a first attempt, �Broke�s author shows a lot of promise. He writes from what he knows and weaves a precautionary tale in the process that paints no pictures about his profession. Parents, if your kids are playing poker professionally, get them to read this; the $5 will probably save them a lot more money down the road. If nothing else, it will show them where they�re going.

I�d go on, but this review would then be longer than the book. Brandon, make it longer next time. I wanted more.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=book-broke-poker-novel.html

Latest Poker News:

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Play Better Golf
Find Local Ladies
no-limit poker | no-limit hold em | free poker

This Texas Hold Em article has tips and strategies to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-08-03T06:22:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Hold Em Article

Table Image - Part 2

by Gary Gates

There are two main ways to use table image to your advantage at the poker table; either by making decisions based on another players� perception of you, or making decisions based on your perception of your opponent. The latter is most commonly exploited by getting a clear idea of your opponents� style of play and then playing the opposite way.

For example, if you sit down at a table and find that the majority of your adversaries see a lot of flops and are constantly betting and raising, playing the role of a tight and somewhat passive player would prove profitable. As your opponents busy themselves with trying to outbet each other, you are patiently waiting for the most opportune moment to strike and fire back with a check raise on the river that takes them by surprise. You should also be aware that the more perceptive players may have already picked up on your tactics and will be hesitant to give you action when you do enter a pot. Therefore it might be a good idea to try and see a couple of cheap flops with marginal hands in order to disguise your strategy. Just don�t get too attached if you do end up catching a small piece of the flop.

You can also use table image to attack opponents individually. If you�ve pegged someone a tight passive player and find yourself heads-up against them, you may be able to steal the pot with an extra bet or raise if you sense the slightest bit of weakness. Be wary, however, if you do make this play and your opponent surprises you with a call or comes over the top of your raise � now he means business.

Being able to recognize your own table image is essential to making it work to your favor. Try to keep track of the number of flops you see, the frequency with which you raise, the kinds of hands your opponents have seen you expose and everything in between. You should also listen for clues directly from your opponents as to how they view your play. If you�re playing tight, you�ll often hear someone say �I�ll have to remember to get out of your way when you play a hand.� If you�ve been raising and being the aggressor, someone might say �imagine that, another raise.� All of these comments are clues that can help give you a better concept of your own table image.

Let�s assume you�re playing a loose aggressive style and your opponents have clearly picked up on it. Ideally, now you should change gears and wait for a premium hand while your opponents still have you pegged as a maniac. When you�re finally dealt a pair of aces or kings, play them exactly the same way you played to earn your reputation, by betting and raising, and you�re bound to get some extra action on the hand. Conversely, if you�ve been playing a tight game and haven�t seen many flops, use your conservative image to make a couple of bluffs. Opponents are much more likely to respect a bet from someone who�s played fewer pots than everyone else.

Remember, the minute you sit down at that table they�ll be watching you. Watch right back. Know your opponents, know your own table image, disguise your strategy and �play the man� accordingly.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=table-image-part-2.html

Latest Hold Em News:

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

Play Better Poker
Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
no-limit poker | no-limit hold em | free poker

This great article contains great online poker tips as well as news items.

2008-07-22T04:16:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing online poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Online Poker Article

Avoiding Draw Poker

By Bill Ricardi

I�m going to be brief this week. This is a comment on sites bringing the wonder of draw poker into the realm of online play.

I frankly see no reason to play draw poker online. The entire point of draw poker is playing with a LACK of public information. All you have to determine your actions are the number of cards drawn and the bets being made. There are no community cards. There are no exposed cards.

Why would you want to play a game that is based mainly on tells online; where reads are difficult if not impossible? Without tells, after the basic odds tables are figured out, the game is somewhat boring on one hand, somewhat of a craps shoot on the other.

Some might claim that playing their own cards and analysis of betting patterns is enough to take online draw poker out of the realm of lottery play. Maybe. But why play a bad version of a good game, when there are so many good versions of good games already available to the online poker playing community?

I never play games just because they�re �good enough�. They have to give me an edge, and they have to be worth my time and effort. There will be very, very few people who will be able to get a significant edge playing draw poker online, and even fewer who will be properly rewarded for their time and effort.

In short: I won�t be jumping on the draw poker train, just to entertain the nostalgia of playing at the kitchen table with the family. I�d rather play Razz. And that�s saying a lot!

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=avoiding-draw-poker.html

Latest Online Poker News:

Poker Room Review: Texas Station, North Las Vegas, NV

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:58:00 -0700
Texas Station is part of the Station casino chain. These used to be limited to the large and boxy casinos in the Las Vegas area that included Boulder Station, Sunset Station, Palace Station, and Fiesta. But in the last few years...

BETonSports Defense Arguments Dismissed in Federal Case

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:18:00 -0700
Several defense arguments brought forth within motions to dismiss by numerous BETonSports defendants in the federal US case against the online firm's principals were dismissed on Friday in St. Louis by Mary Ann Medler, the US magistrate...

Poker News Bytes: July 18, 2008

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0700
Officials closed down a central Indiana business where patrons are alleged to have played poker for money, contrary to that state's law. Authorities targeted the Hold 'Em House, in Tipton, 30 miles north of Indianapolis, stating that...

Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
casino poker | no-limit poker | no-limit hold em

No matter what your level of play, these hold em strategies will make you better.

2008-07-20T18:57:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Texas Hold Em Article

To go or not to go all in ? that is the question

By Johnny Kampis

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So goes a Chinese proverb that is also an apt description of the beginning of a poker tournament.

Consider starting with 1,500 chips in a tournament with 100 people. In order to win the tournament, you must have 150,000 chips in the end. When you think about it like that it seems almost an unfathomable task, an attempt to climb Mt. Everest. But somebody?s got to do it.

I?ve found over time that I tend to do better at live tournaments than those I play online. At first, I thought it was maybe because I was good at reading people, which is impossible to do online, but then I realized it was something else. When you play online, it?s always easy to see what the average chip count is among the players remaining in the tournament and it can be easy to panic if you are far below the average. I tend to start pushing all in with hands I shouldn?t play or in situations in which I should probably fold.

But when you?re playing live, there is no screen to tell you where you stand against the rest of the field. You can do some calculations in your head to figure out about where you stand, but there?s no number constantly in front of you telling you that.

Just as patience is key in a regular ring game of poker, it?s also key when you have a below average stack in a tournament. Consider that the average stack in a tournament you are playing is 10,000. You have 5,000 and the blinds are 200 and 400. You are well below average, but you aren?t a short stack yet. You don?t have to push all in when you raise. It gives you time to wait on a quality hand before making a move, and if you can double up once you are back to average.

I played a tournament at Binion?s in Las Vegas this summer in which I was a below average stack nearly the entire event, but I stayed patient and was able to get good hands on which to double up on. Finally, when I got to the final table I caught hand after hand and ended up winning the tournament. Had I hurriedly pushed all in earlier in the affair with a less than premium hand and lost I wouldn?t have given myself a chance to catch the hands I was dealt later.

It?s better to pass up a so-so opportunity now in order to get a much better opportunity later. Otherwise, you?ll never get to climb Mt. Everest.

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

McDermott Introduces Bill to Raise $40B via Online-Gambling Taxation

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:34:00 -0700
Congressman James McDermott (D-WA) has taken a second stab at creating a federal revenue/tax-generating mechanism for online gambling with the introduction of his 'Investing in our Human Resources Act of 2008.' Formally designated as HR 6061...

World Poker Tour Moves to Fox Sports Net

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:40:00 -0700
PokerNews has learned that World Poker Tour Enterprises and FOX Sports Net will soon announce an agreement that will bring Season VII of the long-running series to FSN on Sunday nights. According to sources close to the deal...

New Mexico Poker Tournament Kicks off Simmering Indian Affairs Legal Battle

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:05:00 -0700
A poker tournament held in late June at a New Mexico Indian casino unlicensed by that state, operated by Oklahoma's Fort Sill Apache tribe, may, as planned for the tribe, result in a legal battle over the tribe's stated casino plans...

Inside the Tour, Vol. 94: Seniors Tournaments

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:07:00 -0700
There has to be a lot of equity in playing in events where the players are falling asleep at the table, showing cards, and falling out of their wheelchairs. Or so one would think. But I've played well over 30 senior events in poker and have...

Carbon Poker get on board with huge PokerNews Cup Australia Freerolls!

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:26:00 -0700
One of the first few rooms to host freerolls to the 2008 PokerNews Cup Australia – Carbon Poker host five in the coming months exclusively for PokerNews players…

Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts
casino poker | no-limit poker

With these hold em techniques you will improve your game dramatically.

2008-07-18T07:58:00.001-07:00

This Online Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

Communication Devices at the Table

By: Jameson Singer

You�re sitting at the desk in your bedroom playing a multi-table tournament on the computer. Hidden behind the virtual tournament table, a browser is showing your e-mail. Instant messenger is signed on with at least three different conversations taking place. These tend to consist of poker talk with a friend, a casual conversation with a relative, and in most cases you�re also trying to hit on that girl you met a couple nights back. The stereo is playing your favorite type of music or a beat that fits your mood(Heavy Metal for tilt and perhaps Enya if you have a big stack). A cell phone sits in your left hand as you await the arrival of a text message.

ESPN is cemented on the television, although during the 5-minute tournament breaks every hour, the �input� button on the remote is clicked, and you commence playing a video game(probably Halo, Madden, or Guitar Hero) that was on pause.

In any language and in any country, this has been typical for the online poker player since the game introduced itself to the computer screen. During this advanced technological age, however, these multi-tasking while multi-tabling ways have crossed the river, turn, and flop and landed in the live game.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)- Distractibility to heightened distraction by irrelevant sights and sounds or carelessness and inability to carry simple tasks to completion.(Dictionary.com) Even on the internet, the early stages of a multi-table tournament can be excessively boring. In a live tournament where the play is twice as slow, the boredom tends to get twice as large. Walking by the poker tables at the Rio during this year�s WSOP, the attempts to counter ADHD are extremely palpable.

From books and magazines to video IPods and cell phones that do everything except help you use the bathroom, it�s all here. At first glance it almost reads like an ad for your local electronic store. In this day and age, however, these products are viewed as common items at the poker table. Players take varying approaches in order to stay occupied in between hands. For two-time bracelet winner Eric Froelich, texting is the way to go.

�I basically spend every tournament, all tournament, texting the entire time�if I try to focus too much on one thing, whether it was school work or now poker, my mind will start to drift.� Froelich says. The ideal thought of texting at the table is that its� poker related, but for many players that just isn�t the case. Often times the topic of poker is the last thing discussed. �Absolutely never about poker, except if I�m down to no chips and I�ll let my roommates know that I�m calling soon.� Froelich adamantly explains. This approach, however, changes for him later on in tournaments.

�I use an IPod from time to time when it gets real late�especially because everybody I hang out with lives on the east coast. When you play until 2 a.m. here, its already 5 a.m. there and everybody�s asleep.�

With many online players making the transition to the live game, it�s no surprise these devices are becoming more evident at the WSOP. Everybody who plays online is used to having access to various media outlets while playing and it�s something they�ve grown comfortable with. Chris �MarvinGarden� Birchby, a professional online player who has made the transition, is used to multi-tasking while playing.

� I�m either streaming music or I�ve got a television in my poker room that I�ll have on sometimes. I�ll even be playing on my laptop while I�m helping my wife cook�so this is a lot more concentration than I�m used to.� Birchby describes the online playing environment.

For a couple years now, use of the cell phone along with listening to music have been a common theme. As the technology continues to move forward, more aspects of entertainment have also been able to reach the poker rooms. Professional poker player Brett Jungblut, also known as �Gank� online, goes farther than just listening to music while in a tournament.

�I do have a video IPod that I use to watch some Aqua Teen Hunger Force.� Jungblut grins. The range of devices doesn�t stop at Frylock, Meatwad, and Master Shake(ATHF characters). Phil Laak has introduced video games to poker. During several WSOP tournaments in 2007, Laak has been seen playing Grand Theft Auto on his PlayStation Portable. In another case, a player was watching a past WSOP event on his IPod and one of the players was presently sitting at his table. With more and more players bringing different devices to the table, the question as to whether or not it takes away from the purity of the game has come into discussion.

One of the main aspects of live play that differs from online play is the ability to see the person you�re at the table with and interact with him or her. Listening to music, using the cell phone, and watching videos during tournaments can interfere with this interaction. Although Birchby says it�s harder to concentrate without the media outlets he�s used to, he still enjoys not having anything at the table because he�s able to talk to other players.

�I�ve made some great contacts and met a lot of nice people�right now, I enjoy that aspect of it.� Birchby attests.

Engaging a player at the table during play has always been an intricate part of live poker. Some players feel that without it, it can take away from the wholesomeness of the game. In some instances, a player with headphones on can be confused as to what an opponent says during a hand. If a player announces �Raise� but just throws the amount of the original bet in(which occasionally happens), controversy about the hand can ensue. More important than this, however, is the threat of cheating through these cell phones and other devices.

Two friends decide to play in the same online multi-table tournament. During the early stages of the tournament, each of them plays their own game and has little communication with the other. As the tournament progresses, both have been able to build decent stacks. The tournament pays 45 spots. Fortunately for the two friends, the number of tables is reduced to 6 and they find themselves at the same table. Let the cheating begin.

Not only are the friends telling each other their hole cards every hand, but they�ve been able to dump chips to each other when one of them is getting short-stacked. �Ok. Just raise me the minimum and I�ll push all-in. You can just fold and I�ll be able to cash in this tournament.� The friend with fewer chips explains the plan to his friend. The two of them continually communicate and sometimes dump chips until the money is finally reached. This causes somebody who�s playing the tournament straight up to miss out on a tournament cash.

This scenario is something that has the potential to translate to the live arena. Perhaps not in the sense of two friends sitting at the same table together, but a friend on the rail relaying information to a player is a distinct possibility. Although the WSOP has seen no incidents on record, tournament directors have unanimously agreed that they must prevent anything from happening.
Rules 82 and 83 of the 2007 WSOP clearly address this issue. Rule 82 regards the use of cell phones during play. �Any player on the cell phone or texting a message when the dealer delivers the first card from the deck will have a dead hand.� Although texting at the table is allowed between hands, talking on a cell phone must be done away from the table. Rule 83 states that once players enter the money of a tournament, no electronic devices are to be used. WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla discusses the restrictions.

�We don�t want to have to make it so draconian that players can�t enjoy music or can�t enjoy the tournament, however, when you reach the money, the decisions are more important so therefore, we put more restrictions in place.� Dalla explains.

The main goal of the WSOP is to safeguard the game, but not go overboard. Technology has forced poker to evolve and the WSOP understands this. It�s most important task, however, is protecting the honor of the game.
�While I think that most people are certainly honest, you never know what element might be out there.� Dalla continues. �Especially with so much money at stake, who knows what kind of technology could exist that would compromise the integrity of this game.�

Professional players and amateurs alike have split feelings about these rules. Some feel communication between players at the table is an aspect of poker that needs to stay and be included during play. Others feel that the rules are over the top and if somebody wants to listen to music while in the money, they should be allowed to do so. For the time being, the poker world doesn�t seem to be drifting to one side or the other.

Whether you�re for or against multi-tasking while multi-tabling, technology will continue to affect poker. Players will continue to keep themselves occupied no matter what method that may be. So for now, play your own game(this could mean Grand Theft Auto or poker) and try to adapt to this new generation of cards.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=Online-Poker-Pro-Magazine.html

Latest Online Poker News:

2008 WSOP $10,000 NLHE World Championship, Day 7: Dennis Phillips Maintains Lead, Heads ...

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700
6,844 players started the 2008 WSOP Championship for the second largest field in WSOP history. After a long and grueling Day 7, there were nine. Dennis Phillips had the lead going into Day 7, and when the last chip was counted...

Sun, Fun & a Potential $100,000 PokerRoom Sponsorship Deal!

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:59:00 -0700
Don't forget PokerRoom's qualifier freeroll for a place on the luxurious Poker Villa in Spain – among other things, a $100,000 sponsorship deal is up for grabs…

US Trade Delegation Arrives in Antigua to Discuss Online Gambling Differences

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:58:00 -0700
The on-again, off-again talks between the United States and Antigua & Barbuda, regarding their impasse over the offering of online-gambling services to American residents, is undergoing another round of face-to-face discussions...

Amateur Models
Mens Style
Play Better Poker
poker tricks | winning poker | online poker tips

This is one of the very best poker articles I have ever come across.

2008-07-16T19:30:00.001-07:00

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

Getting a look inside the mind of a professional poker player should prove a valuable resource to any aspirant. Author Brandon Adams is such a player; a high stakes online pro who�s managed to make final tables in both the WPT and WSOP Circuit. Broke, while not technically about him, is a novella drawn from his experience.

I say novella because the length of the book is 96 large print, small-sized pages. This is a one-day read, and as such probably isn�t worth the $10 asking price for the paper version. For half that though, one can retrieve the text online. For that price, Broke is a worthwhile investment as both educational and entertaining text.

Adams left me wanting more. His first person protagonist makes the same rounds as its author, traveling to major events at major casinos, winning or losing huge amounts in seconds online, experiencing the ups and downs that are part of the pro poker territory�even losing $3,200 on a phone call-induced misclick. We�ve all made that mistake at one point, but Adams� narrative allows us to feel the adrenal implosion of making it at the highest stakes. There�s more, but I don�t want to ruin the surprises.

For a first attempt, �Broke�s author shows a lot of promise. He writes from what he knows and weaves a precautionary tale in the process that paints no pictures about his profession. Parents, if your kids are playing poker professionally, get them to read this; the $5 will probably save them a lot more money down the road. If nothing else, it will show them where they�re going.

I�d go on, but this review would then be longer than the book. Brandon, make it longer next time. I wanted more.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=book-broke-poker-novel.html

Latest Poker News:

Will the WSOP Stem the Losses on the Strip?

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:25:00 -0700
Prior to Harrah's acquisition of the WSOP, the Las Vegas tournament was held in the spring. Harrah's shifted the large-drawing event closer to the summer, a traditionally slow period for the desert gaming locale. But with a sluggish...

888.com Qualifier lounges by the pool on Day 3 of his WSOP Main Event

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:01:00 -0700
888.com Qualifier misses Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event, but still manages to go home with $21,300 in prize winnings and a WSOP cash to his name...

California Moves Closer to Intrastate Online Poker

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700
The bill by California Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) which would lead to the legalization of intrastate online poker in California has cleared a significant legislative hurdle and is on its way to the Senate Appropriations...

2008 WSOP $10,000 NLHE World Championship, Day 7: Dennis Phillips Maintains Lead, Heads ...

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700
6,844 players started the 2008 WSOP Championship for the second largest field in WSOP history. After a long and grueling Day 7, there were nine. Dennis Phillips had the lead going into Day 7, and when the last chip was counted...

Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
no-limit poker | no-limit hold em | free poker

Winning strategies to improve your poker game.

2008-07-14T05:57:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Online Poker Article

BOOK REVIEW: JOHNNY HUGHES' "TEXAS POKER WISDOM"

by Gary Wise

When I got into this gig a few years ago, it wasn�t for my love of the interactions of cards. For me, it was the players of the games we love who fascinated me, a result of a childhood spent in the company of game players providing shelter for other game players. My dad was the constant host to game night.

Of all the games and cultures that accompany them, none is richer than that of poker. For 150 years this game has been played, but the people and their constant maneuvering were as much a part of the color as the results. It was the stories of cowboys and mobsters, riverboat gamblers and railroad tycoons that kept my eyes wide, and every nugget of that Americana was a morsel to be nourished.

You do enough reading and the stories overlap. You start stumbling upon different renditions of the same stories, or worse yet, poorly-written versions, and you start to realize you�ve been there, done that and that the original story-tellers -- the guys who were there-- are a fading breed whose oral history is soon to be completely devoured by some form of pop culture-broken telephone that will forever tarnish the truth.

Fortunately, we�re not there yet. I can say this with conviction because I�ve just finished reading �Texas Poker Wisdom� a new novel by Johnny Hughes, a man who�s fought the poker wars and lived to tell about it. For anyone out there who yearns for the ways of old and �more importantly�the ways of the truth, it�s a book that should be read, as much for entertainment as for education.

�Wisdom� starts out slowly, much like the game it focuses on. It forces you to endure patiently as you get the background on its protagonists Matt and Dylan O�Malley. Matt, a character based on the author, is the old school grinder, a poker player who�s survived the tough times. The beneficiary of a new, unfamiliar monthly stipend, he finds himself living in a secure environment he�s unaccustomed to. It�s comfortable, but for a man of action, it leaves the distinct feeling of restlessness in everything he does. He needs a new adventure.

Dylan, meanwhile, is the young hotshot internet type you�d find behind half the monitors in the world nowadays. He�s young, cocky and confident, thanks in large part to a fast, easily-earned success that�s left him thinking the world is his oyster, evidenced by the quarter-million dollar bankroll he�s built up in next to no time at all.

The story starts when the two protagonists meet for the first time in almost two decades. Dylan acts with the indifference of his generation, while Matt behaves according to the caution of his own. Slowly, bridges are built, using poker as the brick and mortar on which they connect. To tell you much more would be to ruin the story.

There are lessons to be learned here. They are lessons in the game�s shady history, with the author drawing on his own experience as a soldier in Boss Bill Boyd�s army of poker scams and shenanigans. They are lessons of the peril of a damsel in distress; lessons in the pitfalls of �the life� and how to avoid them; how to turn every dollar into two and how to avoid turning every two into zero.

There�s good writing here too. Hughes draws upon the colorful colloquialisms of the title regions and colors them more with witty one-liners from his own repertoire. Simple sentences like �What stays in Vegas is a sucker�s money� left my jaw hanging in admiration over how much could be communicated through what�s an obvious line in hindsight.

Texas Poker Wisdom isn�t without its flaws. Hughes needs a better editor (the word �quiet� was spelled Q-U-I-T-E three times that I saw) and the narrative has a distinctive ADD feel in the early goings, but slogging through the mud is worth the wait. Poker is often described as hours of boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror, and the deeper you get into the book, the less you get of the former and more you get of the latter.

You don�t need to be a poker player to appreciate Texas Poker Wisdom�s lessons in life, but it helps if you want to get the maximum enjoyment out of every tension filled hand. Call this a hearty recommendation to read this book, and to stick with it when you think about putting it down.

Gary Wise

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=book-texas-poker-wisdom.html

Latest Online Poker News:

Irish Government Study Eyes Online Gambling Market

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:43:00 -0700
A government study released by Ireland's Casino Committee on Thursday recommends the reworking of outdated gambling laws and suggests that the country could profit by regulating and thereby entering more fully the online gambling market...

2008 WSOP $10,000 NLHE Championship, Day 3: Cash Reached, Jeremy Joseph Leads

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:07:00 -0700
For the first time since the WSOP Championship began on July 3rd, the $64-million-plus prize pool was in sight. The combined field for Day 3 of the WSOP Championship started with 1,307 players, and with payouts starting for 666th place...

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
online poker | poker tips | poker stars

Looking for the best poker tips? You have come to the right place.

2008-07-12T12:33:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Online Poker Article

Tournament Poker and Cash Game Poker: A Two-headed Monster - Part 2

by Gary Gates

�Should I fold and wait for a better spot to put all my chips at risk? With only 50 players left to the money, do I have enough chips to survive the blinds and antes? How long until the blinds go up? Which players at my table are susceptible to getting eaten up by the blinds? Which players can I steal blinds from?�

When we left part I, we began to consider the additional factors a tournament poker player must consider within his or her decision-making process. These �special� circumstances often call for special action. A player might make one play in a cash game that he would never even consider in a tournament, and vice versa.

The unique decision-making processes required of these two very different brands of poker are necessitated by the manner in which profit is earned in each type. Cash games reward players instantly, as every pot pushed your way comes in the form of legal tender that you can walk away with at any time. In other words, a player can sit down at a cash game, double up on the first hand, put his chips back in the rack and proceed to the cashier with his newfound wealth. Though I do not recommend this method, as it won�t earn you many friends at the table, no one is going to stop you. (Who needs friends at the poker table anyway, right?)

Tournaments, however, reward only the top few participants who are able to outlast the masses. Described by many as marathons that call for hours of intense boredom, speckled with a few moments of sheer terror, poker tournaments require a great amount of time and patience. In a tournament that pays the top ten players, 100th place pays exactly as much as eleventh: nothing. Therefore, major decisions within the game are heavily influenced by the size of players� chip stacks, the number of players remaining, and the size of your own stack relative to the blinds. Before you take tenth, you have to guarantee yourself eleventh, and that fact is what makes survival a tournament player�s number one priority.

Cash games, because of their static blinds and the option to buy more chips at any time, tend to suit more conservative poker players. The never-increasing blinds allow them to sit back and wait for big hands with which they hope to win massive pots. Tournament play forces aggression to some extent, as the blinds and antes are constantly on the rise. The track records of Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar and Johnny Chan are prime examples of the kind of success that can come from aggressive tournament play.

Which brand of poker should you play? First consider the style of poker that comes most naturally to you. Do you tend to play passive or aggressive? Are you the kind of player that can recognize the multitude of situations that will be presented to you throughout a poker tournament and adapt your play accordingly, or do you feel more comfortable playing the player rather than the cards and situation? Be sure to try your hand at both and know the differences between the two before you decide which is right for you.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=tournament-poker-cash-game-poker-part-2.html

Latest Online Poker News:

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Play Better Pool
Everything Music

Anyone from beginner to expert poker players can benefit from these hold em strategies.

2008-07-10T08:22:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Featured Hold Em Article

What I Like About Poker

GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

Latest Hold Em News:

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

2008 WSOP $10,000 NLHE Championship, Day 2B: Peter Biebel, Alex Outhred Lead Pack

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:21:00 -0700
Almost twice as many Day 2B players started their second day of the WSOP Championship as did Day 2A. 2,379 took the field, with Henning Granstad starting out with the chip lead. While Granstad would survive to advance to Day 3...

ESPN Announces 2008 World Series of Poker Broadcast Schedule

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:09:00 -0700
ESPN has announced its broadcast schedule of episodes for the 2008 World Series of Poker. ESPN will air a new two-hour episode on Tuesday nights each week beginning July 22nd and running through November 11th, the date of the...

Amateur Models
Mens Style
Play Better Poker
no-limit hold em | free poker

Here are some great hold em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-07-08T06:21:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

What I Like About Poker

GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

Latest Poker News:

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
online poker | poker tips

Here are some online poker tips to improve your game!

2008-07-06T11:43:00.001-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing online poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

The Turn - Where The "Truth" Is Normally Told In No Limit Holdem

Nothing is 100% in poker, but there are certain �poker truths� that you need to pay attention to. When I refer to �poker truths� I�m talking about something that�s true more than it is false. That�s as close as you can get in this game.

The �poker truth� I want to discuss today is this: "When a player shows aggression on the turn, they usually have a strong hand."

What this means is, more often than not, against an average player, you�ll know where you stand on the turn.

Let�s look at couple of typical situations where your hand is disguised:

Example 1: You get a strong hand, AKs, in LP and put in a 3xBB raise. You get two callers. The flop misses you, Q93 rainbow, it�s checked around and you put in a continuation bet of � the pot. How does this bet look to your opponents?

Example 2: Now let�s say that the flop hit you, K93, it�s checked around and you put in a bet of � the pot. How does this bet look to your opponents?

The answer is; these two bets look exactly the same. It is hard for your opponents to know what they�re up against. Now take example 1 and replace the AK with another monster, 72 off. Even though you really only have 72o, to your opponents the bet looks exactly the same.

My point here is not to raise with any two cards (though you can in the right situation), but is to point out that it is on the flop that hands are most easily disguised. This is where deception can be very useful. This is where you can often �represent� a hand and get away with it.

The Turn:
The turn is where things get clearer. Fewer players are willing to continue, at the risk of losing more chips, their bluff on the turn. Therefore, more often than not, if they bet, they have a legitimate hand. So move forward cautiously when faced with a turn bet.

An even bigger risk is calling a raise on the turn. A lot of players wait until the turn to raise their monster hands, hoping to get extra chips on the flop with a slow play. If you run into a turn raise after a relatively quiet flop you should be very cautious moving forward, there�s an extremely good chance you�ll need better than top pair to win this hand.

That pattern of smooth calling a flop bet or raise and raising the turn is almost always going to be trouble. Very few players make this move without a big hand.

According to some statistics I found that were compiled from the poker-tracker stats of several on-line players (100,000+ hands). A turn raiser goes on to win the hand 63% of the time. Even more glaring than that is 71% of turn check-raisers go on to win the hand! The data also shows that turn check-raises are generally playing 2 pair or better. So think hard before calling with just top pair.

That doesn�t mean you should automatically fold your top pair to a raiser. If you�re heads up against a loose raiser or someone who regularly bets their draws, then your top pair may very well be good for a call or re-raise. But, if you�re against a tight raiser or if someone raised after multiple players have called bets, you�re top pair is not good, so dump it.

Another problem with calling raises on the turn is that you often end up calling the river. A good rule of thumb when deciding whether to call a turn bet is to include a river bet in your odds calculation. So if you need to call 2 bets into a 10 bet pot (giving you 5-1 odds) you should also add a couple bets for the river (2.5-1 odds) which suddenly makes a lot of calling situations folding situations.

Because the turn is where the �truth� is generally told, it�s a good place for you to make some advanced plays at the pot. A turn raise or check raise bluff is very powerful in the right situations, mostly heads up. Just make sure you have a good read on your opponent and don�t get carried away. These are great moves in moderation.

In my opinion, the turn is the toughest street to play in Texas Holdem. Making the right moves here is what will ultimately make you a winning player. So going forward, before quickly calling turn bets and raises, ask yourself a few questions that may help you define your opponent�s hand.

What types of hands would he have where he would smooth call the flop and raise the turn? Two pair? A set? Does the board complete a draw?

What types of hands would he need to bet the flop and continue on the turn? Top pair? A big draw? Overs?

First and foremost you should trust your reads and knowledge of your opponents, but when that�s not enough, trust the turn.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/playing-the-turn-where-the-truth-is-normally-told.htm

Latest Hold Em News:

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

GET BONUS NOW | READ REVIEW

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
poker online | casino poker

Here are some great Texas Hold Em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-07-04T07:07:00.001-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on Texas Hold Em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

4 Levels of Poker Play- Take Your Self Assessment

Here are Four Levels Of Poker Play

Level 1: This player plays too many hands pre-flop (any two suited any Ace any king, etc.). They don�t raise much pre-flop and when they do it�s usually not the right amount. They go to the river with any piece of the pot (low pair, inside straight draw, Ace high). They pay no attention to position, betting patterns, previous hands, etc. They will never fold a pocket pair, even if there are 3 overs on the board. They bluff too much and go all-in too much.

Level 2: This player has figured out a few things, like tight pre-flop play keeps you in the game longer. This player has tightened up pre-flop, but has over compensated by becoming two passive. They no longer play Kx or any two suited, but they still can�t fold hands like KJ or AT or Axs or suited connectors. They can�t get away from top pair. They have a little understanding of odds and outs, but don�t apply it to their game. They don�t raise enough pre-flop. They don�t bluff enough. They�re easy to fold with a big bet. They rarely, if ever, re-raise or check raise. Basically this is tight, predictable poker.

Level 3: This is where the player starts to really understand the complexities of the game. They realize that you have to have a better hand to call a raise than you do to open raise. They have a decent understanding of the odds and can apply them (I have 12 outs, there�s 1,000 in the pot I can call around a 300 bet without making a mistake). They play their position and they bet aggressively pre-flop. They�ll put in a continuation bet on the flop to see where they�re at even if they haven�t hit the hand. They�ll bluff and steal blinds effectively. They are starting to pay attention to betting patterns during a hand and are able to put players on a range of hands. They can categorize players as tight, aggressive, loose, passive, etc.

Level 4: This player can read other players based on past betting patterns and has a mental note of the hands different players have shown down. They use �moves� like check raises, re-raises, slow plays, etc. effectively and often. They truly play the player and will bet aggressively regardless of their cards if they have a read on a player. They have the math down and can calculate odds and probabilities immediately. They win a lot of hands without having to go to showdown.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/4-levels-of-poker-play.htm

Latest Hold Em News:

World Series of Poker 'Evening Edition' Daily Summary for July 1st, 2008

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:53:00 -0700
A special evening's 'daily summary' for 2008 WSOP action comes your way to account for today's extended action in Event #53, $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout. Originally conceived as a two-day event, the second round of the opening day's...

WSOP Europe 2008 Schedule, ESPN Deal Announced

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:42:00 -0700
Harrah's Entertainment has announced the schedule for the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), to be held September 19th to October 2nd, 2008 in London, England. The series is expanded slightly over the inaugural 2007 version...

Last $20,000 Ladbrokes Poker Freeroll!

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:38:00 -0700
Ladbrokes Poker's last 20k Freeroll runs as scheduled on Thursday 31 July at 19:00 GMT. Read on for minor changes to the requirements as well as how to get involved in this awesome promotion!

2008 WSOP Event #51, $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Day 3: Hellmuth Denied 12th, James Schaaf Takes Gold

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:37:00 -0700
20 players returned to the Amazon Room for Day 3 of Event #51, $1,500 H.O.R.S.E., including Day 2 chip leader Phil Hellmuth, going for his record 12th World Series of Poker bracelet. With a limit format and two split-pot games in the mix...

Bowl Better
Amateur Models
Mens Style
Play Better Poker
poker stars | online casino | Texas hold em

Are you ready to be a better Texas Hold Em player? If you answered yes read on.

2008-07-02T10:20:00.001-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on Texas Hold Em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Hold Em Article

To go or not to go all in ? that is the question

By Johnny Kampis

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So goes a Chinese proverb that is also an apt description of the beginning of a poker tournament.

Consider starting with 1,500 chips in a tournament with 100 people. In order to win the tournament, you must have 150,000 chips in the end. When you think about it like that it seems almost an unfathomable task, an attempt to climb Mt. Everest. But somebody?s got to do it.

I?ve found over time that I tend to do better at live tournaments than those I play online. At first, I thought it was maybe because I was good at reading people, which is impossible to do online, but then I realized it was something else. When you play online, it?s always easy to see what the average chip count is among the players remaining in the tournament and it can be easy to panic if you are far below the average. I tend to start pushing all in with hands I shouldn?t play or in situations in which I should probably fold.

But when you?re playing live, there is no screen to tell you where you stand against the rest of the field. You can do some calculations in your head to figure out about where you stand, but there?s no number constantly in front of you telling you that.

Just as patience is key in a regular ring game of poker, it?s also key when you have a below average stack in a tournament. Consider that the average stack in a tournament you are playing is 10,000. You have 5,000 and the blinds are 200 and 400. You are well below average, but you aren?t a short stack yet. You don?t have to push all in when you raise. It gives you time to wait on a quality hand before making a move, and if you can double up once you are back to average.

I played a tournament at Binion?s in Las Vegas this summer in which I was a below average stack nearly the entire event, but I stayed patient and was able to get good hands on which to double up on. Finally, when I got to the final table I caught hand after hand and ended up winning the tournament. Had I hurriedly pushed all in earlier in the affair with a less than premium hand and lost I wouldn?t have given myself a chance to catch the hands I was dealt later.

It?s better to pass up a so-so opportunity now in order to get a much better opportunity later. Otherwise, you?ll never get to climb Mt. Everest.

Latest Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #52, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1: Carberry, Zeidenfeld, Feming Chan Lead

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:34:00 -0700
The last $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em tournament of the 2008 World Series of Poker drew 2,693 players, each hoping to grab one of the few bracelets left to be won. After ten rounds of play, the field was slashed to just 228, all well inside...

2008 WSOP Event #49, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: J.C. Tran Wins First Bracelet

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:56:00 -0700
J.C. Tran came into the finals of Event #49 with an impressive poker resume, including one WPT title, five WPT final tables, a second place in a WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event, and a PokerStars WCOOP Main Event title. Now he can...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 30th, 2008

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700
Action continued in several events on Monday as the preliminary phase of the 2008 World Series of Poker moved closer to concluding, on the day first full day of action following Scotty Nguyen's popular triumph in Event #45, the #50,000...

Play Better Poker
Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
poker tips | poker stars | online casino

Do not be intimidated by playing online poker. These strategies will make you a better player.

2008-06-30T10:30:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your online poker game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

Value Betting and Protection Betting in No Limit Texas Holdem

There is a balance to betting that must be reached in order to receive maximum value for your hands. This balance is the struggle between Value and Protection Betting.

On the Value side, you want to extract the maximum amount of money from your opponent. And on the Protection side, you want to prevent losing the amount of money you have invested in a pot.

I have seen on many occasions inexperienced players over and under bet their hands accordingly. Following are two examples I personally played that illustrate improperly applied Value and Protection Betting.

The first hand example is from the 2005 WSOP.
I was in middle position and looked down at JJ. I raised three times the big blind and was called only by the big blind yielding a pot of 6.5 big bets. The call of the big blind could have simply been defensive, but an otherwise chatty opponent was suddenly quiet. I assumed a range of hands he could hold to be big paint, big slick or a middle pair.

The flop delivered K93 rainbow. My opponent bet the minimum bringing the pot to 7.5 big bets. At this point I was convinced he had a king and his Value bet would force me to call.

The turn card was another K. My opponent quickly checked raising the ire of suspicion. So I promptly checked behind him as I was willing to show this hand down for nothing.

The river delivered an 8. My opponent declared assertively that he was �all-in�. Now, I originally placed my opponent on a king. With two kings on the board, the likelihood of him holding a K was small. However, I was not willing to risk my entire tournament on a pair of Js when my gut instinct told me he had a K. I decided to try getting him to expose his cards by declaring that I was folding the winner and showing him my Jacks as they were mucked. He triumphantly flipped his hand over showing pocket kings for quad-kings.

How does this apply to value betting?
Proper use of value betting in light of what your opponent may be holding would have given this opponent more chips with his monster hand. Obviously I was willing to call the one bet on the flop. At minimum I would have called one bet on the turn and one on the river. He left at least two bets on the table by improper betting.

Where does the balance come into play? I believe my opponent had an opportunity to make more than the two bets he left on the table. The flop minimum bet was crazy. No cards should be folded when the pot is offering 7.5 to 1 odds. With my opponent flopping a set of Ks and an uncoordinated board, a flop bet of two or three bets would have been about the maximum an opponent could call with an underpair.

The turn check is not a bad play in trying to induce a bluff. But in order for this attempt at weakness to work, he would have had to represent strength on the flop. His flop bet did not do this. Now in the scenario where I called a flop bet of two or three big bets, at minimum I should be willing to risk two or three more bets as the pot would again be offering remarkable odds to stick around. Finally, the all-in bet on the river gave no consideration to my hand or chip stacks. What hand would possibly call the all-in? A full-house or set of kings only. This was a missed opportunity to extract more chips from an opponent. His hand was so strong that a small bet is the best he could have hoped to recover. In the alternate flop/turn scenario presented, a river bet of three to five bets would have likely been paid off.

The second hand reflects on Protection Betting.
This hand was played in Las Vegas in a cash game.

Four limpers to seat 7 who makes a minimum raise.

I was in seat 9 with 68 spades and cold called the two bets. The small blind, big blind and previous limpers all called as well yielding a pot of 16 big bets.

The flop delivered 3c5h7c.

All checked to seat 7 who minimum bet again and all players involved called bringing the pot to 24 big bets. The turn card was the Q of diamonds.

Again, all checked to seat 7 who bet two big bets. I called, along with the big blind bringing the pot to 30 big bets.

The river was the 9 of diamonds. Big blind checked and seat 7 went all-in. I called and the big blind folded. Seat 7 turned over red Aces and lost a huge pot to my rivered straight.

How does this apply to Protection Betting?
With hands that are vulnerable (such as one pair in the above example), it is absolutely important to protect the money that is invested in the pot BEFORE it is too late to do so.

Where is the balance? This guy had aces, and this is obviously a monster hand pre-flop, but the hand progressively gets worse on the flop, turn and river unless helped by the board. Aces are only one pair.

The minimum raise pre-flop was a huge mistake given all of the limpers. Aces in an 8-way pot are destined to be cracked. There was no Protection Bet pre-flop providing security for the aces. Mistake.

Instead of the minimum raise, a pre-flop raise of about 4 to 6 big bets would have thinned the field significantly putting the aces in far better position from the flop on. Now assuming the filed was thinned and it was three-way action after 4 to 6 bet pre-flop raise, a respectable continuation bet on the flop is required. You cannot lay proper odds for the flush or straight draws to continue with the hand without making a negative EV play. *a negative EV play is one that will lose money over the long haul.

In order to protect against the flush, your bet would need to lay insufficient odds for the opponent to continue. This means it has to be big enough to force them to fold or make an improper call based on the odds. Some opponents will call regardless of the bet, but you must make an attempt at betting that forces people out of the hand. A solid � to pot size bet would lay odds such that an opponent is making a mistake in calling.

The point is that seat 7 in the above scenario failed to bet in a manner that would push anyone out of the hand until it was too late. With a coordinated board such as the one in this example, aces are useless and serious consideration should be given to sending them to the muck.

You may be able to think of many examples yourself where you made too large of a bet on the river with the nuts that didn�t get a call; or you may remember not betting enough with a hand that was vulnerable.

There is a definite balance between Value Betting and Protection Betting that is often overlooked. Oftentimes players will find that they have all throttle but no gears to shift.

The art in Value Betting keeps customers paying off your premium hands by turning down the throttle to a point palatable to your opponents. Oftentimes players find themselves complaining about the suck-out artists who cracked their (fill in the big pair here).

The art in Protection Betting keeps these thieves from stealing the smaller pots from under you. For all players, the threshold required for both Value and Protection changes. While subtle in difference, strong focus on this balance can yield huge dividends to your bankroll.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/value-betting-and-protection-betting-in-no-limit-texas-holdem.htm

Latest Poker News:

Poker Room Review: Hard Rock Tampa, Tampa, FL

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:44:00 -0700
The Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, run by the Seminole tribe of Florida, is a large, great room. They have 50 tables, spread $1/2 and $2/5 no limit hold'em with a $100 capped buy-in. They spread $2/4 limit hold'em and $1-5 limit stud...

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Mens Style
Play Better Poker
winning poker | online poker tips | online poker strategies

Are you ready to be a better Texas Hold Em player? If you answered yes read on.

2008-06-28T18:16:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your Texas Hold Em game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Texas Hold Em Article

The Idiot Approach

MYSTIC - Playing online poker can differ greatly from playing poker on the pro circuit. While on the pro circuit you can get to know the opponents you encounter quite well, and can study and adapt to their personal methods of play.

In online poker, however, the players you encounter will often differ greatly from day to day as new players enter the game. Many of
these players will lack skill at the game of poker, backing up bad hands with good money, while still others will be lurking at tables waiting to take advantage of these weaker players. You can take advantage of this
phenomenon by taking the idiot approach.

The idiot approach can give you great results when you're playing against the weak player or the player who wants to prey upon the weak. It involves putting good money behind bad hands when starting play, then suddenly switching gears to play a much more conservative game - more conservative, perhaps, than even your normal style of play. Basically you want the good players to think that you are a weak player, and the weak players to gain confidence after they win a few beefy pots.

This gambit will lose you money in the short run, but the potential for strong gains in the long run will be increased. If you can throw in a bit of money on a weak hand and play it until the hand is over, then unless you've accidentally bluffed your way to a win, your opponents will see your pocket cards and will notice that you are playing money on weak hands.

This could potentially persuade stronger opponents to start putting chips behind weaker hands, thinking that they've got pretty good
bets against your hands considering that you are playing weak poker. Meanwhile, the weaker opponents will start playing bigger money, thinking that they are on a lucky streak or sitting at a good table due to taking some early wins. At this point, however, you will have tightened your game and will only be playing your better hands.

This strategy is weak if you're playing against excellent opponents who notice right away that you have switched gears, or against opponents who play based on their hands and not based on the actions of the other players at their table. It's also a bad idea to gamble away too much money up front using this tactic - don't throw away so much money that getting those initial losses back becomes an insurmountable chore.

But against a table full of random players, a few badly placed bets here and there in the early hands can win you some good money on later deals.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/the-idiot-approach.htm

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #45 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Day 2: Berman Leads Tight Field

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:02:00 -0700
In a field as deep and storied as Event #45, $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship, the names at the top of the leader board may change, but they will undoubtedly be recognizable. James 'mig.com' Mackey took the chip lead into Day 2, but...

2008 WSOP Event #47 $1,500 Stud Hi/Low, Day 1: Tang Leads, Traniello Near Top

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0700
What does a player do after busting out in Day 2 of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event? They roll right into the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low tourney, Event #47 on the WSOP calendar. At least that's what Chris Ferguson, Kathy Liebert...

2008 WSOP Event #48, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em: Eric Crain Leads, Money Reached

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:43:00 -0700
2,317 players spread throughout all playable areas of the Rio for Event #45, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em. While attendance in some of the big-ticket events has held steady or decreased from last year, the smaller buy-in no-limit hold'em...

2008 WSOP Event #45, $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Day 3: DeMichele, Greenstein, Negreanu Lead Final 24

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:30:00 -0700
Lyle Berman took the chip lead into Day 3 of Event #45, the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship, with 67 players returning to the Amazon Ballroom at the Rio All-Suites Resort & Casino. By the end of the day, Michael DeMichele had taken...

Play Online Poker
Online Casino and Poker
free poker | free online poker

We have searched high and low to bring you these tips on poker.

2008-06-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on poker to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Online Poker Article

What I Like About Poker

GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

Latest Online Poker News:

MORE INFO ! | ORDER | FREE COPIES!

2008 WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Day 1: 'Mig.com,' Reslock Early Leaders

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:05:00 -0700
The field in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament is annually the deepest and most storied in all of poker, and the 148 players who took the field for this year's Event #45 were no exception. With more than 40 bracelet winners, dozens...

2008 WSOP Event #42 $1,000 Seniors NLHE World Championship: Dan LaCourse Wins

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:00:00 -0700
At the end of Day 2 of the WSOP Seniors event, Dale Eberle would win the final hand to edge out Dan LaCourse for the chip lead going into the final table. But at the end of the final table it would be LaCourse, a retired police...

2008 WSOP Event #44 $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em w/ Rebuys: Maistriaux, Kohlberg, Hanks Day 1 Leaders

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700
The $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em w/Rebuys Event #44 drew 879 players and, thanks to the 2,508 rebuys and add-ons, generated a prize pool of over $3.2 million. After ten rounds of play, the field had thinned to just 115 players, 34 shy of the...

Bowl Better
Amateur Models
Mens Style
Play Better Poker
poker strategies | poker online

This great article contains great hold em tips as well as news items.

2008-06-24T00:09:00.001-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Featured Hold Em Article

To go or not to go all in ? that is the question

By Johnny Kampis

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So goes a Chinese proverb that is also an apt description of the beginning of a poker tournament.

Consider starting with 1,500 chips in a tournament with 100 people. In order to win the tournament, you must have 150,000 chips in the end. When you think about it like that it seems almost an unfathomable task, an attempt to climb Mt. Everest. But somebody?s got to do it.

I?ve found over time that I tend to do better at live tournaments than those I play online. At first, I thought it was maybe because I was good at reading people, which is impossible to do online, but then I realized it was something else. When you play online, it?s always easy to see what the average chip count is among the players remaining in the tournament and it can be easy to panic if you are far below the average. I tend to start pushing all in with hands I shouldn?t play or in situations in which I should probably fold.

But when you?re playing live, there is no screen to tell you where you stand against the rest of the field. You can do some calculations in your head to figure out about where you stand, but there?s no number constantly in front of you telling you that.

Just as patience is key in a regular ring game of poker, it?s also key when you have a below average stack in a tournament. Consider that the average stack in a tournament you are playing is 10,000. You have 5,000 and the blinds are 200 and 400. You are well below average, but you aren?t a short stack yet. You don?t have to push all in when you raise. It gives you time to wait on a quality hand before making a move, and if you can double up once you are back to average.

I played a tournament at Binion?s in Las Vegas this summer in which I was a below average stack nearly the entire event, but I stayed patient and was able to get good hands on which to double up on. Finally, when I got to the final table I caught hand after hand and ended up winning the tournament. Had I hurriedly pushed all in earlier in the affair with a less than premium hand and lost I wouldn?t have given myself a chance to catch the hands I was dealt later.

It?s better to pass up a so-so opportunity now in order to get a much better opportunity later. Otherwise, you?ll never get to climb Mt. Everest.

Latest Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #37 $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Championship: Benyamine Wins First Bracelet

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:28:00 -0700
Ram Vaswani led 18 remaining players into Day 2 of the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low World Championship. In this star-studded field, it was not surprising that this event's eventual final table played host to five former WSOP bracelet winners...

2008 WSOP Event #39, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: Massive Field Reaches Money

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:44:00 -0700
In a lightning-quick Day 1, over 90% of the field was eliminated in Event #39, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em. 2,720 players signed up for the event, with only 218 surviving to Day 2. Michael Polcari ended Day 1 as the chip leader...

2008 WSOP Event #38, $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em Day 2: Von Halle Heads Final

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:16:00 -0700
Jan Von Halle shot up from near the bottom of the chip count when Day 2 began to become the clear leader going into the final table, sitting on a third more chips than his closest competitor. The German pro, husband of Team Pokerstars...

Find Local Ladies
Hot Free Webcams
Seduce More Women
Texas hold em | poker strategies | poker online

Do not be intimidated by playing online poker. These strategies will make you a better player.

2008-06-20T02:45:00.001-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on online poker to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Poker Article

When to Quit for the Day- Poker Tips

Quitting For the Day

Even if you are the best poker player in the world, you will have some losing days. Knowing when to just call it quits for the session will do you a world of good for your bankroll. If you play limit poker, it is wise to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets or more either way. Forty big bets at limit is a lot (especially longhand), so having swings more than this may drive you insane. The only reason to break the 40-big-bet rule is if the game you are in is really good.

Fundamentally though, you should quit because you are tilting, you have played a lot already and risk being tired, or you just have other things to do.

Here are some signs that you may be tilting:

1. You always think your opponents are bluffing.
2. You really want to break even for the day.
3. You want to get back into the action as soon as possible.

Here are some signs that you may have just played too much poker:

1. You are falling asleep at the table.
2. You have played more than ten hours for the day. (Never play more than ten hours at any one time. It is better to play many short or medium sessions than a few long ones.)
3. You find it harder to pay attention to your opponents.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/quitting.php

Latest Poker News:

Stars Set to Turn Out for 'Ante Up For Africa' Fundraiser

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:24:00 -0700
Several big-name poker pros and celebrities have decided to ante up for a worthy cause. The second annual Ante Up For Africa poker tournament, co-founded by actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, will be played at the 2008 World...

2008 WSOP Event #33 $5,000 Stud Hi/Low Day 2: Final Table Reached in Marathon Session

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:05:00 -0700
In what may be the longest day of the 2008 World Series of Poker, the final table of Event #33, $5,000 Stud Hi/Low World Championship was set when Sebastian Ruthenberg eliminated Howard Lederer in ninth place. The final elimination...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 18th, 2008

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:08:00 -0700
A bracelet for a major online star and a marathon final-table bubble were the stories of the day from the World Series of Poker. The major online star was Italy's Dario Minieri, who after teasing WSOP audiences in 2006 and 2007...

2008 WSOP Event #31 $2,500 NLHE Six Handed: Minieri Wins Gold

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:43:00 -0700
Dario Minieri dominated throughout most of Event 31, $2,500 NLHE Six-Handed, and finally secured his first WSOP bracelet and $528,418 for the win. 1,012 players started this fast-paced event and at the end of the first day Minieri...

Everything Guys Love
Play Better Golf
Find Local Ladies
winning poker | online poker tips

2008-06-18T22:12:00.001-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on hold em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Hold Em Article

The Mental Game

Here is a great article I found on http://www.pokertips.org/

Think For Yourself

A disturbing trend I've noticed in the poker community is that people seem to want to follow strict guidelines when they play poker. Many want to treat poker like blackjack, where there is an optimal strategy in every situation.

This is simply not the case. Any and all advice are just some general hints that can never take the place of proper situational judgment skills. Poker is a game of people and a game of situations. It is not a game of optimal, pre-planned strategy. All of the best poker players vary their play and make decisions on the spot. Poker players that rely on a ready-made recipe are doomed to fail because they will play very predictably, and they won't take into account many important situational factors when making decisions.

There really is no way to teach someone situational judgment skills. The only advice on this topic that I can give is to practice and pay attention to your flaws. What are some situations that could be played differently? How often do you correctly place opponents on their hands?

Something that may be helpful is online poker hand histories. Some, but not all, poker rooms will display the hands of all the losing players who called a showdown (the screen will show mucks but the hand history will show the opponents' hands). Some poker rooms that do this are Party Poker and Poker Room. When you beat someone who called you to the river, or you turned a lucky draw, request the hand history and see what your opponent had. This will help give you an idea of how often you correctly judge your opponents.

If you are going to play poker, have confidence in yourself. Think for yourself. Don't worry if your play may be violating textbook guidelines. A winning poker player's arsenal combines general poker knowledge with situational judgment skills. Losing poker players don't think for themselves or simply don't think at all.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/think-for-yourself.php

Latest Hold Em News:

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 17th, 2008

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:55:00 -0700
A couple of well-known poker pros added missing pieces to their respective poker résumés on Tuesday at the 2008 World Series of Poker. Both John "The Razor" Phan and Dutch star Rob Hollink claimed their first gold bracelets...

2008 WSOP Event #29 $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em: John Phan Claims First Bracelet

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:30:00 -0700
The 'Year of the Pro' continued at the 2008 World Series of Poker as John Phan became the latest pro player to claim his first bracelet. Phan joined the company of Erick Lindgren and David Singer, all highly successful tournament pros...

2008 WSOP Event #31 $2,500 NLHE Six-Handed, Day 2: Dario Minieri Leads Final

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:21:00 -0700
Event #31, $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed, had already burst its money bubble in Day 1 action, so Day 2 was a fast-paced race to a six-handed final table. Dario Minieri was one of the chip leaders coming into the day...

2008 WSOP Event #32, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: Garza Leads Massive Day 1

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:18:00 -0700
Another $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event drew another mammoth crowd – 2,304 players packed into every spare inch at the Rio. By the end of Day 1, it was down to just 166 players, all of whom had made it into the money. Leading the pack...

Event #33, $5,000 Stud Hi/Lo World Championship Day 1: Bunched Field in Opening Session

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:15:00 -0700
261 players ponied up $5,000 each to enter Event #33, $5,000 Stud Hi/Lo World Championship at the 2008 World Series of Poker. Among the competitors were some of the most recognizable faces in poker, including Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson...

Online Casino and Poker
Everything Guys Love
Play Better Golf
poker online | casino poker

Do not be intimidated by playing hold em. These strategies will make you a better player.

2008-06-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Todays Hold Em Article

Advanced Texas Hold Em

Here is a more advanced discussion of No-limit Hold'em. This was found on pokertips.org, and offers some great insight into playing better poker.

Advanced No-Limit Hold'em
According to famous poker player and author Doyle Brunson, no-limit hold'em is the Cadillac of all poker games. The skill involved with no-limit games is tremendous, even seasoned professionals admit that they still have a lot to learn at no-limit hold'em. However, don't let this scare you; no-limit hold'em is, in my opinion, the most fun of all poker games as well. It can also be profitable, sometimes even for beginners.

After playing no-limit extensively, I've noticed that the keys to winning no-limit are one's knowledge of the game and his ability to adapt to his opponents' knowledge. You must know what your skills are at no-limit; what stages of the game you have mastered. Once you realize how good you are at no-limit, you must then apply this to how others at your table play no-limit badly.

For the sake of simplicity, I am going to divide the skills of no-limit into several stages. After mastering each of these stages, one can expect his or her profit potential at no-limit hold'em to increase.

Pot odds
You must understand what odds you are getting if you call a bet with a draw. Since you can decide the size of the bet (it's not fixed), you should know if you are getting or giving good odds to someone.

For example, calling an unraised pot preflop with 5 5 is good odds. If you hit a set, you can expect to make a lot of money (people will not expect it, so they will call with top pair). However, let's say you have a flush draw after the turn. The pot is $10 and someone bets $20 all-in, you are getting horrible odds. You have roughly a 1 in 5 shot of hitting on the river, and you would be betting $20 to win $50.

As basic as this may be, many no-limit players have not even mastered this stage! So, if you are still insecure about pot odds, don't worry. Many others are too, and often they don't even realize it.

Knowing the differences between Limit and No-Limit
Check-raising for value is far less valuable when playing a no-limit game than a limit one because you may be giving your opponent's a deadly free card. In limit poker, if you have the second-best hand, you will lose a little bit. In no-limit, you could lose your entire stack.

Aggression
Betting is generally preferable to calling in a no-limit game. When you bet, you can win if you have the better hand or if your opponent folds. If you call, you can only win if you have your opponent beaten. If you bet, you determine the bet size. You determine the pot odds. If you call, you are accepting someone else's odds.

If you bet, you force people to pay off when you have a good hand. If you are a caller, you have to hope someone else will willingly pay you off. The importance of aggression is why tight-passive players can win a lot more at limit than no-limit.

Quick Adjustment
Different types of games require different amounts of aggression. Shorter games require one to be looser and more aggressive. However, if your up against many loose opponents, you must tighten up and wait until you have a strong hand. Generally, the opposite of what the game is does well. If the game is very loose, tighten up. If the game is very tight, take advantage and steal pots.
You also must adjust to your opponent's quality. If you are up against weak players, simply giving them bad pot odds and taking money from them bit by bit works well. If you are against better players, you must set some traps.

Reading skills
Getting an idea of your opponent's cards is very important. This takes time and experience. However, a way to improve your reading skills is what I call the 'three question technique.' Always ask yourself these three questions when someone makes or calls a bet:

� What does my opponent have?
� What does my opponent think I have?
� What does my opponent think I think he has?

Psychology and Traps
Once you hold the whopper and your opponent also has a good hand, what's the best way to double through him? Learning to get out of and set traps is very difficult and only experience will help in this department.

Fundamentally, game psychology and traps are used to manipulate the three questions mentioned earlier. For example, if you overbet the pot with a flush draw and then check when you hold the flush, either your opponent will fall for the trap, thinking you had top pair, or he will recognize the trap and check-fold to you on river. This slowplay is used to manipulate the variable: what does he think I have?

Generally, this sort of game psychology is only used on good players (players that have mastered the first four steps). Against weaker players, you should just build a good hand and extract money out of them bit by bit. Weaker players just play their hand; they don't think about what you have.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/advanced-nl.php

Latest Hold Em News:

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
Amateur Models
no-limit hold em | free poker | free online poker

Consider this article on hold em. The techniques will make you a better player.

2008-06-15T16:58:00.001-07:00

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your hold em game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Hold Em Article

When to Quit for the Day- Poker Tips

Quitting For the Day

Even if you are the best poker player in the world, you will have some losing days. Knowing when to just call it quits for the session will do you a world of good for your bankroll. If you play limit poker, it is wise to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets or more either way. Forty big bets at limit is a lot (especially longhand), so having swings more than this may drive you insane. The only reason to break the 40-big-bet rule is if the game you are in is really good.

Fundamentally though, you should quit because you are tilting, you have played a lot already and risk being tired, or you just have other things to do.

Here are some signs that you may be tilting:

1. You always think your opponents are bluffing.
2. You really want to break even for the day.
3. You want to get back into the action as soon as possible.

Here are some signs that you may have just played too much poker:

1. You are falling asleep at the table.
2. You have played more than ten hours for the day. (Never play more than ten hours at any one time. It is better to play many short or medium sessions than a few long ones.)
3. You find it harder to pay attention to your opponents.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/quitting.php

Latest Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #23, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em: A Pair of Hinkle Bracelets

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:22:00 -0700
In a commanding performance, Blair Hinkle – second in chips when the day began – was responsible for sending six of the other eight finalists home through a mixture of luck, timing and aggression. His runaway victory, in which...

2008 WSOP Event #26 $1,500 Razz Day 2 – Viox, Greenstein Head Final

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:00:00 -0700
104 players returned to the felt for Day 2 of Event #26, $1,500 Razz, including Day 1 chip leader Barry Greenstein, Shawn Sheikhan, Jon 'Pearljammer' Turner, Dewey Tomko and Cyndy Violette. At the end of the day, only eight remained...

Poker Room Review: 'Old' Seminole Casino – Hollywood, FL

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:02:00 -0700
The tropical décor of the original Seminole casino in Hollywood seems sedate next to the frenzy of the new Seminole Hard Rock across the street. But that's okay. This place provides a nice counterbalance with its extremely flashy...

Jesse Jones Returns as WPA Chief

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:13:00 -0700
In a surprise turn of events, World Poker Association founder Jesse Jones has returned to the head of the WPA following the sudden resignation of current chairperson Wendeen Eolis and eight board directors who were elected...

2008 WSOP Event #22 $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.: Jens Voertmann Best of Show

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:31:00 -0700
16 players out of an original field of 414 returned to the Amazon Ballroom at the Rio for Day 3 of Event #22, $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. at the 2008 World Series of Poker. At the end of three long days of limit mixed games, it was Jens...

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts
poker strategies | poker online

Online Poker can be tricky. This article will help remove some of the guesswork.

2008-06-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on poker to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

When to Quit for the Day- Poker Tips

Quitting For the Day

Even if you are the best poker player in the world, you will have some losing days. Knowing when to just call it quits for the session will do you a world of good for your bankroll. If you play limit poker, it is wise to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets or more either way. Forty big bets at limit is a lot (especially longhand), so having swings more than this may drive you insane. The only reason to break the 40-big-bet rule is if the game you are in is really good.

Fundamentally though, you should quit because you are tilting, you have played a lot already and risk being tired, or you just have other things to do.

Here are some signs that you may be tilting:

1. You always think your opponents are bluffing.
2. You really want to break even for the day.
3. You want to get back into the action as soon as possible.

Here are some signs that you may have just played too much poker:

1. You are falling asleep at the table.
2. You have played more than ten hours for the day. (Never play more than ten hours at any one time. It is better to play many short or medium sessions than a few long ones.)
3. You find it harder to pay attention to your opponents.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/quitting.php

Latest Online Poker News:

Women's Poker Spotlight: Queens of Heart Reign

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:02:00 -0700
The "Queens of Heart" team once again gathered at this year 2008 WSOP Ladies Event. Led by founder Lisa Tenner, the Queens of Heart team is a group of chosen women poker players who donate their time, talent, and money to the charity...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 11th, 2008

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:18:00 -0700
Only one gold champion's bracelet was awarded Wednesday in action at the 2008 World Series of Poker, but it went to the winner of the most potent final table to date in this year's series. The tourney was Event #18, $5,000, No-Limit...

Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
online poker | poker tips

Here are some great hold em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-06-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Hold Em Article

The Mental Game

Here is a great article I found on http://www.pokertips.org/

Think For Yourself

A disturbing trend I've noticed in the poker community is that people seem to want to follow strict guidelines when they play poker. Many want to treat poker like blackjack, where there is an optimal strategy in every situation.

This is simply not the case. Any and all advice are just some general hints that can never take the place of proper situational judgment skills. Poker is a game of people and a game of situations. It is not a game of optimal, pre-planned strategy. All of the best poker players vary their play and make decisions on the spot. Poker players that rely on a ready-made recipe are doomed to fail because they will play very predictably, and they won't take into account many important situational factors when making decisions.

There really is no way to teach someone situational judgment skills. The only advice on this topic that I can give is to practice and pay attention to your flaws. What are some situations that could be played differently? How often do you correctly place opponents on their hands?

Something that may be helpful is online poker hand histories. Some, but not all, poker rooms will display the hands of all the losing players who called a showdown (the screen will show mucks but the hand history will show the opponents' hands). Some poker rooms that do this are Party Poker and Poker Room. When you beat someone who called you to the river, or you turned a lucky draw, request the hand history and see what your opponent had. This will help give you an idea of how often you correctly judge your opponents.

If you are going to play poker, have confidence in yourself. Think for yourself. Don't worry if your play may be violating textbook guidelines. A winning poker player's arsenal combines general poker knowledge with situational judgment skills. Losing poker players don't think for themselves or simply don't think at all.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/think-for-yourself.php

Latest Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #15 $1,000 Ladies World Championship: Gromenkova Wins

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:01:00 -0700
Svetlana Gromenkova won the bracelet, a Corum watch, and $244,702 in the $1,000 Ladies World Championship, wearing the same pair of sunglasses Anthony Rivera wore for his bracelet-winning performance in the $10,000 Mixed...

2008 WSOP: Event #17, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout: Jason Young Wins

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:40:00 -0700
It was a long one, over 30 hours of play in just two days, with a lengthy heads-up battle at the end. But when the final card was dealt, Jason Young emerged the winner of Event #21, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout. After...

Dr. Pauly at the 2008 WSOP: The Most Underrated Man in Poker — Erik Seidel

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:33:00 -0700
It was twenty years ago last May when Erik Seidel lost to Johnny Chan heads up for the 1988 World Series of Poker Main Event title. Chan was the reigning world champion and the most feared poker player in Las Vegas. Seidel was...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 9th, 2008

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0700
Another pair of bracelets found worthy homes in Monday's action at the 2008 World Series of Poker, concluding a run of several two-bracelet days in a row. But don't think the pace is easing up – in today's action, three bracelets...

2008 WSOP Event #17, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout Day 1: Final Ten Set

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:10:00 -0700
Event #17, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout, got underway Monday relatively early, poker time, at 12:00 pm. It ended "early" as well – at nearly 7am Tuesday morning. Last year 900 players took part and the winner was Donald Baruch...

Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
poker strategies | poker online

Tired of playing hold em and not coming out a winner? Here are some techniques to make you better.

2008-06-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on hold em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Great Hold Em Article

The Mental Game

Here is a great article I found on http://www.pokertips.org/

Think For Yourself

A disturbing trend I've noticed in the poker community is that people seem to want to follow strict guidelines when they play poker. Many want to treat poker like blackjack, where there is an optimal strategy in every situation.

This is simply not the case. Any and all advice are just some general hints that can never take the place of proper situational judgment skills. Poker is a game of people and a game of situations. It is not a game of optimal, pre-planned strategy. All of the best poker players vary their play and make decisions on the spot. Poker players that rely on a ready-made recipe are doomed to fail because they will play very predictably, and they won't take into account many important situational factors when making decisions.

There really is no way to teach someone situational judgment skills. The only advice on this topic that I can give is to practice and pay attention to your flaws. What are some situations that could be played differently? How often do you correctly place opponents on their hands?

Something that may be helpful is online poker hand histories. Some, but not all, poker rooms will display the hands of all the losing players who called a showdown (the screen will show mucks but the hand history will show the opponents' hands). Some poker rooms that do this are Party Poker and Poker Room. When you beat someone who called you to the river, or you turned a lucky draw, request the hand history and see what your opponent had. This will help give you an idea of how often you correctly judge your opponents.

If you are going to play poker, have confidence in yourself. Think for yourself. Don't worry if your play may be violating textbook guidelines. A winning poker player's arsenal combines general poker knowledge with situational judgment skills. Losing poker players don't think for themselves or simply don't think at all.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/think-for-yourself.php

Latest Hold Em News:

2008 WSOP Event #12 $1,500 Limit Hold'em: Jimmy Shultz Takes It

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700
Day 3 of Event #12, $1,500 Limit Hold'em started off with 18 players on two tables. The field had plenty of flair, with Vinny Vinh starting the day as the chip leader, and Erick Lindgren, fresh off his bracelet win in Event #4. European...

Sexton's Corner, Vol. 48: 1994 WSOP Champ Russ Hamilton's 'Divine Intervention'

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:10:00 -0700
Several years ago I visited Russ Hamilton with a group of friends at a beach house in San Diego, where he was recovering from his stomach surgery. Russ said, 'Tommy, I'm going to tell you a story I've only told to a handful...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 7th, 2008

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:09:00 -0700
Saturday at the WSOP was business -- or rather, busy -- as usual. Another six-pack of events saw action in the Amazon Room – two events found their champions, a final table was set and another event neared the same stage, while...

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
Bowl Better
poker stars | online casino

Looking for the best Texas Hold Em tips? You have come to the right place.

2008-06-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on Texas Hold Em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Texas Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

The Art of Deception

Here is a good article on the art of bluffing. Your skills in this department increase exponentially with your comfort level (with fellow players as well as stakes). These are some things to keep in mind.

Deception

Poker is not just a mathematical game. It is also a game that entails a lot of psychological combat. Three of the most important psychological weapons in poker are bluffing, semi-bluffing, and slowplaying.

Bluffing

Bluffing is much more useful in a no-limit game than in a limit game. In a no-limit game, a player's entire stack is at risk each hand. In a limit game, players know they can only lose so much if they call to the river.Bluffing is almost useless in a low-stakes limit game (anything less than $2-$4). Rarely will a hand not be called to showdown, so there is no point in scaring people out of the pot. Bluffing becomes a much more powerful tool at high-limit games. When you play at a higher limit, it's best to bluff when you 'represent' something and there are only one or two opponents in the pot. For example, betting at the flop with a high card on the board represents a pair, and raising with a flush draw out represents the flush.

Semi-Bluffing

Semi-bluffing is the name for bluffing when you also hold a drawing hand. For example, You currently only have ace high, but you may hit a spade flush or make a pair of aces or kings. If you bet with this hand, you are bluffing, but you also have a high likelihood of gaining a strong hand on later betting rounds. Semi-bluffing can be a very useful technique, especially in no-limit games.

Slowplaying

Slowplaying means deceiving your opponents into thinking you have a weak hand, when in fact you hold a powerhouse. For example, you flopped a full house! There is no need to scare people out of the pot, because there is little chance of someone drawing out on you. You should wait till the turn or maybe even the river to jam the pot with bets and raises. You should slowplay if two conditions are met:1. You hold a whopper, and there is almost no chance of someone drawing on you, and2. You will only get action if some other cards come out that improve your opponents' hands but not by so much that they will beat your hand.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/deception.php

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
by: Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie

Get Harrington's must read books on no-limit texas holdem cash games & other free poker stuff with our Free Gift Offer....

GET YOUR FREE COPY! | BUY NOW

Seduce More Women
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Tags: online poker | poker tips | poker stars | online casino