Texas Hold Em Tips - Winning Tips and Tricks

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

2008-11-12T00:33:00.001-08:00

A Featured Online Poker 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.

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2008-11-10T07:01:00.001-08:00

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Another Great Poker Article

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

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2008-11-08T14:19:00.001-08:00

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.

A Great Hold Em Article

Early Poker Memories

By Johnny Hughes

My only job from my mid-teens until I was twenty-six, was to play poker, gin, and bridge. There was a lot of gambling.

Here is a brief excerpt from my upcoming novel, Texas Poker Wisdom. In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, Maverick was a hit television series starring James Garner. He was a wise-cracking, comedic, and cowardly poker player who traveled all around the Old West. This TV series spawned a mini-boom in poker much like Rounders created a real boom in poker in the 1990s. Buddy and Matt realized it was like a weekly commercial for the poker games they ran. All the college crowd gave it a go at trying to be like Maverick, a devout anti-hero. Buddy and Matt often sang the theme song: Who is the tall dark stranger there? Maverick is his name. Riding the trail to who-knows-where. Luck is his companion. Gamblin' is his game.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a lot of action, but also a lot of poor people. As a freshman at Texas Tech, I played cards every day and many nights. There was a 25 cent limit poker game in the Student Union where they kept the bets in marks on a pad. You had to pay up before you went to class or suffer severe blows about the head and body.

I remember the day, as a freshman, I got hooked on poker like a little movie in my head. Being broke, I headed for Tech to find someone to gamble with. I won a five spot from a guy playing gin who knew I could not pay until I won something. Someone told me about a poker game a block off campus that had been going all night. When I got there, people had nickels and dimes and bills in front of them. I wasted no time in getting my five bucks up there.

My first hand, playing seven-stud, high-low split, I had the nut high with three players in the pot and all the cards out. My full house could not be beaten when a guy bets $100. I said I was potted but no, these tough talking guys said call or you are out. Everyone was writing checks. There was a bank draft and I filled it out and made the cinch call. I didn't have a bank account. That game went on day and night for five days. On that first night, I played all night and won $300, like $3000, now in cash. Many times someone would bet you $10 when there was a $10 cash bill in the pot. I'd call with a $20 check expecting to lose to get my cash change.

I went to Brown's Varsity Shop and bought me a whole new outfit, including a green and black striped corduroy coat that I called my gambler's coat. This became my custom, buying lots of clothes when I had money. I'd go up and down frequently.

Once when we were running a game, we had a big slice of our bankroll on the table for me to play heads up with a guy named Maurice. We both caught wired Aces and moved in before the flop. Maurice would not split it. Jerry and I begged. He caught the flush and headed for Dallas. We hopped a plane he next morning to follow him, only he did not show up at the poker game. What we did find was a triple-draw low ball game. The gamblers were holding out. The suckers were drawing out. Our money was running out. I ran into this slick on the street that told me he had a college degree in colorology. He had a sport coat that was perfect for my ruddy face. He ended up selling me so many clothes, I had spent my half of the bankroll.

Bill Smith, the main event champ of 1985, opened a big game in an apartment house where we were running a little poker game. After a while, Jerry and I were playing with them. I was only twenty but I dressed like the older gamblers with fedoras, baggy pleated slacks, tasteful wool sports coats. When the money started rolling in, we'd get our nails manicured, get facials, get a shine, and have our hair styled. We'd see the other gamblers downtown, and this was a way of showing off. Bill used a cigarette holder, so I got a longer one. For twenty years old, I probably looked silly.

I'd run a pot-cut poker game and play in the larger games. The small game was no-limit, twenty dollar buy-in. I cut the pot 25 cents on the first five and another 25 cents when the pot got to ten dollars. Unfortunately, if I built a bankroll in the big games, I'd let the little game go until I got broke again and had to put down my spread. When the money was good, I'd blow it on travel, fancy living, and needless clothes. I can remember running good for a couple of years straight and then busto. "Broke man stinks," they say.

We could always get staked. I'd live in a fancy apartment, then a $25 a month room, then repeat the cycle. When I was broke, I was welcome in gambling houses all over to eat the great food for free. The dice games would have food delivered and call all the players for special menu items. Only one item per day: catfish, chicken, steak, stew.

I went by a big seven-five low-ball game broke and another college student on a roll staked me. We played with $5 the cheapest chip and a $5 ante. After many hours and wretched tiredness, I was off $2000 winner, like $20,000 today. However, my stake horse did not want me to pull up. My problem was $25 overdue rent, and $10 for laundry. They would not allow me to pull a lousy $35 from my stack and my stake horse was fresh out of cash money. Finally, somebody loaned me the money and I ran the two blocks to pay laundry and rent. Then I came back and the older guys broke me and my stake horse. Seven-five, Kansas City low-ball is the cheater's game.

Once in Ruidoso, playing low-ball, I knew these road gamblers were going to try to cheat in this huge game. There were several big bookies and loan sharks present, so I knew there would be no cheating until after they went home. One fellow had bandages on his fingers, which could conceal tiny mirrors. On one big pot, I blinded it for $40, the size of the pot, which gives me last action. The slick smooth called with 7,6,4,3,2. I drew four and hit a seven-five. I over bet the pot, $200, and he raised his last $900. I won almost $4000 and hopped back on the blacktop. I am sure they would have cheated sooner or later.

From the early sixties on, for over forty years, there was a big Hold 'em game at a place called the Shop, here in West Texas It was perfect for me because I could play when I wanted to. There were loan sharks present, which meant no one would bug me about loaning. That also meant a steady supply of money. There were a few arrests in the early days, but the Shop ran a very long time with no robberies and no arrests. Many of the big Vegas players would come play a while, but they did not like it. Bill Smith, Bobby Hoff, Sailor Roberts, Amarillo Slim. It was a tough game because of a couple of rocks that would only win one or two pots a day, but they seemed to always win.

Nearly everyone was a professional gambler. It was a great hangout. Boosters a.k.a. thieves would come selling hot goods: clothes, boots, electric razors, steaks, large canned goods, watches. My favorites were these two old men who had a large variety of fruit for 15 cents a pound. They had a large scale on the back of their pickup.

Poker sure has gotten respectable. I sure miss it the way it was.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=My-Poker-Wisdom-Working-in-my-Youth.html

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2008-11-04T10:25:00.001-08:00

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A Featured 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

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2008-11-02T15:16:00.001-08:00

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

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

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2008-09-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Another Great Online Poker Article

Early Poker Memories

By Johnny Hughes

My only job from my mid-teens until I was twenty-six, was to play poker, gin, and bridge. There was a lot of gambling.

Here is a brief excerpt from my upcoming novel, Texas Poker Wisdom. In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, Maverick was a hit television series starring James Garner. He was a wise-cracking, comedic, and cowardly poker player who traveled all around the Old West. This TV series spawned a mini-boom in poker much like Rounders created a real boom in poker in the 1990s. Buddy and Matt realized it was like a weekly commercial for the poker games they ran. All the college crowd gave it a go at trying to be like Maverick, a devout anti-hero. Buddy and Matt often sang the theme song: Who is the tall dark stranger there? Maverick is his name. Riding the trail to who-knows-where. Luck is his companion. Gamblin' is his game.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a lot of action, but also a lot of poor people. As a freshman at Texas Tech, I played cards every day and many nights. There was a 25 cent limit poker game in the Student Union where they kept the bets in marks on a pad. You had to pay up before you went to class or suffer severe blows about the head and body.

I remember the day, as a freshman, I got hooked on poker like a little movie in my head. Being broke, I headed for Tech to find someone to gamble with. I won a five spot from a guy playing gin who knew I could not pay until I won something. Someone told me about a poker game a block off campus that had been going all night. When I got there, people had nickels and dimes and bills in front of them. I wasted no time in getting my five bucks up there.

My first hand, playing seven-stud, high-low split, I had the nut high with three players in the pot and all the cards out. My full house could not be beaten when a guy bets $100. I said I was potted but no, these tough talking guys said call or you are out. Everyone was writing checks. There was a bank draft and I filled it out and made the cinch call. I didn't have a bank account. That game went on day and night for five days. On that first night, I played all night and won $300, like $3000, now in cash. Many times someone would bet you $10 when there was a $10 cash bill in the pot. I'd call with a $20 check expecting to lose to get my cash change.

I went to Brown's Varsity Shop and bought me a whole new outfit, including a green and black striped corduroy coat that I called my gambler's coat. This became my custom, buying lots of clothes when I had money. I'd go up and down frequently.

Once when we were running a game, we had a big slice of our bankroll on the table for me to play heads up with a guy named Maurice. We both caught wired Aces and moved in before the flop. Maurice would not split it. Jerry and I begged. He caught the flush and headed for Dallas. We hopped a plane he next morning to follow him, only he did not show up at the poker game. What we did find was a triple-draw low ball game. The gamblers were holding out. The suckers were drawing out. Our money was running out. I ran into this slick on the street that told me he had a college degree in colorology. He had a sport coat that was perfect for my ruddy face. He ended up selling me so many clothes, I had spent my half of the bankroll.

Bill Smith, the main event champ of 1985, opened a big game in an apartment house where we were running a little poker game. After a while, Jerry and I were playing with them. I was only twenty but I dressed like the older gamblers with fedoras, baggy pleated slacks, tasteful wool sports coats. When the money started rolling in, we'd get our nails manicured, get facials, get a shine, and have our hair styled. We'd see the other gamblers downtown, and this was a way of showing off. Bill used a cigarette holder, so I got a longer one. For twenty years old, I probably looked silly.

I'd run a pot-cut poker game and play in the larger games. The small game was no-limit, twenty dollar buy-in. I cut the pot 25 cents on the first five and another 25 cents when the pot got to ten dollars. Unfortunately, if I built a bankroll in the big games, I'd let the little game go until I got broke again and had to put down my spread. When the money was good, I'd blow it on travel, fancy living, and needless clothes. I can remember running good for a couple of years straight and then busto. "Broke man stinks," they say.

We could always get staked. I'd live in a fancy apartment, then a $25 a month room, then repeat the cycle. When I was broke, I was welcome in gambling houses all over to eat the great food for free. The dice games would have food delivered and call all the players for special menu items. Only one item per day: catfish, chicken, steak, stew.

I went by a big seven-five low-ball game broke and another college student on a roll staked me. We played with $5 the cheapest chip and a $5 ante. After many hours and wretched tiredness, I was off $2000 winner, like $20,000 today. However, my stake horse did not want me to pull up. My problem was $25 overdue rent, and $10 for laundry. They would not allow me to pull a lousy $35 from my stack and my stake horse was fresh out of cash money. Finally, somebody loaned me the money and I ran the two blocks to pay laundry and rent. Then I came back and the older guys broke me and my stake horse. Seven-five, Kansas City low-ball is the cheater's game.

Once in Ruidoso, playing low-ball, I knew these road gamblers were going to try to cheat in this huge game. There were several big bookies and loan sharks present, so I knew there would be no cheating until after they went home. One fellow had bandages on his fingers, which could conceal tiny mirrors. On one big pot, I blinded it for $40, the size of the pot, which gives me last action. The slick smooth called with 7,6,4,3,2. I drew four and hit a seven-five. I over bet the pot, $200, and he raised his last $900. I won almost $4000 and hopped back on the blacktop. I am sure they would have cheated sooner or later.

From the early sixties on, for over forty years, there was a big Hold 'em game at a place called the Shop, here in West Texas It was perfect for me because I could play when I wanted to. There were loan sharks present, which meant no one would bug me about loaning. That also meant a steady supply of money. There were a few arrests in the early days, but the Shop ran a very long time with no robberies and no arrests. Many of the big Vegas players would come play a while, but they did not like it. Bill Smith, Bobby Hoff, Sailor Roberts, Amarillo Slim. It was a tough game because of a couple of rocks that would only win one or two pots a day, but they seemed to always win.

Nearly everyone was a professional gambler. It was a great hangout. Boosters a.k.a. thieves would come selling hot goods: clothes, boots, electric razors, steaks, large canned goods, watches. My favorites were these two old men who had a large variety of fruit for 15 cents a pound. They had a large scale on the back of their pickup.

Poker sure has gotten respectable. I sure miss it the way it was.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=My-Poker-Wisdom-Working-in-my-Youth.html

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Poker & Pop Culture: Moss & Dandalos, Dazzling with Dollars

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Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:59:00 -0700
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This hold em article has tips and strategies to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-09-07T00:33:00.001-07:00

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

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

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Tired of playing Texas Hold Em and not coming out a winner? Here are some techniques to make you better.

2008-09-05T11:21:00.001-07:00

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.

A Online Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

Keeping Things in Their Proper Perspective

Recently I went to Las Vegas to play in my first WSOP Circuit Events. My family took the trip with me, so I had to spend some quality time with them and I wasn�t able to play any satellites.

Already at four and three my twin girls think they own Vegas. Every where we go, people are always asking us if they are quads, because they are only 14 months apart and all have a similar look.

They pose for pictures several times a day with not only the poker players I run into, but with tourists from all over the world who are in Las Vegas on vacation. The girls put their arms on each others shoulder and give out a big "Cheese" for everyone and anyone with a camera. They truly are adorable and are the lights of my life.

They are the reason behind my article today. They are the reason I am proud to be a father of seven. They are the reason I get up every morning and have the motivation and desire to succeed in my daily activities. Whether it�s at my job, or if I am going to the Golf course or if I am hitting the felt today. I have been blessed by the birth of these girls and they have made me a better person because of them coming into my life.

I was playing very smart and I was really focused in my first ever Circuit Event. Although it was a second chance event with a buy in of two hundred dollars, I was thrilled to be playing at Caesars in a tournament that had several professional players and a WPT champion participating.

The tournament started with about 200 players. Within the first hour 90 of those players had busted out and I was actually up to 6400 chips after starting with only 1500. I made a couple of good reads on some of the players at my table and when ever I had a showdown with a player I was always ahead and ended up winning the hand. I used those showdowns to make a couple of bluffs and by the time we were down to 50 players I had close to 28k in chips.

It was an above average stack. During the break, I walked around looking at the other tables to see some of the other stacks. I have always done this at tournaments for some unknown reason.

Right after the break I was in seat 7 and had won about 1400 from the player in seat 5. I had pocket 10's and he had pocket 9's as we both checked the jack on the river.

The very next hand I am the big blind and I look down at KK. Seat 5 on the button raises to 3600 when the blinds were at 1200. I decided to see where I was at as seat 6 folded. I tossed in a third of my stack 7200 chips.

Seat 5 just called my raise and the flop of J-4-8 rainbow hit the table. Seat 5 immediately went all in. Well I knew he didn�t have jacks because he would of checked raised me. I put him on AJ or pocket 10's. I called his all in and he turned over Queens. I felt good, but nervous. Then seat 6 told me he folded Q-10 of diamonds and I felt a sense of relief come over me until the river hit a queen and left me with 2 chips.

I was very upset with the poker gods. I had played so well and I know its poker but I have been hit so hard on the river lately it made me almost sick to my stomach.

I went back to the hotel and was telling my wife what had happened to vent some. I called a couple of friends to talk with them about it, but as you all know poker players do not want to hear bad beat stories. But I needed to get it off my chest. Maybe because this was Caesars and my first Circuit event, I don�t know, but I was truly bothered by that river card more so then ever.

Well as we arrived home late Friday night I sat down to unwind and watched the evening news. There was a breaking news story out of Mission Viejo California on the 5 freeway. A family of 5 had just been rear ended by a semi truck and all perished in the accident. A mother, father a 6 or 7 year old boy and a set of 3-year-old twin girls.

I just leaned back in my chair and called my girls over. I put them all on my lap and gave them big hugs and kisses. I had a huge lump in my throat and it was partly due to my sadness for the family who died, but it was also for the guilt I felt about complaining that my Kings got beat on the river.

Where in the world was my Perspective on life. They were right here sitting on my lap! Never again will I feel like I did after losing. I have so much to be thankful for and I let a game make me forget about what is really important in life.

We take so many things for granted day in and day out. I cannot imagine how life would be if a tragedy such as this was to happen in my life. I have lost both of my parents, a godmother who raised a foster brother and me. Several Aunts, Uncles and the only Grandparent I ever knew.

I have been to way too many funerals for my friends and peers and I am sure with the line of work I am in I will unfortunately have to attend more in the future.

I have been given the authority by the State of California to serve and protect. I thought I could save the world when I took my job like my heroes of my childhood did every Saturday morning when I watched them on television.

Being able to put on a uniform and at a split seconds decision have the authority to take someone�s life is a huge responsibility. Only the good Lord has the ability too be able to do that.

PERSPECTIVE, so my Kings got busted on the river. I will never let the game of poker or any other game get in the way what is really important in life.

I have been to so many tragic scenes in my twenty years of being a Deputy, however this hit home and it has changed me as a person as well as a poker player.

Take care and please be safe.

Scott Diamond AKA The Deputy

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=Keeping-Things-in-Their-Proper-Perspective.html

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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.

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

2008-09-03T22:46:00.001-07:00

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

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Enough beating around the bush- time to start winning at hold em.

2008-09-01T07:13:00.001-07:00

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 Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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

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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.

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Enough beating around the bush- time to start winning at poker.

2008-08-30T03:20:00.001-07:00

Another Great Poker Article

5 Tips To Use When Playing Low-Limit Poker

1. Find a way to make yourself really pay attention:

A strategy I used recently at a $1/$2 limit game was to convince myself that the bets were really $100/$200 and force myself to try and make optimal plays.

Notice i didn't say play it like everyone else was really playing like they would at $100/$200, but just pretend that each bet was worth that amount to me. IE, I'm playing very close attention to everything I can to try and make the absolute best decisions possible.

I remembered that the other players weren't thinking like that but just pretended they weren't very good (or that they weren't paying much attention).

It worked well and i nearly doubled my buyin. Another key factor was the table conditions (had a total sucker at the table and one other overly aggressive/stubborn guy when he got involved (couldn't lay it down).

2. Manage your Low Limit Table Bankroll

In a 1/2 limit game you can sit down with $50 although I like to sit with $100 (table reputation) and set my must leave level at the moment my roll gets to $50 or below.

If I lose down to $75 I make myself take an honest evalutation of the table and unless i've just gotten exceptionally unlucky. Find a new table or switch up to a small Sit-N-Go I play the $5 or $10 SNG's. Also take advantage of the free roll tournaments. Nearly all the sites offer them.

3. Use Sit-N-Go's to get your No-Limit Fix.
If you are itching to play no limit poker, and who isn't... play in sit-n-go's instead of the lower stakes NL cash tables. Sit N Go's are there to get that no limit enjoyment and your loss is limited to whatever the buyin was. Poker Stars has plenty of $1 buyin sit-n-go's that you can play in all day long. If you really have to play a low limit limit cash game, check out how to win at low stakes no limit cash game I get to play no-limit and can normally cash in around 6-7 of these for every 10 I play.

In low stakes sit-n-go's, people play so stupid early - they play way too loose and they love top pair and really love two pair. You can just fold all but premiums for the first two levels and just slightly loosen up in position at levels 3 and 4 (while being selectively aggressive) and then steal in position from the next few levels and you're in the money - often.

4. Maintain Discipline - find a new table if there are not there are not obvious fish handing out their cash.
The next day I played a bit more 1/2 limit and lost down to $75 (even after winning my first couple of hands) I got up and left as there were 2 solid players there and no real fish. Low limit takes discipline. I thought I could grind out a profit, but why bother... there are plenty of tables to choose from that will be much easier.

5. Short Handed - more action.
If the action seems to slow for you at the 10 person tables then sit at 6 handed... its got a lot of action.. and even at the .25/50c tables you can cut your teeth and grow your roll. You'll need to loosen up some, but just continue to play disciplined, aggressive poker.

To practice your low limit strategies, play online poker.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

KAP

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

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2008-08-28T07:09:00.001-07:00

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.

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

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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.

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2008-08-26T14:33:00.001-07:00

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 Online Poker 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 Online Poker News:

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

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Ready to improve your hold em game? Lets get started then.

2008-08-24T02:53:00.001-07:00

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

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

2008 World Series of Poker

By Scott 'The Deputy' Diamond

Poker players from all over are anxiously waiting for this year's World Series of Poker to begin. They have been honing their skills all year by playing in the various tournaments that are plentiful throughout the country and the world.

Some of us, including me, have had some very good coaching by some of the best in the business. (see photo)

I am very fortunate to have one of the first female inductee's into the Women's Hall of Fame, along with another women who has over 20 years of experience in the Poker Community and is a Instructor at the best Poker seminar available, give me advice and polish my game.

Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher are cornerstones in the Poker World.They not only teach at the WPT Boot Camp, they are constantly on the road volunteering their time at numerous Charitable Events.

With the economy here in the United States in a supposed recession,it will be interseting to see how many travel to Las Vegas and enter into one of the 55 events the WSOP is offering this year.

Several of the local casino's are counting on the huge numbers of visitor's by holding their own tournaments. the Venetian had a very successful tournament last year during the WSOP and will be offering the Deep Stack tournament again this year.

Caesar's has decided to have a Tournament Series as well as the Golden Nugget and of course, Binion's.

These tournaments have been designed for the average Poker player with smaller bank roll's and added play with more chips and longer levels.

The Rio will also be offering $330.00 NL tournaments nightly to compete with the other casino's.

If your dream is to play in a WSOP event, there will also be a variety of satellites held at the Rio for you to obtain your dream. These are an excellent way to gain entry into any WSOP event and if history repeats itself, there will be very long lines for satellites.

I would not be suprised if you are sitting at a table satellite with one or two professional player's this year. In the past, professionals felt there was not enough "equity", in playing satellites. However, the fields are very soft in the majority of the satellites during the WSOP and many are going to try and take advantage of the throng's of amateurs who are in town, trying to become the next Chris Moneymaker or Jerry Yang.

If you have never been to a WSOP you should plan on going. It is an electricfying experience and the atmosphere is just incredible. There is still plenty of time to make your reservations and to read a few books or attend a Boot Camp before this year's WSOP.

If you are one of those who will be in Las Vegas for this year's events and you see Linda or Jan,make sure you acknowledge them not only for their accomplishments in the Poker Community,but what they have given to thousands of player's and fan's,Their HEARTS

Scott Diamond AKA The Deputy

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=2008-World-Series-of-Poker.html

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For about fifteen years, the Hard Rock has always been a vibrant, cutting-edge casino. Situated on the corner of Paradise Rd. and E. Harmon Ave, the Rock n' Roll themed casino...

Women's Poker Spotlight - The Ladies Get Their Day in Peru

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Women poker players in Peru, as in many other countries, are seriously outnumbered. At the cash tables about one in every 100 players is a woman. In no money, bar league type tournaments the number is up a bit to about one in every fifty players...

EPT Awards: 'Best Newcomer' Nominees

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:01:00 -0700
The PokerStars.com European Poker Tour has 'shortlisted' five finalists in the 'Best Newcomer' category, as part of its upcoming EPT Awards ceremony in Barcelona on September 9th. The 'Best Newcomer' category will select...

ChanPoker Announces Closure

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:12:00 -0700
Chan Poker (chanpoker.com), the splashly online poker site fronted by 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Johnny Chan, has announced its closure effective August 21st. Chan Poker was most recently a member of the Ongame Network...

Poker770's No Frills $10,000 Cash Freeroll

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:17:00 -0700
Poker770 give PokerNews players an exclusive opportunity at a no frills 10k CASH Freeroll running Saturday, August 30 at 07:30 EST/08:30 EDT…

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Winning strategies to improve your poker game.

2008-08-22T05:53:00.001-07:00

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 Featured Hold Em 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

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The PokerNews Profile: Max Pescatori

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700
It was national pride that gave him the nickname. Max Pescatori was tired of people not realizing he was Italian, so one day he decided to wrap his head in a bandana bearing the red, white and green of his home country's flag. Almost instantly...

Hard Rock Poker Lounge Open For Business

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:41:00 -0700
For about fifteen years, the Hard Rock has always been a vibrant, cutting-edge casino. Situated on the corner of Paradise Rd. and E. Harmon Ave, the Rock n' Roll themed casino...

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

2008-08-20T01:12:00.001-07:00

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

Todays Hold Em Article

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

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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...

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2008-08-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

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 Featured Texas Hold Em Article

Online Poker can be profitable, but be sure to choose the right table!

1. PLAYERS & POT SIZES...

As a general rule, 6-8 players with a fairly large average pot size.

With most online poker sites you can see the average pot size and how many players are seeing the flop. Large pots are better as this generally means more loose players, playing no limit I'm looking to win big hands when I've got the nuts, not to grind down opponents by blind stealing and small pot stealing. I avoid most really tight games, rocks are boring and unprofitable typically. No limit is about getting paid off when you hit your monster, not stealing blinds all day.

A good table for me is one that is loose, but that is also not overly aggressive. I'm looking for a lot of players limping or calling small raises pre-flop.

2. The average number of players seeing the flop...

If you can see the average # of players seeing the flop, this is a hugely vital stat to use. Lower limits you can easily find something around 35-40%, which is pretty darn loose. Find this stat and then get one with a higher than average pot.

Sites like Bodog and Sportsbook.com will show you how many players are seeing the flop on average. I look for games with high averages seeing the flop, anything over 40% is usually good and very easy to find online.

The majority of times this makes for a good table as a tight aggressive player will play between 20% and 35% of any given hands on average, and in my opinion 35% is loooooose.

3. Watch the Button go around the table at least once - and pay attention!

Now that you've found a table with numbers that look pretty good its time to actually take a quick overhead view of the table and see what happens. Open up the table but do not sit down, or if you want you can sit down but not take your cards yet. If you are playing at Poker Stars, here is a screen shot of the table.

Take an open seat and pay attention! Watch the button go all the way around the table and take an initial assement of the table. Here are the things to look for:

A. Players limping and then calling a late position raise with weak holdings (hands like KQo, KJo, KTo, and other dominated hands like QJ (this is a good sign)

B. Look around the table at the current stack sizes - normally avoid tables where more than 3 players have 3 to 4 times the maximum buy in amount. These players can easily push me out of pots or have me committed early. They also might be solid players. (bad sign)

C. Take notice of the cards people are showing down. Look for weak holdings outside of the blinds offsuit small one gappers, Ace rag unsuited, and the plethora of other bad cards people play with. (more junk the better)

D. Take notice of who raises and who calls raises - are premium hands raised huge or limped with and are other players calling raises with weak holdings (good)

E. Any Maniacs at the table? - is there a crazy bettor or people who seem to be out to hit miracle cards by calling big bets? (good depending on seat) If you can get position on them (acting afterwards) you can get paid off when you hit a monster against them. The only problem is that you almost have to hit your hand to beat this player so you need to also feel confident that they will also pay you off when you do.

F. Who are the two worst players at the table? (can't tell? BAD) Pick out two players that are playing weak and have made mistakes. See who is playing really loose, who is playing really tight.

G. Look for players making small raises (1-2x the BB) with premium hands or even slow playing. (good, probably inexperienced players)

4. YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD SEAT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE TABLE...

A. This means sitting directly to the left of the Maniacs and the other Big Stacks so you always act after them. If you have a big hand you have the option to disguise it by letting them bet it for you. If you have a weak hand you can let it go fairly easily.

B. Give up position to short stacks/tight players - no problem letting the act after you if they are only going to play strong hands or not get involved often.

If you find the right combination of table factors and good relative seat then snag it! Since you've been watching the action already you can post as soon as you sit down if you want. This helps portray a loose image. If the big blind is 4 seats or less away from me I'll wait and post as soon as I sit down, although I sometimes post right away to make people think I'm loose.

5. IF THE TABLE TURNS COLD, GET UP AND MOVE...

Nothing is worse than staying at a bad table. Many times you'll find yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of tight and aggressive players. Unless you are wanting to work on your game, get up and move and go make money. Don't think that you've got something to prove.

6. TAKE NOTES...

I logged on to Party Poker yesterday to play a tourney with some friends and there were over 70,000 players playing right then. You'll probably never see a player again but if you find anyone who is horrible, take a note and especially when you find the good players, make a note. It could save you your stack later.

I recommend reading through Full Tilt Poker Download Guide for a step by step tutorial on setting a your online poker account. This is a great resource for new players.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-table-selection-tips.htm

Latest Texas Hold Em News:

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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 Main Event: 'dubbeemin' Seals Victory

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:02:00 -0700
Full Tilt's FTOPS Main Event saw 4,880 people enter the $500+35 buy-in, $2,500,000 guaranteed finale, all chasing a first-place payday of $432,400. Several notables made it close to the final table, among them Daniel 'B_O_K_E' Bokesch...

Online Poker Weekend: 'Gunslinger3' Draws Sunday Million Win

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:27:00 -0700
A great Sunday night for online poker continued with two major events at PokerStars, the weekly Sunday Million and Sunday Warm-Up tourneys. In a rarity, the Warm-Up failed to reach its guarantee and thereby offered a small bonus overlay...

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

2008-08-14T05:57:00.001-07:00

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

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Online Poker can be profitable, but be sure to choose the right table!

1. PLAYERS & POT SIZES...

As a general rule, 6-8 players with a fairly large average pot size.

With most online poker sites you can see the average pot size and how many players are seeing the flop. Large pots are better as this generally means more loose players, playing no limit I'm looking to win big hands when I've got the nuts, not to grind down opponents by blind stealing and small pot stealing. I avoid most really tight games, rocks are boring and unprofitable typically. No limit is about getting paid off when you hit your monster, not stealing blinds all day.

A good table for me is one that is loose, but that is also not overly aggressive. I'm looking for a lot of players limping or calling small raises pre-flop.

2. The average number of players seeing the flop...

If you can see the average # of players seeing the flop, this is a hugely vital stat to use. Lower limits you can easily find something around 35-40%, which is pretty darn loose. Find this stat and then get one with a higher than average pot.

Sites like Bodog and Sportsbook.com will show you how many players are seeing the flop on average. I look for games with high averages seeing the flop, anything over 40% is usually good and very easy to find online.

The majority of times this makes for a good table as a tight aggressive player will play between 20% and 35% of any given hands on average, and in my opinion 35% is loooooose.

3. Watch the Button go around the table at least once - and pay attention!

Now that you've found a table with numbers that look pretty good its time to actually take a quick overhead view of the table and see what happens. Open up the table but do not sit down, or if you want you can sit down but not take your cards yet. If you are playing at Poker Stars, here is a screen shot of the table.

Take an open seat and pay attention! Watch the button go all the way around the table and take an initial assement of the table. Here are the things to look for:

A. Players limping and then calling a late position raise with weak holdings (hands like KQo, KJo, KTo, and other dominated hands like QJ (this is a good sign)

B. Look around the table at the current stack sizes - normally avoid tables where more than 3 players have 3 to 4 times the maximum buy in amount. These players can easily push me out of pots or have me committed early. They also might be solid players. (bad sign)

C. Take notice of the cards people are showing down. Look for weak holdings outside of the blinds offsuit small one gappers, Ace rag unsuited, and the plethora of other bad cards people play with. (more junk the better)

D. Take notice of who raises and who calls raises - are premium hands raised huge or limped with and are other players calling raises with weak holdings (good)

E. Any Maniacs at the table? - is there a crazy bettor or people who seem to be out to hit miracle cards by calling big bets? (good depending on seat) If you can get position on them (acting afterwards) you can get paid off when you hit a monster against them. The only problem is that you almost have to hit your hand to beat this player so you need to also feel confident that they will also pay you off when you do.

F. Who are the two worst players at the table? (can't tell? BAD) Pick out two players that are playing weak and have made mistakes. See who is playing really loose, who is playing really tight.

G. Look for players making small raises (1-2x the BB) with premium hands or even slow playing. (good, probably inexperienced players)

4. YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD SEAT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE TABLE...

A. This means sitting directly to the left of the Maniacs and the other Big Stacks so you always act after them. If you have a big hand you have the option to disguise it by letting them bet it for you. If you have a weak hand you can let it go fairly easily.

B. Give up position to short stacks/tight players - no problem letting the act after you if they are only going to play strong hands or not get involved often.

If you find the right combination of table factors and good relative seat then snag it! Since you've been watching the action already you can post as soon as you sit down if you want. This helps portray a loose image. If the big blind is 4 seats or less away from me I'll wait and post as soon as I sit down, although I sometimes post right away to make people think I'm loose.

5. IF THE TABLE TURNS COLD, GET UP AND MOVE...

Nothing is worse than staying at a bad table. Many times you'll find yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of tight and aggressive players. Unless you are wanting to work on your game, get up and move and go make money. Don't think that you've got something to prove.

6. TAKE NOTES...

I logged on to Party Poker yesterday to play a tourney with some friends and there were over 70,000 players playing right then. You'll probably never see a player again but if you find anyone who is horrible, take a note and especially when you find the good players, make a note. It could save you your stack later.

I recommend reading through Full Tilt Poker Download Guide for a step by step tutorial on setting a your online poker account. This is a great resource for new players.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-table-selection-tips.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

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

2008-08-11T22:39:00.001-07:00

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

Todays Hold Em Article

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

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

2008-08-09T05:31:00.001-07:00

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 Texas Hold Em 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

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

2008-08-07T07:27:00.001-07:00

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

A Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Quick Tips for Beginning Holdem Players

Tips for Playing Your Starting Poker Hands:
There are a lot of starting hand guides available, this isn't one of them. These tips are quick helpers to get the foundation of a solid poker game underneath you. These are the concepts behind starting hands and ideas you should be thinking about while playing no limit holdem.

1. Small Pocket Pairs.
Play small pocket pairs against many opponents and try and see the flop as cheaply as possible. You typically want to play small pocket pairs against many other opponents. Especially in a cash game or in the early stages of a tournament. Criteria for playing small pocket pairs is that you can get in cheaply, simply by calling the blinds (limping) and hoping to see a flop.

With small pockets you're looking to hit a 3rd of your kind on the flop. This is called "flopping a set." If you flop your set you are almost certain to have the best hand right then, unless it is just a really unlucky flop for you. If you flop a set, bet or raise and work to get as many chips in the pot as you can.

Small pockets pairs are hands like pocket two's up through pocket 8's or 9's. The reason you want to play this hand against many opponents is because when you hit your hand, you hope that someone else has hit a hand as well and will pay you off. The more opponents still active in the hand, the more likely that one of them has hit a hand and will pay off some of your bets.

So, if you are dealt a small pocket pair it is usually a good idea to simply limp in and hope to hit your 3 of a kind on the flop. If you miss, which you will most of the time, then it is fine to check and fold to any bet. It is almost always a bad idea to call any substantial bet on the flop hoping to hit your set on the turn, just fold and save your money.

Small Pocket Pair Quick Tip: You will flop a set roughly once out of every 7.5 times you get a pocket pair. click here for a poker odds chart.

2. Suited Connectors
Suited connectors are hands that play well against many opponents, but poorly against 1 or 2 others. Suited connectors are a bit more difficult to play than small pocket pairs... with small pockets you know pretty much exactly where you stand after the flop. You either hit your set or you didn't. Suited connectors typically do not make a monster hand on the flop, but they will often flop monster draws (draws means that you need 1 more card to complete your hand, typically with a straight or flush).

Suited connectors are hands that are of the same suit, and next to one another, such as 7c 8c, 10d, 9d, or my favorite, Js Ts.

These hands play well in multi-way confrontations, against many opponents. When these hands hit, you typically have a very strong hand, strong enough to beat most everyone else. With suited connectors you are hoping to flop a strong draw, such as an open-ended straight flush draw, a flush draw or a straight draw.

Pre-flop, these hands are weak hands, and even if you hit the top pair these are still a fairly weak and vunerable hand. Suited connectors have a lot of potential to turn into very strong hands. See flops cheaply and late in position with these cards, especially if there are already a lot of players calling the blind to see the flop. Look to flop strong draws or two pair to continue against any heavy action before you.

Look to flop straights, flushes and draws to both. Do not overvalue flopping top pair with small or medium sized suited connectors. Two pair is normally good, but that means that someone else very well may have a straight draw while you have two pair with suited connectors.

Suited Connector Quick Tip: One of the best hands to hold against pocket aces is suited connector, such as 7h8h.

3. Two Big Face Cards
Do not slow play your big face cards. If you are going to play these cards, you need to come in for a raise pre-flop. Big face cards start out very strong, pre-flop, and that means that normally you should make the others pay to stick around for the flop.

Pre-flop these hands are probably some of the strongest at the table, out ranking most of the other hands out there. For this reason, these hands you want to play against as FEW players as possible. To make sure you are playing against few players, you should RAISE pre-flop when it is your turn to act instead of just calling the blind.

A hand like AQ is a strong hand, but it doesn't play well against 3+ players on average. Ideally you will be playing this hand against 1 other opponent, and you ban bet the flop virtually regardless of what comes down.

Avoid calling raises with hands like KJ, QJ, AT, even AJ and KQo. You are often times dominated by everyones 'favorite' hand, big slick (AK). There is no shame in folding KJ pre-flop.

Big Face Card Quick Tip:

Raise pre-flop to limit the field to just one other player whenever possible.

For more poker tips, be sure and check out our listing of poker strategy articles and the absolute best way to improve your play is by finding an online poker room that has SERIOUS 'play money' poker (if you don't want to deposit)..

The best way to practice these no limit holdem tips is to download free online poker software. I recommend PokerStars or Bodog Poker for new players. You can play with free chips and practice these strategies. I do recommend that you also play for extremely small stakes to get a real feel for poker. Free money poker is played differently as poker is for anything of value, even if the value is very small.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-tips.htm

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This article will aid you in your quest to become better at Texas Hold Em.

2008-08-05T04:26:00.001-07:00

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.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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

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

2008-08-03T17:26:00.001-07:00

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.

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

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Here are some Texas Hold Em tips to improve your game!

2008-07-22T08:25:00.001-07:00

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.

A Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Online Poker can be profitable, but be sure to choose the right table!

1. PLAYERS & POT SIZES...

As a general rule, 6-8 players with a fairly large average pot size.

With most online poker sites you can see the average pot size and how many players are seeing the flop. Large pots are better as this generally means more loose players, playing no limit I'm looking to win big hands when I've got the nuts, not to grind down opponents by blind stealing and small pot stealing. I avoid most really tight games, rocks are boring and unprofitable typically. No limit is about getting paid off when you hit your monster, not stealing blinds all day.

A good table for me is one that is loose, but that is also not overly aggressive. I'm looking for a lot of players limping or calling small raises pre-flop.

2. The average number of players seeing the flop...

If you can see the average # of players seeing the flop, this is a hugely vital stat to use. Lower limits you can easily find something around 35-40%, which is pretty darn loose. Find this stat and then get one with a higher than average pot.

Sites like Bodog and Sportsbook.com will show you how many players are seeing the flop on average. I look for games with high averages seeing the flop, anything over 40% is usually good and very easy to find online.

The majority of times this makes for a good table as a tight aggressive player will play between 20% and 35% of any given hands on average, and in my opinion 35% is loooooose.

3. Watch the Button go around the table at least once - and pay attention!

Now that you've found a table with numbers that look pretty good its time to actually take a quick overhead view of the table and see what happens. Open up the table but do not sit down, or if you want you can sit down but not take your cards yet. If you are playing at Poker Stars, here is a screen shot of the table.

Take an open seat and pay attention! Watch the button go all the way around the table and take an initial assement of the table. Here are the things to look for:

A. Players limping and then calling a late position raise with weak holdings (hands like KQo, KJo, KTo, and other dominated hands like QJ (this is a good sign)

B. Look around the table at the current stack sizes - normally avoid tables where more than 3 players have 3 to 4 times the maximum buy in amount. These players can easily push me out of pots or have me committed early. They also might be solid players. (bad sign)

C. Take notice of the cards people are showing down. Look for weak holdings outside of the blinds offsuit small one gappers, Ace rag unsuited, and the plethora of other bad cards people play with. (more junk the better)

D. Take notice of who raises and who calls raises - are premium hands raised huge or limped with and are other players calling raises with weak holdings (good)

E. Any Maniacs at the table? - is there a crazy bettor or people who seem to be out to hit miracle cards by calling big bets? (good depending on seat) If you can get position on them (acting afterwards) you can get paid off when you hit a monster against them. The only problem is that you almost have to hit your hand to beat this player so you need to also feel confident that they will also pay you off when you do.

F. Who are the two worst players at the table? (can't tell? BAD) Pick out two players that are playing weak and have made mistakes. See who is playing really loose, who is playing really tight.

G. Look for players making small raises (1-2x the BB) with premium hands or even slow playing. (good, probably inexperienced players)

4. YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD SEAT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE TABLE...

A. This means sitting directly to the left of the Maniacs and the other Big Stacks so you always act after them. If you have a big hand you have the option to disguise it by letting them bet it for you. If you have a weak hand you can let it go fairly easily.

B. Give up position to short stacks/tight players - no problem letting the act after you if they are only going to play strong hands or not get involved often.

If you find the right combination of table factors and good relative seat then snag it! Since you've been watching the action already you can post as soon as you sit down if you want. This helps portray a loose image. If the big blind is 4 seats or less away from me I'll wait and post as soon as I sit down, although I sometimes post right away to make people think I'm loose.

5. IF THE TABLE TURNS COLD, GET UP AND MOVE...

Nothing is worse than staying at a bad table. Many times you'll find yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of tight and aggressive players. Unless you are wanting to work on your game, get up and move and go make money. Don't think that you've got something to prove.

6. TAKE NOTES...

I logged on to Party Poker yesterday to play a tourney with some friends and there were over 70,000 players playing right then. You'll probably never see a player again but if you find anyone who is horrible, take a note and especially when you find the good players, make a note. It could save you your stack later.

I recommend reading through Full Tilt Poker Download Guide for a step by step tutorial on setting a your online poker account. This is a great resource for new players.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-table-selection-tips.htm

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Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:00:00 -0700
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2008-07-20T06:58:00.001-07:00

A Great Texas Hold Em Article

Keeping Things in Their Proper Perspective

Recently I went to Las Vegas to play in my first WSOP Circuit Events. My family took the trip with me, so I had to spend some quality time with them and I wasn�t able to play any satellites.

Already at four and three my twin girls think they own Vegas. Every where we go, people are always asking us if they are quads, because they are only 14 months apart and all have a similar look.

They pose for pictures several times a day with not only the poker players I run into, but with tourists from all over the world who are in Las Vegas on vacation. The girls put their arms on each others shoulder and give out a big "Cheese" for everyone and anyone with a camera. They truly are adorable and are the lights of my life.

They are the reason behind my article today. They are the reason I am proud to be a father of seven. They are the reason I get up every morning and have the motivation and desire to succeed in my daily activities. Whether it�s at my job, or if I am going to the Golf course or if I am hitting the felt today. I have been blessed by the birth of these girls and they have made me a better person because of them coming into my life.

I was playing very smart and I was really focused in my first ever Circuit Event. Although it was a second chance event with a buy in of two hundred dollars, I was thrilled to be playing at Caesars in a tournament that had several professional players and a WPT champion participating.

The tournament started with about 200 players. Within the first hour 90 of those players had busted out and I was actually up to 6400 chips after starting with only 1500. I made a couple of good reads on some of the players at my table and when ever I had a showdown with a player I was always ahead and ended up winning the hand. I used those showdowns to make a couple of bluffs and by the time we were down to 50 players I had close to 28k in chips.

It was an above average stack. During the break, I walked around looking at the other tables to see some of the other stacks. I have always done this at tournaments for some unknown reason.

Right after the break I was in seat 7 and had won about 1400 from the player in seat 5. I had pocket 10's and he had pocket 9's as we both checked the jack on the river.

The very next hand I am the big blind and I look down at KK. Seat 5 on the button raises to 3600 when the blinds were at 1200. I decided to see where I was at as seat 6 folded. I tossed in a third of my stack 7200 chips.

Seat 5 just called my raise and the flop of J-4-8 rainbow hit the table. Seat 5 immediately went all in. Well I knew he didn�t have jacks because he would of checked raised me. I put him on AJ or pocket 10's. I called his all in and he turned over Queens. I felt good, but nervous. Then seat 6 told me he folded Q-10 of diamonds and I felt a sense of relief come over me until the river hit a queen and left me with 2 chips.

I was very upset with the poker gods. I had played so well and I know its poker but I have been hit so hard on the river lately it made me almost sick to my stomach.

I went back to the hotel and was telling my wife what had happened to vent some. I called a couple of friends to talk with them about it, but as you all know poker players do not want to hear bad beat stories. But I needed to get it off my chest. Maybe because this was Caesars and my first Circuit event, I don�t know, but I was truly bothered by that river card more so then ever.

Well as we arrived home late Friday night I sat down to unwind and watched the evening news. There was a breaking news story out of Mission Viejo California on the 5 freeway. A family of 5 had just been rear ended by a semi truck and all perished in the accident. A mother, father a 6 or 7 year old boy and a set of 3-year-old twin girls.

I just leaned back in my chair and called my girls over. I put them all on my lap and gave them big hugs and kisses. I had a huge lump in my throat and it was partly due to my sadness for the family who died, but it was also for the guilt I felt about complaining that my Kings got beat on the river.

Where in the world was my Perspective on life. They were right here sitting on my lap! Never again will I feel like I did after losing. I have so much to be thankful for and I let a game make me forget about what is really important in life.

We take so many things for granted day in and day out. I cannot imagine how life would be if a tragedy such as this was to happen in my life. I have lost both of my parents, a godmother who raised a foster brother and me. Several Aunts, Uncles and the only Grandparent I ever knew.

I have been to way too many funerals for my friends and peers and I am sure with the line of work I am in I will unfortunately have to attend more in the future.

I have been given the authority by the State of California to serve and protect. I thought I could save the world when I took my job like my heroes of my childhood did every Saturday morning when I watched them on television.

Being able to put on a uniform and at a split seconds decision have the authority to take someone�s life is a huge responsibility. Only the good Lord has the ability too be able to do that.

PERSPECTIVE, so my Kings got busted on the river. I will never let the game of poker or any other game get in the way what is really important in life.

I have been to so many tragic scenes in my twenty years of being a Deputy, however this hit home and it has changed me as a person as well as a poker player.

Take care and please be safe.

Scott Diamond AKA The Deputy

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=Keeping-Things-in-Their-Proper-Perspective.html

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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.

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

2008-07-18T05:57:00.001-07:00

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Todays Texas Hold Em 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

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2008-07-16T19:02:00.001-07:00

Todays Poker Article

Table Image - Part 1

by Gary Gates

As a serious player, student or casual poker enthusiast, I�d be willing to bet you�ve come across some variation of the saying �play the man, not the cards.� Its meaning has been interpreted hundreds of ways by various poker authors, pros, and even movie directors; perhaps most famously immortalized by Matt Damon�s character in Rounders, who insists he can �play it blind� when pitted against less formidable opponents. �The cards themselves hardly matter,� he tells the judge.

Though it might work in the movies, I don�t advise that you play too many hands blind. On the contrary, you should play every hand, even the ones you�re not in, with wide open eyes. Though �play the man, not the cards� typically pertains to physical tells, or visible mannerisms that can tip off a player�s hand, I would argue that in order to best �play the man� you have to observe how he plays his cards, which in turn means the cards matter a whole lot.

From the minute you sit down at a poker table, your attitude, your outfit, your betting habits, the frequency with which you call, raise or fold and the quality of the hands you expose all combine to create a snapshot of your playing style in the eyes of the other nine people at the table trying to separate you from your money. Your opponents� perception of your playing style, also known as your �table image,� often determines how an observant player chooses to play against you and you against them. So what if we could control how other players perceive us at the poker table and use it to our advantage?

Fortunately, we can! Being aware of your table image and knowing how to take advantage of it is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Before you decide to be creative and make a play based on image alone, it is important to consider which of your opponents is capable of recognizing and applying the concept of table image. Assuming that everyone at the table has been watching and keeping track of your every move can be a costly mistake. You�ll often find more opponents than not who will be too preoccupied with a game on TV or a conversation with their neighbor to notice that you haven�t played a hand in an hour, so be sure that the target you attempt to exploit has been watching.

Most poker texts categorize playing styles into four major groups: tight, passive, loose and aggressive. The terms �tight� and �loose� are typically used to describe the range of hands a player is likely to play. A tight player folds most hands before the flop and only plays the upper echelon of starting hands, such as pocket aces, kings, queens, AK, etc. A loose player will get involved with a much wider variety of starting hands, including small pairs and small suited connectors. �Passive� and �aggressive� are terms used to characterize players� betting habits. A passive player does a lot of checking and calling, while an aggressive player makes a lot of bets and raises.

Part II will discuss ways to exploit table image, both projected and perceived.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=table-image-part-1.html

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

2008-07-14T07:47:00.001-07:00

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This Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

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Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:09:00 -0700
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2008-07-10T18:57:00.001-07:00

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A Hold Em 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

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Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:10:00 -0700
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2008-07-08T18:32:00.001-07:00

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

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

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2008-07-06T00:23:00.001-07:00

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

Another Great Hold Em 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

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2008 WSOP Event #52, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: David Daneshgar Takes Gold

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:14:00 -0700
David Daneshgar outlasted a field of 2,693 to win the second-to-last no-limit event of the 2008 World Series of Poker, Event #52, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em. With lifetime earnings in excess of $1.6 million, over 50 tournament cashes...

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

2008-07-04T22:06:00.001-07:00

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

A Featured 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

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

2008-07-02T11:43:00.001-07:00

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 Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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

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

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700
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Here are some great Texas Hold Em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-06-30T13:37:00.001-07:00

A Texas Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Quick Tips for Beginning Holdem Players

Tips for Playing Your Starting Poker Hands:
There are a lot of starting hand guides available, this isn't one of them. These tips are quick helpers to get the foundation of a solid poker game underneath you. These are the concepts behind starting hands and ideas you should be thinking about while playing no limit holdem.

1. Small Pocket Pairs.
Play small pocket pairs against many opponents and try and see the flop as cheaply as possible. You typically want to play small pocket pairs against many other opponents. Especially in a cash game or in the early stages of a tournament. Criteria for playing small pocket pairs is that you can get in cheaply, simply by calling the blinds (limping) and hoping to see a flop.

With small pockets you're looking to hit a 3rd of your kind on the flop. This is called "flopping a set." If you flop your set you are almost certain to have the best hand right then, unless it is just a really unlucky flop for you. If you flop a set, bet or raise and work to get as many chips in the pot as you can.

Small pockets pairs are hands like pocket two's up through pocket 8's or 9's. The reason you want to play this hand against many opponents is because when you hit your hand, you hope that someone else has hit a hand as well and will pay you off. The more opponents still active in the hand, the more likely that one of them has hit a hand and will pay off some of your bets.

So, if you are dealt a small pocket pair it is usually a good idea to simply limp in and hope to hit your 3 of a kind on the flop. If you miss, which you will most of the time, then it is fine to check and fold to any bet. It is almost always a bad idea to call any substantial bet on the flop hoping to hit your set on the turn, just fold and save your money.

Small Pocket Pair Quick Tip: You will flop a set roughly once out of every 7.5 times you get a pocket pair. click here for a poker odds chart.

2. Suited Connectors
Suited connectors are hands that play well against many opponents, but poorly against 1 or 2 others. Suited connectors are a bit more difficult to play than small pocket pairs... with small pockets you know pretty much exactly where you stand after the flop. You either hit your set or you didn't. Suited connectors typically do not make a monster hand on the flop, but they will often flop monster draws (draws means that you need 1 more card to complete your hand, typically with a straight or flush).

Suited connectors are hands that are of the same suit, and next to one another, such as 7c 8c, 10d, 9d, or my favorite, Js Ts.

These hands play well in multi-way confrontations, against many opponents. When these hands hit, you typically have a very strong hand, strong enough to beat most everyone else. With suited connectors you are hoping to flop a strong draw, such as an open-ended straight flush draw, a flush draw or a straight draw.

Pre-flop, these hands are weak hands, and even if you hit the top pair these are still a fairly weak and vunerable hand. Suited connectors have a lot of potential to turn into very strong hands. See flops cheaply and late in position with these cards, especially if there are already a lot of players calling the blind to see the flop. Look to flop strong draws or two pair to continue against any heavy action before you.

Look to flop straights, flushes and draws to both. Do not overvalue flopping top pair with small or medium sized suited connectors. Two pair is normally good, but that means that someone else very well may have a straight draw while you have two pair with suited connectors.

Suited Connector Quick Tip: One of the best hands to hold against pocket aces is suited connector, such as 7h8h.

3. Two Big Face Cards
Do not slow play your big face cards. If you are going to play these cards, you need to come in for a raise pre-flop. Big face cards start out very strong, pre-flop, and that means that normally you should make the others pay to stick around for the flop.

Pre-flop these hands are probably some of the strongest at the table, out ranking most of the other hands out there. For this reason, these hands you want to play against as FEW players as possible. To make sure you are playing against few players, you should RAISE pre-flop when it is your turn to act instead of just calling the blind.

A hand like AQ is a strong hand, but it doesn't play well against 3+ players on average. Ideally you will be playing this hand against 1 other opponent, and you ban bet the flop virtually regardless of what comes down.

Avoid calling raises with hands like KJ, QJ, AT, even AJ and KQo. You are often times dominated by everyones 'favorite' hand, big slick (AK). There is no shame in folding KJ pre-flop.

Big Face Card Quick Tip:

Raise pre-flop to limit the field to just one other player whenever possible.

For more poker tips, be sure and check out our listing of poker strategy articles and the absolute best way to improve your play is by finding an online poker room that has SERIOUS 'play money' poker (if you don't want to deposit)..

The best way to practice these no limit holdem tips is to download free online poker software. I recommend PokerStars or Bodog Poker for new players. You can play with free chips and practice these strategies. I do recommend that you also play for extremely small stakes to get a real feel for poker. Free money poker is played differently as poker is for anything of value, even if the value is very small.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-tips.htm

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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.

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We cut through the fluff to bring you these hard-hitting hold em tips.

2008-06-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

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.

Another Great Hold Em 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

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We cut through the fluff to bring you these hard-hitting hold em tips.

2008-06-26T03:01:00.001-07:00

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

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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

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2008-06-24T00:10:00.001-07:00

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Todays Poker Article

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

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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.

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

2008-06-17T06:02:00.000-07:00

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

Poker Tip

When you have a strong hand, you want to get the most of it � so you don�t want to scare your opponents out of the pot. In this case, you call any bets that was made before you � letting the people behind you to make a raise. If they raise, you also call, and it�s good if you make them think you don�t like what you do. If nobody bets, you simply check. However when you get to the river, you turn on aggression. By that time, it�s likely some of your opponents are already invested in the pot, and it�s very much possible they would call your bets. So, when you are sure your cards are strong, you don�t want to make huge bets and raises immediately � wait till the river and then show aggression.

Source: http://www.launchpoker.com/poker_tips/

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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.

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2008-06-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

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A Online Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

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

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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.

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

2008-06-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

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.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Focus on the Basics

I have had a lot of emails lately from people learning to play the game who get confused by terminology when playing with more experienced players. For this post lets get back to the basics and go over some common poker terms. This article comes from http://www.pokertips.org/.

Poker Jargon
This is a shortened glossary that explains the basic poker terms that are frequently used in the strategy articles at this site. It is assumed that you know the basic rules of Texas Hold'em. For a more complete glossary, visit our Full Glossary Page.

Blinds: The forced bets that take the place of an ante. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind, and the person after him must pay the big blind.

Board Cards: The cards in the middle of the table that are shared by everyone.

Draw: Drawing means hoping to improve your hand with the cards that will come on the board. You are on a draw when you want other cards to come out on the board to complete your hand. If you have 10 9 and the flop is Q J 2, you are trying to draw an eight or a king on the turn or river.

Flop: The first three board cards in Hold'em.

Implied Odds: The same as pot odds, but taking into account making bets in the future. Thus, you may call a bet at the flop, but have implied odds of making bigger bets on later rounds if you hit your draw. So, if you have A K and the flop comes Q 7 6, your implied odds are what you have to call at the flop compared to how large the pot will be at the end of the hand.

Limit Poker: Poker with fixed-size bets. In a $2-4 limit game, all bets and raises are $2 in the first two rounds (preflop and flop), and all bets and raises are $4 in the last two rounds (turn and river).

Longhand: A poker game with seven or more people.

Outs: Cards that can improve your hand. If the flop is Q J 2 and you have 10 9, you want a king or an eight to complete your straight. There are four kings and four eights in the deck, so you have eight total outs.

Position: Where you sit at the poker table. The dealer has the best position because he bets last and therefore has a better understanding of what other people have in their hand. The small blind has the worst position because he acts first.

Pot Odds: The odds you are getting when you are drawing. For example, say you have A 2 and the board is K 7 6. You are sure that someone else has the king. There are nine more diamonds out there (thirteen total minus two from your hand and the two on the board), so you have a roughly 18% chance of hitting a flush on the next card. Thus, if the pot is $100, and the bet is $10, even though you are losing, you have odds with your flush draw. However, let's say the pot is $100 on the turn (there is one card left) and your opponent bets $300. The pot is $400 and you must put in $300 to see the river. You are getting pot odds of 4:3 which is not enough, because the odds are about 4:1 (12:3) against hitting your flush. Another way to look at it is that you have only a 1 in 5 chance of hitting your flush, but you have to put in 3 of 7 dollars in the total pot.

Preflop: The betting round after you are dealt your two hole cards and there are no cards on the board yet.

River: The fifth and final card that comes on the board in Hold'em, after the turn.Shorthand: A poker game with six or fewer people.

Turn: The fourth board card that comes out in Hold'em, the card after the flop.

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

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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...

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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...

2008 WSOP Event #24, $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha: Cunningham Seeks Sixth Bracelet

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:36:00 -0700
The two major bubbles – the money and final-table bubbles – ground play to a halt in Event #24 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha at the 2008 World Series of Poker. But after more than 14 hours of play, the $2,500 buy-in tournament at the Rio...

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

2008-06-13T00:10:00.000-07:00

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

A Featured Hold Em Article

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:

2008 WSOP Event #19 $1,500 PLO Day 2: Selbst Widens Lead into Final

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:54:00 -0700
Vanessa Selbst started Day 2 in Event #19, Pot-Limit Omaha, with a 2-to-1 chip advantage over her closest competitor. By the time Day 2 ended, Selbst had widened the gap and will start the final table with almost 50% of the chips...

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Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700
414 players took to the felt at the Amazon Room for Event #22 of the 2008 World Series of Poker, $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. The field was slightly larger than the 2007 event, which drew 382 players for a $2,500 entry fee and was won...

2008 WSOP Event #21, $5,000 NLHE, Day 1: Alex Melnikow Leads

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:53:00 -0700
Last year, the $5,000 NLHE event drew 640 players with James"mig.com" Mackey claiming top honors. This year's event drew 731 players with a winner yet to be determined. When the bracelet is ultimately awarded, however, it will...

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...

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2008-06-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

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 Featured Online Poker Article

Focus on the Basics

I have had a lot of emails lately from people learning to play the game who get confused by terminology when playing with more experienced players. For this post lets get back to the basics and go over some common poker terms. This article comes from http://www.pokertips.org/.

Poker Jargon
This is a shortened glossary that explains the basic poker terms that are frequently used in the strategy articles at this site. It is assumed that you know the basic rules of Texas Hold'em. For a more complete glossary, visit our Full Glossary Page.

Blinds: The forced bets that take the place of an ante. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind, and the person after him must pay the big blind.

Board Cards: The cards in the middle of the table that are shared by everyone.

Draw: Drawing means hoping to improve your hand with the cards that will come on the board. You are on a draw when you want other cards to come out on the board to complete your hand. If you have 10 9 and the flop is Q J 2, you are trying to draw an eight or a king on the turn or river.

Flop: The first three board cards in Hold'em.

Implied Odds: The same as pot odds, but taking into account making bets in the future. Thus, you may call a bet at the flop, but have implied odds of making bigger bets on later rounds if you hit your draw. So, if you have A K and the flop comes Q 7 6, your implied odds are what you have to call at the flop compared to how large the pot will be at the end of the hand.

Limit Poker: Poker with fixed-size bets. In a $2-4 limit game, all bets and raises are $2 in the first two rounds (preflop and flop), and all bets and raises are $4 in the last two rounds (turn and river).

Longhand: A poker game with seven or more people.

Outs: Cards that can improve your hand. If the flop is Q J 2 and you have 10 9, you want a king or an eight to complete your straight. There are four kings and four eights in the deck, so you have eight total outs.

Position: Where you sit at the poker table. The dealer has the best position because he bets last and therefore has a better understanding of what other people have in their hand. The small blind has the worst position because he acts first.

Pot Odds: The odds you are getting when you are drawing. For example, say you have A 2 and the board is K 7 6. You are sure that someone else has the king. There are nine more diamonds out there (thirteen total minus two from your hand and the two on the board), so you have a roughly 18% chance of hitting a flush on the next card. Thus, if the pot is $100, and the bet is $10, even though you are losing, you have odds with your flush draw. However, let's say the pot is $100 on the turn (there is one card left) and your opponent bets $300. The pot is $400 and you must put in $300 to see the river. You are getting pot odds of 4:3 which is not enough, because the odds are about 4:1 (12:3) against hitting your flush. Another way to look at it is that you have only a 1 in 5 chance of hitting your flush, but you have to put in 3 of 7 dollars in the total pot.

Preflop: The betting round after you are dealt your two hole cards and there are no cards on the board yet.

River: The fifth and final card that comes on the board in Hold'em, after the turn.Shorthand: A poker game with six or fewer people.

Turn: The fourth board card that comes out in Hold'em, the card after the flop.

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

Latest Online Poker News:

2008 WSOP Event #18 NL 2-7 Draw w/ Rebuys, Day 1: Tom 'durrrr' Dwan Leads

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:37:00 -0700
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Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:56:00 -0700
169 players returned to the Amazon Ballroom to battle for a spot at the final table in Event #16, $2,000 Omaha Hi/Lo, with Josh Arieh, David Williams and Scott Clements all near the top of the leader board to begin Day 2. When...

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With these Texas Hold Em tips, you can not help but improve your game.

2008-06-09T23:43:00.000-07:00

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

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

Playing Multiple Poker Tables

Here is a great article about the advantages and pitfalls of playing multiple tables online. The majority of people will tell you that multiple tables increases your profit. The following article outlines why that may not necessarily be the case.

Playing Multiple Tables
One of the many advantages to playing poker on the internet is the ability to play multiple tables at once. Some sites, like Party Poker, allow you to play up to ten tables at once. Players who have proven themselves to be winners should consider playing multiple tables at once on the Internet in order to maximize their win rate (though playing an exorbitant amount such as eight tables is almost always inadvisable).

When playing two tables at once, most players' abilities will suffer. This is because you can't pay as much attention to each game. You will not be able to adopt as many player-specific strategies as you would if you were only playing one table. Thus, if you are used to making $10 an hour playing one game at once, do not automatically assume you will earn $20 an hour by playing two games at once. Chances are, you will earn less than $20 an hour. Thus, the key decision in this case is whether you think you would make between $10-$20 an hour playing two tables or less than $10 an hour.

Since playing two tables lowers your profit rate per table, you must have already established that you can beat the game consistently in order for it to be profitable to play two games at once. If you are breaking even at a limit and decide to play two games at once at that limit, you will probably begin to lose money since your profit rate will go from 0 to say -$5 an hour per table, which amounts to -$10 an hour.

Another critical factor when deciding whether or not to play multiple tables at once is the type of game you are playing. If you are playing a no-limit game, you may be highly dependent on player reads. Therefore, playing multiple tables might be a bad idea if it will significantly affect your ability to win. However, if you play fixed-limit games at low stakes, chances are your advantages are derived from basic, tactical skills. These types of skills, such as patience and discipline, will not be affected by multiple tables. Therefore, multiple tables tends to be a better option for limit players than no-limit players.

Furthermore, playing more than one game can be stressful. You will be constantly checking each game, making snap decisions every 15 seconds, etc. This may decrease the joy factor of the game, which may be more important to you than any extra money you could make by playing two games at once. After all, poker is not just about winning money; it is also about having fun.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/multiple-games.php

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2008-06-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

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

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

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