Hold Em Strategy - My Life and Obsession

Winning at online poker is not difficult- here are some tips to improve your game.

2008-11-08T03:01:00.001-08:00

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

Another Great Hold Em Article

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.htm

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

2008-11-06T04:19:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-04T16:35:00.001-08:00

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Todays Online Poker Article

When playing poker, keep your attention at the table

By Johnny Kampis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 compiled the very best hold em strategies in this great article.

2008-11-02T15:13:00.001-08:00

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

Texas Holdem Lesson - Five Tips!

1. Big Bets mean big hands, don't call them!

Do not call large bets without a very strong hand yourself. Unless you are against truly wild players (or extremely tough players), big bets will most of the time mean big hands! You have to have a bigger hand to beat a big hand.

So, unless you have a very strong hand (or a monster draw with good odds) you need to strongly lean towards folding a hand like top pair plus good kicker on scary boards like straight or flush draws, or even most semi-coordinated boards once all 5 cards are out. Especially on the river, don't call down big bets with medium strength hands!

A big bet is considered "big" by comparing it's size in relation to the current pot size. 2/3rds to 3/4th the size of the pot are generally considered large bets.

2. Bluff "less" Especially when playing poker online!

I say less but that depends on how often you bluff now. The real tip is to make yourself have a compelling reason to make a bluff. Yes, pulling off a successful bluff is an awesome feeling... winning a big pot on a bluff is fun, but overdoing it is one of the fastest way to donk off your bankroll. Slow it down unless you're playing with a bunch of rocks (tight guys who will fold unless they have a monster hand).

Good bluffs need to be set up, well timed and 'fit' into the holdem game. Just making some random bet during some point in the hand because you want to win the pot is a loosing play. Make sure you have a reason to bluff (you sense serious weakness, or have dead on reads). Don't bluff away your money, especially online! It is easy to 'call and see' online since you are not sitting there face to face and have to 'face the music' of making a donkey call.

Plus, many good players will check top pair good kicker on the river if you have called them down with a drawing hand that has obviously missed. (ie, 4 to the flush on the turn, and a blank on the river). They check to give you the chance to bluff your busted draw and pick you off with a hand like top pair or even 2nd pair, when you would have simply folded to their river value bet.

Good bluffs depend on opponents who are paying attention and have the capability of laying down a strong but vulnerable hand. Make sure you have seen something in a player that shows you that they are paying attention and can lay a hand down. Most online players call.

So - don't bluff so much, your bankroll will thank you! (mostly considering $$ games here, tourneys are more situational even than $$ games imo)

3. In general bet larger amounts.

Bet more when you are betting for value, they'll call you. Bet more when you have a strong but vulnerable hand so you end the hand there and take down the pot now. Bet more so you make they draws pay way to much to properly draw for their outs. When you bluff, bet the amount to 'get the job done', which is normally a larger amount (unless your opponent things large amounts mean bluff and smaller value bets mean monsters....

When in doubt, bet a little bit more. If there are flush draws or straight draws on the board, trying to value bet a hand like Ac Ad on a board of Js 10ds 8h with 1/4 or 1/3 pot sized bets on the flop or turn is way to small. This is a highly coordinated board, with straigt draws, flush draws, straight flush draws etc... you name it. Your hand is probably good, but you need to find out right now. You need to stick in a bet around the 3/4th's to pot sized bet to find out where you are at. You could already be behind. Strong re-raises should be respected, as well as smooth calls depending on the turn and the action.

Bet bigger and take it down or give the drawing hand very bad pot odds for calling! 3/4ths pot size to full pot size bets get it done!

4. Frequent continuation bets are fine if you are the initial aggressor pre-flop.

If you've raised pre-flop and gotten 1 or 2 callers it is fine to often make continuation bets on the flop. Continuation bets can be made when the action is checked to you on a non-threatening board.

A continuation bet is a bet that should be between 1/2 the pot up to the size of the pot, made on the flop after raising pre-flop (not calling a raise). If you make a lot of continuation bets, you also need to bet exactly the same when you make a hand.

To be a successful continuation bettor you must also bet the same when you hit your hand. Please notice I said 'frequent' and not 'constant.' Finding exactly where and when to make these takes practice, but if conditions are not bad, start firing away.

5. Don't go broke in an unraised pot - play cautiously when you and others limp on in!

In unraised pots players can literally have any two cards and if you do not have a seriously strong hand (nut or near nut), don't play a large pot. Two pair no good - fold it to serious aggression or resistance. Don't go broke by flopping two pair in an unraised pot!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/texas-holdem-common-sense-tips.htm

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Do not be intimidated by playing Texas Hold Em. These strategies will make you a better player.

2008-09-09T18:56:00.001-07:00

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

This Online Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

2008-09-07T12:15:00.001-07:00

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

A Featured Poker Article

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2008-09-05T01:35:00.001-07:00

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A Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

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

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

Inside the Tour, Vol. 98: Behold Macau

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:14:00 -0700
China. Well, Macau anyways, an island or three off the coast of China once a Portugese colony (from the 16th century until 1999) and now owned by China, although operating under a 50-year lease with some independence. Visualize a Las Vegas...

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2008-09-03T14:40:00.001-07:00

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

A Featured Texas Hold Em Article

Table Image - Part 2

by Gary Gates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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APT Macau Final Table: Timoshenko Destroys Competition

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

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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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2008-09-01T02:25:00.001-07:00

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

A Featured Texas Hold Em Article

Table Image - Part 2

by Gary Gates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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WSOP Academy Coming to Los Angeles

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:26:00 -0700
The World Series of Poker Academy, poker's premier training camp, is coming to Los Angeles for the first time with a two-day event to be held at the Bicycle Casino on September 6 and 7. Announced instructors for the upcoming event...

Poker Room Review: Imperial Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 08:05:00 -0700
The Imperial Palace has the ideal location for a great poker room. It's right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, between the Flamingo and Harrah's and across the street from Caesars and the Mirage. It is perhaps the Strip casino...

APT Macau Day 2: Casey Kastle Heads Final

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:37:00 -0700
Sixty-seven players returned to the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau for Day 2 of the APT Macau Main Event. By the time the dust settled on Day 2, only eight players remained to fight for the title and the event's $500,000...

Bart Simpson Voice Nancy Cartwright to Host Third Annual Monte Carlo Charity Poker Event

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:58:00 -0700
Bart Simpson is not known for his charity and compassion, but the woman who has given him his voice for over twenty years is once again hosting a charity tournament this September benefiting a local youth program. Actress Nancy Cartwright...

Lineup Grows for Poker Battle Pre-launch

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

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2008-08-30T06:45:00.001-07:00

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A Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

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

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:20:00 -0700
Win a package to PokerRoom's televised Race Trophy Semi Final in Monza, Italy for a chance at the live televised Final Table in Vienna and a share in the $500,000 guaranteed prizepool…

Inside the Poker Tour, Vol. 97: Phillip Hilm, Part One

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:19:00 -0700
Nearly two years ago at the Copenhagen European Poker Tour event I played at a table where a young man was the media favorite of passers-by. He was filmed and asked questions in several languages, always answering politely...

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

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Another Great Online Poker Article

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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2008-08-26T20:08:00.001-07:00

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Another Great 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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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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2008-08-24T14:51:00.001-07:00

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A Great Online Poker Article

Texas Holdem Lesson - Five Tips!

1. Big Bets mean big hands, don't call them!

Do not call large bets without a very strong hand yourself. Unless you are against truly wild players (or extremely tough players), big bets will most of the time mean big hands! You have to have a bigger hand to beat a big hand.

So, unless you have a very strong hand (or a monster draw with good odds) you need to strongly lean towards folding a hand like top pair plus good kicker on scary boards like straight or flush draws, or even most semi-coordinated boards once all 5 cards are out. Especially on the river, don't call down big bets with medium strength hands!

A big bet is considered "big" by comparing it's size in relation to the current pot size. 2/3rds to 3/4th the size of the pot are generally considered large bets.

2. Bluff "less" Especially when playing poker online!

I say less but that depends on how often you bluff now. The real tip is to make yourself have a compelling reason to make a bluff. Yes, pulling off a successful bluff is an awesome feeling... winning a big pot on a bluff is fun, but overdoing it is one of the fastest way to donk off your bankroll. Slow it down unless you're playing with a bunch of rocks (tight guys who will fold unless they have a monster hand).

Good bluffs need to be set up, well timed and 'fit' into the holdem game. Just making some random bet during some point in the hand because you want to win the pot is a loosing play. Make sure you have a reason to bluff (you sense serious weakness, or have dead on reads). Don't bluff away your money, especially online! It is easy to 'call and see' online since you are not sitting there face to face and have to 'face the music' of making a donkey call.

Plus, many good players will check top pair good kicker on the river if you have called them down with a drawing hand that has obviously missed. (ie, 4 to the flush on the turn, and a blank on the river). They check to give you the chance to bluff your busted draw and pick you off with a hand like top pair or even 2nd pair, when you would have simply folded to their river value bet.

Good bluffs depend on opponents who are paying attention and have the capability of laying down a strong but vulnerable hand. Make sure you have seen something in a player that shows you that they are paying attention and can lay a hand down. Most online players call.

So - don't bluff so much, your bankroll will thank you! (mostly considering $$ games here, tourneys are more situational even than $$ games imo)

3. In general bet larger amounts.

Bet more when you are betting for value, they'll call you. Bet more when you have a strong but vulnerable hand so you end the hand there and take down the pot now. Bet more so you make they draws pay way to much to properly draw for their outs. When you bluff, bet the amount to 'get the job done', which is normally a larger amount (unless your opponent things large amounts mean bluff and smaller value bets mean monsters....

When in doubt, bet a little bit more. If there are flush draws or straight draws on the board, trying to value bet a hand like Ac Ad on a board of Js 10ds 8h with 1/4 or 1/3 pot sized bets on the flop or turn is way to small. This is a highly coordinated board, with straigt draws, flush draws, straight flush draws etc... you name it. Your hand is probably good, but you need to find out right now. You need to stick in a bet around the 3/4th's to pot sized bet to find out where you are at. You could already be behind. Strong re-raises should be respected, as well as smooth calls depending on the turn and the action.

Bet bigger and take it down or give the drawing hand very bad pot odds for calling! 3/4ths pot size to full pot size bets get it done!

4. Frequent continuation bets are fine if you are the initial aggressor pre-flop.

If you've raised pre-flop and gotten 1 or 2 callers it is fine to often make continuation bets on the flop. Continuation bets can be made when the action is checked to you on a non-threatening board.

A continuation bet is a bet that should be between 1/2 the pot up to the size of the pot, made on the flop after raising pre-flop (not calling a raise). If you make a lot of continuation bets, you also need to bet exactly the same when you make a hand.

To be a successful continuation bettor you must also bet the same when you hit your hand. Please notice I said 'frequent' and not 'constant.' Finding exactly where and when to make these takes practice, but if conditions are not bad, start firing away.

5. Don't go broke in an unraised pot - play cautiously when you and others limp on in!

In unraised pots players can literally have any two cards and if you do not have a seriously strong hand (nut or near nut), don't play a large pot. Two pair no good - fold it to serious aggression or resistance. Don't go broke by flopping two pair in an unraised pot!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/texas-holdem-common-sense-tips.htm

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This hold em article has tips and strategies to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-08-22T20:51:00.001-07:00

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Todays 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

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2008-08-20T03:15:00.001-07:00

Todays Texas Hold Em 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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2008-08-18T02:36:00.001-07:00

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A Featured Poker Article

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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Here are some online poker tips to improve your game!

2008-08-16T08:56:00.001-07:00

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A Great Poker Article

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.htm

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

2008-08-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

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.

Todays Poker Article

Table Image - Part 2

by Gary Gates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2008-08-11T22:54:00.001-07:00

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A Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Avoiding Draw Poker

By Bill Ricardi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008-08-09T03:11:00.001-07:00

Another Great Texas Hold Em Article

BOOK REVIEW - BROKE: A POKER NOVEL

By Gary Wise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Here are some great online poker tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

2008-08-07T02:48:00.001-07:00

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

This Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.htm

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2009 PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship Tour Begins

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:54:00 -0700
One of the traditional opening poker events of each calendar year is the PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship, which takes place early each January. The event annually draws a lineup of big names from both sides of the pond...

FREE : 'Harrington on Cash Games: I & II' NEW!
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Here are some useful strategies to assist you in becomming a better hold em player.

2008-08-03T00:22:00.001-07:00

A Great Online Poker Article

Avoiding Draw Poker

By Bill Ricardi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 compiled the very best poker strategies in this great article.

2008-07-22T03:09:00.001-07:00

A Featured Hold Em Article

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.htm

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Sexton's Corner, Vol. 54: Marco Traniello, Rising Star

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

2008-07-20T17:13:00.001-07:00

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

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

2008-07-18T09:26:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-16T03:33:00.001-07:00

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

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The internet is full of fluff- these poker tips are the best of the best.

2008-07-12T19:16:00.001-07:00

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

A Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

What I Like About Poker

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

It is almost primal in a sense.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008-07-10T02:25:00.001-07:00

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This Online Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

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 Texas Hold Em tips? You have come to the right place.

2008-07-08T05:59:00.001-07:00

A Online Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

What I Like About Poker

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

It is almost primal in a sense.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008-07-06T07:01:00.001-07:00

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

Todays Poker Article

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

by Gary Gates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Do not be intimidated by playing Texas Hold Em. These strategies will make you a better player.

2008-07-04T16:26:00.001-07:00

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.

Another Great Online Poker Article

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.htm

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With so much fluff out there- we cut through the nonsense to bring you only the best hold em information.

2008-07-02T01:40:00.001-07:00

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 Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

AK - The Misplayed Monster

Ace King � How To Play The Misplayed Monster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. The board is rainbow and uncoordinated

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

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

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

-jtd

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

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

2008-06-28T01:53:00.001-07:00

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

A Featured Texas Hold Em Article

5 Tips for Small Stakes No-Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Tip #1

You make your money when you hit a big hand and get paid off.

This is important - You're not going to win a lot of money by stealing the blinds. At the $25 max buyin games the small blind is .10 and the big blind is .25. Why steal 35 cents?

For the most part it is a waste of time to try to steal it, other than mixing up your game some but no one notices at low limits anyway really.

It's ok to fold from late position if you have garbage. Why raise a $1.50 to steal $ .35 when you are holding Eight Three offsuit? Just muck it.

Don�t try and make your money winning lots of small blinds� you want to get called when you have a strong hand and steal the medium sized pots when you see an opportunity to bluff (more on that below).

Tip #2.

Pick a table that will let you limp cheaply - play flops for big hands.

What you want is a table that is first loose and second mostly passive.

You want to see most of the players limping in with any two cards and especially if they are calling raises out of position with dominated hands like KJ, KQ, AJ, AT... Avoid tables that have 3 or more pre-flop raisers unless there is a compelling reason to play there. Here is a more detailed article on No Limit Holdem Table Selection. Sites with good low limit traffic are Bodog Poker and Poker Stars

You want to see flops cheaply with YOUR drawing hands and make the others PAY with theirs (by raising/playing aggressive with your strong cards). If the table is also loose (which most are) I like playing most pairs if I can get in cheaply. If it is more common for the pot not to be raised pre-flop you can limp in with all small pairs and suited connectors down to around 78.

If there has been much raising at your table then I'd muck the smaller suited connectors unless it is a loose table and then it is fine to make a loose call in position. If raising is fairly common at your table then get up and find a different table unless there is an overly compelling reason to stay. At most major sites there is plenty of table selection at the low stakes no limit tables.

One thing I have noticed is that in general you want to find a table that doesn't have quite the highest average pot, but just a couple of notches below average. On the $25 buyin tables the larger pots are around $13 dollars, so I look for a table with between $8 and $10.

Don't bother with the tables with very low average pots, these normally indicate a table full of rocks that won't give you the action you want when you hit your hand.

Tip #3.

Bluff when you miss completely and you see no aggression, not when you have draws.

Don't be inclined to bluff if you have a draw to a strong hand if the pot is relatively small. If the pot is larger and worth taking down right now then a semi-bluff could be correct, but in the small pots it is ok to let them stay small if you are drawing.

Playing no limit, you can build a pot all at once. If you're drawing to a straight and can take a free card, be inclined to take it. I know this seems contrary to the idea of the semi-bluff, but this is low limit, no limit.

Someone might be slowplaying top two pair and they want to check raise you. Plus, they will pay you off with all sorts of garbage hands. So instead of betting out on a semi bluff and either getting called, raised or winning a small pot� consider checking and seeing if you hit your hand.

If you hit your hand and your opponent was planning on check raising you�re going to now get paid off� and get paid off much more than you would with one hand than you would if you took down a number of these small pots by successfully semi bluffing. Only if the pot is somewhat large and you have a very strong draw, and you think your opponent will fold to a hefty raise should you put out the semi-bluff, and if you do, make it stick.

For example, in a small stakes game if it is checked to you�ve got an open ended straight draw. You can check and take a free card or you can make a semi-bluff. You decide to semi-bluff with a pot sized bet of $1.75. What are you going to do when you get re-raised to $7.75? You've got a draw that if hits will most likely win, but you've got to call that is too expensive based on the odds of you hitting it.

If you would have checked, you would have saved the $4 flop bet and pretty much regardless what comes on the turn you are going to be bet into by the player who was hoping to check raise. If you hit do hit your straight, BINGO $$. A player who was planning on check raising but doesn�t get the chance (because you and everyone else checks behind him) will bet out on the turn nearly every time.

You're probably going to get paid off for a decent sum of money because people who wanted to check raise on the flop are simply unprepared to lay down to a raise on the turn and they will most likely call the river unless the board is just super scary. On the other hand, if you miss your draw and are bet out into on the turn you can lay your hand down and it costs you very little of your stack.

So instead of putting yourself into a sticky situation with a difficult decision on calling/folding, don't bet here. Instead take your free card and be willing to give up the small pot.

On the other hand - if you totally miss the flop and don't see much aggression, go ahead and make a bluff at the pot. Now if you get check-raised you can lay your hand down without much deliberation.

Tip #4.

Tighten up when it comes to calling a raise.

Avoid playing attractive looking, but dangerous hands like KJ, QT, ATo.

If the pot is raised by a typical player they will be raising with AK, AQ, and many pairs. Fold these hands even if you are a blind. Sure it might only be .75 cents to call, but what are you going to do when you call a raise with Queen Jack and the flop comes Queen, Ace, Eight and your opponent bets into for the size of the pot?
This puts you in a difficult situation. - Avoid these and play TIGHT when dealing with a raise.

Tip # 5.

It's ok to limp in cheaply with drawing hands if you have the discipline to get away from the hand after the flop.

I�m not advocating �Any Two will Do.� But the strong drawing hands can be played profitably if you have the discipline to get away from the hand when you are beaten.

Nut flush draws are the best example. If the table is full of loose limpers then I�m playing these hands often, and using pot sweetening bets when I have position. Even if you have to call a modest sized raise from someone, it is ok as long as they have a relatively large chip stack. (if you hit your hand you want to take their stack). Having numerous opponents with drawing hands isn't as important in No Limit as in Limit, since you can win a huge pot against just 1 other player playing No Limit as compared to only being able to take a set amount form , but drawing hands always love company.

If you miss this flop and it doesn't look very coordinated with a lot of connectors or scary, this can be a decent time to bluff. Stick in a 3/4 pot sized bet, even from early position if you only have two players to act behind you. Steal these pots unless you see resistance.

Don't call a raise and be leary of anyone who calls your flop bet. If the turn is another blank then you can fire another shot, but be sure you bet a healthy size (1/2 the pot at least) and try and make sure you're not walking into a huge trap. Most players don't have the imagination to stick in a raise on the flop (or especially the turn) without a hand. Sets can easily be hidden so tread cautiously if you get called on the flop. Checking and folding is ok, you can't successfully bluff every time.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/5-tips-for-small-stakes-no-limit-texas-holdem-cash-game.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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Anyone from beginner to expert poker players can benefit from these Texas Hold Em strategies.

2008-06-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

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

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

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Todays Online Poker Article

Avoiding Draw Poker

By Bill Ricardi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008-06-20T02:32:00.000-07:00

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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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2008 WSOP Event #32, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: Velador Dominates Final

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:28:00 -0700
The final in Event #32, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, was Jose Luis Velador's from start to finish. He came into the final table with a dominant chip stack and his stack went only went up as the day wore on. At one point, down...

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2008-06-18T22:59:00.001-07:00

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A Texas Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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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World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 16th, 2008

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:53:00 -0700
It was a frontrunner's day at the WSOP on Monday, as both events that saw bracelets awarded wound up having those bracelets awarded to the players leading those events at the start of the day. Phil 'OMGClayAiken' Galfond...

2008 WSOP Event #30, $10,000 Limit Hold'em World Championship Day 2: Katz, Hollink Head Final

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:29:00 -0700
Aaron Katz, who at times plays in the legendary "Big Game," is the only player going into the final table of the $10,000 limit world championship Event #30 with over a million in chips. But that doesn't mean he will have...

2008 WSOP Event #27, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: Lunkin Wins Bracelet

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:00:00 -0700
Vitaly Lunkin had only one prior cash in the WSOP, an 829th-place finish in the 2006 Main Event. He can now add to that a first-place finish in a 2008 $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event. A Russian pro who has cashed in ten previous...

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2008-06-17T03:56:00.001-07:00

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A Hold Em Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

The Mental Game

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

Think For Yourself

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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2008-06-15T20:31:00.001-07:00

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Todays Poker 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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World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 14th, 2008

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:06:00 -0700
Another pair of WSOP winner's bracelets found loving homes in Saturday's action at the Rio, including one that will likely have visits from close kin. History was made when Blair Hinkle captured Event #23, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em...

2008 WSOP Event #28, $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys, Day 1: Sebag Leads

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:18:00 -0700
152 world-class players took the field for what has traditionally been one of the more raucous events of the WSOP. Day 1 of Event 28, the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys tourney, would live up to that tradition. And even though...

2008 WSOP: Event #27, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em: Bernard Lee Tops Day 1 Pack

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:01:00 -0700
Event #27 drew a capacity crowd of 2,706 players, including returning champ Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Hellmuth won this event last year, giving him a record 11 WSOP bracelets and a nice payday in the amount of $637,254. The top 270 players...

2008 WSOP Event #25 $10,000 Heads-Up NLHE Championship: Down to the Final Four

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0700
Day 2 of the 2008 WSOP Event #25, the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em World Championship, started with 32 players and played three rounds to get down to the final four. Vanessa Selbst must have liked making the final four in this event...

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

2008-06-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

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 Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

Some Things to Keep In Mind

Here is another great tip I found on PokerTips.org. I dont mean to sound like a broken record, but keeping the mental aspect of your game in check is one of the most important skills you will need to succeed.

Ego

Poker can be an exciting game. Because it is played against other players and not against the house, it is also possible for a player to win at it in the long run.

However, always remember to keep your poker ego in check. First, the vast majority of people who play poker lose. For someone to win at poker, someone else has to lose. Also, the house takes a rake. If everyone at the table were of equal skill, everyone would expect to lose in the long run because of the amount of money paid in rake (of course, this doesn't apply to home games). So to win at poker, you need to be more skilled than your opponents, and you need to be skilled enough to beat the rake.

Furthermore, don't be naive and think you can be a guaranteed winner overnight. Poker is a tough game. Some people have played poker for years and still cannot become winning players. You are not going to just read a few articles and become a dominating poker player right off the bat. It takes skill, practice, and patience to become a good poker player.

Also, just because you do well at one type of poker does not necessarily mean you will do well at other forms of poker. For example: someone who dominates his home poker game may very well lose in a more competitive setting such as a casino or online. Another example: many good ring game players are horrible tournament players and vice versa. Keep track of your poker statistics so you can analyze which form of poker you play the best. If your statistics have shown that over a fair amount of time you have consistently lost at a certain poker game, you need to be cognizant of the fact that your poker skills are not good enough to beat that game over the long run.

Poker can be fun, exciting, and potentially even profitable. However, always have the right mindset when you are playing at the table.

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

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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...

2008 WSOP, Event #22 $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. Day 1: Jung Tops Tight Field

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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Here are some useful strategies to assist you in becomming a better poker player.

2008-06-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

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WSOP Main Event Will Last Four Months

WSOP, 2008-05-01, by Ozone
The lucky nine players who reach the final table in the 2008 WSOP Main Event will have to wait four grueling months before playing the final table. WSOP officials announced that play will be suspended when nine players remain. On November 9th, they will resume play after a 117 day hiatus. ESPN will air a two-hour special covering the final table on November 11th. ESPN will also air a special on November 4th that documents what the nine players have done since the tournament was paused. If something happens to a finalist that precludes them from November participation, their chip stack will be blinded off. This schedule change has sparked a heated debate in the poker world. Critics point out the potential for collusion, coaching, and ample time to study opponents on film. However, the rule change also gives players more time to negotaite sponsorship deals.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/news/articles/3049.php

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2008 WSOP Event #15 $1,000 Ladies World Championship: Gromenkova Wins

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:01:00 -0700
Svetlana Gromenkova won the bracelet, a Corum watch, and $244,702 in the $1,000 Ladies World Championship, wearing the same pair of sunglasses Anthony Rivera wore for his bracelet-winning performance in the $10,000 Mixed...

2008 WSOP Event #20, $2,000 Limit Hold'em Day 1: Negreanu Chases Lead

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700
Day 1 of Event #20, $2,000 Limit Hold'em, drew a field of 480 entrants, including Daniel Negreanu, who finished the Day in fourth and in sight of chip leader Daniel Makowsky. By the end of the first day, the field had been...

2008 WSOP: Event #17, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout: Jason Young Wins

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:40:00 -0700
It was a long one, over 30 hours of play in just two days, with a lengthy heads-up battle at the end. But when the final card was dealt, Jason Young emerged the winner of Event #21, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout. After...

Dr. Pauly at the 2008 WSOP: The Most Underrated Man in Poker — Erik Seidel

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:33:00 -0700
It was twenty years ago last May when Erik Seidel lost to Johnny Chan heads up for the 1988 World Series of Poker Main Event title. Chan was the reigning world champion and the most feared poker player in Las Vegas. Seidel was...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 9th, 2008

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0700
Another pair of bracelets found worthy homes in Monday's action at the 2008 World Series of Poker, concluding a run of several two-bracelet days in a row. But don't think the pace is easing up – in today's action, three bracelets...

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Winning strategies to improve your online poker game.

2008-06-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

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

This Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

Beginner Mistakes

Mistake #1: Playing too many hands
When people sit down in a game, they want to play. Often, this means they even will play hands like J 4. This is a cardinal mistake. Hopefully, the articles on this site will help improve your starting hand selection.

Mistake #2: Playing above your bankroll
This goes without saying. Sometimes the gambling and money aspect of poker gets to people too much. They become greedy and play in games they cannot afford or games where the competition is simply too stiff.At first, stick to a consistent, low limit. Learn how to play and beat the game before you play in higher-stakes games.

Mistake #3: Becoming too emotional at the table
Bad beats will happen. Losing sessions will happen. Annoying opponents will happen. Live with it and do not let your emotions sway your judgment at the table.

Mistake #4: Not using pot odds
If your hand needs improvement, the concept of pot odds can help you determine if you should call to see the next card on the board. Few beginning players understand pot odds, and they often call too much. This site has an article about pot odds, as well as a pot odds calculator to help you better understand this concept.

Mistake #5: Using a two-color deck
When most people think of cards, they think of two colors, red and black. The suits are displayed like this: Well, I have news for you. Some online poker rooms give you two display choices: the traditional two-color deck and a four-color deck. A four-color deck has a unique color for each suit, like this: While this may seem unusual at first, it will make things much easier on you with time.Believe me, if you use a two-color deck, there is a good chance that, at some point, you will misread your hand. You might think you have a flush when in fact you do not. Using a four-color deck is a simple way to prevent yourself from making stupid mistakes.

Mistake #6: Not following etiquette
This is a mistake that brick-and-mortar beginners make. When you want to make a raise, you should not say, "I call your bet and raise you $X." Your initial action is considered your final action. So if you say, "I call ..." it means you just want to call. If you want to raise, say "raise" and state the amount you want to raise, if it is a no-limit game (the amount of the raise is obvious in fixed-limit games).

Mistake #7: Imitating other players
A lot of people learn how to play poker by playing in a fashion similar to other people. They may just imitate others at the table, or they may try to play like a professional they saw on television. This is the wrong way to go about playing poker.Many people who play poker are simply bad at it. Imitating a poor player means copying a lot of their bad habits. Furthermore, trying to imitate what one saw on television is also a recipe for disaster. What is shown on television is almost always a tournament, and their hands are highly situational. The reasons for the professional's decision probably has little applicability to your own game.It is important to understand how to make decisions at poker. Succeeding at poker is not done through imitation; rather, it is done through understanding the complexities of the game.

Mistake #8: Superstitions
All gambling involves luck. While luck tends to even itself out over the long run, people naturally focus on the short run and on their fluctuations.Because gambling involves randomness, people will often blame or chalk up their luck to some random event that coincided with how they fared at a certain gambling session. This may be as innocent as believing in a lucky shirt. However, some people take these superstitions too far. They start to believe that if they constantly move seats or change their socks that they will somehow become the next WSOP winner.You cannot affect the "luck" factor of gambling. Luck evens itself out over the long run. The only thing you should concern yourself with at the poker table is playing well. If you play very well at poker, you will win over the long run. If you do not play well, you will lose. It's as simple as that.

Mistake #9: Overvaluing Suited Hands
Having a suited hand is a plus. However, you should not play a hand just because it is suited. The first two things to consider about a starting hand are the ranks of the cards and whether the cards are paired. These are by far the most important factors in the value of a hand. After this, you should consider if they are suited or connecting.A hand like A K is much, much more valuable than a hand like 10 3. A K is a top starting hand, whereas 10 3 should be thrown in the muck.This may sound obvious, but many beginners make the mistake of calling to see the flop with any two suited cards. The probability of flopping a flush or a flush draw with two suited cards is just under 12%. This is fairly low; you need other reasons to play a starting hand besides suitedness.

Source: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/beginner-mistakes.php

Latest Poker News:

WPT to Explore Network Options for Season VII

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:21:00 -0700
World Poker Tour Enterprises, Inc., owner of the World Poker Tour, has announced that it has entered discussions with several broadcast networks after its current contract with Game Show Network expired on Saturday. The announcement...

2008 WSOP Event #13, $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Day 2: Bell Heads Final

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:44:00 -0700
Day 2 of WSOP Event #13, $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em, saw 137 players vying for nine seats at Monday's final table, where the eventual winner will capture the top prize of $666,777. Among those returning for Day 2 were chip leaders...

World Series of Poker Daily Summary for June 8th, 2008

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:40:00 -0700
A jam-packed second Sunday of play at the 2008 WSOP saw a pair of bracelets awarded while one of the series' long-running traditions began amid much early-day pomp and circumstance. The music blared early and the celebs...

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

2008-06-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

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 Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

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/

Latest Hold Em 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.

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