Category: Poker Page 5 of 8

Practice the Secret to Poker Success

On October 16, 2010

One of the reasons why Texas Hold Em Poker is so popular these days is that it is very easy to learn and to play. Sure you could say the same thing about free bingo, roulette and blackjack but they just don’t have the numbers that Texas Hold Em has. Although with females, bingo seems to be considerably more popular.

Anybody can learn to play Texas Hold Em in a few hours, but you should remember that it’ll take years or even a life time of play to master the game. Texas Hold Em consists of a series of basic moves and hands. The structure of the game is simple and is quickly memorized.

You’re probably asking yourself; If Texas Hold Em is so simple, I’m a smart person, why can’t I play like the professional poker players that I see on TV? The answer to this question is obvious; those players have years of experience, they’ve played thousands of games of poker. The real secret to success at Texas Hold Em or any poker game like Omaha Hi Lo, is practice. You need to sit down and play a lot of poker.

Years ago, it was hard to do this because poker was illegal in most areas and most people had to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to reach a legal game. Only a handful of professional card players had mastered the poker strategy. Men like Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim were became masters of poker because they made their living playing poker.

Today, anybody who has access to a computer with a good internet connection can learn poker strategy and Texas Hold Em the way the great players of the past did; by playing lots of poker. The way to get good at Texas Hold Em is to play a lot of Texas Hold Em games online.

Once you’ve memorized the basics, sit down at the computer and start playing online Texas Hold Em. If you’re worried about losing your money online, most poker sites have free games that let you play with mock money. Playing a few of these mock games everyday can teach what you need to become good at the game. When you feel confident enough, you can move up and start playing for money.

When you start playing for money, don’t expect to play like Chris Moneymaker. Don’t try any fancy online poker strategies. Just follow the basics and play for the really good basic hands. Don’t get ambitious and concentrate on the cards and your opponents. Keep playing everyday until you find a strategy that works for you.

If you feel really confident, then play a few hands against a pro. Most online poker sites let you do this. You probably won’t win but it’s a great way to test your skills and build your confidence.

An excellent way to improve your Texas Hold Em play is to play some other poker games like Five Card Stud, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Omaha Hi Lo. This will familiarize you with the basics of poker and help your Omaha game. Mixed games in which players play hands of different games are also helpful.

Transitioning to Online Poker

By admin

On October 4, 2010

In Poker

It goes without saying that poker has had a great following over the years – it’s definitely not an online concept. Indeed, if you’ve been playing poker for a long time, be it at casino or at home, you might be pretty comfortable in your abilities. However, everyone needs a good challenge. If you find yourself losing the spirit that brought you to the game in the first place, you really need to think about transitioning to online poker.

There are some serious advantages to playing poker online. One of the largest benefits that you’ll find is that it’s much, much, easier to make money by playing poker online. In fact, many people all over the world have really made good money playing poker online, and even pursue it as a source of full time income. It can be pretty lucrative once you’ve really brought your skills up to a professional level. The best part of playing poker online for money is that you can only get better with time.

www.pokerstars.com

If you’re someone that is into improving their game considerably, online poker is definitely for you. You will have the tools necessary to really track your results and winnings without question, giving you a long archive to review your results from. When you play offline, you don’t have a good method of going back and really looking at all of the hands that you’ve played. In addition, you will have to do all of the math on your own, which can be overwhelming and stressful even for the most analytical player. When you transition to online poker, technology handles all of these things for you.

So, how do you really go about joining the ranks of online poker players? The best approach is to look at getting the best casino possible on your side. there are plenty of online casino directories and review guides that not only tell you whether or not an online casino can be trusted, but it will also list the casinos that offer the best sign on bonuses and comps to poker players. Not every casino treats its poker players in the same way, so it’s best to do some checking before you actually put real money on the line.

Overall, transitioning to online poker isn’t difficult, especially if you’ve already been playing poker for a few years. With the tips in this guide, you should have no problem really making the most of your online poker time — good luck!

Best Starting Hands for Online Poker

By admin

On September 20, 2010

In Poker

When you’re really trying to get the best edge on your poker game online, there are a few things that you will need to know in order to continue moving to the next level. One of the biggest things that will get you the farthest is the concept of starting hands for poker.

Why are starting hands so important to learn, memorize, and study? Well, there are a few reasons for that. First and foremost, if you don’t know the best starting hands for playing poker, you could end up going into a pot that is strongly against your favor. A lot of poker hands have earned interesting and even funny names, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the best hands to play. For example, a lot of people like the Dolly Parton, which is 9-5 off-suit. Unfortunately this is a hand that really doesn’t lead to a solid win, since most of the time you’ll end up not getting the best community cards to make a straight. The odds just aren’t in your favor.

Speaking of odds, this is the best reason to really study what starting hands you’ll need to play and which ones you are better off folding. Playing bad hands gives you the worst odds, while playing premium hands gives you the best odds. Part of the reason why premium cards are favored from the beginning is because you get to bring the human element into play.

For example, if you know that you have J-10 suited, it’s best to keep that hand. Why? Well, if you have two cards of the same suit, you have the potential for a flush with the right community cards on the table. In addition, you will also have the potential for a good straight opportunity — which can beat out other hands like the infamous two pair.

Keep in mind that it’s not just enough to learn which hands are the best or even which ones are the worst. You will need to learn the power of intuition. For example, you might want to play a 2-7 suited, even though your chances of a straight are quite low. The only way to really get better is to make sure that you take the tips in this guide and actually put them into practice.

Overall, if you really start thinking about the best starting hands for online poker, you’ll definitely be one step closer to becoming a great poker player!

Top 3 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid in Texas Hold ‘em Poker

By admin

On May 31, 2010

In Poker

The game of Texas holdem Poker is arguably the most popular variant of poker games currently being played. Most major poker tournaments use this simple to play, yet difficult to master, version of the game and it is certainly very popular on the increasing number of online poker sites.

So, as a beginner to the game, what are the three crucial mistakes to avoid when playing Texas hold ‘em? Listed below are some rookie mistakes that can prove to be costly and which need to be avoided to ensure that your stack keeps growing!

1. Remember, folding is your friend.

There can be nothing more difficult for a novice Texas hold ‘em player to do, than to fold a hand. While it is relatively easy to fold pre-flop, especially if you have committed little or nothing to the pot and have very little in your hand to work with, folding when you have committed a significant amount of money to the pot can seem to the novice to be a waste of money.

In truth, if you hold two strong cards in your hand, but the flop, turn and river produce no help for you and worse still seem to have assisted another player, it is wisest to cut your losses, take the hit and cut and run.

It may seem like a bind, having committed a lot of your stack to the pot, to throw the money away with your cards, but it is better to fold sooner, rather than commit even more and risk losing it all. This could happen if an opponent calls your bluff; which leads us nicely onto the number two mistake beginners to Texas holdem poker make.

2. Don’t be tempted to bluff continually.

Film and television have played a part in making this seem the exciting and dynamic thing to do; where a poker player who has nothing in his hand whatsoever, bluffs his way to a huge win against an opponent sitting on a great hand. This is pure movie fiction. No poker player worth his salt will continue to be taken in by a player who bluffs continually. Eventually, even if you are successful with your first couple, your bluff will be called and you risk losing a large amount of your stack.

For the beginner it is wisest to play what you have in your hand; play the percentages and only what the cards provide you with, rather than what you think you can bluff from other players.

3. Don’t be tempted to bet your entire stack early on in a game.

It may seem tempting, if you have hit a good hand early on in your poker career, to loudly proclaim “all in” and fling your chips into the centre of the table with a flourish. Of course, you may get lucky as a novice player and get the win if the flop is kind, but it is also worth remembering that all but the strongest of hands, can be beaten.

Instead, take your time to play yourself into the game. Play the stronger hands you have sensibly and try and build your stack slowly. Even average poker players will know a player who goes all in is either bluffing, in which case they could be called, or has a good hand and so they will fold and the chance for you to increase your stack goes.

Save going ‘all in’ for when you really need to, when your chips are down and you have little other chance of staying in the game.

So, if you are a beginner, avoid these three rookie mistakes and start to enjoy the game of Texas hold ‘em, you’ll win some and you’ll lose some, but you are guaranteed a fantastic time!

Avoid the Temptation to Cheat at Online Poker

By admin

On March 23, 2010

In Poker

Online poker is a fun online pastime for millions of people. In fact, the pursuit of playing poker online is so great that there are even books and instructional videos devoted tot he subject, not to mention plenty of blogs and other online guides to help you become a great online poker player. However, when it comes to actually playing the game of poker online, you will want to avoid the temptation to cheat.

Cheating when it comes to online poker can take on many different forms. The most obvious form of cheating at poker is using automated software, but most sits have technology to scan and block this type of cheating. More subtle forms of cheating include teaming up with another person at the table in order to control the play at that table and increase the chances of winning.

The problem with cheating is that eventually, you will get caught and be banned from playing. If you’re serious about making big money with online poker, then you already know this isn’t the way you really want to go.

Cheating has social consequences to consider as well. If you are caught cheating and banned because of it, the chances of you still fitting into the social group that you’ve gotten to know are very slim. Even though online poker is very competitive, it’s also a great way to make new friendships. Most honest players can’t stand to play next to cheaters, and will generally not associate with them once it’s known that they’ve cheated. If the social aspect of online poker is important to you, then you will want to make sure to avoid the temptation to cheat at online poker.

Overall, it’s just a better idea to play poker online as an honest player instead of trying to cheat the system. If you start off on an honest path from the beginning, then you will not have a problem enjoying your online poker hobby for many years to come!

When choosing a casino online make sure they offer a wide variety of casino games including online video poker to ensure a great gambling experience.

Strategy for Texas Hold Em

By admin

On March 16, 2010

In Poker

Texas Hold Em is the game these days, it’s played on all those TV poker shows, in the big tournaments like the World Series of Poker, online and in the casinos. It’s even being played in European and Asian casinos where poker was unheard of less than a decade ago.

The key to winning or at least surviving at Texas Hold Em is to learn a few of the basic strategies used in the game. The best way obviously to learn these strategies is to play a lot of Texas Hold Em. Understanding these strategies can help you stay alive in Hold Em games and set you on the road to victory.

The first and most important skill anyone who wants to win at Texas Hold Em needs to master is the art of taking your time. This means to go slow, don’t bet on every hand, don’t go for broke every time you have a good hand. Instead, sit back and watch the table, watch the cards and most of all watch the other players.

The great poker players of the past became great because they learned how to read other players. To spot patterns of behavior, they learned how to do this by observing the game. By sitting back and watching and only playing aggressively when they had a good hand to back up their bluffs.

Folding and sitting out a hand is the best way to observe your opponents and their behavior. You get a ringside seat to their action, and a chance to watch and to learn about them. Sitting out a number of hands will enable you to take measure of the other players so you’ll know them when you make your move.

The best poker player in the world can’t do a thing if s/he doesn’t have any money to bet with. This means that you should watch your money like a hawk. Keep careful tabs on your chips and count them regularly. Only bet aggressively when you have a lot of money to loose.

Don’t be afraid to fold, no amount of skill or ability at bluffing can make up for a bad or weak hand. If your hand is bad, don’t be afraid to fold. Remember, a new hand is going to be dealt in a few minutes and there are always plenty of other poker games starting.

Finally, watch out for crooked games, if you think something’s fishy or somebody’s winning too much, drop out of that game and find another one. There are lots of crooks and card cheats out there and they’re counting on you to stay in the game so they can get your money.

Spotting a Tell

By admin

On March 16, 2010

In Poker

The most feared word in the language of poker is tell. A tell is a physical trait that indicates a player is bluffing.

Many players spend a lot of time and effort trying to spot tells when they’re playing at a table game. A person who can spot a tell can figure out who is bluffing and who is not. Unfortunately, spotting a tell can be very hard especially for inexperienced players.

The way to learn how to spot tells is to play a lot of poker or watch a lot of poker games from the rail or sidelines and observe players who bluff a lot. Indeed watching a lot of poker from outside the game is probably the best way to learn this because you don’t have the pressure of the cards.

Look closely at the players and see if you can spot anything that’s different when they bluff. Do they move their hands or thump on the table with their fingers? Do they twitch or become nervous? Any of these things could be a tell. So can dilutions and movements of the eyes.

When you’re watching for a tell, you should remember that cards are always the most important thing in poker. Good players always base their bets on their cards and their readings of other players. Always watch the cards first and see how people actually play. Some people only bet or take risks when they have a good hand, others like to bluff a lot.

One obvious tell is that people who aren’t used to lying and bluffing, newbies and those used to playing online get nervous when they bluff. They are in a new environment so that’s a weakness that you can take advantage.

When a player can bluff without getting nervous or displaying an obvious tell, that’s a sign of someone who’s played a lot of poker in their day, perhaps a pro. Always get suspicious when somebody who claims to be amateur or inexperienced bluffs without an obvious tell. Casinos and poker rooms sometimes use pros as shills to increase the stakes of games and their rake. There are also professional players including professional cheats or card mechanics who work home poker games especially big money home games, so be on the look out for them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there is such a thing as a false tell. Experienced poker mechanics have read the poker books and taken the lessons so they know the tells. A mechanic can easily fake a tell in order to convince you that he’s bluffing when he has a good hand. So get suspicious when somebody displays obvious tells but still manages to come up with some good hands. Also, realize that an obvious tell could be a distraction intended to keep you from noticing cheating or stealing from the pot.

Reading Poker Hands

By admin

On March 16, 2010

In Poker

The one skill that every poker player wants to master is reading other poker players’ hands. The art of trying to tell what cards the other players have from the expressions on their faces and their actions.

In reality, the only way to learn this art is to play a lot of poker. To spend hundreds of hours at the table playing hundreds of rounds poker. Now obviously most of us lack the time, the money and the patience to do that. There are a few things that you can learn about reading poker hands.

The first rule of poker is never taken anything for granted, so, remember nothing is certain. Just because you think the other guy has the nuts, doesn’t make it so. He might be a really good bluffer.

One way to learn to read poker hands is to watch a lot of poker. Watch a lot of those TV poker shows particularly the ones with the professional poker players and see what they do. Pay close attention when they bluff, and see what they do when they bluff. That can tell you a lot about how people act. It can help you spot a pro who is pretending to be an amateur player.

Another way to learn to read poker hands is to go to a casino or card room and simply watch other people playing poker. Buy yourself a drink and sit down and enjoy the show. Watch closely and pay attention, especially to the really good players. Watch and see how they bluff and what they do when they have a really good hand.

You should also read poker books and pay attention to expert advice. Many poker players today read poker books and take poker lessons. If you can learn the systems promoted in the books and online, you can deduce some of the bluffs that they plan to make.

When you observe poker, you should watch out for cheating, especially if you’re playing in casinos or card rooms. There are a lot of methods of cheating out there that you should be aware of.

The most common is marked cards, the marking is usually subtle done with nick or tear in the card. This is why most professional poker players ask for a new deck on a regular basis to keep somebody from marking it. Be particularly weary if somebody displays unusual skill at reading poker hands and anticipating other players moves.

Observation is the key to poker and the way to become a good observer is to watch and play a lot of poker.

Learn Poker

By admin

On March 16, 2010

In Poker

Poker looks easy, especially when see the pros play it on TV, or actors play in movies and TV shows. That is probably why poker is so popular; it’s a very easy game to learn and to play.

Many gamblers make the mistake of thinking that they can play poker well enough to make money at it. That is what professional poker players, casinos, gambling halls and online poker rooms are counting on. They know that most poker players think they’re good enough to win money when they’re not.

Just because you can play poker well enough to win a few bucks off your friends at the weekly game or online, this doesn’t mean you’re ready for the big time. If you want to make real money at poker, you’re going to have get really, really good.

The way to do that is to play a lot of poker, as much poker as possible. This means that you’ll have to play hundreds or thousands of hands of poker. That’s how professional poker players do it and its how you’ll have to do it if you want to get good.

A fantastic way for average people to do this is to play online poker. One suggestion play as many of the free online poker games as you can. This way, you can get practice and get better at it. Another suggestion is to join or start a regular poker game and play a lot.

You should also learn as much as you can about the game of poker as you can. There are hundreds of poker bookers, some of them written by the greatest poker players in history Start reading those books and learning from the pros.

Another way to learn from the pros is to watch poker on TV; you can watch some of the greatest poker players in history in your own living room. Watch the TV poker shows as much possible and pay attention. Record the players you really admire and watch their actions closely. Play games you really like over and over again to see what you can learn.

Take advantage of the other poker learning aides out there as well. Many websites have lessons from professional poker players on streaming video. Take those lessons and see if you can learn from the pros. Don’t be afraid to learn and remember learn the basics before you try the expert stuff.