woensdag 12 december 2012

Best Online Poker Rooms - Where Should You Be Playing?

Poker is one of the fastest growing sports in America today. It is getting so popular, in fact, that it is spilling over onto the World Wide Web. However, we all know the dangers of putting personal information on the internet for all to see and poker generally involves money of some sort. The following information will help to direct you to the best online poker rooms on the web.

One of the best online poker rooms on the internet is Paradise Poker. This site is popular, due in part, because there are constantly tournaments going on and a player will always find some high stakes game to enter. People have mentioned that this game has the most pleasing graphics and yet it is not crowded with all sorts of unnecessary icons. For those players worried about the security of their money, Paradise Poker has shuffle card reviews from a highly recommended company, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Second, with all of Party Poker's efforts to get their name out there, they have certainly been rewarded by all of the players they have brought to their tables. Although they do have quite a large amount of customers, their customer service is nothing to brag about. Party is presented by the same people that brought you CardPlayer Cruises, including Mike Sexton. Every year Party Poker hosts a rather large tournament called the Party Poker Million.

Poker Stars has never had a time where there was not a large tournament going on that anyone could enter. This site is popular with most of the free roll players; the site offers some amusing aspects to the programming. Although the interface can appear rather chaotic with the extensive graphics people can use for their icons.

Most of the time, Ladbrokes has encounters worth watching, and for added reliability they are connected with the Hilton Group. Sponsoring a huge tournament in Europe where they don’t accept US players is an annual competition known as the Ladbrokes Poker Tournament. Although their software is not extraordinary, it can still provide one with hours of poker entertainment.

Poker Room offers a variety of options. Which include multi-table tournaments, as well as Texas Hold’em, Hold’em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud and a number of casino games. For those players worried about viruses, no download is needed in order to play on Poker Room. In addition to a good links section, players can play a free roll with play money, including tournaments.

Prima Poker is more of a group of poker sites rather than a single room and boasts a minimum wait time before the start of a game. With twenty-one sites to gather players from, it doesn’t matter what site in the group you connected from, you will be able to play a game of poker.

Full Tilt ranks further down this list, although the graphics may appear slightly childish, the site can really be a lot of fun, especially if the cards aren’t flopping your way. With the addition of Team Full Tilt, the site has some of the best players in the game and has earned its bragging rights.

Relatively new to the online poker scene is Hollywood Poker. Unlike any other site, Hollywood Poker allows players to play against some of their favorite actors including James Woods, the official spokesman. The graphics aren’t anything special but they offer a cornucopia of options allowing players to maximize their experience.

vrijdag 9 november 2012

Multi-Table Online Poker Play

An exciting feature unique to online poker is the ability to play at multiple tables at the same time. Certain card rooms have restrictions on the number of simultaneous tables you can have running, however many have recently enabled players to join up to four poker games at once!

As the variety of poker software continually improves we are seeing custom options also developing to assist in the fun and viability of multi-table play. Reknown for their innovative poker sofware, Ultimate Bet has had a 'mini-view' feature that has been popular for quite some time. For those lucky enough to have minimum screen resolution of 1600 x 1200 , Poker Champs has view options that can fit up to 6 tables running fully visible on your desktop. Most players for now will content themselves with moving around different poker tables as well as a lobby accross their desktop into patterns that seem the most appropriate depending on the seating at their tables.

With the prospect of earning more rake from the same players, the poker rooms have been very keen to promote their multi-table capabilities. The debate on whether each of us should actually play more than one table at once usually depends on our poker skill, playing styles and goals.

Recreational players seem to be mostly divided into two camps. Some players love the action, and enjoy playing tons of hands. The pure number of cards being dealt and almost constant action is the only way these players will really pay attention to the game and come out winners, otherwise they are easily bored and distracted by elements outside the game, often proving very costly. others that enjoy a more friendly and relaxed slow-pace game with side chatting. Any players that are easily confused or frusturated at making a strategy or possible a clicking mistake should be forwarned about the pitfalls of playing too many tables.

More serious players also have varying ideas on the subject that usually fall into main two view points. Some pros, intent on maximizing their winnings, will argue that a profitable player would earn at least a percentage of their hourly profit rate at each additional table they play at. Even if the profits per table are somewhat reduced, the total wins should be greater, justifying multi-table action. There are other excellent players that will insist certain playing styles, particularly those that heavily rely on reading other players, need the focus of only playing one table at a time, otherwise losses will likely occur on all fronts as their style is put to a disadvantage.

The practice of playing in tournaments and side games simultaneously has increased, adopted mostly by tournament enthusiasts looking to earn the same card room player rewards as the rest of the cash game players. This trend is only expected to grow as the past year showed many poker software upgrades enabling multi-table options at card rooms that were previously lacking the ability.

donderdag 11 oktober 2012

Multi-Table Online Poker Play

An exciting feature unique to online poker is the ability to play at multiple tables at the same time. Certain card rooms have restrictions on the number of simultaneous tables you can have running, however many have recently enabled players to join up to four poker games at once!

As the variety of poker software continually improves we are seeing custom options also developing to assist in the fun and viability of multi-table play. Reknown for their innovative poker sofware, Ultimate Bet has had a 'mini-view' feature that has been popular for quite some time. For those lucky enough to have minimum screen resolution of 1600 x 1200 , Poker Champs has view options that can fit up to 6 tables running fully visible on your desktop. Most players for now will content themselves with moving around different poker tables as well as a lobby accross their desktop into patterns that seem the most appropriate depending on the seating at their tables.

With the prospect of earning more rake from the same players, the poker rooms have been very keen to promote their multi-table capabilities. The debate on whether each of us should actually play more than one table at once usually depends on our poker skill, playing styles and goals.

Recreational players seem to be mostly divided into two camps. Some players love the action, and enjoy playing tons of hands. The pure number of cards being dealt and almost constant action is the only way these players will really pay attention to the game and come out winners, otherwise they are easily bored and distracted by elements outside the game, often proving very costly. others that enjoy a more friendly and relaxed slow-pace game with side chatting. Any players that are easily confused or frusturated at making a strategy or possible a clicking mistake should be forwarned about the pitfalls of playing too many tables.

More serious players also have varying ideas on the subject that usually fall into main two view points. Some pros, intent on maximizing their winnings, will argue that a profitable player would earn at least a percentage of their hourly profit rate at each additional table they play at. Even if the profits per table are somewhat reduced, the total wins should be greater, justifying multi-table action. There are other excellent players that will insist certain playing styles, particularly those that heavily rely on reading other players, need the focus of only playing one table at a time, otherwise losses will likely occur on all fronts as their style is put to a disadvantage.

The practice of playing in tournaments and side games simultaneously has increased, adopted mostly by tournament enthusiasts looking to earn the same card room player rewards as the rest of the cash game players. This trend is only expected to grow as the past year showed many poker software upgrades enabling multi-table options at card rooms that were previously lacking the ability.


donderdag 13 september 2012

Interesting Facts About Poker

Every gambling enthusiast loves a good game of Poker. Conversely, every trivia player loves a good does of trivia. So, for the gambler a set of poker rules, a deck of cards, some poker chips and an place to ante-up will suffice, but what about all of those trivia lovers out there? Guess what, there a ton of fun and interesting facts about poker that trivia enthusiasts are sure to love. Let’s take a look at some of these amazing poker facts below.

Did you know that nearly 50 million Americans partake in the game of poker every year? Poker is an incredibly popular game, even more so with its increasing availability on the Internet. Further, poker has grown in leaps in bounds: no longer is it just a Thursday night gathering for avid Poker players, it is also a big time gambling business. Such a fact is proven when statistics indicate that some 70 million standard decks of playing cards are sold every single year!

Another amazing poker fact that you can use to astonish your friends is the fact that President Richard Nixon used a large sum of money that he won in a poker game to fund his first campaign for Congress! That’s right, after winning a cool six grand playing poker with his Navy buddies; Nixon won his way into office with his big poker winnings.

Is Richard Nixon the only famous person to be noted to play poker? Of course not! In fact, Groucho Marx earned his name from his poker playing tendencies. Groucho Marx used to wear a grouch bag around his neck all the time. Do you know what was in that grouch bag? You guessed it—his poker money!

Alternatively, we can take a look at John Mantagu, the Earl of Sandwich. Mantagu venerated the game of poker, so much so that he would often engage in hours of gaming and would actually refuse to leave the tables to eat. His solution? He would have someone serve him bread and meat. So, not only do we have the Earl of Sandwich to thank for our noontime meals, we also owe the fascinating game of poker a tribute for the sandwich.

Finally, the origins of poker remain highly debated. Conversely, what there seems to be absolutely no debate about is that poker is here to stay. Poker, possessing both a fascinating history and recreational appeal will continue to be played both online and in brick-and-mortar casinos everywhere!

dinsdag 14 augustus 2012

Bad Luck in Poker

For a game where most players rarely consider luck, there are lots of superstitions in poker. When you mention that someone was lucky in that poker tournament they won, be careful of how you say it. For instance, if you mention that you were unlucky, your luck may never change.

Ok, that may sound a bit ubsurd, but poker is a game loaded with superstitions. Did you know that if you are playing a game with two seperate decks and you are asked to pick the deck, you should always pick the deck of cards that is furthest from you? Or, how about If you get a run of bad cards, you must sit on a hankerchief to break your bad luck? It's actually considered good luck to blow through a deck of cards while they are being shuffled.

Some other fascinating poker superstitions are:

  • You can change the run of cards by walking around your chair three times.

  • The luckiest seat at the poker table faces the door.

  • The unluckiest seat has it's back to a fireplace.

  • When changing seats, you should always do so clockwise.

  • The unluckiest poker card is the four of clubs.

  • It's very unlucky to sit with your legs crossed at the poker table.

  • Friday is a bad day for playing cards.

  • The 13th is also a bad day, regardless of what day of the week it is.


For being such a game full of skill, many people still hold on to the old superstitions.



maandag 9 juli 2012

Beginners strategy for Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is a modern game with ancient origins.  Based on the ancient Chinese domino game and the modern American version of poker, Pai Gow poker combines the east with the west in a great game for beginning level players. 

Pai Gow Poker is a poker game that pits the player against the dealer, unlike most other poker games that players play against other players.  By playing against the dealer, beginning players don’t have to worry about other, more experienced people taking their money. 

Another Pai Gow advantage is the relatively slow game play, novices can take their time and strategize without needing to make hasty decisions. 

It’s also easier to play for a long time with just a little bit of money since, to lose, both of your hands must be lower than both of the dealer’s hands. 

Pai Gow is played with 53 cards; the regular 52-card standard deck and one joker.  The player is dealt seven cards face up and the dealer receives seven cards face down.

A five card hand and a two card hand must be made from the seven cards, the five card hand must be higher than the two card hand.  To win, a player needs both of his hand values to be higher than the dealer’s.   

To read more about Pai Gow Poker rules and strategy, visit Online-Casino (http://www.online-casino.com) and browse the game tips and strategy pages.

maandag 18 juni 2012

A Quick and Easy Texas Holdem Poker Lesson for Beginners

The great thing about Texas Holdem Poker is that it is easy to learn.  Even a beginner can quickly develop into a winning player.  By following a sound strategy and playing the best starting hands a Texas Holdem Poker newbie can dramatically shorten the learning curve.  So what are the best hands that a beginner should play?

The best hands for a beginner to play are Ace-Ace, King-King, Queen-Queen, Jack-Jack, Ace-King suited (example – Ace of clubs & King of clubs).

I strongly recommend that you only play these starting hands as a beginner.  In other words, if you are dealt a hand other than one of the above then fold! 

Folding is one of the most difficult decisions for a Texas Holdem Poker beginner to do.  The mindset of most Texas Holdem Poker beginners is to hang around and see the flop in the hopes of hitting it just right and improving a hand.

While a beginner will hit the flop and improve their hand occasionally, more often than not they will miss it.  The Texas Holdem Poker beginner player that plays poor starting hands will end up throwing more money away than they will win.

When you are dealt one of the best starting hands I recommend raising the pot which will serve two purposes.  First, it will force players with weak hands to fold instead of allowing them to stay in the game and see the flop for free.

Secondly, by seeing who raises and calls you get to see who feels that they have a good hand and who may be trying to hang in for the flop.

When the flop is dealt you should look carefully to see if you have improved your hand.  Even if you have not improved your hand, because you started out with one of the better hands you may still have the best hand.  This is especially true if your starting hand was a pair of aces or kings.

If your opponents raise back this can be a strong signal that they may have a powerful hand.  Ask yourself, “What could my opponent have?” “Could they have improved their hand?” 

Ask yourself these questions after each round of cards are dealt and try to “read” your opponents hand.

If you have a high pair a raise after the flop can help you assess whether your opponents feel if they have a strong hand or not.

If you think you are beaten there is no shame in folding at this point. 

When the turn card has been revealed, if you think that you may still have the best hand I would raise the pot so that I could obtain information about my opponents’ hands.

I would follow this same strategy on the river card.

To summarize this basic Texas Holdem Poker beginner strategy:
-    stick to playing the best starting hands
-    fold the bad hands
-    use the power of the raise to knock out weak players and to assess the strength of your opponents hands

By following this Texas Holdem Poker beginner strategy you will start out winning more hands than you lose.  You will start out winning more money than you will lose.


maandag 14 mei 2012

Caribbean Stud Poker: How to Play

Caribbean Stud Poker is gradually gaining in popularity as compared to its stud twin: Texas Holdem mainly because it is an easier game to learn and you can play it face to face and still enjoy.

Originating in the Caribbean and based loosely on five card stud poker rules, this game offers a fan alternative to traditional table games with an opportunity to place a side bet and hit a big jackpot too. Some of these jackpots are progressive and you can win millions of dollars if you break those machines or tables..

What is Caribbean Stud?
It is not a traditional poker game in the sense that you play against the other players and the best player wins the pot. Caribbean stud belongs to the family of games including Pai Gow poker, Let it Ride and Three Card poker for example, where your opponent is the dealer and your goal is to form a better poker hand than the dealers hand. However, basic knowledge of traditional poker hand ranking is required.

The Rules of Playing Caribbean Stud:
1) The game begins with the players placing an ante bet at the same amount as the table minimum on the ante circle on the table.
2) At the same time, you should decide whether to place an additional side bet for the progressive jackpot.
3) Then, the dealer deals each player five face down cards plus four face down cards and one up to himself.
4) After looking at your cards, you should decide whether to fold or to call. If you decide to call, you should place an additional bet double the amount of your former ante bet.
5) After all the players have made their decisions, the dealer shows his hand. In order to qualify in a Caribbean stud poker game, the dealer must have an ace and a king or better. If he does not qualify, you will be paid back your ante bet but the call bet is a push.
6) If the dealers hand qualifies, he compares hands against each of the players individually. If his hand is better than yours is, you lose both your ante and your call bets.
7) If your hand is better than the dealers hand, you would be paid even money for your ante while for your call you would be paid according to a paytable. The paytable can vary from one casino to another. Generally, US casinos pay out 50:1 on a straight flush; 20:1 on four of a kind; 7:1 on full house; 5:1 on a flush; 4:1 on a straight; 3:1 on three of a kind; 2:1 on two pairs and even money on one pair or less.
In case your hand and the dealers hand are even, both ante and raise will push.

One of the reasons that Caribbean stud poker is so popular is the option of placing a one dollar side bet and winning a large progressive jackpot prize. In order to qualify for the bonus payout you should have a flush or better. For a flush, you would be paid a 50 dollars bonus and in order to win the jackpot that usually resets from 10,000 dollars, you must have a royal flush. However, your chances to hit a royal flush are estimated as about 650,000 to 1, therefore I would recommend skipping it.

zaterdag 14 april 2012

Poker And Asia

Across the world, we see an explosion of the game of poker.

Australian Joe Hachem's big 2005 WSOP win inevitably triggered increased interest in the game Down Under, and lifted the attention of people in the Asia Pacific towards poker. Those in the poker industry in established countries see the vast opportunity for bringing poker competitions to Asia.

Already Asia has, in the 6 months prior to the writing of this article, seen at least 3 new tournaments sprouting around the Asian continent. The most famous of these was the Asian Poker Tour held in Singapore.

The APT is a prelude to Singapore's 2 new integrated resorts, of which casinos formed the highlight component. The integrated resorts are major commercial and residential property developments introduced by the Singapore Government's as its latest initiative to drive the Singapore economy and to grow Singapore into a major tourist destination for the region.

But Singapore is not the only destination in Asia with a draw for the poker player's dollar.

Macau has, less than a decade after the liberalisation of its casino restrictions, recently surpassed the dominant Las Vegas as the highest revenue generating gambling destination in the world. Perhaps there are benefits to introducing casinos and poker to the Asian region still enjoying rapid economic growth and populated by some two thirds of the world's population.

Singapore and Macau in the Asia Pacific are sure to provide many more opportunities to play poker in this region.

All the signs are that poker can be bigger here than it could ever be in Europe and North America.

Indeed, with the recent passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the US, several major companies have adopted the policy of completely restricting US citizens from playing in the US. The result is that these companies are actively promoting their poker games to Europe, Australia, and soon, you will find, Asia as well. There are no borders in the internet and any individual sitting in Manchester, Melbourne or Macau can play poker online.

Asia will have its challenges in the development of this industry. Many countries are of conservative values or are still staunch in religions or beliefs and hence that may look poorly upon poker. Of course, the starting perception of poker is as part of gambling and betting and gaming.

However, these are no different from issues once faced by poker players in other continents. Indeed, the perception of poker worldwide is changing. There is argument that poker should be seen more as a sport due to the dominance of skill over the element of chance involved in poker. An increasing number of people do not turn professional to play roulette or other casino games - they turn professional to play poker because there are opportunities to influence the course of game with skill.

In any event, as we see from the many tournaments and casinos sprouting around Asia, those that do not get into the industry (with the right regulations and balance) lose out.
Poker is coming to Asia, and Asia welcomes poker.

maandag 19 maart 2012

Online poker tips for free

This article is all about online poker. I have been enjoying playing poker on the internet for a couple of years now and in this article, I give free tips on how to become a successful online poker player.

For me playing poker is not just about attempting to win money, it is also fun. I love the fact that you can interact with other players from different countries. You have to be quite careful however as some of them attempt to wind you up. This is a well known tactic which some online players use, to entice you into betting to try to knock them out of the game. My advice in this situation is to ignore these people and to not even reply to their comments.

The turnaround of hands is a lot quicker than when you play in a casino or with your friends and it is wise to pick and choose carefully which hands you play and which hands you fold. I have played on some days when I think that I will never be dealt a decent hand. It is very tempting to try to make something happen by betting on a hand which in reality I know I should throw away. This is a risky strategy and you need to be patient as your time will come.

The people who are making the money in online poker rooms are the ones who have this patience. A lot of people can easily get bored and can soon see their money or chips dwindle away.

In the periods of gloom where you are not being dealt the good cards, keep yourself amused by watching the television, listening to the radio or by chatting to the other players. Again the law of averages states, the luck has to change eventually.

On some tables there are over aggressive players who will bet on anything and also raise to stupid levels. These players may win a lot of chips in a short period of time, however in the long run will always lose. You have to stick to your game plan and not get frustrated by these type of players. See it as an easy way to make money as eventually they will come unstuck, hopefully to you.

Poker can become quite addictive, therefore only bet what you can afford to lose. Play the game as a hobby and enjoy it, you are more likely to win with this attitude. I know people who attempt to win a certain amount of money per night and then go chasing this figure if they start to struggle. This in my opinion is not a good idea. I accept that I will win on some nights and lose on others. With the right approach and as the last two years have shown me, I should win in the long term.

Good luck with your online poker experience, I hope to chat to you someday on the tables.


zaterdag 4 februari 2012

Online Poker

As we move further and further into the age of technology, the Internet continues to evolve and create more entertainment options almost on a daily basis. So it comes as no surprise that some of your favorite casino games can now be found in online casino domains. And perhaps one of the more popular games found in online casinos is Poker.

There are numerous online chat and game rooms devoted to casino style Poker. Oftentimes, the style of play varies from site to site. Some of the more popular types of online Poker are: Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, 5 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud, to name a few. Due to the fact that there are so many different online casinos featuring Poker rooms, there can be a plethora of different types of games to choose from.

There are several differences between the traditional form of Poker playing and participating in an online Poker game in a virtual casino. The first big difference is that there is a lack of the physical interaction that is so vital to a great Poker game. Body language is a big part of the game of Poker and is a missing component of online casinos.

However, in contrast, players have a better chance of success in an online casino, particularly with online Poker games, as they are able to maintain more than one hand at a time. Many times, savvy players will participate at several different tables within the online casino to increase their chances for winning. Players are also often allowed to enter into the game with more reasonable bets and are often able to catch tips and explanation with the casino’s website features. This can come in handy when establishing which type of game the player would like to enter.

Online casinos offer many different casino games. Just be sure to read all of the rules and regulations of each game before participating and as with any online venture, be sure that you are on a secured site, particularly when exchanging monetary information. After reviewing the online casino rules, it’s time to have some gambling fun!

vrijdag 20 januari 2012

Making Money As A Poker Player

When a common person that never entered the world of true poker thinks of it, the last thoughts that will pass through his mind will be strategies and discipline. Common persons see poker as a game for the rich, cigars smoking and pool sitting men, that have nothing else to do with their money. The concept couldn’t be more misunderstood than it usually is. The truth is that when talking of poker, online or offline, people think of it as a common casino game, like the roulette or blackjack. They believe that luck is the key, when in fact it isn’t. If they knew a thing or two about poker, they would realize that above all, hold’em is a way to win some money, and if any good at it even a steady income.

Many people make their living this way and they have learned over time how to be moderate and how to manage their money properly in order to treat them as an investment that brings income steadily. It doesn’t mean it is for anyone no matter their skills. The truth is that in order to play poker and make money online you have to study and improve yourself permanently. The competitive level is high, and this is a good thing because it can keep you connected at all times. First you must understand that hold’em is not a game of luck. It doesn’t matter that you find it in casinos alongside with roulette and other purely luck games. It matters that it depends on your skills and the skills of the others paying with you. If you continue to consider it a game of luck, then you will hold a great disadvantage when playing with others that don’t. If, on the contrary, you don’t and you stumble across players that still do, then the disadvantage is their and you can use it to win more hands.

As in every life aspect, luck has a role in poker too. But, just as we can predict through statistic and calculus everything else, so can poker be predicted. Mathematics can help you understand strategies and odds and if you are skilled you can even develop your own strategies with its help.

So, the money making issue when it come to hold’em is not a fantasy it is a fact. Yes, you can make money playing poker. You can get rich over time or you can just provide steady income for your needs, whatever your intentions are, just as long as you understand the game completely. This means read as much as you can about it, practice as often as you can, diversify opponents s you can combine strategies learnt and in time you will be able to rank yourself higher and higher and see for yourself that money making and poker really do go hand in hand.