An Introduction To Online Poker

According to studies, around eighty million Americans enjoy playing poker. With the growing number of online poker sites, more people are joining the burgeoning pool of enthusiasts who enjoy this game. Apart from offering a wider range of games and sites, online poker gives you the opportunity to play with more seasoned players from across the globe. You can rub shoulders with professional poker players online, and perfect your gaming skills. It is difficult to find the best site to play poker. It all depends on what you want at that time. If you are keen to have good tournaments and good customer service, Poker Stars is where you should anchor. On the other hand, if you are using Linux or Mac, you should frequent websites which offers Java-based services. In a nutshell, there will be only a handful of poker sites where you would find a real poker game. These sites don’t indulge in gimmicks to lure traffic, as they are popular for their content. Worrying about losing the deposit money is a genuine concern while playing online. Playing with established poker sites can safeguard you against these risks. These sites are regulated by gaming commissions, backed by leading financial companies and therefore assured to give winners their due. However, keep your eyes open, as these commissions are not authorized by the government and work fairly only to maintain their own reputations. Online poker forums are an excellent source for beginners and experts to meet and discuss the fine points of the game. They can offer advice and feedback which is free and very helpful. Using a credit card is considered wise while funding online poker games. They work as a safety net for problems like overcharging and scams.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is an American card-playing derivative of the centuries-old game of Chinese Dominoes. In the early nineteenth century, Chinese laborers introduced the game while working in California. The game’s popularity with Chinese gamblers eventually attracted the attention of entrepreneurial gamers who substituted the traditional tiles with cards and modeled the game into a new form of poker. Introduced into the poker rooms of California in 1986, the game’s immediate acceptance and popularity with Asian poker players drew the attention of Nevada’s casino operators who quickly absorbed the game into their own poker rooms. The popularity of the game has continued into the 21st century. Pai Gow tables accommodate up to six players and a dealer. Differentiating from traditional poker, all players play against the dealer and not against each other. In a counterclockwise rotation, each player is dealt seven face down cards by the dealer. Forty-nine cards are dealt, including the dealer’s seven cards. Each player and the dealer must form two poker hands: a high hand of five cards and a low hand of two cards. The hands are based on traditional poker rankings and as such, a two card hand of two aces would be the highest possible hand of two cards. A five aces hand would be the highest five card hand. How do you get five aces in a standard fifty-two card deck? You are actually playing with a fifty-three card deck since one joker is allowed into the game. The joker is considered a wild card and can be used as another ace or to complete a straight or flush. The highest two hands win each game and only a single player having the two highest hands simultaneously can win. A dice throw from a cup containing three dice determines who will be dealt the first hand. After the hands are dealt, players must form the two poker hands, keeping in mind that the five-card hand must always rank higher than the two-card hand. When all players have set their hands, the dealer will make comparisons with his or her hand rank for payouts. If a player has one hand higher in rank than the dealer’s but a lower second hand, this is considered a tie. If the dealer beats both hands, the player loses. In the case of both player’s hands and both dealer’s hands being identical, the dealer wins. In casino play, ofttimes allowances are made for a player to become the dealer. In this case, the player must have the funds for any payoffs due winning players. Of course, the player acting as dealer can corner some large pots if he can beat most of the players. Some casinos rule that players cannot deal or bank two consecutive hands, and some poker rooms will offer to co-bank 50/50 with any player that elects to take the bank. In all cases, the dealer will ask players in turn if they wish to be the banker. In Pai Gow Poker, you are dealt “static” cards which means you have no opportunity to change cards to possibly improve your hand. However, as in traditional five-card draw, there are strategies to make the best of what you have been dealt. An example is keeping the flushes or straights in the five-card hand and the two cards remaining as the second high hand. If you are lucky enough to draw four aces and a joker, you can keep three aces in the five-card hand and strengthen your two-card hand with the other ace and joker. Two pair? Keep the higher pair in the five-card hand and the other two matching cards will make up the second hand.

How To Play Poker

Without question, Poker is the most common card game in Las Vegas and Internet casinos. Learning how to play Poker is essential for anyone looking to have fun and make some money at casinos. Once you learn the basics of how to play Poker, you can practice online and play for fun. The basic rules for most variations of Poker are the same, so learning how to play Poker will allow you to change your game and get more enjoyment from your play time. Many people learn how to play Poker by participating in home games, visiting internet casinos or watching live Poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker. A few basic rules will get you on your way. The first step in learning how to play Poker is to memorize the hand ranking. The object of Poker in just about every variation is to form the highest possible five-card hand. From highest to lowest, the order of Poker hands is Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card. Before you figure out any other rules of how to play Poker, you should know the hand ranking off the top of your head so you can concentrate on the game. There is more to learning how to play Poker than hand ranking. You should also familiarize yourself with the various types of Poker that are commonly played in casinos. Stud Poker, which is usually some variation of five-card or seven-card stud, is a Poker game where you try to make the best possible hands from the cards you are dealt. Variations of seven-card stud, such as Omaha and Texas Hold ‘Em, are more common than five-card stud because with seven cards, the game relies more on skill than luck. Draw Poker is another type of game you should investigate in learning how to play Poker. Most casinos don’t offer draw Poker because the odds are excellent for players, but you can find draw Poker games in many for-credit Internet casinos. In draw Poker, depending on the game variation, you can discard a certain number of cards after the initial deal and get that many new cards to make the best possible hand. Knowing how to play Poker will let you participate in the most exciting card game around. After you learn how to play Poker, you can work on your bluffing skills (actions you can use against live opponents to make them think your cards are better than theirs so they will fold, or withdraw from the game) and maybe even find yourself with a seat at the World Series of Poker. Practice your Poker skills online or with friends so you can learn all the tricks about how to play Poker.

Bellagio Poker Room Reviewed

Introduction: The poker room in the hotel Bellagio is lavishly designed, but that is not what I have examined. In the following article, you will be able to read about the different poker games and tournaments offered as well as the poker tables, odds and gaming pros and cons. The Bellagio devotes poker to three large sections. The first is the standard game room where one can participate in regular holdem and Omaha games. The next is a special section for those wanting to play for high cash betting. This section is called Bobbys poker room. The third game section is a location that can be hired and is called Club Prive. Advantages: 1) A regular WPT tournament venue, playing poker at this casino gives you the chance to play where celebrities have been but also allows you to enter and watch those games live. 2) No one (not even the high stake pros) is allowed to smoke in any of the casino halls. This means that your poker gaming environment is smoke free. 3) The Bellagio caters to all poker tastes. It offers game tables where one can play different variations of poker as well as different pot limitations and wagering regulations. A big plus is the daily no limit games that they run. 4) The Bellagio bar serve high-priced alcohol and cocktails and do not charge for these drinks. In addition, you can keep your valuables and money in special safes that they give you. 5) Three different tournaments take place at the Bellagio. The first is as I stated above: the No Limit Holdem countdown. But there are two more highly popular tournaments. From Sundays to Thursdays, the buy in amounts to fifty dollars as well as a starting sum of five hundred and if you prefer the weekend, then the sum multiplies by two into a thousand dollars and an eighty dollar buy in. Cons: 1) Because the poker room at Bellagio is highly esteemed and brings in many enthusiasts, you will have to wait for quite some time until a chair opens up. If you are in Vegas during the weekend, the waiting might stretch up to an hour or more. 2) Mainly because of the reputation that the Bellagio has gained through the years, and also because many poker pros prefer this poker room to others in Vegas, winning at this location is tougher than any other poker playing room in Vegas. 3) Because the Bellagio serves the finest booze and because their bartenders have the ability to whip up cocktails that will make you ask for more, this is not a very ideal place to bet money at. 4) If you play at one of the high stake rooms such as Bobbys Poker rooms, you will be competing against world professionals and not just local self-named experts. Conclusion: If you consider yourself a professional or at least have respectable skills at playing this card game, then the poker room at Bellagio is the one to pick if you are in Vegas. But, if you are relatively new to the game, stay away from the Bellagio and choose another Las Vegas poker room unless you want to lose all your money and fast.

5 Tips to Improve Your Heads Up Poker Play

You’ve finally made it! You’ve played Texas Hold’em for hours and hours, dodged some scary all ins, caught a couple of breaks and now you are sitting at the final table playing heads up poker. Once the joy of making the final table has subsided you will have to get down to business and stake out your opponent. Hopefully by now you have got a good read on the player, their tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. However, it may be important to know that poker players often switch modes when it comes down to heads up play. A poker players heads up play may be completely different than their regular play. Here are some tips to help you improve your heads up Texas Hold’em poker strategy. Tip#1 – An Ace in the Hole The #1 rule of heads up poker play is that when you have an ace as a hole card you will usually be in a dominant position pre flop. You should then raise/re-raise strong to see what the opponent’s reaction will be. Often times an opponent will fold (depending on the specific style of the poker player) for fear of the ace or a pocket pair. Sometimes you may get called but remember, in heads up poker players have a tendency to make loose calls. Odds are you will still be in a dominant position. Tip #2 – Lower Your Expectations While playing heads up Texas Hold’em poker, chances are that you cannot afford to wait on a good hand. A quality hand in heads up poker is not the same as when playing with a bigger group. You may have to settle with J-6 offsuit and just see what happens. The odds are that many times your opponent will have a bad looking hand as well. Tip #3 – Try To Pick Up A Betting Pattern Many poker players have an extremely difficult time playing heads up. Some collapse under the pressure and others become painstakingly obvious in how they bet in heads up. Make sure you keep an eye on your opponents betting habits. Every now and then you may want to call a hand that you know your probably beat in just to see what the opponent has. If you can pick up an opponents betting habits it’s almost as if they are showing you their hands. Tip #4 – Mix Up Your Play Even if you are not getting the best of cards you must always try to mix up your play to throw your opponent off your scent. Raise with 9-4 suited. Call with A-3 offsuit. This way your opponent cannot pick up a good betting pattern from you. Many poker players are not great when it comes to heads up play. By throwing your opponent off your scent it possible that he/she will be enticed into making a careless all-in call. All it takes is one big mistake in heads up play and you’ll have your opponent right where you want them. Tip #5 – Don’t Over Do the “All-In” Call Please do not go over board going all-in. This is like leaving your hand up to fate. There is some luck involved in poker but you don’t want to just get by on being lucky. Besides, doing this is a clear give away that you may be less advanced and a veteran will wait for their chance and BURRY you. Mix up your play, raises, calls and folds, and in the end the better player usually wins out.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em has become the most popular variation of Poker currently being featured in the gaming world. Due to the popularity of Poker parties, the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour, more and more people are developing an interest in Poker. Further, the game of Texas Hold’em is of particular interest to gamblers. Texas Hold’em is usually played with several people (usually more than 2 and less than 22). The game begins with the dealer doling out two cards face down, to each player. These are the cards that are shown and are the cards referred to as the “showdown.” Then, each player makes a bet, after which the dealer deals a “burn card.” The players are then dealt three community cards, face up, and then the second betting round begins. After this second better round, another burn card is dealt and then another community card. Finally, another betting round is held. This is followed by one or two more betting rounds and then the showdown. The showdown is the official name for the final hand. When a player makes their bet and all of the other players in the game fold, then that player is the game winner and is awarded the money in the pot. If two players, or more, remain, then that is the showdown round. Each player must play the best hand of five cards that he can get from the seven cards (the two hole cards and five community cards). If the best hand is shared by the two players, then the pot is split between the remaining players. This overview of Texas Hold’em is simply that, an overview. There are many different tips and tricks, particularly when playing in casinos whether the casino is virtual or real and the rules can often vary from site to site within an online casino arena. The best thing to do before joining a game of Texas Hold’em Poker is to check the rules of regulations of each online casino to be sure you comply.

Online Poker Tips

Internet poker room is a good place to test your basic skills and define the best live poker game playing strategy for yourself. At the Internet poker room table you would have to play against possibly more skilled opponents. The first and the main live poker game tip on our list is: do your homework, study the basic rules of poker game, memorize all possible poker hands, visit Internet poker forums, read books on poker, chat with other poker card players. Then try a few FREE versions of an Internet poker room game at our sister site: 3-hand, 5-hand, Caribbean Stud, Texas Holdem Poker, Video Poker. They all are fun to play! Take full advantage of live poker game deposit bonuses at the Internet poker room you choose. Almost all Internet poker rooms offer deposit bonuses for new poker players, usually from $30 to $50. Place a limit on the money you are going to gamble with before you start playing live poker game. When playing a poker game, analyze the playing habits and poker playing strategies used by your opponents at the Internet poker room table. As a beginner do not play too many poker hands, you will be sure to loose. Play only the higher value starting hands. With chosen low poker limits you can play live poker game for several hours for less than the cost of a movie ticket. So even if you lose a little, think of the expence as a small payment for a nicely spent evening. Play poker at your present mastery level. If you are just a beginner poker card player, do not rush into Internet poker room tournaments, your time will come after months of improving your skill in numerous live poker games. Learn how to fold a poker hand and when. Fold if you have nothing in your hand, do not be afraid to fold poker hands as many times as necessary. Master the art of choosing starting poker hands, employing pot odds, and aggressively betting your winning hands. We do not claim that these free online poker tips will help you win money, this article is for information purpose only.