The Real Life Rules of Playing Online Poker

The Real Life Rules of Playing Online Poker
While some people say that to win a poker game requires skill is true, however it must be a combination of that skill and some luck that will get you far. The best strategy that any poker player could have is to study the ways that the poker pros bluff and play against each other. There is much information online with strategies that will help give you the upper hand in any situation.  While not all poker players play alike there is a mathematical way that will put the odds to your favor and there are also certain types of strategies that will leave you winning with most of your hands.

Knowing the difference between online gambling and real life gambling is very important.  Where in real life you can see a persons facial expressions and have more time to place a bet, online is quite different the player must read how much the other player bets.  Even though poker strategies can be used in both situations, if you are used to playing online it could make real life poker play much more difficult.

Strategies also plays a big part in the game because when certain players get into habits and strategy techniques it works to their advantage. This is why we see some of the same players get far in the same type of tournaments. The players that make it far is mostly due to years of practice, tactics and strategies. To get in poker shape you must first learn the poker rules and strategy of the game.

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker - Beginner's Rules to Get You Going

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker - Beginner's Rules to Get You Going
One of the most popular games in the casino today would have to be Texas Hold'em poker. Due to its vast increase in popularity, people that have not learnt the game as of yet want to quickly know the important rules and start playing it right away. Fortunately, you have come to the right place, because listed in the following sections are some of the important rules of the game that can help you understand how to play Texas Hold'em poker as well as win a substantial amount of money in the process.
In the beginning
For the game before it begins, you should know that they are a couple of rules that you might want to be aware of. The first rule is that the game begins with two players on the left of the dealer have to place bets, which are known as blinds. The big blind, is placed by the person that is two across the dealer when you see from the left, while the small blind is placed by the person immediately to the left of the dealer. This indicates that the game is now starting, and each player on the table is provided with two cards facing down.
The start of the game
Now that the players have been dealt the cards, the next step is for the player to the left of the person that played the big blind to start playing. This is said to be the action or what is known as the first move. The person can do one or more of the following actions - call the bet, increase the bet amount, or simply get out of the current round without losing any money. The betting goes on in a clockwise manner. Once the round is complete, three cards are dealt by the dealer facing up, which is called as the board.
Moving on to the next round
The board, or the flop (first 3 cards are called the flop), can be used in combination with the cards that you have to make the best pair. A preflop poker strategy would be to dynamically increase the bet amounts at this point if your cards are really good. Now, the round continues with the player immediately to the left of the dealer and betting continues clockwise in this manner. Once this round is complete, the dealer deals the fourth card, which is also called as the turn card. This is again followed by another round of betting.
Finishing the round
The final card, or the fifth card, is dealt at the end of the round following the fourth card. This is known as the "river". The players that are left show off their cards and the person that can make the best combination with the cards on the board will win. If the cards on the board are actually the best combination, then everyone playing the hand will win the game. These are the basics of how to play Texas Hold'em poker, and now you need to learn the strategies of the game.

Does Superstition Have a Place in Poker?

Does Superstition Have a Place in Poker?
Superstition has been part of man's life for as long as anyone can remember. If you read history books and historical novels, you will see that life has always been rife with beliefs that are not necessarily based on anything logical. That is the exact definition of a superstition - an illogical belief. You would think that with the heights technology and science have achieved, there would be no place for such beliefs. Of course, that is not the case. In most any aspect of modern life, people hold on to superstitions. Whether one is aware or not, it is likely that superstition has a place in one's life.
Take poker for example. It has always been perceived by the general public as a game of luck. That in itself would be a breeding ground for superstition - luck and such beliefs go hand in hand. Yet anyone who has had some experience playing poker would tell you that luck may be a factor but it is by no means the only factor. In fact, skill plays a larger role if you look at the larger picture. So where does superstition fit in?
Look into the lives of some famous poker players - and even the not so famous ones - and the chances are that you would find some sort of lucky charm or lucky ritual somewhere. Some players have a rabbit's foot keychain in their pockets. Others keep a special photograph in their wallets. Another quaint superstition involves coins. If, on your way to a poker game, you see a coin on the ground, do not pick it up immediately. First see if it is laying face down. If it is, leave it alone - it will only bring you bad luck. However, if the coin is laying face up, then pick it up, put it in your pocket and Lady Luck will shine upon you during your game.
Culture also affects the way one perceives luck. Some African Americans believe in mojo. This is a small pouch made of flannel in different colors. Mojos contain one magical thing or another. The mojo for money is green. In order to be effective, you must carry the green mojo on your person during a poker game.
If you are the type of person who does not go for the supernatural or mystical, then you would not buy this sort of thing. Yet think about it, perhaps these good luck charms are effective in their own way. People who believe in them are affected in a positive way simply because of one thing - their belief. They believe that they will be lucky and this puts them in a positive mindset. You ought to know the power of the mind. Believing in one's self has always been one of the factors for success. It is no different in poker. A four leaf clover in itself may have no magical powers but the person who believes that he will be lucky will come into a game more confident. That may just give him the push he needs to play and win.
Superstitions may not be logical, but they do give you that mental and emotional edge!

AK Vs QQ - The Classical Battle in Poker

AK Vs QQ - The Classical Battle in Poker
AK vs. QQ is known as "the classical" because AK is the highest unpaired hand while QQ is the highest pair not containing an ace or a king. AK vs. QQ is very often shown in TV where both players push preflop all-in and the AK prays to hit one of the 6 outs; on the other side the QQ prays to dodge aces or kings (now I do not mention the rare situation of straights or flushes). Why are we talking about AK vs. QQ and not AK vs. JJ or AK vs. TT? JJ and TT are a lot weaker hands than QQ. When you are dealt QQ you think you have a high pair and only aces and kings are better than your queens. However when you are dealt JJ you also have to consider that someone might have QQ; not even mentioning when you are dealt TT, then even jacks are a higher pair than your tens.
A typical mistake I hear from new players in this situation: "Yes, but there is such a small difference between queens and jacks/tens." This is a very bad mentality. If you have read Doyle Brunson's book (Super system) you know what I am talking about. If you haven't it is about time to do so. When someone says that kings and queens are almost the same, and queens and jacks are also very similar we can go all the way down to a pair of deuces. I can then ask the question: Is there any difference between a pair of aces and deuces? Or do you play them the same way? Everyone knows the answer: there is a huge difference between having the highest or lowest pair. So please always make a difference between the different pairs.
Answering the second question is easy: any pair is better than an unpaired hand. Therefore the QQ is a small favorite over AK. The exact percentages come a bit later on. This means 22 is also a favorite against AK but not as a big as QQ. Why not? What is the difference? The difference comes for example when you go preflop all-in in both situations and the board is the following: T8877. The AK has not improved, and loses against QQ, however wins against 22 because the board has two pairs and the AK has a better kicker than the 22.
Playing poker and being successful in it needs analytical skills. Learn the above mentioned percentages and poker strategies to become a good poker player.

How You Can Win Over $100,000 At The WSOP Main Event-Like I Did!

How You Can Win Over $100,000 At The WSOP Main Event-Like I Did!
I recently returned from Las Vegas where I won over $100,000 at the 2011 WSOP Main Event by finishing 71st out of almost 7,000 poker players. Let me share my story and my poker strategy with you, and it may help you achieve the same or better results in your next poker tournament or WSOP.
Since I did not want to buy-in for the $10,000 I entered a satellite to win a seat. There were over 680 players in this $550 satellite tournament I entered, and we were competing for 30 seats. Fortunately, I won a seat.
Now, that I won a seat I did the following:
1. I developed my goal: To get to the Final Table with at least $8 million in chips. Since I would start with $30,000, it would mean that I had to double my chip count each day of the tournament.
2. I developed my poker strategy:
* to present myself as a predictable ABC player to make it easier to steal pots
* to play opposite my opponents table image to take advantage of their weakness
* to avoid difficult decisions on any one hand so I could survive the event
* to look for tells, especially if the player to my left would fold or enter a hand
* to avoid getting knocked out by a clueless player--no bad beats at the wrong time, please.
3. I re-read my favorite poker book as a nice refresher course on poker plays.
Here is a brief review of my key hands:
Day 1 (July 8, 2011):
Starting chips: $30,000
An aggressive player raised in early position, I called on the button with QQ. The board came Jack high. He bet and I called. The turn was a rag. He bet and I called. The river was a rag. He checked-called my bet. He had A-J.
I mis-played KK against one opponent. I raised and he called in position. The flop was A-Q-Q. I checked and he checked. The turn was a rag. I bet and he called. The river was a rag. I bet and he called. He hit a runner-runner flush.
One key tell was that I knew when the player to my left would play his hand pre-flop. I used this to my advantage in the following key hand:
I made a min-raise with 7-7, knowing this guy wanted to raise. He raised, but it was no longer a big raise, so I could afford to see the flop. The flop was T-7-4. I bet into him and he raised. I called. The turn was a rag. I checked and he checked behind. The river was a rag. I bet and he called with his J-J.
My observations from Day 1 tended to be true throughout the tournament:
- Players at my table were mostly playing ABC poker, as I believe they were afraid to make a mistake.
- I took a check as a sign of weakness, so I'd bet and take down the pot.
- Opponents still don't realize their own tells.
- Don't show your hand to an opponent who folds. The player to my left did this once, and it made me realize he liked to 3 bet with a wide range of hands.
- The best tell is noticing betting patterns; not just c-betting or not, but how they play on different streets.
Ending chips: $50,000 (-$10,000 from objective)
Day 2:
Starting chips: $50,000
The Day 2 competition was easier than Day 1. I felt there was more fear at the table than Day 1. In fact, a few players pushed with garbage as if they were saying:
"I'm scared as hell. I can't take it anymore!"
I was mostly card dead, so I did not accumulate as many chips as I would have liked.
Ending chips: $86,000 (-$34,000 from objective)
Day 3:
Starting chips: $86,000
On Day 3, the play started to get more challenging.
On the first hand of play I was on the button and the big blind was missing. Everyone folded to the woman on my right, who raised. I had Q-9 and called. The flop was perfect K-J-T. She bet and I raised. She called. The turn was a rag. She checked and folded.
A few hands later, she raised again. I found Ah-Ad. I raised. She called. We were heads up. The flop was Kd-Td-4s. She bet into me! I put her on A-K since the bet was too big, I thought, to be a defensive one. I just called. The turn was a 6h. She bet big again. I called. The river was a 7d, completing a possible flush. She bet again, without hesitation.
What should I do? This was now a big pot, and I wondered if I had let her get her flush.
I thought for a moment, and it didn't add up. I mean, if she hit the flush on the river, she would have to think for a moment to size her bet. Especially since I could have the nut flush. I called. She had As-Jc and had damaged her chance to survive this day.
It was a big win for me. Except, later on, I ended up giving most of these new chips away when my flush lost to quad tens.
On Day 3, I was finally fortunate as I was dealt excellent starting hands.
In the BB, a player moved all-in. I found K-K and called. He made 22X BB all in move with A-J offsuit!? My Kings were ahead until the river, as the Ace hit. While it took my stack down by a third, I suddenly went on a mini rush.
The next hand I raised with 9-9. No one called.
The next hand I raised with A-A. No one called.
The next hand I raised with A-A again. No one called.
Back on the BB, I found A-K. 5 players called and I moved all-in. No one called.
A new player sat down to my right after the woman player was knocked out. He was a talker. And, he wanted everyone to know he knew the big TV poker stars and, of course, his stack was hurt due to bad beats. I was under the gun and raised with 9-9. Everyone folded to this guy in the BB. He called.
The flop was all rags with 2 hearts. He checked and I bet the pot. He moved all-in--which was about 65% of my stack. This was a tough spot since this was exactly the situation I was trying to avoid. A clueless player making a stupid play to knock me out. While this would not knock me out, it would be very tough to come back from a beat here. I folded.
The good news, though, was that the first hand back from the dinner back I was on the BB and found K-K. This guy moved all-in with  had over 25x the BB. I called. He got pissed when he did not improve and he started his speech about how unlucky he was.
Ending chips: $249,700 (+$9,700 versus objective)
Day 4
Starting chips: $249,700
This was the most difficult table ever for me. Little did I know that four of the players who started at this table (including me), would end up finishing in the top 125 finishers in this event!
Seated on my right was Heinz (who made it to the final table as one of the November Nine. He is an excellent player and a good guy. I wish him the best in November). To my left were two other professional internet players.
After a while it was clear that these players loved to 2 bet and 3 bet pre-flop with a wide range of hands. Heinz was 3 betting players to his right. And, the players to my left were three betting as well. In fact, I believe the two players to my left 3 bet me like a ten times before the dinner break. Each time I folded.
At the dinner break, I was very, very frustrated. I like to play flops and these characters were forcing me to fold. I decided that if it happened again, I would four bet.
Sure enough, in one of the first hands after the break, I raised and the player to my left 3 bet. It got back to me and I 4 bet. He folded.
The result of my doing this one time caused both the players to my left stopping that 3 betting of my raises. And, it led to my biggest pot win of the event....
I was in early position and raised with 7-6 suited. The guy to my left folded, but the next net pro just called. Heads up, the flop was 6-6-3 with a possible flush draw. I did not have the flush draw, but I knew my opponent would bet here with any hand, so I checked.
He bet. I now put in a big raise, as if on a flush draw. To my surprise, he re-raised! I moved in and he insta-called! He turned over 6-5 suited (no flush draw). The turn was a T. And when the river was a 2, rather than chopping the pot, I won big.
Ending chips: $757,000 (+$277,000 versus objective)
Day 5
Starting chips: $757,000
Day 5 started with Erick Lindgren at my table. He made a bad play early on with pocket T's by moving all in after a raise from a player with A-A. However, he hit his T on the flop to double up.
I had some hands at this table and I was able to grow my stack a little. ...
I got moved to a new table, which was more aggressive. The player to my right was a nice guy, who spoke little English, by the name of Staszko. His playing style is much tighter and more cautious than Heinz. (Staszko is a good guy and also one of the November Nine. And, I wish him the best at the final table.)
I was card dead here as well. And, almost every time I raised, the player to my left would call. The flop would miss me, and sometimes I would bet and sometimes I would check and give the pot up. The reason not to c-bet every time was to project strength, and take down the pot. Too often players c-bet the flop, get called, and then give up on the turn with a check-fold.
Unfortunately, I was card dead most of the entire time. It was very frustrating. On the last hand of the night, I doubled up with K-K.
Ending chips: $630,000 (-$330,000 versus objective)
Day 6 (July 17, 2011):
Starting chips: $630,000
Lots of big stacks at the first table. While I was not one of the big stacks, I was confident I could make a comeback.
I raised on the SB, but the Russian player on the BB, moved all-in. I folded. Later that round, I was on the button with A-T and raised first in pre-flop. This guy re-raised and I moved all-in. He called with A-Q. I got lucky and hit my T to double up.
I got J-J in a middle position and raised. A woman who had not played a hand in about 2 hours, moved all-in. Good grief. If I lose this hand, I am as good as out of the event. I folded the Jacks.
I got moved to a table with Allan Cunningham who had about the same chip stack size as me.
Given my stack size, I moved in after a raise with pocket 4's and pocket Jacks. My opponent called both time and lost with K-J and A-3 suited.
For the next 3 hours, I did not play a hand. It was incredible how ugly the cards looked.
Right before the dinner break, a player raised in middle position. I found K-K and 3 bet about 3x his bet size. My opponent thought for a while and moved all-in. I insta-called. My opponent showed A-T suited. If I win here, I would have about 2 million in  that was my chip goal for the day.
The flop was all rags, but the turn....
I finished in 71st place and won over $100,000. It was a great financial win, but I was very disappointed.

Thinking Through Your Poker Hand

Thinking Through Your Poker Hand
When it comes to thinking about your hand in poker, there are three basic things you need to cover as an amateur. As you progress and become better you can advance on to higher levels, but for now let's stick to the basics. On top of that once you have the first three basic levels down to a tee the others are just repetition. This way the next time you sit down you won't find all your poker chips on the other side of the table.
The simplest train of thought that you will use is figuring out what you, yourself actually has. This is the easiest level by far, which is why it's the first one! When you are just starting out you will need to be able to look at your cards and figure out what you already have and what your chances of improving your hand are in the blink of an eye. This will allow you to weight this against the other levels.
After you figure out what you have, you have to find or guess really what you opponents are holding. Now the trick to this is using their betting patterns against them. By finding patterns in your opponents betting patterns you can develop your opponent's tendencies. Then you can essentially tell whether you opponent is bluffing or actually has the nuts most times if they are a weak player. A word to the wise, do not attempt to use this on players that are more advanced. They will be able to do this much faster and be able to confuse you by switching up their game.
However when the flop hits this thought process becomes a little bit more involved. Now you have to include the added factors of their post-flop play (do they like to slow-play, continuation bet etc...).There are so many variables to consider when you are trying to make a guess at what you opponent has. So the next time you watch the World Series of Poker, you know what Daniel Negreanu or Phil Ivey is thinking about when they take longer than expected to make that amazing call.
Now that you have your hand and an educated guess about what your opponent has, it is time to use some upper level thinking and to ask yourself "what do they think I have?" This is where things can get a little bit confusing, but you have to remember that the entire time you are trying to figure out what they have that they are doing the same to you. So if you have bluffed ten straight hands in a row, it is probably not a good idea to throw your poker chips in again with a bluff. Essentially this third level of thought is all about using your table image, or in general terms using what others think about your playing style. So if other players peg you as a tight passive player, it might be time to throw a change up in there and bluff'em. Or even on a higher level if you remember that the last couple of times you had the best hand you tried to set a trap, throw a big bet their way. Chances are if they remember they will put you on a bluff and you will get paid off big time.
So as you progress further you can see that this is a never ending battle of they have, I have thinking. When you start to realize things like "this player to my right has bet one third of the pot every time he has had a big hand" you know you are becoming a better poker player. The key though to winning is thinking faster, smarter and always staying one step ahead of your opponents.

Free Online Casino Games - Picking Out the Best Out of the Lot

There are a number of different online casinos out there for you to try out today. However, even within all these casinos, many of them are providing the option to enjoy some free online casino games. If you weren't previously aware of this, it is quite alright. Many people are still learning about the online casino concept, which makes this quite an elusive option to know for many. But, for those that are familiar with this option, it might be slightly confusing to pick out the right option to go ahead with. Listed below are some tips that you can use.
Reading reviews
One of the easiest solutions that you could perhaps make use of in order to identify the right kind of free casino games would be to read the different reviews that are out there. Eventually, you should be able to accurately learn a number of things that are discoverable only upon registering. Ensure that you read the reviews on unbiased websites so that you don't get inaccurate information and end up basing your decision on this. Like with traditional casinos, there are a lot of people out there that would have good things to say about these casinos.
Checking out what is on offer
One of the other things that you could do is to perhaps look at all the things that are on offer here at the casino. You should be able to easily get a list of some really good games that you could perhaps indulge in. Even though it is supposed to be free, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be mediocre. Hence, you should try out what is on offer and see for yourself as to how good the games truly are.
Spreading the word
Finally, if you come across some really good online casino games, it might be worth spreading awareness about this and asking others to join in as well and publicize the website. With greater traffic, more people are likely to join and take part in the options that are available in the online casino site. Hence, this automatically makes it an option worthy of being tried out. Over time, you should find the website to be quite an interesting one, and a kind that you are bound to like and get entertained from. If you really like it, you could even try out the paid option.