Rakeback for Limit Hold'em

Rakeback for Limit Hold'em
The second most celebrated and loved variant of poker is Limit Hold'em. It lags behind No Limit Hold'em only in terms of player traffic. Hence, I have explained how the players gain from rakeback deal while playing Limit Hold'em.
If you are playing Limit Hold'em, there are three ways with which it can be determined how much Limit Hold'em rakeback a player is likely to get.


The deal of rakeback that you receive.

The stakes with which you are playing as well as the average pot that is available for the players at the table.

The player number at the specific table.


The first point is not very complex. In this you just need to know how much money that you have paid as rake. You have to then multiply the number with the percentage of rakeback that you are promised. If you wish to know about the method of calculating rakebacks then you must know that rakebacks are calculated by MGR method or Monthly Gross Revenue. The total rake of the pot is divided equally amongst all the player who are playing hands, this method is known as dealt method. This method is used by numerous sites.
The rakeback that you will get from the pot is determined by the stakes and the average pot value. It also depends on the increment in which it is taken. For every $20 that goes into the pot, each player has to give $1 as rake. This cannot exceed more than $3.
Each poker site has different policies as to when the rake will be deducted from the pot and what increment it will be taken in.
The final point of Limit Hold'em rakeback is the most important. It has the capability to change everything in the game. When you play shorthanded and heads up in the game, you are more likely to increase your rakeback amount. The reason behind is simple, with less player, the rakeback value increases.
In 6-max games, the contribution of $2 in the rake will increase to $.33 per hand. This will increase your earning from $.60 per hand to $1 per hand. When you are deciding to play heads up, the pot value will be lesser and the rake will be divided only between two players.
Hence, you can easily notice that it will be profitable if you play 6-max as well as heads up in the game of Limit Hold'em as it will increase your rakeback value.

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Why Poker Is Not A Sport

Why Poker Is Not A Sport
Is poker a sport? Is bridge a sport? Is cribbage a sport? Is pinochle a sport?
Give me a break! Anyone who actually thinks poker is a sport should be taken outside and beaten with a hockey stick or made to put on the pads and stuck on a football field with Ray Lewis. If that isn't convincing as to what defines a sport, maybe blocking out Shaquille O'Neal on the baseline would be a good lesson.
Seriously, in no way does poker even resemble a sport and making the argument that it is a sport is simply silly and illogical. About the only way you could argue for poker being a sport is based on the fact that it is competitive. Well, so what? You could have a competition as to who could build the best Lego house, but that doesn't make it a sport!
In days long gone by, games such as poker were simply games of leisure. Games like golf, cards, darts, bowling, croquette, were simply games played by gentleman. (or gentle-people!) We didn't have to classify everything as a sport then as we seem to feel the need to do now. Sports generally required some degree of competitive physical activity and walking around a golf course did not cut it. Nor did sitting around a card table drinking brandy and smoking cigars with your buddies.
While I am on the subject, things like Spelling bees are not sports either. I think we could probably trace the root of the problem to a television station coming up with an all-sports network called ESPN. Just due to the fact that you cannot cover the same basketball or football game 24 hours a day, they had to come up with alternative 'sports'. Just watch covering of the World Series of Poker on ESPN if you would like to see a perfect illustration of my point.
We live in a society where everything in every phase of life seems to require a term. If something does not have a term, then someone is there to argue that it should have. But what we really need is a hard dose of reality. If more people in the world simply called a spade a spade, we would be much further advanced in our communications and maybe we could quit fooling ourselves into thinking games like poker are a sport.
Perhaps next we can see the World Championship of Yahtzee on ESPN and then immediately afterward the Mayan calendar will bring the world to an end...

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Texas Hold'Em Poker Strategy for 90 Player Sit N Go

Texas Hold'Em Poker Strategy for 90 Player Sit N Go
As I was playing a 90-player SnG on Full Tilt earlier, I noticed about 95% of the players playing these tournaments make floundering plays that they really have no idea why they are making them. These tournaments start out with small blinds and you have a fairly deep stack of $3k in chips. Because of this format, there has to be specific reasons for the plays you are making.
FirstA� of all, I see a ton of players making position plays. Trying to steal blinds from the button, trying a squeeze play, etc. There is no need AT ALL for these types of plays early in the tournament. Why would you want to steal $90 worth of blinds when you have a $3k chip stack? The answer is that you wouldn't, but many players think they are supposed to make these types of plays because they have read somewhere that they should. However, most of the time they just end up getting themselves into trouble.
If you want a simple strategy for playing tournaments such as a 90-player, it is this: simply see as many hands as you can and try to catch a monster. The way I build my chip stack in these games is not to make big plays with A-K or A-Q, but to play suited connectors and pocket pairs. In this way, you can trap a player who cannot lay down face cards or big slick when you hit your flush, straight draw or hit trips.
You don't have to raise a ton and get carried away and you shouldn't be playing hands like Q-9 off suit, that is not what I am saying. But, if you can catch a big flop with cards like 5-6 suited, you can end up doubling up off a player you plays K-Q way too strong.

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Jonathan Duhamel 2010 WSOP Champ

Jonathan Duhamel 2010 WSOP Champ
Well, another WSOP is in the bag and once again a no-name punk kid has won about $9 million! LOL. Jonathan Duhamel did play some decent poker going into the final few tables at the Main Event, but I wanted to give my take on the recent WSOP champions and final table participants.
Joe Cada, Jonathan Duhamel... great poker players? That remains to be seen, but a trend that started years ago is continuing, in that no-name your kids are winning the WSOP Main Event. Does that mean it is just luck? Hardly. However, in a tournament with a field the size of the Main Event, luck does play a large part. Why do you think more top pros are not at the Final table?
Amazing showings by the likes of Mizrachi and Ivey have bucked the trend somewhat, but by and large, the guys pulling down enormous paydays at the Main Event are players who do not have a large back catalog of winning poker tournaments. This is probably good news for the average Joe, (pun intended, Cada!) but all it really means is that one poker tournament is just a snapshot in time.
Much like one at-bat does not make a great baseball player, or one good tournament does not make a Tiger Woods, so it is the same with poker and I think that is what everyone needs to remember. Anyone (literally) can win the WSOP Main Event one time. Showing up big and cashing in tournament after tournament is another feat entirely.
I thought John Racener probably played the best poker at this years Final Table and leading up to it, but he didn't win. By the same token, Joe Cada consistently got in with the worst hands and sucked out to win last years event, so I just don't buy making these kids poker kings because they get lucky and rode a wave of bad beats to win one tournament. This is not said out of spite or jealousy, but in all seriousness, once you have the WSOP record of Ivey or Hellmuth, then lets talk about it.
I forget. How did Joe Cada do this year?

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The Profit Motive - One Way to Approach Poker

The Profit Motive - One Way to Approach Poker
In trying to decide how to approach poker, consider the pluses and minuses of certain games as opposed to others. Limit Holdem used to be the single most popular game on the net. There are still many low and medium limit games being played as well as games as big as $100/$200 games. The game remains one of the most easily accessible and probably remains one of the most prospective in terms of profits, and is likely to remain so for some time to come, especially since not many players rise to the levels of $20/$40.
This, in turn, means that if you are determined to try a profitable looking popular game, Limit Holdem will probably be your best choice. It has been the choice of many before you, and will likely be the choice of many after you.
The amount of literature devoted to the game gives it a big advantage over other less popular types. It is the most studied of games and it is even possible for the most studious of players to learn much from the published material. This renders decision-making that much easier.
These advantages of accessibility and the copious available literature surrounding limit Holdem means that there are a lot of skillful players in the game. This fact can unfortunately make the game less profitable for the average player. The average player can expect enjoyment of the game but no profits.
For you, who are determined to not be just an average player, you must do some soul searching to discover the game that best suits you. You know that poker is a game of chance of course, but it is also a game of skill, creativity and resourcefulness. It requires a tolerance for risk and a high degree of self control. You must find in your soul searching as accurately as you possibly can your tolerance for risk-taking and how you behave when you encounter it. Can you control yourself or do you run amok with impetuosity and careless behavior? Do you take uncalculated stabs at chance or do you carefully calculate the risk and either stop yourself or go ahead and enjoy the thrill if the odds are in your favor?
Once you have your risk level determined, if you find that you are the impulsive type, stay with the cup of quarters and the slot machines. If risk for you is something to be avoided, go on and play limit games - low limit for the most risk-averse, higher limits in proportion to your level of comfort at higher risks along the scale.
Players play with logic and/or insightfulness. If you are one who thinks you have things under control in most circumstances, observe yourself again and decide whether your bailiwick is calculating card combinations as they relate to all other combinations that you have observed in a very long game, or did you make your best efforts by latching on to your opponent's body language and facial expressions (or lack thereof). For the latter type, the no-limit and MTT poker games are the best fit.
It is of interest that the psychological player has the better chance of becoming a well-developed player. There are very few high-limit games played as high risk tends to cut off players early on in the game. The no-limit and tournament varieties are both easy to find and complex enough to provide a challenge. These games should be the choice of the budding beginner in the field of poker.

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This Loose Aggressive No Limit Holdem Strategy Pays Out Massively

This Loose Aggressive No Limit Holdem Strategy Pays Out Massively
Have you ever wanted a simple and effective loose aggressive No Limit Holdem strategy that is easy to implement and actually pays out big? It's available right here right now.
A loose aggressive No Limit Holdem strategy is the best because it has the greatest potential to make the most money. Why? Because this style allows you to play at more pots. Generally, in No Limit Holdem Poker, the more pots you play the more money you make. Its just the law of averages.
It doesn't matter if you haven't yet succeeded in No Limit Holdem. Even if you tried to do a loose aggressive No Limit Holdem strategy before you can still succeed with this one. Your past failures probably weren't even your fault. You probably didn't get all of the story given to you so you didn't have all the information and never had a chance.
The way this strategy works is this:
1) You are always, ALWAYS, betting very aggressively so your bets don't really give an indication to what types of cards you have. Always bet 3 to 5 times the big blind and never ever check or call.2) You first play tight and win a few hands with great cards so your opponents think you are a tight player playing great pockets. 3) Then you start loosening up your but opponents will still think you have great cards (better cards then you actually do)4) The whole idea is that your competition is constantly thinking 'Man, what card does he have this time?' and they let their fear eat them alive. 5) When you do indeed get good pockets, try to let the hand flesh out so you get to show your cards to everyone. This will keep them thinking you are more often then not playing just really good hands.6) You can reduce the amounts of times you can't win a pot by not playing too loose but this also reduces the amounts of pots you get to play and the amount of money you win. Its the whole risk/benefit gig. Find a level that you feel comfortable with.7) If you happen to get caught with your pants down - as in you lose a hand and show the table really poor cards - do not play loose again until you prove that you are indeed playing great hands again. This creates the confusion again. In other words repeat step 2 again.
With this loose aggressive No Limit Holdem strategy you will be able to crush all of those people that have been beating you. You don't have to be scared because this is a tried and proven strategy I have used and many others too. There are some nuances to it but the fundamentals are right there. Just don't get too stupid and play too loose, ok?

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Limit Hold'Em Online Poker

Limit Hold'Em Online Poker
Last week I was talking to a few online poker players who normally play nothing but NL Texas Hold em, who were trying out HORSE, which contains Limit Hold'em rather than the standard NL variant that they were used to. Both of these players were frustrated by a couple of aspects of Limit Hold em that are very different from NL.
One of the things that was frustrating these guys, as I think frustrates all players who are used to NL, is the simple fact that they are now playing a LIMIT poker game. Suddenly, you cannot raise large amounts to eliminate your opponent from trying to suck out. The threat of an All-in is no longer there.
That middle pair now becomes worth seeing the Turn and possibly the River because it only costs a nominal amount to call and see another card. Here is what I mean. You are in the Small Blind with J-7 and the blinds are $40-$20 in a Limit tournament, early on. The Flop comes J-5-2 after everyone has limped in. Are you worried about your kicker at this point, when a player in front of you bets $40?
If you are, you shouldn't be.
It only costs you $40 to call and you are probably up against something like A-x so there is not much harm in seeing another card or 2. This hand would be scary in a No Limit game and you would not likely see the Turn or want to. But, here, you can find out if your J's are good for a very small price.
As you can see, what is stupidly fishing in NL, becomes a pretty good bet in Limit Hold em. You have no threat of the other players raising you big time after the Turn, so you might as well see if your kicker holds. Or if your middle pair is good. Many players get way too excited about Big Slick in Limit Holdem. Sure, that is a great hand if you can intimidate after the Flop with the threat of a big raise or all-in, but in Limit, your holding of 9-6 off suit when your 9 pairs on the Flop may well be good. Your opponent cannot re-raise you a substantial amount if want to stay in the hand, so why not call his bluff.
This is a favorite play of mine when I am in a HORSE game against a player who I can tell mainly plays NL Hold'em. These players are easy to spot and they get way out ahead of their hands with an A-x pre-flop. You can punish them on the subsequent streets by just staying in the hand if you hit the Flop. Most of these players have a hard time giving it up. Remembering a few simple adjustments can make going from NL Hold'em to Limit, very profitable.

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No Limit Hold'em and Other Poker Games

No Limit Hold'em and Other Poker Games
Poker is a well known game known all around the world and although it is most popular in America, its place of origin, there are basically two major ways to play poker, online and offline. Poker started as one game that was and is still call five cards draw. (Although five cards draw was the original poker game, today it is not as popular as other variations) Today all the different variations of poker, including no limit hold'em, fallow the same basic rules as five cards draw. The aim for all the different poker games is also the same, to form the best possible five-card poker hand than the rest of the players.
When you play online poker you can play for free or you can place a bid to try and win some money. You can place a bid for all the poker styles in existence today, some of those styles include Omaha hold'em, Texas hold'em, five card stud, seven card stud, joker poker, let it ride and let it ride bonus, Vegas double action, Caribbean stud poker, pineapple hold'em high poker, pineapple hold'em high-low split, and crazy pineapple hold'em high-low split and no limit hold'em. As you can tell from the names mentioned above, there are various styles and variations of hold'em.
Although poker has different styles just like hold'em, all poker games basically have the same rules, therefore if you know the wining hand of one poker game, chances are that you know the winning game for all the other poker games. There are ten most important winning card hands; they are royal straight flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight flush, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card.
If you think the information above is all you need to know about poker or no limit hold'em then, sadly, you are greatly mistaken! You see poker, has a unique and complete new language, unique only to poker, which contains more than two dozen words. There are words like chop, which means to split the wins in half because there was a tie between two players, or fish which means a poor player or a player with weak cards on his hand. If I were to tell you all the words in this special vocabulary used specifically for poker, then you will be sitting and reading for hours to come.
Considering that there are a lot of games that do not last through the ages as poker has, I personally think poker has made great improvements. If people from the past saw all the changes poker has gone through, they will probably be a bit overwhelmed, but as they plunge themselves into the new and improved world of poker, they would fall in love all over again. I feel like playing some poker myself, don't you?
Warning: Poker may be a highly addictive game. If and when you start playing poker, do not get angry when you lose tract of time.

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Finding the Right Poker Game Is the Key to Making Money

Finding the Right Poker Game Is the Key to Making Money
How do you find a profitable poker game? Many websites would tell you to look for 'loose' players. Some even rate sites by how many 'fish' play there or they tell you that such and such a site has really 'loose games' In my opinion, finding the game that is right for YOU is more important than endless analysis of who else is playing on the site or at that table. Finding which game suits your personal style and tendencies is what will really make you profitable.
For example. A very aggressive style player in a No Limit Hold'em game will probably feel much more at home in a 6-handed game rather than a 9-handed game. You are going to see a lot more hands 6-handed and because there are less players, you can play a wider range of hands much more aggressively. By contrast, if you are very tight and like to wait for premium hands, you want to stay out of 6-handed games and play 9-handed for sure. The blinds coming around 1/3 of the time more often will eat into your profits in a 6-handed game much faster.
Some players feel more at home playing Limit Hold'em for a larger blind amount than they do playing No Limit Hold'em at small blind levels. For these players, knowing that they are only risking a certain amount rather than possibly having to put their entire chip stack into play is important. Whatever gives you a feeling of confidence will help you play better.
I have seen players who have a great instinct for Razz or Omaha h/l but struggle with Stud. An oddity of the poker world online, is that Stud h/l (or Stud/8) games get many more players than just regular Stud. The split pots make some players feel like they have more of a chance.
Poker is a game of confidence. The better YOU feel about your chances in a certain game, the better your chances of making money at it. Just because another player tells you 'play 180-player SnG's on PokerStars' does not mean that is the game for you. A good poker coach will also help you recognize the tendencies in your own game so that you can play to your strengths. Believe me, a pitching coach in the major leagues does not take a pitcher who throws a knuckle ball and try and turn him into a 98-mph flame thrower. Instead, he recognizes what that player excels at and hones his strengths. The same goes for poker.

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Poker Strategies the Pros Use

Poker Strategies the Pros Use
When it comes to poker, there is more than one way to skin a cat. There are many different strategies you can use in many different situations. A good poker player learns to identify these situations and adjust his strategy accordingly. This is the secret to becoming a pro poker player. Playing one strategy or doing things a certain way may work one time at one table against certain players, and it may be disastrous against others.
First of all, every likes to play aggressively. Raise, raise, raise. This will work in many No Limit Holdem games. However, you will have to scale back if you are playing Limit Holdem for example. What I think works and what many pros do is take that aggression and use it selectively. In other words, the old 'start and stop' tactic. Play very aggressively until someone shuts you down. Then back off the accelerator until you have a chance to step on it again. Here is what I mean:
Let's say you make a pre-flop raise of 4x the big blind and get a call from the button. The flop is of no help. An aggressive player bets here. You get a call from the button. The turn gives you a middle pair, so you bet again and you get a call from the button. At this point, many amateurs will keep betting and really finish putting the nails in their own coffin. But, the pro will probably back off. The button player has proven that he has something and is sticking with you. Do not keep trying to pound a square peg in a round hole here. Back off and learn to fight another day.
Small ball. You here that term in poker a lot and it originated with Daniel Negreanu. This is another strategy employed by a lot of pros, especially in tournament play. All it entails is playing for small pots and not becoming entangled in large ones. In other words, if you raise with pocket Q's pre-flop and someone re-raises you all in, you are folding. You do not become involved in anything that could cost you too many chips at one time.
Your bets are also meant to keep the pots small. Instead of making huge raises to try and scare someone off, you scale it back just in case they have something. Instead of raising when you 'think' you have the best hand, you just call in case your opponent hit a monster.
This is the essence of small ball. Combine it with playing aggressively and you will take down a lot of smaller pots without putting your entire chip stack at risk. This is a tough strategy to master, but one that has worked well for countless pros to win a lot of money at the poker table. Just watch footage of the WSOP and you will see it in action.

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Limit Hold'Em 6max Sit and Go's

Limit Hold'Em 6max Sit and Go's
When you think of fixed limit Texas holdem shorted handed 6 player max poker. You think of cash games. Well they may be profitable or very costly if you are a losing player. With sit and go's you pay a buyin + entry fee and that's it. That is all you can lose. Only 2 cash positions and they are great. In this article, I will show you how to beat short handed limit holdem sit n go's.
First off you shouldn't be playing over your stakes limit. You must follow proper bankroll management if you want to grow a solid bankroll. You should have a minimum of 20 buyins. For example, if you playing $10+$1 buyin sit n go's you should have a minimum of $220 in your bankroll. Now that we got that out of the way, let's start on the how to beat limit holdem sit and go's.
You should only be playing premium cards; AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010, AK (suited or not), and 77, 88, and 99 in position. Do not play the mid pairs out of position. You are going to play these cards very aggressive. Whenever you get a hand bet, raise, re-raise, and raise a re-raise whenever you can. You want to pull as many chips into your chip stack as you can each time you get a hand. Fold all the rest of your hands.
Once it is down to 3 players, this is where the hand part comes into play. The blinds are coming far too fast to just fold every hand waiting on the right cards. You will need to raise pre-flop with a few more hands than the ones above. You will need to add the following hands to steal the blinds or steal the pot if the flop comes right. AQ, AJ, A10, KQ, KJ, and QJ does not matter if they are suited or not. This should get you to the final 2 where you will be heads up.
Once you are down to heads up play. It's all about reading your opponent. Doesn't matter if he or she is chip leader or you are chip leader. As long as you can read your opponent and find out their betting patterns you can switch up your playing style to beat them. The key to beating fixed limit Texas holdem heads up matches is, knowing when your opponent is holding a solid hand and knowing when your opponent is bluffing.
To find out when your opponent is bluffing or holding something solid is by watching what he or she does through each hand. By the 10th or 20th hand, you should know your opponents betting pattern and adjust your playing style to beat them.

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Limit Hold 'Em Heads Up

Limit Hold 'Em Heads Up
In limit hold 'em heads up, the only way to win the match is to read your opponent. Take the time to realize what his or her actions mean. When starting a fixed limit Texas hold 'em sit 'n' go heads up match the blinds are $10/$20 and this is the time you need to read your opponent's actions. Take mental notes on when checks, bets, and raises. What cards he has when he does those actions. What are the community cards?
Find a betting patten while up against your opponent. Once you realize his or her betting patten you can take most of their chips before they realize they need to switch up their style. Once they do change up their playing style, your betting patten must change with it. That means reading your opponent more and getting to know him or her all over again.
It won't be hard to catch on to his or her betting pattens all over again. You did it once you can do it again. Now remember, a limit hold 'em heads up sit n go match you are starting with $3,000 chips. Once your opponent her less than $1,000 chips left. They will tighten up their hand selection and what they do with their hand.
This can be a good and a bad thing for you. Good thing because you can steal more blinds and pots because of them playing so tight. On the other hand, you may have a solid hand when they get their solid hand. On the flop you may catch top pair while they holding a set. So be careful how you play loose to finish them off.

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Short Handed No Limit Holdem - 3 Ways To Really Improve Your Game

Short Handed No Limit Holdem - 3 Ways To Really Improve Your Game
Playing short handed No Limit Holdem poker is difficult. The game is more ruthless and complex. Don't be a victim, improve your game today. Read this article now to discover how.
Short handed No Limit Holdem is practically a different game to full table play. Most players aren't good at it, which means if you can do it well you can make a lot of money.
#1 Way To Improve Your Short Handed No Limit Holdem Game
The first and best way to improve your game is work on your tightness/looseness. The fact of the matter is you need to play more hands at a short table.
If you are quite a tight solid player it can feel weird playing lower strength cards. It can be very complex because there can be more cards on the board that are of higher strength etc.
It's vitally important you work on your looser play and everything that goes with playing weaker cards in order to succeed at short tables.
#2 Way To Improve Your Short Handed No Limit Holdem Game
The next thing you'll need to do is focus a lot of improving you betting tactics. You'll need to do more blind steals, more reraises, more bigger bets and all-ins.
And sometimes you don't feel comfortable doing these. But that's what it takes to succeed at a short table.
#3 Way To Improve Your Short Handed No Limit Holdem Game
The best way to instantly improve your short table play is to learn how to read faces and tells on a players feeling.
You can win most of your short hands by simply destroying the player with jedi-mind tricks.
This is probably the most profitable area where you'll get the most results with the smallest amount of practice. Improve your psychological game and you'll do well.

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Limit Holdem Low Stakes

Limit Holdem Low Stakes
Fixed limit texas holdem is great for players to learn the game. Playing limit holdem allows you to face all types of players as well as limit the amount you can lose. While a lot of players see low stakes as the battle ground break even and winning players. The hourly profit you can make is very good. Some players make a full time living playing limit holdem at the low stakes.
Winning fixed limit texas holdem is really base on very basic math also with your skills and knowledge to know when to fold or bluff your opponents. Reading your opponents is a very important part of winning poker at any stakes level. However, in low stakes you have a wide range of poker players from tight aggressive players that play very few hands to loose players more willing to chase cards all the way to the river. This can be a problem holding top pair and your opponent chasing for a straight or flush and gets it on the river.
However, this very same reason is why playing tight aggressive can be very profitable. Low stakes is full of players who are total beginners to professional poker players. Playing tight aggressive against these type of players is the way to make a profitable hourly winning rate unless you are up against players that know how to read their opponents and adjust their playing style.
Grinding it out at low stakes can be a true test to your poker skills. Great for the players trying to go from weekend warrior to pro poker player, the best low stakes fixed limit texas holdem action is at merge gaming network flagship online poker room.

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Is Your Hold'em Bankroll Management Plan As Strong As Your Strategy?

Is Your Hold'em Bankroll Management Plan As Strong As Your Strategy?
Bankroll Management for Hold'em Poker Players  If you are just starting out playing Texas Hold'em, a land based casino can be a very rough place to start. You really need to know get to know the ins and outs of the games to be able to determine your bets on the felt.
As you learn to play you also need to learn how to manage your bankroll. Otherwise, you will be going all in on a gut shot straight and be left with no money in your casino account. Do you know where you are when there's no money in your account at the casino? You're not grinding out a living at a poker table
Buddy you're workin' for the man. Perhaps you can get a job cleaning the casino instead? There are many different sorts of Hold'em games including, No limit, Limit, and Sit & Go tourneys. No Limit Hold'em If you are playing No Limit Hold'em games at your favorite casino you can be suckered very easy into going all in with a worse hand making you lose a great share of money.
A good way to manage your money when playing No Limit (NL) games is to never commit more than 20% of your bankroll during any one sitting. If you're taking the game seriously, you can't afford to lose your roll all in one shot. Your bankroll strategy is as important as your actual poker strategy. Is your bankroll earning you interest? Did you know that it could be at some casinos?
Limit Hold'em When you have Limit Hold'em you have the ability to put more money onto the table knowing you will not be tempted to put all your chips in at once. The same name of the game with Limit Hold'em is be wise of your cards and what is being placed on the table raising on a bluff could be risky but sometimes you can catch another player on their own bluff.
The best way to keep money in your account while playing Limit Hold'em is to raise whenever you have a good hand making the pot higher for anyone willing to take on your hand. This allows you to rake in more money when you win that pot. Do not limp in with small bets, this could cause your hand to lose and show a weakness in your betting style.
Sit & Go Poker Tournaments
During Sit & Go's the best way to play these are to start off with smaller dollar amount tourneys and work your way up. Wait until you win a couple and start building some profits into your casino account before you put that big wager into a larger Sit & go, you most likely will be playing experienced players who can give you a headache during the tourney. The best way to keep your money still in your casino bankroll is to play quite a few table hands to work your game up, than when you're feeling confident enough enroll yourself in that Sit & Go tourney.

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Strategy for Omaha H/L Poker

Strategy for Omaha H/L Poker
One of the biggest mistakes that I notice other players make when they are playing Omaha h/l is that they get way too excited about being dealt pocket Aces. Sure, this is a great Hold'em hand, and it is sometimes even dominant in Omaha (although not as much as you would think) but it is a great way to get yourself into trouble in Omaha h/l.
Remember, many times in H/l, you are playing for 1/2 the pot if you only have a shot at a high hand. It is not a good idea to chip too many chips committed when you are not going to win the entire pot. In a FL game, you can play this hand a little stronger, in a PL game, you may get yourself in trouble. A pair of Aces is just not going to hold up that often in Omaha. You are very likely to be beat when another players 2 random cards pair up, someone makes a straight or a flush, or even a full house. And this is all taking into account that someone else is going to win the low. Do not commit large raises to a pot based solely on the fact that you have A-A in your hand.
Now if you are holding A-A-2-3 double suited that is an entirely different story, but most of the time when I see players go nuts it is with something like A-A-9-5 or A-A-T-7 and most of the time they are making a play for a pot where there hand will not hold up against good Omaha players. One exception could be if you are only up against one opponent, although he could still pair random cards for 2 pair to beat your Aces. If you are up against more than one opponent, dump those Aces unless your hand improves to a set or a full house on the Flop.
Patience and knowing a good starting hand are key in Omaha h/l. Don't fall into the trap most novice players make of over-committing to those Aces.

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Guidelines for Choosing a Hold'em Game

Guidelines for Choosing a Hold'em Game
So you've decided to play Texas Hold'em. You've seen the big money fly around on TV in the ESPN telecasts of the World Series of Poker and perhaps you have heard Mike Sexton comment on the World Poker Tour. You see people walking away with millions of dollars and wonder, "Why can't I be so lucky?"
Well, friends, first of all, while poker involves a certain amount of luck, the game is far more about skilled strategic play. Players winning big tournaments have all honed their skills playing in games that they learned through experience to beat. In fact, when starting out, the selection of the best Hold'em game to play in makes all the difference.
I believe there are three factors to consider every time you decide to sit down at a table to play Hold'em. These factors are true whether you are playing online or in a live casino poker room.
1. What is my purpose for playing?
2. How big is my bankroll?
3. Do I have a positive expectation for winning?
Let's look at each of these factors for making a decision to choose a game.
What is my Purpose for Playing?
Perhaps I am a casual player just wanting to have a good night out, play a little poker, lose a little money and go home with a whole bunch of stories to share with my friends. If this is the case then you can choose any game you can afford to buy in to. You don't have to worry about bankroll management or if you have an expectation for winning. Entertainment is your goal and you will surely have some fun at about the cost of a fine dining experience.
If, however, you made the decision to make poker a serious pursuit, either as a serious amateur or professional, then you must consider the factors of bankroll management and positive expectation seriously.
How Big is my Bankroll
Your bankroll, sometimes called your stake, must be thought of as your most important asset; it is like your inventory. It must be protected from spoilage and loss. The size of your bankroll should be the determining factor governing your choice of games. In my experience the following guidelines for bankroll management assure that you will protect your bankroll against significant loss.
A� To play in a fixed limit Hold'em game with a buy in of 40 big blinds, 5% of your total bankroll is the top limit for buying in. If the big blind is $2 you need $80 to buy in and a bankroll of $1,600.
A� To play in a no limit Hold'em game with a buy in of 100 big blinds, 5% of tour total bankroll is the top limit for buying in. If the big blind is $2 you need $200 to buy in and a bankroll of $4000.
A� To play in a tournament, 2.5% of your total bankroll is the top limit for buying in. If the buy in including casino fees is $100 you need a bankroll of $4,000 to support your buy in.
Bankroll management is, perhaps, the most important factor in winning poker. It is always good to remember, if you go broke there is no guarantee that you will be able to win the money back.
Do I have and Expectation of Winning
Whenever you sit down at a poker table you are entering a competitive arena. At a full ring table there are eight or nine other players wanting to relieve you of your chips. You, on the other hand, want to do the very same to them. Now the thing that separates poker from other casino gambling games is the idea of expected value. Casinos make all of their money on the idea that over a long period of time they will earn copious amounts of cash based on their edge of expected value. They, of course, control EV by controlling the odds, paying out just a little less than the true odds. The casino has an edge.
Poker releases the edge to the savvy player, one who understands strategy, odds, deception and psychology. The major edge poker players have is a clear understanding of the equity or expected value of every hand. This provides us with all of the ammunition we need to consistently win so long as we are playing within ourselves and at a profitable level.
When choosing a game, pick one at which you have a clear expectation of being profitable. Choose games where you can beat the game. When you decide to step up a level be prepared to meet stiffer competition and be prepared to be easy money for a while. If you consistently win at $2 no limit, step up to $5 no limit and see how you do. You can always move back down a level if you are getting beaten. One strategy I used was to play at what I called my profit level four days a week and at a higher level one day a week. When I began to consistently win at the higher level I made that level my profit level and played at that level four days and the next level up one day. The point is, play at the highest level you can beat consistently and test the waters at the next level up 20% of the time.

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Las Vegas Poker - Some Beginner Tips To Winning

Las Vegas Poker - Some Beginner Tips To Winning
Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world, with the millions of tourists flocking there every year, is also the poker fishing capital of the world. Poker, in the last few year, has become a worldwide phenomenon. Experts and beginners alike try their hand at poker everyday, and many come out profitable, but most end up with nothing. The people who end up with nothing are the fish, and to find them is the goal. They are the easiest money in Las Vegas, and winning is much easier that imagined. Use the tips in this guide only for low limit poker, such as 2-4, or 3-6, as no limit or any higher limit games will have too many professionals.
1) Play your position
You always have the advantage when you're the last person to bet. The person at the beginning doesn't know if anyone will be raising, and thus don't know if they have any good hands. However, the person at the later position can choose to fold if people raise or reraise, as most likely, they will have a very strong hand. Usually, if you're in bad position, you want to only call with very good hands, where as in later position, depending if you see a raise or not, you can call with decent hands.
2) Play Tight-Aggressive
If you have to play a hand, make sure it's a very good hand. Stay with suited connectors, pocket pairs, and high hands such as AK. If you ever hit something like a flush, set, or high pair, always bet. The players in Las Vegas will call with anything, and if you hit something good, your chances to win are very high, and thus this is where your advantage is.
3) Learn To Fold
Sometimes, you just have to learn to fold. For example, let's say on the flop, you hit a high pair. You may think you have the best hand, but 2 other people still in are raising and reraising each other. Most likely they hit a set, or something better. That's the time to fold as your chance to win has now significantly been reduced.
4) Stop Drinking
A benefit of Las Vegas poker is that there's always drinking involved. Cocktail waitresses come by every 5 minutes to serve free drinks. The longer a person plays, the more drinks that are consumed, the worst their judgement gets. Having a drink or two is okay, but there's a direct correlation to the amount of alcohol you consume, and your stack of chips, or lack there of. So refrain from drinking so much, and and watch your competitors do it. Then, take advantage!
In poker, there has to be a loser to be a winner. The losers are the fish, and in Las Vegas, there are plenty to be caught. Other cities may have them as well, but only there, with the sheer number of tourists and the beginner poker players, will this be almost a guaranteed win if you use these tips to play.
Lastly, almost all the casinos in Las Vegas have poker rooms. Some rooms are full are professionals and amateurs and are a lot harder than others. The easiest one's I've found for beginners are in the Flamingo, Bally's, Harrah's, and MGM Grand so stick with those ones.

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No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson - My System For Easy Wins And Cash

No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson - My System For Easy Wins And Cash
If you are irritated with your current success rate playing poker then you must read this No Limit Holdem Poker lesson now to discover my system for cash.
This No Limit Holdem Poker lesson is going to outline my favourite system for sitting down at poker tables and raking in cash. It means nothing how successful you already are playing poker, how much experience or how confident you are, you, like me, will definitely be able to use this tried and proven strategy for winning. Just sit back, relax, read this whole article and do exactly what it says.
#1 No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson On How To Use My System
My system involves utilizing a long term, tried and proven strategy to make money with poker. It utilizes tight style to minimize, reduce and protect against losses and an aggressive betting strategy to maximize wins and profits, whilst adding in an extra layer of protection
#2 No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson On How To Use My System
You should only ever play very good pocket cards. These are all Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens from later positions. Only play the very best cards from the blinds or early position. You can lighten up a little in later positions.
#3 No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson On How To Use My System
Next is to always bet aggressively. Stick to just a three times the big blind bet for any move you make. Never check, always raise out. You can call a reraise if you want but if you are on a good hand reraise.
#4 No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson On How To Use My System
You mustn't continue playing post flop if you didn't hit on the flop. Once you've seen the flop, if you don't have anything fold. The only time this is OK is if you are on a very good draw, like a flush draw.
#5 No Limit Holdem Poker Lesson On How To Use My System
It's often better for newer players to shy away from calling massive bets or all-ins. Unless you are totally confident you have the nuts or have a great read, don't bother. You'll make up for it over the long term. There is nothing worse than losing $50 in a matter of 2 seconds - trust me I've made that mistake before.
Before you go off and learn another No Limit Holdem Poker lesson and more tips on how to win at poker, think about how you can utilize my proven system to make money. Imagine sitting down and playing poker with a set of rules, or strategy in place and 100% sticking to these rules. Realize that this article extremely beneficial for you if you take it and use it.

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Tight Aggressive No Limit Holdem Poker - 3 Secrets For Easy Wins

Tight Aggressive No Limit Holdem Poker - 3 Secrets For Easy Wins
Tight aggressive No Limit Holdem Poker is a fabulously easy way to win money playing poker, but these 3 secrets explode your success and make it even easier.
Tight aggressive No Limit Holdem Poker play is easy and profitable. And although it can be slightly less exciting then loose play I find it is almost always a lot more fun because I have fun when I am winning and making money.
Secrets To Winning With TAG #1
The first secret is to watch the bets that come out pre-flop. See what size these are and relate them to the big blind. Determine the average bet, it will probably be something like 2.5 times the big blind or 3 times the big blind.
Once you know this, bet slightly over that, so 4 times the big blind for this example. This will pave the foundations of your aggressive play and really do wonders for your wins.
Secrets To Winning With TAG #2
The second things to do is cut the card fat. When I say this I mean don't play cards that look good yet aren't. For example A-8, A-6, A-4 etc. Also Q-10, Q-9, J-10, J-9 and the like. There are too many cards that look good yet when you run the numbers they aren't. Cut them from your play as they often cause more harm than good.
Secrets To Winning With TAG #3
The third secret that really exploded my success was getting, creating or otherwise defining your starting hand requirements in a list or chart. You've also got to do this again and again for each position. I have my own one of these that I share around.
By doing this, you carefully craft your success before you even sit down at the table by ensuring you only ever play the correct cards. You also save a ton of time at the table because you instantly know which cards to play.
I know you are aware of how useful this information has been to you and are realizing that you are a much better poker player because you read these secrets. Before you go on to read more information bout poker please have a think about how you are going to implement these secrets the next time you sit down at the poker table.

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Poker PayPal - Manage Your Online Gaming Money Transactions Safely

Have you ever though of playing poker online? Well probably the first thing that will come into your mind is if it can give you the same experience as if you are playing poker in real life. Real life poker involves having to make payments and receiving them as well, if this is possible in playing poker online, then it surely is as exciting as that of the real thing.
That is why online gaming sites tied up with one of the best payment management systems and included the Poker PayPal feature as one of their listed methods of payments. It is necessary for a poker layer to make sure that his/her finances are managed properly and securely especially if the payment transactions are made online. Since there are millions of people around the world who are now using PayPal as their payment management system, these poker sites decided to include PayPal as an option for online gamers to use for making and receiving payments online.
If you have a PayPal account, you can definitely take advantage of this poker PayPal feature. No doubt, receiving payment from the incentives and bonuses that you'll receive from playing poker form a poker site will now be an easier task for you. At the same time, you can assure yourself that your identity is not out there if you make payments yourself.
More often when you make payments or certain monetary transactions online, you will be asked for your credit information as well as answer financial questions so you can join, upgrade or subscribe for any of these online services. Through using PayPal, you can keep your identity safe from any fraudulent acts online, and you don't have to divulge any information about your bank or credit number to other people you transact with.
Isn't it amazing to know that you have an option to keep your finances safe while you are playing poker online? These online gaming sites tries to keep up with a more secured system nowadays especially when dealing with money transfers done by members. So, instead of wasting your time with redundant simulation games, better go for playing casino or poker games online, and enjoy the whole experience in your very own home.

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Security Issues When Playing Bingo Online

Because of the legality issues regarding playing poker online, many players are looking to find a game that they can play online that would not put them in any legal hot water. One choice available for these people is playing bingo online. While bingo is more luck than skill, it is still considered as a safer bet with regards to its legality. Many states for example allow bingo halls to operate while poker games are strictly regulated.
If you are one of those people willing to try online bingo games, one of your major concerns should be security. Like with other online casino games, you have to be sure that the information you send to the site's server is in no way compromised during the transfer. Hackers or people making a living out of stealing other people's financial details usually do it by eavesdropping on the connection between the victim's computer and the server.
If the connection used between the two points is not secure enough, hackers can easily decrypt the data transferred thus giving them the power to use your financial details in whatever way they choose to. If you are therefore choosing an online casino to play online bingo in, make sure that they use the most powerful security system for their connection. Encryption software used by online casinos uses a unique key so that the information sent to the server is jumbled and cannot be decrypted unless the hackers have access to the key.
Even if the site uses great encryption software, there's still a chance that hackers could get to your financial information. For example, they can lead you to believe that the site you are in is the real site but in reality, it is just a dummy site made to look like the real one. These are called phishing sites because they are designed to fish for information. If you enter your login info for example on these sites, then your username and password could end up on the hands of these shady individuals.
It is therefore important to note that even if the site you are going to play in has done everything they can to protect players the players also have their part to play. Be wary of emails claiming to be from the online casino asking for your login credentials and the like. The same thing applies with people calling you and claiming that they work for the site.

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Poker PayPal - Keep Your Online Poker Money Transactions Well-Managed & Secured

Whenever we think of playing poker online, the very first thing that come into our minds is that it can give us the same experience as if we are playing poker in our real life. Real life poker includes paying funds and receiving them as well, if this is possible in internet poker, then it's quite interesting as that of the real thing. Hence, many online poker sites use one of the best payment management systems and feature poker pay pal as one their deposit-withdrawal options.
Every poker player must ensure that their finances are well-managed and protected particularly if the payment transactions are made online. As millions of people are using poker PayPal as their payment management system, these poker sites have decided to include payment as an option of making deposits and withdrawing money from their online poker account.
Players having a PayPal account will surely benefit from this poker PayPal feature. For sure, receiving payment from the incentives and bonuses that they will receive from playing poker online will be an easier task for them. At the same time, they can ensure themselves that their identity is not out there if they make payments themselves.
Many times, when players make payments or certain monetary transactions online, they need to fill up their credit details along with answers of financial questions so they can sign-up, upgrade or subscribe for any of these online payment systems. Through using PayPal, players can keep your identity secure from any fake acts online and they don't need to divulge any details about their bank or credit number to other people they transact with.
Moreover, players enjoy the option keep their finances secure when they are playing poker online. Now-a-days, many poker sites are trying to support more secured systems; specifically while dealing with money transfers done by members. Hence, rather than wasting your time with old-fashioned games, play casino or poker games online and enjoy the real fun of playing poker from the luxury of your very own home.

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Playing Poker Online: An Introduction

Poker is perhaps one of the most well known cards game out there, and is played everywhere, from hobbyists in an evening game, to professionals who play the World Poker Tournament for millions of dollars. It's a fairly simple game to learn, but can be challenging to master. Usually, it requires at least two people, although it often is played with four or six people around a table. But if you don't have that many friends, what you may want to do is playing online poker instead.
Online poker is very similar to the real thing. The game is played with a deck of cards, except that these cards are virtual and shown on the screen. Each player sees his own cards, and can put down cards just like in a real game, on a real table. The web site serves as the dealer, and handles dealing cards, bets and so on. The rules of poker can vary slightly, but most sites provide similar rules, and have good tutorials on how to play. Also, some sites offer single play, where the user is alone playing at the table, or plays against bots, fake players that are controlled by a computer. They can also offer multiplayer options, or ways for multiple people to play on the same virtual table.
Note that poker is seen as gambling in many countries, and as such, playing for real money can be illegal. In the US, it's illegal for online gambling sites to transact with financial institutions, and as such most of the popular online poker sites are off shore. Still, many people play there, and can win or lose large sums of money.
Transactions are typically done by wire transfers or by using various online services that can send and receive money for you, and then you play using chips the same way as you would in a casino. If you just want to play for fun, you can play with fake money, so playing online poker is possible on many sites, including on Facebook and other social networks where you can play against friends. These games typically happen in your browser, and are free to enter. With the amount of players out there, it's not hard to find a match.
As for sites who do play with real money, the way they make money themselves is with the rake, by taking a percentage of the pot, just like in the real thing. There's also some very professional leagues and matches online, and those can cost money to enter. The online poker world is quite large and filled with shady dealers however, and you should be careful who you entrusts your money to. Sites open and close every day, so sticking to well known communities is a good idea. Overall, playing online poker can be a very fun and entertaining pass time, as long as you don't go broke.

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The Benefits of Playing Poker Online

Playing a match of poker with your buddies is always a great way to occupy a few hours (or several), but what do you do when you come into the realization that you are good enough to play with the big boys, or even for money? While jumping the gun and attempting to enter high-stakes cash tournaments may be a bit out of the question, venturing online to play poker is more reasonable and opens up literally thousands of new poker playing opportunities.
Playing with your buddies most likely entailed you and a few friends sitting around a table playing aimlessly with little plastic chips, however playing poker online means that you can play against opponents from around the world and from all kinds of different skill levels; from rookie to seasoned poker veterans. One of the greatest aspects of online poker is the fact that rookie poker players can sharpen their skills as well as start playing for money, or playing for more money.
If you have ever thought about how many different variations there are to poker, then you will come into the realization that there are several different ways to play. Most people have heard of Texas Hold-Em, especially considering that it is extremely popular among poker enthusiasts both online and at a physical poker table. There are also other common variations of poker such as Omaha, Five-Card Draw and Seven-Card Stud and hundreds of not-as-common variations such as H.O.R.S.E poker and Caribbean-Stud poker. No matter what the game, taking the plunge into the vast world of online poker will often have a place for everything.
For some reason or another, a lot of people will not play like they mean it around their friends or family. This could stem from a variety of different reasons from being shy to not wanting to play aggressive because they are your friends or family. Either way, all that can change by playing online simply because you have no relation or tie to your opponents usually and can easily play to win. Regardless of whether you are playing online or with people you know, you should always play to win because your reputation can be built higher and you could potentially win money by doing so.
Online poker usually never takes a break. No matter where in the world you are, there are always going to online matches and tournaments happening constantly. If you want to play a no-limit round of online poker at 3 a.m. then there will most likely be hundreds of open tables at a variety of online casinos. The time and day have no affect on online poker at all; you can play at 3 a.m., 10 p.m. or whatever time, seven days a week. That means you do not have to gather all of your buddies together, or wait for a local tournament; rather you can play impulsively whenever you feel like it.
There are literally thousands upon thousands of online casinos out there waiting for you to come and sign up with them. Not only can you play poker, but you can play all kinds of other gambling favorites because after all, it is a casino. You can find many of the most popular online casinos by simply utilizing a search engine and a lot of these casinos will let you play a little for free but still offer the opportunity to win real money. There are so many benefits to playing in an online casino, so what are you waiting for? Go online and check them out.

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Online Poker Benefits

Online poker has become one of the most popular online casino games. Whether it is played for real money or just for fun, playing poker online is the favorite activity of millions of people all around the world. Even though there are still a lot of people who do not understand why this is so, the reasons why so many players enjoy playing this addicting card game online are numerous. One of the greatest benefits of this game is the fact that it is played just like regular poker games at casinos, with the only difference being the fact that it is played from the comfort on your own home. What this means is that you have to follow the rules of the game, but not the dress code, nor the rules of conduct at a fancy casino.
The Benefits of Playing Poker Online
Although there are many different online casino games available to people, poker is still the number one casino game in the world. When playing poker games, poker players are given the chance to have loads of fun, play with people all around the world, play against real poker pros, enjoy multiple poker games at a time and even try to make some money while playing this addicting game. Aside from these benefits, another one of the amazing benefits of online poker is the ability of poker players to remain anonymous, which is great for those who have to keep this hobby a secret. Also, you can make a lot of money in the computer world and spend it in the real world on whatever you want.
Playing Poker Online for Real Money
Playing poker online for real money can prove to be either the best or the worst thing that has ever happened to you - depending on how seriously you choose to take it. Namely, it is easy to get carried away in a game of online poker and lose a lot of money without even noticing it. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a good plan of managing the money you invest and hopefully earn. Playing for fun at first and slowly starting to invest smaller amounts of money is the best way of managing your funds in online casino games. Besides this, you should also always put the majority of your potential winnings in a separate account and use it for everything but online casino games. By doing this, you will learn that the money spent or earned at online casinos is nevertheless real money and that it should always be respected.

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How to Make Money With Online Poker?

Do you know that some people are making passive income from online poker? Making money playing online poker is not as hard as you think it is. If you think that poker is all about luck, do think twice. Poker is about probability and if you are equipped with the right skills and strategies, you can definitely make a fortune from it.
If you take a look at poker tournaments, the same pro players are always winning consistently. Does this mean that they are lucky all the time? The answer is no. The reason they win is because they did their homework and follow a game plan.
Online poker is slightly different from traditional poker. The strategies and game plan that you use in the online world are different from the ones you use in casino. When you are playing poker online, you do not have the ability to read the body language and facial expression of your opponents, which prevents you from judging whether they have a good hand or not. However, there are advantages when it comes to online poker. For example, freerolls and bonuses allow you to make money without risking any of your own. In this article, let me discuss deeper into each.
1. Freerolls. Although freerolls are difficult to win, there is a great opportunity for you to make money without risking any of your own. Avoid sites that offer constant freerolls. You should look for cash freerolls with a small number of players. Another way is to sign up with more than one site to enjoy multiple freerolls.
2. Sign up bonuses. Almost all poker sites offer sign-up bonuses and extra bonuses to entice you to continue playing. This is an advantage that you must take because it is free money. Before you take up any offer, do compare the bonuses among a few sites to determine who offers the best packages.
In order to be good at online poker, you need to improve your game by studying various strategies. The Internet is full of information that you can read for free to improve your poker skills and strategies. So do some reading and get your game plan down. One thing you should note is that reading is not enough. The best way to learn something is to apply it. In this case, you should play the game often so as to improve your game faster. Practice makes perfect.

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Why Playing Poker Online is Convenient

Why play poker online? That's a question a lot of non poker players ask themselves. What is the point of throwing your money away with little chance of a pay off? The people who ask themselves these questions have never heard the saying "nothing ventured, nothing gained." Poker is a sport for the intellectual, the clever, the con artist, and most of all the adventurous. You only live once so why not take a few chances.
There is nothing more thrilling then going all out, heart pounding, soul heated, teeth clenched hoping to come out on top. The rush you feel while waiting to get the card you have longed for, the disappointment when your cards just don't stake right, there is nothing like it in the world.
Poker is the only game in existence where everyone is on an equal playing field; you can be the greatest player in the world and still lose to the lucky hand of a newcomer. Poker puts life into perspective, anything goes, you play to expect the unexpected.
Poker is not for everyone, if you have zero patience then its not the game for you. It's not your run of the mill card game, it takes skill and strategy to come out on top and if your not willing to take the good with the bad then I guess this is not the game for you, but if your able to go with the rise and falls, the ups and downs, If your willing to stay calm, be patient and play strategically then this is the game for you.
Yet another reason to keep playing poker is because you gain experience. Poker is not a game that you can just decide you want to play. It actually requires you to learn a little first. What better and more convenient way to learn poker than by playing it online? If you ever want to go off to Las Vegas and play it big time there you first have to know what you are doing. If you go to a large casino or poker institution and you know nothing about poker, you will get embarrassed to say the least. Many people who play in large poker games have been playing the game for years and know pretty much everything there is to know about the game. So unless you want to be looked and laughed at it is recommended that you practice any way you can. What better way to do this than by playing online! At least if you mess up online nobody will be able to see your face.
Not to be cliche but poker is not for the faint of heart. If your new to the game of online poker, know that you will lose, you will get frustrated, and you will fail, but after every storm there is sunshine, if your willing to fight through the storm and persevere then poker is the sport for you.
Many people ask why I play online poker, to which I reply "because I have lived." Nothing ventured nothing gained.

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You Need to Have a Good Online Poker Strategy If You Want to Succeed

For those people out there who are thinking about playing poker online, the good idea to understand that you need to have a good online poker strategy if you hope to succeed. Develop a strategy before playing any poker online, too. Online poker is a bit different than casino poker, though the two games are very similar. Casino atmosphere can be somewhat intimidating, which is what makes online poker attractive.
These days, it seems like just about everybody wants to become good at playing holdem poker because it's relatively easy to learn, though it can be hard to master. For those who are determined to go ahead, try to have at least a basic strategy for diving in. The first thing you should do is work hard at coming up with consistent starting hand rules.
What starting hand refers to is the cards that you are dealt at the beginning of the game. Learning to judge the hands you should stay in on and hands you should fold is very important. Many people think that the two cards dealt in holdem means they don't have to worry about such things, but they are wrong. You should play tight when you're just a beginner, meaning folding if your cards aren't strong.
What "playing tight" implies is that you are playing things close to the vest and conservatively. This is especially good when it comes to holdem games and your hand selection. Sometimes, the two cards dealt can be improved even if they are poor. But this is a big risk. Many people who stick with their initial two cards and never fold end up out of the game and out of money soon enough.
Therefore, look at a hand selection strategy that involves examining your position, carefully observing the action that goes on ahead of you and also how strong your own hand is. If you are in an early position that has to act before cards are flopped, play tight. When you're looking at the action ahead of you (such as raises) you should try to have a strong hand and if not, just fold.
Lastly, always look at your hand relative to where your position is on the table. If you have an early position, you need to have big pairs or cards like the Ace/King or Ace/Queen in order to stick. If you're in the middle, most pairs can suffice as well as some big cards such as that King/Queen or an Ace/10. If you're late, you can pretty much play any pair, big cards or the Jack/Ten.

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The Advantages of Having Rakeback When Playing Poker Online

Advantages of a rakeback account
Whilst skill is undoubtedly the number one source of income for a professional poker player, rakeback can provide great source of extra revenue.
Online poker players pay rake on nearly every hand of poker that they play. This is a fee that the poker room charges to keep the games going and it certainly can add up fast. There are rakeback calculators available where you can check how much rake you will generate daily, weekly or monthly.
Using a Rakeback Calculator
If you were to play 5 tables of $0.5/$1 for five hours a day on Party Poker, you could expect to earn $85 every day, that's $595 a week and more than $2300 paid to your account every month! It's not hard to see why all professional players understand the importance of rakeback.
US players have fewer options than players from the EU or Asia, so it's recommended that they sign up for as many available deals as possible. Players should note that you can only receive rakeback by using an affiliate upon opening a new account, it's impossible to activate an old account to receive rakeback.
Deal selection
In order to find the best rakeback deals players have to search through huge amounts of seemingly great offers. It's important that players sign up with a respected and trustworthy site when choosing a rakeback deal it's one of the many parameters that have to be looked at when deciding where to play poker.
Being offered the highest rakeback percentage should not be the overall decision factor at all, some sites will offer huge rakeback % to players, however this is usually because the site has a low amount of player traffic and is looking to attract players so signing up for a deal like this means you may find a lesser amount of games and be playing versus players who, like yourself, are there for the great rakeback deal alone.
To summarise, a rakeback deal can really boost your poker profitability. In a game where there can be a huge amount of variance it's always a smart move to have a rakeback account to subsidise your winnings.

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Kick Ass Poker Secrets

As an avid online poker player, especially with Sit&Gos tournament play, and multi-table tournaments such as guaranteed tournaments, I think you're about to discover secrets I never knew existed! Let me begin by saying that I came across a young man, young by my standards since I'm over 60, and he's just barely 25.
First let me tell you a bit about his life: It is somewhat inspiring since he's just a regular guy just like everyone else. He just works really hard at everything he puts his mind to. Ironically, by telling his story, he hopes to inspire other people to set BIG goals and have the discipline and willingness to do whatever it takes... because the only failure in life is giving up.
So here's this young guy who at a very young age learns to play chess with his dad. Eventually, he gets so good at it that he beats his dad most of the time. He continues playing chess all through middle school and high school.
While in high school (between 9th and 10th grade), he takes up playing trumpet and forms a band. At one point, he suddenly takes trumpet playing very seriously and finds himself playing 6 hours a day. He eventually becomes the best trumpet player in his county and plays at different events between the 11th and 12th grade. This is when he learned a lot about pressure, which was later beneficial to him in poker. Because, when playing in front of crowds you are under enormous pressure, and you need to learn how to fail eloquently.
As he puts it, "most online players have never really accomplished much in their lives, and when start getting good at poker, they don't know how to control their ego. You need to learn to keep your ego in check. Nobody is that good".
As a teenager (16 to 17), he had different jobs such as McDonald's, but eventually landed a job at an airport fueling airplanes. The job came with a lot of downtime which allowed him to study a lot about poker, especially hold'em.
At about 19 years old, he deposited $50 online on a particular site to play poker. He played 25 - 50 limits and grinded it up to about $5000 in bankroll. He then switched to a well known gambling site, 4-tabling 15 - 30 limit tables, and moved up to 30 - 60 limit tables, which at the time were the highest limit tables you could have online. The problem was... he just couldn't beat them and got very frustrated and depressed about it.
Then one day, he decided he would switch to SitNGos, and although he didn't know much about it, he ended up winning $10,000 in about a month. Still at the age of 19, he decided to quit his job at the airport because it didn't make much sense to him to keep working when he was sitting on a bankroll of $15000 playing poker online.
He had also been going to college at the time studying engineering, and found it too hard when all he was doing is spending his free time playing poker. And anyways, it became clear to him that he could never make that kind of money initially as an engineer. Although he admits that everyone should have a back up plan (a college degree), he eventually quit college.
After quitting college, a certain site started making higher and higher limits on SitNGos, all the way up to $2000 SitNGos, which he played quite often. They also had a STEP SitNGo for a cruise to the Mediterranean which he won. By the time he had won this tournament, he was sitting on a bankroll of about $80000.
I think you get the idea... but this story ends that by the time this young man turned 21, he earned over $500,000 playing online poker in multi-table No Limit Hold Em, and at 21 played his first major tournament on the WPT and won. He's won over $4,000,000. in tournament play by the time he turned 23.
He continues his living in BIG BUY IN tournaments on tour.
The moral here is: Set BIG goals and have the willingness and discipline to learn, and to do WHATEVER it takes... because SUCCESS is never giving up! I'll add to this at the ripe old age of 62, "that YOUR FEAR OF LOSING is your worse enemy".

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Approaching Online Poker With the Right Psychology

There are a lot of things a player needs to be competitive at online poker. The most obvious poker necessities are the money to play and the skills to win, but ask any pro and they'll tell you that mastering poker  is all in your head. It's simply not enough to know the game on paper; you have to be able to play it on the felt. That means no matter how deep your stack is or how long you've been playing, you're not going to get far without great patience, concentration and confidence.
Many aspiring poker players are undermined by their inability to take a loss, learn from it and move on. The fact of the matter is, in both live and online poker you're going to lose more often than you win. This is why players that see every flop drain their bankrolls so fast. The smartest strategy is to minimize your losses and make the most of your wins. Remember that the average player only finishes in the money in one of seven tournaments. You may have to build your bankroll out of pocket for a long time before your poker habit sustains itself, but that doesn't mean you should throw your money away.
If you're a relative amateur when it comes to online poker, then the best way to protect your bankroll and to learn from your losses is to set limits. Setting limits keeps you focused and helps you to track what you're doing right and doing wrong. It also makes it easy for you to see if your win/loss ratio is improving with time.
Poker is skill-based, but it still has an element of chance, so sometimes even if you do everything right you can still lose. These scenarios tend to bring on a mental state called "tilt." Tilt can be the kiss of death for even experienced poker players. Since many new players don't recognize when they're playing on tilt, sticking to your limits can be a good way to cut your losses when you've strayed from your strategy. If you do feel a case of tilt coming on, regardless of whether you've reached your limit or not the best approach is to stand and leave.
A little bit of stress while playing poker online is normal and can even be good because it keeps you sharp, but maintaining that stress is as important as maintaining your bankroll. If you become overwhelmed by in-game stress, then your focus is no longer on the game. Alternately, being too laid back can also be a mistake in a game that notoriously rewards aggressive players.
Though free poker and  cash poker offer two very different experiences, if you've never played competitive poker before then playing the free tables can be a good way to test the waters. Of you can't cut it against the relatively soft competition in the points-only poker rooms, then you'll be an easy target at the cash tables. In the same vein, if you can't handle losing points, then you're probably not ready to play for money.

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So You Want to Play Poker?

Poker isn't a game you can just waltz in sit down at the table and expect to win. Chances are you won't even break even. If you want to go home broke then walk the path of an amateur, if you want to go toe to toe with the big boys and make the big bucks, or even play well enough to enjoy the game then you have to add a little finesse to your game play. There's nothing wrong with a little know how and I can show how to enhance your online poker game. Below are some tips to playing poker. Use these and you should be on your way to becoming a poker guru.
1. Be patient. There is nothing that can break down a poker guru faster then impatience. If you are playing for money then this is perhaps the number one tip that you can ever get. If you are playing for fun.... Well sometimes it is fun to be inpatient.
2. There is no need to play every hand; this is usually the number one mistake of all beginner players. Most people want to be a part of the action, which brings me back to being patient. There is no need to play every single hand, playing more doesn't mean you will win more frequently, in fact, in most cases you lose more often that way.
3. Watch your bluffing. There is no rule that states that you can only bluff a certain amount of time, but a lot of beginners over bluff simply because they know its apart of the game. Does not bluff for the sake of bluffing, bluffs only work in certain situations and against certain opponents there is no point in bluffing if there is no need for it. Keep that in mind when working on your poker strategy.
One of the hardest skills to master in poker is being able to see through the infamous poker face. The ability to read you opponent is key to playing a good game, and quite frankly most people never get the hang of it. So instead of banging your head against the wall until you pass out, how about playing poker online? Online poker is a healthy alternative to smashing your head repeatedly against the table in frustration. The advantage of playing poker at home is it truly levels the playing field, it robs the pro's of the advantage of reading your tells because essentially the only way to win a game of poker is with an unshakable poker face. Casino poker is face to face, and if you are thinking of going toe to toe with the big boys a good poker face is a must, unless of course you want to lose all your money. Those who walk into a casino with a smile usually leave with a frown, so turn that frown neutral and maybe you'll win a few rounds at the casino.
Finally, remember that poker is only a game and the most important thing is to have fun!

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Poker Tournament Strategies - Successful Online Strategies

This article will reveal all of the most successful Poker tournament strategies for playing poker online. Read it now to learn how to win online tournaments.
It may be true that luck has a big role to play with poker games. However, you also need to have the skill and learn the Poker tournament strategies of the game if you want to win and emerge victorious during tournaments.
It is important to note that a poker tournament starts at a preset time and every player needs to buy a ticket to the event. The tournament will start at the same time and players are going to have the same number of chips.
Every stage of the tournament requires different strategies. During the early stage, it is highly recommended NOT to slow play your high pocket pairs. It would do you good to penetrate pots with premium hands since you need to play real tight during the initial stages.
As you progress to the middle stage, which is considered as the most crucial point of the tournament, you need to strive hard in order to accumulate the most number of chips possible.
You also need to be fast enough in doubling up so that you will have the ability to survive the rising blinds. You need to learn how to use a loose aggressive strategy and make value shoves to be labeled as a quality player.
During the final stage of the tournament, you will most likely find the stakes and blinds going real high. If you can raise with all your premium hands or pockets pre flop, you hold enormous value at this phase. You can also gain advantage over short stack players who seem to be staying still just to reach the subsequent payoff level.
And just like any other games, practice can make you a better player at poker. Most probably, tournament winners have already played hundreds to thousands of poker games in the past.
The more experience you have at playing poker, the more confident you will be at employing poker tournament strategies for the game, and the more online poker tournaments you will win.

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