Texas Hold'em Odds

Flush (all cards in the same suit):
If you hold a four to a flush, the chance of making the flush, either on the turn or the river, is 35.0%.

Open-ended Straight (e.g. 5678 where you need a 4 or a 9):
The chance of making a straight, either on the turn or the river, is 31.5%.

Inside Straight (e.g. 4578 where you need a 6):
The chance of making an inside straight, either on the turn or the river, is 16.5%.

Trips (three of a kind):
The chance of making trips with a flopped pair, either on the turn or the river, is 8.4%.

Poker Tournaments

Poker Tournaments, like ‘tournaments’ in any other sense of the word is basically a league where poker players compete to win. Poker tournaments vary widely from freeroll tournaments (free to enter) to the high roller tournaments with the top prize ranging in the $100,000s. Many people believe tournaments are for the more aggressive player, this is not always the case, especially in the low limit tables i.e. $1-10 entries as this attracts a lot of new players.

If you already play in some sit n go rooms why not try entering a few freeroll tournaments, this will give you a good insight to the way it works and then move on to the low buy-in tournaments.

Another good advantage with tournaments is that you have more time to study your opponents, see when they fold, if they constantly bluff etc. People are often more aggressive in poker tournaments epsecially at the beginning of a tournament with a re-buy option (this gives the player the ability to buy back in to the tournament if he is out early)

Before starting a tournament you should see a break down of prizes, this obviously depends on how many people have entered and how much the cost of entry is. The winner may recieve 30% of the total, 2nd place 20% and so on. So if the total prize pot is $10,000 the winner will recieve $3,000.

The tournament registration generally starts about 2 hours before the start for normal money tournaments and closes either at the start of the tournament or a few minutes before. For bigger tournaments the registration can open much earlier.

During the game, depending on the game type the blinds will go up during certain intervals (usually every 10-15 minutes) this ensures the game doesn’t go on for to long. Some turbo games up the blinds every minute! so only the lucky generally stay on.

It is All About Hands in Texas Holdem

Texas Hold-em can be a lot of fun. Please always play with the intention of having fun and leave the heavy gambling to the pros. Many lives have been destroyed because of addiction to gambling.

Texas hold 'em (or simply hold 'em or holdem) is the most popular of the community card poker games. It is the most popular poker variant played in casinos in the western United States, and its no-limit form is used in the main event of the World Series of Poker (abbreviated WSOP), widely recognized as the world championship of the game.

The game of Texas Hold'em is all about hands. Listed below are the ten Texas Hold'em hands you will see when you start to play the game.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Royal Straight Flush

The royal flush is the highest ranking poker hand in Texas Hold'em. This hand is also the rarest, even if you play often. The royal flush is similar to a hole-in-one-swing when you're playing golf.

The royal flush Texas Hold'em hand is composed of five cards and all are of the same suit. What makes this hand different from all the other straights and flushes is that the royal flush is composed of all the face cards (Ace, King, Queen, and Jack) and a 10.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Straight Flush

Next in ranking to the royal flush is the straight flush Texas Hold'em hand. This hand also occurs rarely and is made of up of five cards. The straight flush Texas Hold'em hand is of the same suit and numbered in series values. An example of this type of Texas Hold'em hand is a 6/7/8/9/10 or an A/2/3/4/5. An Ace may play both the lowest card and the highest in hand ranking.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Four of a Kind

Sometimes called "quads," this type of Texas Hold'em hand is comprised of four kinds of the same face value. For example, a K/K/K/K is a four of a kind.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Full House

The full house Texas Hold'em hand may also be referred to as the "full boat" or "boat." This hand has three cards of the same value and a pair. The full house Texas Hold'em hand occurs fairly often and to find out who wins, the three cards are used as the determining factor. The hand that has the higher three of a kind value wins.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Flush

The flush Texas Hold'em hand is any five cards of the same suit.

Texas Hold'em Hand - The Straight

A straight is composed of five cards. To be considered a straight, your Texas Hold'em hand must be ranked in succession.

Texas Hold'em Hand - Three of a Kind

Three of kind is a Texas Hold'em hand of three cards with the same face value. If you are holding a pair in your pocket and you hit one on the flop, your hand is called a "set." However, if the flop shows a pair and you have one card in your pocket, your hand is called "three of a kind."

Texas Hold'em Hand - Two Pair

The two pair is a type of Texas Hold'em hand composed of two pairs. To determine the better hand, the one with the highest pair wins.

Texas Hold'em Hand - One Pair

The one pair occurs when you have two cards of the same value in your best hand. This Texas Hold'em hand is the commonest and the one you will be winning the most. A "kicker" is used when there is more than one player with a one pair. The one with the highest kicker wins.

Texas Hold'em Hand - High Card

The high card is a non pair Texas Hold'em hand. You can win with a high card if no other player makes any of the above combination.

Play for fun and have fun playing

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The Rules of Texas Holdem Poker

What is Texas Hold'em: Texas hold 'em (or simply hold 'em or holdem) is the most popular of the community card poker games. It is the most popular poker variant played in casinos in the western United States, and its no-limit form is used in the main event of the World Series of Poker (abbreviated WSOP), widely recognized as the world championship of the game.

Considered as the most popular poker games, Texas Hold'em is the version of poker that you see played in TV tournaments and casinos. To start playing this game, there are a few basic Texas Hold'em poker rules to follow. Below are a compilation of these Texas Hold'em poker rules that will help you learn the game.

Texas Hold'em Poker Rule 1 - Shuffle, Deal, Blinds

As a Texas Hold'em poker rule, the dealer is determined using a plastic disc marked with a "d" or "dealer". This is called the "dealer button" and is moved in a clockwise manner, starting to the left of the first dealer. In this way, each player takes his turn as the dealer.

Texas Hold'em poker rule no. 1 dictates that the dealer will shuffle a standard 52-card deck and start dealing two cards to each player. In standard Texas Hold'em poker rules, the starting pot is determined by the initial bets placed in by two players sitting to the left of the dealer. These bets are called "blinds."

Texas Hold'em Poker Rule 2 - Betting

After the blinds are posted, Texas Hold'em poker rule no. 2 allows the players to start the first round of betting. According to standard Texas Hold'em poker rules, the player sitting next to the one who posted the second blind will place the first bet. The other players can then call, raise, or fold when their turn comes.

Texas Hold'em Poker Rule 3 - Flop and Check

Texas Hold'em poker rule no. 3 allows the dealer to "burn" (discard) the top card in the deck when the first betting round is over. In standard Texas Hold'em poker rules, this is the stage where the dealer will turn over three community cards at the center of the table. These cards are called the "flop" and are used by the players to make up their hands. At this stage, Texas Hold'em poker rules allow a player to take a "check" or pass and place no bet.

Texas Hold'em Poker Rule 4 - Turn and River

After the second betting round, the dealer will burn the top card and reveal the fourth community card. Texas Hold'em poker rules call this card the "turn." Another round of betting follows and after which, the dealer will once again burn the top card and turn over the fifth and last community card, called the "river." Standard Texas Hold'em poker rules also calls this card the "fifth street."

Texas Hold'em Poker Rule 5 - Showdown

After the river, the players will now use any 5-card combination from the seven cards revealed to them - the five community cards and their 2 pocket cards. According to the Texas Hold'em poker rules, the player who made the last bet or the player who made the last raise will show his hand first. The player with the best hand wins the game.

Know your limit and play within it...

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Texas Holdem Blinds Explained

When you play Texas Hold'em, it is likely that you will meet a lot of terms that are unfamiliar to you, especially if you're new to poker. One of the most likely Texas Hold'em terms you'll meet is the blinds. So what are blinds?

Texas Hold'em Blinds - A Definition

The Texas Hold'em blinds are forced bets that are initially posted at pre-flop. The blinds are placed before the pocket cards are dealt. The reason why Texas Hold'em blinds got their name is that you do not have a choice whether you want to post your money in before you see your cards.

What is the purpose of Texas Hold'em blinds?

The game features Texas Hold'em blinds to ensure action or game play. Without these forced bets, it is most likely that everyone would wait for pocket Aces all day.

The earlier versions of the game centered on the idea of players playing for the posted blind money in the pot. Today, that idea no longer applies when way more money can be won by betting, especially in low limit games. However, the Texas Hold'em blinds still serve their purpose, even when limits are higher.

How do Texas Hold'em blinds work?

The amount of the Texas Hold'em blinds depend on the betting structure adopted. The Texas Hold'em blinds are usually more popular in structured limit games. In this structure, such as the $2/$4 or $3/$6 limit hold'em, the blinds are comprised of two bets made - the small and the big blind.

The Texas Hold'em blinds start to the left of the dealer. So the flow would go as follows: dealer button, small blind, and then big blind.

The small Texas Hold'em Blind

The small Texas Hold'em blind is the first forced bet made at pre-flop. Usually, the small Texas Hold'em blind is equal to half of the lowest limit structure. So if for instance, you are playing for $2/$4, then the small blind would be $1. Another example is if you're playing a game with the limit of $3/$6. The small blind in this type of limit game is $1 or $2.

The big Texas Hold'em Blind

The big Texas Hold'em blind is the forced bet posted by the player sitting next to the small Texas Hold'em blind. The amount of the big Texas Hold'em blind is equivalent to the lowest limit structure of the game. For example, if you are playing the $2/4$ limit game, your big blind is $2. However, if you play $15/$30, you post $15 as your big blind.

Playing from the Texas Hold'em blinds?

When playing from the Texas Hold'em blinds, you run the risk of losing money fairly easy. This is especially true in a low limit or high limit game. For instance, when you have a marginal hand in middle position, your natural reaction would be to just call it. Then someone raises but that would be pretty easy to let go and save yourself the trouble. It's difficult however when you are in the big Texas Hold'em blind and the money is in the pot and someone raises. Your odds to call grow greater and you end up paying some guys good hand offs.

Simple warning about gambling: Know your limit and play within it...

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The Texas Holdem Hand Ranking

Poker Hands Rankings / Probability of Poker Hands

The following poker hands ranking are from lowest to highest. In addition, each poker hands probability in five cards is shown. Realize that the poker hands probability will be higher in Texas Holdem since there is a total of seven cards.

High Card, e.g., Ad Td 8s 6s 3h, 50% probability or 1 to 1
A high card hand is any hand which doesn’t meet any of the hands below. If no one has a pair or better, the player with the highest card wins. If there is a tie for the highest card then the second highest card would be the tie breaker and so forth.

Pair, e.g. Ad As Kc Th 5s, 42% probability or 1.4 to 1
A pair is two matching cards with three distinct cards. If two players have the same pair then the highest card wins.

Two Pair, e.g. Ad As Kc Kd 5s, 5% probability or 20 to 1
Two distinct pairs with a single kicker. If two opponents hold the same two pair then the highest kicker card wins.

Three of a Kind, e.g. Ad As Ah Kc 5s, 2% probability or 46 to 1
Three cards of the same rank with two kicker cards that do not match.

Straight Ad Kc Qd Jh Ts, .4% probability or 254 to 1
A straight is 5 cards in order when all five cards are not the same suit (otherwise it would be a straight flush). An ace may be played high or low.

Flush Ad Td 8d 5d 3d, .2% probability or 508 to 1
A flush is five cards of the same suit.

Full House Ad As Ah Kc Kd, .1% probability or 693 to 1
A full house is three of a kind and a pair.

Four of a Kind Ad As Ah Ac Kc, .02% probability or 4164 to 1
Four cards of the same rank.

Straight Flush Ad Kd Qd Jd Td, .001% probability or 64,973 to 1
A straight flush is five cards in order of the same suit. When the straight is ace higher it is better know as the Royal Flush.

Texas Holdem Poker Probability

What is a probability: a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible; "the probability that an unbiased coin will fall with the head up is 0.5"

What is Texas Hold'em: Texas hold 'em (or simply hold 'em or holdem) is the most popular of the community card poker games. It is the most popular poker variant played in casinos in the western United States, and its no-limit form is used in the main event of the World Series of Poker (abbreviated WSOP), widely recognized as the world championship of the game.

Pros and amateurs alike agree that Texas Hold'em is a relatively easy game to learn but difficult to master. Texas Hold'em poker is a complex game of wits, cunning, strategies, and mathematics. To do well in a Texas Hold'em game, there are so many factors to consider. One of these factors is the Texas Hold'em probability.

What is Texas Hold'em probability?

Texas Hold'em probability is a huge factor of the game. Texas Hold'em probability is determined through the odds that players use in determining their actions. The odds of finishing a flush or a straight, of making a hand from the flop, of getting an overcard - all these are important Texas Hold'em probability factors that can either make or break your game. Texas Hold'em probability will give the statistical knowledge necessary to help you determine whether you ought to bet, call, or fold.

Some terms relating to Texas Hold'em probability

Out is one of the commonest terms you will encounter when talking about Texas Hold'em probability. Out refers to the cards in the deck that will help make your hand. For instance, you have four hearts on the turn. The number of outs you have left is 9.

The second term that you will encounter in Texas Hold'em probability is pot odds. Pots odds are your chances of making a hand based on the current size of the pot and your next call. Say, the stakes in the pot amounts to $200 and you only have a $10 bet coming at you. By using the concept of Texas Hold'em probability, you know that if you hit your flush, your pot odds are good.

The third term in Texas Hold'em probability is bet odds. This refers to the odds you get if you assess the number of players who make a call against a raise. If your hand odds are 1 to 5 and you know that all your opponents are looking to call your bet, then it means that your bet odds are good.

The fourth and final terms you will encounter in Texas Hold'em probability is implied odds. This term refers to the odds you have if you assume how the betting round will turn out. Implied odds in Texas Hold'em probability requires experience in poker to do correctly.

The Basic Concept of Texas Hold'em Probability

In calculating Texas Hold'em probability, the commonest concepts you use are outs and pot odds. Basically, Texas Hold'em probability is simple division. Use the number of outs you have as your numerator. Your denominator will be the number of cards left that you haven't seen yet. So at the start (pre-flop), you will be dividing your outs with 50. After the flop, it will only be 47 and down to 46 after the turn.

One last word on probability...If you don't play for fun you will PROBABLY lose your shirt so...Know your limit and play within it...

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How To Push Flush Draws Out In Texas Hold Em

The game of Poker, especially Texas Hold Em, is a very difficult game to say the least. There are so many ways of getting beat, even when you're a favorite going to the flop. But some of those ways can be prevented, at least in most poker games. I'm referring to getting beat with a flush when your pocket A's were the best hand even after the flop. But how can we do that?

First of all, flush draws seem to be evident on about every other hand, or at least every third. Its one of the easiest draws that any poker player immediately sees when he has it. For instance, an inside straight draw is sometimes overlooked, even by professionals because you have to actually analyze the numbers, not the colors. But flush draws are spotted by even the newest players simply because of the colors. Because of this, you have to protect your hand when you suspect someone is on a flush draws.

So how do you get these guys off of their flush draws? Simple. Don't give them the odds to call. This means you have to raise pre-flop, and after the flop if you suspect your opponent is on a flush draw. One of the easiest ways to determine if someone is chasing a flush draw is to analyze the flop and watch how your opponent bets when you raise (after the flop). First, if there are two cards of the same suit on the flop, and there are more then two players in the hand (not including yourself), someone is probably on a flush draw. Secondly, when you raise (and you MUST raise), watch how the person calls. If there is an immediate call, pretty much without delay or hesitation, they are probably on a flush draw. The reason this is "usually" true is because, when a person has two diamonds in their hand and the flop has two diamonds, there is no thinking needed. Its obvious; you need a diamond to make your flush. If the person didn't have two diamonds, and say had top pair or some type of straight draw, they would have to look at the board for a moment and analyze it to see if it merits a call, thus delaying their decision. This is why professionals usually wait a moment before every bet or check. They don't want to give away any tells at all.

So how much do you bet to get a person off of their flush draw in poker? Well, first understand that when someone has a flush draw after the flop, they have roughly a 36% chance of making their hand by the river. This is because there are 9 more diamonds in the deck (assuming its a diamond draw). Although there are a few ways of determining this percentage, I personally like Phil Gorden's 4-2 method. It works like this: Determine your outs, and simply multiply it by 4 for the turn card. After the turn, determine your outs again, and multiply it by 2. So, if you have 9 outs before the turn, take 9 x 4, and you'll get 36, or a 36% chance. After the turn, if you don't hit your flush, take 9 x 2, and you get an 18% chance of catching a diamond (note: These percentages aren't 100% accurate, but they're so close that I prefer this method to make quick decisions at the table.

So, getting back to your bet. If you believe they are on a flush draw after the flop, then you must remove their odds to call. In essence, you're forcing them to have to call a bet that is "more" then 36%. So lets say the pot contains $100 before you bet, and its just you and them. If you only bet $50 (bringing the pot to $150), of course all he has to call is $50 to win $150. That means he's getting 3 to 1 odds (3 for $150 compared to his 1 $50), which means he only has to bet 33% of the pot. And because he has a 36% chance of catching his card, he is correct in calling. The theory is the same after the turn. If he misses the turn, he now has an 18% chance of catching it. You have to force him to bet more then 18% of the pot after the turn. Now whether he calls or not is a different story. Mathematically he's making a mistake when makes these calls when you've eliminated his odds. And in the long run, and over several hands, he will lose and you will win.

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Texas Holdem Image And Personality

Your texas holdem image is represented by your personality. Every poker player has a personality that can make or break them at a poker game. Your texas holdem image is a crucial part of playing texas holdem. Before I started writing this the section of identifying your holdem image and your opponents, I read an article that I've found really interesting that relates to this topic of table image.

A book author and professional holdem player was playing texas holdem at the Mirage in Las Vegas. A player left his table and a man wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt filled the seat. The poker author explains, "I immediately pegged this guy for another tourist. After the tourist sat down, he was telling stories and joking with the dealer and some of the other players. He didn't seem to have a care in the world as he sat there talking and playing." Everyone at the table perceived this character's texas holdem image as a weak opponent, but this care-free tourist was winning with his very tight and aggressive style of play.

As the poker author left the table and went to the cashier to cash out, he bumped into his Hawaiian shirt, dressed friend and introduced himself. He explains, "I asked him where he was from and to my surprise he said he lived in Las Vegas. I mentioned that he looked like a tourist. 'I know,' he said. 'Why would I want anyone at the table to think I'm a local?'"

Below are 5 texas holdem image descriptions that you may generally find at a poker table: A fish, weak-tight players, the maniac, the rock, and strong-aggressive players. Try to find a texas holdem image description that conveys your style of play or opponents you've played with. But remember, just like the article, your opponents may use their table image to throw you off to make you believe they are something that they are not.

A Fish: The weakest texas holdem image and player there is. Also the most prevalent, fishes have poor hand selections and will call just about anything (also known as calling stations). This person has very little skill or discipline, investing into too many hands, hoping for a lucky break. Chips are earned mainly from these players. However, fish players enjoy the bluffing element of poker, so don't be surprised if a fish tries to make a move with nothing or slow-playing by checking the best hand.

Basically, a fish is just a bad player. You can't bluff a bad player. When a fish has some kind of hand and is still in the pot, it's obvious he's got something. Play straight forward - no tricks or fancy plays against these players.

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An Overview Of Texas Hold'Em

Hold'em Poker has, in a few short years, exploded into the most popular poker variation of the game and Texas Hold'em is a game that started some time in the early twentieth century. However, it is only in the last five or six years that Texas Hold'em has mesmerized poker players and taken over poker rooms just about everywhere poker is played.

No-Limit Texas Hold'em is the mainstay of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) which is the highest profile event in the history of the game and is televised around the world. Texas Hold'em is the main game played in the World Poker Tour (WPT) that promotes worldwide poker tournaments. Celebrity tournaments particularly as held in Las Vegas, feature Texas Hold'em and are extremely popular with spectators. In fact, Texas Hold'em tournaments have become highly popular spectator sports and are televised to enthusiastic audiences.

Assuming you are acquainted with traditional poker, here is the basic Texas Hold'em play:

You are dealt two personal cards face down and five cards are placed face up in the center of the table for use by all the players. These are the community cards.

You make the best five card hand using your two personal cards and any combination of the five community cards.

There are four betting rounds. Unless you are in a no-limit game, the first two bets will have a set limit - for example, two dollars. The next two bets have a limit of four dollars. Betting or raising for each round cannot exceed the pre-set limits.

The first two bets are called "blind" or "posted" bets. The first player to the left of the dealer places a "small blind" or minimum bet which is half the maximum - or $2. The next player to the left of the minimum blind poster places the "big blind". The maximum allowed in this case is four dollars. No other bets are made. Once play begins, the deal rotates around the table and each player, in turn, will act as the small blind, big blind and eventually as dealer.

The game starts with the first small blind player receiving the first card face down and the deal revolving around the table with the last card taken by the dealer. The deal revolves around the table again with each player receiving the second card face down.

The first round of betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind either calling or raising within the pre-set game limits. Betting, calling or folding goes around the table until the small blind poster is reached. The small blind poster can call the bet since a blind was already posted. The big blind then has the option to raise or to "check".

Three community cards are then dealt face up in the center of the table. In Texas Hold'em terminology, this is known as "the flop". Bets are placed.

Next comes "the turn" or "fourth street", which means the dealer places the fourth community card among the first three cards. Again, bets are placed.

The fifth and final community card dealt is called "the river" or "fifth street".

To play Texas Hold'em well, basic strategies should be learned and practiced and for the serious player, extensive study of advanced game strategies is a must.

Texas Hold'Em Poker Tips - Low Pairs

In a perfect world, we would all get high pairs as starting hands, but, in truth, that rarely happens. What players will see more often are lower pairs of cards. For newer players, a pair of anything looks pretty good, but be careful, especially if you are playing for real money, when it comes to low pairs.

In general, there are no hard and fast rules that say what constitutes a low pair. For my own reasons, I consider anything below a 6 to be a low pair. As you gain experience and learn your own style of play you will be able to set your own standards as to what is a low pair and what is not.

One of the most useful tips that I can share with new players is this: 90% of the time (and this is especially true if you are holding a low pair of pre-flop cards) you want to see a cheap flop. What I mean by this is you want to see the flop for as little of your money invested as possible. Put another way, if you’re holding a pair of 3’s you want to see the flop but you do NOT want to put in a lot of money (by calling big bets or raising) in order to see that flop.

The key to remember is that a low pair has potential for becoming a huge hand if you pick up a set (another card matching yours comes up, giving you three-of-a-kind) or a quad (two matching cards come up on the flop, giving you four-of-a-kind) or a full-house, but the important word here is potential. Until you see the flop all you have is a lowly pair, and in a ten-handed game and even in a seven-handed game, that generally isn’t worth very much, and the lower the cards, the less they are worth. Keep in mind that a pair of 4’s will beat that pair of 3’s.

Again, we come back to position play and why it is important to always know where you are in relation to the Button. If you are the first person to act (meaning, you are first to either call the blind and play or fold) you must exercise caution. In fact, this is true with low pairs if you are seated anywhere on the first half of the table. The reason for this is simple. If you are the first to play (or even the second, third, or fourth) all the others players behind you will have the option to raise the bet, forcing you to put even more money in before seeing the flop. If you are playing with aggressive betters, the cost can skyrocket in no time at all. Now if you are sitting there (pre-flop) with a pair of King’s or a pair of Ace’s you might welcome that aggressive betting. But with a small pair in your hand, it can spell doom, real quick.

It is worth repeating. The key to playing small pairs is to see the flop for as little money as possible. A well-disciplined player will happily fold a small pair if the betting becomes too rich. Why will they do this? Experienced players will reason that aggressive betting before the flop usually (not always, but usually) represents a player with a strong hand, and in many cases, it may be two or three players with strong hands.

But what if you are holding a small pair and you are at the far end of the table line? Perhaps you are in the blinds (either the big blind or the small blind) or perhaps you are on the Button itself. What do you do in that case?

Well, it depends. If everyone else has folded, you would want to call the blind and see a flop. If only one or two earlier players have called the blinds (but not raised) you may want to go ahead and call yourself to see the flop as well. However, if one player has made a big raise or if several other players have called and or raised, then you go with your gut, and in most cases, your gut should be saying, “Fold”.

If you are in the blinds and can see the flop for a small additional amount of money, then go for it. If you hit your set, you will be in a very good position to probably win the hand.

If you don’t hit your set on the flop, it is time to think hard about folding your hand unless the other players check and you can check as well. If you can see a free card, see one.

It’s important to understand that you have about a 12% chance of hitting your set on the flop. Another way of looking at this is you have about a 1-in-8 chance of getting that third card on the flop.

The odds of getting that third card to fill your set decrease dramatically after the flop. In fact, the odds of seeing that third card by the River are only about 9%.

These statistics apply to all pairs and not just to small pairs.

So, if you are holding a small pair use common sense and watch your betting. Try to see the flop as cheaply as possible. If you hit your set on the flop, then go for it! If you do not hit your set on the flop, consider folding before putting anymore money into the pot. More often than not, you will be glad you did.

Poker Book Review: A Guide To Texas Holdem

At a time when new poker books are pouring onto store shelves, Dennis Purdy is the first author to offer a unique approach to learning poker with The Illustrated Guide to Texas Hold'Em. The former gambling pro uses a visual problem-solving approach rather than a textual approach at teaching poker strategy.

The first three chapters of the guide start off very similarly to many beginner books on the poker market, covering the basic rules of how to play Hold'Em, what you might wear to a table, how much you should buy-in for and some rules of good poker etiquette. The fourth chapter presents eight brief rules of 'good basic poker strategy' followed by a detailed explanation of actual odds and pot odds. Chapter five is where this book becomes unique as the next 300 pages are filled with 150 different, illustrated Texas Hold'Em poker scenarios, matched with the author's answer to each of the practice situations! Purdy ends the book with a noteworthy 30 page poker terminology glossary.

The cover indicates that this guide may make a winner out of an advanced player but this book was really designed to captivate those unlikely readers that shy away from the other poker books already published. The introduction warns that this book is not 'targeted towards sophisticated and knowledgeable players', and I would agree. Advanced players will find too many examples stating 'the obvious' like situation #2: folding 27 offsuit before the flop.

Purdy's advice is mostly in-line with most other poker authors however there are certainly some debatable answers to a few of his problems (i.e. Problem #46 suggests to cap the betting with 36s pre-flop?). There is often more than one correct way to play any individual poker hand however I sometimes found myself wondering why Purdy would suggest such advanced plays, especially since these situations can be easily misinterpreted by new players. The intention of this guide may have been to give definitive situational advice to poker scenarios, however, I suggest that readers actually place more importance on the general strategy advice given in the answers rather than the specific action to take. It's really the whole strategic approach you take to the game that will make the most difference in your results.

The visual representation of each of the poker situations is by far this book's greatest asset. I personally know readers to have picked up this book after ignoring the other acclaimed texts on the premise of its simple and fun-looking learning method. Another quality point is that no commitment is needed as the reader can easily review a couple pages and put the book back down again without losing the value of the material. The teaching pattern also follows through with its ideas, enabling the reader to encounter the same notions and strategies in various problems throughout the book (for example, each of situations #17, #38 & #148 address folding small pocket pairs in early position before the flop).

Due to the popular nature of problem solving game books, this style of teaching poker is expected to appeal to many players and will most likely be adopted in more books to come. Like many books of its nature, The Illustrated guide to Texas Hold'Em is not recommended as the only book to teach you sound poker strategy, but as a visual practice supplement for those players not interested in studying the more technical texts. Readers that insist on keeping the fun and excitement first and foremost in their poker education will appreciate this chance to learn without being bogged down with abstract concepts or complicated terminology.

Being Suited - Important In Texas Holdem

Having suited cards when playing Texas Holdem can give you a definite advantage. Being suited allows cards that under normal circumstances might be thrown in the muck to suddenly become playable.

Hands like QTs, JTs, T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, or even K9s, Q9s, J9s and so can be played in late position when the pot is sure to be multiway, and have a much better chance of winning compared to their unsuited counterparts.

You might be asking yourself, is there really that big of a difference between K9 suited, and K9 offsuit. The answer is a definite YES!

Even if the difference of winning only changes from say 16 percent to 20 percent, this is not just a 4 percent increase, but is a 25% increase! The value of being able to make a flush can turn a loss into a win. Even in pots with 6 or 7 people involved, a flush will usually be good enough to win you the pot. While flushes don't come in often, when they do the rewards can be enormous.

Another benefit to suitedness is having redraws in situations like when you might only have one pair. In these situations, your holding is very vulnerable to someone else making a bigger pair or making two pair or better on the turn or river. Having suited cards can often give you the opportunity to make a flush even when your one pair is drawn out on, and still win the pot.

Another thing to think about in multiway pots is that with more people involved, the likelyhood of one or more of them having suited cards goes up. This puts an unsuited hand at a disadvantage that a suited hand wouldn't face. Playing hands like Q8o or A5o in large multiway pots gives your opponents a big head start if they hold suited cards. This is a large starting gap to overcome that sometimes even the best players aren't able to do.

If you ARE going to play offsuit cards in texas holdem, then make sure that they have big card value. A hand like AQo is affected less by the fact that it isn't suited because it's other obvious benefits make up for the disadvantage of being offsuit.

Basically, if you are ever unsure of whether or not you should get involved, be more inclined to play suited hands than unsuited ones.

HOWEVER - this doesn't mean that just because a hand is suited, you can play it in any situation. A weak hand like J5 is trash regardless of whether it is suited or not. Being suited does improve the strength of your hand, but this doesn't give you an excuse to play bad cards just because they are of the same suit.

In short: Being suited in holdem will offer you a greater chance of making money in multiway pots than unsuited ones, and can make a marginal hand like Q9 playable.

Spying on Texas Holdem Poker Opponents

While we all know that the game of poker, is all about taking a chance, many people have developed techniques and strategies that can help you improve your game of poker. The key to being a successful poker playing is having extensive knowledge of the specific poker game you play, the better you understand the game, the better understanding you will have about the players along side of you. This is important to mastering the game of poker and can mean every difference in the world between win or lose when it comes time to play.

Yes, your poker game can only be as good as the hand you are dealt; however, a crucial part of the game is how you play the hand in the first place. Being able to understand and recognize the strategies and tells of the opponents near you, as well as understanding why they play poker in the way that they do, helps you understand which decisions you should be making. Of course, if you simply have a bad hand dealt to you, you will have no choice but to lose, but you can still try to win.

The key to success when it comes to placing your wagers is watching your opponents. Poker wagers are not one size fits all, therefore, there is no specific tip on how you should be wagering. Any advice you are given is all the result of common sense and will greatly depend on which variant of poker you ware playing at the time. That being said, here are some tips that you should think about while playing poker.

Watch and access the other players. This creates an advantage for you, if you can understand how the other players act and respond in a variety of situations. The games outcome generally depends on how each player responds to the other players. You should keep in mind that, yes, you are watching everyone else, but they are probably watching you at the same time.

When it comes to poker tells, watch for them. Without even realizing it, when confronted with certain situations a player may make a facial expression or perform a gesture. This can be habit forming and something you should be watching for. The perfect example of this is perhaps when a player is bluffing they may unconsciously put their hand to their face. As you play more often with specific players, you will tend to notice this action and realize what the actions means.

However, this is not fool proof, because other players know you are watching them and their actions, they may perform what are called 'false tells', just to throw you off track. Players want to make you believe they have a horrible hand, to keep you betting, however, in reality they have a killer hand.

The more you play with the same people, the better you will come to know them and their characteristics during the game of poker. This is even true when it comes to online poker.

Online poker, is not played in a personal setting, in other words you are not able to see the actual players face in general. However, it is still possible to identify certain tells. An example of this may be lengthy pauses before taking any type of action. When it comes to poker and playing a good game, it is crucial that you understand your opponents and how to read them.

Texas Holdem Poker Secret Betting Strategies

When it comes to poker, there is no shortage of poker variants or the methods in which it is played, such as online at home or in a busy casino. The key to poker is understanding that while the basic concept of the game always remains the same throughout, each variant carries its own set of rules and strategy. However, with every game of poker one person wins, the one with the best hand.

The key good poker playing is developing a strategy. In general, most poker players, play to win, it is hard to imagine anyone playing to lose, particularly when you are placing your hard-earned money in the pot. Developing your strategy allows you to maximize your winnings, while minimizing your risks. In this article, we discuss two different poker types, no-limit, and limit.

Beginners enjoy and benefit from limit poker particular because there is a previously determined amount of money a person can bet. For the more advance players, no-limit is the name of the game, because with all in bets, the pots become huge and even if you do not have the great of pokers hands, you can still win it. This is where a strategy comes in handy, in no-limit poker. It is advisable for those still learning poker, that they avoid no-limit poker games, simply because any mistake could end up costing you a great deal of money.

Building a Strategy in No-limit Texas Holdem Poker

The all in betting, in no-limit Texas Holdem Poker, is how experienced players take charge, dominate a position, and intimidate their opponents. This strategy works for many players and if mastered, can be used to your advantage.

If you ever watch players in a no-limit Texas Holdem poker game, you will notice they tend to go 'all in when they have the ability to steal the pot from their opponents. It is essential that you never follow this strategy unless certain conditions have been met within your poker hand.

If the other player calls on you, you want outs. Meaning you should ensure that there are still some cards that may help you in winning the current hand, within the deck. No matter if the odds are good or bad, you still need to ensure you have outs.

You should also have a good ability to read the actions of your opponents. In other words, you should be confident enough in your ability to read that you know for sure the player will likely fold, before stealing the pot.

A lesser important factor among these tips, is ensuring you have a good position. However, in order to accurately read your opponents, you should be in a good position.

As you can tell, knowing if your opponent will fold is the key to this strategy. With no-limit poker, aggressive hand playing will likely lead to bets being much higher. It is for this reason that you should be playing aggressively against players who hold a shorter stack than yours. This makes sure that even if you were to lose the match, you are still playing the game. Opponents with shorter stacks allow you to lessen your risks, this is yet another benefit of using this strategy.

Regardless of which strategy you choose to implement into your poker game, it is crucial to remember that you should have the ability to accurately read your opponents and their habits. Another important factor to remember, obviously, is that different games, different opponents, and different situations will all require different strategies.

Texas Hold'em - Rise And Resurrection

Texas Hold'em poker has found its spot in the limelight as a premier form of poker. In the United States, everyone is playing Texas Hold'em from groups of friends at parties to celebrities in tournaments. Texas Hold'em may have started out as just another poker game, but it has been resurrected into the most popular form of poker in the United States.

Texas Hold'em first caught interest in 1999. A television show in the United Kingdom, called the Late Night Poker TV Show brought Texas Hold'em attention as a spectator sport. Although this brought some attention it was a meager beginning to the game. Texas Hold'em would see its popularity really began to gain ground when it was introduced on another TV arena, the World Series of Poker.

The World Series of Poker has been credited with the resurrection and amazing popularity of Texas Hold'em poker. An amateur player named Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker or WSOP. Mr. Moneymaker started in the game through online poker websites. The idea that anyone could play and win big with this game was part of what drew people to it. The WSOP saw the number of people entering the tournament triple between 2003 and 2004. Every year since then the WSOP has seen entrant levels rise and the winning prize values keep going up. The interest in the WSOP and Texas Hold'em poker has not wavered and the prediction is that interests in it will continue to rise.

Hollywood has played its part in introducing and making Texas Hold'em poker popular with the public. The 1998 movie "Rounders" was based on Texas Hold'em poker and the life of professional players. This movie gave Texas Hold'em poker the nickname of the "Cadillac of Poker". Even James Bond has been brought into the world of Texas Hold'em. In the upcoming James Bond film, Casino Royale, the card game originally played, Baccarat, will now be changed to Texas Hold'em because it is trendier. Hollywood is always following the trends and when moviegoers see Texas Hold'em on the big screen it can only mean good things for this poker game.

Texas Hold'em is the most popular card game in the United States as of 2005. It is the most played form of poker in US casinos and the main event for the World Series of Poker. The rest of the world may not give as much credit to the game, but with celebrities jumping in to play, Texas Hold'em has no limits in where its popularity may reach.

The History Of Texas Holdem Poker

Over time Texas Hold'em poker has become a popular pastime throughout the world, as it features players from all over the world who can even compete in tournaments for large amounts of money. But before today the game has made several different changes to get it to where it is today. The history of Texas Hold'em poker is one that is long and has evolved over time through many countries. Throughout the history of Texas Hold'em poker the game has featured many additions, but the substance of the game is still the same.

The history of Texas Hold'em poker originated around the middle of the tenth century in China. Mu-tsung, the emperor of the country at the time, was a fan of the game of "domino cards," which is the first time in the history of Texas Hold'em poker that the game or a variation of it was recorded. The history of Texas Hold'em poker continued to evolve across the world, as cards found in Egypt dating back to around the thirteenth century appear to be similar to cards used in the game today. This has caused for many to believe that the game originated from ganjifa, a card game that was popular in India, thus spreading the reach of the history of Texas Hold'em poker.

The history of Texas Hold'em poker continued into Persia. The game "as nas" has some similarities to Texas Hold'em poker in that it is a game that uses five cards in each hand. A major difference between the two games, however, is that in "as nas" only twenty five cards were used, and there were five suits of cards as well. It is also considered in the history of Texas Hold'em poker that the Persians taught the Germans this game during the seventeenth century. The Germans then spread the game, which was referred to by them as "pochen," to France. The French then referred to the game as "poque," and the habit of bluffing was then created as part of the strategy by the French.

The history of Texas Hold'em poker eventually moved into the United States. When settling in the French town of New Orleans the French would travel along the Mississippi River and played the game around there. Also, the people would teach others who were interested how to play the game. This would then by spread by people who learned the game through settlements and other towns in the country.

The most important moment in the history of Texas Hold'em poker occurred during the American Civil War. During this time the Americans began to use the traditional English set of cards for the game, meaning that the normal fifty two cards in four suits that are used today began to be used. The last major part of the history of Texas Hold'em poker came in 1875, when a wild card for the game was introduced. This wild card is better known as the joker card.

How To Win Texas Holdem Poker

With the way Texas Holdem is taking over card tables everywhere, it's a good idea to learn how to play and learn how to win if you want to impress your friends, have fun or make some money at a fun and interesting game.

To win Texas Holdem, a person needs to know more than just how to play the game. He or she needs to know about strategy.

Many poker experts and players will tell you that a tight and aggressive strategy is the only way to play Texas Holdem. This involves playing relatively few hands and betting and raising often when you do play.

This strategy, however, will only work if you understand hand-ranking. There are 1,326 distinct possibilities when it comes to the two hole cards a player can be dealt in Texas Hold'em. However, since suits are only relevant for flushes, many of these possibilities are irrelevant. So, that reduced the number of possibilities a player needs to know about to 169 possibilities.

One type of hand to get to know is a pocket pair or a wired pair. This is when you are dealt two of any card. For instance, two jacks, two aces, or two nines.

The hands which are not pocket pairs are either suited hands or unsuited hands. Suited hands are two cards of the same suit and unsuited hands are two cards of different suits. For instance a suited pocket might be an ace and a seven of spaces and an unsuited pair might be an ace of hearts and a seven of diamonds.

Generally, the higher the cards in the pocket and whether they are paired or suited increases the hand ranking. However, sometimes even a highly ranked pocket can turn into nothing after the flop, turn or river.

Some professional players are successful using other strategies as well. While most experts insist on only playing premium starting hands, others suggest a looser betting strategy. Ultimately, this is up to the player.

While some experts disagree on betting strategy, most agree that position is an important element of the game. Players who act later in a hand, have more information than those who act earlier. As a result, players often play fewer hands from earlier positions and more from later positions. This does have a disadvantage since a person's opponents can gain clues to his or her hand based upon the bets made after the flop, the turn and the river.

Those who play no-limit or fixed limit version of hold'em, play different strategically, and many players who excel at one, do not excel at the other. For instance, because of the limit placed on betting in limit games, players cannot bluff as successfully. And in no-limit poker, new players often lack the courage to make the larger bets.

Strategy can also vary between games with lower stakes and games with higher stakes. Small stakes games usually have more players participating in each hand and can have very passive playing strategies or very aggressive raising strategies, compared to high stakes games, which are more stable.

Aggression in Short-handed No Limit Hold'em

The 6-player max No Limit Hold'em tables have exploded in popularity at the major online poker rooms over the last year. I suspect that the reason is twofold. First and foremost, there is less waiting between playing your hands - and let's face it, we humans tend to be an impatient lot. Secondly, much looser play is warranted than in the full ring games. Those two aspects of short-handed action add up to playing a whole lot more hands. As poker players, this is really what we want to be doing anyway. So the popularity of these games should be no surprise.

But playing more hands is a sure way to quick losses, even when short-handed, if you don't go about it properly. Playing like a maniac just isn't going to get the job done. This is because it's just too easy (even for fairly weak players) to develop effective counter-strategies against maniacs. They are the easiest types of players to beat in No Limit, regardless of how many people are at the table. Selective aggression is still the winning approach, as with full tables, just with a much wider range of selection. Most important is playing a style that allows you to take many one-try stabs at small to medium-size pots.

By one-try stabs, I mean that you need to know how to let go of a pot that you are trying to win on the flop if you are called. This is critical. If you can't do it, don't expect to win much in short-handed No Limit cash games. All your accumulated profits will leave your stack in one fell swoop and go to the shark who smooth-called you on the flop. Your next bet will have to be quite large if you plan on continuing with the aggression, and that's when you can expect the shark to raise. When you get called on the flop, just let it go.

The style you need to play in these games is a raise or fold philosophy, especially before the flop. If nobody has entered the pot yet I will raise with any two cards 7 or higher most of the time. If somebody else has entered the pot ahead of me, I won't play anything except super-premium hands, period. You have no business in any pot where you are not the aggressor, barring a rare exception. In fact, I insist on both "power and position" if I am going to see a flop. Power meaning that I am the last pre-flop raiser, and position meaning that I am last to act. On the flop I always bet around 75% of the pot no matter what cards hit the board. Always. If I meet any kind of resistance at all, including a call on the flop, I simply give it up (unless I happen to be holding the World's Fair, which does happen sometimes).

Here is what is going to happen if you play this way: 1) You will steal a lot of blinds, 2) Almost every flop you see will be heads-up or three-way, 3) You will win the overwhelming majority of pots on the flop, 4) The pots you don't win on the flop will be way more than made up for by all the ones you do win, and 5) The rare occasions where you flop a monster against a decent hand will get paid off big-time. You will be the dominate force in your game, and your flustered opponents will watch helplessly as their chips continue to desert them into your stack.

You see, they just can't call that flop bet. Play this way for a while and you'll start to get it. If you occasionally screw up and find yourself on the flop when you are not the aggressor, you will curse yourself for being there playing like a fish, because you won't be able to call that flop bet either. It's like the great San Francisco 49er offense of the late 90's with Steve Young at quarterback, coming at you with those slant plays. The defense knows exactly what's coming, but they still can't stop it.

Keys To Winning Texas Holdem Poker

Texas Hold'em is the most popular game on the market right now and that means it's the game you're most likely to need to know how to play. None of us want to fall behind the times, so it is important to learn to play the game now. And, if you really want to impress your fellow poker players with your skill and winning rate, here's all the tips you need to make your poker game the top game.

1. Watch your opponents. This is the most important tip you need to know. Since only some of the cards are community cards, Texas Hold'em is a closed poker game. If you want to know what's in your opponents' hands, you need to watch for the signs. Some of things to watch for are: sweating, swallowing, erratic breathing, twitching, fidgeting, lip biting, smiling, frowning and any repetitive motions. Many people wear hats and sunglasses to minimize their opponents' abilities to read their physical appearance.

2. Watch your own physical appearance: As you watch your opponents, they are also watching you. Make sure you guard your own "tells" and movements to keep them from reading you.

3. Understand the game. There are two really important things that you need to remember about Texas Hold'em poker. First, you need to know that the two cards in your hand are the only cards you have to beat your opponents and second, the community cards are shared by the others. If the community cards are good, chances are that there are a lot of nice hands around the table. Use this information to influence your betting strategy.

4. Texas Hold'em is a bluffing game. Try it yourself and watch for it in your opponents. The most successful bluffers will have their opponents betting early in a hand and folding late in a hand. Remember, if you're bluffing then you don't want your opponents to make it to showdown when you'll have to show your cards.

5. Know how to evaluate your cards. In Texas Hold'em, players are forced to make a betting decision even before they have a five card hand. In fact, the first round of betting occurs when only two cards are known to each player. When you look at your pocket cards, consider whether or not you should fold. You should always fold if you have two non-pair cards less than 10. Many poker players play very prudently, only remaining in a hand with very high or paired cards that can be part of a straight or flush.

6. Don't waste your chips. Only bet if you have a good starting hand. Many expert poker strategists recommend playing Texas Hold'em with a tight and aggressive strategy. This means betting rarely on a hand and when betting always bet frequently and generously. Texas Hold'em is a game of patience. You must sit through many boring hands to get to a good one.

7. Don't be afraid to fold if you've paid to see the flop. Just because you're in the hand, doesn't mean you should stay there. Remember, a tight game will reap more rewards in the end. The most important thing to remember is not to let yourself get sucked in too far with a weak hand.

How to Throw a Poker Game in your Home

Before you go and invite all your poker buddies over for a game you better make sure you have everything well planed out. I am sure you have probably gone to a poker game before and nothing was organized, ill bet it was a lousy night, right?

This is because the host was not prepared to meet the needs of his guests, but with the help of this article you will not have this problem

The first thing you need to do is make a list of all the things you will need, this should include, poker table, cards, chips, snacks and beverages, make sure to write down everything your guests may want this way nothing gets forgotten.

For my weekly poker game besides the regular chips and pizza we like to do something a little different the host will cook something for us to eat, if you decided to try this take my word put some thought into what you make. You don't want to make something that take a long time to make or that needs forks and knives to eat, this will slow down the game, and will usually end a poker game early.

Food: I like to make things that are not greasy and can be eaten with one hand leaving one hand always free to play, but every now and then it can be good to cook something different. This year for the SuperBowl we have decided to play poker and watch the game and I am going to make some BBQ ribs and we will eat while watching football and not while playing poker.

Beverages: you should make sure you have a good selection of non alcoholic drinks as well as plenty of beer for your game. Drinking too much can also make your game less enjoyable for you and the other players, no one like to have to constantly be waiting for someone who is going to the bathroom all the time or getting up to grab another cold beer.

Another disadvantage to drinking too much is that your judgment becomes impaired and to win at poker you need to have your head focused. Poker is just as much about reading your players and noticing the smallest change in a person's attitude during the game and if you drink too much you may start to miss things.

Game Related Items: A poker table is not needed to play poker and other then making you feel like you are in a poker tournament in a casino or give you a breakdown of what goes where, it does not really serve a needed function at a poker game. So if you do not have one and can not afford it do not let that stop you from throwing a game.

When it comes to the cards you play with most players just prefer a standard plastic coated playing card to anything else, and I recommend having more then 1 deck just in case a card gets bend, torn or someone gets food or grease on them.

If you are going to be playing with the same players all the time you may want to chip in together and purchase a nice set of chips, the professional weight clay chips. They are not needed for the game but I just prefer the way they feel in my hand when I am playing.

Players: If you are starting up a new game I recommend picking people who are all close t the same level of skills, no one wants to be the fish every week, and it is also so fun when one of your friends wins every week, unless it is you.

If you follow the advice in this article you will not only find you will start playing better but you and your friends will have a better time playing poker.

Poker Betting Limit: How to Pick One 4 U

Before you head for the nearest empty chair at an open poker table, hold on. There is one very important factor that you must check and verify before you start playing.

What? Check the betting limit of that particular table.
Why? This is what determines the professional skills of the poker players you will face and will also help you calculate approximately how much cash you need for this particular round of betting.

For the Casual Poker Fan:
You should try and begin by selecting a table with a low limit. Here, you will enjoy the relatively casual ambience and friendly opponents, who will not have a lot of experience playing and thus you stand a fair chance of winning. The slight problem with such games is that such kinds of tables are difficult to locate. In addition, those playing at such tables tend to play in a very conservative manner and this slows down the flow of the game. If you are still interested in looking for such tables you will be able to find them at the downtown casinos and gambling halls or at poker rooms not located on the Las Vegas strip itself such as the Palace Station.

Wish to Play Texas Holdem Instead?
Here too, select the lower limit games such as the 4/8 version. In this game, you will be allowed to increase only by four dollars and hence the name. Then, when you come to the last two betting rounds, you will have to double it to eight dollars. Likewise, you can also find the following limits: two and then four, three and then six, four and then eight, eight and then sixteen, fifteen and then thirty, thirty and then sixty and the last one which is pretty different to find (and which unless you are prepared to dish out large sums, you should avoid.) forty and then eight during the last two rounds of betting.

How Many Chips Should You Purchase In Such Games?
What you can do is multiply the end limit by about twenty and then make sure you have that amount. For example, if you wanted to join a table where the limit is two and then four. Multiply four into twenty and you get eighty. So, this is the sum of chips you must bring in to the game by buying them from the cash counters in the casino.

Another option is playing Texas holdem with no limits whatsoever, but beware. Such games pull pros and then you will find yourself at a big disadvantage.

For the Experienced Poker Player:
Most pros prefer playing Texas holdem than other poker games. And such professionals opt for games with no limit or that have a high limit of at least fifteen dollars. Beware, these tables (You can find them in the top casinos such as the Bellagio and others on the strip.) are places where you can lose hundreds of dollars in minutes so unless you are aware of this or unless you want to swim with the sharks because you consider yourself a shark too, stay away.

Conclusion:
Note that sometimes the tables might be occupied and it might take you a while to get a seat. Remember that this is not an online casino where tables are always open. Have patience and wait and do not leave and just join a higher or lower limit table than the one you have decided on. Remember that the outcome of your casino experience depends on this decision.

All-in - When's the right time to push all-in?

I always know when I am at a table playing with a fish. He's the guy that keeps going all-in. Sure he steals a few pots and maybe even gets called sucks out and doubles up. Playing like this in known as loose - aggressive and is generally not the way to go. There is a time and place fore everything loose - aggressive plays well short handed or heads - up. The rest of the time you should be playing tight - aggressive. When the other players spot a loose guy they sit back and let him win a few blinds then take all his chips when he goes all-in with a crap hand. When making a big bet wile playing Texas holdem timing and table image has a lot to do with wining or losing.

The tight part of tight - aggressive means only playing strong or premium hands to begin with. If for instance you are playing loose with an A-8 starting hand. You stay in and see the flop, it comes up A-4-7 . Ye-haw you just hit top pair the problem is you don't know where you stand because of the low valued kicker (8). You will have to bet to see if anybody else has an ace, and if they do you are probably beat. Its better to be the guy with the big kicker raising the loose guys bet and wining. To be able to make an all - in bet with confidence you need to know that you have the best hand, and this begins with the starting hands that you choose to play.

In poker the ability to judge the value of other players hands is as important as knowing the value of yours. Your position at the table can either help you or hinder you. In early position you have to act first and everyone reacts to what you do. Its easy to fall into a trap in earl position so its best to slow play your big hands. However when in late position you have the advantage of seeing how the other players bet and can better judge who you will be up against and what they have. You should only go all-in when in late position and its always best to be the aggressor.

Table image is another thing that can work for or against you. If you bluff to much it will work against you. After I win a hand with a big bet I like to show the other players that they were smart to fold by showing my cards. Later in the game if I feel the need to bluff the other players will fold because of my tight table image my bets get respect. If you find yourself with a loose image at a table don't bluff because you will be called. You will have to wait for the nuts then go all-in and get your call.

Although these concepts are considered basic poker strategy you will find that a lot of players ignore them, especially online. Play tight - aggressive, also pay attention to your table position and table image and you will win big pots and only lose the little ones. When's the time to push all-in? The answer is simple when you know you are going to win!

To read more poker articles visit HoldemKnow-how.com .

Aggressive VS Passive

Aggressive and passive refer to the amount you bet in any given situation. The more you bet the more aggressive you are. Most professional poker players recommend a tight-aggressive general playing style. The truth is your playing style should be flexible. You need to be able to adapt your style to fit different situations, for instance a ten player sit and go should be played differently then a three hundred player tournament. Table position should also be taken into consideration when determining your level of aggression in a hand. Also you need to be able to react to the other players and their styles.

Generally aggressive works better then passive. When playing texas holdem poker you need to bet when you have good cards because most of the cards played are shared with all the players. Being aggressive makes players on a draw take a big gamble or fold. I like to implement a passive strategy against loose players. When I have a big hand I limp in, then they bet aggressively and I raise the pot with the best cards.

You must play different styles when faced with different situations. In ten player sit and go I start out passive then later in the tournament I change to aggressive. You can win pots with the second best hand by betting big against a passive player. On the other hand you can trap an aggressive player by playing passively. The question in the back of your mind should be what does the other guy have? An aggressive bet can help you to answer this question because if someone calls or raises a big bet it usually means that they have a big hand.

Table position needs to be taken into consideration. When in early position you should ease off a bit so that you have a chance to see what the other players do before you have allot of chips in the pot because it is easy to walk into a trap playing aggressively in early position. Late position on the other hand is where you can turn it up a little as it is easier to judge the value of your opponents hand by the amount they bet.

Aggressive wins over passive most times. All you need to do is pay attention to the other players playing styles, as well as your table position and you will know when to turn it up or down. Take every hand serious and pick your moments, then you will be raking in the chips.

To read more poker articles visit HoldemKnow-how.com .

Is Online Poker Rigged?

Online poker is not rigged. The poker sites make their money from the rake not you loosing a hand. With that being said the question you should be asking yourself is what do I need to watch out for while playing online? There are hackers that claim they have programs that allow them to cheat. But I don't believe them. If you are being cheated the culprit is most likely another player at the table not the online poker site.

The rake is the money the online poker site collects from the players each hand. It is a percentage of the money that is bet. At most sites there is a cap on the rake, therefore it is in the sites best interest to leave things alone and have many players making mostly normal small bets. The reason you may see more big hands like a straight flush or four of a kind online is the play online is generally loose especially at low money tables. The more players in a hand means its more likely that a someone will draw a monster hand. Its not the way the program is shuffling the cards.

Hackers that claim they have hacked the poker sites are usually trying to sell you some kind of cheater program. These programs don't work and are nothing more than a scam. The online poker sites are super secure these days. A reputation of security and fairness equals new customers and cash to a poker site, so they go to great lengths to achieve this.

If you have been cheated online it was most likely wile playing against two or more players that were in collusion. This is when two players secretly communicate with each other about their hole cards and betting strategy. To guard against this watch for players that always play slow before the flop because this is when they are communicating and plotting against you, also look out for a guy that keeps raising and reraising with nothing because he's trying to jack up the pot for his partner or push out players that may win. Poker sites watch for players that only play together. The cheaters quickly get spotted by the players or the poker site and are not anything to worry about.

Where there's money involved there will always be cheaters but online poker is not rigged. Pick an established poker site to play on and you will be all right. The play online is different then it is at a casino, however you are less likely to be cheated online because no human ever touches the cards. If you spot a cheater always turn them in.

To read more poker articles visit HoldemKnow-how.com.

Learn How to Bluff In Online Poker like a pro

By all of my other articles on online poker playing, you should know by now, that poker games like Texas hold'em is not just a simple card game with a set of rules you play and hope to win. Yes you use cards and you mix them and the dealing of cards has some factors of randomness, but its how you play your cards that matters, not like rolling dices and hoping to get a 6 eyes.
One of the factors that a lot of poker players use s bluffing, a bluff can be when you have a bad hand, acting like a big shot making some big bets, trying to scare your opponent away, or trying to make him bet even more because you know you can beat him.
You could also do the opposite, if you have a good hand, try not to let the opponent know, catch him like a fish, let him bet, or even go all in, then you catch him like a big fish and win all the money, Now that good poker.
But bluffing is a tricky thing to do, most people get somehow caught trying to bluff and then they will loose a lot of money.
The great thing about bluffing is sometimes to reveal your bluff if you have won, not to brag but to piss your opponent off, so it affects his playing.
The very first thing you need to see about is the position you strike from. Late position is the ideal spot to start bluffing. But still don't bluff always, cause then people will try to catch you.
Its very important to find the right guy to buff, a very bad victim is the aggressive guy, the one that bets a lot, and uses the forces of luck. (He will break down by him self at some point).
Never overdo the rising when bluffing, remember you don't want to be catch in bluffing. You want him to think that you are forcing him to bet to the pot because you have a big hand, when you actually have a bad hand and can accept to win what's already in the pot.
Bluffing online is not as easy as in real life, not that its easy in real life, cause then you have to think about not revealing anything with body language, which would be fatal, and a very known looser factor.

How to Play Casino Poker in 5 points

When playing casino poker everyone needs help sometimes. There are five main rules to make the game easier of all players, no matter how skilfully they play. The first rule is to rejoice. There are lots of sites that offer all kinds of games, and it's often daunting for a beginner to join an online poker room where everyone seems more experienced. Telling other game participants that you are new to the game can give you advantage. If a person sees an inexperienced Rule2 is to pay attention to the twists in the game. It is necessary to take care of how your game is played. Simply paying attention to the way the other game participants are playing can help improve your timing very much. It is quite common in a game of poker to wait a some time, but no more then two minutes before you place a bet. This is to create suspense while still maintaining the speed of the game, and also to settle that the game is player, some will be tolerant towards you. This is the key to having fun and winning the money. You may even pretend as though you are inexperienced so game participants will enable you to supervise the situation. However, most game participants are only noticing their personal play ignoring others. Therefore, no need to concentrate on any other player during a game session other than your own hand. This way, the game will run gently, and you'll be having fun. The third rule is to collect information about the room you're going to play in. A lot of players sit down to play a game without taking anything in. There are often deals that are offered by the poker room, from point redemption when buying items, to free games being offered as a taster. The personnel in the poker room are there to help all game participants, so if there are any queries you might have, these are the people to assist you. It isn't a requirement that you enter a poker room and begin playing, and it is possible to observe others playing a game to define the experience level of each player before deciding whether or not to play. The penultimate rule is to limit yourself. If you're not experienced in the game, then it's recommended to start small, and build your way up to the extremely fast, highly experienced games. This rule is used for collecting prizes or cash values. Placing a small bet means that if you do happen to lose, the money lost should be an insignificant value. Finally, the fifth in casino poker is to have a rest from time to time. Play shorter sessions to avoid gaming with time-wasters, or people who want to eat, drink and chat instead of competing in a fun game of poker. It is recommended to start with a slower paced game before you work up to the faster paced ones. This is so that the newer or unexperienced players can have a chance to obtain refreshments as and when needed without disturbing other people.

Playing Poker on Saint Martin

Holiday

I have just returned home from a two week vacation to the Caribbean island Saint Martin with my family. It was a whole lot of fun, especially seeing my almost 2 year old son enjoying the ocean and the pool at our hotel. Besides that, my girlfriend and I went out eating and drinking almost every night, together with a couple of friends from the States (who came over to join us for a week), while my mother was babysitting our son. It's been years since we went out this frequently, and this holiday was very enjoyable, even though my mother came along. ;)

On a couple of occasions I went playing poker in two of the 12 casino's the island counts. St. Martin is partitioned between two different nations (Dutch and French), and the casino's are only allowed on the Dutch side. Some of the Saint Martin casino's are small, have lot's of slots and no poker rooms. Very few players (except for some huge Americans and locals) could be found playing, mainly because it's currently low season, but some others were larger (not massive like Las Vegas, but respectable) and offered also a couple of poker tables.

The Atlantis Casino

I was recommended by my brother who's a resident of St. Martin to go to the Atlantis Casino, very close to the French border (not that there is an actually crossing line). They host 3 multi table tournaments per week. A $75 Rebuy and Addon on Saturdays and Sundays, and on Wednesday a $150 freezout. Because I had only one night off, I had to make a choice between one of these three poker tourneys. I decided to pick the $75 R&A on Saturday since I was very eager to play in real life.

When I arrived at the Atlantis Casino I felt really excited. This was my first time to play in a live tourney, besides the games I play with friends. I made sure to come in time, so I would not miss registration. After I registered I sat down at the bar for an espresso seeing more and more poker players arrive. At 9 PM everybody was called to their table. I was sitting at table 4, seat 10, just right to the dealer who was quite cute, but not very friendly.

The Atlantis Casino has 8 tables, and about 64 players were registered (8 per table). Many of the players were French. It kind felt like some of the men sitting at my table were celebrities, looking at their clothes, watches, polished nails, and age differences between them and their accompanying women. The Atlantis Casino is also very close to the Low Lands area on Saint Martin, which is where the very rich have their mansions, so it could definitely be the case. In any case, they held a whole lot more of cash in their wallets than I did. ;)

Everybody received 2000 starting chips, and immediate rebuys were allowed. Because of this some who could afford it started with double the amount I had. As I didn't want to spend too much money, I just decided to wait for the good hands, not risking a quick rebuy. The main reason I decided to play anyway was to have a good time!

5 Hours, 6 Hands

For a while I kept folding... but when nobody bet while I was sitting on the big blind, I was able to see my first flop. This is one of the few hands I didn't remember very well when analyzing afterwards, but one of the two cards in my hand was a 9. With another 9 on the flop I decided to call a small bet, even though I had middle pair with also at least one over card (K) on the table. The fourth street didn't help me. When everybody checked up to me I decided to make a small informational bet. I got called by just "the French Goth-father", an older man dressed up in all white clothes. The river came, and again it didn't help me. I do remember there were a few over cards, so I was ready to lay my hand down. Don Corleone instead just checked, so I could see the showdown for free. I checked and took away the pot with only a pair of 9's.

Cowboys

Just a couple of hands later I got dealt pocket K's. I really felt uncomfortable (nervous) and wanted to hide all my tells, but I did raise about three times the big blind. The only caller this time was "the Writer". I gave this name to the man sitting on seat 7. This was the type of guy that you couldn't miss when walking into the Atlantis Casino. He had long curly brown hair, and I put him on fifty-some years. The girls around him seemed at least 30 years younger. He had such typical expressions that it was very amusing to observe him, and by the looks of it he also didn't mind to drink a few now and then. Anyway, as you can understand... this was one of those men that beat me straight away if we would have count the money in our wallets. Though, "the Writer" was definitely not a good poker player, sometimes you just don't believe the hands people show.

This hand started perfectly when I hit trips with the flop, what a shame that it was just me versus "the Writer". I raised about half the pot size, and hoped he held the other K in his hands, having top pair or perhaps even 2 pair. He called, and I decided to bet a bit more after the turn card. Unfortunately he folded without showing his hands.

Because of my conservative way of playing, people respected my stealing attempt while sitting in late position. With this move I managed to raise my stack up to 4000, just before the break.

Pizza Time

Pizza's came in for all players when the break began. Most players left their seats for a slice or two, including me. Players were given the opportunity to addon for $75 right after the break. At first I didn't want to, but when I noticed that everybody got 5000 extra chips to their stacks, I decided to put in the money so at least I could still compete. I gave the tournament director 80 bucks, got my chips, but never received the change... Oh well, I couldn't really care since I was having a great time!

For a while I was back to folding pre flop, since I received only trashy hands not matching my tight way of playing. As time ticked by, I was finally dealt a reasonable starting hand. I was in late position and decided to call a bet of three times the big blind with AT suited of Diamonds. I was the only caller, so I needed to hit on the flop to make this hand work out. There were two Queens on the flop, and I don't remember the third card. What I do remember is that the third card, and one of the Queens were Diamonds giving me a nut flush draw. Chasing the flush unfortunately cost me more than half my of stack, dropping to less than 4000. My opponent was a smart player, a bit scary since it was a guy wearing eye brow make-up, but he made sure to get as much as he could giving me the proper calling odds after the river. He showed AQ, and took the pot.

Another Table

Not much later they moved me to another table together with a guy sitting on the small blind. This was actually a frustrating move, since I had plenty of tells on some of the men at my table. When I was moved, the manager switched me from big blind to small blind, and the other guy got "my seat". Of course I had to lay my first hand down, and he showed the nuts making him win a nice pot. Don't let me bother you telling how that feels!

The second play was actually quite good for me. I was sitting on small blind, and the button moved all in to steal my chips. I needed to make a move sooner or later, so I decided to call with pocket 3's. My read was good, he showed K8 off-suit and my three's held up. The man acknowledged my play, and complimented me for the call. I doubled up to 6000 and was ready to sit and fold for another while.

That "other while" didn't last very long because only three hands later I was dealt pocket Queens. This was my best hand, besides the Kings in the early stage of this tournament. To play this hand I had to face a few arguments. My stack (low compared to most opponents at the the table) made it do or die time, I was in early/middle position, and didn't have a lot of information about the other poker players. The man just in front of me raised twice the big blind. I didn't think he had a better hand than I did after thinking for a few seconds. Isolating him seemed to be the best play, thus moving all in was the right play IMO. The two players right after me folded, but the third one also moved all his chips in. Oops, I didn't see this one coming! The man who made the initial bet called and we all opened up. He showed AK off-suit, the man after me showed a pair of sevens (Hearts and Diamonds), and I was happy to hold the strongest hand. Unfortunately luck wasn't on my side. The flop had a King, the turn an Ace, and the river was a Hearts completing the lucky flush of Hearts for the guy holding sevens, and ending my tournament.

The End

After being eliminated I actually felt a bit miserable. I over thought my play, and thought about alternative plays I could have made. Until this very moment I'm still confident that moving all in was the best decision.

It was past 2 AM, the total pot was over $16,000 and I stayed observing the tables for a short while. Not much later I decided to leave the Atlantis Casino on Saint Martin, leaving me with a wonderful memory of my first life poker tournament. This experience cost quite some money, but was well worth all of it. I loved sitting at the table with "the French Goth-father" and "the Writer", I loved staying alive for 5 hours just playing a total of 6 hands, I just wish that I held one Hearts in my hand on that last play. ;)

Las Vegas: Top 5 Poker Rooms in Las Vegas

If you want to experience live poker action at the gambling Mecca of the world, here is a guide to the top poker rooms in Las Vegas. You can read here updated info on each of the recommended Las Vegas poker rooms including their game variety, limits and tournaments.

1) Bellagio Casino and Hotel
If you want to experience Las Vegas poker action and hang out with pros, the Bellagio is the casino for you. It is one of the classiest poker rooms available in Las Vegas. It is so popular that you might find yourself spending over an hour at the waiting list and then find yourself stuck with a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs.

The games offered are Texas Holdem, Omaha and stud games, and you can also join one of the tournaments, but note that this involves playing No Limit Holdem. As for the table limits for the regular games, these are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 4/8, 8/16, 15/30, 30/60, 60/120, 75/150 dollars and up.
b) No Limit Holdem: 200 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 6/12, 15/30, 20/40, 30/60, 50/100 dollars and up.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 4/8, 8/16, 30/60, 75/150 dollars and up.

2) Mirage Las Vegas
If you are tired of waiting for a table at Bellagio, the poker rooms at the Mirage can be an acceptable alternative. It resembles Bellagio's with its luxurious atmosphere, variety of games and its huge popularity among pros as well as tourists.

The games offered are Texas Holdem and Omaha, Stud and as the Bellagio, playing in a tournament means getting involved with No Limit Texas Holdem. As for the limits of each table in a regular game, they are:
a) Limit Holdem: 3/6, 6/12, 10/20, 20/40, 40/80 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: between 100 and 500 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 5/10 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 5/10.

3) Excalibur Las Vegas
If you want to play in a less stressful environment, check out the poker room at the Excalibur casino. You can play spread limit Holdem with the lowest limits available on the Strip and enjoy beginners friendly rules such as limitation on three raises. The room has been renovated recently and the poker tables and seats are very comfortable.

At the Excalibur, you can play Texas Holdem or 7 Card Stud, and the limits are slightly lower:
a) Limit Holdem: 1/3, 2/6 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars buy ins with 1/3 dollars blinds.
c) 7 Card Stud: 1/5 dollars and up.

4) Binions' Horseshoe Hotel and Casino
If you want to play at the same room where the first WSOP took place, you must visit Binions' poker room. Although the casino has been renovated and went through many changes since the days of Nick the Greek, the ghosts of the past still haunt the place, but in a good way.

Here too you can play Texas Holdem, No Limit Holdem in their own tournament, Omaha and Stud games for the following limits:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 4/8, 10/20 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 1/2 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 4/8 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5.

5) Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino
If you want to follow in the steps of the 2006 WSOP champions, check out the Rio poker room. You might be surprised from the size and the small variety of games, but the thought of sharing the same location with contemporary gaming legends adds a certain appeal to it.

Other than taking part in the tournament where you can participate in some No Limit Holdem, you can pick from Texas Holdem, 7 Card Stud, Omaha or a few other variations according to what players request. The limits are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 3/6, 4/8 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.

Micro Stakes Poker

How to play micro stakes poker

Since most of our visitors come for poker freebies, free cash bonuses, and freerolls, we have put together this article that takes them to the next step, playing poker for real cash. It's a waste to throw away your free cash not knowing what you should actually do!

Basically there are two types of poker players, i.e. cash game - and tournament players. This article is focused on lower limit cash games, thus it's not about tactics and poker strategies.

Some of the online poker rooms promoted on our website offer free poker money, or instant poker bonuses. 90% of all players that benefit from such a deal waste their free bankrolls within minutes because they are playing above their personal play level, and don't consider bankroll management to be very important. Let me tell you this, those two aspects are key factors to develop a successful poker career. Remember, you're (most probably) looking for free poker money, you aren't a poker professional yet!

The best way a beginner can learn to play profitable poker is to start playing for real money. People tend to play a lot more seriously at a real money table than they do at play money tables. Still, there is no guarantee that you won't find your self in a situation being sucked out by a loose player.

Bankroll management

Since playing poker involves a lot of poker skills, and a bit of luck, there will be times that you simply won't win. This is why your poker bankroll should always be sufficiently large, so that you will survive these those periods of bad luck. The default recommendation for a full table (more than 6 players) is a bankroll of 300 times the big blind. For instance, if you are playing $0.05/$0.10, your bankroll should be at least $30. Your bankroll should be even higher when you're playing tables with 6 or less players.

When you actually start to consider bankroll management, you're definitely on the right track, and it should already be easier to determine your personal level and limits to play.

Knowing your poker skills and level

First of all it's important that you know the basic aspects of poker before you even think about playing for real money. Practicing at the play money tables can be helpful to learn poker rules, and understand some of the game aspects.

When ready, you might want to sign up at VC Poker for their free $10 bonus (using poker bonus code: FreeMoney together with our link). Since your starting bankroll will be only $10, it is wisely that you don't play at any limits higher than $0.02/$0.04, better yet to start playing at a $0.01/$0.02 limit and bring the full buy-in to the table.

Be patient when playing, even though calling an all-in move for just a few bucks looks easy, don't do it if it the odds of winning at poker are not in your favor to make the call. You don't want to waste a proportional percentage of your poker bankroll!

VC Poker will give you another $25 for free if you generate enough Action Points. This can easily be accomplished breaking even, thus don't make any risky moves that might end your game straight away, wasting a possible $35 free. Trust me that you can move up a level without a doubt when you have the additional bonus released. If you can accomplish that, then you're definitely ready to make the switch from micro - to small stakes.

Making your first deposit

Most commonly recommended are of course those online poker rooms that offer some kind of free poker money. Though, if you're ready to make your first deposit we advice you to select a poker room that offers an upfront bonus. A poker bonus relies on the amount of money you'll actually deposit. Therefore you should always ask yourself if you're not going to waste a significant poker bonus when making a minimum deposit, just to get some free cash.

Good luck!

Avoid Common No Limit Texas Holdem Tournament Mistakes

1. Early Position Raise : One of the biggest mistakes I see players make is not respecting someone who raises in early position. Remember he has another 8 people after him at the table who he has to fade, so chances are that he is holding a big hand.

2. Protect Your Hand: Don't give players an opportunity to draw out on you, make them pay for it. If your holding top pair and there is flush or straight potential, don't let them get any free cards to draw out on you with. Bet the pot or double the pot as to thin the heard.

3. Thin The Heard: If your holding an average hand, say pocket 10s and there have been no preflop bets yet, go ahead and make a bet, I prefer to triple the pot. You certainly don't want the guy next to you who has King Deuce to hit his King on the flop and beat you. Your bet should thin the heard down and will lesson your chances of getting out drawn.

4. Chip Lead: Listen people, if you have the chip lead tighten up a little. There is no sense in getting involved in too many pots. I see it all too often, someone has the chip lead and calls a raise with crap. Then he catches one of his cards and gets committed to the pot and ends up losing 20% of his chip stack to the pocket rockets. You want to hold on to the chip lead, don't play anything but good cards and let the other players on short stack weed themselves out and you will find yourself at the final table.

5. When you have the nuts and someone betting into you: I was watching a friend of mine play a tournament online and although he made several mistakes that I corrected him on, the biggest mistake he made was pushing someone out of the pot by re-raising him on the turn when he should have slow-played the hand. Let me give you the scenario. My friend Mike was dealt 10-hearts and K-hearts. Someone raises preflop and there are 4 callers including Mike. On the flop came K-diamonds, 10-diamonds, K-spades. Yes, he flopped the dead nuts. The first player checks, the second player who was the original preflop raiser bets $100. Next player re-raises $100, the third and fourth players fold, lastly its up to Mike. He just called the bet which was the proper play.

Next card on the turn was 3-spades, no help to anyone. Original player in first position bets $200, second player calls, and what does Mike do, raises the pot $600 and the other 2 players drop out. You need to ask yourself "What am I trying to accomplish with this bet." What was Mike trying to do, make everyone fold. Number one he has the dead nuts, he already has position so it is imperative to give the other players an opportunity to catch their card. The proper play was to continue letting the player bet into you, then take him off on the river. He might have had 2 diamonds and hit his 3rd diamond on the river and you could have taken all his chips.

You want those players to get so committed to the pot that they simply cant lay down their 2 pair or their flush or their set. Remember in no limit poker you can always raise the pot or even go all in on the river so its really quite simple. If your playing NL Holdem and someone is betting into you when you have the dead nuts and are in position, let him continue betting into you and do the raise on the river as to maximize any chance you have at getting most or all of his chips.

6. Common Sense: Common sense supersedes all the advice given to me over the years. Use your head for crying out loud. My friend Mike was on the big blind and there were no raises preflop, so he got to see the flop for free. There were 7 people in the hand and the flop comes A-hearts, K-diamonds, -10-diamonds, now Mike was holding crap, 6-7 off suit. Well nobody bets and it comes around to Mike and he triples the pot. It goes around the table and one guy calls, another raises, then another goes all in.

Of course Mike folds but common sense tells me with a flop like that everyone got a piece of it, whether its a gut shot straight or 4 to a flush or just top or second pair. My experience has been that usually players discard their low cards and stay in with their big cards or pocket pairs. When a big flop like that comes up common sense tells me when there are 7 other people in the pot that a few if not all of them caught some part of that flop. What a horrible time to try to buy one. Chalk another mullet move up to MIKEY lol.

7. Play like a champion: Try to imagine yourself at the WSOP final table playing for 1.5 million. Then ask yourself how would Doyle Brunson play the hand. Take your time and you will probably make the right call. Remember skill will only get you so far, you also have to be lucky and not get too many bad beats to snap a big tournament off so don't get discouraged if you made the right play and lost the hand. If you played the hand like Doyle would have played the hand and you get a bad beat, well that's just part of poker so you might as well get used to it now.

8. SURVIVAL . Your goal of course is to snap the tournament off, but your first priority should be to get into the money. Just use your head and play smart.

9. Study Your Opponents: Study your opponents and make note of their tendencies. For example, if you have a player that calls just about anything, obviously it would not be wise to try to steal a pot against him as he will probably call you with his low pair. Conversely, if you have a player like that and you have a strong hand, bet more than you normally would as you will probably get a call out of him unlike if your playing against a good player that would probably fold his average hand.

10 . Realize The Amount Of Players Left In The Tournament And Where They Stand In The Money: If your in a tournament that pays the top 9 places and you have 11 people left in the tournament, this may be a good time to steal a couple of pots if your in position. They are trying to get into the money and wont risk their chips unless they have a premium hand. On the other hand, once everyone is in the money, if your going to play a hand make sure it is one where you are willing to risk a large part of your chip stack on.

My experience is when it gets down to the money players, you see many people on the short stack going all in so although it may be tempting to play that 9-10 suited, it may not be a hand you want to risk a large amount of chips on.