Luck Versus Skill in Playing Poker Games

Is poker a game based on luck or skill? This debate has been going on for quite sometime now. The group of people who are into the game, say that the rules and strategies are required to play this game. Without skills, one cannot dream of winning this pot. Whereas the other group who are watching poker from a distance, feel that it's a game totally driven by luck and probability. They feel that it just another game of gambling or lottery requiring no skills.


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But if you think harder then poker is a game which has tournaments. We never heard of any other so called gambling tournaments like say blackjack tournament. The famous poker legends definitely didn't win the World Series of Poker, twice by fluke. From various studies it is clear that a player with knowledge of the game fair better compared to a layman. In Pennsylvania where gambling was being prohibited, a judge named Thomas A. James Junior, declared Texas Holdem to be a game driven by skill and thus does not fall under the category of gambling. This clearly spells out that poker requires much more than sheer luck.

But again if you see it from the other side, then a lucky player with the right cards will go a long way and even win a particular game. And you will have to agree that a bit of luck is required everywhere. Even a skilled poker player will need some luck to push him further towards winning the pot. But poker is generally badly confused with gambling. Moreover it is difficult to say that it's a game of skill, when a game of payer is played only once. At such a situation it is difficult to predict that which of the two (luck or skill) contributes to the game.

The most rational thinkers will not bother getting into the debatable topic of luck versus skill. They know that poker players should be well aware of the rules, bets and strategies to be able to make the best hand of five cards. A completely ill-informed player cannot go a long way. Luck is again a factor that ensures an easy win. A great set of cards does have an advantage. Where skill can be relied on, luck is not reliable. One cannot go on winning consecutive games on the basis of luck. A player with both good luck and good skill will definitely win the pot but a player with both bad skill and bad luck shouldn't hope much. So let's just say that poker requires both luck and skill in the right combination.

courtesy of http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_Wilson


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The New Trend in Poker - The Pre-Flop Re-Raise Without a Premium Hand

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There is a new trend in online poker: to re-raise preflop without a big hand.

If a player raises before the flop, he can have a range of hands. But, if a player re-raises before the flop, you would expect the re-raiser to have a hand like pocket Q's, K's, Aces, or A-K. The result is that the original raiser will usually fold unless he has a top premium pair.

The new trend among some players in online poker is to make that re-raise without a top starting hand since they can take down a big pot by either forcing an opponent to fold or winning the hand with a bet on the flop.

Let's review this play.

Let's say a player who has been making small pre-flop raises way too often does it again. You are on the button with nothing. Put in a big re-raise and you will probably force a fold and win a bigger sized pot.

But, let's say a player who is incredibly tight makes a three times raise pre-flop in front of you. In this case the re-raise is more likely to run into a top starting hand, however, the aggressive tournament players still may force a bad decision with a re-raise.

The best thing about this re-raise is that it allows you to win more chips pre-flop without having to see the flop. And, you can use it against players who are too timid to risk their chips since they always fear an opponent has the nuts.

What if you are up against this re-raising player?

You have to take a stand and play back at him.

For example, last night I was making frequent min raises since my opponents were playing so tight. If I got a call and the texture of the flop looked good, I would make a continuation bet and take down the pot almost every time. If I got re-raised pre-flop I would fold.

This new aggressive player was added to my table and had a big chip stack. It was evident that he was using the re-raise pre-flop to win and build his stack. I mean you don't get those premium hands that often to justify his continued re-raising. In fact, his re-raises worked so well that he built a bigger chip stack and also it made his re-raises more threatening as he could knock players out.

I figured that I was either going to double up against him or get knocked out by him. On this one hand, I put in a min raise with A-10 suited. Sure enough he re-raised me. I moved all-in. He insta-called with A-J. I got no help and I was out. Doh!

That is another advantage of this playing style. Sometimes the re-raiser will get a hand and take out his opponent--especially since he has built his stack to where he won't get hurt that much and/or feels invincible.

Give this play a try as well, and see how comfortable you are in using it.

Think about how you feel when you get re-raised pre-flop. Because when you re-raise an opponent, that is likely how he is going to feel. It's a feeling that often leads to a fold.

courtesy of http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitchell_Cogert


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Best Online Poker Bonus Codes

Poker bonus offers are the ideal way to attract more money into your poker bankroll. These special bonus codes can be used for clearing the bonus. However, it is not true that all the poker bonuses make it compulsory for you to enter the poker bonus code. It is important to use the special casinator links which you help you to receive the bonus offers which are exclusively offered only to the players.


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Free poker bonuses help an individual even if they are not playing really good and these free bonuses help the players in break even. The poker bonus helps in increasing your poker bankroll. There are many players who keep practicing and become poker pros. The income earned by playing poker becomes their secondary income.

Online poker rooms offer basically, 2 groups of these poker bonus codes.

Deposit poker bonuses - if you want to make use of this facility, you need to first make an initial deposit and only then you are eligible for using the special deposit bonus codes.

Novice players can make use of these deposit bonuses. They are the big ones and hence the players who are interested need to make a deposit so that they can make use of these special bonus codes so as to get the free bonuses. There are many players who would like to pull out all their money once they clear the bonus and then go in for a fresh deposit at some other poker room so that they are able to get biggest free bonus with some other unique poker bonus codes.

There are many poker rooms which grant quick deposit bonus codes which are immediately transferred into the player's poker account. By using these special bonus codes, first you have to make an initial deposit so that you are entitled to receive the bonus. It is not necessary for you to clear the bonus even though you need to fulfill the requirements even before cashing out.

If you are a lower stake player then the fixed deposit bonus codes holds great value. You could get maximum bonus for a deposit of minimum amount. They get cleared very similar to deposit bonuses.

Reload bonuses are offered by some poker rooms. An initial deposit needs to be made if you want to be entitled to this facility. Then use the special bonus codes, clear off the free bonus. They are comparatively smaller and are provided on a regular basis. It is offered on special occasions and it differs from poker room to poker room.

Poker rooms also offer No deposit bonuses where in the player needs to get himself registered with real money poker account. Personal details are checked and verified. The other option is to play real money games and earn sufficient poker points.

courtesy of http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Manny_Jones


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Are you playing online poker? If Not - Join Now!

Poker is a widely known card game, often played in cardrooms (especially within casinos). The players make bets during the rounds into a central pot, keeping their cards hidden. The game also implies hand ranking. The winner is the player who has the best combination of cards. These days, we also have the possibility to play poker online!

A poker room’s revenues are partially made by retaining a small sum of the money wagered by each player in every pot. The respective amount of money which the house takes out of the pot is called a rake. On the other hand, the rakeback represents a percentage of the rake, paid back to the player for having signed up for the poker room on a poker site. The rakeback is paid by the poker room itself or by a third party, an affiliate having the role of promoting the poker rooms. But the involvement of this third party can have negative results and bring about different problems. If something happens to the third party, the player will receive no more rakeback from the poker room. This is a good reason for you to choose only a site you can trust: our site! You should know that only a few affiliates provide online poker rakeback programs and that there are many poker players who do not even have the slightest idea about the fact that rakeback exists!

The rake is calculated differently, depending on each site. There are two basic methods of calculating it: the contributing method – taking into consideration the sum every person adds to the pot - and the dealt method – the total rake is divided between all the players. The rakeback will vary depending on that. The corresponding money is automatically transferred to your account through the poker room every month.

Online poker is gambling game popular everywhere in the world. It is an exciting way of entertainment which you can now play anytime you want, at home, in front of your computer! Online poker rakeback programs started to appear and develop only recently and address the experienced poker players who, being extremely devoted customers have the right to demand a part of the money paid for the rake. This is what the rakeback mainly refers to: retrieving a part (an important part) of the money!

There are many reasons why you should choose online poker rakeback programs. As a first motivation, it is an opportunity for you to earn more and more money as you play: the more time you spend on the internet playing, the more money the rakeback will bring directly to your pocket. So, even when you loose, you still have something to win. It’s not so important to win any more. The truly important thing is to play! Besides the fact that a rakeback is totally free to obtain, you also have the advantage of getting your bonuses immediately. There is no reason why you should not benefit from this chance!

Applying to obtain an online poker rakeback involves so many benefits, that every single player should try it. You have absolutely nothing to lose, but you can win a lot if you do apply. Especially if you are one of the addicted poker players who simply love to play and gamble. Joining an online poker rakeback program will actually help you earn and save thousands of dollars a month and we all want money! It is a reliable way of increasing your profits!

By: David Yuri

Traits Of Successful Online Poker Players

Discipline is a must if you are hoping for a streak of consecutive winnings. You must never let yourself get carried away by a game even if you feel lucky. A disciplined player knows when to stop, what hands to play and what hands not to play and what types of games are for him.

Take challenges only when and if you know for sure that you stand a change against those players and with the respective bids. If you just enter a game out of pride or because you are unable to say no, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the experience and bankroll of all the other players. You must always try and play in poker rooms that are chosen by players with your skill and bankroll or less. To never find yourself in trouble when playing poker you must master well the skill of discipline.

Discipline has to be reflected in your everyday life as well, because everyday emotions and problems can influence your poker game. If you can’t have an ordered life with no emotional or mental variations – and you probably can’t because no one can do that – then you will avoid playing poker when you don’t feel emotionally and spiritually up to it. Play poker only when you are calm, only when you want to play, not as an obligation, and never play poker after you had a couple of drinks and when you are not feeling well.

The second quality you must rely on in poker is the ability to change. Change your online poker appearance by changing gears constantly. If you have been playing for a while and you constantly play with known opponents, then they might have a pattern of your game already built in their minds. To avoid them telling your game you must take the time and evaluate your own game, see what you have done so far and try to achieve the same or better results differently. If you are a constant bluffer, then for a change you have to try and play honest for a while, from time to time, so the other players can’t tell whether you are bluffing or not. On the other hand, when you had always played honestly, try bluffing sometimes.

Also, changing gears means to always be ahead of your opponents in the game. Predict the way they play and take that extra step. Play the opposite of your opponents’ game and you will achieve a balanced game, very hard to be predicted. In online poker the ability to change the game style is important as well because you can never know when you are being observed by another player, especially when you are not playing in rooms full of beginners.


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Five Common Poker Mistakes that Will Lose You Money!

These five common poker mistakes are made especially by novice players who do not prepare themselves properly and think winning at online poker is much easier than it really is.

Here are the five common poker mistakes to avoid:

Common Poker Mistakes #1 - Bluffing a Weak Player

Novice players don't want to get out and simply lay down their hands. They lack the knowledge to know when the odds are bad and lack the discipline to fold.

They think they should try to win with every hand and get lucky, but if you want to win, big at poker you can't rely on luck.

Good players play their opponents not the cards. You need to know when to hold them and when to fold them.

Learn to bluff sparingly, or you will become easy prey for more experienced players.

Poker Mistakes #2 - Playing Weak Hands in Early Position

Position at the table is another mistake novices make. It is especially easy for online poker players to not really notice the position they are playing in.

Playing marginal hands from an early position means the odds are stacked against you. The problem is you don't know what the other player's cards are and how they will play.

Players in early position should play tight, when you are in late position you can afford to play looser because you have more information fed to you by other player's actions.

Mistakes #3 - Revenge Playing

A novice player thinks that if he plays long enough he is bound to win so when he starts to lose he chases his losses and increases his bet size in the hope of getting a lucky hand.

However, the harder he tries to win his losses back the more he loses.

An important part of playing poker is discipline and patience. All poker players lose in the short term and you are not going to win every session.

If you want to deplete your bankroll quickly, chase your losses!

Poker Mistakes #4 - Money Management

Most novice players don't know how to manage their bankroll. They play in games they cannot afford or games where the other players are too experienced.

You need to play in lower limit games first, to gain experience and then move up levels slowly.

Sure, the winnings look attractive in higher stakes games, but the competition is harder too - don't punch above your weight!

Poker Mistakes #5 - Not Knowing Pot Odds

Does your hand need improvement?

The concept of pot odds can help you decide if you should call to see the next card on the board.

Few novice players understand the concept of pot odds and end up calling too much and lose - don't make the same mistake.

If You Want to Win Big, Prepare Yourself in Advance

The growth of online poker has seen a huge influx of players just seeking the thrill and excitement of playing. In many instances they don't care if they win or lose, they just want the buzz of competing.

Another group simply think it's an easy way to make money and lady luck will be on their side.

This however, is good news for players who are willing to prepare themselves properly. Sure its fun competing, but even better when there are plenty of novice players making the pot bigger for you!


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Why Online Poker Websites are a Safe Way to Play Poker

Frequently, whenever anybody thinks about the idea of making a purchase online or transmitting their credit card information via the internet, they may tend to wonder about the safety aspect surrounding these types of internet transactions. The same kind of worry rings true for those individuals that are interested in entertaining themselves by utilizing online poker websites as a gaming establishment alternative. They may tend to ask themselves whether or not this is a safe thing to be doing or if they may be jeopardizing things such as their bank account and overall financial safety by doing so. Another way in which a prospective online poker player may question safety and legitimacy aspects of an online poker website is with regard to collusion among some of its online poker players. However, it may help you to rest a bit easier after reading the following text and learning about the different ways in which safety concerns are being addressed with regard to gaming websites such as online poker websites.

The best way for an individual to utilize the internet in order to exchange money on the web is to use something referred to by some individuals and organizations as a “digital wallet”. This type of safeguarding mechanism works in a way in which an established, forthright company, which we will refer to as the payment systems company for the remainder of this article, is the medium between the online poker player and the online poker website. The online poker player will submit his or her credit card information via the internet to the payment systems company and the payment systems company will then pay the online poker website. It is important to note the fact that the online poker player’s financial information will never be seen by the online poker website and will only be seen by the established and valid payment systems company.

Once the poker player wins, the online poker website will pay the online poker player through the payment systems company and the poker player will then be able to gain access to the money by way of an electronic funds transfer from the payment systems company to the poker player’s bank account that is provided or via a check. If the online poker player loses in the various online poker games, then the money will be transmitted from the online poker player’s credit card to the online poker website company by the payment systems company. This type of system ensures that the poker player’s financial information is not being unnecessarily distributed to various companies and websites. It will allow the poker player to have peace of mind, knowing that his or her financial information is safe from outside prying eyes. Also, oftentimes these payment systems companies will have free protection established for the individual utilizing their services should their information get into the wrong hands. In the slim chance that this might occur, the payment systems company would refund all money to the individual harmed by the financial hijacking. This also allows the individual online poker player to feel more relaxed when dealing with an online poker website.

Another fear that individuals have with regard to playing poker games via an online poker website is that collusion may be present among other players. By definition, collusion is a secret agreement between two or more persons to commit a fraudulent act. This type of thing may occur if two poker players utilizing the same online poker website are working together to defraud other players out of their winnings. They may try to do this by working together and communicating by telephone or maybe even by using a network and playing poker on the same website in the same house. There is a specific way in which online poker websites address this issue.

The way in which online poker websites address this issue is by having a system where they can monitor all hands that are being played each time by individual players throughout the online poker games. Should the online poker website investigate and feel that there is some sort of collusion going on, they will take matters into their own hands to resolve the situation. It is good to know that most online poker players are aware of the fact that online poker websites monitor all activity occurring within each game and this in and of itself may help to prevent any potential thoughts of collusion on the part of the online poker players. It is also beneficial to know that online poker websites are doing their part to prevent any possible collusion among online poker players as it hurts their business greatly should people be colluding to defraud other players and the company itself out of any potential winnings.

Prospective online poker players may also be fearful of playing online poker if they feel that other individuals will be able to hack into the system and see other players hands throughout the games and then base their wagers and folds on what they can see is being held by other poker playing individuals at their virtual table. The online poker websites have also addressed these types of issues by engaging various brands of software that use encryption methods to prevent any type of hacking on the part of poker players. Again, by protecting the large influx of online poker players that utilize their website to engage in online poker games, the online poker website is protecting itself as well. If their company is seen as having a less than desirable website in which to play poker, they will lose a lot of potential online poker players which will ultimately put them out of business in a quick manner.

These are just a few safeguards that are taken by online poker websites to ensure the safe playing arena for its online poker players. With all of the technology out there these days, you can rest assured that these online poker websites are doing all that they can to make sure that your online poker playing experience is a safe and gratifying one.

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Jeff Dragt has been working for a variety of online poker rooms for years. For more information about poker please visit. High Limit Poker

Ten Poker Tips for Bigger Online Profits

Many players wanting to play online poker for the first time think it is easier than it really is to make big money. While you can make big money, you need to be prepared.

Here are ten tips that will help you maximize your winnings in online poker:

Poker Tip 1: Know Your Game

When playing online poker for the first time, it is best not to jump in at the deep end, but learn the basics first and then play free games until you are comfortable with the way you play.

Poker Tip 2: Focus on One Game of Poker

Many new players try out all variations of poker at once, which is a mistake - concentrate on one game and get familiar with it. This will help you focus and develop a clear strategy. Do you want to play seven card stud, Texas hold'em or Omagh hold'em? Decide in advance.

Poker Tip 3: Allocate Your Budget

Set your bankroll and stick with it. Don't be tempted to chase losses and have a profit target where you quit the table.Poker is fun and you can make big money, but don't start committing money you cannot afford to lose.

Poker Tip 4: Be Selective with the Hands that You Play

Playing to many hands will lose you money; you need to be selective and patient.You need to discipline yourself to fold when you have a bad hand, you might want to bluff sometimes, but don't do it too often and only do it in the right circumstances.

Poker Tip 5: Learn Other Player's Strategy

Other players are watching you and your strategy and you need to do the same to them.By working out their play, you can gain an extra edge and enhance your winnings from the pot.

Poker Tip 6: Take a Break

If you're having a bad time at the tables, or find that you are not enjoying the game, take a break.To win at poker you need to fully focus on your strategy, if not you will probably lose.

Poker Tip 7: Bet Correctly

Betting correctly and taking risks is an essential part of winning at poker. Make sure that you are only betting sensibly when the odds of winning are in your favour.Under no circumstances whatsoever, lose focus when you lose or chase your losses.

Poker Tip 8: Don't try to be Clever in Low-Limit Online Poker

Don't try to be too clever in any low-limit tables. You will be up against players who are mostly inexperienced and unfamiliar with poker strategy and you will find your clever bluff goes over their heads and at low limit tables they will be tempted to call you!

Poker Tip 9: You Need to Move Up

Although it is possible for you to win big money at lower limit tables, the big money is made at higher limit tables.It is here that if you have a good strategy you will make big money, as you are normally playing against players who know what they are doing, so move up only when you are confident.

Poker Tip 10: Formulate a Strategy and Practice!

Whatever game you play you must have a clear strategy that gives you an edge against other players.This requires time and effort.You need to have a betting strategy, know how to bluff, how to slow play etc. and remember that practice makes perfect.To become a good poker player takes time and experience.

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Texas Holdem Poker Tournament Strategy - Online Poker Tells

Are You Using These? Are They Being Used Against You?

Let's have a closer look at online poker tells in online games like Texas Holdem. These online tells differ quite a bit from traditional ones, as we'll soon see. If you don't know about these particular poker secrets and you play online poker, then you're at a significant disadvantage vs. your competition. Chances are, experienced online players have been using these against you for quite some time without you ever even knowing it...

What is a "tell"? A traditional poker tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction that gives other players more information about your hand. In offline poker, a shaking, nervous hand is often an indication of a player with a strong hand. Another common poker tell would be looking down at my chips when I first see my pocket cards or the flop - a sign that I'm thinking about betting and have a good hand, so I'm seeing how many chips I have to work with.

Several of the poker tells listed here are useful for both online and offline poker. However, since we lack the ability to read opponents physical expressions and reactions when playing online, the number and type online poker tells actually available to us are much more limited, and so the ones we do have available become that much more important to be aware of and recognize.

Caro's Book of Poker Tells is the classic treatise on the subject. Most of the poker tells that work in offline games rely upon physical observations of how a player reacts or behaves, so these kinds of tells don't help online since we can't observe the player physically. So when playing online, there are other telltale signals that we can watch for that give us an edge.

According to a recent survey, the top three online poker tells are:

* Quickness to respond, reported by 76% of respondents - a very fast check can indicate a weak hand, quick bets on the turn or river can often indicate a strong hand.

* Slowness to respond, reported by 73% of respondents - a pause followed by a check can often indicate weakness, while a delay followed by a raise often indicates strength.

* Automatic play, reported by 68% of respondents - a lazy approach to the auto buttons lets a player slip into a set pattern of play. Any breaks in this pattern are clear tells.

So, what can we actually use as online tells?

Using Check Boxes to Gain Information

Online poker rooms offer the use of check boxes for actions such as "Fold", "Check/Fold", "Raise", or "Raise Any", etc. While convenient for those of us who lack the patience to focus on the game for extended periods of time, the use of checkboxes can be very damaging to your overall winnings. You can determine when a player has used a check box, because their action comes immediately after the player before them acts. You can use this knowledge to your advantage if a player consistently uses checkboxes.

When a player has pre-selected "Check" or "Check/Fold", it should be obvious that he doesn't have a strong hand that he cares much about, and is likely on a draw or just waiting to fold, so you can determine the player likely has no hand or a weak hand. If their hand is immediately folded after the prior player acts, you know they are using checkboxes and can begin watching this more closely. When they don't use a checkbox, then they're taking more time to consider how to play a better hand...

Similarly, a player who uses the "Call Any" check box is likely to be on a draw and not yet made a good enough hand to bet or raise with, but is definitely not ready to fold at this point.

Poker tells are not 100% accurate, yet they often provide us with enough additional information to help us confirm what we may already suspect. Over time you can get a sense for how these players use checkboxes and begin to draw conclusions about your opponents hand strength and mode of operation as a result.

If you detect that someone is on a draw, for example, you can often bet or raise the pot a bit and push them right out, since it'd be too expensive to continue with their draw without free cards or calling minimum bets.

The fact that a player feels so strongly about a hand (good or bad) to make a decision before even seeing the how other players will bet or act is a poker tell about this person's inexperience with online play and often about their hand strength.

If you use checkboxes, be highly self-aware of how they'll be perceived by the other players and use them to your advantage. If you have a good hand that you're wanting to slow-play, use a check-box to quickly "Check" or "Call" with, feigning weakness. If you have a weaker hand, are on a draw, avoid using the checkbox altogether and act like you're really thinking about how to play that hand.

If you're bluffing, make a raise quickly and confidently (using a checkbox, if applicable), to signal confidence in your hand. Of course, it's always best to mix things up a bit so players can't predict your actions. The idea is to keep opponents guessing or throw them off in the wrong direction so you can profit from their mistake - that's how winners operate, through carefully orchestrated deception and mixing things up constantly.

Speed of Play

Online poker rooms limt the amount of time each player has to take action. Often, the speed at which a player responds can be a good poker tell. Generally, a quick bet is a sign of weakness. A delayed bet or action can be a sign of strength since the player is spending time calculating how best to play what is perceived to be a good or strong hand, how much to bet, etc.

Keep an eye on how much time it takes players to make their decision and take action and remember it at the end of a hand. Then, when you get a chance to see their cards in a showdown, verify what kinds of hands they act on slowly and what kinds of hands they act quickly upon. Speed of play is the most common and easiest online poker tell to spot.

The instant call after you bet: Most players who call your bet immediately have a weak calling hand. These players want you to believe they have a stronger hand and hope that you will not bet into them again.

The delayed check: Most players who take longer than normal before checking to you do not want you to bet. They are attempting to display strength because they want to see the next card for free.

The delayed bet: When an opponent thinks for a long time and then bets, they will usually be holding a strong hand.

The instant bet/raise on the river: The player who utilizes this move will usually be holding a very strong hand, often times it'll be trips. By raising or betting so quickly, they are trying to make you think they are bluffing. This move can also be used on the turn and generally, though not as frequently, denotes strength.

The bet into on the turn: When a player has checked and called on the flop and then bets into you on the turn, it can indicate weakness or that they've made their hand. This type of bet often means that they picked up their draw or that they are semi-bluffing with a draw they picked up on the flop. Strongly consider raising if you have a decent hand.

What about your online play style? Do you exhibit these kinds of online poker tell play behaviors and patterns? If so, be aware of it and deliberately mix things up so that you're decision-making processes aren't so easy to spot and lock onto, or simply take a similar amount of time for each action you make, preventing people from drawing any kind of conclusions at all based upon timing.

Opponents Starting Hand Fold-to-Flop Ratio

Keep an eye on whether or not a player folds a lot of garbage starting hands (a 'tight' player) or is playing at just about every pot that comes along - a 'loose' player. This information can be used to help determine the strength of a players overall game. If the players folds most of the time, beware since this player is pretty tight or solid and only plays good hands.

If the opponent plays most every hand, then you can probably take advantage of this and win if you play good cards consistently against such a player. These kinds of loose players like to gamble, and sometimes they'll get lucky and pick up some cards. It's best to just remain patient and wait for your opportunity. You're better off just playing the odds and good hands in order to take advantage of this player's aggressive, loose style when you land a good, solid hand.

Chatting

Just like in offline games, the "chattiness" of a player can be used as a tell. Generally, a player who is highly chatty that suddenly goes quiet is now busy thinking about playing some good cards, figuring out how best to play the hand.
Alternatively, a player who suddently becomes antagonistic may be bluffing and hoping this demonstration of exhuberance will add to the strength of his bluff and cause you to fold. When you recognize a tell, generally do the opposite of what you think the player is trying to cause you to do.

Self-Awareness

It's important for you to remain aware of your play style and table image at all times. It's best to keep everyone off balance by mixing things up. Become suddenly aggressive and play looser (and risk the minimum amount you can, usually early in the game before blinds go up if it's a tournament), then become tight again. Keep everyone guessing.

Being aware of how you use check-boxes, the timing of your decision-making and action-taking, and controlling your play style deliberately instead of going into "auto-pilot" repeatitive mode will help you avoid providing others with the advantages of the tells discussed here.

I hope these insights into online poker tells have been helpful. Keep them in mind as you play in your next online game or tournament.

Until next time - - - Good luck!


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Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software helps people become better Texas Holdem players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his Texas Holdem poker poker today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem poker, too.

Texas Holdem Tournament Strategy - Winning vs. Aggressive Players

The Texas Hold’em poker phenomenon has taken the country by storm. There are reportedly over 100 million active poker players worldwide. Poker’s popularity is largely the byproduct of technology and several recent trends: 1) online gaming, where players engage and socialize in real-time over the Internet, and 2) the broad publicity created by high profile TV shows like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour.

With all the poker-mania, there’s an amazing shortage of quality information to help people learn how to play properly and become great players quickly. This is the first in a series of Texas Holdem strategy articles aimed at helping players learn how to win at Texas Hold’em poker. Tournament play is a popular, fun sport. These articles will help players understand how to approach tournaments, which differ greatly from regular “ring game” play.

This installment deals with the most-asked question: “How do I deal effectively with aggressive players?” Many players struggle against "maniacs", the aggressive, wild players who play most every hand, somehow seem to pull cards out of thin air, and often manage to dominate the table.

Here's what actually happened in a recent poker tournament. I entered a tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, about 20 minutes from my home in South Florida. This weekly $300 entry-fee tournament fills the poker room with 220 players every Monday night.

The blinds start at 50/100 and go up every 15 minutes. I spent the first 30 minutes just hanging out and occasionally limping in to see a flop. The reason for "treading water" was to study my opponents and their playing patterns very closely. There were a number of solid poker players, but right away I spotted the aggressive ones.

I was sitting in the middle, directly across from the dealer. There were two "wild men" to my right. These two participated in most every hand, and agonized with themselves whenever they had to throw a hand away. This was hilarious to me, and it was also very telling. I knew these dudes were doomed from the onset, yet they were extremely dangerous if they caught something with one of their trash hands. These types are great targets, but only when you know how to play them correctly. If you do, you’ll end up with most or all of their chips in your stack. The key is to get to their chips before someone else does.

There were some squeaky-tight and solid players, as usual. Finally, there were two other players to my left who knew one another very well and spoke what sounded like Russian. These two played very aggressively. They rarely called or checked. They would bet or raise the pot significantly, so if they played a hand, you knew they were going to bet it big and you’d better be prepared to push a bunch of your chips into the middle. As a result, the table became tight overall, except for these four players who controlled the early action and dictated the table tempo for the first hour or so. They gambled with wanton abandon, trading chips with each other as the rest of us just observed and wished for a real hand to materialize.

It became apparent that our maniacs were playing mostly garbage hands, and using assertive chatter in an attempt to intimidate everyone. They were enjoying pushing everyone around with their aggressive betting and raising style. Humorously, they got into a number of showdowns, causing all of their trash hands to become openly exposed; e.g., 69 off-suit, Q3 suited, etc. I definitely had these guys pegged now – if only I could get a strong hand…

Later, one of my Russian "friends" came in over the top of a bet I’d placed with a huge raise, then smiled at me as he leaned his head back as if to say “Go ahead. I dare you”. My middle pair just wasn't strong enough to engage with him, but I remembered this little "lesson" and my mistake. He'd used this tactic many times against the others and I should’ve expected it. I also realized that we had not seen any of his supposed "big hands", as he always mucked them. Whenever you see an aggressive player dominating, and then mucking all those supposed "great hands", you know you've spotted a target.

We played on, with the two maniacs to my right getting busted out by the Russian contingent. It’s been an hour and fifteen minutes - and I still haven’t seen even one decent hand yet! This is, unfortunately, typical poker.

After about an hour-and 45 minutes, I finally pick up a pair of wired 9's (99). Now I was hoping the flop would yield a set (trips). Sure enough, it came: 9, K, 5. I was elated and jumping up and down (inside). I was finally in a position to make my move, and hoped it would be against one of my aggressive Russian friends with their big stacks.

To prepare my trap, I delayed and muddled around for about ten seconds, and then casually "checked" verbally and using my hand in a chopping motion, with a slightly disgusted look. Next, the younger Russian moves in with a big bet of 3,000 chips. I was sure I had him now. As expected, everyone else quickly folded and got out of his way – except me. This fellow had pushed everyone around and I was finally properly armed and ready to do battle on my own terms. Note that this had been my "battle plan" all along. I was deliberately targeting these aggressive characters, knowing that when the time was right, their ill-gotten stacks would become mine!

The action came back around to me, so now it was just the two of us heads-up. The two Russians said something to each other that the rest of us couldn’t decipher. I delayed and bobbed my head around as if to be struggling with my decision. Then, I motioned with both hands and uttered “I'm all-in". I knew this series of actions would likely trigger an aggressive reaction, since my “check-raise” made it appear as if I was trying to steal this pot! A check-raise almost always triggers a full-tilt response from an aggressive player.

He immediately called me - he was so aggressive (and pot-committed) that it was like a fish taking the bait and running for deep waters - hook line and sinker! I threw my pair of 9's over, revealing the trip 9's. There was a low murmur around the table from the other players. My young Russian friend reluctantly flipped his five/trash hand over - he had a pair of fives (with a King over-card showing on the board!). He was definitely angling to drive me out of this pot with his ascertive play – one too many times…

You see, no one actually gets that many great hands in poker - nobody. If someone plays 30% to 40% or more of the time, they're just "gambling" and bluffing. This guy thinks he has a "good" hand, because he actually had a real pair – something he doesn’t often have when pushing everyone around with mostly aggressive betting as his only real weapon.

The turn came and it wasn't a five - then someone pipes up and says "he's drawing dead". Believe me, you never want to hear that when you're in a showdown! I looked over as he said something in Russian to his buddy - another violation of tournament rules, as everyone is compelled to speak English at the tournament table. It wouldn’t matter, as he stood up, grabbed his jacket and left after receiving some consolation from his friend.

His older friend glared over at me and uttered something derogatory in Russian. I had no clue what he said, but I knew from his tone that I didn't like it. I also knew I'd gotten under his skin by taking down his buddy and raking in all of his chips. I responded with "what's that, I don't understand what you're saying since you're not speaking English?” loudly so everyone at the table could hear me.

He mumbled something about his friend...I smiled and said politely with a smile "I deliberately laid that trap for your friend and he fell right into it!", pushing the knife in deeper, knowing he'd be gunning for me anyway - might as well make sure my next trap was fully set. This also signaled to everyone else at the table that whenever I checked or limped, it could be extremely dangerous if assumed to be a sign of weakness - something I’d leverage later as the blinds and antes rose and the proper time to bluff and steal blinds actually arrived.
After a slight pause, my Russian friend noticed that everyone was now looking at him. He looked down at his chips and said "nice play" with a reluctantly polite tone.

Boy, I was elated! My battle plan was definitely becoming field-proven here - and my next target was clearly sighted. It had taken careful observation, planning and a lot of patience to wait for the right hand, and then play it correctly to take this highly-skilled, aggressive player out and rake in all of his chips.

About ten minutes later, it was tournament break time, after two hours of play. I counted my chips, which totaled 14,900 (we started with 5,000 each), then grabbed a quick bite to eat, reflecting on what had just taken place.

Within ten minutes of returning from break, I finally picked up a serious starting hand: Cowboys (KK). I knew it was time for my new Russian friend and me to tango, so I fired out a bet of 3 times the big blind: 3,000 chips, bait that I was sure he couldn’t turn down. Sure enough, he bit - big time. His all-in raise came almost instantaneously, before I could even get my bet onto the table. He was totally ready to engage, and had been laying in wait for me - just like I had planned. I had set him up by taking out his friend and then challenging his poker ego in front of everyone. He just had to retaliate against me – it was a totally predictable “full-tilt” response from this kind of player.

This is what the game of poker is really all about – having a well-defined strategy, the patience to wait for the right hand, and then executing properly. It’s what makes poker a game of strategy instead of a game of chance (for some of us).

He raised by going all-in with around 8,000 chips to my roughly 14,000. I quickly called his all-in bet. Everyone else quickly folded and got out of our way.
I flipped my pocket kings over, then looked him straight in the eye and just smiled. Then someone says "Yeah! Now we've got some action!" He sighed and flipped over QQ - he actually had a real hand for a change. That's one of the problems with these kinds of "semi-solid, aggressive" players, like my Russian friend here, and other poker greats like Gus Hansen. You never really know exactly what to expect from them. Of course, my opponent could've held pocket rockets (AA), but I'll play those KK cowboys strong each and every time I get them, since there’s only one hand that can beat them heads-up. I also knew this aggressive player on tilt was likely to be overplaying his hand, improving my odds significantly.

The flop, turn and river came and went without another Queen and it was done - my cowboys stood up and I had all of both Russian’s stacks, which included most of the other two poor maniac’s chips (who lost to the Russians earlier). This instantly made me by far the chip leader at our table with well over 22,000 chips!

I went from having an average chip stack to being the table chip leader, against tough, aggressive opponents, within less than half an hour by:

a) Playing solid, reasonable tournament poker,

b) Not taking big, undue risks with weak or "drawing" hands,

c) Studying my aggressive prey and where the chips were sitting,

d) Formulating and refining a battle plan while observing the game progress,

e) Remaining patient while waiting for the right hand to make my move, and

f) Executing this plan with precision against a predetermined opponent, and on terms of my choosing – not the opponent’s.

There was no luck involved at all – except that my opponent didn’t hold AA or pull some lucky cards with a trash hand – which was simply playing the odds in my favor.

I started out with a high-level strategy to target aggressive chip leaders, and go after them with strong hands from the right position. I planned this before I ever arrived at the casino that day, or knew who these players would be. Then, I refined my plan once I knew for certain whom the evening’s targets would be and how I’d provoke them. It certainly helped that I caught two decent hands during those first hours of play.

Unfortunately, I later lost to a legitimate full house, but made it into the top 40 – it happens…

The key to playing against aggressive and maniac players is having a viable Texas Holdem strategy you can profit from when you get some good hands. If you have a good plan, you can convert it into a formidable stockpile of chips - a stack that you‘ll definitely need as the blinds and antes increase and the tournament field narrows in the latter stages.

This is how I approach Texas Holdem strategy for tournaments now - at least when the tables are full with 8 or more players, some of them aggressive and maniacs. So, the next time you encounter wild and aggressive players at your poker table, get ready to have some fun! It's like Tae Kwon Do - using the opponent’s own energy and momentum against them.

In the next installment, we’ll detail this Texas Holdem strategy more formally, along with exploring some other tournament tips for playing better Texas Holdem poker.

Until then – good luck!


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Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software specialize in helping people become better players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his BetterHoldem.com Poker Tournament Strategy website today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem, too.

No-Limit Texas Hold'em Tournament Strategy - Staying in the Zone

Poker is a lot like sports in that your performance can change from day to day. Many people have the false impression that they are playing their best game all the time. Many people believe they are one of the best players in the world but the cards simply aren't falling their way. Most of the poker playing population feels victim to bad luck. Poker is a game of skill and in the long run, there is no luck. Some players are more skilled than others. On any given day, any player could potentially win. In the short run, the worst player at the table could win all the money. If you plan on playing poker for a long time, you have to accept the fact that bad players can win in the short run. Playing your best all the time is impossible. In order to play your best most of the time, you have to learn how to stay in the zone. When you are in the zone, your decisions become automatic and everything seems so easy. The tough times at the poker table occur when you are not in the zone. Many times you will make a couple mistakes or suffer some bad beats and your future decisions will be terrible. Going on tilt is the number one source of losses for any decent player.

In order to stay in the zone, you can't care about winning or losing on any given day. You are going to play perfect poker some days and still lose. If you can't handle the losses, don't play poker. Rather than focus on winning or losing, simply focus on making good decisions. Focus on improving your game and how you can exploit your opponent's weaknesses. Your conscious mind cannot think of more than one thing at a time. If you let your mind think about winning or losing, you are using up valuable memory space. Playing in the zone requires your mind to focus on making good decisions all the time. Any other thought that enters your mind will definitely lead to bad decisions. It takes a lot of time and effort to stay in the zone. Remove your attachment to winning or losing and you will be a step ahead of most players.


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Napoleon Will is a self-published author and semi-professional poker player. He updates the poker review and strategy site. http://www.mypokerstart.com

Texas Holdem Poker Tournament Strategy - Starting Hands

Welcome to the fifth in my Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Series, focusing on no limit Texas Holdem poker tournament play and associated strategies. In this article, we’ll examine starting hand decisions.

It may seem obvious, but deciding which starting hands to play, and which ones to skip playing, is one of the most important Texas Holdem poker decisions you'll make. Deciding which starting hands to play begins by accounting for several factors:

* Starting Hand "groups" (Sklansky made some good suggestions in his classic "Theory of Poker" book by David Sklansky)

* Your table position

* Number of players at the table

* Chip position

Sklansky originally proposed some Texas Holdem poker starting hand groups, which turned out to be very useful as general guidelines. Below you'll find a "modified" (enhanced) version of the Sklansky starting hands table. I adapted the original Sklansky tables, which were "too tight" and rigid for my liking, into a more playable approach that are used in the Poker Sidekick poker odds calculator. Here's the key to these starting hands:

Groups 1 to 8: These are essentially the same scale as Sklansky originally proposed, although some hands have been shifted around to improve playability and there is no group 9.

Group 30: These are now "questionable" hands, hands that should be played rarely, but can be reasonably played occasionally in order to mix things up and keep your opponents off balance. Loose players will play these a bit more often, tight players will rarely play them, experienced players will open with them only occasionally and randomly.

The table below is the exact set of starting hands that Poker Sidekick uses when it calculates starting poker hands. If you use Poker Sidekick, it will tell you which group each starting hand is in (if you can't remember them), along with estimating the "relative strength" of each starting hand. You can just print this article and use it as a starting hand reference.

Group 1: AA, KK, AKs

Group 2: QQ, JJ, AK, AQs, AJs, KQs

Group 3: TT, AQ, ATs, KJs, QJs, JTs

Group 4: 99, 88, AJ, AT, KQ, KTs, QTs, J9s, T9s, 98s

Group 5: 77, 66, A9s, A5s-A2s, K9s, KJ, KT, QJ, QT, Q9s, JT, QJ, T8s, 97s, 87s, 76s, 65s

Group 6: 55, 44, 33, 22, K9, J9, 86s

Group 7: T9, 98, 85s

Group 8: Q9, J8, T8, 87, 76, 65

Group 30: A9s-A6s, A8-A2, K8-K2, K8-K2s, J8s, J7s, T7, 96s, 75s, 74s, 64s, 54s, 53s, 43s, 42s, 32s, 32

All other hands not shown (virtually unplayable).

So, those are the enhanced Sklasky Texas Holdem poker starting hand tables.
The later your position at the table (dealer is latest position, small blind is earliest), the more starting hands you should play. If you're on the dealer button, with a full table, play groups 1 thru 6. If you're in middle position, reduce play to groups 1 thru 3 (tight) and 4 (loose). In early position, reduce play to groups 1 (tight) or 1 thru 2 (loose). Of course, in the big blind, you get what you get.

As the number of players drops into the 5 to 7 range, I recommend tightening up overall and playing far fewer, premium hands from the better positions (groups 1 - 2). This is a great time to forget about chasing flush and straight draws, which puts you at risk and wastes chips.

As the number of players drops to 4, it's time to open up and play far more hands (groups 1 - 5), but carefully. At this stage, you're close to being in the money in a Texas Holdem poker tournament, so be extra careful. I'll often just protect my blinds, steal occasionally, and try to let the smaller stacks get blinded or knocked out (putting me into the money). If I'm one of the small stacks, well, then I'm forced to pick the best hand I can get and go all-in and hope to double-up.

When the play is down to 3, it's time to avoid engaging with big stacks and hang on to see if we can land 2nd place, heads-up. I tend to tighten up a bit here, playing very similar to when there's just 3 players (avoiding confrontation unless I'm holding a pair or an Ace or a King, if possible).

Once you're heads-up, well, that's a topic for a completely different article, but in general, it's time to become extraordinarily aggressive, raise a lot, and become "pushy".

In tournaments, it's always important to keep track of your chips stack size relative to the blinds and everyone else's stacks. If you're short on chips, then play far fewer hands (tigher), and when you do get a good hand, extract as many chips as you can with it. If you're the big stack, well, you should avoid unnecessary confrontation, but use your big stack position to push everyone around and steal blinds occasionally as well - without risking too many chips in the process (the other players will be trying to use you to double-up, so be careful).

Well, that's a quick overview of an improved set of starting hands and some general rules for adjusting starting hand play based upon game conditions throughout the tournament.

Until next time, best of luck to you at the Texas Holdem poker tables!

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Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software helps people become better Texas Holdem players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his Texas Holdem poker poker today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem poker, too.

Texas Holdem Tournament Strategy - Poker Tournament Betting Basics

Welcome to the third in my Texas Holdem Strategy Series, focusing on no limit Texas Holdem poker tournament play and associated strategies. In this article, we’ll build upon the poker tournament strategy fundamentals from last time, with some important poker betting strategy basics.

Winning at Texas Holdem poker doesn't have to be a gamble, since it's actually a game of skill. Of course, there will always be an element of chance, but there's a lot more strategy and skill to poker than meets the untrained eye. When you learn to play the odds properly, it can make a huge difference in your winnings.
No limit Texas Holdem is the game of choice these days - and for good reason.

The fact that anyone can decide to push a large raise or all of their chips into the pot by going "all-in" at any moment, adds an exciting dimension to the game. Unlike limit Texas Holdem, where each round of betting takes place in prescribed, fixed increments, no limit Texas Holdem is as varied as the players at the table, since everyone chooses their own betting style and approach.

When playing no limit Texas Holdem, you're faced with some important decisions. Arguably, the most important decision you’ll make is how much to bet in a given set of circumstances; e.g., hand strength, your position at the table, total number of players, their styles, etc. There are many different betting strategies, but one of the first things to learn and pay close attention to are "pot odds" and whether you have a positive “expectation” to win.

You have a positive expectation whenever the odds favor you winning more than you’re wagering at anything greater than 1 to 1 odds. For example, when flipping a coin, there is a 50/50 chance of it coming up either heads or tails. If you flip a coin enough times, both heads and tails will come up an equal number of times.

Casino games, such as craps, blackjack, slot machines, etc. all give the player a “negative” expectation and the casino a positive expectation. If you play these types of “gambling” games long enough, you will ultimately lose, since the game’s odd structure is never in your favor – negative expectation. People who experience “hot streaks” also have losing streaks (they just usually quickly forget about the losing and don’t discuss it). When you’re making a wager, you’d always prefer to have a positive expectation. This is generally true in poker, but not necessarily always in no-limit poker. I’ll explain why.

Pot Odds are the odds the pot is giving you for making a bet. Let's say there is $50 in the pot and it'll take $10 more to call - you're getting 5-to-1 pot odds to call, since if you win you’ll be paid $50 in exchange for risking only $10. For purposes of this decision, any amounts you previously placed into this pot are irrelevant, since they’re already expended and gone (if you fold).

It's essential to understand pot odds as it relates to your hand odds, as one key factor in making your betting decisions. If the odds of you holding or drawing to the winning hand are better than the odds the pot is giving you, you should call or even sometimes raise; otherwise, you should typically fold (unless you're going to bluff, a different story).

Continuing this example, let's say you’re holding a pair of fives, and the board flops 9, K, 2 “rainbow” (no flush draw, different suits). With 9 players at the table, it's certainly possible and likely that someone else holds a King or a Nine, or both, making your 5's look pretty flimsy at this point. Your best shot to win is to draw another 5. There are two more 5's remaining out of the 47 cards that you can't see (in the deck or in another player's hand).

So, the odds of pulling that next 5 on the turn or river are: 2 in 47 (2/47 = about 4%) on the Turn, plus another 2 in 46 on the River (an additional 4%), for a total of roughly 8.6%, which equates to a 1-in-11.6 chance of pulling that third 5 to make a set. Since the pot is only giving 5-to-1 odds, it's generally time to fold. Otherwise, you'd just be "gambling" with a highly negative expectation of losing that additional $10. In no limit Texas Holdem, players will often raise the pot sufficiently to actually lower your pot odds so far that you can't possibly justify staying in the hand – at least not statistically.

Clearly you can't sit there in a real poker room with a calculator and run through all of these pot odds calculations while at the table! So, how does one learn poker odds well enough to apply them in real-time? Well, it starts by seeing the poker odds repeatedly, in a context that's suitable for you to learn and eventually retain them. A poker odds calculator is a piece of add-on software that runs on your PC, monitoring your actual online play. A poker odds calculator computes the prospective hands you and your opponents are capable of drawing at any point in time. It then displays all possible hands you and the opponents could draw, teaching you what the odds of making that kind of hand would be.

This makes it easy to see what's going on, and since a poker odds calculator displays the poker odds right there in front of you while you play, you’ll begin to learn them, making it semi-automatic, so you don't even think about poker odds any more - you just know them. So, the first step is learning and internalizing these “hand odds”. Then, you can quickly calculate pot odds anytime you’d like.

Calculating pot odds requires you to pay close attention to the game, a key trait of good poker tournament players. Unlike playing online, where the total size of the pot is easy to determine (the online Texas Holdem poker program typically displays the pot amount right there on the screen for you), when you play in traditional offline poker tournaments, you must keep track of the pot size and chip count yourself, so you can estimate the pot odds and your best betting options.

Pot odds become especially interesting as the blinds and antes increase as the tournament progresses. Let’s say there are 10 players at your table, and the poker tournament structure has you at $25 antes with $200/$400 blinds. That’s a total of $850 that’s sitting thre in each and every pot before anyone even places their first bet! So, before you even look at your hand, you know that the minimum bet is $400, so you’ll need a good hand (with roughly 1 in 2 odds or better) in order to simply break even.

At this point, people will be angling to “steal the blinds” by placing a hefty bet, typically at least two times the big blind, or $800, in order to make the pot odds so unattractive that everyone just folds. Therefore, the first player to act often makes off with the booty, since the pot odds become even less attractive and most everyone hasn’t made a good enough hand to call. Of course, this can definitely backfire...

Let’s say the first player to bet raises to $800 in an attempt to steal the blinds, making the total pot now $1,650. Let’s say that a second player then calls with another $800, boosting this pot to $2,450. To get in on the action, you’d only need to call with $800, which means if you win the hand you’re getting a slightly better than 3 to 1 on your money. If it’s the Flop and you are one card short of making a King-high flush, then your hand odds are roughly 1-in-3. This would be “even money” if you joined in on this basis alone; however, you’re holding a King and there’s a King on the board from the Flop, so you now have a better than 1 in 3 chance of winning – a positive expectation! You place your $800 bet, so now the pot sits at $3,250.

You should generally make this bet, since it will yield a good return and you have the high pair (Kings), plus a flush draw, thereby improving your odds even further. Let’s say there was an Ace also showing, making your Kings second best pair. In this case, it time to fold because you have a less than a 1 in 3 chance of winning this hand, and if you continued throwing money at this pot, you’ll end up “pot-committed” and beaten by a pair of Aces (there’s usually at least one player in 10 hanging in there with an Ace hole card).

So, let’s say the last player to act goes “All-in” - after we’ve put our $800 in this pot. Now what? The first reaction should be – what kind of hand *could* this player actually hold? If the player is a relatively tight or solid player, chances are they’ve made a set or an Ace high flush. It’s always possible they’re bluffing, but very unlikely if they’re a good player, since there are already far too many people in this pot and it’s likely they’d get called with a real hand when bluffing.

So, what's happened to our pot odds? Let’s say they went all-in with $5,000, pushing this pot up to $8,250. If you called with $5,000, you’re now only getting a 8.25 to 5 return, or roughly 1.65 to 1 – especially unattractive under the circumstances with highly negative expectation and so many players in this hand, further reducing your chances of winning. Therefore, everyone will likely just fold; unless they have a very strong hand plus a great draw (some outs).

There’s clearly a lot more to poker betting strategy, including position and acting first vs. last. Generally speaking, though, if you’re going to take a shot at that pot, and you’re in a position to act first, there’s a good chance everyone else will fold; however, you’d better think carefully about the pot odds the opponents will be getting after your bet is in there.

If your bet modifies the pot size such that it improves their pot odds (by limping in with just a small bet), you’re actually encouraging the opponents to hang in there with you, since they still have a good, positive (and improving) expectation level. If you bet enough, such as two to three times the size of the big blind, you’ll be reducing their pot odds enough to swing into a negative expectation, so they’ll be much more likely to fold. It’s really important to think your bet amounts through and understand the pot odds implications of your betting.

When you make such a play at the pot, it’s ideal to have some kind of hand, along with a good draw. If you find yourself short-stacked, then this may be as good as it gets. Bluffing will be covered more thoroughly in a later article, but at this point it’d be great to have at least a small pair, as well as a good straight or flush draw (since you’ll also have the potential to make a set of trips, too). In this situation, you have so many good “outs” that your small pair begins to look a lot stronger, and your hand odds acceptable enough to go on a “semi-bluff” at this pot.

So, these are the basics of Texas Holdem poker tournament betting strategy that you should know and practice (the other good players do). Knowing your basic hand odds and being capable of quickly calculating pot odds are essential to making intelligent betting decisions under fire in poker tournaments, and regular ring game and limit play for that matter. A good poker odds calculator will help you learn the hand odds, and along with practicing calculating your pot odds, you’ll be making better decisions and getting the best of it the next time you play Texas Holdem poker.

In the next article, we’ll explore a popular Texas Holdem poker tournament format – the Sit & Go poker tournament. Until then, have fun. And as always - good luck!

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Rick Braddy is an avid writer, Texas Holdem player and professional software developer and marketer for over 25 years. His websites and Texas Holdem poker software specialize in helping people become better Texas Holdem poker players. If you're a poker player, be sure to visit his Texas Holdem website today and learn how you can play better Texas Holdem, too.

No-Limit Texas Hold'em Tournament Strategy - How To Win a 2007 WSOP Seat

Since the addition of online poker, the prize pools at the World Series of Poker has skyrocketed. Chris Moneymaker, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, Joseph Hachem, and Jamie Gold have all won millions of dollars by winnig the main event. These past champions were basically amateur poker players before becoming famous bracelet winners. Can you be the next WSOP champion? Anyone who catches a good run of cards and plays decently could possibly take down the main event this year. With the addition of online poker, winning a seat is easier than you think. Most poker rooms will be promoting WSOP seat like crazy in the upcoming months. They will be offering huge sign-up bonuses, WSOP packages, and all expenses paid trips.

Whether you are a seasoned pro or a rank amateur, you could be the next WSOP champion. For as little as $1, you can get into the action and win a seat. Shootout tournaments have also been popular in the past. In these shootout tournaments, you are required to win your table and play the winners of other tables. Sometimes the shootouts can be single, double, triple, or even quadruple. Depending on how much money you are willing to spend, you can play in any type of shoot out that you want. There are also large multi-table tournaments where the top finishers usually obtain a seat. These seats usually come with hotel accomodation, free food, spending money, and free sponsership clothing. Forget about playing the lottery, the 2007 WSOP is the new thing. Give yourself a shot at glory and try to win a seat online. You could be sitting at the final table across from Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu.

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Napoleon Will is a self-published author and semi-professional poker player. He updates the poker review and strategy site http://www.mypokerstart.com

Online Poker - How to make a living playing poker.

My friends have been winning a lot of money playing online poker in recent years. They have even considered giving up their day jobs. Can you really earn a living playing online poker? Nothing is absolutely certain, but it seems that a lot of people are doing it, and it is very possible. Here are five tips for winning poker.

Tip One - Never Go All In Unless You Have An Amazing Hand

If you want to earn a living playing poker, you must rely heavily on strategy and smart playing. If you go all in with a bad hand, you are essentially gambling and not playing smart. Gamblers don't win in the long term, therefore, I advice smart play (not gambling).

Tip Two - Never Bet Unless You Have A Decent Hand

Don't bluff too often. If you have a pair of two's, and someone calls your bluff, what are you going to do? Sure, bluffing is a big part of poker. However, don't test your luck out too often. Luck eventually runs out in the long term.

Tip Three - Don't Be Afraid To Fold

If you don't have a decent hand for three or four hands in a row, don't be afraid to fold. It doesn't matter what your opponents think, or what the dealer thinks, all that matters is winning. If you don't have a good hand, it is almost impossible to win.

Tip Four - Learn To Read The Other Players

Study and learn as much as you can about your opponents. Be aware of their facial expressions, body language, and their playing styles. If you can read your opponents, you will know whether or not they have a good hand. This puts you at a massive advantage!

Tip Five - Never Lose Your Cool

We all experience a losing streak every once in a while. Even the professional poker players you see on television experience losing streaks. Losing streaks are inevitable. However, you must never lose your cool. Frustration, anger, and disappointment will reflect to your opponents. If your opponents can read you, you are at a big disadvantage.

As you can see, the game of poker requires a great amount of skill, whether online or offline. If you want to win in the game of online poker, you must follow the above tips. Even though you cannot see your opponents, you can still observe their betting styles. Do they seem to bluff a lot? Do they fold when you go all in? The key to winning in poker is to bet only when you have solid hands, to keep your emotions under control, and be patient. Winning poker is a marathon, its not a sprint.

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