Texas Hold'em Poker Tip of The Day...

Most people meet up at a friendís house to play poker for fun. The ante would be a fixed amount of chips, and an example of the betting spread would a minimum of five chips to a maximum of twenty chips per round.

Playing casual games like these are simple: bet then call or bet, raise, then call. What does anyone really care? These home games are simply for bragging rights. Even though the person with the hottest cards wins at the showdown, it doesnít necessarily mean that person played his/her hands well at all.

There are three ways that make playing online different from the casual home game: the ante structure, the betting structures, and the skill levels.

* Ante Structure
----------------
First of all, this is a trick paragraph. There is no ante unless you are playing 7-card stud. The betting is made according to blinds or forced bets where the person to the left of the dealer button must pay the small blind and the subsequent person must pay the big blind. The button, the small blind, and the big blind rotate from person to person at the table.

This ensures that everyone pays a little something to participate in the game. Otherwise any wuss could fold throughout the entire game and not lose a penny. All other players are not forced to bet to receive cards after the flop, but they must match the big blind or any raise to stay in the game and to see the flop.

* Betting Structures
--------------------
What separates the maximum amount a player could bet per round in an online game is called big bet poker, such as no-limit. Youíd still have to bet the minimum, but the maximum is restricted only to the number of chips youíre holding.

Although you may be limited in the amount of chips you have, I must debunk a common no-limit myth. Just because someone bets with more chips than you actually have, does not mean you must fold. Take this case where Player 2 and 3 each have $100:
- You have only $25 to call (and to go all-in).
- Player 2 bets $50.
- And Player 3 calls $50.
- The main pot would be $75 ($25 from your maximum call times the three players).
- The extra $25 from both Player 2 and 3 would total a $50 side pot.
- If you came up with the best hand youíd take down the $75 main pot.
- And if Player 2 had the second best hand, heíd swallow the $50 from the side pot.
- However if Player 2 had the best hand, heíd grab all the pots for a grand total of $125.

In the online world there is also a style of betting that somewhat resembles the no-limit which is called the pot-limit. In this structure, you can bet any amount from the minimum bet to the actual size of the pot.

A more popular form of betting is known as fixed-limit. For example a four-round game also known as a $20/$40 limit could specify that the beginning two rounds require $20 bets while each bet in the third and fourth rounds require $40. Also to limit the amount of raises, the player who begins the betting is commonly the one who caps it in each round.

* Skill Levels
--------------
Skill plays a larger role online than luck does when playing against a bunch of your friends. While you may know how skilled your friends are at poker, the skill level of other people from around the world is unknown to you. Another reality check is to assume that they are actually trying to win because there is real money at stake online. Donít fool around and call at the river just to see what your opponent has. You may get lucky once or twice while playing your home game style, however if you want to win in the long run, build and stick to a solid strategy. The world is huge place to play against. With a higher degree of practice, and therefore skill, the world can be your oyster for the taking.

Know Your Limits

2006-11-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

So you think there are already enough decisions you had to make playing poker, but you've guessed it, there are more. Winning at the table a few times is great but things become more challenging as you climb up on the totem pole. There are two meanings to this article title and heed them well. These are the little things you should patiently come to notice about yourself, so you don't rush in and foolishly burn your cash away.

* Choosing Your Limit Levels
----------------------------
Generally speaking you should choose which limit to play based on your financial standing, your poker abilities, and your risk tolerance.

No matter how filthy rich you are, it's always best to start out at the lower limits, not only because of lighter competition, but to get the hang of the game. So what if you're name is Chris Moneymaker? If you're playing online no one will know that, so there's no "woo"-factor for others to stop and think they're playing with some sort of demigod.

Nevertheless when it comes to choosing a limit, the hardest part of that choice is to know when to move up or down in the type of limit game. If you think you can handle seven or more sessions at a certain limit level, you're probably skilled enough to jump up a notch. However, you do not want to move up so high that when you play it actually scares you. Fear is one of those high-ranking decision killers which causes a sort of analysis paralysis, along with building a false sense of courage if you're shooting for the stars without a plan. You're not likely to have the bankroll to survive a night at the tables with these traits.

If you do take some hard knocks you ought to move down. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, you don't want to move down so steep that you feel like it is child's play or that there's simply no challenge. For example, if you're playing up at the $25-50 limit you wouldn't want to fall back to a $1-2 game. Fall a little closer to something like the $10-20 games. Take "the middle path" to keep a steady feeling of challenge. That way you don't whipsaw your motivation (or lack thereof) to play in a random mess.

* Calling It Quits for the Day
------------------------------
Even the best poker players in the world have their down days. Knowing when to quit will keep you from a drained bank account, especially when you feel that greed or that sense of desperation setting in. As a general rule of thumb, it's best to quit if you have a swing of 40 big bets in either direction. If you want to break this 40 big-bet rule, proceed with caution. Know if the game is really good or if you're just pushing it.

Here are some mental signs to consider when you might be tilting:

1. You always think your opponents are bluffing.
2. You feel anxious for a high-action game.
3. You're struggling to break even for the day.

Here are other signs to look out for if you've just played way too much:

1. You've played more than eight hours for one game during your day. (Don't drain yourself by playing long sessions. It's better to play many short sessions than a few long ones to keep your mind fresh each time.)
2. You're no longer paying attention to your opponents' moves.
3. You're dozing off at the table.

Rookie Mistakes

2006-10-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

These are some mistakes that rookies make, which in turn paints a nice big bulls-eye on their head:

Mistake #1 - No Table-Etiquette
--------------------------------------
When you want to raise, don't say, "I call and raise you 'x'." Your first action is also your final action. So if you say, "I call" it means you just want to call. However if you want to raise, just say "raise" with the stated amount you want to raise (if it is a no-limit game). Remember, you're already a beginner. Don't give yourself away anymore than that!

Mistake #2 - Becoming Too Emotional
--------------------------------------
Ironically, you could lose to unbelievably lucky rookies. Greedy, who me? "No," you say to yourself but the desire for glitz from watching the pros on TV can set in, forcing you to make bad bets. Or maybe your opponents are just downright annoying. Whatever the factors, you must gain experience to recognize them as distractions and to not let your emotions override your judgment at the table.

Mistake #3 - Two Colors Versus Four Suits
-------------------------------------------
Cards are separated by two colors ó red and black. But there are four different suits displayed as spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds.

While this may be confusing to some beginning players, online poker rooms may give you two display choices: the usual two-color deck and a four-color deck. The four-color deck would have four unique colors to highlight each of the individual suits.

If you use a two-color deck, there's a good chance you will misread your hand to think you have a flush when actually you do not. Therefore keep in mind the four distinct suits. Otherwise using a four-color deck can effectively prevent you from making unobserved mistakes.

Mistake #4 - Overvaluing Suited Hands
--------------------------------------
Suited pocket hands are always something to look out for. However that doesn't mean you should play a hand just because it is suited. First consider the ranks of the cards and if they are paired. Afterwards you should check if they are suited.

For example a hand like As, Kh is a lot more valuable than a paired hand like 10c, 2c. Although the latter hand is suited by clubs, beginners may get excited enough to hold on and call to see the flop. You don't want to fall into this trap since the chances of hitting a flush with your two suited pocket hands are less than 12%. You would rather stick with a top starting hand such as As, Kh while you can toss 10c, 2c to the gods of bunk.

Mistake #5 - Imitation Spam
--------------------------------------
Don't be a poser. Many people learn how to play poker by copying others. And to gain fundamentals, some beginners would rather imitate others at a table or try to play like the pro's on TV than read this article. However you must understand where the rubber meets the road.

Sure, you may try to emulate superstardom by copying what you see on TV. But what they're playing are usually tournaments and the hands you see are chopped down in video editing rooms to give you constant excitement. Therefore you miss the buildups and the reasons why pro's make certain decisions that would bear any application to your game.

Likewise you may copy everything from what your mama tells you even to what that crazy cousin Vernon would say. Realize however that imitating any player also means copying their bad habits (even if they are a pro). As President Ronald Reagan once said,"Trust, but verify."

Go ahead and use their words and their styles to learn some basics, yet don't be afraid to take leaps of faith ó take chances ó to test their theories. You are a child at this point and it is more than okay to make childish mistakes. You are doing this to find your own game and succeeding at poker is to understand the organic nature of the game. Don't get locked into what any one person or TV show may say. To grow into an adult poker player go out there and create your own unique experiences and grow to establish your own set of rules, leading eventually to your own independence.

How cheaters know other players' cards!

2006-10-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

One of the oldest tricks of online gambling is to be able to see other player's cards. Of course, it's impossible to know everyone's cards, BUT if a player has a friend at the table, they can easily share what cards they have by Instant Messaging or telephone. This information gives those players an big edge against you and other players. The players can bet and raise people out of pots, even if they don't have good cards.

For example, if one player is sitting two seats before the button and their friend is sitting on the button and no one has called in front of the first player, he can raise two bets and his partner can raise three bets before the flop. 90% of the time, no one will call and they will steal the blinds.

If the colluding players are sitting across the table from each other, they can help each other trap others in the hand when either player hits a strong hand. For example, say one player flop the nuts. That player is in early position, so they bet. If there are callers, the partner can raise the pot after they call. The player can either smooth call or re-raise to increase the pot. In order to trap players, the player needs to have other players between him and his partner. In a short-handed table, collusion is even more likely to occur because the advantages are greater.

Rest assured that every major poker site has both automated and human reviewed screening to uphold the integrity of their card room. Please note that PokerLetter does not condone actual cheating in poker and if you get caught, you will forfeit all of your money in your account. The only reason I teach you this is to bring up my next point.

* How to spot cheaters and avoid cheating tables
------------------------------------------------
With over 50,000 players at the larger poker sites, there are bound to be friends that are cheating and it is almost impossible for the poker sites to police. So you have to be a smart player and look out for yourself. Fortunately, all cheaters are out to make an easy buck so it's not too difficult to spot them. As you learned above, if you ever notice two players that play hands often together, you should take notice and report them to the casino. High stakes limit (10/20 and up) and high stakes no limit ($400 and up) are much more likely to have cheaters, so if you play these stakes, then you should be extra careful. I would especially avoid high stakes no limit tables online.

* How to make easy money from deposit bonuses
---------------------------------------------
Poker sites usually offer deposit bonuses of 20-25% about once per month. This means if you deposit $100, you get an extra $20-$25 for free as long as you see the required number of hands. The number of required hands is usually 6-7 times the deposit bonus amount. For example, to earn a deposit bonus of $20, you must see between 120-140 hands. The EASIEST way to make money is to deposit the maximum amount for the maximum deposit bonus AND play the 1/ 2 limit tables very tight. For example, if the maximum deposit bonus of 20% is $100, then you should deposit $500.

Then you have to see 700 hands at the 1/ 2 limit tables in order to earn the $100 bonus. As long as you play very tight, you can come out even on the tables and still make $100! Many different poker sites offer this monthly deposit bonus, which means you can do it every month for every site and make more than $500 per month without much risk. Pacific Poker is the ONLY site that offers an instant bonus of 25% up to $100 for new players. This means that as soon as you deposit $400 in a new player account, you get $100 added to your account without playing a single hand!

* How to win consistently by following the 80/20 rule
-----------------------------------------------------
In the game of online poker, 20% of the players win 80% of the profits in the long term. The foundation of poker is the starting hand. In order to win consistently in a ring game full table), you should see about 20% of the flops (+/- 2%). If you force yourself to see 20% of the flops, you will find yourself playing very tight with premium starting hands.

Below is a quick chart to help you rank starting hands.

Group 0: AA KK (Always raise pre-flop).
Group 1: QQ JJ AKs (Always raise pre-flop).
Group 2: TT AK AQs AJs KQs (Always 2 bet/call).
Group 3: AQ 99 ATs KJs QJs KTs (Late position, Use judgment).
Group 4: 88 AJ KQ QTs A9s JTs AT A8s (Late position, Use judgment).
Group 5: KJ 77 QJ KT QT JT A7s K9s Q9s T9s J9s (Late position, Use judgment).
Group 6: 66 55 44 33 22 A5s A6s A4s A3s A2s (Late position, Use judgment).
Group 7: A9 K9 98s 87s 76s Kxs(?) T8s(?) 97s(?) 86s(?) 54s(?).

MAKING MORE MONEY THROUGH MULTI-TABLING

2006-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

* Learning to Multi-Table
-------------------------
The first thing you need to do before being able to multi-table is proper setup. This means setting your resolution to 1920x1200 or the highest setting, however, some sites offer a minimized view instead of the full table view. Alternatively, you can use two monitors with a dual capable video card. Also make sure that you are playing with a four-color deck (to quickly notice flush possibilities) and with the sound on to hear if it is your turn.

If you are playing up to two tables simultaneously, you can still play both the players and the cards. Try starting with two low-limit tables to get a feel of the speed of play and the level of attention you need to give each table.

Although you can remember player types with two tables, once you start to play three or more tables simultaneously, you will find it more difficult to track the players, and will be forced into solely playing the cards and position. The more tables you play simultaneously, the tighter you should play, since you can see about 50 hands per hour per table. Once you feel comfortable, you can multi-table at higher limits.

One final point to note is for those players who have rake back accounts. Maximize your rake back earnings by multi-tabling at four or more tables. Since you get paid for every hand you see, it is easy money to play tight and see about 18-20% of flops. If you see 1000 hands and just break even at the tables, you will still be up in the amount of rake you get back.

* More Hands = Stronger Hands = More $
--------------------------------------
Why play multiple tables? Easy. More tables means more hands; more hands means you see stronger starting hands more often; stronger hands means more money. Sure, you will still encounter some bad beats. But over the long term, strong starting hands will maximize your earnings. Since the goal of multi-tabling is to play strong starting hands and play tight, you should only play full ring games when playing three or more tables.

* Speeding up the Learning Process
----------------------------------
Multi-tabling also works as an excellent teaching model for learning poker play as quickly as possible. Nothing teaches like experience, and it stands to reason that the more hands you play, the more experience and knowledge you gain. For example, you could play a cash game while simultaneously playing at a couple of play money tables where you might want to try different strategies out before implementing them into your cash game. You can play in a tournament while simultaneously playing in a cash game so as to take a stab at larger tournament rewards, still allowing yourself the backup of earning through a cash game and covering or exceeding your tournament entry fee.

OUTS & POT ODDS

2006-10-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

* An Introduction to "Outs"
---------------------------
Outs refer to the number of cards remaining in the deck that can improve your hand. If you are holding Kc-Kd and are up against Ac-Ad with a board showing 3h-8s-9c-5d, there are only 2 cards remaining in the deck that could give you the winning hand - Kh & Ks. Therefore you have 2 outs. If the board was showing 9c-10h-Jh-3d, then there would be 6 cards (6 outs) remaining in the deck that could give you the winning hand, those being 2K's and 4Q's (Making a K high straight).

* Recognizing the Percentages
-----------------------------
Knowing your available outs can help you determine your chances of hitting your hand on either the turn or the river. Study the following table to improve your chances of making the right decision:

% of Hitting On...
# of Outs Turn or River River
1 4.4 2.2
2 8.4 4.3
3 12.5 6.5
4 (Inside Straight Draw) 16.5 8.7
5 20.3 10.9
6 (Two Overs) 24.1 13.0
7 27.8 15.2
8 (Open Ended Straight Draw) 31.5 17.4
9 (Flush Draw) 35.0 19.6
10 38.4 21.7
11 41.7 23.9
12 (Flush Draw & Gut Shot) 45.0 26.1
13 48.1 28.3
14 51.2 30.4
15 (Straight Flush Draw) 54.1 32.6
16 57.0 34.8
17 59.8 37.0
18 62.4 39.1

* Outs + Pot Odds = Smart Poker
-------------------------------
Pot odds are basically a ratio of reward to risk, with reward being the amount of money you could win and risk being the additional cost you would incur.

Example: Playing $5/$10 holdem, you call from middle position with Js-10s. One limper and both blinds also call. The flop comes Ad-3s-Ks giving you an inside straight draw & a flush draw (12 outs). You call a $5 bet along with everyone else, so the pot now contains $40. The turn comes [Ad-3s-Ks] 6h and a bet of $10 forces out the 2 players in front of you. You still have 12 outs from the remaining 46 cards in the deck. That's 12 'good' cards to 34 'bad' cards, or a bad to good ratio of 34-12 or 2.8-1. There is $50 in the pot and it will cost you $10 more to see the river card. This means the pot is laying you odds of $50-$10 or 5-1. Being less than a 3-1 underdog to hit either the flush or gut shot straight, you are being more than compensated to make the call.

Most Profitable Times to Play Online

2006-10-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

The most profitable times to play online are when there are the highest volume of new, recreational, and drunk players.

- Fri/Sat: 9pm - 3am PST (Most Profitable)
- Sun-Thu: 5pm - 10pm PST

Logging on during these times will ensure you the highest volume of players, games, tournaments and more.

* Which Sites Are Easy Money - And Their Full Reviews
-----------------------------------------------------
With so many different online poker rooms available, choosing one can be tough. The quality of players and ease of use with provided software is something that should be taken into account before selecting which site you would like to play at. PokerLetter has reviewed some of the sites we believe to be the best for you. Sites such as Pacific Poker, Titan Poker, Party Poker & Paradise Poker offer a diverse selection of game-play at their sites, and PokerLetter highly recommends them as a fun and easy site for both the beginning and experienced player.

--------------
Pacific Poker - http://www.casinoletter.org/pacific.php
--------------
Summary: B+
Bonus is automatic when coming from our site. Pacific Poker has become one of the most favorite places to play poker because of the Hot Action at the tables and frequent promotions. Pacific Poker is owned by the largest online casino in the world, so the overflow of casino players looking to make a "quick buck" at the poker tables is plenty. With the increase of No-Limit and Pot-Limit tables, it is strongly recommended that players play at Pacific Poker due to the higher chances of winning! Another key indicator to factor is the flop view rates. Pacific Poker players have some of the highest in the industry ranging from the 50's to as high as the 80's! Below you will find my thoughts on certain aspects of Pacific Poker.

Software and Graphics: B
The software on Pacific Poker is full of features, but also has some limitations. The graphics are excellent, but a little bit on the slow side. There are advanced button plays for checks and folds to allow an enjoyable playing experience. The one downside of the software is that it only allows players to play one table at a time. Statistically, Pacific Poker offers view-flop percentages, hands played per hour, and hand history. The software even allows you to choose between a male and female voice to enhance your playing experience.

Ring Game Traffic: A
The traffic at the ring games are great, but are usually concentrated to the fixed-limit holdem and holdem tournaments. There are usually about 3500 to 4500 players at peak hours and about 85% of those players play at the Holdem Tables.

Tournament traffic: A
Pacific Poker accomodates tournament traffic of 4,000 - 4,500 real-money players at peak hours.

Game Variety: A
The game variety at Pacific Poker is excellent as they now offer no-limit and pot-limit versions in the ring games. There are Holdem, Hi and Hi-Lo in Omaha and Seven-Card stud. There are also 1-on-1 tables. There are micro-limit tables down to $0.05/$0.10. Max limit is $15/$30 in all games, except for 1-on-1 ring game which still has only $3/$6.

Rake: B-
The rake rules of Pacific Poker are about average for the industry, with better offers at micro-levels and higher rake at the highest tables. With a "No Flop - No Drop" rake policy, Pacific Poker only rakes the pot when the flop is reached. $1.25 is the Maximum taken out of the pots of up to $1/$2 games. At limits below $1/$2 the house takes less than $1, which gives good value for low limit players. At higher limits, Pacific Poker rake max $4 and $5 on the $50-$100 tables.

Soft Competition: A+
The relationship with Casino.net allows Pacific Poker to reach many online gamblers. The quality of competition at Pacific Poker tables isn't the best because of this relationship, which usually translates to the highest number of "whales" around!

Sign-Up Bonus: B
Currently, it's 25% up to $100. You must wager 20 times the bonus amount, totaling $2000 to cash-out max bonus of $100. No requirements on raked hands.

Loyalty Bonus: B+
Pacific Poker offers a pretty good loyalty plan with points programs to reward those that bet. Every $10 bet on raked hands will get you One Bonus Point. Accumulate 100 bonus points and that equals to a $1 Bonus. Along with points, Pacific Poker also gives you a $50 for each referral you give and also gives $25 to that referral.

Promotions: A
Plenty of money tournaments, WSOP/WPT qualifiers, and Royal Flush/Bad Beat jackpots, and a great $50,000 guaranteed tournament every Sunday - small buy-in of $65.

Support: A
Fast response times at the email support as well as live chat and phone.

24/7 Support: Yes

Support Features: Email, Phone, Chat

Email Confirmation/Receipt: Yes

Speed: Fast

Knowledge: OK

Avg. NETeller Pay-Out Time: 1-3 business days

Financial Security: A+
One of the biggest poker rooms in the world. Has top notch security to keep it there.

Deposit & Withdrawal Options: A
Prompt cash outs and no fees. Very secure transactions.
Deposit options: VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, Citadel, FirePay, Wire Transfer, Bank transfer, PaySafeC.
Withdrawal Options: NETeller, Wire Transfer (Direct Bank Account Transfer) and Bank Draft (Cashier's Check).

------------
Titan Poker - http://www.pokerletter.org/titan.php
------------
Summary: B+
Titan Poker is one of the new up and coming Poker Sites frmo the iPoker Network by Playtech. They have strongly built a strong network of strong players from their strong Casino ties. Their poker software comes in English, French, German and Italian. The interface is solid and the graphics are colorful and welcoming to an enjoyable experience. They have about 12-1400 players during peak hours and close to 2500 real money players during tournaments.

Software and Graphics: B+
Along with the language and solid graphics interface I mentioned before, Titan software has a nice buddy list function, game history feature, ability to take notes, several options for sound, pot/no-limit ring games, live floor managers and all types of tournaments to enter! Once the network of players have been strongly built up, it is possible to play up to 3 tables at the same time.

Ring Game Traffic: B
Titan Poker and the iPoker network had about 1,200-1,400 ring game players as of March 2006.

Tournament Traffic: B
The traffic at the tournaments is higher than at cash games when real money traffic can reach somewhere around 2,200-2,500 players at peak hours. Sit'N'Go tournaments are heavy promoted with Jackpot offers when you win 4-6 consecutive tournaments depending on what type pf Sit'N'Go ($2,000-$25,000 in extra cash).

Game Variety: B
Titan Poker has moderate game variety with Texas Holdem and Omaha Hi-Lo and High, which are available in both limit and pot-limit, and Texas Holdem no-limit as well. Table stakes are from $0.5/$1 to $30/$60 in the fixed games, with $0.25/$0.50 up to $10/$20 in pot-limit and no-limit versions (the fixed limit Omaha games have a bit lower maximum limits). There are both heads-up, sit-and-go and fixed schedule multi-table tournaments.

Rake: B-
The Titan Poker rake is actually above average compared to other online sites. The general policy is the standard 5% rake taken in increments up to $3. But on several types of tables there are lower max rakes. On fixed limit tables up to $1/$2 there is a $1 max rake. More importantly all tables with 2-3 players have a max rake of $1 and tables with 4-5 players have a $2 max rake - which also includes no-limit and pot-limit short handed games! Titan Poker also subscribes to the "no flop-no drop" policy.

Soft Competition: A
The relationship Titan Poker has with other Playtech client's casino sites provides a player network that is relatively soft. It's pretty easy for an aggressive player to take advantage of the regularly passive group of players. Also, as Playtech continues to recruit players from their casino sites, the potential of the games staying soft is relatively high.

Sign-Up Bonus: A
$500 sign-up bonus at 150% deposit match! One great feature about their bonuses is that they are paid in $10 increments and paid out on a daily basis. Standard promotion is 100% deposit match up to $500 bonus. There is a 90 day time limit to reach the required hands. For each played hand (getting dealt cards) in a raked pot a player earns 1-8 Stars depending rake taken. Stars are awarded as follows, $0.25/$0.50 rake give 1 Star, $0.51/$1.00 rake give 2 Stars, $1.01/$1.50 rake give 4 Stars, $1,51-$2,00 rake give 6 Stars and $2,01-$3,00 rake give 8 Stars. For each $1 in tournament fees 20 Stars are awarded. Each 1000 Stars give a $10 bonus, 1400 Stars 10 Euro, and 1800 Stars 10 GBP. Hence in order to clear the entire $500 bonus you need to have earned 50,000 Stars.

Loyalty Bonus: B+
Titan Poker uses a Player Point system as part of their good VIP program where loyal players get entered into special free rolls and can get high value re-load bonus offers. For each played hand (getting dealt cards) in a raked pot a player earns 1-11 points depending on rake taken and the players VIP level (Silver, Gold, Platinum-levels). Points are awarded as follows (Silver level), $0.25/$0.50 rake give 1 point, $0.51/$1.00 rake give 2 point, $1.01/$1.50 rake give 4 points, $1,51-$2,00 rake give 6 points and $2,01-$3,00 rake give 8 points. For each $1 in tournament fees 20 points are awarded (25 for Gold members and 30 for Platinum members).

Promotions: A+
There are a lot of promotions at Titan Poker since they are trying to build up their network of players. Aside from their weekly $1000 FreeRoll tournaments, there are quite a few of other free roll tournaments Titan likes to throw for its players. There are high hand and bad beat prizes as well as Jackpot Sit'N'Go's. Referrals earn you $75 per qualified friend and your friend receives a $25 welcome gift. The Referrer will receive an initial $25 bonus as soon as the Referred Friend has downloaded and installed the Titan Poker software and opened an account, and made a first deposit of at least $50. The payment of this $25 bonus will be made automatically, usually within 48 hours of the Referred Friend's opening of an account. The Referrer will receive an additional $50 bonus as he earns Stars at Titan Poker's ring games.

Support: A+
Great options with 24/7 telephone support as well as live online and email support at Titan Poker.

24/7 Support: Yes

Support Features: Email, Phone, Chat

Email Confirmation/Receipt: Yes

Speed: Very fast

Knowledge: Good

Avg. NETeller Pay-Out Time: 48 hrs

Financial Security: A+
Secure and backed by Playtech.

Deposit & Withdrawal Options: A
Deposit Options: VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, Citadel, FirePay, Moneybookers, InstaCash, InstaDebit, EcoCard, UseMyBank, wire transfer, bank draft and personal check.
Cash-Out Options: NETeller, FirePay, Moneybookers, InstaDebit, EcoCard, bank draft express and wire transfer.

------------
Party Poker - http://www.casinoletter.org/party1.php
------------
Summary: B
On October 9th, 2005, Party Poker cut off their four skin sites and began to act independently, which means they're not sharing same player base. But still Party Poker boasts the world's highest traffic in both ring games and tournaments. In addition to the huge traffic there are many other advantages with Party Poker, such as loose games, great promotions and loyalty program, special events and a membership referral program. The action is loose all the way up to the $30/$60 tables Recently, black jack, side bet (bet that the flop comes with all red cards etc), and deal making features was implemented in the software.

Software and Graphics: B
With its phenomenal growth, Party Poker has added servers and increased bandwidth in order to secure full reliability at 100,000 simultaneous players. Overall though, with the pretty decent interface and graphics, Party Poker has very good quality nowadays, in line with or better than most competitors. The maximum for multi-tabling is now up to 4 Tables. The downside of Party Poker Software is that the view flop percentages are not presented, neither are hands per hour rate. You see the average pot size of the last 20 hands. The personal playing statistics function is somewhat rudimentary, but works well. Player notes function is included as well as instant hand histories. New features like black jack, deal-making, and side bets are available while playing at a poker table. A nice feature is the very smooth table resizing option (which is especially good if you play on a lap top or other small screen). You have the option to "auto resize" all open tables meaning will resize and spread out evenly on the screen by the click of your finger. Resizing does not work for Omaha and 7-Card Stud games. Overall, the software is really good for the amount of traffic it has to deal with every day.

Ring Game Traffic: A+
By 2003, Party Poker was already had the largest amount of traffic of any Poker Site in the World. Almost 14,000 players reside at the tables of the many ring games Party Poker has to offer. Recently, the traffic has dropped about 15% due to cutting off 4 subsidiaries from their network.

Tournament Traffic: A+
The enormity of Party Poker makes it easy to understand why Party Poker probably hosts 70% of the world's Texas Hold'em tournaments. The traffic reaches somewhere between 40,000-60,000 real money tournament players at peak hours.

Game Variety: B
The game variety is as good as it gets due to the sheer volume of traffic Party Poker receives; Holdem, Omaha and 7-Card-Stud in both High and Hi-Lo. However, Party Poker does not offer certain games such as heads-up matches, draw poker, crazy pineapple, etc. Sit'n'Go tournaments are offered from $200 levels down to $5. Stakes offered in the Holdem section are (1) Limit Texas Holdem from $100-$200 down to $0.5-$1 and (2) No-Limit/Pot-Limit Holdem from $10-$20 down to $0.10-$0.25.

Rake: C-
Party Poker's rake is not so attractive, as it highly disfavors the low limit games. The higher limit games actually have a comparably low rake. The rake runs as high as 10% in $0.50/$1 and $1/$2 games, as 50 cent is raked when the pot reaches $5. This holds true also for the tournaments, where good value only is provided at the higher stakes. 20% fee in $5 games and 8% fee in $100 games.

Soft Competition: B+
Party Poker has been able to maintain loose games over time, with the constant influx of beginners and gamblers looking for action. Even at "middle limit online games" this holds true - you can typically find very soft games even up to $2/$4 in no-limit and $5/$10 in fixed limit, whereas on most other poker rooms these stakes will give you rather tough opposition.

Sign-Up Bonus: C
Currently, Pokerletter is offering a 20% up to $100 with code "PokerLetter."

Loyalty Bonus: B+
It gets better and better, now there are both a big frequent player points program as well as numerous re-deposit promotions in which you get 15%-25% up to $100 maximum.

Support: B+
The 24/7 telephone support now often responds in under a minute, which like warp speed compared to a couple of years ago! The support is nowadays very knowledgeable on promotions and other trickier issues. Email has worked OK, even though the response times were a bit long.

24/7 Support: Yes

Support Features: Email, phone

Email Confirmation/Receipt: No

Speed: OK

Knowledge: OK

Avg. NETeller Pay-Out Time: 24 - 48 hrs

Financial Security: A+
Top score, the leading online poker room in the world, and no earlier recorded problems.

Deposit & Withdrawal Options: B+
Deposit Options: VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, FirePay, Western Union, Citadel (US only), eChecks (by iGM-Pay), bank draft, cashier's check, money order, check.
Cash-Out options: NETeller, wire transfer, check, eChecks (by iGM-Pay).

---------------
Paradise Poker - http://www.casinoletter.org/paradise.php
---------------
Summary: B
Paradise Poker has one of the best software around and boasts very high traffic in both cash games and tournaments. Paradise Poker was the pioneer in online poker and its software has served as model for the entire industry. Paradise Poker has great game variation with almost all games, as well good sit'n'go tournament coverage and plenty of heads-up games. Security and email support is also good. There are a few drawbacks: low bonus offers, few promotions and very tight games. Real money player statistics for Paradise Poker: 3,000-3,500 ring game players at peak hours; 12,000 - 14,000 tournament players at peak hours.

Software and Graphics: A
Paradise Poker is widely regarded as a poker software leader (together with Poker Stars and Ultimate Bet) with its clean, sleek and reliable graphics and software. The platform is one of the fastest and stable in the industry. It supports notes on other players and has good statistics functions. The precise pot size is not provided numerically, unless you run the cursor over the pot. Some players have complained that the software can get a little messy, if the computer does not support all needed plug-ins etc, mentioning problems with the interface and some functionality. Most people praise the software though.

Ring Game Traffic: A
Paradise Poker used to reign supreme as the world's largest poker site for years. But with the rapid growth in popularity of online poker and online poker competition, they have fallen to 3rd and 5th in the world. However, the traffic is still much higher today than back then and the number of real money ring game players at peak hours is currently 3,000 - 3,500.

Tournament Traffic: A
The traffic at the tournaments is very good, also at the sit'n'go tables. At peak hours the number of real money tournament players now reaches between 12,000 and 14,000.

Game Variety: A
Paradise Poker's game variety is one of the best in the industry, including no-limit and pot-limit at most standard games and more rare games such as five-card draw, five-card stud and crazy pineapple.

Rake: C
Paradise Poker's rake is less attractive than the average in the industry, at least when it comes to lower limit games. This holds true also for the tournaments, where good value only is provided at the higher stakes.

Soft Competition: C
If you are looking to make easy money - you have come to the wrong place! Paradise Poker is notorious for the quality of the players and the tightness of the games, where full mid-stakes Holdem games rarely has a view flop percentage over 40%. In fact, you often see it creep down under 30% and even 25% in the higher stakes games. But on the other hand, to be a consistent winner at Paradise Poker after paying the rakes is a sure ego-booster! Paradise Poker is a great place to test your skills and apply what you've learned and also see how much more you need to learn.

Sign-Up Bonus: C
The 25% deposit bonus, limited to $50 is under average. Play 500 raked hands, in which you just get dealt cards, within any time limit to get the $50 (equals 10 raked pots per bonus dollar). Partial bonus in $10 increments is paid out.

Loyalty Bonus: C
Paradise Poker offers a refer-a-friend program where the referrer gets a $50 bonus and the referral also gets $50 bonus (minimum deposit is $50).

Promotions: B-
Overall the standard promotions are OK, but there could still be a bit more considering the very high traffic. Typically, landmark hand number bonus is used. Lately they have large prize money in tournaments and some promotions for frequent players. They know they need to get better!

Support: B-
Paradise Poker has great email support, extremely quick and always professional. You often get an answer in a minute. However there is no live or telephone support.

24/7 Support: Yes

Support Features: Email

Email Confirmation/Receipt: Yes

Speed: Fast

Knowledge: Good

Avg. NETeller Pay-Out Time: 12-24 hrs

Financial Security: A+
Paradise Poker should be very secure, as one of the very top half dozen poker rooms in the world, with no earlier recorded problems. Top score.

Deposit & Withdrawal Options: B
Deposit Options: VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, FirePay, wire transfer, bank draft.
Cash-Out Options: VISA, NETeller, FirePay and check.

* The Advantage of Having Multiple Accounts: i.e. Party Poker & Titan Poker
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Setting up Accounts on Different Sites)

You might be asking yourself why you need two accounts... It has its benefits.

1.) You can earn monthly deposit bonuses from both sites.
2.) You can have multiple screen names to further anonymity.
3.) You can multi-table up to as many games as you can handle.**

**Note: You cannot play at the same table with multiple accounts.

The best bonuses, constant action, high volumes of players and a competitive atmosphere are important factors to consider before signing up for any profitable poker room. We try our best to provide you with the best options available on the net.

TIPS FOR SERIOUS PLAYERS

2006-10-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

* Making Easy Money using Poker Notes

Not only are your online poker opponents anonymous, but you also tend to get more players coming and going at a quicker rate at online poker tables.

Player note sections are offered for free by many services such as Party Poker. You can jot down important information regarding opponents' playing styles, things like: Smart or stupid player, patient or quick to act, consistent betting patterns, tight or loose player, type of hands opponents play pre-flop or push all-in on, etc.

Not only does this practice keep you more attentive, it can also be of invaluable use when you're in the position of making a tough call or looking to make a move saving or making you big bucks.

* Stealing Knowledge from Players: Hand Histories
-------------------------------------------------
The ability to see an opponents hand is the ultimate source of information, especially when coupled with your notes. The trouble is you only see these cards when a hand goes through to the river. What about all those cards that were mucked after the bettor failed to get a caller? Was it a bluff or did they have it?

Party Poker has a feature allowing you to receive hand histories. All you have to do is click on the hand number and request an email be sent to you. You can receive it within minutes giving you an edge that nobody else at the table gets. This can help you put a read on every player at the table, allowing you to TAKE DOWN MONSTER POTS.

* The Serious Advantage of Big Buy-Ins
--------------------------------------
Most poker resources suggest that you sit down at a given table with at least 20x the big blind (bb).

Example: $3/$6 no limit table. BB is $3, so you should sit with a bare minimum of 20 x $3, or $60.

We'd suggest sitting down with anywhere from 50x - 100x the bb for a couple of reasons. Sitting down with a 100x the bb ($300 in our above example) will generally make you one of the big stacks at the table. People won't be as quick to mess around with someone demonstrating a willingness to gamble. More important than the intimidation factor is the "nuts" factor.

Imagine picking up the "nuts" and only having enough money left to double the bb. This happens all the time and is incredibly frustrating. Don't let it happen to you. When you have the "nuts," you want to be involved with the betting from start to finish. This way you can maximize your winnings.

Gaining Poker Knowledge: Probabilites

2006-10-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

Gaining Poker Knowledge: Probabilites
=======================================

GAINING POKER KNOWLEDGE

Spending five minutes gaining poker knowledge can give you the necessary edge at the table.

Poker math doesn't always require computation on the spot. There are a number of scenarios and draws where your probabilities are the same regardless of the cards you're holding. This is because of the number of outs that you have. If you become aware of these patterns and memorize your percentages, it can allow you to spend your time focusing on other matters such as your opponents' betting habits and demeanor and greatly increase your ability to maximize your poker winnings.

Knowing your probabilities is an important tool because it can not only help you to make a smart call based on the percentages, but it can also help you get away from hands you would otherwise have difficulty giving up.

Here are some probabilities that you will find extremely useful when playing:

Pre-Flop Probabilities
----------------------
Chances of Being Dealt:
2-Aces 220 - 1
2-Kings through 2-Jacks 72.7 - 1
2-Tens through 2-Sixes 43.2 - 1
2-Fives through 2-Deuces 54.3 - 1
Ace-King suited 331 - 1
Ace-King offsuit 110 - 1
Ace-Queen or Ace-Jack suited 165 - 1
Ace-Queen to Ace-Jack offsuit 54.3 - 1
King-Queen suited 331 to 1
King-Queen offsuit 110 to 1
Ace with less than Jack, suited 35.8 to 1
Ace with less than Jack, offsuit 11.3 to 1
ANY Pair 16 to 1
ANY two cards suited 3.25 to 1
ANY two suited connectors 46.4 to 1
ANY two connectors 14.8 to 1
ANY hand with a Pair or an Ace 3.91 to 1

Your Chances of Flopping
------------------------
(Assume you have Ad - Kd in the hole)
A - A - K / K - K - A 1,088 - 1
2 diamonds & A or K 58.4 - 1
2 diamonds 8.1 - 1
10 - J - Q 310 - 1
10d - Jd - Qd 19,599 - 1
3 of another suit 21.8 - 1
Anything with an A or K 2.08 - 1

(Assume you have Ks - Kc in the hole)
K - K & any other card 407 - 1
K - A - A 1,632 - 1
A - A - A 4,899 - 1
K & smaller pair 147 - 1
3 clubs or 3 spades 43.5 - 1
3 diamonds or 3 hearts 33.3 - 1
Anything with 1 K 7.51 - 1

Slim To None (Long Shot Chances)
--------------------------------
Flopping:
A Flush 118 - 1
Quads off Pocket Pairs 407 - 1
A Straight off 6-5 Offsuit 75.6 - 1
A Straight off 7-5 Offsuit 101 - 1
A Straight off 8-5 Offsuit 152 - 1
A Straight off 9-5 Offsuit 305 - 1
A Straight-Flush off 9-8 Suited 4,899 - 1
A Straight-Flush off 9-7 Suited 6,532 - 1
A Straight-Flush off 9-6 Suited 9,799 - 1
A Straight-Flush off 9-5 Suited 19,599 - 1

Miscellaneous Probabilities
---------------------------
Dealt a Pocket Pair 16 - 1
Dealt Suited Cards 3.25 - 1
Dealt Pocket Aces 110 - 1
Dealt Pocket Kings 110 - 1
Dealt Ace - King 81.9 - 1
Dealt 1 Ace 5.7 - 1

Bluffing Strategy: Stealing Pots & Winning Big with Nothing

2006-10-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Bluffing is a necessary component in taking your poker game to the next level and making some serious $$$. If you sit around and wait to catch prime starting hands, you'll find yourself getting impatient and possibly on tilt. Being able to recognize a weak opponent(s) and pouncing in an effort to steal the pot can keep you earning even when you're not catching cards.

Bluffing is all about position relative to the button. When you're last to act, you have the luxury of making your play based on that of everyone else at the table. If you sense weakness at the table, you can take a stab at winning the pot regardless of whether or not you're holding any type of hand whatsoever. (Be careful not to fall into an opponent's trap.)

A semi-bluff is a safer play than the full bluff in that it affords a bit of flexibility in the case that your bluff is called. An example of this would be making a huge play on a flush draw whilst holding the appropriate Ace. Knowing that nobody has the nut flush might allow you to make a play suggesting that you in fact have it, perhaps forcing out a smaller flush that has already been made and beats your Ace high.

* Trapping: Creating More Action & More $$$ For Yourself
--------------------------------------------------------
Trapping is an important technique that can be used by a smart player to greatly increase the size of his/her winning pots. If you are far ahead in a hand, exercise patience so as to keep your opponent playing. A strong bet could force players out of a pot you are sure to win, preventing you from fully capitalizing on major hands.

Feign weakness, check-raise, make it difficult for your opponent to get away from a pot. The truth of the matter is that you want to get called sometimes, so you have to bet accordingly.

Trapping is a great way to generate a lot of action where there wouldn't necessarily have been any before. Trapping can be a slippery slope however. By attempting to trap your opponent by feigning weakness, you might actually allow him/her to catch a miracle card that ends up beating you.

* Learning to Fish
------------------
A fish is a bad poker player who tends to lose a lot of money. Good players are excited to find a fish at their table, and always sorry to see one go. Online poker rooms (such as Party Poker) offer players a buddy list / chat service through which to chat with fellow players. If you find a fish at one of your tables, you can add their username to your buddy list, and then be able to get an alert any time they log on and sit down. Although you can't get a listing of their table, they will more than likely be playing the same limits and you can simply perform a manual table search.

Using this method allows you to take advantage of online players whom you feel you have an edge over.

The Art of the Mind Game

2006-10-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

The ability to be an intimidating force at a table can help you bluff big pots by having the respect of your opponents.

A good way to get inside the head of your opponent is to show a big bluff. If you manage to bluff a big pot and take it down after your opponent has struggled with his decision, showing your bluff could have a lasting effect on your opponents' ability to play. Getting your opponents second guessing themselves is an invaluable aid when playing poker.

Some players like being able to talk to their opponents in an effort to rattle them. This is almost impossible online where it is quite easy to ignore your opponents' comments.

* Tilt: The costly effect of a lack of focus
--------------------------------------------
Everyone has bad beats. What separates a strong player from the rest of the pack, however, is an ability to remain focused on the moment and not thinking about a bad beat or a mistake. Losing focus can be very hazardous to your bankroll.

Steaming, on tilt, unglued, opened up, etc. all refer to a player whose poker play has been negatively affected by a lack of control of one's emotions. Poker players have a keen sense about when someone is on tilt, and look to take full advantage of it.

Even the best players are susceptible to becoming unglued. What do you do when it inevitably happens to you? TAKE A BREAK! If you lose your focus over a bad beat, get up, walk around, and take a few deep breaths. Let the action roll around a couple of times. The worst thing that will happen is that you lose a blind or two. If you continue to play whilst on tilt, you could find yourself going bust very quickly.

* Short stack psychology
------------------------
Just because you're the short stack, it doesn't mean that you have to be intimidated by other players. The key to playing on the short stack is having the patience to wait and pick your spot, and having the timing to choose your spot.

It is important that you don't rush to get your money in just because you're the short stack. Calculate how many times you can post the big blind before going bust. If you have less than 4 times the big blind, you should consider getting your money in the next time you are the big blind. There's nothing worse than blinding yourself broke. Pick a calculated spot and gamble.

New Player Free-Rolls

2006-10-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

Free-Roll tournaments provide online players with excellent tournament experience and can have some very worthwhile prizes. There are all types of free-roll tournaments that you can register for and play in online, one of which is referred to as a new player free-roll tournament. When you sign up for popular online poker services such as Paradise Poker, Empire Poker or Party Poker, they want you to get to experience all that the site has to offer. Most people tend to gravitate towards the low-limit cash games online, from which the poker services can generate revenue through a continual rake. Daily tournaments are also popular, however poker services would love for them to be even more popular due to the fact that they can generate a great deal more revenue in a shorter time frame.

As it is, a great many online players tend to find the tournament scene to be a little daunting. In order to side-step this problem, a number of the online poker services offer newly signed up players entrance into a free-roll tournament of some kind. Prizes in such tournaments can range from player points and cash to entrance into additional online poker tournaments or a seat at the real deal.
(Such as the WSOP main event)

* Daily Free-Rolls
------------------
Daily free-roll tournaments are a common feature found through most online poker services. UltimateBet.com is one of the heaviest advertisers on television and the Internet. With high profile players like Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke associated with their brand, their site sees a great deal of traffic everyday. Offering various types of poker games, UltimateBet.com tends to average anywhere from 3 - 8 free-roll tournaments everyday. For the most part, these free-roll tournaments have approximately 2,500 entrants and have player points as the prize.

Recently, UltimateBet.com did something a little bit different and ran a series of free-roll tournaments through which the winners would qualify for a live television tournament to be broadcast by FoxSportsNet. There were several levels through which the free-roll winners would have to survive, however, the first place prize was a staggering $200,000. Imagine winning $200,000 without having to invest a penny. Such an event is great publicity for a given poker service, and with the amount of money that these services are raking in annually, it is well worth the money/prizes that they have to pay out to the winners.

* Poker Point Free-Rolls
------------------------
Poker points, or player points, are accumulated through various types of activity within a given online poker service. A large number of free-roll tournaments don't offer monetary prizes or seats, they simply offer player poker points as the prize. Although this might not seem like much of a prize, accumulated poker points are good for many things, one of which includes qualifying for larger tournaments with fantastic prizes such as paid vacations, entrance into large tournaments and cash. Accumulating poker points also helps you acquire a ranking for certain online poker services through which you can also qualify for certain events. For the most part, poker point free-rolls are the most common type of free-roll tournaments around due to the fact that it doesn't cost the online poker service anything, but does offer a potential upside to the player.

* The Free-Roll Springboard
---------------------------
If you are an avid online poker player looking to get as much out of your service as possible, then you should play as many free-roll events as possible. It's free and it can give you a great deal of situational experience. Due to the fact that free-roll tournaments are free, there will be a large number of amateur players who are attracted to play, and so the early levels might bring some bad calls from players who end up getting lucky against you. This can be a difficult pill to swallow, but even if you lose, you had none of your money invested, and it's a learning experience for the next time. Play slow and survive, but capitalize when you can. As long as you continue to sign up and play, you will dramatically improve your online play ability and increase your chances of qualifying for serious events.

Although it might seem like a stretch, it is not outside the realm of possibility that at some point, the WSOP main event winner will have won his / her seat through a free-roll origin. The upside is incredible, log on to your favorite poker service today to test out their free-roll tournament options.

Interactive Poker Scenario Quiz

2006-10-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

You've learned a lot through PokerLetter up to this point and now its time to put that knowledge to the test. The following quiz is based on information that has been presented throughout PokerLetter. Let's see how much you've learned. (Answers appear at the bottom)

QUESTIONS
---------
1.) You're on the button with 10d - 10h. The pot is raised 3x the big blind in front of you. You are short stacked with 10x the big blind in chips. You should:

A. Muck your cards
B. Call the raise
C. Double the raise
D. Push all - in

2.) You're heads-up in a tournament. You have 4x as many chips as your opponent in the big blind. Your opponent limps in and you look down at Ad - Ah. You should:

A. Check your option
B. Make a large raise
C. Make a callable raise

3.) In a 7-player game, everyone folds to you in the small blind. You look down at Js - 10s & raise 3x the big blind. The big blind calls quickly & the flop comes 9h - 8s - As. You bet 9x the big blind and your opponent comes over-the-top, all-in. The call would require an additional 12x the big blind in chips on your part.

The call is the smart play. TRUE or FALSE?

4.) You hold As - 7h in the big blind. The pot is raised and then re-raised to 12x the big blind before reaching you. You are the shorts tack with 20x the big blind in chips. You should:

A. Muck your cards
B. Call the raise
C. Re-raise all-in

5.) You hold 10h - 8h in the big blind. Both the dealer & the small blind call & you check. The flop comes 10d - Ah - 7h. The dealer immediately pushes all-in for 15x the big blind & the small blind folds. You have 40x the big blind in chips.

The call is the smart play. TRUE or FALSE?

6.) You are in early position in a tournament with 8 players remaining. It is folded to you and you look down to see 6h - 6s. You are the short stack with 12x the big blind. You should:

A. Call the big blind
B. Muck your cards
C. Raise
D. Push All-in

7.) You are on the button and look down at Kh - Kd. Three players ahead of you limp-in and you raise to 3x the big blind. Two players call and the flop comes 10s - 4h - Ah. The first player bets 6x the big blind and the second player calls. You should:

A. Call the bet
B. Muck your cards
C. Re-raise
D. Push all-in

8.) You are on the button with Qh - Qs. Two players ahead of you limp-in and you raise to 6x the big blind. The big blind calls your raise and everyone else folds. The flop comes Qd - 10d - 5d and your opponent checks. You should:

A. Push all-in
B. Make a substantial raise
C. Check
D. Make a small raise

9.) You are the chip leader in a tournament with 4 players remaining. Looking down at Ah - Jh, you raise to 6x the big blind. Everyone folds except for the big blind who re-raises all-in for an additional 10x the big blind. You therefore have to call 10x the big blind to win 22x the big blind.

The call is the smart play. TRUE or FALSE?

10.) You are playing heads-up against the chip leader at the final table of a tournament. Your opponent raised from the button and you called with 9d - 10d. The flop comes 7s - 8d - Jh. You should:

A. Check to your opponent
B. Push all - in
C. Make a small raise

11.) Following the previously mentioned scenario from question 10.), you check and your opponent bets the pot (Roughly 1/15 of your chip stack). You should:

A. Muck your cards
B. Call the raise
C. Make a small raise
D. Push all-in

12.) Rank the following starting hands from best to worst:

Kh - Ks
Ah - Kh
As - Ad
Qh - Jh
Jd - Jh
As - Kd
Ah - Qh
5s - 6s
8h - 8d

13.) In poker, the term "on-tilt" refers to which of the following:

A. Being on a hot streak
B. Being on a lucky streak
C. Playing like an intelligent player
D. Playing frustrated and carelessly

ANSWERS
-------
1.) D. Not only are you short stacked, but you're facing a raise. Your re-raise is large enough to force all mediocre hands out. More often than not you will go head to head with the initial raiser.

2.) C. Pocket Aces is a monster hand at any time, never mind heads up. The goal here is to keep your opponent involved whilst making it easier for you to get a read on his two cards. You don't want to force him out, but then again, you don't want him to see a flop for free.

3.) TRUE. You are 4-to-the-flush and have an inside-out straight draw. In all, you have 15 outs. You will therefore make your hand 1 out of 3 times. The pot total is 36x the big blind and you need to call 12x the big blind. The money and odds are right for you to make the call.

4.) A. Facing a raise and re-raise, your As - 6h is probably no good. With 20x times the big blind in chips remaining, you have time to choose a better place to get all your money in, even though you're the big blind. Don't overestimate your Ace.

5.) FALSE. You have middle pair and you're 4-to-the-flush, giving you about 14 outs. There is 18x the big blind in the pot and you would have to call 15x the big blind to play. The pot odds prevent the call from being a smart play. (Although this is not the smart play, many players with 40x the big blind in chips might want to gamble in this position. Keep in mind that it certainly is a gamble. You stand to win about 31% of the time.)

6.) D. There are 8 players remaining in the tournament and you are the short stack with a meager 9x the big blind in chips left. Professionals state that in order to win tournaments, you have to get lucky. At the very least, you might be able to steal the blinds. The worst case scenario is that you will get multiple callers. The fact is that even though you're not yet invested in the hand, you have to get your money in at a time when the other players at the table still have to ponder the call. If you allow yourself to get down to 3, 4 or 5x the big blind, it becomes an automatic call for some players. This is the right time to gamble.

7.) B. As difficult as it might be to fold your pocket Kings, sometimes it's simply the right thing to do. The chances are that at least one of your opponents has an Ace, and it's not outside the realm of possibility that one of them is sitting on a hand like A-10. It's important to recognize when you're beat.

8.) B. With 2 cards to come and no diamond in hand, that flop is scary for trips. The worst thing you could do is push all-in and fall into a made-hand's trap. Any flush beats you, so it's important to try and get some information from your opponent at this point whilst still demonstrating that you have a hand. By making a substantial raise, you make it difficult for your opponent to call on a small diamond draw. If your opponent calls, you have to hope that no more diamonds come on the turn or the river, but you always have the chance of pairing the board and having the nuts.

9.) TRUE. This is an easy call for the chip leader. The chip leader has the luxury in trying to take out opponents late in tournament play. Your Ah - Jh is only in really bad shape if your opponent has A - A, A - K or A - Q. The chances are it will be a coin-flip scenario that is well worth the 10x the big blind asking price.

10.) A. This is the perfect opportunity to try and trap your opponent. You have the nuts here with the J high straight. Perhaps your opponent didn't get a piece, or got a small piece of the flop. Give him the chance to try and catch up or bluff at the pot. If you play this type of hand right, you can still get all your money in, but as a call instead of a bet, ensuring that your opponent also gets his/her money in.

11.) B. Although you could probably squeeze a little more money out of your opponent with a small raise here, you are so far ahead of pretty much any hand your opponent might have that you can afford to simply call and feign weakness. This might allow you to win more money if you check the turn and again let your opponent fire at the pot.

12.) As - Ad, Kh - Ks, Ah - Kh, Ah - Qh, Jd - Jh, As - Kd, Qh - Jh, 8h - 8d, 5s - 6s.

13.) D. If you find yourself on tilt as we all do from time to time, take a break and let the frustration pass. Play the game one hand at a time because you can't change the past, you can only learn from it.

Q. Why do I suffer more 'bad beats' playing online poker than I do in a regular casino?

2006-10-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

A. Large numbers of online poker players feel this way. Due to the fact that online poker prohibits you from seeing your opponents, it makes it more difficult to get a read on their style of play. This can lead to you catching a larger number of bad beats. Online poker rooms are also rife with amateur players who feel more comfortable playing with the anonymity provided by online play. Because of this, you can find yourself suffering bad beats related to higher volumes of amateur players at the tables. Their bad call could cause your bad beat.

Q. I have a difficult time playing patiently online. What can I do to stay attentive?

A. Online poker can be a real grind. When you're sitting at a casino, there are a number of distractions to keep your attention in between moments of play. You can spend time watching your opponents and looking for "tells." When you play online, however, it can be more difficult to remain patient, especially if you see a run of bad cards that cause you to fold quite often. We suggest that you focus on raking 1 big pot every hour. Don't allow yourself to become impatient by listening to music, reading strategy information (such as your latest poker letter tips) Make sure that you won't be interrupted and plan on devoting a designated amount of time to attentive play. After a while, you can increase this length of time until you feel that you are attentive and in control without having to monitor your time of play. (Keep in mind that everyone gets rattled, and that by getting control of yourself, you can gain an edge on other impatient players at the table)

Q. There are so many poker rooms online to choose from. How do I know which is best?

A. There has been a surge in the number of online poker rooms available for play online and it can be difficult knowing where to play. Although there are a number of excellent sites, poker letter only chooses to associate itself with the very best. Party Poker and Titan Poker are two of the best online poker sites. They offer excellent bonuses and always have a large number of games going.

Pacific Poker is another PokerLetter favorite. Offering a variety of games and daily tournaments, it is no wonder that Pacific Poker is dubbed as the Premier Online Poker Room.

Q. I never seem to play Aces right. What can I do to win with a hand I should always win with?

A. Lots of players have a hard time playing with pocket Aces, especially online. The first thing to take into account is your position. You want a lot of action, but you don't want anyone to be able to catch a lucky flop, dominating your hand. For example, you are the big blind and you catch pocket Aces. A couple players call from early position and the button raises. You should simply call instead of re-raising. It is unlikely that all previous callers will call the dealer's raise, so there is no need to force anyone else out or give the dealer anymore information about your hand. For the same scenario, now assume that the dealer doesn't raise, but simply calls. For this scenario, you should raise the pot because you don't want anyone to be able to catch a lucky flop.

Make it clear that you are in a strong position, knowing that players who will have position on you after the flop will likely call you. The worst thing you can do with pocket Aces is scare action away.

Q. How do I know if I have a tell?

A. Anyone who has played poker has at one time been in the position of wondering whether or not they have any poker tells. Although online poker provides players with anonymity, it is still possible to have a tell sign that other players can pick up on. It is very important to keep notes on how you play certain hands in certain positions. If you allow yourself to fall into a formulaic style of play, you will be easily beaten time and time again. By taking the time to pay attention to your many actions on a given hand, you will be able to notice any tells that you might be giving off. Once you locate a tell, you can use it to your advantage. If a player has been capitalizing on said tell, you can get control of him/her by making them think what you want them to. Make them think you're weak when you're strong; strong when you're weak. This ability to play off your own tell has a limit, so make sure you capitalize on it while you can.

Q. How can I bluff successfully playing online poker?

2006-10-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

A. Bluffing online is without a doubt a more difficult task than bluffing at a casino table. When sitting at a table, a player who exudes confidence can bluff simply through controlled demeanor. When playing poker online, you lose this edge. Bluffing online is best done when in position. Being able to see how the players ahead of you react makes it easier for you to bluff. For example, a player ahead of you raises pre-flop. You have J-10 suited and make the call. The flop comes 7h-3s-8d. It is unlikely that your opponent will have hit on this flop, but he could be ahead of you with a better pre-flop hand. Take a stab at a pot like this and evaluate your opponent's reaction. Make a small raise that looks like you want a call. If he folds, you likely win with the worse hand. If he calls, you're setting yourself up for a larger bluff on the turn. If he re-raises, it might be a good time to get away from the hand.

The best way to bluff successfully online is by knowing the betting habits of your opponents. Take notes while you're playing so that you have an idea of what your opponent typically holds when making a certain type of play. Bluffing is an excellent poker strategy, but don't let it take over your game; the cards still matter in the end.

Q. How can I better prepare myself for online tournament play?

A. This is an incredibly popular question. The majority of online play revolves around low-level money games; however, online tournaments offer a serious upside as they can help you qualify for larger events with huge buy-ins. Keep in mind that players like Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker won their way into the World Series of Poker through online tournaments. Most online poker services offer daily free-roll tournaments. Although free tournaments tend to attract a lot of amateurs, they offer a great way for serious players to acclimate themselves to the style of play associated within online tournaments.

Q. I feel like I'm winning a lot of the time online, but I never seem to make money. What am I doing wrong?

A. It is common to win a lot of the time, but lose the occasional large pot. The result is that you feel like that you're not making money based on your level of success. This could be a result of your inability to leave the table when you're up. Try giving yourself a "profit floor." Tell yourself that if you get up by half your buy-in, you're going to log-out. If you stick to this plan, you can slowly teach yourself to quit when ahead. A number of solid poker players don't make the money they should because they simply play too much. Everyone has dry spells. The idea is to avoid as many as possible by playing somewhat strict poker.

Q. How do I know when the best online tournaments are being held?

A. Each online poker service offers a newsletter for members alerting them to important upcoming events. Get information well in advance for the biggest satellite tournaments. Learn about how you can enter to qualify for a seat at next years World Series of Poker Main Event. Learn about specials regarding deposit bonuses and friend referrals. We here at Poker Letter suggest that you set up a free Yahoo or Hotmail email address specifically for poker news. This way you can get all the information that you're looking for regarding upcoming online poker events, without having to clutter up your email account.

When to Raise All-In

2006-10-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting parts of a No Limit Texas Hold'em poker game is the option to announce those three little words that many times completely affects the outcome of the game: I'm all-in. What this announcement means is you are betting all of your chips on that hand. The result may either be a big gain or a major loss. There are many factors to think about before you raise all-in.

At any point in the game, you may decide to raise all-in and push all of your chips into the pot. You may do this because you think you have the best hand or because you are on a bluff and feel that an all-in is the way to scare off the other opponent. You must be careful, because if you act at the wrong time and your opponent has a hand or if they are pot committed they may call you and you will risk all of your chips on a bad hand.

The other player is pot committed when they have either the majority of their chips in the pot or odds are in their favor to call your all-in bet. It would be almost wrong for them to fold at this point, because of the amount of chips they have put into the pot. Bluffing at someone that is pot committed would be a bad idea, because they will most likely call you.

If you are holding the nuts (the best possible hand), you shouldn't lay the hand down. It is the nuts; it is unbeatable at the current state of the game. Remember, though, a hand can be the nuts pre-flop, and then not be the nuts after the flop. It can be the nuts on the flop, and not be the nuts on fourth street. Every card can change the outcome of the game. For example: If you are holding pocket aces pre flop, you have the nuts. If your opponent is holding pocket queens, though, and the flop comes 4-Q-7, they now have the nuts. If fourth street is an ace, you now have the nuts again. It can change back and forth based on every card that falls.

If you do have the nuts and you want to get another player involved into a pot, you can check, therefore offering them free cards. You must be careful, though, that they don't catch too many cards and beat your hand. You should only slow play (not bet the strength of your hand) when you have the nuts. This way you don't get trapped and beat by a better hand.

If you are playing a weak hand, you must decide how you want to play it. You can catch a hand sometimes with a weak starting hand (72, and catch 2 pair on a flop). You can also use a weak hand to mix up your play. If it comes down to showing your hand, it will allow the table to see that they never know what you could be holding. You can bluff big with a weak hand, and try to scare others out of the pot. If your hand does not develop, though, and others do not back down to your big bets, you must fold, to avoid losing any more chips.

There are always questions about pocket pairs, and how you should bet them. If you are holding a small to medium pocket pair there are many factors you must evaluate. What position you are in (sitting at the table)? Has someone else already raised the pot? If it hasn't been raised and re-raised, and you are in a later position, I would suggest getting in to see the flop and hope to hit a set. A percentage example would be: you are holding a low pocket pair, and you go all-in before the flop. Your opponent calls with an AK suited. The percentage of each hand winning pre-flop would be 52/48. What this means is that the low pocket pair starts out with a slight advantage over the two over cards. However, these percentages will change quickly after the flop.

Whether bluffing or holding the nuts, go all-in and keep the game exciting. Make sure, though, to know all the facts before you risk all of your chips and tournament life. An all-in can make you or break you!

Cash Games Versus Tournaments - How to Choose

2006-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

There are two main options when deciding to play poker: tournaments or cash games. There are pros and cons to each and you should know the facts in order to decide which is best for you.

A big difference in tournament play is that you know the amount you have to gamble and you know the amount you are going to win. If the buy in is $100, you know that is all you have to risk to win the prize pool. In cash games your expenses can be immeasurable. On the flip side, you can catch a bad beat in a tournament by a bad player and not be able to regain your money lost, whereas in a cash game you can earn it back later by taking advantage of lesser players.

Luck in poker is a very important part to winning. Yes, you definitely need the skill, but to win a large event you have to have the luck. With Internet sites giving away seats to big events daily, the quality of the player has changed. World Poker Tour winner Ron Rose explains, "Some of the fresher players are playing some hands that they shouldn't have been playing and they get lucky and they hit and they knock out a good player, so it's more difficult now to win and luck plays more of a factor in the game because of the larger field."

A lot of pros will say that skill shows more in cash games over the long run. "If you are a cash game player there is more consistency in winning those games then you would find in tournaments. You are just going to win more often. In tournaments you could go a long time without having a big score," says professional player and World Series of Poker bracelet winner Brett Jungblut. The reason why a lot of pros are playing tournaments is because of the media coverage and the added benefits from being a recognized player. Also, players are motivated by the enormous prize pools and, of course, the legacy of World Series bracelets.

Another advantage to cash games is that you have the time to really observe your opponents. Making a decision in poker should be based on your competition. You have to know who the aggressor is, and who the weaker players are. In cash games you can take the time to watch and figure out other players strategies. In tournaments you can be switched around at any point to another table after you had just figured out a read on your opponents.

If you feel that tournaments are for you then you should be sure to enter into ones that are within your bankroll. If you have developed a poker bankroll of $50 a month then you should be entering small tournaments with a buy in of $1. You shouldn't be risking more than two percent of your bankroll on one tournament. If you are playing cash games you can play online for $0.10/$0.20 or $0.50/$1.00.

As you build your bankroll then you can move up. That is an important part of poker. You must play within your means and as you earn more money you can move up to higher tournament buy in's and higher limits in cash games. Some pros have moved up quickly through limits, but wouldn't necessarily recommend it to beginners. Three time WPT Champion Gus Hansen admits that he moved to playing the largest cash game in the world sooner than he should have. "I moved up and down through limits a lot. If I won a lot I would move up, but then if I lost I would move back down. I have never been afraid to gamble."

In poker you should never have fear, but you should be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of what is at stake and what your possibilities of gain are. Based on all of that information you can decide whether tournaments or cash are best for you.

Aggressive Versus Conservative: Learning When to Play

2006-10-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

In poker you are pretty much playing one way or the other at the table, but you should be doing both, and at different times. Many pros have a reputation for being a specific type of player, but actually they are mixing up their play and making their opponent misread their image.

One of the most important elements of poker is position. You must make decisions based on where you are seated and where the button is. If you are seated right after the button, you are in early position. This is where you are most likely throwing away most hands. You do not want to get involved with a mediocre hand like A10 and then have someone raise big after you where you can't call.

If you are seated on the button, you can be mixing up your play more. Feel free to limp in or raise aggressively with mediocre hands. I like to raise on the button with Ax. Most people will fold, and if you get a caller you can usually raise them out after the flop because they think you are holding a big pair. Be careful not to do this too often because the better players know that the button is a good place to try and steal.

Another time to decide whether to play aggressive or conservative is dependent on your table. If you are seated with 5 aggressive players then you might want to slow down and play tight. Wait for a good hand and hopefully they will bet into you. It is very important to maximize your available profits to gain from weaker players.

If you are seated at a table with very conservative players you must play the role of the aggressor. You will make your money based off of raising them out of pots. You must be careful, though, that if a super conservative player makes a play for the pot they probably have something and it would be best to fold. A very important part of poker is knowing your opponents and recognizing their table image.

To take it a step further, you should be confusing your opponents on what your table image is. Make them think you are a super loose and aggressive player, then tighten up a bit and watch them raise you with nothing, when you have the nuts. Or vice versa, play very tight for awhile and then start getting involved in big pots and reraise. Even if they have a good hand, if they think of you as a very tight player, it is probable that they would lay down top pair or even two pair.

Another time to get aggressive is when you are the chip leader. You can use this to your advantage to push other players off pots. Raise before the flop and put the pressure on your opponents to make a decision if they want to get involved with a hand. You usually want to be conservative when you are the short stack because you can easily be called by a bigger stack or reraised all in. Don't invest any chips into the pot unless you are prepared to go all the way with that hand.

In a tournament, on the bubble is also another good time to put pressure on your opponents. It is worth risking a few chips to steal blinds and antes. You must remember you are always playing for first, not just to make the money. A lot of other players don't think like this and they will tighten up when the money is approaching, just hoping to cash.

You must always recognize the best situations and times to get involved in the pot. If you don't have much money invested in the pot, it isn't worth it to risk a big amount of your stack just to try and outplay someone. Another important piece of advice is that you don't have to win every pot. Even if you are playing the role of the aggressor at the table, it is OK to fold to someone if they raise you big. This can also be helpful later when you have a hand, because people will think they can get you to fold by raising you out.

So just remember, get aggressive:

in later positions or on the button
with conservative players
when you are chip leader
on the bubble

Is the Money I have in Poker Sites safe?

2006-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Nothing is going to happen for the next 270 days - that's 9 months - because the board of governors and Federal Reserve System have to design an enforcement policy that will regulate the behavior of banks and credit cards, which we can surely tell you is going to be a nightmare. So, that means you'll be able to transfer your money like before within the next 9 months.

Since we're on the topic of your money, realize that the new bill now asks the banks to police a social issue which is certainly something the American Bankers Association does not want. Second, if the Federal Reserve wants to regulate banks, then they will have to include regulating hand written checks. Imagine the amount of manual labor it will take to physically inspect millions of checks to make sure they're not going to online gambling sites. Based on this fact alone, we probably will see players be able to mail a check to make deposits into their accounts.

The point is that these off-shore Gaming companies will always be able to legally circumvent US laws because the United States have so many laws that circumvent themselves.

* Can I still Play Online Poker?
-----------------------------------------
Of course you can still play online poker. The current law passed by the United States government does not make online gaming illegal. The new bill makes it more difficult to get money into a site by making it illegal for financial institutions located within the United States to fund any type of online gambling site.

Simply put, the bill is called the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act." The main word here is "enforcement. This bill's purpose is to enforce laws which are already in place. Therefore, the language of the statute confirms that the new law does not change any of the existing gaming law.

* What are the Existing Online Gambling Laws?
-----------------------------------------
The main law that gets thrown around when discussing the legality of online poker is the Wire Act of 1961, which was created specifically for sports betting. Being that online poker is a totally different game from sports betting, some politicians have been trying to use the Wire Act of 1961 to claim that online poker is illegal. Since online poker has been around for 10 years and there has never been a case brought up by the Attorney General, it just reinforces the fact that the Wire Act of 1961 is not enough to make online poker illegal. The only thing the US goverment can do is to create another law similar to the Wire Act that targets online poker specifically.

Another key point is the topic of jurisdiction, which is the main reason the United States government cannot stop online poker. The United States has no jurisdiction to control companies based in other countries, so gaming sites operating offshore are not subject to any US Laws. In the legal world, a law that tries to control an offshore company is considered a law with no teeth. Companies such as NetTeller and BoDog have been able to survive this recent bill because they understand the jurisdiction laws.

Winners vs. Losers

2006-10-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

In traditional sports activities where accuracy can depend highly on muscle, memory players can adjust their moves to train their muscles to come up with that winning shot. Clearly, however, in a poker game there is no muscle to memorize. You will be counting on your mathematical memory (no pun intended) to come up with that winning hand. But be forewarned; the right move will not always safeguard you from becoming unlucky. On the other hand the wrong move can still bring forth a lucky draw for you to take down the pot. This will get you to seriously question what separates the winners from the losers.

Let's say you're holding a 9,8 in your pocket hand and the flop is an A, 10, 7. There's $10 in the pot and the bet is up $8. Without hesitation, you ought to fold not only because you have a weak hand but also the pot odds are not in your favor.

For argument's sake, let's say you call anyway. Miraculously the turn is a 6 and the river is a harmless 2. You take down the pot with your straight but don't think for a second your starting call was a good call.

Winning on this lucky hand doesn't make you a winner. And you should learn to take your focus away from the results whether in prize money, awards, accolades, etc. that could condition you into making illogical moves in the future. Realize that in the long run, moves like this will lose you money.

In another example, let's take your same pocket hand matched with a flop of J, 5, 7. There's $10 in the pot and somebody decides to go all-in for $5. Everyone else folds but you decide to call again. The turn is a J and the river is a 7. Your opponent shows an A,J and you're screeching in your mind "So close! Sooo close..." while you painfully watch him take down the pot. But do not to be discouraged, young grasshopper!

You'll be feeling the sting from that loss, but you had actually made the right decision. You had only contributed 25% ($5 out of a $20) to the total pot and you had also mathematically calculated a 1 in 3 chance of hitting that straight. This time the pot odds were in your favor and to call was to have made a good move.

Sure, winning at the poker table is your ultimate goal but learn to discern these words carefully. You do not want to be tunnel-visioned towards looking for a winning result at every given hand. That will get you cross-eyed. You want to "keep your eyes on the prize," which means to look at the big picture or the long run and not at some fundamentalist literal prize. The level you are capable of seeing each aspect of the game including the "unknown" role of luck which make up that big picture determines how effective you are as a player. Besides, luck often evens out at the end anyway. And losers don't actually know how they won but they sure know how to brag or pretend like they knew about it. Big wins usually aren't determined by one sweeping hand. Many little moves and their journeys toward a climactic position will eventually get you to land that big take down. Don't just play to win. Win over each and every play. And that will make you a winner in the long run.

Texas Hold'em Breaking News . . . . .

2006-10-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

DOUBLE YOUR BETS

The Milwaukee's Best Light Texas Hold'em Challenge Has featured some incredible poker. Across the nation, Poker Players are trying to realize a poker dream...

Win at $10,000 Seat into the 2007 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, NV

On Sunday, October 15th, 2006 the top 500 weekly players competed in intense poker action as they battled for the 5th of 7 Weekly Championships. Little did they know, Poker History was about to be made...

Rivaling Dan Harrington's Back to Back Final table appearances at the 2003 and 2004 World Series of Poker, The Orbentz twins, claimed their own little piece of poker history.

Evan Obrentz (a.k.a. studeo)
MBL's Week 5 Grand Prize Winner
10/15/06
David Obrentz (a.k.a. doublemeup)
MBL's Week 5 Grand Prize Winner
10/8/06

IN THE BEGINNING

"I'll always remember my twin brother's first words: 'I'm all in'. I responded by saying 'I call'. I was born first. And when it comes to poker I will also be first. Sure, Dave has superb poker instincts... it's just that mine are better. In Vegas, he'll find that out..."
"I've been playing poker since I was about six years old. I'm pretty sure that being an identical twin meant that we had some wild poker games in the womb. At least that's he rumor going around the family."

PHILOSOPY

"I play a relatively tight game. Poker is definitely a game of patience. I see players self destruct all the time... I try not to be too transparent and vary my game strategy as I go along." "As a former poker dealer, I prefer playing and am always looking for a game on line or at a poker room. I found out about Milwaukee Best Light's promotion when I read about it online. It's a good thing for both my brother and me that I saw it."

PLACE YOUR BETS

"I had a slight chip lead going into the final table. I took a bad beat and was suddenly the short stack. From there, I battled on and fortunately, when I was in the big blind with a short stack, the cards turned back my way."

"I do want to thank Dave for being such a great coach, mentor and inspiration to my game." "My Sunday tournament was mostly a blur. I just tried to make fewer mistakes than the other players. I was dealt King-jack on the final hand and had my opponent dominated. He paired the flop with 9's and tossed in his remaining chips. The turn produced a Queen and put me on a straight draw. Then, when the Ten of Clubs hit the river, I knew it was over. Three hours and 45 minutes it took. WOW."

VEGAS OR BUST

"We enjoy a lot of the same things... foods, games, even girlfriends in the past. There are lots of psychic moments and gut feelings that we have... even at the poker table."
"Now it's on to Vegas and a shot at what any decent poker player dreams of. Thank you Milwaukee's Best Light."

FLASH FORWARD -- 2007 WSOP FINAL TABLE???

"When we were young, mom used to have us wear different colored sneakers so people could tell us apart." "So, next year at the Final table of the WSOP, look for Evan in red sneakers and I'll be wearing the blue ones!"

Twin brothers defy all odds when both win $10,000 WSOP Seats in Milwaukee's Best Light National Poker promotion. Now, it's your turn to create your own poker history. Two Seats remain. You've got to play to win.

Login now at: http://poker.milbestlight.com

Good luck and hope to see you at the 2007 World Series of Poker.

The Milwaukee's Best Light Poker Team

No purchase necessary. To participate and to receive Poker Point to play without making a purchase, log on to www.milbestlight.com. Due to state law, Texas residents only can also obtain official additional points codes on special displays at participating retailers or may use "Texans" as an official code to receive additional Poker Points. Open only to residents of the 50 U.S. (except CA and IL residents) & D.C., 21 or older. Void in CA, IL and where prohibited. The first weekly tournament starts 9:00 AM (ET) on 9/10/06 and the final weekly tournament ends 6:00 AM (ET) on 10/29/06. Specially-marked packages available until, on or about 9/01/06 or while supplies last. See Official Rules for details.
To ensure delivery of your Milwaukee's Best Light e-mails, please add MilwaukeesBest@milbestlight.messages2.com to your Address Book or Safe Senders List. Copy and paste the link below into your browser for step-by-step instructions. http://www.millerbeer.com/Safe_Sender/Safe_Sender2_home.htm
©2006 Miller Brewing Company
3939 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53208
Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions

Limit Hold'em vs. No Limit Hold'em

2006-10-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

LEARN HOW TO PLAY LIMIT HOLD'EM

There are so many different forms of poker: no limit, Omaha, seven card stud, razz. The list goes on and on. One great game for beginners is limit hold'em. There are many differences between limit and no limit hold'em and before you play you must learn what they are.

In limit hold'em you are trying to get the biggest value out of a hand as you can. In no limit you have to be careful while doing this because you are always playing for all of your chips. "I'm going to play a highly positioned game, so towards the button play more hands, pretty basic stuff. You are going to play big cards, just be very patient and try to take advantage of players you think are weaker. Before the flop make bets to punish them by raising and play well from there," explains limit hold'em champion Erick Lindgren.

You have to mix up your game. If you are playing at a loose table and you know that people are going to call you should be raising with all pairs. If it is really tight you should be raising with low to mid pairs. If you are playing at a pretty even game it can be a good idea to just see the flop and how to hit a set.

Another big difference between limit hold'em and no limit is the amount of the flop that you play in limit. "Limit is for flop players because you see way more flops then no limit," says Amir Vahedi. "In limit hold'em, preflop pretty much doesn't exist. You have to have a game strategy; you have to know when you want to take the pot, when you want to fire back at the person. You have to have a game plan before you even get into any flop. You can't just go into it thinking you'll just see what happens. You have to know exactly what you are trying to represent, what you have, you have to have an idea about the other person's hand, and once you get on the flop you must be able to represent different hands, if you have to. You have to adjust and be changing gears while the hand is going on. You have to be an excellent flop player if you want to do some damage in limit."

There isn't too much slowplaying in limit hold'em. You are usually trying to build a pot to maximize your profits. If you think you are ahead in the hand you should be trying to get chips into the pot. "If you have an AQ and you hit a Q on the flop you should probably go ahead and bet it, typically. That hand should be raised before the flop just to continue with the lead. Unless you think you can be sneaky and the player behind you is aggressive, then maybe you can check and check raise. Basically you are going to bet your hand a lot," Lindgren explains.

Limit hold'em specialist Annie Duke expresses the importance of playing a tight aggressive game. "Limit hold'em is a very tight game and I the way you win at this game is by understanding that you are supposed to play relatively tight, but you are supposed to apply a lot of pressure to your opponent." You want people to be scared to play pots with you because of your aggressive style. You must have the patience to wait for a good hand, and then play it aggressively. Limit hold'em takes a lot of patience.

Duke also stresses the importance of knowing when to get away from a hand. "You don't have to win every pot that you play. That is one of the biggest mistakes that people make, and it is under discussed. If you miss the board you are allowed to fold. You don't have to try to win every pot, sometimes you are allowed to give up. People think they have money in the pot and they have to recover it, but actually that money isn't yours anymore, it's in the pot, it doesn't belong to you. You don't have to defend every pot, you are allowed to fold."

So remember when playing limit hold'em that you must be patient and play a tight, but aggressive game. Intimidate the other players and make them fear getting involved in a pot with you. Learn to be a good flop player and know where you are in the hand at moments. Limit is a great game and can be very profitable for a player that really understands and strives to learn the game. You can perfect your game playing online for as little as 10/20 cents or as high as 300/600 dollars. Start small and work your way up to becoming a winning player.

Overcoming Luck and Beating the Odds

2006-10-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Luck is a huge factor in poker. Just to win a major event these days you must get lucky more times than you can count. You are going to have to win every race that you find yourself in. Skill is important, but you must be sure to overcome the luck and beat the odds.

With a lot of the new internet players hitting the felt, hand expectations have dropped. There are many players playing hands with marginal consequences. Because of this the luck factor in poker has increased. Even if you are going into an all in situation with the best of it, worse players are calling and sucking out. Even though it is impossible to avoid this, there are ways to keep the skill high and the reliance on luck lower.

Make sure you are playing the right hands. You shouldn't be getting involved with a marginal hand against an aggressive player. If you know you are going to get called, you shouldn't be wasting your chips to try and bluff. Now, if you know your opponent is weaker you can mix up your game more and play different types of hands. It is all about reading your opponent to decide where you stand in a hand.

Try not to go into any situation with the worst of it. Try to stay away from drawing situations, and don't get all your chips in the pot if you don't think you are ahead in the hand. If you are going into hands with the better percentage of winning then you don't have to rely on luck as much to help you win. You do, though, hope to avoid bad luck where the person sucks out on you! You shouldn't necessarily hope for good luck in a tournament, but hope that bad luck stays away. If you always play with the best of it then you won't need good luck.

If someone does suck out on you and you are still in the tournament you must make sure you avoid letting it get to you. You have to realize that this hand is done and you have to move on to the next one. If you are mad about something that happened at the table, you should never let your opponents know, because they will try to take advantage of that. You should act as if whatever happened didn't bother you a bit, and know that if they sucked out on you they may not be as good as you and you will be able to get your chips back from them later.

There is so much poker advice out there, but in general you should be playing tight but aggressive. You should have an idea of everyone's playing style at your table. Play the looser players tighter and the tighter players looser. Mix up your game and be sure never to get all of your chips involved when you have the worst of it. If you do this then you won't have to rely on luck, and you will find yourself beating the odds and hopefully becoming the next World Series of Poker Main Event Champion.

Poker Accessories - What Really Works?

2006-10-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Every poker player has their own method of how they win at the game. Some players enjoy getting massages, some like to drink while they play. There is another group that feels that sunglasses, hats and ipods are their tickets to success. Are all of the accessories really helpful, though? Poker's top professionals weigh in with their opinions on the shades, hoods, and the tunes.

"I guess hats and sunglasses have to help a little bit. When Phil Laak pulls his hood up you can't see any part of him. It's a little harder to read him, but I don't think they help that much, no. The person still has to put the chips in the pot and move." Layne Flack explains. "I think that a good player is able to be calm and not give anything away. The goal of a poker player is to be able to hide in their mind. What you should work on is to be able to be calm and not give anything away. If you are trying to use other things to help you, then that's kind of like using a crutch. If someone gets used to hiding with their glasses and you take them away they are going to feel naked or like they cant do it and they need the glasses to help them, but really, how much can a pair of sunglasses help you in a poker game. It's just a pair of sunglasses."

David Williams feels that in wearing sunglasses a lot of players are afraid. "I don't really wear sunglasses or low hats. I wear glasses now for style, but sometimes I won't wear them. I don't try to hide anything. Ill take them off in pots, because I feel the information you are trying to gather is more important than what you are trying to cover up. People can't really get that much from you, unless you are just shaking and trembling. But at this level you should be able to control that."

Williams isn't really concerned about people looking into his eyes because of his stoic presence. "I don't really care about hiding my eyes. I don't think anyone's looked in my eyes. I've been told by people who watch on TV that I kind of look the same no matter what I have. I try to do things to trick people, and get people to call when I don't have a hand. I try and act nervous sometimes when I do. Because of that, you never know if it's true. Throw a loop somewhere so people are totally confused,and really can't get anything from that."

Dan Harrington disagrees with Flack and Williams feeling that glasses hide where a player is looking. "If I'm looking over there and looking at someone's hand, someone can tell that I'm doing that and that could hurt me if I'm trying to acquire information. I wear a hat because I'm comfortable with a hat, and it also shades you from the glare. It also could help in masking a tell.

When it comes to the tunes, Andy Bloch says, "Personally, I don't like to listen to headphones because I miss things." Harrington justifies keeping quiet and watching everything at the table. "If you're up talking and jumping around and doing different things then your not paying attention to what's happening at the table and you will be behind on the information game and that has to hurt you in the long run."

Esfandiari finds that listening to music helps him at the table. "I like to listen to my ipod when I play tournaments. It keeps me calm." John Phan agrees because it can help you avoid aggressive table talk that could possibly lead you to tilt. "A lot of people have their Ipod on so they can ignore whatever other people say and whatever goes on around them." He does stress, though, the importance of paying attention to everything going on around you. "Sometimes music can take you away from the game a little bit. Pay attention to all your players, what they do. Without it, it is a lot better sometimes. It just depends. The noise from all the bad beat players, it helps a little bit."

Deciding whether to wear a hat, sunglasses or play your ipod really depends on how it affects you in your own way. When playing online you don't have to worry as much about these things. Luckily, your opponents can't see your face so you don't have to cover your eyes or your head. Once you perfect your game online and decide to take the plunge to playing live, you should try out different things and see how much your game changes. If you are finding success when you cover your eyes then glasses may be the best route for you. If listening to tunes keeps you calm then play that music. Just make sure you are keeping focused on everything that is going on around you. You wouldn't want to miss out on some important information another player is giving away for free!

* New Player Free-Rolls

2006-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Poker Strategy - Master Beginner

2006-10-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes players forget about important poker basics. So, at the request of some of our subscribers, we are offering a refresher course on a few essential poker strategies.

As you embark upon your new career in poker (okay, maybe you're just playing for kicks), you will want to have some basic stepts down before you start getting into the fun stuff like trying to psych-out your opponents. To sit at the table with the pro's requires deep pockets, complex considerations, and other betting techniques. However you will most likely be playing at the fixed-limit or lower-limit games. Your primary goal should be to know how to master the game and to manage your money rather than to be stressed over who's sitting next to or across from you.

In most cases, beginner players are not going to be calculating the cards and the combination possibilities in your pocket hands. They are worried more about the cards that they have got and likewise so should you. Play tight and stay consistent to a strategy that will straighten your learning curve in no time. Do not worry about beating other players just yet. Focus on beating the odds of the game.

First let's determine which of your pocket hands are good from bad.

* Hands You Will Want To Raise
------------------------------
These hands are the "cream of the crop" giving you the signal to load up the pot before the flop:

AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, AK, AQ

* Hands You Ought To Call
-------------------------
You should wait to see the flop before you decide to raise or to fold. However you do not want to call more than twice since you will blatantly reveal your position to others that you are unsure of your cards and that you are relying merely on luck to win the game. (Remember you want to beat the odds)

AJ, A"x" (if of same suit), KQ, KJ, QJ, JT, T9 (if of same suit), 99, 88, 77

If you get anything lower you can fold if you would like. However always keep in mind the pot odds in relation to the chips that you have thrown in. You want to ensure that the pot gains are larger in amount and in your favor to return the bets that you have made - smaller bets for larger returns. Also small $2 raises aren't going to make anybody shriek "Mercy!" at the lower limits, but it does show you who is playing right versus those who are playing outright foolishness at the end when everybody reveals their cards. This strategy may not always apply when you're playing with good players but it gives you the discipline to keep an eye out on your money every time you sit at the table.

Learn to master the odds of winning using your opening hand. Bet aggressively and employ pot odds when the flops turn in your favor. Lay low or fold when you have weak hands since psychological aspects of the game such as talking smack or "lucky" oranges are not relevant to you as a new player. Deal with what you've got first, while the rest will depend on what comes to you.

The Mind, Heart, & Soul of a Poker Pro

2006-10-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

It is a common thought that poker pro's play tightly and aggressively. And although they don't play many hands, when they do play them, they play as if they had all the nuts. This is a nicely cooked-up saying and all, but it is for those who really don't know how to play and who just want to sound smart, like they've been there and done that. Case in point: It doesn't necessarily apply to no-limit games where a good, loose yet aggressive player can throw you off your game in a heartbeat. Therefore I ought to shed a triune light on what it really means to be a tight and aggressive poker player.

* Think Like A Pro: Do The Math
-------------------------------
Generally speaking, you will have about a 1 in 8 chance of holding a set in your pocket pair while you will have roughly a 1 in 3 chance of attaining a flopped flush draw by the river.

Likewise know your "outs" that give a percentage shot at hitting. (Count the outs, multiply them by two, and add one to give you an idea the likelihood of hitting.)

However, knowing your "outs" to calculate hitting percentages are useless unless you match them with the pot odds; your percentage chances of hitting should be no less than the amount you have betted in proportion to the total pot at the river. (Simply divide the size of what you speculate will be the pot at the river flop by the amount you have put in.) Having come up with a 25% chance of hitting/winning by counting your outs, and the bet to you is 25, make sure that the pot at the river will be greater than 100 to call. If it isn't, cut your (potential and likely) losses and fold.

* Feel Like A Pro: Psychological Skills
---------------------------------------
The latter part of the saying "keep your friends close, hold your enemies closer" is true of any competition. A poker pro is always on the hunt to get a good feel on what his opponent is trying to do.

- What does my opponent have?
- What does my opponent think I have?
- What does my opponent think I think he has? And so on.

Contrary to what you may think, the mindset of poker pro's is not about obliterating their enemies into utter and complete destruction. Often, it is a battle to use your opponents simply to discover your own strengths and weaknesses on equal footing with keeping your ego in check. Developing an understanding that you must empathize with your opponents helps you to answer the previous questions and empowers you to manipulate those answers, putting you at a superior level of game play.

If you have KK and your opponent has AA, and you both know what each other have, why play the game of poker? You have other tools such as bluffing, slowplaying, or fastplaying. Use your acting skills to complement your math skills and tip your opponents off balance.

* Be a Pro: Discipline, Discipline, Discipline
----------------------------------------------
Good poker players are consistent in their demand to seek advantages. A fish looks to get lucky, whereas a poker pro expects to win.

However, discipline is not to be confused with stubbornness. If a particular strategy is no longer working a poker pro will know how and when to change. A high level of alertness will clue him in as to whether he's on tilt or just being too cocky. If a mistake has been made, he will learn from it and move on.

Fundamentally, these three skills can be encapsulated into one word: awareness. Like in school you should be able to learn how to read by knowing your mathematical odds, write by manipulating your opponent's mindset, and finally to think for yourself when new or otherwise unknown situations arise. Once you grasp this triple-threat concept, success should be knocking at your doorstep.

Cardroom Poker

2006-07-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

The visit to a cardroom is a must for any serious poker player. It is the chance to escape your circle of regulars and wage psychological warfare (or simply partake in some old-fashioned social interaction) with a diverse cast of characters.

Gaming Corrupts - Thimas Jefferson

2006-07-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Gaming corrupts our disposition and teaches us a habit of hostility against all mankind.

-Thimas Jefferson

Hollywood Poker is Giving Back 200% to 500%

2006-06-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Join Now, Play for "FUN" or Play for "REAL"!

WOW is "Hollywood Poker" Crazy.....

Never before offered "A full 200% to 500% bonus"

Nobody can beat this!

Limited Time Bonus Exclusive. From now until June 30, get cash back on your first deposit, plus, exchange your points for great merchandise. Click below for more details to decide which bonus is right for you. Be sure to use the correct bonus code when making your deposit.

Bonus Code: JUNE300
200% match bonus, up to $300 free. This bonus is released, and you have 30 days to clear.

Bonus Code: JUNE500
500% match bonus, up to $500 free. This bonus is released, and you have 30 days to clear.

Bonus Code: JUNE1000
500% match bonus, up to $1000 free. This bonus is released, and you have a "whopping" 60 days to clear.

Exclusive Deposit Bonus Offer!

500% Deposit Bonus Up to $1000

	Hollywood Poker’s most generous deposit bonus ever has arrived. This bonus features a 500% deposit match up to $1000 and it only takes 15 Poker Points per $1, for 60 days to clear.
Maximized Bonus: For a limited time only, make the maximum deposit of $200, clear the 15,000 Poker Points and not only will you earn $1000 cash, but you can exchange those 15,000 Poker Points for your very own Apple IPOD Nano! Be sure to take advantage of this offer within 30 days of clearing your bonus.

500% Deposit Bonus Up to $500

	Hollywood Poker’s most generous deposit bonus ever has arrived. This bonus features a 500% deposit match up to $500 and it only takes 12 Poker Points per $1, for 30 days to clear.
Maximized Bonus: For a limited time only, make the maximum deposit of $100, clear the 6,000 Poker Points and not only will you earn $500 cash, but you can exchange those 6,000 Poker Points for your very own Apple IPOD Shuffle! Be sure to take advantage of this offer within 30 days of clearing your bonus.

200% Deposit Bonus Up to $300

	Hollywood Poker’s most generous deposit bonus ever has arrived. This bonus features a 200% deposit match up to $300 and it only takes 7 Poker Points per $1, for 30 days to clear.
Maximized Bonus: For a limited time only, make the maximum deposit of $150, clear the 2,100 Poker Points and not only will you earn $300 cash, but you can exchange those 2,100 Poker Points for your very own Hollywood Poker USB Drive! Be sure to take advantage of this offer within 30 days of clearing your bonus.

2006-05-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Chips provide an outlet for boredom: the chip trick. The basic riffle is a good place to start. Chip magicians who have achieved a certain degree of skill can deftly shuffle a stack using only their fingers, run a solitary chip along the back of their hands, or bounce one on the table with enough torque to make it return to the top of their stack.

Play Poker With Famous Celebrities

2006-05-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Poker gives you a chance to chat and play poker with your favorite celebrities. Featured online poker tournaments including Celebrity Poker Night and Hollywood Poker Celebrity Classic allow online poker players the chance to play poker with celebrities online. Come play online poker now with celebrities James Woods and Vince Van Patten at Hollywood Poker. "Click Here and play poker with a Star"

A list of Most Frequent Celebrities online!

Kirk Acevedo - Ant - Lana Antonova - Yancey Arias
Jonathan Baker - Susan Blakely - Matt Borlenghi
Tim Busfield - Gary Carter - Stephen Collins
Joe Cortese - Ronny Cox - Eileen Davidson
Michael DeLorenzo - Anthony Denison - Lenny Dykstra
Tom Everett Scott - Jon Favreau - Willie Garson
Pamela Gidley - Jessalyn Gilsig - Bob Goen
Nicholas Gonzalez - Dule Hill - Andrew Hill Newman
Kane Hodder - Ken Howard - Michael Ian Black
Kato Kaelin - Jon Kelley - Michael Kelly - Jon Landau
Samm Levine - Meat Loaf - Josh Malina - Tom McGowan
Paul McCrane - Seth Meyers - Kevin Nealon - Paul Wesley
John O'Hurley - Erik Palladino - Neil Patrick Harris
Dennis Quaid - Mimi Rogers - Brad Sherwood
Bill Smitrovich - Nicole Sullivan - Dick Van Patten
Jimmy Van Patten - Donnie Wahlberg - Kelly Hu
Norby Walters - Kelli Williams - Mena Suvari

Play Poker FREE, Join Online Now... Click here!

Flash Demo

2006-05-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Get Started, Play Texas Hold'em Poker Online Now!

Get Started, Play Texas Hold'em Poker Online Now!

Winners and Losers - Nick "The Greek" Dandalos

2006-05-20T00:55:00.000-07:00

The only difference between a winner and a loser is character.

-Nick "The Greek" Dandalos

Antonio Esfandiari Confesses About Drinking

2006-05-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

Most top poker players avoid drinking while they play-unless there's an angle to be exploited. "If there's a pigeon who only starts drinking if someone else starts drinking," confesses Antonio Esfandiari, "I'll start drinking with them. And as they get drunk . . ."

MY Money Out There - Amir Vahedi

2006-05-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

When I have to put my money out there, my money's out there. Everybody knows that. . . . So if you want to mess with me, it's going to cost you. . . . You have to be willing to die in order to live in these tournaments. . . . That's basically it.

-Amir Vahedi

Game Selection

2006-05-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

Any time there are multiple open seats at a table when you arrive, take a few minutes to figure out which will be the most profitable. Your win rate depends on it.

Game Selection

2006-05-16T00:12:00.000-07:00

Look at what would happen with the tight rocks on your right and the maniac on your left. Every time you enter the pot, the maniac raises or reraises, while the rocks-who are no strangers to the isolation strategy-won't be afraid to reraise. Now it's you who will be facing a double raise, often out of position. Change your seat, even if it means getting up from the game!

Game Selection

2006-05-15T00:23:00.000-07:00

You generally want the hyperaggressive players on your right and the tight-ass rocks on your left. When the maniac comes into the pot, you will reraise and "isolate" him from the tight-ass rocks, who will likely fold to your double-sized bet. You'll play for pots heads-up, in superior position, and-assuming you're not a maniac yourself when it comes to hand selection-usually with a hand that's a favorite to win.

Texas Hold'em Poker Just Got Better!

What Kind of Player Are You?

2006-04-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

Tight-passive players are often called rocks, as it's about as easy to win money from them, so the expression goes, as it is to draw blood from a stone. The good news is that you really have to bend over backward to lose money to this type of player: When a rock bets, he or she can be counted on to have the goods.

Doyle Brunson a true Poker Legend

2006-04-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

WSOP champion in 1976 and 1977 Doyle Brunson is widely regarded by many as the best poker player of all time. He ties the all time WSOP bracelet list along with Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan with 9 bracelets each. Doyle Brunson proved that age is no factor in poker by winning the 2004 Legends of Poker World Poker Tour Event collecting $1,198,290 in what was the biggest ever WPT field at the time. He is regularly to be found at the Bellagio in Las Vegas playing High Stakes Poker with the best players in the game. Doyle Brunson wrote Super System which is regarded as the premier Poker book published and is a must read for all aspiring Poker players. Doyle, along with Gus Hansen and James Gardner were the first 3 players to be inducted into the WPT Poker Walk of Fame. There is a fascinating interview with Doyle Brunson conducted by WSOP media director Nolan Dalla, the best all round Doyle Brunson Gallery, and a fascinating article paying trubute to a Legend by Wendeen Eolis.

Doyle did go on to start his own poker site, You can visit here!

2006-04-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

Conventional wisdom dictates that a poker player should be prepared to lose about thirty big bets over the course of a typical session; that is, you might lose $120 in a $2/4 game. If your friends (or just you) are new to the game, you'll want to increase that estimate to thirty-five or forty big bets.

The Home Game

2006-04-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

Unless you're planning to host a tournament, you don't have to worry about too many chips denominations-you'll probably never need more than two colors. The exact number you'll need will vary depending on your stakes and the psychology of your players, but 50 to 100 chips per player will generally do the trick.

Texas Hold'em, and Poker Resource Center:

2006-04-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

Some of the sites I like..

Hollywood Poker Play for Real Money Online.

Noble Poker, Texas hold'em online.

Real Poker. Real Time. Real People.

9Poker Online Poker Room; Play Texas Hold'em.

Paradise Poker, Texas hold'em online.

"Affiliates Wanted"

The Fool - Abraham Lincoln

2006-04-08T00:08:00.000-07:00

It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all the time.

-Abraham Lincoln