Using Online Poker Tools Correctly

April 19, 2007 at 7:30 am · Filed under Online Gambling, Online Poker

Booking steady profits playing online poker comes from staying focused on profitable activities and avoiding unprofitable ones, exactly like in business. That really is the secret to success in either venture – keeping your focus and using your time wisely. Fortunately, online poker rooms provide you with all the tools you need to do just that.

You don’t need off-site software. I know that many players are in love with these programs, but I would strictly advise students of the game to ignore them. The most popular of these is Poker Tracker. And it is one heck of a piece of software. But don’t use it. Why? Because it is a great distraction and can easily be the cause of losing your focus on what really matters.

In No Limit Hold’em, the game currently offering the best opportunity to make steady profits in by far, there are only two things that are really important. They are: 1. Playing against somebody who is willing to put all their chips in with only one pair after the flop, and 2. Not playing a losing game the remainder of the time. This is assuming that you are a good player (and therefore would never put all your chips in with just one pair after the flop) – and it is further assuming that “all your chips’ constitutes a large stack, much bigger than the size of the pot.

The most effective tool to help stay focused on these two objectives is the buddy list. When you run across someone who is willing to put their large stack of chips in the pot with one pair after the flop you should buddy-list that player immediately (before they disappear). Your primary goal in this game is to find these players and play against them. If you are in a game where nobody would do that, you are just spinning your wheels because that is where the profits come from, and there are always other tables going with an opponent or two who are willing to do that. So every single time you see someone put all their chips in the middle with one pair, buddy list them! Make it a habit, so you don’t even have to remind yourself to do it.

Now, it does absolutely no good to accumulate a good-sized buddy list if you are not willing to use it! Every time you log in, go to your buddy list first thing and try to get in a game with one of those players. This is the most critical thing you can do to start your session.

Let’s talk about number the second element now, which is not playing a losing game the rest of the time. To help in this quest, you should use the other terrific tool provided by the poker room: Player notes. Always take good player notes that will actually help you make quality, information-based decisions in the future. Do not waste your time making player notes that won’t help. For example, just writing “fish” or “maniac” or “call this idiot” are not going to do much for you two weeks from now when that person may be in a completely different mood. Contrast that kind of note with something like “called a large preflop raise with AJ” or “called a large all-in bet on the turn with a flush draw.” Do you see how those types of notes are much more likely to help you down the road? You need to be detailed about the situation your observation occurred in, because with a more general note you probably won’t be able to recall the context in which you were writing it.

All Poker Tracker software really does for you is to help you categorize the different types of opponents you encounter, plus give you good data by which to study your own game. Yes, those can be good things. But if you get caught up in that instead of taking notes that are actually useful and concentrating on building a list of easy-to-find customers, your efforts will likely become derailed. And your results will suffer accordingly.

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Gambling - Since Adam Was a Boy

April 17, 2007 at 10:19 am · Filed under Online Gambling

If internet is a dustbin, then quite a civilized one: cultural phenomena of all times are dumped here. Let’s take card games – there are a lot of them in the net: on-line-casinos and on-line-clubs hold numerous on-line-draws and on-line-tournaments respectively. But playing cards are cultural heritage.

No matter we want that or not, but playing cards historically appeared to be an example of Vice. As stolen pleasures are the sweetest, than there is no person more interesting, than inveterate gambler or cardsharper. In France a passion for game climaxed at times of Louis XVI, monarch and grandees set an example themselves. Cardsharping prospered along with a game, including at the court. And it was despite strict laws against card-table games, issued and signed by the same monarch! One could be sentenced, fined for 3000 livres, disentitled of civil rights, banished from the town for gaming and maintaining of a den. According to them card debts and different obligations were not legal; parents had a right to recover money from those, their children lost some amount to. But exactly that was considered to be especially disgraceful among aristocracy - a card-table debt was a matter of honor, and should be paid for. Even in the case of bankruptcy the first debts to pay were card-table debts; failure to pay all the rest ones was not disgraceful.

The passion for gaming also dominated in the epoch of French revolution. National Assembly in 1791 banned all gaming, setting strict punitive measures, thus not for players, but for the owners of gambling dens and even for the tenants, who would not inform of a gambling game taking place in a house. But every revolution is as cruel, as hypocritical - a republican government asked painter David to change the types of playing cards, existing in France from the XV century. Kings were replaced by war, trade, world, and arts geniuses wearing Phrygian caps. Ladies - by figures, representing freedom of religions, press, marriage and trades; the allegories of equality of the states, rights, duties and races replaced four jacks. Afterwards card-table manufacturers replaced kings by philosophers and writers, ladies by virtues, jacks by the famous republicans. A directory began to permit opening of gaming-houses, and then farming them out, thus from 1804 from tax-farmers 25 percents levied in behalf on poor.

In general playing cards looked different from what they are now. It is considered that they appeared in Europe in the XIV century from the Moslem world or, on other version, from gypsies, as a log of Tarot, then they were modified. Out of 22 Major Arcana of Tarot there remained only three figured cards: king replaced a pharaoh, lady - sibyl, and jack - rider. And in general out of 78 Tarot cards remained only 52 cards of ordinary log or 54 in a log with two jokers (but, the theory of Tarot cards origin is arguable, but Tarot - is a disputable topic in general, and that is why we will leave it). In the XIV century kings, ladies and jacks were represented as legendary heroes of antiquity: the king of hearts was Charles the Great, the king of spades was a biblical tsar David, the king of diamonds was Julius Caesar, and the king of clubs was Alexander Macedonian. At the beginning of the XVII century at Henry II they started to decorate a playing card cover with the small dotted ornament, trying to prevent marking them (but it did not help). Double-headed playing cards (with mirror images) appeared in Italy in the XVII century; however they came into common use only in the middle of the XIX century.

In the nineteenth century experiments with cards design continued: in 1813 cards, representing Napoleon’s wars, were created in France. There was a round medallion with the stages of battles and portrait busts of state and soldiery figures on every card (Marmont, Talleyrand etc.). For example the queen of hearts presented a battle for Moscow; seven of hearts - military bivouacs of French soldiers playing cards. The indignant allies printed the cards, where hearts presented Britain, diamonds - Prussia, clubs - Austria, spades - Russia, with the image of Alexander I and Barclay de Tolly.

Today, with widespread of online game, aesthetics and poetry of card-table game appeared under threat of complete disappearance. Where is that passion, that mad ardour, when the players were ready to lose estates, public money and wives? Where is that deep interest in bribes, fines, rubbers in the eyes of intellectual players? One cannot lose a wife on-line and see the eyes of the player! But, it maybe for the best - in fact when playing cards one needs to be careful and self-seeking (One might need a wife still!) but the age of fatal romantic losses has probably gone. However the popularity of cards games grows and one can guess the revival of gone culture there.

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Blackjack For Fun And Profit Online

April 16, 2007 at 6:29 am · Filed under Online Blackjack

Be it an online blackjack tournament or one staged in the ordinary bricks-and-mortar type casino, blackjack (or “21”) still reigns supreme as the most popular game for gamblers.

One reason – and it’s a good one – is because newbies never have to put in a lot of time to learn how to play, (initially, that is). Even people who are not acquainted with this kind of games can easily grasp the goal of reaching 21 and a few simple rules such as never hitting on 16, and so on… and they’ll win enough to keep going.

But blackjack represents something else altogether to the seasoned and dedicated card player: an opportunity to nudge the odds against the house into their own back yard. No other game of chance offers the possibility to increase the odds of winning just by being really good at what you do and able to think your way through a problem.

Granted, a mind that is friendly with numbers is of great advantage when playing blackjack. Even though “counting cards” is frowned upon, it’s still the true name of the game. Let’s face it, intuition and being perpetually lucky is only going to get you so far.

These days, you can go to numerous Indian reservation casinos, put up your dough, and have at it. But entering into an online blackjack tournament has great advantages.

Most online blackjack tournaments, unlike those “real” casino games, are free to enter. All you usually need to do is register online to play, hand over your e-mail address, and jump into the fray.

Normally an online blackjack tournament is played with six card decks. Players, good players, compete and win real live money at online poker tournaments. Not bad, to sit at home in your jammies and play cards!

Casino tournaments in cyberspace are really fun, too. You can pit yourself against the best of the best, if you want to, and make a little bit or – sometimes – a great big cash prize. A lot of these online tournaments function by requiring everybody to put up a “registration fee.” That money converts into the prize money and nobody loses more than whatever they put up.

If you’re really lucky, you can find an online blackjack tournament with a big payout. Some offer fabulous incentive prizes ranging from free new cars to cash bonuses up to $35,000. Some online casinos put together monthly sweepstakes and gifts, lotteries and prize drawings… just to prove how lucky you really are.

The thrill, mind games with other players and the possible gains make the game very popular. The fact that the game is easy if you play it in an amateur level but very complex at pro level makes it appealing for different kinds of players and again, increases the number of players.

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Which Poker Site Is The Best? Is Poker Legal In The USA?

April 14, 2007 at 9:26 am · Filed under Online Poker

There are MANY great sites to play poker on. Just about all of them are 100% safe as far as it comes to depositing/withdrawling money. There are many things you need to look at your poker site before you decide to sign up and deposit.

First, you need to figure out what type of game you are going to be playing. Are you going to just play low limit cash games? Are you a strict sit and go player? Are you planning on playing the multi-table tournaments?

Each site is known for their strengths as it comes to gameplay.

If you plan on playing strict sit-and-go and multi table tournaments, then your choice should either be Full Tilt Poker or Pokerstars. If you plan on playing strict cash games, then your choice should more then likely be Pokerstars.

Full Tilt Poker offers a number of guaranteed prize pool tournaments every 1-2 hours. Their tournaments are GREAT and many of them start with 3000 chips, a necessity in my eyes when playing these tournaments.

For cash games, Poker Stars has thousands of tables from .10/.25 all the way up to $50/$100. They have the most players and they are generally the most trusted when it comes to cash games.

For sit and go’s I recommend that you check the structure for both Pokerstars and Full tilt, as their structures our often changing.

Now, many people are worried if Poker is even legal to play in the USA anymore. The USA did pass a law against sending money offshore. There are still many payment processors including epassporte, webmoney, and many credit/debt card processors. Also you always have the option of western union or check transfer.

No player has EVER been arrested for playing poker online. These poker sites are here to stay and I believe you have NOTHING to worry about. The bottom line is that poker was getting TOO big and the government cannot TAX it. This is why they flexed their muscle and got millions of players to not play. There is still millions of Americans playing online and there always will be.

Good luck at the tables!

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Bingo - Why Start Playing It Online

April 12, 2007 at 8:03 am · Filed under Online Bingo

The internet offers variety of options to the fanatic or lazy bingo players who want to enjoy this game from their comfortable homes. Whether you cannot go through a day without playing or you are too lazy to get out and play, here you can read about the benefits of playing online.

Convenience and Simplicity:

Online gaming enables you to play 24 hours a day and 7 days a week without having to get up from your favourite chair. It means that you can forget about the long waiting time between one game and the next. It also means that you can say goodbye to crowded, noisy and smoky bingo halls. With the option of playing this game online, you can play on your own time and on your own conditions.

However, this does not imply that playing through the internet is necessarily a solitary habit. One of the main advantages of playing online is the chat feature. While in the conservative version, social interaction is limited to your local community, in the online version you can interact with people from different parts of the world and of different ages. As opposed to the live game, chatting while playing on the internet is not only allowed, it is encouraged.

Not that playing is complicated, but the online variation is probably the easiest pastimes you can find. And as if playing on the internet from your own home does not make life easier, the online software includes a component called auto daub, which saves you the effort of marking off the called out numbers yourself.

Bonuses and Free Cash

Online players can earn first deposit bonuses and redeposit bonuses when signing up. In other words, whether you win or lose, you get to win free money. Here are a few updated examples to online bonuses:

1) Ruby Bingo: up to free 120 dollars bonus on each deposit.

2) Mapau Bingo: free 5 dollars no deposit bonus plus up to 100 percent bonus on your initial deposit and 50 percent bonus on all future deposits.

3) Bingo Workz: 30 dollars no deposit bonus plus 250 percent sign up bonus and 300 percent redeposit bonus.

4) Miss Bingo: 110 percent first deposit bonus and 60 percent for all future deposits.

Variety of Games:

Playing on the internet, you are not limited to one type of game. Most online halls offer both the UK style 90 ball game with 9X3 cards and the American style 75 ball game with 5X5 cards. In addition, you can usually find variety of online games such as slots, keno, scratch cards and some other interactive chat games.

Moreover, in 75 ball online games you can find more than the standard horizontal, vertical or diagonal patterns. You can find a variety of complex themed patterns including coverall patterns, which offer a bonus payout. Internet games are usually customized and you can choose the style, sound, and even the speed. Each online hall offers a wide range of card prices to fit each budget.

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Tip On Playing Roulette

April 10, 2007 at 6:24 am · Filed under Online Gambling, Online Roulette

I’m lucky. I admit it. Not because I am literally lucky at gambling, but because I was lucky enough to meet one of the most successful gamblers that ever spun a roulette wheel. As a result, I learned how to play roulette, and other casino games, directly from the one and only John Patrick. In this article, I am going to give you a few tips that will make you a winner at roulette consistently. I can say this because in the 20 years that I have been going to casinos, I can count the number of times I’ve come home a loser on one hand.

For those who don’t know anything about roulette, you’re best to get a basic understanding of the game first before reading this article, otherwise, some of what I am going to share will be a little over your head. These tips are basic but still require you to know how the game is at least played.

Okay, the first thing you want to do is bring an amount of money with you that you can afford to lose, but no less than 10 times the table minimum. So, if the table minimum is $10 a bet, then you want to at least have $100 with you. I personally bring 20 times the table minimum, but no less than 10 times.

The next thing you want to do is break your bankroll, which is the money you brought with you, into 3 sessions if $100 and 4 sessions if $200. So if you are playing 3 sessions, you will need $33 for each session. If you are playing 4 sessions, you will need $50 for each session. I personally never play 3 session with less than $150 total or $50 per session.

The next thing you want to do is pick a system you are going to bet, whether it be black/red, odd/even or whatever. The key here is that whatever system you pick, you need to stick with it through that whole session. So, if you decide to play black/red and bet black, you need to bet black for that entire session.

The next thing is the key to the whole system. If the table minimum is $10, then what you want to do is make your first bet twice the table minimum, or $20. If you win that bet, which you will have about a 50% chance of doing, minus the 2 greens, you will then make your next bet the table minimum itself, or $10. You’re probably asking why you are doing this.

This is where probability comes in. Most likely, you will lose the next spin, based on probability. So if you do, look at what has just happened. You won $20 on your first spin and lost $10 on your second spin. You’ve played the house even and yet still came out ahead. That is how I end up a winner almost all the time. I don’t give the house the chance to beat me.

Obviously with this system, the more money you bring with you the more you will make. The system, which is called a regression system continues with $20, $25, $30, and so on until you lose. Then you start all over again at $20, $10, $20, $25 and so on until you lose.

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Playing Poker For A Living

April 9, 2007 at 3:51 am · Filed under Online Gambling, Online Poker

Are you really ready to play poker for a living?

Let’s think about this for a minute.

You are going to PLAY a game for your complete income. It is certainly doable, but you have to really look at your past play.

How did you handle when you had a big win? Did you immediately jump up in stakes? Did you invest your winnings? What did you do?

More importantly, how did you deal with a BIG LOSS. When you did not cash in 10 straight tournaments how did you handle yourself? Did you move up or down in stakes?

If you can’t be honest with how you have really reacted to up and down swings then you are not ready to be a professional poker player.

If you are going to play poker online professionally you will enjoy a great amount of benefits that you could not enjoy by playing in a live casino including:

-Nobody at the table trying to intimidate you
-No waiting for hours for a table. There is ALWAYS an open game ready
-No gas, car, any expenses involved while traveling
-Don’t have to tip the dealer (this is huge!!)
-The house take (rake) is much lower (another big one)

So if you are really going to try to make a living in poker then you should definitely considering getting your career started in online poker.

I recommend that you read many guides, book, and even hire a coach or mentor before you decide to make the change.

I personally made the change 2 years ago after hitting a multi-table tournament cash and haven’t looked back since. I am in the top 20% of yearly income for my city and I live comfortably.

I could go on a 6 month losing streak and it wouldn’t effect my life style one bit.

I am also not married, so that helps too

Until next time, Good luck at the tables!

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A Successful Backgammon Strategy

April 8, 2007 at 12:23 pm · Filed under Online Gambling

You may have heard a good deal about the importance of developing a sound backgammon strategy. If you’re just learning how to play backgammon, you will need to get into the habit of thinking strategically which is guaranteed to improve your game. Most, if not all, experienced players agree that having a game plan is crucial to achieving consistent success. Despite the game’s many variables, you can keep ahead of your opponent by planning your next move and being aware of what his next move might be.

There are several ways to develop a sound backgammon board game strategy. Firstly, take advantage of backgammon game download software, which can be found at many online gaming sites. Backgammon software programmes allow you to practice your skills against a computer-based opponent. Full instructions on how to proceed with the download will be on the site, along with easy to follow backgammon instructions. A backgammon download allows you to practice at your own pace as many times as you wish and you will soon notice an improvement in your game.

You should also go over the rules regularly, including backgammon set up and game play, to increase the speed with which you play. Again, take advantage of online gaming sites that allow you to play free backgammon games before you have to sign up as a member.

Another step you can take to improve your strategic thinking is to learn as much as possible from seasoned backgammon players. You can do this by sourcing an increasing variety of literature that covers all aspects of the game, including backgammon setup, ways to approach common backgammon problems, and tips on how to stay one step ahead of your opponent. If you have a friend, family member or colleague that enjoys playing backgammon, make sure you learn as much as you can from them. You can also find useful information at internet gaming portals and skill gaming forums where people just like you go to find out how to become more successful at their favorite game.

Regardless of what you may think, learning to think strategically about your backgammon game is not difficult. Instead the old saying of practice makes perfect applies. If you practice hard, apply the techniques you learn to your game and are curious enough about backgammon to want to improve, you will master the strategies of the professionals in no time.

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Pocket Pairs In Texas Holdem - The Power You Hold

April 6, 2007 at 10:41 am · Filed under Online Poker

Do you know the power of a pocket pair?

Everyone new to poker thinks that AJ, AQ , AK are better then pocket pairs.

I have a secret to tell you, those hands are not!

Pocket Pairs are one of the best kept secrets for professionals in poker.

There are so many opportunities when you receive one. You are head of hands like AK and AQ. You can hit a set. Nobody really expects you to have it.

The biggest beats put on players are usually done by pocket pairs.

What is your chance of hitting a set on the flop with a pocket pair?

1 out of 38

In Texas Hold’em you need to know the odds of every hand you enter. If you are not armed with the right information on odds, hand rankings, and probability then you are behind the game right away.

You need to look for an edge in any tournament you are in.

I suggest always playing a pocket pair if it is above 6’s. This mean’s if there is a standard raise, call it. If you just need to call the big blind, then just limp in the pot.

When you finally hit that set, chances are you are going to do a lot of damage to anyone else that is in the pot.

Always be aware of your opponent holding a pocket pair that turns into a monster set. It is hard to put your opponent on or detect they have three of a kind (also known as set, trips) You really just have to do your best to detect this silent assassin.

Until next time, good luck at the tables!

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Learn How to Play Backgammon and Win

April 5, 2007 at 6:34 am · Filed under Online Gambling

If you’re a fan of classic board games and would like to learn new skills playing popular games online, why not learn how to play backgammon? Backgammon is just as much fun online as it is playing socially around a board. Playing online can help you improve your game and benefit from a highly competitive environment. So if you want to learn the backgammon setup, find useful backgammon instructions and develop a proven strategy to win, start learning how to play. Your efforts can also help you make new friends and win cash at the same time.

If you’re looking for a place to start, the easiest way to familiarize yourself with the game is to make use of the free backgammon programs available at a huge range of skill gaming sites. These sites allow you to find a backgammon game download and install it on your PC so that you can practice developing your new skills to your heart’s content. Some popular sites also let you use their online backgammon software for free until you sign up and become a member. By testing your skills against the computer, you can pick up most of the skills you will need quite easily before you face off against human opponents.

One of the most widely played versions of internet backgammon is Motif Backgammon. This online version powered by Java means you can save the disc space on your PC for something other than a backgammon download. Instead, Java lets you play directly over the internet. You can learn useful skills such as backgammon set up and how the pip count on each die relates to the movement of your checkers. Your computer based opponent challenges you by implementing common backgammon board game strategies into his game, prompting you to attack and defend to stay one step ahead.

Have fun with your backgammon software! Once you’ve practised and are confident of your skills, you’ll be ready to take on other players. You may also wish to use your knowledge of the game to compete in tournaments at online backgammon sites. Tournaments are a great way to meet new people who share a passion for backgammon. You can hone your skills against serious opponents and perhaps win money for your efforts. You don’t even have to make it through to the final table to be in to win. So start practicing and getting ready to expand your backgammon horizons!

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