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Blackjack Tips You Need To Know

September 1st, 2009 Erich Ezekial No comments

Blackjack has been around for many, many years but you can still find gamblers all over the world giving bogus advice on how to beat the blackjack tables.

You will hear players saying they have a system or they can sell you their product that will guarantee riches in a matter of hours when using this sure fire method. But the truth is, if your not a card counter (and even that is not 100%) all you have is common sense plus your own gut feeling when gambling at any casino games.

The purpose of this blackjack tips article is to make the blackjack player think and use his or her head when taking on the house at any casino.

Here we have the five blackjack tips that I think everyone needs to be aware. These will ensure your time at the table is as enjoyable as it can be.

Tip #1 – When to stand

Put simply, you won’t win a hand where your cards are lower than 16 unless the dealer busts. As the dealer has to hit on 16 or below, don’t take this risk.

You will need to take the hit if the dealer shows 8 or more for his card, because the chances of the dealer going bust are very low. But, if you show 11 or higher and the dealer has 6 or less, you should stand. The dealer has a well over 40% chance of busting out.

Tip #2 ” Double Down

If your two cards total 10 or 11 you should double down (double your bet) if your total is more than the dealers up card. If they arent, then just take a hit.

You receive an additional card when you double down. You must do this everytime you think you are going to beat the dealer by doing so. There is a solid benefit to playing at tables that allow doubling down, so look out for that both online and offline.

Tip #3 – Know when to Hit

If the dealer’s card is a seven or higher, and you have from 12 to 16, you will have to take a hit. However, if the dealer has lower than a seven, you must stand. The odds are that the dealer will bust out. The most he can get is 16 and he will have to take a hit, meaning he is likely to bust.

Tip #4 – Knowing When To Split

If you have a pair of 8s or aces, you should pretty much always split them. However, it is unwise to ever split pairs of fours, fives or tens. However, if you see that the dealer’s card is lower than a six, split all other pairs.

Tip #5 – Why You Shouldn’t Take The Insurance Bet

If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. The same is true of the insurance bet in blackjack. If you take this, you will lose more than you win. Around four times out of five, the dealer won’t have blackjack and you will lose both your insurance bet and the hand bet as well.

Here’s a brief explanation of how the insurance bet actually works and why, of course, it isn’t a good idea. The dealer’s up card happens to be an ace, so you take the insurance bet in order to win back half your bet if the dealer has blackjack. However, four times out of five, the dealer won’t have blackjack, so you have just lost 50% more than you would have otherwise.

Check out WinAtBlackToday.com for more top blackjack strategies or check out our recommended online casinos.

Don’t Play Another Poker Tournament Unless You Know The Details.

August 28th, 2009 Sean Pratch No comments

Most poker tournaments will advertise what the starting chip stacks are. They will announce a tournament with 5,000 chips, 10,000 chips, or more. That sounds good but may not be a little bit of “too good to be true.” Having a seemingly large starting stack is attractive to many tournament poker players.

Being blinded by the advertised starting stack size is common for many poker tournament players. The problem is that there are no rules about what a starting stack should be and there are no rules regarding the starting blinds or even the blind structure. A poker tournament that starts with 10,000 chips may have starting blinds that are 25/50, which would make it very deep-stacked, or it could have starting blinds of 100/200, which is relatively short-stacked.

Short-stack tournaments are attractive to some poker players. Tournaments like this can be an opportunity to be aggressive and take advantage of small edges. The reality is that most poker players are much more comfortable in a tournament where they have a deep stack. Consideration of the starting blinds and the blind structure is very important when deciding on a poker tournament to play in.

Typically, the lower the buy-in of the poker tournament, the smaller the starting stacks will be. A $40 daily tournament at a casino will usually be very short-stacked with a fast blind structure compared with a $500+ main event poker tournament. The reason is that the casino wants to make as much money as quick as possible. They are not making much money with a $40 tournament so they want it end quickly.

Besides the starting blind level, you must also consider the blind structure. If the starting blinds make it seem like a deep-stack tournament it may have a blind structure where the blinds double every round and the rounds are only 20 minutes long. While the players may start with a deep stack, they will quickly be short-stacked with a structure like that.

The next time you consider a tournament make sure you get as much information about the poker tournament so you can make a fully informed decision. The important facts to know are starting chip stacks, the starting blind level, and the blind structure. There are other considerations to take into account, such as number of players, the vig that the casino takes, and the payout, but for now just make sure that the tournament structure is one that you are most comfortable to play in.

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Profiles of Poker Players : The Locksmith

August 7th, 2009 Michelle Mitamura No comments

Enemy or Friend?

If you’re thinking that a locksmith can be your friend, well all I can say is no they aren’t and they are not your enemies either. They are just a presence in the poker table that you cannot eliminate. They are like a lock made of ice because of their unwillingness to get involve and also one of the simplest opponent to take down. But playing with a locksmith will bring you little return due to the fact that they only play strong hands and you need to fold every time they raises a pot. But usually there are only there to sit and occupy the table.

Aggressiveness and Selectivity

A locksmith only play a small percentage of the hands they are dealt about 10%. They will place money in the pot if they have a strong hand and have a habit to raise and re-raise if they have the best hand in the table. Be careful when dealing with them and stop betting if they raise you.

This kind of poker personality is also the most tight player in the game. Once they play they will eventually raise the bet but since they only have a small number of hands to play they are utterly passive. Obviously, this passivity can be attributed to their fear of someone having a better hand than they have. They are also commonly willing to start the bet but hesitant to re-raise except if they have the best hand in the game.

How small is a 10% range? According to Hold ‘Em it would be a range of ATs+, AJo+, 88+. You wouldn’t see a locksmith turn over other than that range.

Predictability

Locksmiths are usually easy to predict. They only have a few playable hands resulting in erasing any kind of deception in their list. Since they are super tight their passive play is sort of a contradicting trait that will eventually play them down.

Poker IQ

Locksmiths are of different poker IQ. Some of them are playing the same game with every opponent with no changes whatsoever thinking that they only need the best hand in order to win. But some locksmith are more adept in the game and are willing to make certain changes in order to accommodate the skills of a particular opponent.

Adjustments

If you are to deal with a locksmith its better not to face them in a one-on-one play. But if you find yourself facing a locksmith then play as passively as possible and don’t use any kind of tricks on them. They will just raise the bet if they have a lock hand, then call your bet if they have a good hand and fold when they think they won’t have a chance to win.

Free cards are often given by locksmiths. Avoid semi-bluffing and then take the chance to build your hand by taking those free cards.

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Texas Hold’em Online ” Can the Time of Day Affect Your Chance of Winning?

July 10th, 2009 Leslie Bogaerts No comments

In just any kind of poker, especially Texas hold’em online, there’s a lot of ideas about how to buff up your probability of winning. These theories range from counting cards to reading your opponents. Did you ever think your chances could be impacted by something as simple and obvious as the time of day?

The five core ideas you need to ponder when playing online are listed below.

1) Where You Are In The World

Texas holdem online services all differ in terms of their users location. If your service is multinational then afternoon and early evening American time are likely to be the busiest hours. However, if your service mainly caters to Europeans youll find more people available in the evening of European time zones. Having more available players is important, but you should also consider the points below.

2) Your Experience Level

Stronger players normally play at peak times to increase their chances. If you’re just getting started you should try off peak times. Always try to get a large Texas hold’em online service that has plenty of players during irregular hours.

3) The Amount Of Players Online

More players simply means more options. You will have a better selection of tables, limits, and games that match your skill level. If you can go toe to toe with the best players out there, you should play at peak times.

4) Your Mindset

If its the evening where you are and youve already had a few drinks then stay away from Texas holdem online ” no matter how profitable the time of day would normally be! This is one of the most basic rules of online poker, yet many people choose to ignore it, failing to see the harm that one or two drinks can really do. But make no mistake, alcohol will cause you to make basic errors! The same goes for playing late at night when youre feeling tired. Make sure your important games are all played when youre feeling completely alert.

5) Your Opponents’ Attitude

Make sure to use the tips in number 4 to your advantage The most successful online poker players exploit drunk and buzzed players all the time. Not that you shouldn’t have skill to win, but logging in late on Friday might very well find you have increased chances of winning.

There is no absolute way to predict whether you will win or lose in Texas hold’em online. Just take the time to keep notes on when you play and how your opponents act during that time, you’ll soon find out the most beneficial time to play Texas hold’em online poker!

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Building A Bankroll – Holdem Bankroll Management Strategy

May 28th, 2009 Eric Lass No comments

Building a bankroll is not an easy task, unless you follow a bankroll management strategy that will increase your chances of success in poker. One key to building a poker bankroll is to only play with your limits. The strategy I will outline here will help you stay within your limits, until your bankroll allows you to move up the next level. A Bankroll Strategy is an excellent way to decrease the risk involved in poker.

What most people don’t realize is that poker is not gambling if you follow the right set of rules. There are ways to minimize the gambling factor and maximize your return on investment, even in poker.

To begin, find a formula similar to the one below, and transform it to your own style of play. There are several common bankroll management strategies, for example:

The example above shows you where you should be at as opposed to where you are playing now. If you are like most poker players, you are playing way above your limits. Hopefully you will use this example to find a good way for you to build your bankroll. Are you going to move down in limits? I hope so.

It would be a wise decision to play more conservative than to lose most of your bankroll in one session of play. Building a bankroll is critical to your success in poker, so I hope you can make the best of it by using proper bankroll management.

That example illustrates where you should be playing as opposed to where you may be playing now. If you are like most new gamblers, you are probably playing at limits that are too high. Now you know. So will you move down in limits? I hope so, at least until you can build up a considerable bankroll and gain some experience.

It’s always better to play at the lower limits so you don’t lose your whole bankroll on one session. Building a bankroll is essential to your success in poker.

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Online Poker Thoughts

April 16th, 2008 Simon M Skinner No comments

by Simon M Skinner

Online poker can be a great way for someone to make money casually. However, for someone wanting to make a living, they need to be serious about their online poker.

Online poker can be a very fun and profitable way to learn. Grasp the advantages the Internet offers you! Online poker can be found all over the net. Here are a couple of great sites to get you started.

Online poker can be a thrilling game. Because it is played against different competitors and not against the house, it`s as well possible for a player to gain victory at it in time.

Online poker can be a stimulating pastime. Since it is played against different competitors and not in opposition to the house, it is also possible for a player to gain victory at it in the long run.

You had to wait how long to get a seat? Personally, my game relies a lot on the style of play at the table combined with my ability to adjust to that style. When I switched to primarily online play, I focused a lot of my efforts on hand selection and eliminating betting patterns.

Online poker is both immensely popular and a great place for beginners to learn the rules of the game. Online poker software will prompt you when it’s your turn to play and present you with all your possible moves.

You have enough reason why the casino game online poker room has overtaken the brick and mortar poker casinos in popularity. Additionally, online poker is also full of fun and excitement. Sure, you can win a lot of money with this type of poker, but if you are not having fun what is the point?

Online poker is still just a substitute for the real thing. In fact, I think online poker can only help to bring more people into the game of poker, as it’s much less intimidating than entering a real cardroom for the first time with no playing experience.

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A Guide To Online Poker For Poker Novices

April 8th, 2008 Chris Channing No comments

by Chris Channing

There are a lot of benefits to be had as a result of playing online poker. Whether you are playing for real money or just for fun, Internet poker can cater to all types of tastes and styles of poker. Every flavor and spinoff of any poker game is sure to please everyone’s taste palette- but what other benefits do online poker players get?

Benefits To Expect From Online Poker

The biggest benefit to online poker is the lack of setup required. If you are looking to have a fun night out with the guys (or gals), be prepared to spend a good amount of time setting up tables, chips, cards, and refreshments. For some it is worth the hassle for the social environment, but sometimes the urge to play poker can’t wait the unnecessary setup time.

For some, the solitude is actually a benefit. Poker games often require relying on others to show up on time. Refreshments and snacks also cost the host money. Even better, you can continue playing as long as you want. If you’re down on your luck and want to quit- no problem! Otherwise, you can continue as long as you’d like without others quitting on you.

If you aren’t keen on betting, there are plenty of places on the Internet that offer free online poker. This is a nice change from the real world, where many friends and family members would demand real money be played. With online poker- you choose if you are in the mood for risking your money or not!

Aspiring Poker Experts Get Benefit

The thing about gaining experience in poker is that you need to play a wide range of personalities and strategists. If you play the same group of people every night, you will begin to learn their strategies and personality- but this will be useless if you ever play in a real tournament. With online poker, you can learn the strategies of thousands of poker players- therefore, making you a better poker player as a result.

Another benefit of the Internet is that it connects the world together- you could be playing poker fanatics from all over the globe! This gives you a unique perspective on hundreds of different strategies, playing styles, and if you’re lucky- you might meet a professional who doesn’t mind sharing a few tips!

When you excel in playing poker on the Internet, you will start opening opportunities for yourself. Many casinos who run online poker websites will offer prizes and cash to players that do well- but more importantly, they offer invites to real poker tournaments. This is the perfect opportunity to show the world what you got in real life- and thanks to the Internet no less.

Final Thoughts on Online Poker

With the aforementioned benefits, it is hard to say no to online poker. With thousands of poker players already doing it, it is no surprise that the online poker industry is full of money just waiting to be won. Act now, and take your piece of the pie, and show the world what you got!

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How to Win The Inner Game of Poker

November 19th, 2007 Henri Junttila No comments

by Henri Junttila

The river card peels off, it is harmless, until your opponent flips over his hand. You’ve just lost the huge pot on the river to a runner runner straight. You feel yourself getting warmer and the frustration builds up until you just don’t care about what happens.

The next hour you play horribly and throw away money because you just don’t care. It is all so unfair, how could he win? He was under 1% to win it when the money went in on the flop. Ridiculous!

This is what happens to most poker players out there. It sucks, but it is true. In one way or another you too are throwing away money like this. You can deny it if you want but that is not why you are reading this article, is it?

There are simple steps to eliminate and minimize this kind of behavior. I call this poker tilt or simply tilt.

In simple words, it is when you lose control that bad things happen. It often looks like you have control when you do not.

Here are 5 ways you can start minimizing tilt:

1. Identify Your Fear(s) – What is it that you fear? Why do you get upset when you get bad beat in a poker game? For me it is the fear of losing money. Since I am a professional poker player I want to win money, I need to win money because it is how I make my living! Identifying this and switching from what I don’t want to what I want makes all the difference.

2. Goals – Recently I have begun to visualize what my goal is before each session of poker. My first goal is to have fun while I play. I started poker because it was the most interesting game I had ever come across and I have no intentions of changing that! Is your goal to have fun or is it to be miserable? I’m guessing you want to have fun, right? That makes two of us. Identify what is standing in your way of fun. Maybe you are playing a limit that is too high or maybe you just need to re-arrange your priorities. I don’t know. Ultimately it is up to you to find your own way.

3. Being Aware – Awareness is crucial to any good poker player. You have to observe yourself. Otherwise you just do not know how you can improve. You might get hot and become frustrated after a few bad beats. Once you know this you can stop playing before it starts. There are always signs before the signs, did you know that? If you learn more and more how you work then you can start changing that to more useful ways.

4. Quitting A Game – The best players in the world know exactly what I am talking about. Quitting a game when you start playing bad is something you too have to learn. This will be useful for you even if you are playing for the fun of it. If you start playing bad that means something is affecting you. What is it? The bad beat or something else? Has it affected your amount of fun? If no then keep on playing! If you are an aspiring professional poker player then you have to quit whenever your game is slipping. This is absolutely crucial to your long-term success. If you just take one poker tip out of this article then let it be this one.

5. Pleasure – Having fun while playing is why we play poker, isn’t it? I mean, it doesn’t make sense if someone played because it made them miserable, right? So make sure your priorities and goals are straight. Keeping poker fun will do many things for you. You will learn faster, you will feel better and everyone around you will notice. Good luck!

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5 Ways To Conquer Poker Tilt

November 19th, 2007 Henri Junttila No comments

by Henri Junttila

The last card is dealt face up and it gives your opponent the winning hand. He made a runner runner full house beating your flopped straight. That is just crazy you think to yourself. Some heat and anger build up inside of you and you start playing like a reckless maniac, raising and calling off your chips.

For the next few rounds you lose more and more money. All the while you think about that horrible beat you got. He was practically drawing dead and he won, how can it be?

You know why you’re reading this article. This happens to all of us and you are not an exception. I am glad you’re reading this because that makes you one of the few that have the guts to take a hold of this phenomenon. It is not easy to face yourself and improve in this way.

It isn’t hard to minimize poker tilt, it is quite simple actually. The catch is that it takes time and persistence.

In simple words, it is when you lose control that bad things happen. It often looks like you have control when you do not.

Here are 5 ways you can start minimizing tilt:

1. What Are You Afraid Of? – I’ll begin. I am afraid of losing money and not having enough. You see, I am a professional poker player and I make my living off of playing poker and if I lose I can’t live (harshly put). What are you afraid of? Why are you acting like a lunatic when you get bad beat a few times at the poker tables?

2. Identify Your Goal(s) – What is the reason you are playing poker? Most non-professionals get mad because they lose to bad beats. Why do they play poker? I would assume it is to have fun. My #1 goal is to have fun and making money comes second. I started playing poker because I enjoyed it and I intend to keep it that way. What is your goal when you are playing? What is the need to feel like crap while you’re playing? So what if you lose some money. Play the limits where the money doesn’t hurt and have some fun!

3. Observation – When I started observing myself, everything changed. Progress became quicker and everything became clearer. I know many players who have reached a plateau in their game, because they deny their weaknesses. You have to observe yourself and find what it is you are doing wrong. What are you bad at? It is not meant for you to be hard on yourself. It is meant for you to be able to improve. You can also more easily avoid your weaknesses at the poker table if you know what they are.

4. Quitting A Game – The best players in the world know exactly what I am talking about. Quitting a game when you start playing bad is something you too have to learn. This will be useful for you even if you are playing for the fun of it. If you start playing bad that means something is affecting you. What is it? The bad beat or something else? Has it affected your amount of fun? If no then keep on playing! If you are an aspiring professional poker player then you have to quit whenever your game is slipping. This is absolutely crucial to your long-term success. If you just take one poker tip out of this article then let it be this one.

5. Pleasure – Having fun while playing is why we play poker, isn’t it? I mean, it doesn’t make sense if someone played because it made them miserable, right? So make sure your priorities and goals are straight. Keeping poker fun will do many things for you. You will learn faster, you will feel better and everyone around you will notice. Good luck!

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Do You Know How To Win At Poker?

November 13th, 2007 Henri Junttila No comments

by Henri Junttila

There are some things that make good poker players. Those things are often not what you think. Often you might think that poker players have an inside secret or a holy grail that make them awesome.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Poker is something you have to learn and put time into to become good. Anyone can do it, but it takes time.

For example if you’re good at anything, you know it took time. It takes around 1,000 hours to get proficient at something and many times that to master it.

It can sound un-doable if you try to see all the steps you need to take. But focus on one step at a time. Think about what you can do right now. Buy a book, join a forum or get a coach? Remember to keep it fun and you’ll learn faster and won’t get frustrated. When you become serious you take the fun out of it.

I’ve compiled a small list for you which is very concise and goes through the most important concepts you need to focus on while learning poker. Here it is!

1 – Poker Strategy – It is important but not as important as you think. Poker strategy is of course essential, but it needs a companion, just like a car needs four wheels to function. The same is true for poker, poker strategy cannot stand on its own.

2. Emotional Control – If you do not use discipline in your poker game then you are missing out. This concept will make or break your success as a poker player. You can be the best hand reader in the world but if you play bad when you are running bad then you will never win.

3. Bankroll Management – You have to set proper bankroll management rules. My rules are to have at least 30 buy-ins for each level I play. When I drop below 28 buy-ins for the level I am playing I move down. When my bankroll is back to 32 buy-ins for the higher level I go back up again. For example if you play $400 NL and have a bankroll of $12,000 (30 buy-ins) but drop to $11,119 (below 28) you move down to $200 NL until you have $12,800 (32 buy-ins for 400 NL).

4. Table Selection – If you consistently play with players who are worse than you, then you will make money. It is as simple as that!

That is my simple list. If you’d like more elaborate articles you can visit my website. I hope this helps you improve your poker game. Poker doesn’t have to be hard, you just need proper guidance.

May your pots be monsters and your cards suited!

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