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Using Psychology in Online Poker

staffadmin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:09:26 +0000

Poker is one casino game, which requires much more than luck. Unlike roulette, slots or playing craps, winning poker is a blend of luck, great strategy, experience and convincing bluffing. With the advent of online poker and more players opting to play online, the age-old component of this game – tell has lost its importance. A tells is basically a visual hint you can pick from the behavior of the opponent player which he or she displays while playing. For instance, in case of a bluff you may see the player getting excited or may be getting too calm and aloof. A tells is not stereotypical and can be deduced by observing the player and thinking retrospectively. Poker is essentially all about mind games and reading the body language of the rest of the players in the game. The key thing here is to play a guessing game as to what your opponent thinks and play accordingly. Understanding what a player thinks also plays an important role. However, with the beginning of online poker all the old fashioned poker psychology has ceased to exist and it is harder to guess what players are thinking. Just like conventional poker, an online poker essentially needs to tackle 3 important questions. The first is what cards the opponent has. This is the question which will practically win the game for you if you knew the answer to it but in a fair game is almost never answered. The second question you will have to deal with is what the opponent thinks you have. This is a very essential question as the opponent is busy figuring it out just the way you are his. It is at this point that your role comes to mislead him and put him off guard. This question although more striking in casino poker has emerged as an important tell even in online poker. Fast playing, auto betting, slow playing and other patterns deduced through experience help you build your strategy against key players. The next important question that is there to consider is what the opponent thinks you think he thinks. To put it differently, it is basically the second question from his viewpoint. In even online poker it is possible to manipulate the answer to this question as per your desire. It can be done along the same lines of speed of play, pattern of bluffing and not getting too stereotypic in your own behavior. Also never let the reward underplay the risk you are taking. Keep a perspective and don’t push your luck to hard in online poker. One great feature in most poker card rooms is the offer of poker bonus. With poker bonus you can increase your winnings by a good margin and win more with less deposit. Poker bonus is of two types- cashable poker bonus and non cashable poker bonus. So make sure you make the best of it and see all the kinds of bonuses in different card rooms before you join one.

How To Spot The Bluff When Playing Online Poker

staffadmin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:19:56 +0000

This article is strictly referring to online poker games. It has nothing to do with reading the players. You can read here about some moments in the game when it is likely for others to bluff. 1. When they are still betting after a bad flopWatch other player. Let’s say they already did bet pre-flop and their position was not that good. Now the flop is on the table and it is poor, so you have to think they could be bluffing. So raising the bet, or re-raising it might make them think about it, because they probably stand zero chances with the drawings and they might fold. 2. The odds are with themFor example, when everyone folds. And especially when the pot is quite big, like a drawing missed and maybe even you are thinking of bluffing. Then, you should naturally think that they could also be bluffing. So call or raise, whatever you want, just don’t throw away such a big pot. 3. When there’s only the two of you. It’s considered the easiest bluff. They will think that if they got that far, they might as well get on with it. But don’t be fooled and if you have a good hand go on and play it. 4. When the flop has no more draws. From time to time players will bet here to get rid of the capability to obtain a draw, now and again since they really have got good cards. They can bluff or not, you must know the ones you are playing with. 5. When they bet and then checked. When a draw just occurred, and it was not satisfactory, they are almost certainly just trying to go on without having much. Bet alongside them. 6. When they bet firstly, then for the second time and finally on the river they checked. It is the same situation just with two bets instead of one. 7. If when betting they are expressing their pity for your moneyThey are just trying to intimidate you. Nobody wants to win less at poker. If they really had a hand, they would have let you go along so they could win more. To spot more bluffing situations, just analyze the ones that you are ready to bluff in. Keep in mind that if you are willing to do it, others might do also. At the same time, try and get to know each player’s style before trying to spot when they are bluffing. It is important to know your opponents and it will help you have more accurate prediction about the games you are playing.

How To Count Online Blackjack Cards

staffadmin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:41:53 +0000

It indeed is simple to learn how to count blackjack cards : Blackjack card counting involves only addition and subtraction and nothing else! But the fact remains that implementing card counting is not as easy as learning it. Counting cards requires sharp focus and the ability to perform calculations quickly.

Nevertheless, card counting has worked wonders for many blackjack players and you too can benefit from this system.

The Hi/Lo Card Counting System

There are many card counting systems available in blackjack, but the Hi/Lo card counting system is the most popular. The reason? This system is easy to understand, and with some practice, you can get ready to count cards at a blackjack table.

Understanding the Hi/Lo System

Under this system, you need to assign a positive (+1), negative (-1), and neutral (0) value to each card in a deck, regardless of its suit.

Assign positive value to the cards from 2 to 6, negative value to all 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces, and neutral values to 7, 8, and 9.

Counting Cards with the Hi/Lo System

Counting cards with the Hi/Lo system is pretty simple. First of all, begin the count at 0 (zero). Carefully look at each card dealt. Each time a positive card is dealt, add 1 to the count, and each time a negative card is dealt, subtract 1 from the count. In case a neutral card is dealt, leave the count as is.

Example Let’s say there are three players on a blackjack table and the following cards have been dealt so far. Player 1: 3,6 Player 2: 10,8 Player 3: 6,5 Dealer: 10 According to the Hi/Lo card counting system, the count is: 2 (0 + 1 + 1 – 1 + 0 + 1 + 1 – 1) .

Implementing the Count

If you get a positive count (+2 or higher), place relatively higher bets: a positive count indicates that more high cards are left in the deck. If you get a negative or neutral count, you should place smaller bets.

Additional Information Regarding Blackjack Card Counting

Well, there you have it, everything you need to use the Hi/Lo card counting system. Now go ahead and make some serious money playing online blackjack

Betting Strategy in a Poker game

staffadmin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:35:24 +0000

Betting is involved in a Poker game. The betting rounds are distinct for separate variants in a Poker game. There are four betting rounds in Texas Holdem, there are five betting rounds in Seven Card Stud and there are only two betting rounds in Five Card Draw. The betting goes on clockwise around the table in each betting round. In turn, each player must either match the bet of the earlier player (i.e. he must call) or he must get out of his hand (i.e. he must fold). Also, a player in turn can choose to bet more than the earlier bet (i.e. he can raise) instead of just calling. When the last raise has been called or all players have folded, the betting round is ended. During the betting round, all bets that have been made are added to the pot. Same amount has been placed in by all players who now continue to stay in the hand. All existing players have matched the biggest bet in that particular betting round. This can be taken as an agreement within the players on a set price to see another card. When the betting round is ended, if all players have folded expect one, the remaining player wins the pot. If everybody folds, the remaining player does not have to show up his cards to win. This element makes bluffing possible in a poker game.

A player can choose to check if no bets have been placed prior to his turn. Checking simply means that the turn is passed on to the next player without making a bet. Checking is like calling a zero bet. Now assume, the first player checks and the another player places a bet. When the turn for betting comes to the player who checked, he may fold or call or even raise. If the player raises here, his move is called a check-raise.

At the commencement of each poker hand, some players have to make a bet even before the cards are dealt. This ensures that there is a small pot to start with. If such type of “forced bets” does not exist, then all players could fold every hand without any cost making poker relatively a slower game.

In some variants of poker, the “forced bets” are called blinds. The player to the left of the dealer places the small blind, and the next player in turn places the big blind. In Texas Holdem and Omaha this is how it works. Blinds are counted as valid bets in the first betting round. Blinds are known as “live bets”. Once the cards are dealt with, the next player in turn after the big blind starts the betting (This player will be under great pressure). Hence, the player in turn must either match the big blind, raise or fold. As big blind is considered as a valid bet, there is no option to check. Also, “checking” as an option can only be utilized by a player, if no bets have been placed prior to his turn in that particular betting round.

There is another poker variant called as “Antes”. Antes are utilized instead of blinds. An ante is one type of forced bet that all players have to place in the pot before the cards are dealt with. Compared to blinds, antes are not live bets. They are just placed in the middle to encourage the betting, but will not count in betting for any one player.

After the completion of last betting round, there is a showdown if two or more players stay in the hand. Now, all players show down their cards and the player with the best hand wins the pot. If more than one hand is equally good, then the pot is divided equally between them.

To learn more, please visit our website: http://www.kingsclubpoker.com

Card Playing And Betting At Texas Holdem Poker

staffadmin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:54:37 +0000

Trying to to win in a game of Texas holdem poker can be quite challenging After all, only the best players can make it to the pots. This is more so if you are playing in a tournament.

There are several things that you need to think about when playing in a Texas holdem game. The first one is of course the cards you are holding. Card strategy is very crucial in holdem play, as this is where everything flow from during game play. Ideally, you should already have a general card strategy in mind before the start of the game. This will help you decide on how to play your cards the moment you receive them. You should also be very quick to come up with a play for your hand.

Deciding on how to play your cards is definitely going to be hard. There are some things that you need to consider when you get your hand. In order to get an advantage over other players, you should need to know what cards are most likely to come up on the draw. Card counting skills can be very useful in this part. Essentially, by keeping track of the cards that are being dealt, you can infer how many and what cards are still left on the deck. This way, you can already gauge the possible outcomes your hand.

Once you get a feel of how the hand will play out, it’s time to decide on how to bet on it. Often, good betting techniques can save an otherwise lost hand. The idea here is to bet the right amount at the right time. Bet management is therefore a crucial part of your game strategy.

Your seat position during a round can be very useful in deciding what bet to pull off. Basically, the farther you are from the betting button, the better your chances of seeing how other players will bet. The best position is of course at the last seat, since you are the last to bet, allowing you a glimpse ofd all other bets first. Since the betting button is rotated to other players after every round, remember to change your tactics in accordance with your current position.

There are also some plays where you can use betting as an offensive move. Aggressive betting is actually one of the suggested tactics that you can use during the game, though of course, with a degree of control. Using these strategy, you can put your opponents into uncompromising situations, such as forcing to make decisions which you can then turn to your advantage. Also, you can use this strategy to take the lead from other players.

One key aspect of Texas holdem strategy that you need to really learn is looking for player cues. These are quite hard to notice since players are very keen on their actions. Often though, you will spot little quirks that will definitely give away other players’ moves, which you can then use to your advantage. Be aware though, that other players will be also watching your moves, so any hint of your actions can also be used against you.

Handy Poker Hand Ranking Guide

staffadmin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:10:43 +0000

Poker is one of the most popular casino games, both on brick-and-mortar and on online casino websites. It is also a very complex games with lots of betting and winning rules, and the game itself has some variations on how to be played. However, most of these variations follow only one pattern of poker hand rankings.

The major variants of poker include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Five Card Draw, and Seven Card Stud. If there are two or more poker players that have not folded until the end of the card dealing and betting on their hands, there will be a showdown among them, and depending on the rank of their hands, there is one, and possibly more than one, winner. How are the hands ranked? There are nine (9) poker hand categories, and starting from the lowest ranked, they are as follows: High Card, One Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, and Straight Flush.

In all variants of poker, each of the cards are ranked individually, with 2 having the lowest rank. The rank goes up with the number until number 10, then followed by Jack, Queen, King, and the Ace card with the highest rank of all individual cards. Card suits have no effect in ranking though, such as an Ace of Diamonds is ranked equal with an Ace of Spade. Likewise, card suite also have no effect on the rankings of the poker hand categories.

The lowest hand category that a poker player can get is the High Card, in which no two or more cards have the same rank, the five cards do not form a consecutive sequence, and all five cards contains more than one suit. The winner between two or more High Card hands is determined by the card with the highest rank. If they have the same highest ranked card, the next highest is compared, and so on until there is a difference. If there is no difference, then they are tied and the pot is divided among them. High card is also termed as “no-pair”, and it is described by the highest ranked card (such as a “King high” if the highest rank is a King). It has the highest probability (approximately 50%) of being dealt to a poker player.

When a poker player obtains one pair of cards that have the same rank and the other three are all non-paired (called the kickers), then his hand falls to the One Pair category, in which it beats any High Card poker hand. The winner among more than One Pair hands is determined by the rank of the pair. If more than one have the same pairs, then the kickers in each hand will determine the winner, applying the same rule as the High Card poker hand. The probability that a poker player is dealt with a One Pair hand is approximately 42%.

If a poker hand contains two cards of similar rank, and two cards of another similar rank, and one kicker, then the hand is classified as a Two Pair, and it beats any One Pair poker hand. It is described by the higher of the two pairs, which can be followed by the other pair optionally. For example, a Two Pair hand which has a pair of Aces and another pair of Queen and any kicker can be described as “Aces and Queens”, “Aces over Queens”, or just “Aces up”. The higher-ranked pairs in each hand will be compared to determine the winner among the other Two Pair hands. If the higher-ranked pairs of the players are similar, the other pair will be compared, and if they are still similar, then the kicker will determine the winner. If there are still no differences, then they are tied. The probability of a poker player being dealt with a Two Pair is approximately 4.8%.

When three cards in a poker hand have similar ranks, and the other two are non-pair, then the player’s hand is called a Three of a Kind, or Trips in other terms. It beats any Two Pair hand and ranks lower than Two Pair. The ranks of the cards that appear thrice in each hand are compared to determine the winner. The possibility that there can be two Three of a Kind poker hands with the same rank of their triples is only available to poker games with wild cards or community card games such as Texas Hold’em, and the winner will be determined by the ranks of the kickers of each hand. A poker player have an estimated 2.1% chance of being dealt with any Trips poker hand.

A poker hand that contains five ranks of consecutive sequence in more than one card suit is classified as a Straight, and it beats any Trips and lower hand ranks. In this poker hand, an Ace card can play either a high (such as Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10) or a low (such as 5-4-3-2-Ace, a “5-high straight” or commonly known as a “wheel”, which is lower in rank compared to a Straight consisting of 6-5-4-3-2), but not both at the same time (such as 3-2-Ace-King-Queen, which in this case is just an “Ace-high high card”). The highest-ranked card is used to describe a Straight, such as “King-high straight” or “straight to King” if the hand consists of the cards King-Queen-Jack-10-9 of more than one card suit, and is compared with the other Straight’s highest-ranked card to determine the winner among more than one Straight hands. If the ranks are similar, then they are of equal value, and card suit is not used to separate them. There is an estimated 0.39% possibility of a poker player being dealt with a Straight hand.

If all five cards of a poker hand belongs to only one suit (either spades, clubs, diamonds, or hearts), and if they do not form a consecutive card rank sequence, then it is classified as a Flush, and it beats any Straight poker hand and those lower than Straight. It is also described by the highest-ranked card, which can also be followed by the next-ranked card if necessary. For example, a Flush which contains the cards 10-7-6-4-3 of clubs can be described as “10-high flush” or “10-7-high flush”. The highest-ranked cards in more than one Flush poker hands are compared to pick the winner. The next highest ranks are then compared if the highest cards are similar, and so on until there is a difference. If all five ranks are similar with the other Flush, then they are tied. Card suit is not used to differentiate their rankings. A poker player has a chance of approximately 0.20% to be dealt with a Flush.

A Full House (also termed as Full Boat) is a poker hand that contains three cards of similar ranks and a pair. It beats any Flush and lower hand rankings. It is described by the rank of the triple followed by “full”, or the words “full of” and then the rank of the pair (such as “Aces full of Kings” or “Aces full” in case of a hand which contains triple Aces and a pair of Kings). The rank of the triple determines the winner among more than one Full House poker hands. In case of poker games with wild cards and in Texas Hold’em, it is possible for two Full House hands to have the same triple, and the pair is used to pick the winner. A Full House poker hand has approximately 0.14% chance of being dealt to a player.

If a poker hand contains four cards all in one card rank, and a card kicker of another rank, it is known as a Four of a Kind or Quads, and it beats any Full House or lower poker hand ranks. Quads with higher ranks beats other lower-ranked quads. It is possible in Texas Hold’em and poker games with wild cards to have more than one players with similar-ranked quads. Therefore, their kicker will be compared, and if they are also equal in rank, then they are tied. A poker player has only 0.024% estimated chance of obtaining a Four of a Kind hand.

The highest ranked poker hand category is the Straight Flush. As the name suggests, it is a combination of a Straight and a Flush, in which the hand consists of all five cards in one suit and forms a consecutive sequence of individual card rankings. Similar to a Straight poker hand, the Ace card can play either high (such as Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10 of spades, an “Ace-high straight flush”) or low (such as 5-4-3-2-Ace of hearts, a “5-high straight flush”, or commonly called as a “steel-wheel”) and not both at the same time. Any “Ace-high straight flush” is also called a “royal flush”, and has the highest rank of all standard poker hands. The highest ranked card of a Straight Flush hand is compared with the others, and if they have similar ranks, then they are tied and the pot money is divided among them. Being the highest ranked poker hand category, a Straight Flush is the rarest poker hand that can be dealt, with only 0.0015% of appearing.

Luck in obtaining high-ranked poker hands is vital in your gameplay to ensure a win. But strategy plays the most important part in winning your poker games, for you can still win even though you have the lowest-ranked poker hand of all. Just stay cool, do your best in bluffing, and most of all, always keep wearing your poker face.