Where To Play Poker Online

Where To Play Poker Online
Online poker games have become a current trend due to its huge popularity and exposure. They have already built a strong base of online poker players from all over the world. Free online poker games are really dominating the world of online games. This is the place where you could even win $10,000 by playing games online and a great number of people are associated with online poker games. Poker is considered to be the mainstream game of America and if you are familiar with the basic rules of poker then it would be very easy to play poker online. However, there are some basic differences between real casino poker and online poker.
In this game, you cannot cheat your player because it is a completely virtual play so that you won't have to play face to face and it totally depends on you how much to play and where to play. There are many online poker rooms available online. Online poker rooms have deposit option where you can deposit your cash in order to get the chips to go for online bet with your opponent. You can easily pull out the chips whenever you want to exit from the game.
When you are playing online real money poker, it is very important to have range of deposit options for international players.
There are mainly 5 deposit options available for online players and they are
Credit, debit and bank cards:

Most of the poker rooms accept international credit, debit and banks cards and this is the most trustable deposit option because of its speed and security.

Electronic wallet

There are many online services available and they act like an intermediate between bank and online merchants. There are many big services associated with it.

E checks:

It is one of the most popular deposit options and it is like a traditional paper check system which is transferred online.

Pre paid visa cards:

It is very easy way of transferring cash. There are many online pre paid visa card options available online and you can easily deposit money by it.

Cash Transfer:

Finally the last option is cash transfer. It can be made through high street chains like money gram but it is very important to get in touch with customer service department first.
Now, you can easily opt any one from these and start earning money by playing poker games.

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The Ill Shuffled Cards - Play Poker

The Ill Shuffled Cards - Play Poker
Jonathan Swift puts it in a wry manner, that until he gets a good hand, he will always blame it on the cards to be ill shuffled. Well, now you can be glad to know that cards are digitally shuffled for making the whole gaming experience perfect with highly sophisticated software. The big point that must be realized is that one needn't have the best hand to win a poker game, as all that one needs to know is the opponent's cards and then quickly convince that person that he is beaten up!
It can be a wonderful way to start developing your very own specific strategy that will affect and yield high returns for you in the end. Betting and raising are important elements in the world of poker and you can always build up your comfort zone with an arsenal of tricky tactics and tough style, especially at times when you know that you do not have a better hand. Playing prominently well even with no good cards can become the ultimate skill of a poker player. As a beginner, one can slowly learn how to make more money in less time by playing online at different tables with critical focus on a single table.
Online poker tournaments are now ubiquitous, while back in 1970s they did not even exist. Especially, if you are proficient at poker bragging, then it can become beneficial to play in such big tournaments. It can be used as a tactic to handle opponents well and needle them at the right time to grab all those chips on the table. One must accept that poker is all about trimming those edges and cornering the opponent to get an upper hand. However, it is important to stay disciplined and overcome hurdles of traps, which is what will separate pros from novices.
It is quite possible while playing poker that small mistakes could only lead to costly confrontation and it is always advised to avoid making a heavy compound of bets. Either one can have a rag hand or become a rich hand by playing online poker, as it all boils down to a well planned exit strategy. Hence, the sooner a player realizes how cool his cards are getting, it is best to exit out of the game and look for another table immediately. The best strategy while playing poker is to win more money rather than most pots!

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Welcome to 5-Card Stud Poker

Welcome to 5-Card Stud Poker
Five card stud poker has a long colorful history in the world of poker. It is one of the first varieties of poker in recorded history and was popular a long time ago and it remains so today. As you know, poker does not consist of just one game but a variety of games, and while one of the varieties is stud poker, even under this one umbrella, you will discover many varieties: spread limit, fixed limit, no limit, pot limit and any number of combinations of all of these. Some see 5-card stud as one of the more simplistic poker games, but to be successful at it requires a deeper comprehension of betting, positions and card combinations. Winning stud players, as in any of the other poker types, do not stick with one tried and true strategy but have a mix of strategies, sometimes varying it with every move and recalculating the odds as they do so.
While Texas Hold'em remains the epitome of popularity for poker games, 5-card stud is holding its own and remains the go-to game in many cash and tournament plays. It has not been the dominant game of the large tournaments but it is still very actively played by traditional and cash players and in tournaments where 5-card stud is the sole offering.
Playing the Game of 5-Card Stud Poker
The game begins with a deal to each player of one card face down and one card face up. Some rules of some games may demand that the holder of the lowest visible card antes up (ties resolved by the size of the ante), followed by a betting round. After completion of this first round of bets, another card is dealt face up and he who has the highest up-card takes the first action. Another betting round ensues, and then another two rounds of cards are dealt The player with the highest scoring hand at the end of the game triumphs. All cards in each players hands are revealed at the end to determine the highest scoring, winning hand.
Maximum Winning Strategies for Five Card Stud
With stud, it would be a rare incident indeed that you draw into a straight or flush due to the five card hand limitation, so what you are drawing for are three of a kind, high pairs, or better. Do not be betting heavily toward draw hands because the odds are low, but do bet toward dual draws where the opportunity presents itself to make a straight or a different, higher scoring draw hand through the art of bluffing.
Early in the game, it is not unusual to find a player betting towards pair hands, high cards, or the same in some combination. Thus, it will greatly behoove you to heed intensely the cards your opponents are holding and set your sights on the pot only if you don't draw an ace or better at your first three draws. The nature of the game, conservative, gives you the chance to bluff and if you expose your bluffs, it can aid you in more effective bluffs and semi bluffs and/or formulating that aggressive strategy when your hand is powerful.
There are many out there who play stud for its directness allowing them to readily pick up on tells and cues. Ergo, as a player you should carefully heed hands that your opponents fold on to pick up data on them for the upcoming rounds. As in all varieties of poker, observing and gaining insight into opponent's moves can give you a major advantage.

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Playing Poker on Ultimate Bet

Playing Poker on Ultimate Bet
With the recent problems on Full Tilt cashing out payments properly, and PokerStars not being the only site that I want to play on, I have been going back and giving Ultimate Bet a try.
I have been playing on UB for a couple of years and never had any problems with them, in fact I have found their support to be exceptional. I have actually been able to talk with a live person the times I have had a question about depositing or whatever. And I didn't have to wait 2 days to do it! (Full Tilt take note!)
I guess the problem for me with playing poker on Ultimate Bet is that I really don't like the software.A� I find it tough to look at and just kind of 'blocky' and poorly done. I think it is getting better, but when you are talking about a site that you are going to be playing for 4 hours or 8 hours at a time, you want it to be at least halfway aesthetically pleasing.A� It also doesn't always seem to flow very well: you make a play and there is a delay and then a click. Or the cards deal out and then all of a sudden come fast or slow. It can be odd and can throw you off track a little bit.
However, on the good side, traffic is fairly decent. There are still 25,000 or so players on the site at most times, and the games are pretty good if you are a No Limit Holdem player. Like me, you might be disappointed if you play tournaments in games like Omaha, Razz, Stud, or HORSE, because you won't find any on Ultimate Bet. You can find cash games, but no tournaments in basically anything but Holdem.
Taken for what it is and not being concerned about what it is not, I think Ultimate Bet is a decent site. I think it is at least an option to get away from Full Tilt and for all of us to not be totally committed to the whims of PokerStars. I do not know if they are having any cash out troubles at this point, but I will be investigating and reporting back on this issue. Stay tuned.

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Free Poker Hand Guide - What is a Big Hand & How Do You Play It?

Free Poker Hand Guide - What is a Big Hand & How Do You Play It?
In this free poker guide we're going to reconstruct a hand, specifically in this article the poker hand know as the big hand. The reason why you need to know this is you will simply learn to play poker so much better when you understand the way different hands can play out.
This can then be related to the context of play. You can start to get meaningful insight the motives of your opponents based on the cards, betting patterns, player profile types, stack sizes, pot size and other relevant factors.
The result I hope is that you can play that type of hand better in the future and win more money!
For this reconstruction lets look at the Big Hand.
BLINDS 1,000/2,000 - (Pot 5,400)
PREFLOP:
A has Js-9s, calls 2,000

 B has Ks-Kc, raises to 14,000

 A calls 12,000 (Pot 33,400)
A just initially calls, hoping that there will also be many callers because he has suited connectors and wants to get sufficient pot odds.
B, meanwhile, may interpret the call from early position as A-A or Q-Q, and because he has a big stack (the two are the biggest stacks in the table) he can afford to raise a little bit, because if the other player reraises and he thinks the other one has A-A, he can fold.
Also, K-K is a little bit unsafe if an Ace falls on the flop, so this may serve as a tester raise. A calls, because he has a big stack and can afford it.
FLOP: Kh-9d-Kd
A checks

 B checks (Pot 33,400)
Suddenly B has Quad Kings! A checks, because he has only a Nine, and can proceed carefully if B bets. B, hoping to conceal his unbeatable hand, checks too.
Paired boards are generally good bluffing situations. For example, a 8-8-3 board is good for bluffing because on a, say, J-7-3 board, you will find three cards which can pair one of them, and a bluff will be less effective.
But on the 8-8-3 board, bluffing has big benefits because there are only two cards which will conceivably help anyone, and also anyone there with a Three will be not as likely to call. (Only an Eight will do.)
However with a board with bigger cards like our Flop, B might have bet, but after that, A will be less likely to put him on a bluff (and more likely on a made hand) because he may have, say, K-10, and we play big cards more than small ones.
B doesn't want A to back out of the pot. So B just checks.
Also, with two Diamonds B should check in the hope that A will put him on a flush draw so that if the flush doesn't come, A will bet or raise to push B away, and B can gain extra chips.
TURN: Kh-9d-Kd-5h
A checks

 B bets 20,000

 A raises to 70,000

 B calls 50,000 (Pot 173,400)
B still has invincible Quads, A still has Two-Pair. B could have now put A on the Nine or a draw, so B bets 20,000 so that A will call.
But since during the flop B may have represented a Diamond flush draw in A's perspective, A raised to 70,000 so that B will move away.
B just calls, since there are two draws already, and B might want to represent one of them again so that A will try another bluff on the river.
RIVER: Kh-9d-Kd-5h-9h
A checks

 B moves all-in 106,000 (Pot 279,300)

 A folds

 B still has Quads, but A is now in trouble because he has a bottom Full House. A King can kill him.
What A is hoping, though, is that B back-doored a Heart Flush and just check it along with him.
But B moves all-in. That is a very intriguing move by B. A strong player would value-bet this (sat, 40,000 on a pot of 173,400) and A can just call it.
It is OK to represent a Flush here, because the board is double-paired, which can destroy Flushes because the board is just one card off a Full House.
So what I am thinking is: B moved all-in because (1) he wanted A to think that they have the same hand or that his hand is weaker, like a Flush. B's play on the Flop and the Turn was weak, so A might not have put B on a King but likely on the Flush draw we are talking about.
B wants a call. B now hopes that A backdoored a Flush too and also that he thinks his all-in is just a bluff, but A is in trouble because of the sudden strong play.
It was psychologically jarring.
Did B hide that King or not? A may think that better hands could come later, so he folds.
Also (2) B may not want a showdown; he did not want to show the two Kings; he wanted to trouble the minds of A and other opponents.
If they saw how he played K-K it will be added information. He wants to keep them guessing.
It is essential to play more unpredictably so you can gain chips later than to gain chips now, but be unable to get some later. I believe this is a brilliant reason.

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Poker - The Game

Poker - The Game
The story of casino games is fascinating and wonderful, one among which lies The Game of Poker. Poker is a game of cards, played for money. The game was first introduced as its presence among gamblers, during the early 18th century. Since then, it has undergone various moulds, as and when its players felt the necessity. Today it has its presence as well and is most widely played in casinos whether it is online or the old traditional way.
As you get to learn and discover the standard odds of any game, you start heading towards discovering what the game is all around and how to act on it. Same is the case with this Game. As the times changed, there could have developed the different versions of the game, but the basics of the game, lies the same. Summarizing in a nutshell - The person playing the game with the best five-card hand, wins the game.
It is important to have a look on the history of Casinos and Gambling, to get a grippy-hold on the subject. Man has started to gamble for the want of money, estates and other luxuries, which may not be easily accessible through regular course if limited income, for some. He invented this procedure, to grab the portion of his wants in a short-cut way, even being aware of the fact that if missed could result in losing everything he possesses.
Casino - refers to the Italian word, which means a little house accessible to the public, meant for purely entertainment purpose with a neck for money by means of playing money-games. Such games have been played since ancient times. It is said that it started in China in around 2400 BC. During that time man used to use a pair of dice to throw away for a judgmental decision as who wins the chance.
The time elapsed and the game of gambling took its own turn and introduced many folds of it in the general public giving it a look of casinos. In present day America, Las Vegas and Mexico City are the main marked cities where in casinos the game is played optimally. There are different variations in present day casino and poker games. With some expectations to win the jackpots, this thrilling game has gained its popularity in all age groups.
On the basis of categorization, the game of poker is considered as an important game among other casino games. With the advent on internet these games have got their highest popularity as online games. Millions of players play it online, involving large sums of money worldwide. Over the internet, the first casino game was introduced in the late 1995. Since that time, new games are being introduced on a monthly basis.
Like all other games, the game of poker also requires a strategy to play. The best part lies within is being aggressive, at the time while you have a hand. Another important part of this game is - bluffing, commonly used to make money. It is your own personal style, which leads you to play the game's odds and win it.
To be the master of it, while playing it you have to learn the art of how to deal with the cards, how to form hands, how to split between high and low hands, the limits of bets and about the rounds of allowed betting. Moreover people are even making the game more popular by gaining extra points to the game like poker tournament and championships. People participate in these to play and win in online casinos.
The rules of dealing cards and betting has given birth to three sub categories of this game, namely - straight, stud and draw poker, all of which are somewhat unique to their kind. Another modern variation to the game are - flop poker, video poker, strip poker, red dog poker and three cards Poker. These games differ just slightly, from the traditional poker game, as for example - Video poker is a played on computer, and in strip poker the players strip out clothing if they loose their game.
Simply speaking, the today's day poker may be called upon, one of the advanced form of entertainment source gaining people grab real money. May be government and law officials imply some restrictions and added tax schedules, but this game in casinos has always been a charming source of entertainment and having fun for us and will remain for years to come.

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Wining in the Omaha Poker Games

Wining in the Omaha Poker Games
The Omaha poker variants are very fun and enjoyable. Millions of people play poker games since it is very interesting and exciting. Different types of poker games are available. The Omaha poker games are usually played in Casinos, poker places and internet gaming leagues. It is possible to earn money provided consumers and players deal meticulously and carefully. Unlike other casino games, poker allows players to take full control of their money and chips. They can bet whenever they want. This should be used by the players to their advantage by wisely placing their money in cards that have a high probability of winning.
The hi lo Omaha poker game is one of the most popular variant in the casino. The game allows the player to hold to set of cards, the high and low combination. The high and low combinations are separated by the number eight. This means all the values below eight would belong to the lower combination while the cards above would be classified with the high combination. The player should wisely command each hand in order to maximize earnings. This is possible by using one of the hands as a bluffing tool. The lower cards can be used to bluff and trick the opponents. The high second hand would be the insurance of the player in case the opponents would think that the player is tricking them. The opponents would be attracted to raise the pot even though the player has a very high card combination hidden.
Another poker variant commonly played in casinos is the hold em' card game. This poker is popular among high stakes player. The bets are very high ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands. This is very enjoyable and exciting considering the price which can be won in the games. In order to win in the hold em' card game, the player should know how to bluff and fold at the right time. The ladder betting scheme is a very effective way to win in this kind of poker game. The ladder betting requires the player to bet in a systematic way. Based on the financial capability of the player, a certain amount would be used as bet. If a player wins a hand, the bet would double. This would allow the player to increase the winnings. But if the player loses, the bet would go back to the standard amount. This is very efficient since the risk is lessened.
The Omaha stud poker is another poker variant ideal for single players. The player would be required to play against the bank. The player would be given two cards. Another three cards would be revealed. The player can bet any amount before the three cards are revealed. Certain combinations should be attained by the player in order to win the price. In order to win, the players should bet conservatively. This is because the cards would only revealed once the best has been given. One the card has been revealed, the bet can be increased. The player should stick to a reliable strategy that works in order to win huge prices.

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Limit Hold 'em - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Limit Hold 'em - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
To help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of particular poker games, I offer the following brief analysis. Those who have ever played poker online are aware that limit poker was once the most avidly played game on the net. The internet still offers quite a few low and medium limit games, and a few in the $100 to $200 range. The limit game is still easily found online and will continue to be in the future, particularly since only a few players are of the $20 to $40 level of expertise.
There is a plethora of literature available devoted entirely to the game of Limit Hold'em poker. This is a major advantage as even the novice player can avail himself of these books while experiencing actual play and if he is a good student will gain much knowledge of the game. This abounding literature allows decisions to be made more easily and most of those decisions can be explained with basic mathematics and become a tool for instantaneous in-game mental calculations.
Moreover, dispersion is less of a threat in limit games. That coldly calculating deity determines the chances of every player involved at a given moment and even the worst and unluckiest rookie may luck out (if you don't want to go into actual statistics, just read any of Terry Pratchett's hapless-Rincewind novels for a dramatization of this point of games and life).
As a rule, any and all poker games are subject to the mathematical phenomenon of statistical dispersion, i.e. major losses are part of even the most expert player's game, and it is this fact that stops folks from indulging in any game of poker. Limit poker is not as mentally intense as no-limit and tournament games, which involve high dispersion. You don't need a lot of funding to play Limit Hold'em and like the large quantity of literature on the subject, there are computer programs specifically designed for limit poker - Poker Tracker and Poker Office will help low limit players especially. These programs can be used both during the game and after whenever an analysis of any part of the game is called for or to make statistical calculations.
Now for the bad and the ugly. Because of the quantity of information available on the game, there is a large and ever-growing number of knowledgeable, skilled players. So the game while it is easy to find, is not very profitable. Poker rooms make their money from the small amount taken out of the pot for each hand. So, poker rooms earn money not from the number of players, but from the percentage of the total number of hands played at the end of a long series of poker hands. This sum more often than not turns out to be quite a tidy one. Limit games which include good players can wind up with minimal profitability or even a loss.
You will not find many games of limit Hold'em off line. Limit Hold'em doesn't seem to contain the features to make it a casino and club game staple. The aficionados of limit Hold'em love it for what it has - the essence of poker which is the card combinations. It apparently is just not as memorable and socially rewarding as being able to converse with fellow card-playing chums around a table made of real wood.

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Becoming a Sit N Go Player

Becoming a Sit N Go Player
The first thing to understand in poker games is when you have to push and when you have to fold your cards in order to become a good Sit N Go Pro. You will need to learn the math and the starting hands to play. This will involve reading your own hand histories and searching for hands where you have improved your bankroll in order to understand if there could be a pattern. You need to analyze your previous plays to understand if your decisions were good or not. I suggest to invest in a program to help you with this analysis. Sit N Go Wiz could be a decent product for this purpose, you can use the 30 day free trial to get you started. There are plenty of software that can helps with your strategy. Make sure that pro poker life is good for you as a first thing. Having the right targets and expectations, the right mental skills are important as choosing the perfect online site and investing in the correct softwares. The excitement of poker games will slightly fade after playing for a long time and becoming a grinder. It is very important that you have the skills to keep yourself well motivated.
Playing as a pro player needs a strong discipline, a balanced lifestyle, and a correct elimination if possible, taking regular breaks drinking a lot of water. A key point is to make sure you have no distractions, don't watch a film while you are playing or chatting with friends. These are all key factors especially during losing patches. The most difficult moment for a poker player is when he is losing a lot of money, in these special moment the player needs to stop playing. Take a break and have a good rest. It's always difficult sleep after a loss, but it's the only way to prevent a worst defeat.

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Top Ten Free Poker Tips on How to Stop Losing

Top Ten Free Poker Tips on How to Stop Losing
Free poker or buy in poker - it really doesn't matter. The point is, you don't want to lose! Well, here are ten great tips on how to stop losing and start winning!
1. Don't play too many hands. If you are playing hands that are likely to lose then fold them and stop playing them. Beginners are better of playing good hands such as high pairs or high card connectors (example QK). You will stand a better chance of winning.
2. Playing your hands wrongly in the wrong position. Position is one of the most important aspect in poker and the most neglected. a 10 pair may be a good starting hand, but do you play them the same way in every position? Late position has an advantage over early position as you can see how your opponents react pre-flop. Rule of thumb - play lesser hands in the early position than in late position.
3. Stop playing if you are not 100%. If you are exhausted from a long day at work or had too many drinks then don't play. Even if you are in a bad mood, don't play. You wont play as you normally would and are likely to be wasting your time and cash.
4. Bluffing too much. Bluffing is cool when you managed to pull off one, winning a pot when you don't deserve to win. But... do you have to bluff so often? Are you bluffing for the sake of bluffing? Buffing is a strategy for more experienced player. For beginners, avoid them until you learn more about the game.
5. Ignoring the pot odds and card odds. These are two of the essential tools that help you decide whether to bet, raise, call or fold. Master them well! If not poker is essentially a gamble when you hope that you will ultimately get the the desired result when the river comes even though you shouldn't get involved in the first place. Master the odds and make the right mathematical decisions!
6. Failure to read the board. It is important to know what is the best hand you have can make from the community cards. But do you know what is your opponent is probably holding? Is he holding a better hand than you? You may hit the flop when you have 2 pairs but what could your opponents be holding? Straights or flush draws?
7. Poor bankroll management. There is a term in poker called "variance". It simply means there are times when you have a bad run or you received lousy hands. To cushioned variance, you need to have a certain bankroll before you are playing at a table. Playing at the wrong table with too high limits in contrast with you bankroll will result in one thing- your bankroll being wiped out.
8. Don't play at high limits. The better players are normally at the high limits tables and if you are new to poker, they will literally wipe the floor with you. Keep your money where you have a chance of winning and stick to the lower limit tables. If you want to try some high limits then have a go at some free poker where you wont lose your own money.
9. Playing poker is not about playing your cards well but also your opponents! You have to adopt a different strategy for different opponents. Some players types are loose passive, loose aggressive, tight passive and tight aggressive.
10. Finally, take it easy. Don't get carried away with the game after winning a few rounds. There will always be a better player out there than yourself, so keep grounded. Poker is a game that take minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Don't expect you can master it overnight. Try to learn from experienced poker players, books, videos.

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Where to Play Online Poker Games

Where to Play Online Poker Games
If you are trying to figure out where to play online poker games, do an Internet search for online poker rooms and take a look at some of the online poker-related sites that have detailed poker site reviews and ratings on their pages.
Nowadays there are over 250 poker rooms online, and the largest online poker room has more than 40,000 people playing at the same time during peak playing hours. You can play poker for real money against poker players from all over the world.
Step 1: Check out online poker rooms reviews.
There are a number of reputable online poker sites that are now catering to thousands of players every day. Search for the well-reputed poker rooms which run on reliable software and manage their payments well. Among the large number of available poker rooms, the choice usually comes down to a number of practical details, such as the game variety, the sign-up bonus offered, and how many players are there.
If you want to play Texas Holdem poker, you're cool, as this the one game that all poker rooms online offer. If you're looking for other games, things may get a little more complicated. Omaha is also very common, as well as seven card stud, but for other games you may have to pick a certain poker room to get your desired game.
Step 2: Look for Sign-Up Bonus Offers.
Found a room to play online poker games? Check out what kind of bonuses the room offers when you sign up.
Every site offers a sign-up bonus on a player's first deposit ranging from 20 percent up to 100 percent. These poker deposit bonuses are usually tied to a requirement to play a predetermined amount of raked hands. You can move from site to site collecting these poker sign-up bonuses, which can be a good way to increase your profit per hour of a poker play.
Make sure you have read the terms and conditions of every poker room so you know exactly what you must do to receive the bonus. All new players are advised to get some practice before putting their money at risk in a live game.
Step 3: Download the Software.
Download and install the software or use the Flash software, and start playing poker for real money at the best online poker sites. If you are sitting on a modem and don't want to download any software, some online poker rooms offer a no-download version. Because of the software used online, nobody can act out of turn. Some sites have buttons or boxes you can check so you can choose to fold, call or raise as soon as you see your cards, but the action will not take place until it is your turn to act.
Poker is a lifelong game where players never stop learning, and the Internet is just another study aid. If you're like most poker players, you shouldn't have a hard time getting acclimated with the transition from 'live' poker games to playing all your favorites at poker rooms. Playing online poker games can be a very fun and profitable way to learn. Grasp the advantages the poker offers you.

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Poker Satellites - The Best Value in Online Poker

Poker Satellites - The Best Value in Online Poker
Online poker games are tougher now than they've ever been before. That's why it's especially critical that players exercise intelligent game selection and actively seek out the most profitable opportunities, because you can be quite sure that they won't be coming to you.
For my money, the softest possible opportunities in online poker can all be found in one place - the tournament satellite lobby. Why are satellites so soft? There are a variety of reasons, and by exploring why satellites offer such a great value to online poker players, you'll also learn the mistakes not to make when you start mining one of the best veins for profit in all of online poker.
Satellites are soft because they attract weak players
The very nature of satellites guarantee that you'll get a weak field. Satellites are the lottery of poker - they offer the chance for a small investment to be parlayed into a massive payday (via the winning of a seat and then success in the target tournament). That sort of appeal is going to inherently attract players who are looking to gamble, who are looking for a path to a quick score, as opposed to smart players who represent your tough opposition.
Satellites also have more of an appeal to casual players - while some forms of online poker can seem esoteric to a recreational or predominately live player (think super-turbos, 3x 4-max shootouts, and so so), satellites are firmly rooted in the lexicon of almost all poker players. The more familiar with a format players are, the more likely they are to participate, and satellite fields are weak as a result.
Satellites are soft because proper strategy is counter-intuitive
Even strong players can easily make mistakes in satellites, where the emphasis on survival - especially near the bubble - is so strong that it often dictates some very strange plays. I can't think of another situation in poker where it's proper to fold AA preflop, but you'll find plenty of those situations in satellite play.
Fold AA preflop? Suggest that to most players and they'll look at you like you just grew a third arm. That's good news, because it means that you'll have the opportunity to avoid mistakes in satellites that even quality players might make, giving you a significant edge.
Remember, when you win a satellite online, you don't have to play the tournament you win a seat to - you can generally get Tournament Dollars for the seat, and most sites allow you to convert those into cash (for example, selling PokerStars T$ is a simple, 3 step process that takes a minute and gets you cash for your satellite winnings).
Satellites are soft because of super-satellites
Wouldn't you love to play 10/20 against a player who usually played.10/.20? Sure you would - no superstar players are hiding at that level - but you'll very rarely get the chance.
Not in cash games, anyhow, but in tournaments, you can - thanks to super-satellites. Online, even smaller buy in satellites are often fed by smaller satellites (known as super satellites). So, if you're playing in a $50 satellite, there's a good chance that many of your opponents got into that satellite by playing a $10 satellite (and that those players may have started off at a $1 satellite, or even a freeroll).
That's a great opportunity, to have such a massive skill gap between yourself and your opponents. Satellites represent one of the few chances you'll get online to have such a huge distance between yourself and the guy in the next seat, and not grabbing it means money lost.
Hopefully that gives you an overview of not only why satellites are soft, but also a starting point for how to approach this excellent opportunity for profit. See you at the tables!

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Biggest Online Poker Games By Player Volume

Biggest Online Poker Games By Player Volume
Online poker first became popular in the late 1990's. At this point the game of choice was fixed-limit Texas Holdem (usually just known as Limit Hold em). Since then the 'big bet' version - no limit Hold em - has become the undisputed biggest game online. Meanwhile Omaha Poker has come from the obscure corners of European casinos to become an online hit, with 2 different variations hitting the top 5 list.
This article contains the 5 biggest online poker variants, along with an explanation of what makes each of the games so popular.
1) No Limit Texas Hold em
No Limit Hold em is not only the biggest online poker game - it actually dwarfs its closest rivals! While the 'Cadillac Of Poker' is the key game in 2010, this was not always the case. Even 10 years also this format was unheard of online, and only found in a selected number of casinos (and then usually in tournament format). The ability to bet as much as you like at any time makes this game exiting and dangerous - with skilled players being able to make significant profits.
2) Pot-Limit Omaha
Omaha Poker is similar to the better known Holdem games in that a flop, turn and river community card board is dealt. With each player being dealt 4 hole-cards, and pot-limit betting meaning it is more difficult to force your opponents to fold, this is a game of big draws and big pots. Pot-Limit Omaha has become more and more popular recently, with high-stakes pros and small stakes leisure players both enjoying the extra dimension that 4 hole-cards bring.
3) Fixed Limit Hold em
The original Holdem variation is still thriving in its niche. In this version of the game the betting units are specified in advance, and there are a maximum number of raises per betting round (usually 4). While this makes the game less volatile than no-limit or pot-limit games, it also prices in a lot of drawing hands - leading to some big pots. Limit Hold em has a devoted following and is likely to stay in the mid-region of the biggest games list for a while to come.
4) Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Split
Omaha makes a return to the list at number 4 with the hi-lo split version of the game. In this poker format, the final pot is divided between the best poker hand and a low hand - which must be made up of 5 different cards 8 or lower. Like the high version of Omaha each player is dealt 4 hole-cards, 2 of which can be used for each hand along with 3 from the board. This came can appear complex to beginners, though is very entertaining once players get used to the structure.
5) Seven Card Stud
One from the days of gambling steam-boats on the Mississippi, 7 card stud has its online fans and continues to be a popular choice at many sites (while relatively quiet at others). Instead of community cards, each player is dealt their own 7 cards in this game - 4 of which are face-up to the table. The best 5 cards make your poker hand at the end of the game. With an extra betting round compared to the flop games, big pots can quickly develop. If you try 7-card stud you need to remember the folded cards, as these can be key cards for opponent's hands on later betting rounds.

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Free Poker Online Guide To How

Free Poker Online Guide To How To Use The Shuffle And Breathe Method To Win More At Poker
This free poker article about the Shuffle and Breathe technique, a simple method anyone can use that can significantly improve poker results (and lot of other things too)
That's because the technique is not a game tactic, rather it is a mental approach based on the ancient art of Tai Chi and meditation.
The Shuffle Up and Breathe technique is not designed to teach you the game of poker, the strategies or its etiquette. It's designed to help you fully realize the poker skills you already have and develop the discipline to use them wisely.
Let's start with what the technique does:
First, it's important to note that having the greatest poker skills in the world will do you very little good if you can't use them when the going gets tough. As with any game, sport or profession you don't win by being an armchair theory expert! If you let your mind or emotions take over, you're locked out - you become purely a reactionary player.
The technique then is designed for balancing and controlling thought and emotion. To form a connection of mind, body and breath.
It is a fact that the mind always follows the breath. When you have a busy mind, you're breath is laboured. When your thoughts begin to slow, you regain control of your emotions and most importantly, your game.
That's why you can use the "Shuffle up and breathe" technique to:
a) Control your breathing.
b) Calm your mind
c) Before, during and after every game, or indeed, any other time in your life.
The technique will help live and focus on the present moment. Not the past or future, but right now. It's about really getting into 'the zone'.
Use it to reduce stress
A lot of life is stressful, but when you add poker games with maybe thousands of dollars at stake to the mix you can end up tired and ill. If you can reduce that stress to a level you can always handle you'll feel better and you'll play better.
Further, by using this technique, you'll become better at discovering your tells and those of others, controlling emotions, developing discipline and time and money management
All of these skills can be used at the poker table, in the office or in any meeting. Learning to stay balanced is the key to success in all areas of life, especially in poker. Consistent use of this technique will result in a clearer mind that makes clearer choices and better math and moves with a great reduction in error.
So - at last - how to do this amazing technique?
It's simple. Focus on the tip of your nose and follow your breath with all your attention. All the way in and all the way out again. You will even feel the friction of the air as it goes in and out.
It's that easy. Your mind will follow the breath and begin to instantly calm. Use this technique before, during and after every game.
Personally, I use it every time I am dealt a hand. If you practice this technique every day and you will find a dramatic increase in your skills and in the quality of your like.
Good players define Luck as the point at which skill meets opportunity. Be ready for it!
Just remember to Shuffle up and Breathe.

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Important Tips on How to Play Video Poker

Important Tips on How to Play Video Poker
Video poker is the game for you if you are looking for purely mathematical thrill at the casino. However, early on, it is important for you to know how to play one. Many people, who play video poker, do so because it bears resemblance to many other poker games that they have played like "Texas Hold'Em", Omaha, Stud and most of all, Five Card Draw. These poker games are different from Video Poker in one respect: Usually, poker games have many players in a game. Video poker has only one player - and that is you.
So here is how to play video poker: Think of it as a solitaire variant of Five Card Draw. You first choose a coin value, for which you want to play, then you bet a certain number of coins, then you receive five cards (first draw). You can choose to discard some of the cards, or even all of them. Then you follow the procedures to receive new cards (second draw). You get no more draws beyond the second draw. To determine how much you win, each video poker machine shows the payout table for the different types of poker hands. The casino profits from video poker machines because there are different payout tables for different pokermachines.
That gives players who want to find out how to play poker a ray of hope. Clearly there can be machines which, in the long run, are easier to beat than others? What's good in video poker is that you can control your fate and you have no opponent at all, so you don't have to bring those sophisticated moves that you may have been always using while playing regular poker games with other people. What is important for you to know are (1) the different poker hand rankings and (2) knowing the odds that you'll make highly desirable hands.
Knowing the hand rankings is a "no-brainer" piece of advice. To refresh you, the different poker hands from lowest to highest are: high card (when no pair is formed), one pair (two cards of the same rank), two pair (two cards of one rank and two cards of a another rank), three of a kind (three cards of the same rank), straight (five cards in sequence; an Ace can be high or low), flush (five cards of the same suit), full house (a pair and a three of a kind combined), four of a kind (four cards of the same rank), straight flush (five suited cards in sequence), and royal flush (a Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all suited). Many poker machines require the minimum hand to be a Pair of Jacks or better for you to win something.
Now that you know the hand rankings, you should know the odds of forming hands when you have five cards already. Odds are highly situation specific, so here are some tips to keep in mind so that you can make a long-run profit: (1) If you already have one pair, discard three cards so that you can attempt for a three of a kind instead of keeping a kicker. But if you have a two pair, don't discard a pair and the unpaired card; only discard the unpaired card so that you can draw to get a possible full house. (2) If you have a pair and an open-ended straight draw (such as 10-10-9-8-7), don't aim for the straight. Aim for the three of a kind by discarding the three unpaired cards. (3) If you have a hand that could conceivably not win anything, then discard all your cards and draw anew. Don't keep any lone Ace, King or whatever.

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