Poker: Which Cards Should I Play?

After you have got your two cards, you need to decide whether you have a chance to get anything with them or not. Whether it’s useful to put more money into this game or not.

Firstly, there are certain cards you should always play (if they are suited): AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ

Why these cards?

These cards have the highest possibility to beat others – to get high pairs, full houses, flush or four of a kind possibilities. Of course, you do need to think about how much money you need to put into the game as well. For example, AA is the best pair you could have at all. But even with that pair there’s a chance to lose. So if you have AA, no flop has been dealt yet and someone calls ALL-In, then you need to think first whether you are ready for the risk or not. Yes, you do have a great chance to win this game, but these chances are never 100% sure. What if the other guy is bluffing and he has 10 and 3….but then from the flop he gets two more threes…or 10 and 3. There’s not a big chance for that to happen, but it’s possible and you do need to keep that in mind.

Secondly, there are all the smaller pairs like 22, 33, etc. With these cards you should call only when you’re one of the latest callers or somewhere in the middle. Never call with these cards if you’re the first one to call.

Thirdly, all kinds of suited cards (with a picture on it) like Q5, K6, etc.
And if the cards are suited then also hands like 98s, 97s, 96s,87s, 86s, 85s,76s, 75s,65s, 64s,54s, 53s,43s can be played with, but play these cards only when you’re in the end of the ring, one of the latest callers.

When talking about unsuited cards, then simply put – don’t play with anything smaller than pictures. QJ is okay, Q8 isn’t.

Some other poker pro’s can definitely disagree with me here just a bit, but these are the basics. This is a bit simplified look into it, but it should give you the general idea of what to play with and what not to play with.

Tom Corrier has been playing poker himself for some time now and even if he can't be considered a total pro, there are definitely some useful hints that you can take advantage of. You can read more from him at Gamblingdudes.com - Profits from online gambling

Video Poker Like a Pro

Video Poker is quite a popular game amongst gamblers. This well-liked game combines elements of both slots and poker and gives the player a definite opportunity to win. This is so because unlike roulette or slots that are dependant almost purely on ‘luck’, Video Poker is an effective blend of both luck and strategy. Hence, if you learn to use the best strategy and are blessed with luck along with it, there is nothing to stop you from doing very well.

The results are always governed by a random number generator which moves through about 1000 random numbers, in a second. When the player asks the machine to deal, the Random Number Generator gives a number to the machine, which pertains to a card combination for display and the replacement cards. The odds that you will get a particular hand, is decided from the start of the game. For example, the odds of your receiving a royal flush without drawing are 1 for every 649,740 hands.

As one is allowed to discard in a game of video poker, a definite pattern or strategy on the basis of which a player can do so can be followed. The important thing is to discard in a way that maximizes your chances of a win.

The optimal strategy varies with the rules of the type of video poker being played. It may also vary with different play tables.

Learn to read a payout schedule so as to know the difference between short, partial play and full-pay versions. A 9/6 video poker will have the royal flush after every 40,000 hands played – this equals approximately 80 - 100 hours of game time. This would seem to discourage betters from placing their bets in anticipation of a major payout, but the reality is that betters should always bet the maximum coins being allowed as this will minimize the house advantage.

Joker’s Wild Strategies: For full pay, the pay schedule will be 7/5 machines, 7 coins for a full house and 5 coins for a flush. There are two versions of the game, in one the money is returned on a pair of Kings or more whereas in the other at least two pairs must be present before a payout. Obviously, the first game is better for more frequent winnings than the full pay version, however, if the payouts are varied, it may be that the two pairs version actually offers more in total payouts.

Whatever the version you are playing, here are a few simple game play rules:

1. If you do not have a joker, keep 3 cards to a royal over a pair of kings of aces, as the payout in the former case will be more.

2. If three consecutive cards lead to a straight flush discard other cards for the higher payback.

3. Never feel hesitant to hold the joker alone. You will not be able to connect with a straight, flush, straight flush or a high pair. But the Joker can give you four new cards and a chance to win.

Deuces Wild Strategies:

1. In the Full-pay Deuces Wild versions there will be 9/5’s with 9 coins for a straight flush and 5 coins for a 4-of-a-kind.

2. Never hesitate in throwing away your 5 cards. You may get additional cards that are deuces and keeping an Ace of a Kings will not help you if the next hand ends up being four, fives or sevens.

3. With Jacks or better, players should throw away full hands only 3% of the time as compared to Deuces Wild players who throw away about 20% of the time – that is every fifth hand.

4. Do not keep two pairs; make a selection between the two.

5. Inside straights must be kept only if they show the best possible return from the initial five cards and one should never discard a pair to hope for the straight.

6. In Deuces Wild, the number of deuces dealt in the initial hand determines the strategy. It is important to note that only once in every 5000 hands, will there be four deuces. Due to its rarity, this hand is a secondary jackpot that will get you winnings.

Rich McHagans is a video poker expert

Free Poker Tournaments--Making Extra Money While Having Fun

There are many different ways, or schemes to make money over the internet. One way that I found to be extremely enjoyable is the free signup poker tournaments that dish out fat cash prizes to the top challengers.

Yes my dear readers, you can earn money while having fun playing poker, there is no investment, just your time.

Usually all you have to do is just follow the instructions contained in the poker tournament listing. Some will ask you to e-mail them with some required personal information and e-mail, they will e-mail you back an entrance code for the specific tournament you have inquired about, some will just tell you where to go to get that code. Fairly easy to do.

These online poker tournaments are called free sign in and are listed on different online poker sites. Some are run by the poker rooms themselves, and some are ran by other sponsors, usually you have to register in order to receive the free password to enter the tournament.

In these free roll tournaments players’ numbers are usually limited and they vary in sizes of players and cash prizes. I have seen some free roll tournaments that have prizes in the thousands of dollars, and all it takes is five minutes of your precious time to sign up. And believe me, its worth it. The fact that you get to play against others (real people) sure makes that old adrenaline pump go into over gear as you get to bet for free, yet win real money. For some of us experienced poker players it can be a great income extension for them extra dollars.

You can find these tournaments listings in most poker rooms around the net and in most affiliated casino review sites, some of which sponsor tournaments themselves. All you have to do is just look in your favorite search engine under online poker tournaments and a huge selection for you to choos from will come up.

US based Marketing expert on B2C business, now is the developer at http://www.generapharm.com and http://www.online-casinos-usa.com.

Web Cam Poker

How web cam poker could be 'the next big thing' in online poker!

Online poker needs a new innovation and web cam poker could be it. Imagine being able to play online poker against opponents you can see, being able to read their tells and interact with them as real human beings.

Read full article at: Web Cam Poker

Women Poker Players

How More And More Women Are Playing Poker... And Winning!

Look out, lads! The women are coming in droves to the poker table! It used to be the case that if women played cards at all they went to whist drives.

In very upmarket homes a rubber of bridge might have been the social order at the dinner party. Not now, chaps. Channel Five newsreader Fiona Foster has taken upi poker along with her husband. Tom Cruise's former wife, Mimi Rogers, is a dedicated poker player, as is TV personality Claudia Winkleman. Perhaps the most interesting recruit of all is TV Soccer AM's brainy blonde Helen Chamberlain. Helen is fast becoming a poker standard bearer for the new army of female online poker players.

"I recently turfed tournament favourite Ram Vaswani out of the SKY Poker Million competition," chirps a confident Miss Chamberlain.

And how did you manage that little miracle, Helen? Share your tips with Daily Star readers right this minute:

"It was a bullying tactic. It's one thing being a bully but when I'm being bullied, I fold unless I think I've got a hand. That's how I beat Ron Vaswani. He went all-in and we already had the flop and there was nothing. I had a pair and he obviously went all-in to try and scare me off. When the flop came in, it was a 9 high-flop."

Nice pair, Helen!

Even more gobsmacking is the meteoric rise to the top levels of the game of the now legendary Annie "The Duchess" Duke. Annie rose to fame as Ben Affleck's private coach but has long been a seriously respected poker heavyweight, held in high regard by the likes of Johnny "Orient Express" Chan and Howard "The Professor" Lederer (who happens to be Annie's brother). Annie has beaten both Chan and her brother, along with World Series of Poker double champs Doyle Brunson and Greg Raymer. Last Septemper she won a cool $2,000,000 in the World Poker Tournament of Champions in which she unseated a handful of the most potent poker players on Earth. She even concussed Phil Helmuth into second place.

Any of you ladies out there who are taking up poker and thinking it'll be too difficult to rise to the top and raise a family, think again. Annie is a mother of four and has earned over $6,000,000 in prize money. If there is ever to be a female World Series of Poker champ, it'll probably be the Duchess. In less than a decade, Annie Duke has reached ten finals. In the year 2000, she sat a final table whilst nine months pregnant.

Watch out, guys. The women poker players are coming to get you!

Saturday July 9th 2005 - Poker Column - Women Poker Players

Further Resources:
Top 10 women poker players to fear
Women's Poker Pages
Women's Poker Club: A private social club for women poker players with sponsored women only tournaments, peer mentoring, and poker forum

Bluff Detection: How to spot a poker bluffer

Bluffing is a very powerful weapon. The great professional players use it all the time. How can you counter it? You need several pieces of intel to give you better than a fifty-fifty chance of guessing if a player is bluffing you in a live, social game or online.

Read rest of article: Bluff Detection: How to spot a bluffer

Types of Texas Holdem Poker Games

New article for poker newbies, detailing the three Types of Texas Hold'em poker games that you can play at most online poker sites. If you are just starting out, or are curious about online poker but haven't got a clue where to start or how it works, be sure to check it out.