A lot of states have looked at legalizing online poker. The state of Nevada is ready to go once the U.S. ... more]]>

Illinois State Senator John Cullerton is betting on poker.

A lot of states have looked at legalizing online poker. The state of Nevada is ready to go once the U.S. says its okay. They have everything in place. Other states such as California and New Jersey as well was Washington, D.C. have had major pushes, you could say “all-ins,” by various lawmakers who want to make online play legal in their region.

The Wire Act

The U.S. Department of Justice seemed to help clear the way for online poker by stating that the Wire Act did not pertain to the card game but that the law was concerned with sports betting.

U.S. Department of Justice has lessened the scope of the Wire Act.

The Wire Act prohibits gaming across state lines and was seen as being a major hurdle to online poker.

Although there have been intense lobbying efforts of the U.S. Congress for well over a year by the Poker Players Alliance and Fair Play U.S.A. and some pretty solid support from leading lawmakers, an Internet poker bill seems to be far off.

Illinois the Poker Hub?

State Senate President John Cullerton suggested on Tuesday that his state, Illinois, work towards becoming the major hub for online poker. He put forth a proposal for Internet gambling with just about two weeks left until the state senate adjourns.

In a letter to the governor and legislative leaders, Cullerton noted, “Certain forms of iGaming, especially poker, rely on large pools of potential players, and states that move swiftly to design a system that captures the widest audience of participants will have an advantage in terms of long-range success.” He also said, “The goal is to make the state nimble enough to adjust to new Internet gambling approaches.”

The senator wants to get the ball rolling before the legislature adjourns, which, considering the opposition such bills have faced in other jurisdictions, seems farfetched. However, his point is noteworthy in that when and if the U.S. passes an online poker bill, Illinois may be precluded from reaping the benefits unless they clearly state ahead of time that they are for online gambling. Cullerton does not want his state left out in the cold when it comes to sharing in tax revenues.

Speedy Opposition

Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont, said, “If you allow Internet poker to be sanctioned by the state of Illinois, there are a whole lot of questions that need to be answered. Being first isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

The state recently started selling lottery tickets online. Since that began in March, those sales have brought in $1.8 million. There are plans also to expand gaming at racetracks by adding slot machines.

Illinois Governor Quinn has his hands full with budget problems.

Governor Pat Quinn was tightlipped regarding the proposal as he struggles to balance his budget while dealing with rising costs of health care for the poor and public employee pensions.

No Quick Fix

Many states see online poker as a way to balance the books. But there’s no quick fix as it will take years to implement any legislation that eventually says online poker can be enjoyed by Americans without fear that a site will be closed down and without the hassles that now exist when players attempt to make a deposit.

If you’re a tight player and you find yourself in a loose game, then you’re in poker heaven. A loose game is one where ... more]]>

A loose player can benefit you.

If you’re a tight player and you find yourself in a loose game, then you’re in poker heaven. A loose game is one where a large percentage of the players are playing a majority of their hands. Many of these hands are marginal and some are just simply weak.

In this article, we’re going to consider how to recognize a loose game and how to take advantage of the players in it. In order for this strategy to work, you’re going to have to be a disciplined tight player, switching back-and-forth from being aggressive to being passive.

Recognizing Loose Games

The most telling sign that you’re in a loose game is that over a series of hands a large number of players tend to stay in through the flop. Often you’ll immediately notice this tendency during the first hand, and then after three to five hands, the loose players are confirmed.

Some players will play these cards consistently.

Try to recognize the truly loose players—those who will play hands just for the sake of playing hands. These are people who think they aren’t in the game unless they are betting and raising. There are two ways to identify these players consistently.

The first is their tendency to be in every hand. No matter what, that player is in and stays until the flop and often through to the river. They may fold at that point but by then a chunk of their cash is in the pot.

The second way is when loose players reveal their cards at the end of a round. Even if they win, they often win with a weak pair. You really get to know a loose player by the hole cards they keep.

In order to take full advantage of loose games, you must pay attention to every part of the game. It doesn’t matter if you’re in or out of a hand, stay in the ebb and flow of the contest.

Position and the Loose Player

Hopefully, you are to the left of the loosest aggressive player at the table. If you are, you’ll be able to control your game much more effectively as you can read their wager first and get out before the hand gets out of control.

What about loose passive players?

Your poker hand to win.

They tend to be what are often referred to as “slow bleeders.” The loose passive player will be in almost all the time and as soon as raises start to multiply, they are out. Position is useful but not as important when playing against them.

Loose Games and Winning

To win in an average game against loose players, you’re going to see the flop in about 30% of your hands. Overall, if you play only with strong to moderately strong hole cards and manage the flop well, you’re going to set yourself up to beat loose players.

Stay in hands where you have two suited face cards, an A-K unsuited and any pair from 7s through As. You will also want to stay for the flop if you have unsuited K-Q Q-J, and J-10. Don’t stay for anything else. You’ll be short stacked in no time.

Once you see the flop, determine if it’s worth staying in the hand. If you’ve got the hand won at that point, then take full advantage of the loose aggressive players, raising their raises. If you’re on the edge with 10 or more outs and two cards to go, try to stay for the turn.

After the turn, if you’re being pushed to the limit, carefully read the cards and the players. If the percentages are in your favor, then stay. After the river, the same holds true. If you’ve been paying attention and analyzing each player properly, you’ll know exactly where you stand.

Loose Game and Big Winnings

If you’re a smart, knowledgeable player who can read the table and take advantage of situations, then loose aggressive players are your prey. They can be your cash cow. However, never underestimate any player at your table. Always be mindful of each and every player’s move and decision. Doing so will enable you to stay in the game and be the last player at the table.

If you do anything long enough, you’re going to find that no matter how good you are you will eventually have ... more]]>

How many bad flops and beats are out there?

If you do anything long enough, you’re going to find that no matter how good you are you will eventually have a bad run. This may be due to something you’re doing or it may have to do with chance occurrences. In this article we’re going to take a look at some of the things you can do when you have a bad run at the poker table.

Types of Bad Runs

There are two types of bad runs—those that occur in the course of one game and those that happen over the course of numerous games and sometimes many days. Both can be extremely frustrating as it seems that the poker gods, fate and every poker player on Earth is conspiring against you.

You play your hands according to the book, you’re repeatedly beaten on the river and when you have a great hand everyone folds. Then you start to get hole cards that are 9, 2 and 8, 2 or worse. Is there anything worse? There are hands that you dropped out of, such as when you were holding a 9, 2, that turned into winning full houses. In other words, you can do nothing right.

Sit Out a Hand or Two or Three

Although people will often say that sitting out a few hands won’t change a thing because cards are dealt randomly, the fact is that taking a short break allows you to simply study the table objectively without anything at stake. You can clear your head, recharge your battery and get a new perspective.

Play Only High Hole Cards

Play nothing but high pairs and A, K. You can also play two unmatched high cards. That’s it. Stay away from hunches, bluffing or trying to be intimidating.

Aces may help?

Simplify and play an extremely disciplined game. If anything, the consistency of your play will allow you to better analyze exactly what’s happening in terms of your bad run and it may help you break your losing streak.

Keep Your Sense of Humor

This is not easy to do. But you do need to keep your perspective and realize that no matter how seriously you take it that poker is, after all, a game. You probably have a lot of great things going in your life. Review them and let them give you a lift.

Also, sometimes you just have to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here you are playing good poker and losing consistently. It helps to share your amazement at your bad luck with a fellow poker player. Call or email a friend and tell them what’s going on; swap stories. It does help when someone else has had the same misery in their life and if you know someone else who plays poker regularly then they have definitely had bad runs.

Take Out Your Frustration in a Positive Way

Hopefully you have something that you can do that will help you relieve the stress and frustration. Do you enjoy playing a musical instrument, working out or cooking? Make it a positive activity that will get things out and make you feel great.

Go to Bed and Come Back Later

Fold them and walk away. Walk away for a few days or maybe even a week or more. You’ll be amazed at your new perspective when you do come back to the poker table. Basically what you’re doing when you take an extended break is you’re taking some time to simply let everything go. Yes, even poker players need a vacation and the best time to take one is when you’re losing consistently.

Why Are You Playing Poker?

Bad runs can really get you thinking and one question you should consider is why you are playing poker. Hopefully, you’re playing because you love the game, you enjoy learning and you thrive on the competition. If that’s true, then know that at some point when you come back to the table you’re going to have fun and win again. Keep working on your game, be able to let things go and remember that this bad run will, as does everything else, pass.

Here are some common mistakes that players make when engaging in online poker play. They actually apply to those times when you’re sitting at a ... more]]>

Yes, a great keeper hand.

Here are some common mistakes that players make when engaging in online poker play. They actually apply to those times when you’re sitting at a real green felt table. After all being a calling station, bluffing and chatting are all dangerous activities when it comes to preserving and expanding your chip stack.

Going in on Too Many Hands

Many beginning players think they aren’t playing poker unless they are in the hand. Of course this isn’t true. Often players are doing more when they are out of a hand. They’re observing other players, practicing good money management and conserving their funds for when they have strong cards and can really use them.

When playing Texas Holdem, those who tend to do well see the flop somewhere between 20% and 30% of the time. They do so holding quality cards or middling cards after a majority of the players fold or in playing the power inherent in the late position.

Don't play these hole cards

No, you don’t have to have a high pair to see the flop. But you do need something that will give you some power over the course of the hand. That can be a tall chip stack, a late position that gives you an edge in the betting or two suited face cards.

Bluffing or Playing too Aggressively

Although these two behaviors are related, they are not the same thing. Bluffing is basically pushing the bet up with higher and higher raises in an attempt to create the illusion that you’re holding a quality hand when you have garbage. This tends to backfire in Texas Holdem since there are so many community cards in play that an astute player can usually figure out if you have them beat. There are times when you can get away with a bluff in Holdem, but this tends to be when you’re playing from a play position and everyone else has checked.

Do you really want to bluff on a bad flop?

Playing too aggressively is a bit different. Usually the over aggressive player is holding something decent, such as a medium pair, and they decide to raise too much too early, only to see someone overtake them on the flop or turn. Over aggressive play can knock you out of a game very quickly.

Poor Chip Management

Poor chip management is related to over aggressive play, bluffing, playing weak to medium pairs to the hilt and seeing too many flops, but it is more a function of mathematics than anything else.

One reason for poor management is that when you play online the chips and the money don’t seem as real as when you play at a casino. That’s because you never really feel the chips when you’re in cyberspace and when you purchase chips it all happens electronically. Sure you’re playing for money but you never really see it.

Don’t waste your chips on long shots. Play high percentage hands. Be wary of going all in. You may have two kings when someone challenges you but if they have an ace and a king, there’s a chance they’re going to beat you by the time the river comes around.

Chat

Are you here to play poker or chat? Chat can be distracting, taking you away from the game that is ongoing. Stay away from chat. If you want to chat then participate in a play money game where nothing is at stake.

You’re Always Learning

With any type of competitive game, you should always be learning. Although you’ll make mistakes when you first start playing online poker if you assess and learn from them, you’ll be on your way playing like a pro.

Special WSOP event has a first prize of at least $12.3 million!

Before you go into any poker game, it is vital that you familiarize yourself with the terminology. Doing so will ... more]]>

Know your poker terminology when you are at the tables!

Before you go into any poker game, it is vital that you familiarize yourself with the terminology. Doing so will not only enable you to play more successfully, but you will also appear more experienced to your opponents than you actually are, thus decreasing the chances they will take advantage of you.

Though there are thousands of poker terms that are used and these depend on the game in which you are playing, it is essential that you start with getting to know the ones that are the most common. To get you started, it is fitting that you learn the ten terms below.

Big blind–A big blind is when the larger of two forced bets are chosen. A big blind can only apply to specific poker games, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Small blind–A small blind is usually half of the big blind and is the smaller of two forced bets. The small blind also pertains to specific types of poker games, like the ones mentioned above.

Act–An act is when it is a player’s turn to do something in the game, such as play or fold.

All in–This is when a player puts all of his or her chips into the game – this player is thus said to be going “All-in”. A rather risky move, which usually more showy than practical in a poker game.

Of course, this move makes the game much more interesting – everything is much more interesting when your entire bankroll is at stake.

Collusion–Collusion occurs when two players or more work together to cheat in a poker game. We do not recommend this – where’s the fun in cheating?

Downswing–A downswing occurs when a player goes through a time period in which he or she loses much more than he or she has intended. It is also the opposite of an upswing.

Boxed card–this is a card that is facing upward while the cards are being dealt. Much of the time, these cards are treated as though they never existed, thus they are placed aside and not used for the game. Different poker houses have different rules concerning these. Some may completely ignore them, allowing them to be used. It is advantageous that you check with the poker house at which you are playing to see what their rules are regarding these card, so as to avoid any fouls or disqualifications

Straight–A straight occurs when all of the cards are in a consecutive order from least to greatest. An example of a straight is from ten to ace.

Buck–A buck is a marker that is used to make determinations concerning which player will deal the cards or who is the last to act.

Busted–This term has two meanings, and the meaning that will apply all depends on the situation. Busted can either mean that a player has busted out of all of his or her chips, meaning that all of the chips have been lost. Or, it can also mean that a player has a hand of cards that needs one final card to complete it; however, the card is lacking. An example of being busted in this instance is when you have four cards that are in a consecutive order, and you just need one more card to form a straight.

Once you become familiar with these ten terms, you can then go on to learning more. These are just a point from where you can begin to build your knowledge about the games to facilitate success.

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