Thursday, July 10, 2008

Online Poker Software

The class of online poker software used is an important factor to consider while selecting an online poker room. When playing poker with online players by placing bids, it is difficult to notice the opponent's body language, which in turn is very vital for the success of the game. But, with the help of a good online poker software tool, it is easy to know the reaction time and highest bids play. Online poker software is actually a set of programs designed by top professionals and employed by online poker rooms to enable the players to have the best poker experience.



For an inexperienced player, design is important, in order to follow the game and analyze various movements at the playing table. It is also necessary to check the sound effects. Further, see whether the graphics involves special features.



Another important factor determining online poker software is playability, i.e. whether the games run smoothly without any interruption. The poker room's capability to host large poker tournaments and possibility to play at various tables at the same time are factors to be checked. Statistics and usability of the interface are the other factors vital for online poker software.



Based on the specific needs of the players, different online poker software tools are available. For example, in order to determine hand strength for Hold'Em, Stud, and Lowball, one of the excellent tools is the Pokenum Poker Hand Analyzer, which has features to add cards to the board. Likewise, poker chart software program introduced by the Ace Analysis Company provides graphs and analysis, which helps users to track their performance history throughout the poker career. There are many websites in the market, selling the best poker software. In some instances, online poker rooms use their own proprietary software.



Among the top names in online poker software are Texas Hold'Em Assistant, Dave O'Brien's Smoke'em Poker, iPoker, Wilson Software Turbo Poker, Frugal Gambler Video Poker Teacher, IRC Poker, and All Video Poker for Palm OS. Nowadays, free online poker software tools are also popular.




Online Poker provides detailed information on Online Poker, Online Poker Tools, Free Online Poker, Play Online Poker and more. Online Poker is affiliated with Poker Tables.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole
http://EzineArticles.com/?Online-Poker-Software&id=407490

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Poker Hand Rankings and Odds - Probabilities For Beginners

Poker Hand Rankings and Odds - Probabilities For Beginners (Texas Hold'em, Stud, Omaha)
By R Miller




This article is for beginners wanting to learn texas holdem or returning players refreshing themselves on what beats what in poker and odds/statistics. This information is useful to all because at one point or another we all questioned if a flush is better than a full house or a straight to a flush. It can be confusing at time even for advanced players.



The goal for Texas Hold'em is to make the best combination of five cards out of your hole cards (two down cards), the flop (first three middle cards), the turn (3rd card), and the river (last card). Here are the hand rankings and odds.



High Cards
The easiest hand to make in any Poker game (Hold'em, Omaha, Stud...). It is also the lowest possible hand with the Ace being the highest value and the 2 being the lowest.



Odds
There is a 1 in 52 chance of getting any given card in the deck minus cards in play. Also the players have to be factored in. So (52-(players x 2)-(flop)-(turn)-(river)=denominator odds). There are Poker Simulators designed for calculating these odds in certain situations. People that practice with these odds and patterns can often make better calls and raises.



Pair
The first combination a player can make it by matching two cards of the same number or face.



Example: [Ace, Ace, Jack, 10, 2]



Odds
There is a 1 in 4 chance of pairing two cards.



Two Pair
This is king of self explanatory. Add another pair to the original pair.



Example: [Ace, Ace, Jack, Jack, 10]



Odds
There is a 1 in 20 chance of having two pair.



Three of a Kind
When three cards match with no other matching pairs or else that would be a Full House. A player must factor in the odds that other players might have the needed card(s) or they might be in the Deck. That is what makes it more difficult than a pair. Let alone matching all fours cards of the same value.



Example: [Ace, Ace, Ace, Jack, 10]



Odds
A player will see three of a kind on an occasion in games with a 1 in 46 chance.



Straight
When a player connects any 5 cards in order with different suits (example: hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades). The Ace can be valued as 1 or 13 in only Straight hands. The first two are correct ways of utilizing a Straight.



Example #1: [ Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5]



Example #2: [10, J, Q, K, A]



Here is the incorrect way below.



Example #3: [Q, K, A, 2, 3]



Odds
The odds are 1 in 254 of forming a straight.



Flush
This is one of the most frequent hands a player must watch out for regarding suits. It is when a player matching 5 card suits. It is not very frequent but it does happen.



Example: [5 Hearts, 7 Hearts, 10 Hearts, Jack Hearts, Ace, Hearts]



Odds
It appears roughly half the times a straight does at odds of 1 in 508.



Full House
A Full House is when a player has three of a kind and a pair in one hand.



Example: [Ace, Ace, Ace, Jack, Jack]



Odds
A players odds are 1 in 693



Four of a Kind
This is the third best hand in the game. A hand that should be played aggressively from the beginning. It is when a player matches four cards of the same number or face value.



Example: [Ace, Ace, Ace, Ace, Jack]



Odds
This is when the odds start to become very rare at 1 in 4,164. Don't count on this hand in a pinch.



Straight Flush
Next is the Straight Flush which can be made by simply combining a Straight and a Flush. Making this the second best hand in the game. Note a 10 to Ace Straight Flush is a Royal Flush the next hand.



Example: [2 Hearts, 3 Hearts, 4 Hearts, 5 Hearts, 6 Hearts]



Odds
Another hand you might not see for weeks or even months. The odds are 1 in 72,192.



Royal Flush
Bringing us to the best hand in the game of Texas Hold'em. A Royal Flush is a hand consisting of...



Example: [10, J, Q, K, Ace] All hearts, diamonds, clubs, or spades.



Odds
If a player can see this hand dealt out once in their life they are lucky. With odds of 1 in 649,739.



Good Luck to those of you and future hands of Texas Hold'em and other fun Poker games. Also remember to play Poker responsibly and only for what you can afford.




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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R_Miller
http://EzineArticles.com/?Poker-Hand-Rankings-and-Odds---Probabilities-For-Beginners-(Texas-Holdem,-Stud,-Omaha)&id=1282412

Friday, July 4, 2008

Why Texas Hold ‘Em Is the Poker Game of Choice

Whether you’re just wanting to learn how to play Texas Holdem, or you’ve already been at it and want to improve your skills, you’ll be pleased to know you’re not alone. Hold'Em is the most popular form of poker in the world.

Texas Hold'Em is being played in casinos in Las Vegas, by grandmothers on a computer connection, by families and friends gather around a poker table in a living room on a Friday night.

While playing poker can be fun by itself, changing the game up a bit makes it more interesting and challenging. Everyone can learn texas holdem – it’s not too complicated, but you do need to learn the ropes to help you win.

As you play more, your own Texas Hold'Em strategy will develop. You’ll take what you learned in the basic education and tweak it to fit your personal betting strategies. You’ll need to learn the psychology of advanced level Hold'Em players, in addition to the fundamental plays and rules that accompany the game.

Some people play Texas Hold'Em for the fun of it. Others get into it because there’s a lot of money to be made with this skill. You get to raise the stakes as quickly as you see fit, or stay at a level of competition that seems comfortable to you.

It’s recommended that before you get online or enter a casino, you learn the ropes of Texas Hold ‘Em in the comfort of your own home. Get a group of friends or family members together and introduce the game to everyone to get the hang of it.

Up the stakes by entering online poker sites that let you pit your skills and talents against other serious Texas Hold'Em players around the world who are logged in at any time of the day or night.

This is currently the most popular option because it allows you to play anytime, at any level. You can start out betting with play money and move on to real money virtual tables.

If you go to an offline casino to play some Hold'Em, you’ll want to find out which tables are for practice and which are low stakes until you feel comfortable going to the more experienced poker tables in the room.

As you get deeper into the game of Texas Hold'Em, you’ll find that your fascination of the game is shared by many. You might even join a local club of Hold'Em enthusiasts who congregate to share tips and steal strategies from other like-minded players.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Probabilities You Should Know

Spending five minutes gaining poker knowledge can give you the necessary edge
at the table.


Poker math doesn't always require addition on the spot. There are a number
of scenarios and draws where your probabilities are the same regardless of the cards your
holding. This is because of the number of outs that you have. If you become aware
of these patterns and memorize the percentages, it can allow you to spend your
time focusing on other matters such as your opponents' betting habits and demeanor
and greatly increase your ability to maximize your poker winnings.


Knowing your probabilities is an important tool because it can not only help
you to make a smart call based on the percentages, but it can also help you get away
from hands you would otherwise have difficulty giving up.


Here are some probabilities that you will find extremely useful when playing:
























Pre-Flop Probabilities
Chances of Being DealtPercentageOdds Against
2 Aces0.45%220-1
2 Kings0.45%220-1
2 Queens through 2 Tens1.36%72.1-1
2 Nines through 2 Sixes1.36%43.2-1
2 Fives through 2 Deuces1.81%54.3-1
Ace-King suited0.30%331-1
Ace-King off suit0.90%110-1
Ace-Queen or Ace-Jack suited0.60%165-1
Ace-Queen or Ace-Jack off suit1.81%54.3-1
King-Queen Suited0.30%331-1
King-Queen off suit0.90%110-1
Ace-x suited2.71%35.8-1
Ace-x off suit8.14%11.3-1
Any Pair5.88%16-1
Any two cards suited23.53%3.25-1
*Suited Connectors2.11%46.4-1
*Connectors6.33%14.8-1
Any hand with a pair or an Ace20.36%3.91-1
* = Connected cards that can make a straight in 4 different ways. For example, Jack ten can make a straight with A-K-Q, K-Q,9, Q-9-8, or 9-8-7. Ace King can only make a straight in one way, Q-J-10 and thus the possibilities for making straights with this hand are less















Probable amount of times that you will flop the following:
You hold:After the flop you will:Likelihood:
Holding a PairFlop Three of Kind or better12%
Holding Ace-Kingflop Ace or King32%
Two suited cardsflop a flushless than 1%
Two suited cardsflop 4 to a flush10%
Two Unmatched cardsflop 2 pair2%
















Miscellaneous Probabilities
Player A holds:Player B holds:Probable Winner:
AK suitedA pair of 9sA pair of 9s - 52.4% favorite.
AK suitedA pair of 3sA pair of 3s - 51% favorite.
AK off suitA pair of 9sA pair of 9s - 54.9% favorite.
AK off suitA pair of JacksA pair of Jacks - 56.5% favorite.
AK off suitAQ off suitAK - 74% favorite.
AK off suitAQ suitedAK - 69.7% favorite.
A pair of AcesA pair of KingsAces - 82.6% favorite.
AK suited spadeTen-9 suited diamondAK - 61.3% favorite.
AK with A on flop
Open end straight flushOpen end straight flush - 56.3% favorite.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Learn To Play Texas Holdem

Texas Hold'em has quickly become a staple on TV, in casinos, and in living rooms around the country.



You must know how to play, and how to play well. Whether you want to beat your friends in a friendly home game, or make some money playing online or at a brick and mortar casino, or compete in a tournament, the following tips will show you how you can begin a journey which can be fun and rewarding.



You can begin by...



PLAYING FOR FREE



Admittedly, playing poker free without anything at stake is usually boring and unrewarding.



However, the majority of online poker sites still offer the option to play poker using free money. Anyone who opens an account receives a small sum of play money he or she can use at the play money tables. There they can play in the same manner that the real money tables use.



Now clearly the level of competition and the quality of the strategies are not those you will usually find at a real money table. That is not to say that the free tables are not without purpose. Since the site will keep records of the amount of free money you win, there will be a steady increase in the level of play as you start entering into tables where the stakes are higher. For instance, if you were to start out with 1,000 dollars and slowly work your way up to a sum of 20,000 dollars, allowing you to enter into tournaments where the buy-in is 3,000 and up, then you would be playing against higher caliber opponents. As a result online poker for free does have its own level of competition and depth.



When you have mastered the play money tables, you can then begin playing at the real money tables. Take the time to play for free and think of the decisive advantages it presents:



1. Gain a knowledge of the best starting hands in texas holdem.

2. You learned to harness the power of position at the poker table.

3. You have grown in your understanding of betting and the various betting strategies

4. Grasped the ability to speak poker slang without looking like an idiot at the tables.

5. You understand there is a proper code of conduct known as poker etiquette.



So what are you waiting on? Do a search on online poker reviews and find the poker-client that best suits your needs. While you begin learning to play poker for free, you should...



BUY THE BEST POKER BOOKS



A large number of poker players find their introduction to the game of Texas Holdem through some of the Best Poker Books.



With Texas Hold'em experiencing such a rapid growth in the past several years, there are more poker books than ever before, however you want in your possession the best poker books. Read poker book reviews and find the top poker books especially for beginning poker players. However, take the time to search the Internet for information on how to play poker and the different Texas Hold em starting hands before starting out.



Good poker books can help you improve techniques to your game that you may have not known or have ignored. You also might find that during a bad poker run, re-reading your favorite poker book can help you return to the essentials and point out some probable weaknesses in your game.



Do yourself a favor and read nothing but the best poker books that will help you to learn how to play poker. Now there is one other tip you should utilize if you want to learn how to play...



FIND A POKER COACH



If you are serious about learning to play poker and wanting to win money, you should consider a poker coach. You are aware every professional athlete has a "go to person."



Hank Haney tutors the prolific Tiger Woods to keep him in check and perfect his swing. Heck, even Michael Jordan himself had a mentor. Every paid athlete regardless of the sport has a tutor or a trainer to maintain his or her discipline... Always helping with strategy and perfecting the game.



Poker is a people game and coaching is a people thing. A poker coach can see what you are doing wrong and immediately correct you. That is hard and perhaps impossible to do on your own.



If you're serious about playing poker then you should take playing poker serious enough to find a good Poker Coach. Having someone to critique your play may save your bankroll down the road.



Learning to play poker takes a minute to learn and a life-time to master. With the aforementioned tips it will make learning to play easier. Good luck at the tables.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Bankroll Management

To be a successful poker player you have to be able to exercise good bankroll management skills. If you are unable to manage your poker money correctly, you will never be able to become a long term winning poker player. Even if you were the best player in the world, it would be impossible to be able to make money from poker if you did not use good money management skills.

Bankroll management basically involves playing at a certain levels and buy-ins to help prevent yourself from going broke at the poker table. You have to set yourself limits to where you can play poker due to the variance found in every poker game. There are always going to be times where you have runs of bad luck that you cannot control, and you will lose money due to the bad runs of cards, and not necessarily due to any bad play. Therefore there is no use in putting all of your poker money on one table, because there is a good chance that you will lose it all and not be able to continue playing poker.

As a result, it is important that we have a large enough bankroll to absorb the effects of this variance so that we can continue to play poker even when we have very bad runs of cards. In addition, we don’t want to go over the top and play at micro levels with a huge bankroll because it is unlikely that we will go broke, and we want to give ourselves the opportunity to win a decent amount of money from our poker sessions. Therefore there are useful rules that you can follow to make sure that you give yourself the best opportunity to make money from poker without going broke.

In cash games, you should never put more than 5% of your bankroll onto the table at any time. So if you want to play in $1/$2 cash games and intend to buy in for the full amount, you should have a bankroll of at least $4000. This will then give you enough room to take a few bad beats and losing sessions, but still be able to continue playing poker without the fear of going broke. Another way of looking at the 5% rule is to remember that you should have 20 times the maximum buy in of the level you wish to play at in your bankroll. Most online poker rooms offer a wide range of limits, so it is perfectly possible to keep your bankroll under control, no matter how large or small it might be. Alternatively, if you are a tournament player, you should have around 40 buy-ins minimum for the level of tournaments you wish to play in.

It is important to remember however that bankroll management is only useful if you intend to play poker regularly, and that you are a winning player. If you only play poker casually then it is not as important to have a set bankroll, but to just be careful with your money instead. In addition, bankroll management will have no effect on your moneymaking endeavours if you are a losing poker player. However, bankroll management will slow down the time it takes for you to lose the money if you are used to playing at higher stakes.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

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