Guide to Successful Poker Playing For Beginners

When starting out playing poker, often players will have a hard time adjusting to the game and find themselves out of pocket on more than one occasion. However, if you follow the three simple tips presented here, you'll be on the road to success in no time. These three core poker skills are; mathematics, discipline, and psychology. Mastering these skills will mean you'll be able to read game situations and be able to capitalise on those moments that would have otherwise passed you by. The first skill that needs to be mastered is basic mathematics. A solid poker player will know the probabilities within the game, and of specific card matchups. Along with all other card games poker is based largely on statistics and probabilities. Knowing when to fold and call the bet becomes second nature when understanding the probability behind hitting the flush or river card. Poor poker players disregard this aspect of the game, and thus suffer the consequences. Don't be one of these players and make sure you understand the probabilities and thrive under it. The second skill you should be focusing on is discipline. Poker is a game of great patience and for that patience you need strong discipline. Don't play loose and take unnecessary gambles when the situation does not warrant it. A disciplined player understands when to play or when to fold their cards; they build an understanding of the game and only play when they have the advantage. Last but most definitely not least is psychology. Reading your opponents and predicting their next moves is arguably the most important of all skills. Understanding what opposing players have in their hands, what they think you have, and what they think you think they have. Accurately predicting these three can give you a massive advantage over the other players. This is even more important in no-limit games to limit games, as bluffing is more prevalent. Consider these three key poker skills and build upon them to really impress your friends at the next poker night. Start bossing games and building sizeable pot leads, which will in turn give you more experience to improve upon. Hopefully this article has provided you with the necessary information to further your game and most of all enjoy yourself!

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Four Simple Poker Chip Tricks

You know poker inside and out. You know all the best starting hands, you know all the sure fire tells, and you can play trash cards like they're the nuts. But the one thing you can't do is look cool at the poker table. Now we have all seen the dashing poker players on TV. They are full of confidence play little games with their chips as they wait. Rolling, shuffling and doing the butterfly are just a few of their little tricks. This gives them the cool look in the poker games. One thing about poker, it tends to attract people with big egos that, no matter what they say, want to look cool. And one of the most popular ways to look cool at the poker table is to show off how well you can handle your poker chips. Here's a list of four poker chip tricks that anyone can master with minimum effort. The Pullover This little trick is like the shuffle. First stack up 6-8 poker chips, then put your hand over it. Your pointer finger and thumb should be placed on one side of the stack and the rest of your fingers on the other. Take one of the stack and set aside, then flip the other1/2 on top of the stack with a smooth and easy move. Now this will impress your friends! The Finger Flip Here is another trick which is simple easy and impressive. You will actually just flick a poker chip over a pile of poker chips that you have. The best way to start is with a stack of three chips. So how do you do this? Take a small stack of 3 chips in your hand. Place your forefinger and thumb in the center of the chip, with the rest of your fingers at the side. Using these fingers glide the back 2 chips downwards using your thumb to support them and prevent them from falling. When they slip down make the front chip jump to the back with your forefinger. Remember that this little ploy takes some practice, so perfect it before you show it off to your friends. The beauty of these two poker chip tricks is that they're simple and repetitive so you can sit at the table and fiddle with your chips to your hearts content. When you get really good at this, we'll move on to lesson two: Irritating your friends for fun and profit.

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Win In Poker By Having A Strategy

In order to win at poker you must develop a strategy. Poker playing requires a lot of patience and to achieve a strategy you have to have experience. One of the best ways to gain experience is to play online poker tournaments. You can play for free or for cash. There are many levels of tournaments so you don't have to spend a lot of money to gain your experience. You can have an income for online poker called rake back. In order to protect your hands you must develop the ability not to give away whether you have a strong or weak hand. That old adage poker face comes into play here. In poker when people can read your facial expressions or the way you move your hands or cough when you have a good hand are called tells. You don't want anyone to be able to tell what kind of hand you have. One way to do this is to show no expression in your face while you are playing. Of course when people are you used to seeing no expression on your face you could use that to the advantage to bluff. You don't want to bluff too often or they will get onto your game After you are seated at the table and feel comfortable look around at the other players and watch them as they're playing to see if they have any tells. Watch them and observe if there any motions like tapping the table, being impatient which might show they have a good hand and they want to get it over with. After you have won a few hands and the other players see that you know how to play you could try a bluff. Now remember if you get caught in a bluff you could lose some money and the other players will know that you are capable of bluffing. Some players will try to engage you in conversation just to learn about how you play. Patience is a virtue. This is a good saying for a poker player. You don't want to play every hand, you want to keep good cards and fold on anything less than good. Sometimes this is really hard to do because you get bored. When you do have a good hand you want to keep the other players in the game. This is called pot building. If it looks like the other players are staying, up your bet. If you are dealt a pair of aces it's a good idea to raise the bet before the flop to ensure that the other players won't stay in with hands that they have to draw to. Practice makes perfect. Go online. Play the poker tournaments. Remember there are even tells online. Keep your mind open and watch how the other players bet. Do they just play good hands and fold all the time. Do they play every hand. Do they slow play a good hand. Everyone has their own strategy of playing poker and so can you.

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How to Win a Poker Game: The Body Language

By nature, poker is a hard game to predict. But there are certain methods that can give you the edge against the competition such as the ability to read body language. Here are ways on how players can increase their odds on winning a poker game. The Opponent's Psychological Behavior Most people who want to increase their chances of winning poker games will probably notice that most players participate in the trash talk during the game itself. This track talk is often aimed at diverting the opponents' concentration on the game and play mind games on them as well. A lot of poker players also tend to be angry or too arrogant when the game isn't going too well for them or when their chips are slowly getting drained. A good poker player is very sensitive to these behavioral signs. Reading these hints and using them to your advantage is a great way to be successful on poker games. Players who want to improve their odds of winning poker are advised to maintain a steady head and calm look, irrespective of all the distractions created by other players or the game. Make sure you stick with your game plan. Although it isn't easy to ignore distractions, pay close attention to the surroundings and stick with your plan, doing this shows sheer strength and psychological power. Keeping a steady head us a great way to increase your chances of winning the game. The Art of Bluffing Aside from understanding the behavioral clues passed by the competitors in a poker game, another good way to victorious at the end of every poker session is to regularly change game plans. This can be done by bluffing at strategic points of the game. You can mildly give yourself up with the goal of throwing the other players off and gaining an upper hand on them. The act makes it difficult for opponent to determine your game plan and read your body language. Players should closely examine their cards and know the odds against them. It is not always that people get the good cards in a poker game. For better decision making, it would be important to initially determine your odds of winning the game. If you have a good hand at poker, then feel free to make high and wise bets. Increase your Odds of Winning the Game It is crucial that players make their talk and body language as controlled and as deliberate as possible. Always mind the things that you say and how you say it. A lot of professional poker players wear sunglasses and sit upright as part of their game plan. They try to avoid external noises and listen to music while playing poker. Conceal your game plan, pay attention to the game, be attentive to your surroundings, and recognize the opponents' cards-these are perhaps some of the factors that will let you make wise and prudent decisions on a poker game.

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Online Poker Bonus-Promotion Selection - Your First Step to Profiting from This Game

How do you make the best out of a poker bonus? Do you know how to evaluate if a bonus promotion is really worth it? Believe me, many of them are not! Bonus are a great way to increase your return of investment. Let's say you deposit $100 for a 100% bonus. If you play an average poker and keep your first $100, after a while you will have doubled it, with little efforts. So it is a great opportunity. It all started six years ago. Poker was exploding in the internet, and the poker rooms were doing their best to get new players on board. That was the time of the small bonus, from 20% to 50% of the first deposit. Now you will find some rooms offering up to 200% bonus, but it's not that simple. In the beginning, a room would have an instant 20% bonus, for example. After your first deposit, the bonus was added up to 24 hours later in your account. Now, things are a lot tougher. These are the factors that you should consider while deciding for a bonus: 1. Maximum amount. OK, this room offers a 100% bonus, to a maximum of $50? $1000? Be careful about that. If you have the money to invest, and you usually play high limits, you should be looking for the rooms that offer a higher maximum bonus amount. 2. Bonus release - requirements. Most poker rooms have rules about when your bonus will be released. Usually, they state on their conditions on their website. This means that you need a certain number of raked hands, or points, to be able to receive the bonus. For example: a room release 5$ of your bonus every time you get 50 points. But how you get 50 points? That's what you should focus on. Usually you get points by playing real-money tables, every time some rake is collected from the table. You can also get points by playing tournament fees. This makes all the difference. If a room only give points in cash games, and you play only tournaments, forget about your bonus. If the other room give points only if the rake was higher than $0.25 and you play only micro-limits, again, it will be really hard to get your bonus. 3. Bonus release - full or partial. Some rooms give you your whole bonus after the conditions are met. Others give you in increments, usually of $5. If you play less than one hour per day, you should be going for the second type, because even if you don't get the full bonus, you can make some profit. However, if you play a lot, you could try the first type, as you will be able to receive it in full. 4. Bonus expiration. This upsets a lot of people. You will find that some rooms have a 30 day expiration for all bonus. This means that if you don't make the requirements in 30 days, you don't get any of the bonus. Usually, the expiration of bonus is 90 days, but you should check the poker room website for more information. Are you ready? Now grab your favorite poker bonus offer and profit from it!

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Why Do People Play Poker?

Do you like to ride roller coasters? Do you like competing and demonstrating your skills? Any contest of skill or luck can generate some level of excitement - the release of chemicals in the brain that prepares one for growth which enhances performance and mood. People play poker for a variety of reasons; like they have various reasons for any activity in which they choose to engage. Some of the reasons identified for playing poker include entertainment, personal challenge, socialization, and profit. People go to work every day for a variety of reasons; examples include, to make money, to interact with others, and to enjoy the application of skills. Social interaction promotes personal security, skill application enhances confidence, and money of course provides the opportunity for more choices. Poker is somewhat about acting - experimenting with alternate egos and personas that might be lead to enhanced success. For some, success means profit - improving one's financial status. An activity that involves socializing successfully is often comforting to people. Poker is fun and entertaining. Winning a poker hand can produce results such as a payoff for taking a risk, the confirmation of skills, and the acknowledgement that practice has benefits. It can produce an adrenaline rush due to the uncertainty factor, the prospects of acquisition, and actual acquisition. The uncertainty factor comes from the hormones release in situations that have unknown outcomes. Situations are fluid and outcomes are somewhat predictable but uncertain. To prepare for dealing with various outcomes, one's body has to prepare for uncertainty. To prepare to deal with the consequences of an outcome, one's body and mind have to be energized - stimulated by hormones. One has to be alert to cues that help plan the various possible actions related to strategy or at least to make decisions that are likely to lead to favorable outcomes. This not only applies to poker but to life skills. In 2007 Mike Eikenberry wrote, "First, the development or improvement of a number of traits and skills can make the amateur more successful in his or her personal and business lives. These include: • an enhanced ability to be patient and more selective, • improved observation and listening habits, • a better ability for honest self-evaluation, increased self-discipline, • an improved ability to bounce back from adversity without emotional turmoil, • an appreciation for considering all possibilities with the broadest of perspectives, • the ability to reason deductively under pressure, • an appreciation for money management, • better memorization skills, and • finely honed negotiation talents." The preparation for the challenge of understanding the dynamics of poker and learning how to maximize the potential for favorable outcomes demands formal or informal learning. One's abilities are tested and success gives one feedback on how their talents or efforts are paying off. They get feedback on how to alter behavior to enhance success or reduce risk. If you are not successful you might come to the conclusion you are ill-suited for the game - time to try something else. Most likely one will be energized to find ways to improve their chances of success. Actions might include, paying attention to outcomes and the actions of others, studying the game methodically, or just asking questions. Changes in behavior can enhance success - changes that come through the energies generated by the prospects of success. The pursuit of success improves mental acuity - the enhancement of attention, memory, and decision-making. One has to remain alert to avoid mistakes and prepare for the next challenge. Why do people play poker? It is exciting, having the potential of being fun and rewarding. It is one of the ways people engage in competition and achieve a sense of success. Chemicals in the brain prepare for the challenge to enhance the potential for success. Success enhances one's since of security - if you are successful, you feel a greater sense of security. If you are successful you have more reason to believe in yourself

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The Difference Between Online Poker Bonuses and Poker Rakeback

In online poker, a player has a choice between poker rakeback or poker bonuses. The catch is you can only choose one of these benefits. All poker players have their own preference on which is best for them. In this article we will go through the advantages of each and which is better for you. Types of bonuses in poker are: Initial Deposit Bonuses: Bonuses given when players make their first deposit. Normally rooms match the deposit given, so if you deposit $100 they will add $100 into your bonus account which will be released as you reach the right amount of accumulated points or raked hands. Promotions: These are promotions that poker rooms run at various times of the year which do not require a deposit. An example of this is monthly promotions that run on the network. They make a new promotion almost every month for any event or holiday that takes place in that given month. For example in December they are running a Christmas bonus in which prizes and money is given to players for when they reach certain amounts of comp points. What is poker rakeback? To receive rakeback, a player has to sign up via a rakeback provider or by contacting the individual poker room. The room will not be able to give you rakeback if you are already tracked to an affiliate who does not allow this option. Rakeback is a bonus given to players in which they receive a percentage of the rake they have generated. The money is paid into their account daily, weekly or monthly depending on the room. If you are receiving rakeback you will not be able to participate in promotions or be eligible for deposit bonuses. The percentage of rakeback you receive varies on the room once more. Some offer around 25% while others are giving players the entire rake they have generated back to them. For recreational players, it is advisable to choose the bonuses. This is because a recreational player will not generate enough rake to make the payments worthwhile. These players enjoy the fun factor more than the competition. They like to participate in the monthly promotions and bonuses offered on the site which is not available if you take the rakeback route. Rakeback is recommended however to players who play for a living or who play high stakes games. This is because it is clear you are playing to make a serious income and chasing bonuses is not going to interest you as much as picking up an extra sum each week. Also the amount of rakeback you will generate will be worthy of picking up and can even turn a losing month in to a winning month. There are web portals that have done the research for you and offer a list of rakeback sites. Some have negotiated exclusive rakeback deals for players. Shop around on these sites and see which sites offer the best rakeback. Also for US poker players find a site that offers a list of US poker sites that offer rakeback. Overall, if you do not play poker for a living or play stakes above $2/4, it is advisable to steer clear of rakeback and take the bonus route. If you do play limits over the ones mentioned above, take rakeback and pick up a guaranteed amount of money on a weekly or monthly basis.

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