Learn Play Poker

Hey Guys,

Been a busy week but how are you all? I am starting to feel a little beter and on the recovery path from my cold but was definately not a fun one and I am major tierd as a result of it (as usual:) )

Anyway I have been a bit ill for poker recently but still managed to play some online games in, I am having loads of fun on the new WasSPoker platform, it always busy and still free to play. It is also canadian/American friendly so I get to meet plenty of good players to test my skills against. So far I am up after an initial deposit of $400 I have $630 in my account. Will maybe think about taking some out soon. They actually do have some ace little games on there too I may check out when I have more time.

your article today is about one of the most fundamental player based tactics in poker, the bluff. It is also the last in the “poker Players Series” *cry* Never Fear! I am working on more articles as we speak so you will be getting new content still next week.

Enjoy and I hope you don’t get the cold going around!

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There are several different kinds of bluffs one can make in the game of poker. Each present excellent opportunities, but only if they are made correctly.

The most common bluff is called the semi-bluff.  A semi-bluff is made in an attempt to disguise your hand and is usually made when you have a large draw but no made hand.  The idea of a semi-bluff is to make your opponents think you have a pair or some other hand of value.  In reality you usually have a flush or straight draw when you make this bet.  When you make your draw this bluff disguises the true power of your hand.

A second type of bluff is a reverse bluff, also often called slow playing a hand.  In this instance you are trying to make your hand appear weaker than it really is.  You make this bluff by checking when it is your turn to act rather than betting.  You can also make this bluff by taking your time and appear to agonize of a decision to call a bet.  This type of bluff is a great strategy of you are at a table with many aggressive players who will fuel the action.  If you arte playing with a group of passive players it is often the wrong strategy to use.

Bluffing based on the board is another form of the bluff.  In these instances the cards you hold are irrelevant. You are using your powers of observation to deduce what cards your opponents hold and acting accordingly.  For instance, suppose you have observed that two of your opponents play only high cards. You are in a hand with one or both of these players.  The game is Texas Hold’em; you hold a king of spades and a ten of clubs.  The flop is dealt two of diamonds, five of clubs, nine of hearts.  You have absolutely nothing but your observation of opponents leads you to believe they likely have nothing as well.  In this case you are making a bluff based only on the texture of the board which obviously does not help players that play only high cards.

The final bluff I will discuss is the scare card bluff.  This bluff is made on the final betting round when a card is dealt that can make a big hand like a straight or flush.  You make this bluff of course on someone who showed strength early in a hand.  When you make this bet you are trying to convince a player that holds a set that you just made a flush or straight to beat him.  This bluff needs to be made with a large bet, quite often by putting all of your chips in the pot while holding a losing hand if called.  It is the ultimate bluff a player can make a bluff that has the highest risk and highest reward.

Hey Guys,

How are you all today?

I am busy at work this week, lots of stuff flying in and out the office and it’s all hitting me

Anyway I did have time to finish off the latest article in our “Poker Players” series, it’s about famous poker players and should be some handy trivia for the next time your down the pub or in a poker room. It’s not one of the articles that is going to particularly boost your strategy but it’s still interesting to know

I have been spending a lot of time on WassPoker this week, if you have not already checked it out I recommend you give it a try they have a lot of freerolls on over the next month as well as it being a busy poker room. Had some good beats and wins already but I may write a little more about them soon

Hope you enjoy the article, as always comments are welcome!

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Doyle Brunson is perhaps the most famous, and probably most loved, poker player of all time. Nicknamed “Texas Dolly” Doyle Brunson has won ten events in his lifetime at the World Series of Poker, the game’s premier event. He has won the main event (No Limit Texas Hold’em) of the World Series twice.
He won both main events while holding 10-2 as his starting hand. This hand is now known throughout the poker establishment as “Doyle Brunson”, making him the only poker player to have a specific hand named after him. His booked titled Super System is looked upon by many as the bible of poker strategy.

Phil Hellmuth is commonly referred to as the “poker brat”. His antics at the table are very similar to those of John McEnroe on the tennis court. He draws much attention to himself when he complains about a bad beat or berates a player for making a play he thought was unwise.
Phil creates controversy and is a person who is either liked or disliked but rarely ignored. Behavior aside you can also make the case that Phil Hellmuth is the greatest No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament player to play the game. He has won a record eleven World Series of Poker events. He is a specialized tournament player; he is certainly not regarded as a great cash game player. In tournaments however his record is second to none over many years. Any discussion of the greatest players of poker must have his name near or at the top.

Chris Moneymaker is a famous player for a variety of reasons. First consider his name, if you were to create a fictitious story about his exploits in poker you could not come up with a better character name than in real life. His fame comes from what he meant to the game of poker. Chris won only one World Series of Poker event, the Main Event of 2003. The storyline behind his victory is what fueled the massive popularity boom of poker in this decade.
He won entry into the Main Event through a low dollar amount satellite on an online poker site. In the main event he knocked out famous players like Johnny Chan and Phil Ivey. Then while playing heads up for the Championship he made perhaps the most famous bluff in the history of poker on Sammy Farha. He proceeded to win this head up duel and claim the championship with a full house. His tournament win showed players throughout the country they too could hit it big without having to invest large sums of money to play. This was the fuel for the massive engine that drove poker to heights it now enjoys today.

Welcome back guys,

Here as promised with the start of a new article series all about poker players themselves.

The series will look at a lot of different aspects of people who play the game instead of the game itself, knowing your opponant is the key to victory in any game and by reading through this series of five article you will definitely have a much better understanding of how people behave at the tables as well as how to conduct yourself for the best results.

The first article in the series looks at an increasingly important question considering the recent increase in quality female players into the more professional regions of our favorite game. Do Men and Women Play Differently?

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In general I do believe there is a difference between male and female poker players.  I believe however the difference is more pronounced at lower levels of play.  If you are a truly good poker player your gender is not much of a factor.  The skills that are required at a poker table are not gender specific; both genders have the same ability to play well. Poker is a mental and personality type game.  A man’s built in advantages of physical size and strength do not offer any advantages at the poker table as they do other form of sport.

The main difference if how the other player react to a woman sitting at the table.  This is especially true if the woman sitting down is young and attractive.  A truly good male player would not let this affect his play.  In reality though this does not often happen.  When an attractive woman plays at a table many changes instantly occur.  Male players generally become much more aggressive when in a hand against other males.  You often will have a situation where several players attempt to become the “alpha dog” at the table.  You will notice more bluffing; the pots will certainly be much larger.  More often than not however the play against the female will not be as aggressive. Rightly or wrongly most male players will instantly regard the female as lesser competition and act accordingly.

What does all of this mean to you the poker player?  It means you need to adjust your play accordingly.  If you are a man sitting at a table in the situation above you need to change gears and play a tight aggressive brand of poker.  You need to be patient and wait for the right hand.  Remember when you make a good hand there is a good chance opponents will be thinking with something other than their brains.

The other thing you need to do is consider all players equally.  Whether it is an elderly man or a young attractive female you need to regard them equal.  Over the course of a poker session you have very limited chance to rake a huge pot.  If one of these chances happens in a heads up showdown with a female you cannot allow chivalry to alter your sense of proper play.  Trust me when the tables are reversed she will not afford any kindness your way.