Bluffing: the Art of Storytelling

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Have you ever wondered why Hollywood actors flock to poker? Actors should hold an advantage when it comes to playing poker even if they know nothing about the game. Actors can tell a story, any story they want, which gives them a psychological advantage from the start. Of course, most actors aren’t very good initially because they don’t know what story they should be telling. Poker involves plenty of acting, pretending and deceiving, which ever you want to say it. You have to act strong when you are weak, weak when you are strong and sane when all you want to do is go crazy. That’s why actors have this important skill that is vital to poker players. Read more

Floating the Flop (with the intent to steal)

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In today’s game of poker a player has to know multiple skills to be successful. If you just sit there and wait for the nuts every time, you aren’t going to be make money in the long run. Eventually people will stop paying you off. Bluffing is an important component to pick up. Read more

Isolating a Weak Player

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When you sit down at a table, the first couple of hands should be used to identify the players of the game. You want to know who the strong players are and try to stay out of their way. You definitely want to know who the weak players are because this is going to be your money source. Read more

Have a Fun Table Image

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Table image is part of the package when it comes to playing poker. The way people view you is going to have an effect on the way they play against you. If players at the table view you as a rock, you aren’t going to get many callers and people won’t be inclined to play against you. If you are deemed a loose player, expect the chips to be flying into the pot when you want to bet. Read more

The Weak Lead

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If that loose aggressive player has been driving you nuts all day at your table, there is a great way of getting back at him. Use a seldom talked about, but effective tactic – the weak lead. Read more

Seven Card Stud: On Third Street

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Seven-card stud is a dying game, or so people will tell you. Don’t listen to them because most reputable card rooms will have big games of seven-card stud going. If you visit any of the big casinos in Atlantic City or Las Vegas there is usually a high-limit game going on. Sometimes even low the limits are found in card rooms. As a beginner, you should be starting at the kiddy table because the sharks are going to make you get up quicker than it took you to find your seat. Read more

Remembering Cards in Seven Card Stud

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If you are just beginning seven-card stud, you are going to go nuts trying to remember everything that is out there. Actually, veterans of the game have this problem as well. Remembering exposed cards is one of the hardest things a stud player has to deal with. Read more

Fixed Limit Hold’em Basic Strategy

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With the boom of poker, players have been jumping straight to no limit with no basis in limit Hold ‘Em. Most great players will tell you this is a big mistake. Players need to be proficient in fixed limit Texas Hold ‘Em before they start to play no limit. If not, they are going to lose a lot of money learning the game. Read more

The Continuation Bet

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A continuation bet is simple to explain – when the preflop raiser makes a bet on the flop still representing a strong hand. However, it could be a difficult skill to learn because there are only certain moments when it should be used. Read more

Trapping Your Opponent

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Trapping an opponent in No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em is a tricky job. You are deceiving an opponent to think you are weak when you are really strong. This is the opposite of bluffing. Read more

Power of Position

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The power of position in poker is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Position in flop games such as Texas Hold ‘Em and Omaha are especially important because in four rounds of betting you will bet in the same spot. It will never change. Read more

Playing Suited Connectors

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These hands are so pretty to look at because of their prospects. They work for you in two ways by going for a flush and a straight. Despite being pretty, suited connectors shouldn’t automatically be played. Suited connectors should only be played in multiway action and for as cheaply as possible. Read more

Playing Small Pocket Pairs

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Playing small pairs might be one of the easiest hands to play. If you have a small pocket pair such as deuces through sixes, your best, and easiest strategy is to call pre-flop to try to catch a set. If you hit a set on the flop, it’s the only reason you have to play the hand further. Read more

Basic Strategy

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You have heard the old adage before: Poker take just minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master. The reason it’s used so often is because it is so true. The rules are simple once you learn what hands beat what, but learning how to win on a consistent basis is extremely difficult. Read more

Starting Hands

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One of the most important decisions you are going to make when playing poker is whether you are going to play the hand. In Texas Hold ‘Em this is deciding if your hole cards are worth risking any money. So much is predicated on this one decision, which is why there are countless books and articles written on starting hands. Read more

Playing AQ

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Playing AQ might be a little easier than AK. The reason it might be easier to play is because people are more willing to lay this hand down than AK. If it’s suited it’s a top ten starting hand. If it’s unsuited it still ranks high. Read more

Playing AK (Big Slick)

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A-K is known as Big Slick. It’s a great starting hand, especially if it’s suited. It’s one of the top five starting hands in poker. Big Slick is tricky though. Big Slick has lots of potential. Big Slick is a stack killer. Read more

Playing Big Pocket Pairs

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Big pairs are easy to play before the flop in Texas Hold ‘Em, but can get a little scary after that. When you are dealt a high pocket pair (AA, KK or QQ), you should almost always raise. You need to raise preflop because you want to go up against the least amount of people.  Read more

Flopping Middle Pair

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Hitting a middle pair on the flop can be tricky. This means that if you are holding A-8s and the flop comes J-8-3, you have the second highest pair on the board. It easy to misplay this type of hand if you are an inexperienced player. Read more

Short Stacked in a Cash Game

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You have been sitting in a cash game for hours, but for some reason you stack keeps getting smaller rather than bigger. There are two options here: get up and go home or tough it out and try to get your money back. Read more