Free casino tips » poker tournaments http://www.freetipscasino.com for a lucky online experience Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:28:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Online and Real World Poker http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-and-real-world-poker.html http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-and-real-world-poker.html#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 13:53:23 +0000 admin http://www.freetipscasino.com/?p=419 It started some time ago with then thousands of people logging in to try their hand at this game. It soon became an addiction. Since then, many have ventured out into real world poker rooms and tournaments. Many online poker players today are “practicing” for the big-time. And many poker pros play online.

That said, there are two big differences between online poker and your brick and mortar poker room-and no, it’s not just the cigar smoke and sometimes annoying wait to get into a game. The two main differences are time and tells-the two T’s. Today, I’ll break them down for you.

Time

Online poker is a lightning fast game compared to real world poker. When you watch poker on TV, they actually do a major editing job to make it look more up to speed.

When you play online poker, you’re acting within 20-30 seconds. You either act before your timer goes down or you’re done. There isn’t much think time.

Now, play in the real world and it’s a drastic change. The game moves at a snail’s pace. For some this is good. You can sit there and think about what to do.

However, the slower game means less hands per hour, which in turn can mean lower profit per hour. If you’re a mechanical online poker player that just cranks out the profit per hand, real world play might not be good for you.

Tells

Countless articles and books have been written that deal with tells at the poker table. In fact, talk to any poker pro and he or she will talk about playing the player not the cards.

Good or bad, you can’t do this with online poker. Tells virtually don’t exist. Sure, you can pick up some playing habits if you play with someone long enough, but it’s difficult. There’s no way to study your opponent.

For some, this is a good thing. Your opponents can’t see you doing cartwheels, because you’ve just scored a full house on the river or picked up trips on the flop. But, true pros do their best work when they are sitting across from other players in the real world.

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]]> http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-and-real-world-poker.html/feed 0 Hold’em Poker http://www.freetipscasino.com/holdem-poker.html http://www.freetipscasino.com/holdem-poker.html#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:03:57 +0000 admin http://www.freetipscasino.com/?p=402 The reasons for Holdem’s success as a game are numerous, including it’s easy to learn rules, complex advanced strategies, quickness of play and well proportioned balance between luck and skill. It’s inherent properties seem to offer something for all types of poker players. Action junkies will love the quickness play and sophisticated bettors can enjoy learning the endlessly debated advanced strategies possible. Another big part of the games growth comes from the actuality that the cards and odds often allow for rookie players to win a session or tournament against practiced players. Achieving results, even just occasionally, always encourages new hobbyists to continue playing without intimidation.

Will Holdem always be the poker game of choice, or is it possible another game will become the new favorite? Older poker games like Stud and Draw could possibly regain some momentum however this is an unlikely scenario as these games are currently being shunned by many new action players for their naturally slow pace of play. Other known games like Guts (3 card poker) seem a little too wild and precarious for most players and Pan (a form of chinese poker) is immediately seen as being just too complicated.

It is more likely that a newer game like Crazy Pineapple or Badugi would take over as the number one. Pineapple is essentially a spin-off from Holdem and Badugi is a fun new form of 4-card poker that is played triple-draw for low. These new games can be exciting poker alternatives when a bit of variety is needed in our playing sessions.

Regardless of these tendencies, it’s certain that the Holdem craze is not going to end anytime soon since it has been the introductory game for the biggest wave of new players in history.

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]]> http://www.freetipscasino.com/holdem-poker.html/feed 0 Online Poker Tournaments http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-poker-tournaments.html http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-poker-tournaments.html#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:01:39 +0000 admin http://www.freetipscasino.com/?p=377 Multi-Table tournaments are big tournaments; some can have 2,000 players or more. In a multi-table tournament, you compete against the players at your table, the winner of that table moves on to another table. This keep going on until there is only one player left. As you can imagine, multi-tables can last for quite a few hours.

Single Table Tournaments Or “Sit and Go” Tournaments

These are reasonably small tournaments, usually nine or ten players. You’re only competing against the other players at your table. These types of tournaments usually start when the required number of players has registered. These tournaments tend to be shorter then mult-table tournaments, often lasting around one hour. These tournaments often have only one winner.

Free Roll Tournaments

These tournaments are free. Pokerrooms periodically hold free rolls. Entry into one of these may be given away as a comp to existing players or as a bonus for making a deposit. In any event, it costs you nothing to enter, and you have a shot at willing real money.

Satellite Tournaments

Satellite Tournaments are smaller tournaments in which the prize is entry into a bigger tournament. At some pokerrooms, you can “satellite” your way all the way up to free entry into the World Series of Poker held in Vegas.

Here’s some additional info

Re-buy or Addons: some tournaments allow you to purchase additional chips after the start. There are usually specific rules about how much and when you can purchase. Also, the ability to purchase additional chips usually ends at a certain point in the tournament.

Blinds: During most tournaments, blinds increase periodically on a specific schedule. This is to help to shorten the length of the tournament, by making it more costly to simply keep folding. Larger blinds force players to play more aggressively.

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]]> http://www.freetipscasino.com/online-poker-tournaments.html/feed 0 Texas holdem poker http://www.freetipscasino.com/texas-holdem-poker.html http://www.freetipscasino.com/texas-holdem-poker.html#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:55:20 +0000 admin http://www.freetipscasino.com/?p=373 Tournament play is also largely down to luck(and patience).Also as with no limit poker,you can play great for hours only to lose out just before the share-out stage on one bad stroke of luck.Again the player does nothing wrong,but hours of play goes up in smoke with nothing to show for it.
Limit poker is the game – you can play for as long as you feel good,and you can manipulate the stake you want to play for each and every hand.

THE PROCEDURE.
Take your online seat.

Wait for large blind(2 players pay large and small blind every hand to start pot) – you will be prompted,just click to pay)

Two cards will be shown to you,and no one else.

A round of betting will now take place by other players round the table.
If there has not been a “raise”(increase in your large blind stake you have already paid) then just “check”(it costs you nothing and you get to see next card for free).

If there has been a “raise”you can either go with them(“call”)and increase your stake or cut your losses and “fold” – We will show wether you should stay in or fold hands later.

Next the “flop” occurs – this is when 3 cards are dealt onto table,which everyone can see.

There is now another round of betting,and apply same procedure as in first round of betting.

Every player will now see another card dealt – the “turn” card.

There is now another round of betting,and apply same procedure as in first round of betting.

Every player will now see another card – the 5th and final card – the “river” card.

There is now another round of betting,and apply same procedure as in first round of betting.

The game is now finished – the player with the best hand wins the pot – less the poker house cut,the “rake”

Another game now begins,this time you will be prompted to pay the “small blind”-click to pay.After this game you will get a respite from paying to play,and will only pay again(unless you have good hand that you do want to play) when big blind rotates the table.

THESE ARE THE BEST HANDS IN RANK ORDER
1. Royal Flush
This is the highest poker hand. It consists of ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all in the same suit. As all suits are equal, all royal flushes are equal.
2. Straight Flush
Five cards of the same suit in sequence – such asJ-10-9-8-7. Between two straight flushes, the one containing the higher top card is higher. An ace can be counted as low, so 5-4-3-2-A is a straight flush, but its top card is the five, not the ace, so it is the lowest type of straight flush.
3. Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank – such as four queens. The fifth card can be anything. This combination is sometimes known as “quads”, and in some parts of Europe it is called a “poker”, though this term for it is unknown in English. Between two fours of a kind, the one with the higher set of four cards is higher – so 3-3-3-3-A is beaten by 4-4-4-4-2. It can’t happen in standard poker, but if in some other game you need to compare two fours of a kind where the sets of four cards are of the same rank, then the one with the higher fifth card is better.
4. Full House
This consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank – for example three sevens and two tens (colloquially known as “sevens full” or more specifically “sevens on tens”). When comparing full houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher. For example 9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of a kind were equal, the rank of the pairs would decide.
5. Flush
Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two flushes, the highest card determines which is higher. If the highest cards are equal then the second highest card is compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card, and so on. For example K-J-9-3-2 beats K-J-7-6-5 because the nine beats the seven.
6. Straight
Five cards of mixed suits in sequence – for example Q-J-10-9-8. When comparing two sequences, the one with the higher ranking top card is better. Ace can count high or low in a straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind of straight, the top card being the five.
7. Three of a Kind
When comparing two threes of a kind the hand in which the three equal cards are of higher rank is better. So for example 5-5-5-3-2 beats 4-4-4-K-Q. If you have to compare two threes of a kind where the sets of three are of equal rank, then the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are equal, the lower odd card is compared.
8. Two Pairs
A pair is two cards of equal rank. In a hand with two pairs, the two pairs are of different ranks (otherwise you would have four of a kind), and there is an odd card to make the hand up to five cards. When comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins, irrespective of the rank of the other cards – so J-J-2-2-4 beats 10-10-9-9-8 because the jacks beat the tens. If the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so that for example 8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K. Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd cards are compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 beats Q-Q-5-5-4.
9. Pair
A hand with two cards of equal rank and three other cards which do not match these or each other. When comparing two such hands, the hand with the higher pair is better – so for example 6-6-4-3-2 beats 5-5-A-K-Q. If the pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking odd cards from each hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these are equal too compare the lowest odd cards. So J-J-A-9-3 beats J-J-A-7-6 because the 9 beats the 7.
10. High Card
Five cards which do not form any of the combinations listed above. When comparing two such hands, the one with the better highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too the third cards are compared, and so on. So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-5-4 because the jack beats the ten.

HANDS TO PLAY.
To stress again this is an introduction to limit poker,after time you will not stick to any strict guidlines,you get a feel for the game,there might be an idiot playing who you want to get involved with,it is your lucky day,and also you do not want to become too predictable.

But for now some guidlines may be useful.

Position is often portrayed as very important – it may be in no limit,but in limit not so important,if a hand is worth playing there is no need to be put off by an increase in stakes.If it is not a great hand,and you are early player(in other words you may get raised by later player)then fold,whereas if you are late player(fewer players have opportunity to raise you)then you might run with it.

Also you should always defend your big blind stake to at least one raise.One of the biggest pots i have ever won at limit poker was a situation where i was dragged unwillingly into a raising game holding a 6 – 2 unsuited,and you can’t get much worse than that.The flop threw down 3 sixes !.
Let the small blind go unless you have at least a half decent hand.

These are hands you must play,or raise even if raised previousley.
AA, KK, QQ,
A K, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ,
A – anything suited

Include these hands to check,and call if raised.
QJ, 10 – 10, J – J
4 – 5 suited, 5 – 6 suited, etc……through to………….10 – J suited.

Include these hands to play and check(discard or play,depending on your,and the games circumstances)
Any pair
4 – 5 unsuited etc……….through to ………………..10 – J.

THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND.

Players bluff a lot.

Players bluff much more than you would imagine – if you hold at least a pair from flop,it may pay to see it through to the end.Particularly if 2 suited cards,or a possible straight was flopped,and now their straight can’t be made,and their flush busted.

Have rough idea of odds involved.

You can exhaust yourself,and make poker pretty hard work if you take the maths to extreme lengths,but a rough idea of the odds to draw is a must.
Just have in front of you the odds involved to make your hand.For these examples the river(last card)is to come,and below are the approximate odds.If,say for example,you have a pair of 3′s and know you need another 3 to win the pot,there are only 2 cards in the pack that can win it for you.The odds are 22/1,if the pot,plus what will be played this round is only paying you 10/1 you have to fold,if the pot has potential for paying 30/1 you have to play.

Odds below are for river card – last card only to come.
It is roughly half the odds given below for turn plus river card – last 2 cards still to come
2 cards wanted is app 22/1
3………………………….14/1
4………………………….11/1
5………………………. … 8/1
6………………………….. 7/1
7………………………….11/2
8………………………….. 5/1
9……………………………4/1
10 cards wanted just play!

Most players are now too aggresive.

Almost everyone has read the poker instruction books,and the recurring theme within those books is be agressive.Don’t be intimidated,when someone raises and reraises,if you have the hand,go with them,let them up the ante,wait and hit them late,particularly if the raiser does it all the time – the table will go with this player,but maybe fold if you raise.This is the reverse of popular tactics,but i have tried both,and at least you have the option of bailing out if it goes wrong,most players having raised agressively early feel they have to stay with it whatever they end up with,and try to bluff their way out of trouble.

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]]> http://www.freetipscasino.com/texas-holdem-poker.html/feed 0 Poker Tournaments http://www.freetipscasino.com/poker-tournaments.html http://www.freetipscasino.com/poker-tournaments.html#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:34:41 +0000 admin http://www.freetipscasino.com/?p=359 When a poker tournament begins, each player usually starts with a healthy stack of chips that are the lowest denomination. After all, you’ll need them to pay the blinds, and probably for all of the betting during the first few blind levels.

But, as time passes and the blinds increase, these smaller chips eventually are more bothersome than helpful. With blinds at $75 and $150, putting up fifteen $10 chips to pay a big blind is not convenient.

So, once a chip value is no longer needed to pay any of the remaining blinds on the schedule, those chips are removed from play. When possible, they are cashed in at face value for a higher denomination chip. But, someone is bound to have the odd chip or two, and that brings us to the question of how to remove those odd chips from play as well.

The first way to deal with this situation is to ignore it. It won’t go away, but those leftover $10 chips will only be put into play when a player is going all-in. At that time you can sort out any situations as they occur. Eventually one player will gather enough of the small chips to cash them in.

Or, you can race off the smallest chips of the smallest value. A chip race begins with the player in the dealer’s position. For each odd chip they have, they receive one card, face up. So, if the dealer has three odd chips, he will receive three cards face up.

This continues around the table until all the players have given their odd chips in exchange for cards.

At that point, the collected chips are totalled and a pile of the same value is made using the next higher chip denomination. So, if $100 worth of $10 was collected, $100 of the next highest chip value (perhaps $25′s) would be set aside to award in the race.

If the numbers do not match, they are rounded up. So, if $120 worth of $10 chips were collected, $125 worth of $25 chips would be awarded in the race.

Now, the awarding of the chips. The player with the highest card receives one chip. Then the player with the second highest card. And so on. Each player may only receive one chip, so once a player is awarded a chip in the race, all of his cards are taken from him.

It is important to note that a chip race cannot eliminate anyone from a tournament. If a player has only one small chip left when the race begins, that chip is traded in for a card as usual. Should he lose in the chip race, and additional chip of the new value is given to him so that he may keep his place in the tournament.

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