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Category: Insights

The Poker Bully (and how to be one!)

Articles / Insights

The Poker Bully (and how to be one!)

We’ve all been taught that bullying is not a good thing. In school, bullies were always seen to be bad – and they were. However, I’m sure that you also know that bullies pounce on the slightest sign of weakness and if you display even a hint of that, you are dead meat. That is why some kids, instead of waiting for the bully to pounce on them, take the first step. They take control of the situation and beat the bullies into submission. What can I say, it’s a dog eat dog world? Anyhow, a similar situation exists in...

Doyle Brunson: “It’s A State of Mind”

Articles / Insights / Players / Tips

Doyle Brunson: “It’s A State of Mind”

Of course you have all heard about Doyle Brunson, right? One or two of you guys out there probably even idolize this poker great – I sure do. Well, I ran across something he wrote just the other day at Poker Player. Coming from a man of his great experience, the thoughts expressed in the article were really provoking and insightful. So his idea was basically about the mindset of the poker player when at the poker table. It’s not something new. I’ve talked about it many times before – how your state of mind affects your playing to a...

Famous (Often Amusing) Poker Quotes

Articles / History / Info / Insights

Famous (Often Amusing) Poker Quotes

We all have our heroes and people we look up to. Whether it be in “real life” or on the game floor, there are people we consider our role models. Poker is not an exception, and when we look up to people we watch their every move and look out for their every word. Just to lighten things up a bit, here are some quotes from famous – and not so famous – players. More than giving you a good time, these quotes may actually give you an insight into how the game is played too. “Poker is generally reckoned...

Some Mistakes Poker Beginners Make (Part 2)

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Some Mistakes Poker Beginners Make (Part 2)

In my last article I talked about some of the most common boo boos that newbies at the poker table commit. This was done with the hope that potential poker players or even those who are already playing but are relatively new to the game will be made aware of these practices that should be avoided as much as possible, if not totally at all. We ended with a short discussion of the etiquette at the poker table and how this should be followed. Something related to poker etiquette would be playing by imitating another player. It is not exactly...

Some Mistakes Poker Beginners Make (Part 1)

Articles / Insights

Some Mistakes Poker Beginners Make (Part 1)

Admit it, any beginner at any game is bound to make mistakes. The key is to know what they are to try to avoid them as much as possible. Texas Hold ’em – or any poker variant for that matter – is not exempt from beginner boo boos at the table. They can be funny later on down the road but they sure as heck won’t be a laughing matter at the table at the moment of play. So here are some common mistakes that a beginner may make during his first few tries at poker. For the novices out...

Knowing When To Quit At Poker

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Knowing When To Quit At Poker

Quitters never win, or so they say. Our society has had this notion of never quitting in any endeavor one gets involved in. The never say die attitude has a strong solid place in most any culture. Yet does it have a place in poker? Perhaps it does have its own merits in specific situations. However, in the world of gambling, there is really a point wherein you have to call it a day. Poker is no exception. Ask the experts and they will tell you that even the best poker player in the whole world knows that there are...

Introduction to Stud Poker and Caribbean Stud

Articles / Info / Insights / Tips

Introduction to Stud Poker and Caribbean Stud

There are hundreds of poker variations played in homes, backrooms, and casinos. Most of the poker variants however fall under the three main types of poker – draw poker, stud poker, and community poker. Last time I wrote about draw poker and its most common variant – Five-Card Draw. This time I’ll be focusing on Stud Poker and its own variants. Stud Poker games are games wherein the players are given a mix of face-down and face-up cards dealt in multiple betting rounds. Cards dealt face-down are called hole cards. The number of cards and number of betting round varies...

Introduction to Draw Poker and Five-Card Draw

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Introduction to Draw Poker and Five-Card Draw

There are many variations of poker. One of them is draw poker. Draw poker is usually considered to be the standard poker form and is the kind of poker beginners usually learn. The number of players involved in the game varies from 3 to 7 persons. Draw poker doesn’t refer to one specific poker game though. There are actually quite a few variations of draw poker. So how do you classify a game to be a draw poker game? A draw poker game is when each player is dealt a complete hand before the start of the first betting round...

3 Tips To Give You An Edge In Poker

Articles / Insights / Tips

3 Tips To Give You An Edge In Poker

Everyone acknowledges that poker is a game which combines both luck and skill. The idea is that each and every poker player at the table has an equal chance of winning based on the cards dealt. It is their skill that gives them the edge to win. Of course, this is all in view of the long run. In a single hand, one player may have better cards, of course. In any case, the real challenge for a poker player is to win with whatever cards he is dealt with. That is, to make a profit at the end of...

Does Superstition Have A Place In Poker?

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Does Superstition Have A Place In Poker?

Superstition has been part of man’s life for as long as anyone can remember. If you read history books and historical novels, you will see that life has always been rife with beliefs that are not necessarily based on anything logical. That is the exact definition of a superstition – an illogical belief. You would think that with the heights technology and science have achieved, there would be no place for such beliefs. Of course, that is not the case. In most any aspect of modern life, people hold on to superstitions. Whether one is aware or not, it is...

Poker Movies: Casino Royale

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Poker Movies: Casino Royale

I’ve always been a firm believer in the saying “save the best for last.” No matter what aspect of my life you observe, you will probably notice that this maxim reigns supreme. Heck, even when I eat, I do not eat all the food on my plate at the same time! Yup, I save the best piece of chicken for last. Anyhow, as this will be the last post in my current poker movie series, I’ve been holding back a topic that I’ve wanted to talk about for a few weeks now. As you would have surmised from the title,...

Poker Movies: Rounders

Articles / Insights / Stories

Poker Movies: Rounders

Released in 1998, Rounders is perhaps the best poker movie in the last 20 years. With Matt Damon and Edward Norton as the protagonists and John Malkovich as the antagonist, you cannot go wrong. If you are an avid poker player, there is really no need to explain what a rounder is. However, for the benefit of those who are in the dark as to the term, a rounder is a person who plays cards for a living. In fact, a rounder plays cards as his only means of living. In the movie, Matt Damon plays a former rounder, Mike...

Poker Movies: The Sting

Articles / History / Insights

Poker Movies: The Sting

I remember watching The Sting when I wasn’t much into poker yet. In fact, I think when I saw it (simply because my dad had a video and wanted to watch it, so everyone else had to) I didn’t even know how to play poker. Despite that fact, the movie captured the interest of everyone in the room and we all ended up riveted to the screen. With Robert Redford and Paul Newman as the main characters, this came as no surprise. The movie revolves around Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) trying to avenge the death of his friend and mentor...

How To Vary Your Playing Pace In Poker

Articles / Insights

How To Vary Your Playing Pace In Poker

Since playing styles are so crucial in poker, you really have to vary your playing pace and occasionally throw a wrench into your opponents’ expectations of you by suddenly shifting your strategy. Here are some ways to avoid being boxed in and categorized… First of all, pay attention to where you bluff. Let’s say you always, always bluff at the flop. The smarter players will catch on, and start calling you on the flop so that you are forced to reveal your strength on the turn. To avoid this, simply vary where in the pot you typically bluff, switching occasionally...

Reading Your Opponents In No Limit Hold ‘Em

Articles / Insights

Reading Your Opponents In No Limit Hold ‘Em

In No Limit Hold ‘Em, your ability to play your hand right also includes the ability to play your opponents. This means that you need to know the psychological and bluffing skills than any other popular poker game. This is particularly true when the stakes are high. In low stake No Limit Games, it’s actually advisable not to put too much effort into the “psychological warfare”. In these games, you should just wait, make a good hand, and then bring down your opponents with pot-sized bets. A high stakes game is defined as a 200 buy-in or more. You’ve got...

Raising The “Limits” In Texas Hold ‘Em

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Raising The “Limits” In Texas Hold ‘Em

No Limit Poker has become increasingly popular, not only for its exciting popularity but the large pots that are offered in the various No Limit Poker tournaments. It’s also been highly publicized because of the World Poker Tour and ESPN. However, there are fundamental differences between No Limit and standard Hold ‘Em. It’s important to study those differences and apply new strategies. Limit Hold ‘Em uses a fixed betting amount. For a $5/10 limit hold’em game you bet and raise in increments of $5 for preflop and on the flop, then $10 for the turn card and river card. No...

Phil Ivey – The Tiger Woods Of Poker

Articles / Insights / Players / Stories / WSOP

Phil Ivey – The Tiger Woods Of Poker

If Taylor Caby is the Harry Potter of Poker, then Phil Ivey is the Tiger Woods of this game. This young man earned this moniker because of the classy way he plays. At a very young age of 8, Phil Ivey learned the basics of poker from his grandfather who would deal him hands of penny-ante Five-Card Stud. Ivey’s grandpa wanted to teach the young child the dangers of gambling but ended up encouraging him to learn more about the game. Young kids and teenagers often profess what they want to be in the future when they grow up. The...

Kirill Gerasimov – Russia’s Top Poker Player

Articles / Info / Insights / Players / Stories / WSOP

Kirill Gerasimov – Russia’s Top Poker Player

At a young age of 35, Kirill Gerasimov has reached a level of popularity that many aspiring poker players have dreamed of. This young poker player was born in Moscow and used to be an insurance salesman. Whether or not that day job had any bearings on his poker skills, it is clear that Gerasimov is one of the more well known members of the poker world. Gerasimov’s success as a poker player is nothing short of phenomenal. In his own country, poker is not the popular game it is in the US. However, he became interested in poker and...

Julian Gardner – The Wriggler

Articles / Insights / Players / WSOP

Julian Gardner – The Wriggler

Poker has been around for as long as almost anyone can remember. As such, there are many poker players that have made the ranks of the “greats.” I wrote about some of them a month or so ago. Last post, though, I featured a young poker player who has made his name in the world of online poker. As poker continues to become a popular past time, more and more young poker players are making a name for themselves. Let’s take some time to look into the lives of these up and coming young poker players. One of the most...

Taylor Caby (Green Plastic) – Online Poker Pro

Articles / Insights / Players / Tips

Taylor Caby (Green Plastic) – Online Poker Pro

So far the players I’ve featured were offline pros. Let’s take a look at a very young man who is well known in the online poker world as Green Plastic. So what do we know about Taylor Caby? He was born in 1983, studied Finance at the University of Illinois, and is known to be one of the best heads up players online. To gain a bit more insight into this young man, here are parts of an interview that PokerNews had with him. Enjoy! Q: Where did your screen name Green Plastic come from? Taylor Caby: In college, I...