Andrew – Page 5 – SmokePoker Magazine

The Art Of Raising In Poker

Any self respecting poker player should have a good strategy on raising. Note that we said strategy. This is not something to be done in whim, when you’re “feeling lucky.” Nor should you be driven by misplaced ego to enter a race of who bets more—even when your competitor calls you a wimp—or be so… Continue reading The Art Of Raising In Poker

What Is The Appeal Of Poker?

Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world. Like other “vying” games, players make bets which are combined into a central pot. This money is then given to the player with the best hand (or, as is often the case, the player who manages to bluff everyone despite having a lousy… Continue reading What Is The Appeal Of Poker?

How To Play Caribbean Stud Poker

There are many poker variants being played in casinos all over the world. Although these poker games follow a fundamental set of universal rules there are certain rule variations made that make it distinct from each other. One popular poker variant played in most casinos is called Caribbean Stud Poker. As a way of distinguishing… Continue reading How To Play Caribbean Stud Poker

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… Continue reading How To Vary Your Playing Pace In Poker

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… Continue reading Reading Your Opponents In No Limit Hold ‘Em

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… Continue reading Raising The “Limits” In Texas Hold ‘Em

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… Continue reading Phil Ivey – The Tiger Woods Of Poker

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… Continue reading Kirill Gerasimov – Russia’s Top Poker Player

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… Continue reading Julian Gardner – The Wriggler

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… Continue reading Taylor Caby (Green Plastic) – Online Poker Pro

Doyle Brunson – Texas Dolly

One of the members of the Texas Rounders, Doyle Brunson is a name legendary in the world of poker. Anyone who is really into the game will certainly know who he is. Also known as Texas Dolly, Doyle Brunson was born on August 10, 1933 in Longworth, Texas. It seemed at first that Doyle Brunson… Continue reading Doyle Brunson – Texas Dolly

Amarillo Slim – The First Poker TV Star

Amarillo Slim wasn’t always known by this name. Born Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. in December 21, 1938 in Johnson, Arkansas, the first time he won the Main Event of the World Series of Poker was in 1972. Yet before he became famous for his tournament poker skills, Amarillo Slim was already quite well known in… Continue reading Amarillo Slim – The First Poker TV Star

Stu Ungar – Gambler, Addict, Loser, Legend

If you chance upon a cluster of people at a party chitchatting about great poker players, there would be no doubt that you would hear the name Stu Ungar come up at least once. There are a lot of people in the poker world who actually consider Stu Ungar the greatest poker player of all… Continue reading Stu Ungar – Gambler, Addict, Loser, Legend

Scotty Nguyen – A Poker Legend

Born as Thuan Nguyen in October 28, 1962 in Nha Trang Vietnam, Scotty’s life is reminiscent of thousands of other young children in the 70s. This was the time when the communists had a firm foothold on Vietnam and refugees from this country were spread all over the world – from other Asian countries to… Continue reading Scotty Nguyen – A Poker Legend

Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournaments

The tournament structure of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker has caught the attention of people all over the world. Once again, we have the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour to testify to this fact. But, what exactly is a poker tournament? As you would have seen while watching the WSOP or WPT,… Continue reading Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournaments

Poker House Games Become More Popular

I’ve said it before and I’m saying it one more time – home games are the in thing right now. We can attribute this fact to many factors, of course one of which is the widespread popularity of the World Series of Poker. Most everyone who watches TV would know about the WSOP. Even those… Continue reading Poker House Games Become More Popular

An Introduction To Community Poker

Community poker is perhaps one of the most played groups of poker games today. The name community poker is derived from the fact that some cards are shared by all the players. Quite obviously, these are the community cards. Though there are many different kinds of community poker games, the basic idea behind them is… Continue reading An Introduction To Community Poker

Poker Terms – A Basic Poker Glossary

I was looking through the posts the other day and I realized, albeit belatedly, that I should have started out with a list of poker terms. I have been harping on how players new to poker should know about the lingo used in poker before jumping into the fray yet I never really focused on… Continue reading Poker Terms – A Basic Poker Glossary

Poker Strategy: Why Not To Call By Default

A lot of poker players call by default—meaning, it’s not a strategic decision, but a gut reaction, an easy response, a habit. You see a spread, and unless some very big red flags force you to do otherwise, you call. Calling is a cautious reaction, the “happy medium” that lets you save money that might… Continue reading Poker Strategy: Why Not To Call By Default

The History Of Poker Chips

In a recent post, I talked about how you can start your own home game. One of the requisites of doing this however, is having the right equipment and what is the most vital piece of equipment for poker? Chips, poker chips that is. For the uninitiated, once you’ve seen poker chips (even on TV),… Continue reading The History Of Poker Chips