There are five common strategies every poker player should know if they want to be successful at community games like Five Card Draw and Texas Hold’em. Some are fairly self-explanatory and others require some practice, but all of them will help you gain a leg up on the competition.
Aggressive play: putting down an opening wager or raising someone else’s bet. This is ideally done with a strong hand. If you overuse, it can hurt you in the long run because your competition will label you as a loose player and use it against you.
Bluff: fooling others by betting with a bad hand. It’s a risky move but you’re trying to get others out of the hand by wagering big. With less players left in the hand, the odds of high cards left is lower.
Check-raise: another risky move that can pay off big when used correctly. This is when you check (pass to the next player) with a strong hand, hoping that someone else will start the wagering. When the betting comes back to you, you raise to try to confuse your competition. It’s like a bluff or a slow play.
Protection play: the complete opposite of a check-raise. This is done with a strong but vulnerable hand to scare off your competition. Let’s say you have a pair of 10s when a flush or straight is possible on the board. This is the best way to protect your hand.
Slow play: reverse bluffing. This is another way to protect your hand. With this poker strategy, you want to keep your competition in the hand by betting lower than you should. Begin with a small wager and players with vulnerable hands may stay in. Once they get pot committed, you can take them out. You are trying to be viewed as weak so they let their guard down.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Winning at Baccarat
If you’re looking for a different kind of card game away from all the varieties of poker, look no further than baccarat. The game was more popular in olden times after originating in France, but it is still popular at both land-based and online casinos and can bring high stakes.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Winning at Let It Ride Poker
Let It Ride is yet another variation of poker. Like in Pai Gow, you play against the dealer with other players at the table. It has all the standard hand rankings like in Five Card Draw, but the game itself is very different.
The table for Let It Ride Poker is shaped like a blackjack table. The rules are easy but the betting takes some time to get the hang of it. Five cards are dealt with two to the dealer and three to each player in the hand. You try to make the best five-card poker hand from the your cards and the dealer’s, except you don’t get to see the dealer’s cards unless you stay in the hand. You base whether or not to stay in the hand on your first three cards. The rounds of betting are minimal and each player has three spots labeled 1, 2 and $ on the table.
Based on your first three cards, you fold and take away bet 1 or stay in the hand, also known as letting it ride. Then, the dealer turns over their first card. This is the fourth card in your hand and you can remove bet 2 or continue to let it ride. The dealer turns over their second and last card to complete your five-card hand. All players turn over their cards for a winner to be claimed. Let It Ride Poker is like most poker games in that it requires strategy along with the luck of the draw.
The table for Let It Ride Poker is shaped like a blackjack table. The rules are easy but the betting takes some time to get the hang of it. Five cards are dealt with two to the dealer and three to each player in the hand. You try to make the best five-card poker hand from the your cards and the dealer’s, except you don’t get to see the dealer’s cards unless you stay in the hand. You base whether or not to stay in the hand on your first three cards. The rounds of betting are minimal and each player has three spots labeled 1, 2 and $ on the table.
Based on your first three cards, you fold and take away bet 1 or stay in the hand, also known as letting it ride. Then, the dealer turns over their first card. This is the fourth card in your hand and you can remove bet 2 or continue to let it ride. The dealer turns over their second and last card to complete your five-card hand. All players turn over their cards for a winner to be claimed. Let It Ride Poker is like most poker games in that it requires strategy along with the luck of the draw.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Winning at Pai Gow Poker
Are you looking for a different type of poker game with some great action? Look no further than Pai Gow poker. It’s Five Card Draw with a big twist.
Pai Gow Poker began in China and is played against the banker. If you’re not a fan of community poker games, this one is for you. There are seven spots at the Pai Gow table: five players, a dealer and a banker. Players get seven cards and make two hands to beat the banker, not the dealer. The role of the banker rotates around the table. Even the dealer can be the banker. The dealer plays each hand.
For the two hands, one is made up of five cards and the other is made up of two cards. However, the five-card hand must have a higher value than the two-card hand. Your first instinct is to use your top pair as the two-card hand, but that is not allowed in Pai Gow Poker. Instead, your top pair goes in the five-card hand and your two-card hand may just be a high card.
Pai Gow is a tough game because both of your hands must beat each of the banker’s hands. The banker wins if they are equal. If you win one hand and the banker wins the other, it’s known as a push and you get your original bet back. Winning players get paid from the banker’s funds. Losing players pay the banker. The house generally gets a 5% commission on wins.
Pai Gow Poker began in China and is played against the banker. If you’re not a fan of community poker games, this one is for you. There are seven spots at the Pai Gow table: five players, a dealer and a banker. Players get seven cards and make two hands to beat the banker, not the dealer. The role of the banker rotates around the table. Even the dealer can be the banker. The dealer plays each hand.
For the two hands, one is made up of five cards and the other is made up of two cards. However, the five-card hand must have a higher value than the two-card hand. Your first instinct is to use your top pair as the two-card hand, but that is not allowed in Pai Gow Poker. Instead, your top pair goes in the five-card hand and your two-card hand may just be a high card.
Pai Gow is a tough game because both of your hands must beat each of the banker’s hands. The banker wins if they are equal. If you win one hand and the banker wins the other, it’s known as a push and you get your original bet back. Winning players get paid from the banker’s funds. Losing players pay the banker. The house generally gets a 5% commission on wins.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Winning at Five Card Draw Poker
Before understanding any type of poker game, you need to know Five Card Draw. The other popular forms include Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow, Let It Ride and Stud Poker like Caribbean Stud or 7 Card Stud. Five Card Draw is pretty easy to get the hang of and start winning, and you don’t even need Charlie Sheen.
A game of Five Card Draw Poker starts with each player anteing up, which is a small wager to be in the hand. Each played gets dealt five cards. Players form the best poker hand using standard rankings. After checking out your potential hand, next is the first round of betting. Then, there is one round of discarding. You can discard as many of your five cards as you want. After that is the second round of betting. With each round of betting, players raise until everyone has called or folded. The showdown of those left in the hand decides the winner.
Since poker is a strategy game, you need to study the game before jumping in. The professionals you see on TV know the winning odds of each hand. I suggest starting out by playing poker online for free so you can get a feel for the game and learn the etiquette of when to bet. Once you get some strategy down, choose a table with low stakes. At online casinos, you will have a variety of tables to choose from and it is much easier to move to other tables than at land-based casinos.
A game of Five Card Draw Poker starts with each player anteing up, which is a small wager to be in the hand. Each played gets dealt five cards. Players form the best poker hand using standard rankings. After checking out your potential hand, next is the first round of betting. Then, there is one round of discarding. You can discard as many of your five cards as you want. After that is the second round of betting. With each round of betting, players raise until everyone has called or folded. The showdown of those left in the hand decides the winner.
Since poker is a strategy game, you need to study the game before jumping in. The professionals you see on TV know the winning odds of each hand. I suggest starting out by playing poker online for free so you can get a feel for the game and learn the etiquette of when to bet. Once you get some strategy down, choose a table with low stakes. At online casinos, you will have a variety of tables to choose from and it is much easier to move to other tables than at land-based casinos.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Most Popular Video Poker Games
Now that you know how to play video poker, its time to learn about the most popular video poker games. Video poker is a combination of slots and poker. It’s sort of the lazy man’s poker game. But with so many different types of video poker, you need to know what you are getting into each time. The betting varies for each but you can generally bet anywhere from $0.05 to as much as $100 per hand, in some cases. But usually, single bets range from $0.25 to $5. All of these games are available at land-based or online casinos.
Aces & Faces: This is the most common video poker game. Four Aces or four of a kind on face cards is worth more than a Straight Flush. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. You may have an option to double up. The dealer gets one card dealt face up and you get four cards dealt face down. You choose one and if it ranks higher than that of the dealer’s, your winnings double. In some cases, you can keep doubling but may only be able to double one more time on a tie. Like nearly every casino bonus game, you lose your entire bet if you lose.
Joker: This one uses 53 cards and the Joker is the wild card. The three best payouts are a Natural Royal Flush (doesn’t include the Joker), five of a kind (with the Joker) and a Joker Royal Flush.
Double Joker: The two Jokers are the wild cards. The same rules of the Joker game apply.
Deuces Wild: The 2’s are wild cards. Your odds of winning are better so the lowest payout is three of a kind.
Deuces & Joker: Same as Deuces Wild but adds a Joker. The 2’s and the Joker are the wild cards. Payout start at three of a kind and at the top is four deuces and the Joker. Four deuces has a higher payout than a Wild Royal Flush with the Joker.
Jacks or Better: This one offers some of the best video poker odds and can be single or multi-line. The lowest payout (break even) is a pair of face cards. On multi-line games, bets range from $.05-$100 per hand.
Tens or Better: The same as Jacks or Better but the lowest payout is a pair of 10’s.
Progressive: This one has a progressive jackpot and uses 52 cards, plus several Jokers. Different players visit the same virtual machine as the jackpot increases. The pot restarts after every hit jackpot.
Aces & Faces: This is the most common video poker game. Four Aces or four of a kind on face cards is worth more than a Straight Flush. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. You may have an option to double up. The dealer gets one card dealt face up and you get four cards dealt face down. You choose one and if it ranks higher than that of the dealer’s, your winnings double. In some cases, you can keep doubling but may only be able to double one more time on a tie. Like nearly every casino bonus game, you lose your entire bet if you lose.
Joker: This one uses 53 cards and the Joker is the wild card. The three best payouts are a Natural Royal Flush (doesn’t include the Joker), five of a kind (with the Joker) and a Joker Royal Flush.
Double Joker: The two Jokers are the wild cards. The same rules of the Joker game apply.
Deuces Wild: The 2’s are wild cards. Your odds of winning are better so the lowest payout is three of a kind.
Deuces & Joker: Same as Deuces Wild but adds a Joker. The 2’s and the Joker are the wild cards. Payout start at three of a kind and at the top is four deuces and the Joker. Four deuces has a higher payout than a Wild Royal Flush with the Joker.
Jacks or Better: This one offers some of the best video poker odds and can be single or multi-line. The lowest payout (break even) is a pair of face cards. On multi-line games, bets range from $.05-$100 per hand.
Tens or Better: The same as Jacks or Better but the lowest payout is a pair of 10’s.
Progressive: This one has a progressive jackpot and uses 52 cards, plus several Jokers. Different players visit the same virtual machine as the jackpot increases. The pot restarts after every hit jackpot.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Winning at Video Poker
If you didn’t already know, video poker is an electronic version of poker. There are many different variations of video poker where the top hand varies, but there are standard rules to each game.
You play only the dealer in video poker and it has more favorable odds than slots or roulette because there is still some skill involved. You need to know your standard poker hand rankings. With a little bit of luck on the draw and some strategy, you will be winning in no time. Unlike other forms of poker, you don’t have to rush your hand when the action is on you. You have all the time to make the decision because you are playing against a machine. Video poker games will rank the hands the hands differently so read up before playing. There are strategy sheets if you need them.
When starting out online, play for free with fun money to learn the game. At a land-based casino, start on the lowest-denomination machine until you get comfortable. Bet low amounts and test out some strategy. Each video poker game has different wild cards so commit them to memory before beginning.
As far as discarding goes, some hands are just all bad. You will run into times when you have absolutely nothing and no face cards. Don’t be afraid to discard everything. Inside straight draws like 2, 3, 4, 6 should be avoided. Your odds are slim with four possible winning cards plus the wild cards. Instead, go for an outside straight like 3, 4, 5, 6. Your odds are better with eight possible winning cards plus the wilds.
When holding, keep a pair instead of a single high card. It doesn’t matter how low the pair is, your odds for payouts like a three of a kind are better than discarding and staring from scratch. Never discard a paying hand unless you have a good chance at a Royal Flush, the jackpot of video poker. Also, bonus games in video poker are a bad idea. If you won a hand based on strategy, don’t risk it all with a game based on luck like guessing the color or suit of a card.
You play only the dealer in video poker and it has more favorable odds than slots or roulette because there is still some skill involved. You need to know your standard poker hand rankings. With a little bit of luck on the draw and some strategy, you will be winning in no time. Unlike other forms of poker, you don’t have to rush your hand when the action is on you. You have all the time to make the decision because you are playing against a machine. Video poker games will rank the hands the hands differently so read up before playing. There are strategy sheets if you need them.
When starting out online, play for free with fun money to learn the game. At a land-based casino, start on the lowest-denomination machine until you get comfortable. Bet low amounts and test out some strategy. Each video poker game has different wild cards so commit them to memory before beginning.
As far as discarding goes, some hands are just all bad. You will run into times when you have absolutely nothing and no face cards. Don’t be afraid to discard everything. Inside straight draws like 2, 3, 4, 6 should be avoided. Your odds are slim with four possible winning cards plus the wild cards. Instead, go for an outside straight like 3, 4, 5, 6. Your odds are better with eight possible winning cards plus the wilds.
When holding, keep a pair instead of a single high card. It doesn’t matter how low the pair is, your odds for payouts like a three of a kind are better than discarding and staring from scratch. Never discard a paying hand unless you have a good chance at a Royal Flush, the jackpot of video poker. Also, bonus games in video poker are a bad idea. If you won a hand based on strategy, don’t risk it all with a game based on luck like guessing the color or suit of a card.
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