5 Techniques To Win At Online Poker

The internet is overwhelmed with online poker tips, many of which do not actually improve your chances of making money from online poker. The 5 techniques in this article are used by professionals, and should be in every poker player's arsenal.

1. Start tight

When you first enter an online poker tournament, you have no information on your opponents. By starting the tournament slowly (only playing premium hands), you give yourself time to judge which players are loose, tight, aggressive and passive. Gaining this information will help you make decisions later on in the tournament. Because the blind levels start as a small percentage of your stack, there's no point risking your chips on a mediocre hand. If you're serious about making money from online poker, and not just playing it as a hobby, writing down notes about opponent's play-style is a necessity.

2. Play at the right level

Never play in a tournament where the buy in is more than you can afford to lose. If your decision-making ability is hindered by you being 'scared' of losing your money then you're playing in a too high-staked tournament.

3. Use all information available to you

Although you cannot spot physical tells in online poker, there are still several 'computerised tells' which you can utilise. These include:

- How quickly your opponents act

- Your opponents betting patterns

- What your opponent says in the chat box

- Which cards your opponents 'showdown' with

4. Mid-game play: tight/aggressive

This should be your 'bread and butter' poker strategy. Tight poker means you're very selective with your hand, only raising with Queens, Kings, Aces or Ace King, and only limping in with smaller pocket pairs. Aggressive poker is where, once you're involved in a hand, you're there to win the pot. Even if you don't connect on the flop, you need to make a continuation bet. As you've been playing tightly, players will give you a lot of credibility.

5. Know when to play loose

Playing loose definitely has a place in online poker tournaments. The best time to start playing more hands is towards the cut off for paid positions. If a tournament pay the top 10 places, when there are 20 players left everyone starts to fold more and more - wanting to make the money. This is the time to start stealing blinds, you should never play poker to 'make the money', the top 3 positions earn a huge percentage of the overall prize pool, and that's where you want to end up!

These 5 techniques require practise to perfect, but once they're learnt you will be the shark at the poker room. Try these tips out for free, sky poker offer no deposit poker bonuses - meaning you can start an online poker bankroll without depositing a penny!

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Machowski

Online Poker, Cheating Could Cost You

Online Poker, Cheating Could Cost You

All over the world, poker seems to have taken the internet by storm. It's all over the television, in movies, and it seems to be a good portion of the SPAM I receive each and every day! With such popularity, people are of course flocking to play for themselves, but not everyone has a bunch of friends willing & able to get together for a Friday night game. But this is the internet age, and if it's worth doing in person, it's twice as worth doing alone in a room with your keyboard.

Enter the Online Poker Room

Many people would rather play in the privacy of their home, against people they never see in person. There are many reasons for this, as well as many advantages to the poker player. Fewer distractions, no concerns of your bad poker face, no worries that someone is going to peek over your shoulder and see your cards... or can they? Rumour has it online that it actually is possible to cheat, even at these so-called "safe" online poker rooms.

Cheat the Casino? Doesn't the House Always Win?

While it may be extremely challenging to directly cheat the online poker rooms themselves, it's less challenging to cheat the other players individually. And not everything is actually "cheating" either. Many of the techniques that can be learned that are specific to online poker, have more to do with good strategy as well as leveraging the inherent advantages playing online poker has, than they have to do with cheating per se. But there are a few tricks that aren't talked about much, but that are downright... well, "unethical" at least.

So Why DO Cheaters Always Win Anyway?

It's a natural attraction. Poker players that have chronically lost money to the game, want a chance to even the score, so they decide to turn to cheating. It's easy to think that "nobody gets hurt" when it's just you and the computer - it doesn't feel like there are real people on the other side of the poker table. The fact is however that there are real people, and you are going to have to deceive them if you want to cheat them out of their money. Numerous techniques have leaked onto the internet recently, and many of them involve cracking the random number generators that the poker sites use, or analyzing thousands of hands of play in order to predict card patterns, etc. These techniques, while they may give the online poker player an edge, really are not terribly effective in my opinion, although they never fail to sell informational books on the subject.

Seeing Hole Cards - The Holy Grail!

But one technique in particular has been getting a lot of attention recently, and that is the claim that it is possible to actually directly see your opponent's hole cards. In particular there is a video circulating in YouTube that shows this technique being used, and it is pretty scary. I've spoken with numerous diehard poker players and many of them have confirmed that this sort of technique is definitely possible. There is debate about how practical it is, but then as the saying goes, "nothing worth doing is easy." If at the end of the day it made you a guaranteed winner, I think a little difficulty is worth overcoming.

Player Beware - Know Thine Enemy!

Ultimately if you play online poker, you need to stay aware of what's going on around you. Don't get sucked into visiting websites that other players direct you to, for it could be a trick to steal your credit card or other sensitive information. Practice basic internet security and smart surfing, and you should remain safe. Of course you're still more likely to lose your money playing online poker legitimately than to have someone take your money by cheating at online poker, and for that you can blame only yourself. Or maybe the online poker room.

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at her web site and other sites around the internet.

What Is A Poker Shark?

A poker shark is a very good player who feasts on the average player. By the end of the night, the shark will have most of the other players' money. Some people think a poker shark is a player who goes in almost every hand and calls or raises a lot. This is not a shark; this is a player who may get lucky for awhile, win for awhile, but by the end of the night will have to rebuy in. This is the type of player you want playing at your table.

The last time I was in Las Vegas, I met, got to know, and became friends with what they call a poker shark.

Lucky for myself before I got to know this particular Poker Shark, he did not take me for any of my money when I sat down and played at his table. On the next night he was getting ready to play, we sat down and talked for a while. He told me everything he had observed about myself as a poker player. when I thought about it, everything he had perceptively picked up about my play and told me was true.

Usually my game is Limit Hold-em. But that day I sat down at a $1-2 No Limit table, which is not my regular game at all. The Poker Shark told me what he had seen in my play the previous night. He told me I was very nervous when I sat down. He was correct in his observation because I don't normally play No Limit. He then went on to tell me different things about me; from the way I played with my chips when I had nothing to the way I touched my chips when I did have something.

He basically knew everything about what I did and how I played and he was right. Then we started to talk about the other players at the table from the night before and he told me everything that the other players would do which would give away if they had hand or not. It was unbelievable how fast he could read a player who had just sat down at the table.

He told me some of his techniques in how to read players. He explained what players do with their chips and what he would notice about their expressions. But to this day, I find it very hard to read other players and am still trying to use the Poker Sharks tricks and techniques.

This particular Poker Shark would come to the poker room around 12am in the morning knowing that many of the Players would already have a few drinks in them and were ready to lose their money to him. He played $1-2 No Limit. In the 7 days I played at the Poker Shark's poker room, I watched him "play the players" and win $600 to $1000 every night and then go home.

A Poker Shark living in Las Vegas like this one, makes a very good living feasting on the fish he finds coming to the poker table every night. I learned a lot talking to him and watching him play over the week; much more than I ever learned reading a book. He is probably the best player I have played against.

So the next time you lose all your money to an older gentleman in a Vegas Poker Room, it just might be my poker friend shark...

Allen Silvester is a Canadian Poker Player who is one of the Managing Editors of Poker Reviews Vegas.

Read more information on players' experiences in Vegas Poker Rooms at: [http://pokerreviewsvegas.com]

Free Poker Online Guide To How To Use The Shuffle And Breathe Method To Win More At Poker

This free poker article about the Shuffle and Breathe technique, a simple method anyone can use that can significantly improve poker results (and lot of other things too)

That's because the technique is not a game tactic, rather it is a mental approach based on the ancient art of Tai Chi and meditation.

The Shuffle Up and Breathe technique is not designed to teach you the game of poker, the strategies or its etiquette. It's designed to help you fully realize the poker skills you already have and develop the discipline to use them wisely.

Let's start with what the technique does:

First, it's important to note that having the greatest poker skills in the world will do you very little good if you can't use them when the going gets tough. As with any game, sport or profession you don't win by being an armchair theory expert! If you let your mind or emotions take over, you're locked out - you become purely a reactionary player.

The technique then is designed for balancing and controlling thought and emotion. To form a connection of mind, body and breath.

It is a fact that the mind always follows the breath. When you have a busy mind, you're breath is laboured. When your thoughts begin to slow, you regain control of your emotions and most importantly, your game.

That's why you can use the "Shuffle up and breathe" technique to:

a) Control your breathing.

b) Calm your mind

c) Before, during and after every game, or indeed, any other time in your life.

The technique will help live and focus on the present moment. Not the past or future, but right now. It's about really getting into 'the zone'.

Use it to reduce stress

A lot of life is stressful, but when you add poker games with maybe thousands of dollars at stake to the mix you can end up tired and ill. If you can reduce that stress to a level you can always handle you'll feel better and you'll play better.

Further, by using this technique, you'll become better at discovering your tells and those of others, controlling emotions, developing discipline and time and money management

All of these skills can be used at the poker table, in the office or in any meeting. Learning to stay balanced is the key to success in all areas of life, especially in poker. Consistent use of this technique will result in a clearer mind that makes clearer choices and better math and moves with a great reduction in error.

So - at last - how to do this amazing technique?

It's simple. Focus on the tip of your nose and follow your breath with all your attention. All the way in and all the way out again. You will even feel the friction of the air as it goes in and out.

It's that easy. Your mind will follow the breath and begin to instantly calm. Use this technique before, during and after every game.

Personally, I use it every time I am dealt a hand. If you practice this technique every day and you will find a dramatic increase in your skills and in the quality of your like.

Good players define Luck as the point at which skill meets opportunity. Be ready for it!

Just remember to Shuffle up and Breathe.

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Learning Semi Bluffing From Poker Training Sites

Let's face it, there are many people out there who love poker, they love going to casinos to get as far as possible from their everyday routine and to experience the rush poker games provide. These very same individuals may have heard of online poker once or twice in the past, it is very likely that if you are reading this article you are one of them. However playing online poker does require a bit of knowledge before you decide to jump in, that is the most basic rule of pretty much anything in life and it is not any different with online poker.

If you know how to play poker in real life then you are ninety percent there, the only thing you now need is the knowledge of how to use the software provided by online gaming sites in order to get in the game, this is where poker training sites really come in handy, not only do they show you how to use the software in poker sites but they also show you interesting techniques you may have not known in the past.

Some of those techniques are:

- The art of Semi Bluffing
- Monster Flops
- Playing AK Out of position
- How to Recognize Bluffs in 3 bet pots
- How to combat short stack players

Between many others. Today we are going to talk about the art of Semi Bluffing.

Semi Bluffing

This is a technique you can apply whenever you see you don't have a very good poker hand but have outs to improve it, such as a flush or a straight draw. The opportunity presents itself on the turn so you want to ensure you only do it when the turn card improves your position, that way even if you get called you still have a pretty good chance of making the best hand. At the same time you wouldn't really care if your opponents fold their hands because the hands they are folding are most likely superior to yours and as we said before if you are called you still have a chance to win what should now be a pretty decent pot.

The Semi Bluff strategy is particularly effective against tight players because they are very likely to fold to double barrels a lot. You can identify tight players by looking at their stats.

This semi bluffing strategy can be quite profitable if used properly if you analyze your probability ratios which are usually of 30% or 3 to 1. This is often a good play because your opponent or opponents don't have to fold very often in order for the semi bluff to become profitable and you are always optimizing your hand in order to improve your chances of success.

If you don't apply this technique then it is very likely that the only chance you have to win is to hit your hand. Make sure to practice this powerful technique which is sure to dramatically improve your success rate while playing poker.

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Poker Games - Have Fun With Online Card Games

There are numerous sites that offer online poker games. Some online casinos offer you to play free game of poker. Since there are various kinds of poker games available online, so you need to make a befitting choice.

Poker games are part of the card family betting games, where rankings are important, depending on the kind of poker hand that is being played. Though the basic rules of the game remain the same, however, dealing of the card changes depending on the format of poker. This also varies from casinos to casinos along with the bonuses and the wager of the players.

Why should you play Online Poker games?

Poker involves a complex set of rules in the betting techniques, which can be a bit overwhelming to a new player. Since there is a variety of poker games to select from, the poker gaming sites are the best place to make a selection and learn the game at your own pace.

There are free tutorials regarding techniques and terminologies of poker. These online sites not only help you to learn the gaming and betting techniques but also the ways to play free poker sites. These sites allow you to practice on the probability skills, essential for winning poker.

Some online poker gaming sites allow the novices to register with free poker rolls and gamble a very meager amount of 1¢.

As a beginner you do not have to be bothered or embarrassed of the mistakes that you make, while you play poker.

Few online poker games

Here are few most popular ones offered by the online casinos:

Omaha: Though the technique of Omaha Poker is different from Texas hold em, the betting structure is similar. This is a community card game where 5 community cards are used. To make a hand, the player must use 2 cards from the 4 cards, that are dealt face down, and 3 cards from the 5 community cards.

Texas hold em: This is the most played poker game online. Texas hold em involves a betting technique which is quite complex with several rounds of it. The player is dealt two cards facing down and there are 5 community cards, which can be used by any player to make a hand. The game is played head-to-head, either with a single player or multiple players.

Draw Poker: In this, the player is dealt with the full hand but with the cards facing down. Later the players can change or discard the cards and be dealt with new cards to improve their hands.

Stud Poker: This happens to have the maximum betting rounds, making it a bit complex in technique, mainly in the Seven card Stud Poker. In this, the players are dealt with 3 cards face down and 4 cards face up. The betting starts after the 3rd card is dealt till the 7th card. Two extra cards are dealt so that the players have the opportunity to make the best hand possible.

Apart from these poker games there are Community card poker, Razz and few more. Select a legitimate online poker game site and start gambling and try your luck.

Monica Wehner had been associated as an advisor to many online poker game sites. Her knowledge and insights on poker games will help the gamers to be better equipped and understand the benefits of online poker gaming sites.

How to Win at Texas Hold 'Em Poker Online - Simple ABC Technique

Success at online poker can be very simple if you follow this simple ABC technique. All you need to do is practice and be patient; your time will come.

If you want to win online you have to have the patience of a saint; before starting any tournament make sure you have all the time in the world and don't have to rush! The players that make the final tables are always the ones that have patience; they only play the best starting hands and let the rest of the players battle it out and put each other out of the game.

Here's a simple ABC strategy that you should follow if you want to be successful at online poker.

A. Select a big table where there is plenty of action.

The reason for this is that if there are hundreds of people in the tournament the more less skilled players there will be, which is great news! Poker sites such as P.K.R have tournaments that run all day long and always have hundreds of players.

B. Select a Buy in and Blind level that suits you.

Don't start off playing at the high buy in tables, you need to start small and work your way up. you must crawl before you walk and the experience you will gain will help you when you are ready to start playing for big money.

C. Fold nearly every hand.

This is where discipline comes in and is by far the hardest step. New players find this extra hard and often throw caution to the wind then they fold before the flop then hit something, but trust me for every hand that you would win you would probably lose five! Stick to the plan no matter how bored and frustrated you may get.

D. When you hit a hand, bet aggressively.

When you hit and bet aggressively you must win the pot, as soon as you hit a monster hand start betting strongly and make the others fold, don't slow play or try and set people up, just bet big and force them to fold! If you don't bet enough and let other get a look at the flop they could get lucky and hit, don't give them a chance unless their willing to pay big! The fact that you have been folding so many hands will show that you are only playing monster hands which will put nearly every player off challenging you.

E. As the game goes on mix it up every so often.

When a few players have been knocked out start playing slightly looser, play hands that you would have been folding but only from late position as this will let you see how the others are playing. As you have been playing super tight all game the other players will think you have hit again even if you haven't got that strong a hand.

F. Never go all-in.

The ABC strategy is to get you to the last table so you make some cash so never go all in unless you know you are guaranteed to win the pot. The last thing you want to do is go all in against a player who is short stacked and double him up! A lot of players call in with short stacks hoping to get lucky as they know they are on the way out, and the last thing you want to do if give the opportunity to double up!

These ABC techniques are so simple yet very effective, you just have to have the time and discipline!

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