Some videos about tricks with poker chips, poker chips are usualy made out of clay but in last 50 years or more poker chips have never been 100% clay.
Learn Butterfly Poker Chip Trick How to Tutorial:
How to do the "butterfly" poker chip trick.
How to Shuffle Poker Chips Like a Poker Pro
Learn how to shuffle poker chips like the poker pros. A how to video that will have you shuffling poker chips in no time.
Poker Chip Tricks - Compilation
compliation of poker chip trick videos
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Basic Poker Rules - Poker Hand Ranking
For those that do not know the basics, here are the ways the hands and cards are ranked in poker.
Number of cards in the deck: 52.
Number of suits: 4 (Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs)
Number of cards in each suit: 13 (In order of rank; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2)
Number of cards in a poker hand: 5 (even in games where you are dealt more than 5 cards, only 5 cards count as your poker hand.)
Rank of poker hands from highest to lowest:
1. Royal Flush; (ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all the same suit.)
2. Straight Flush; (5 cards in sequence of the same suit. see “straight” below for explanation of in sequence) (The lowest ranking straight flush is the wheel-flush, ace, 2, 3, 4, 5. 5 is considered the top card, not the ace.) (if two players have a straight flush, the one with the higher top card wins.)
3. Four of a kind; 4 Kings, Queens or other cards. (Of course the higher ranked 4 of a kind wins, such as 4 kings beats 4 queens)
4. Full House; This consists of 3 of a kind, (see below) and a pair all in one hand. (example; you have 3 fours and 2 kings. That would be fours over kings, while having 3 kings and 2 fours would be kings over fours.) (If 2 players each have a full house, the better three-of-a-kind part of the hand wins. example; you have 3 eights and two aces, your opponent has 3 nines and 2 twos. Your opponent wins. Their nines beat your eights.)
5. Flush; 5 cards of any rank, but all the same suit. (If 2 players each have a flush, the flush with the highest top card wins, if that is a tie, then whoever has the highest second card wins, if that is a tie, you compare the third, fourth, fifth card, etc.)
6. Straight; 5 cards in sequence. (example; 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is a 7-high straight. If you opponent has 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, they have an 8-high straight and they win.)
7. Three of a Kind; (Trips) 3 cards of the same rank. (example; 3 sevens, 3 eights, 3 kings. if 2 players have 3-of-a-kind, the highest ranking cards wins the hand)
8. Two Pairs; A Pair is 2 cards of the same rank. 2 pair means you have 2 sets of 2 cards of the same rank. (If 2 players each have 2 pair, the player with the highest top pair wins. Kings and twos would beat queens and jacks.)
9. Pair; 2 cards of equal rank. (If 2 players each have a pair, the highest ranking pair wins. If 2 players each have the exact same pair, then out of the 3 remaining cards in your hand the highest card is your “kicker”. The highest kicker wins. If still tied, you go to the next highest kicker, etc.)
10. High Card; Where no one has a pair or above, you compare hands like this. The highest card in your hand vs the highest card in opponents hands. If that is a tie, then you compare the next highest card, then the next if still tied and so on. (King, Queen, 10, 6, 2, would beat King, Queen, 10, 5, 4. It would have been a tie until the fourth card compared and the first hand has a 6 to their opponent’s 5.)
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Number of cards in the deck: 52.
Number of suits: 4 (Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs)
Number of cards in each suit: 13 (In order of rank; Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2)
Number of cards in a poker hand: 5 (even in games where you are dealt more than 5 cards, only 5 cards count as your poker hand.)
Rank of poker hands from highest to lowest:
1. Royal Flush; (ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all the same suit.)
2. Straight Flush; (5 cards in sequence of the same suit. see “straight” below for explanation of in sequence) (The lowest ranking straight flush is the wheel-flush, ace, 2, 3, 4, 5. 5 is considered the top card, not the ace.) (if two players have a straight flush, the one with the higher top card wins.)
3. Four of a kind; 4 Kings, Queens or other cards. (Of course the higher ranked 4 of a kind wins, such as 4 kings beats 4 queens)
4. Full House; This consists of 3 of a kind, (see below) and a pair all in one hand. (example; you have 3 fours and 2 kings. That would be fours over kings, while having 3 kings and 2 fours would be kings over fours.) (If 2 players each have a full house, the better three-of-a-kind part of the hand wins. example; you have 3 eights and two aces, your opponent has 3 nines and 2 twos. Your opponent wins. Their nines beat your eights.)
5. Flush; 5 cards of any rank, but all the same suit. (If 2 players each have a flush, the flush with the highest top card wins, if that is a tie, then whoever has the highest second card wins, if that is a tie, you compare the third, fourth, fifth card, etc.)
6. Straight; 5 cards in sequence. (example; 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 is a 7-high straight. If you opponent has 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, they have an 8-high straight and they win.)
7. Three of a Kind; (Trips) 3 cards of the same rank. (example; 3 sevens, 3 eights, 3 kings. if 2 players have 3-of-a-kind, the highest ranking cards wins the hand)
8. Two Pairs; A Pair is 2 cards of the same rank. 2 pair means you have 2 sets of 2 cards of the same rank. (If 2 players each have 2 pair, the player with the highest top pair wins. Kings and twos would beat queens and jacks.)
9. Pair; 2 cards of equal rank. (If 2 players each have a pair, the highest ranking pair wins. If 2 players each have the exact same pair, then out of the 3 remaining cards in your hand the highest card is your “kicker”. The highest kicker wins. If still tied, you go to the next highest kicker, etc.)
10. High Card; Where no one has a pair or above, you compare hands like this. The highest card in your hand vs the highest card in opponents hands. If that is a tie, then you compare the next highest card, then the next if still tied and so on. (King, Queen, 10, 6, 2, would beat King, Queen, 10, 5, 4. It would have been a tie until the fourth card compared and the first hand has a 6 to their opponent’s 5.)
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
How To Build A Poker Table
To build a rectangle poker table—or rather, a table top — that can be stored on its side when not in use one simply needs to follow the instructions below.
The materials required include MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard), ply, wood screws, Wattyl Interior Stain and Wattyl Estapol Gloss (Clear Lacquer) for an exposed wooden “beer rail,” staples, spray adhesive, PVA wood glue (from the hardware store); white vinyl, length blue felt (from the fabric store), foam, and foam EVA (from the foam supplier). The total cost of materials would be about $210. The tools required include a jigsaw (for shaping wood), drill (one-time use, for pilot hole for jigsaw blade), orbital sander or sandpaper (to correct the jigsaw-handling inadequacy), staple gun (one for every 1,000 staples), and a helper.
Start with a top sheet of plywood if a “beer rail” is required; otherwise, use two sheets of MDF to mark out and cut the main shape of the table or table top (use an electric kitchen knife, $20). Begin with a 1,200mm-wide sheet — to come in 600mm from the side and the ends — to find the midpoint of the oval arc. Screw in a broom handle there and draw against the firm edge. Cut the curves off and place the top “template” over the bottom sheet of MDF. Trace around the table to make the pieces fit evenly. Now, cut the four corners off the bottom sheet, leaving a 700mm wide felt-covered playing area. Move it to the side, and cut once with the jigsaw to separate the padded rail section.
Stain the ply and spray some adhesive to the back of the EVA foam and to the plywood. Trim the edges off (use Stanley knife). Lay out the felt, flip over the board, and staple it on tight (use an electric stapler), cutting off any excess felt. Now, over-cut the two inches of foam by one inch to make a rounded edge off the outside edge. Glue the foam down with PVA wood glue to the padded rail section of wood. Sand before and after the first coat of lacquer. Staple on either side of the foam and seal the ends. Turn over the inside of the rail, apply it to the main table section, and staple it. Pull the vinyl tight and underneath the table, and ask the helper to staple from the bottom. Drop (or screw) the felt section straight into the middle. The poker table is complete.
Poker Tables provides detailed information on Poker Tables, How To Build A Poker Table, Poker Table Tops, Poker Tables for Sale and more. Poker Tables is affiliated with Types of Poker Chips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Morris
The materials required include MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard), ply, wood screws, Wattyl Interior Stain and Wattyl Estapol Gloss (Clear Lacquer) for an exposed wooden “beer rail,” staples, spray adhesive, PVA wood glue (from the hardware store); white vinyl, length blue felt (from the fabric store), foam, and foam EVA (from the foam supplier). The total cost of materials would be about $210. The tools required include a jigsaw (for shaping wood), drill (one-time use, for pilot hole for jigsaw blade), orbital sander or sandpaper (to correct the jigsaw-handling inadequacy), staple gun (one for every 1,000 staples), and a helper.
Start with a top sheet of plywood if a “beer rail” is required; otherwise, use two sheets of MDF to mark out and cut the main shape of the table or table top (use an electric kitchen knife, $20). Begin with a 1,200mm-wide sheet — to come in 600mm from the side and the ends — to find the midpoint of the oval arc. Screw in a broom handle there and draw against the firm edge. Cut the curves off and place the top “template” over the bottom sheet of MDF. Trace around the table to make the pieces fit evenly. Now, cut the four corners off the bottom sheet, leaving a 700mm wide felt-covered playing area. Move it to the side, and cut once with the jigsaw to separate the padded rail section.
Stain the ply and spray some adhesive to the back of the EVA foam and to the plywood. Trim the edges off (use Stanley knife). Lay out the felt, flip over the board, and staple it on tight (use an electric stapler), cutting off any excess felt. Now, over-cut the two inches of foam by one inch to make a rounded edge off the outside edge. Glue the foam down with PVA wood glue to the padded rail section of wood. Sand before and after the first coat of lacquer. Staple on either side of the foam and seal the ends. Turn over the inside of the rail, apply it to the main table section, and staple it. Pull the vinyl tight and underneath the table, and ask the helper to staple from the bottom. Drop (or screw) the felt section straight into the middle. The poker table is complete.
Poker Tables provides detailed information on Poker Tables, How To Build A Poker Table, Poker Table Tops, Poker Tables for Sale and more. Poker Tables is affiliated with Types of Poker Chips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Morris
Monday, March 23, 2009
Poker Tournaments Are For Everyone - Pros And Newbies Alike!
Poker Tournaments Are For Everyone - Pros And Newbies Alike!
by: Eric Madsen
So, you want to play in a poker tournament?Well, you are not alone! Tournaments are growing bigger all the time.Before we really get started, let’s define “poker tournament.” Tournaments are poker competitions where all of the players play at the same time and continue to play until only one player is left. The player that is left is the one to take home all the loot!Tournaments Are Hot!Why are tournaments such big events? They
Are fun to play inHave low entry feesOffer a large prize pool to be wonAre an inexpensive way for novice poker players to learn how to play the gameProvide a place for more experienced players gain experience
Types of TournamentsWhile there are many different types of poker games played at casinos and online rooms, tournament play is usually reserved for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 7-card Stud because these games have a large following.Poker tournaments can have as few as 6 players (single table tournaments) to thousands of players for larger events. Large tournaments consist of many tables, each table having 8 to 10 players. The tables are slowly removed from the tourney as players are eliminated, and players are balanced from table to table as needed. (These are known as multi-table tournaments). Finally all but the last table will be removed and these last 8 to 10 players play until only one of them remains.Tournament BasicsTo play in a tournament players have to pay two fees.1. They have to pay an entry fee to the poker room hosting the tournament to cover the expenses involved. This gives the player an assigned seat and a set quantity of tournament chips with which to play (these chips have no cash value).2. Players also pay a buy-in fee. The buy-in fee is held and paid out as prizes. The prize payout differs from tournament to tournament but typically it all goes to the few players fortunate enough to make the final table.The object of a tournament is to win all of the chips. All tournament players start out with the same quantity of chips to play with and all start playing at the same time. Players play until they lose all of their chips and are then removed from the tournament. A tournament continues non-stop, often for several hours, until only one person remains.As playing progresses the stakes rise, making it more and more difficult for players with short stacks to remain in the game.Players are awarded prize money based on their finishing position in the tournament. The top finishers earn the most money with the 1st place winner usually receiving about 30% of the total prize money, the 2nd place winner about 20% and so on.The number of winners and the size of the payouts depend upon the rules for the tournament being played and the number of people playing.Re-buys and Add-onsSome poker tournaments allow players a re-buy option. This re-buy option allows players to purchase more chips if they run out of them at the start of the tournament. A player can purchase the same number of chips that he/she started the tournament with. Some poker tournaments allow unlimited re-buys during the first hour of play, while other tournaments allow only a single re-buy.An add-on option is similar to the re-buy option. Add-ons differ in that they are usually only offered once at the end of the re-buy period and can be purchased regardless of how many chips you have. As the name implies, these chips are added on to your stack of chips.All proceeds from re-buys and add-ons are added to the prize pool less house fees (if applicable).BettingTournament betting is structured with the betting limit increasing regularly. The changes in betting limits occur differently depending on the tournament
About The Author
Eric Madsen is an avid poker player and is webmaster of http://www.crazyjackspoker.com and http://www.slots.onlinebettingreview.comeric@madsenswebsolutions.com
by: Eric Madsen
So, you want to play in a poker tournament?Well, you are not alone! Tournaments are growing bigger all the time.Before we really get started, let’s define “poker tournament.” Tournaments are poker competitions where all of the players play at the same time and continue to play until only one player is left. The player that is left is the one to take home all the loot!Tournaments Are Hot!Why are tournaments such big events? They
Are fun to play inHave low entry feesOffer a large prize pool to be wonAre an inexpensive way for novice poker players to learn how to play the gameProvide a place for more experienced players gain experience
Types of TournamentsWhile there are many different types of poker games played at casinos and online rooms, tournament play is usually reserved for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 7-card Stud because these games have a large following.Poker tournaments can have as few as 6 players (single table tournaments) to thousands of players for larger events. Large tournaments consist of many tables, each table having 8 to 10 players. The tables are slowly removed from the tourney as players are eliminated, and players are balanced from table to table as needed. (These are known as multi-table tournaments). Finally all but the last table will be removed and these last 8 to 10 players play until only one of them remains.Tournament BasicsTo play in a tournament players have to pay two fees.1. They have to pay an entry fee to the poker room hosting the tournament to cover the expenses involved. This gives the player an assigned seat and a set quantity of tournament chips with which to play (these chips have no cash value).2. Players also pay a buy-in fee. The buy-in fee is held and paid out as prizes. The prize payout differs from tournament to tournament but typically it all goes to the few players fortunate enough to make the final table.The object of a tournament is to win all of the chips. All tournament players start out with the same quantity of chips to play with and all start playing at the same time. Players play until they lose all of their chips and are then removed from the tournament. A tournament continues non-stop, often for several hours, until only one person remains.As playing progresses the stakes rise, making it more and more difficult for players with short stacks to remain in the game.Players are awarded prize money based on their finishing position in the tournament. The top finishers earn the most money with the 1st place winner usually receiving about 30% of the total prize money, the 2nd place winner about 20% and so on.The number of winners and the size of the payouts depend upon the rules for the tournament being played and the number of people playing.Re-buys and Add-onsSome poker tournaments allow players a re-buy option. This re-buy option allows players to purchase more chips if they run out of them at the start of the tournament. A player can purchase the same number of chips that he/she started the tournament with. Some poker tournaments allow unlimited re-buys during the first hour of play, while other tournaments allow only a single re-buy.An add-on option is similar to the re-buy option. Add-ons differ in that they are usually only offered once at the end of the re-buy period and can be purchased regardless of how many chips you have. As the name implies, these chips are added on to your stack of chips.All proceeds from re-buys and add-ons are added to the prize pool less house fees (if applicable).BettingTournament betting is structured with the betting limit increasing regularly. The changes in betting limits occur differently depending on the tournament
About The Author
Eric Madsen is an avid poker player and is webmaster of http://www.crazyjackspoker.com and http://www.slots.onlinebettingreview.comeric@madsenswebsolutions.com
Playing Texas Hold’Em In Vegas Or Online
Playing Texas Hold’Em In Vegas Or Online
by: Eric Madsen
We all know that A-A is the best starting hand in Texas Hold’em, and 7-2 is the worst. But between these extremes of riches and rags lies a vast gray area of poker hands that may or may not be played.You’ll play A-A for sure, right? And K-K, too. Q-Q? Probably? JJ? Still going for it!This means that you are committed to your big p ocket pairs. What about pockets 10’s or 9’s? Where do you stop being committed?In Texas Hold’em, different hands do different things.Big Pocket PairsYou’re probably going to play these hands no matter what. In general, if you have big pocket pairs, raise! This will drive out players and make your hand a surer winner.Medium Pocket PairsThese are pairs that need help from the flop because without help, someone else’s hand is bound to be better than yours. For instance, if you have 88, and the flop is A-K-T, you have to figure you’re beat.A medium pocket pair is a drawing hand. They’re really not going anywhere for you unless you hit a set on the flop, and that proposition, in Texas Hold’em, is 7.5-1 against.Little Pocket PairsYou are bound to lose with a little pocket pair. Don’t wait around to see the flop unless you can do so without bidding.Do yourself a favor and err on the side of tightness. The hand you don’t play is a hand you can’t lose.
About The Author
Eric Madsen is an avid poker player and is webmaster of http://www.crazyjackspoker.com and http://www.slots.onlinebettingreview.comeric@madsenswebsolutions.com
4 Poker Tips the Pros Won’t Tell You
4 Poker Tips the Pros Won’t Tell You
by: Paul Runyan
In the past few years, professional poker playing has exploded in popularity. The biggest players are winning substantial amounts of money. However, none of the professional poker players are sharing their secrets. In reality, the best players in the world aren’t doing anything really spectacular other than following basic poker tips. What makes the best players so amazing is their ability to utilize all of their strengths and capitalize on the weaknesses of others. Anyone can significantly improve his or her poker game by following these four easy tips.1. Observe your opponents. This is probably the most crucial part of poker. When playing against someone, the more you know about them, the easier it will be for you to take advantage of their weaknesses. It is always a good idea to observe an opponent’s betting habits. Some players bet extremely high when they have a good hand. Other players will attempt to make several seemingly small raises. Anyone who consistently raises after each flop might have a good hand. However, some players will try to bluff. Noticing patterns can help you adjust to the moves of your opponents. This will help you save money, and possibly have great gains.2. Bet wisely and watch your money. Every poker player should set limits when going into the casino. The pros don’t have to worry about money so much, but the average player definitely does. Set a limit and do not exceed it. Being money conscious can help ensure that if you have a bad day at the tables, you don’t put yourself in debt. Along with managing money is managing bets. Some players like to bet high (high rollers), but this can lead to drastic losses. Some of the best players bet moderately, and increase their bets slightly when they have a good hand. The best advice for betting is “avoid the extremes.†Don’t bet too little, because you will end up losing money in the long run. At the same time, don’t bet too much because you might lose a lot of money on only one hand, and that is never good.3. Take your time. The pros seem to think very fast, but that is because they are pros! You don’t have to make decisions too rashly. Take time to look at your hand and figure out what you have and bet accordingly. Also, take the time to survey your opponents and surmise what hands they might have. The pros are always thinking and are simply faster than the average player. It is important to realize that every poker player has to think logically and make educated guesses.4. Know when to fold, and when to stay in. Many players do not understand the best solutions for folding or staying in. The best players understand their chances and only stay in when they have at least one type of hand. Having two face cards is a good reason to stay in, but having two different low number cards might not be such a strong hand. When observing other players, if you notice high bets from a player who does not bluff, then you should probably fold. Knowing when to take risks and when to be conservative is a very important element to being a solid poker player.The pros may seem like they are doing impossible things, but they are really just following basic tips. Poker is a game of chance, but you can always tip the odds in your favor by studying your opponents, being smart with money and betting, and thinking through your decisions. Play smart and you will notice a great increase in your poker winnings.
About The Author
Paul Runyan enjoys writing about all things poker, including news and commentary. Learn more at http://www.geniuspoker.com.paulrunyan5@yahoo.com
by: Paul Runyan
In the past few years, professional poker playing has exploded in popularity. The biggest players are winning substantial amounts of money. However, none of the professional poker players are sharing their secrets. In reality, the best players in the world aren’t doing anything really spectacular other than following basic poker tips. What makes the best players so amazing is their ability to utilize all of their strengths and capitalize on the weaknesses of others. Anyone can significantly improve his or her poker game by following these four easy tips.1. Observe your opponents. This is probably the most crucial part of poker. When playing against someone, the more you know about them, the easier it will be for you to take advantage of their weaknesses. It is always a good idea to observe an opponent’s betting habits. Some players bet extremely high when they have a good hand. Other players will attempt to make several seemingly small raises. Anyone who consistently raises after each flop might have a good hand. However, some players will try to bluff. Noticing patterns can help you adjust to the moves of your opponents. This will help you save money, and possibly have great gains.2. Bet wisely and watch your money. Every poker player should set limits when going into the casino. The pros don’t have to worry about money so much, but the average player definitely does. Set a limit and do not exceed it. Being money conscious can help ensure that if you have a bad day at the tables, you don’t put yourself in debt. Along with managing money is managing bets. Some players like to bet high (high rollers), but this can lead to drastic losses. Some of the best players bet moderately, and increase their bets slightly when they have a good hand. The best advice for betting is “avoid the extremes.†Don’t bet too little, because you will end up losing money in the long run. At the same time, don’t bet too much because you might lose a lot of money on only one hand, and that is never good.3. Take your time. The pros seem to think very fast, but that is because they are pros! You don’t have to make decisions too rashly. Take time to look at your hand and figure out what you have and bet accordingly. Also, take the time to survey your opponents and surmise what hands they might have. The pros are always thinking and are simply faster than the average player. It is important to realize that every poker player has to think logically and make educated guesses.4. Know when to fold, and when to stay in. Many players do not understand the best solutions for folding or staying in. The best players understand their chances and only stay in when they have at least one type of hand. Having two face cards is a good reason to stay in, but having two different low number cards might not be such a strong hand. When observing other players, if you notice high bets from a player who does not bluff, then you should probably fold. Knowing when to take risks and when to be conservative is a very important element to being a solid poker player.The pros may seem like they are doing impossible things, but they are really just following basic tips. Poker is a game of chance, but you can always tip the odds in your favor by studying your opponents, being smart with money and betting, and thinking through your decisions. Play smart and you will notice a great increase in your poker winnings.
About The Author
Paul Runyan enjoys writing about all things poker, including news and commentary. Learn more at http://www.geniuspoker.com.paulrunyan5@yahoo.com
Playing Turn and River In No-Limit Texas Hold 'em
After the Flop
by: John Porter
After the flop, your hand is pretty much defined. Before the flop, you have seen only 2 cards out of the total 7 cards that will eventually be in play. The flop gives you 3 more cards, so now you are seeing 5 out of the 7 total cards that will eventually make your hand. As a result, the strength of your hand will change far more on the flop than it will on the turn or river, with the exception of those times that you draw at a flush or straight.For instance, before the flop an Ace and King of the same suit, such as AhKh, is a good hand, with potential to become a huge hand. After all, with a great amount of luck it could turn into a royal flush, the best hand possible. A little more likely is something like top pair, with the best available second card, a pair of Aces, with the King as your second card (kicker), still a very good hand. However, if the 3 cards on the flop are 2, 6 and 9, with no hearts, you have nothing but a weak draw. The best you can hope for is that it is checked around, and an Ace or King comes on the turn. Your great potential has turned to trash, and if there is a bet you should fold unless the pot is very large.At the other end of the scale, you could start with something like a J and Q unsuited, which you would hopefully only be playing in 1 of the last 2 positions or the blinds, which is a weak starting hand. However, if you get lucky and flop something like J, Q, Q, your hand has just gone from marginal to monster. In a case like this, your decision changes from one of “should I stay in†to “how do I get the most money in the potâ€.The result that will occur most frequently is that you put in a raise before the flop with premium cards that have an opportunity to turn into a big hand, or you call a bet in late position with a weak, speculative hand like a suited connector, and once you see the flop, you have nothing. In this case, you must check and fold.This is the reason for only playing speculative hands in late position for one bet. They will not usually turn into anything and you throw them away, so you don’t want to put in a lot of money which you are probably going to lose. The large premium hands will however end up turning into a good hand much more often, so you raise with those to get more money in the pot because you expect to win it.After you see the flop, one of several things is going to happen.1) After the flop, you have nothing. You have no pair, no draw to a straight or flush, and there are cards on the board that are higher than yours. For instance, in late position, after 3 other players have called, you call with a Jack and Queen of 2 different suits. The flop contains an Ace, a 9 and a 3, all different suits. Note that if someone has an Ace, your only hope is that both a Ten and a King come to give you a straight, or both a Jack and a Queen come, to give you 2 pair, or perhaps 2 Jacks or 2 Queens to give you 3 of a kind. In the latter 2 cases, your opponent could be holding an Ace and either a Jack or Queen, so you would still lose. The decision in this case is very simple. Check and fold to a bet.2) Once you see the flop, you have a huge hand. For instance, you started with a pocket pair, and hit a third of the same rank, giving you a set, or you flopped a flush or straight, or you hit top 2 pair. Once again, the decision is easy, bet and/or raise. There may be an occasional case where you want to slow play, i.e. check and just call a bet. For instance, you raised before the flop, hit a third ace, and it seems unlikely that anybody could have a hand where they could call a bet. However, at the low limits, there is no need to be tricky. The players will call bets and raises even when it should be obvious that they can’t win. One of the worst things that can happen is that you hit your huge hand, while someone else hits a very good second best hand and would have raised, so you cost yourself money. Of course the worst thing that could happen is that you let someone draw cheaply, or for free, and they end up beating your huge hand. This is very expensive, because your slow play cost you the entire pot.3) You have a good, but not great hand. For instance, you raised before the flop with a pair of jacks, no cards higher than a Jack came on the flop, and there is no flush or straight likely. You probably have the best hand, but it is vulnerable to bad cards appearing on the turn or river. Any Queen, King or Ace that hits the board may give someone a higher pair, and the board could develop into straight or flush possibilities. Ideally, you would like the person on your right to bet, so that you can raise, giving everyone else the situation of having to call 2 bets instead of 1. You may have to try for a check/raise in order to face people with calling 2 bets. You can only try this if you think someone will bet after you check. If you are not sure that someone after you will bet when you check, you should bet. What you want to do if possible is to get players with an Ace, King, or Queen to fold. At the low limits, this is very unlikely when they only have to call 1 bet. Some of them will call all the way to the end with an Ace and any other card hoping that you are bluffing. You may however get someone to fold small cards that would have turned into a straight, a flush, or 2 pair if you had let them draw for free, and this is still a good thing.4) You have a mediocre hand, such as top pair with a poor second card, or you have the second or third pair. An example of this would be when you call from late position with A7 suited, hoping for a flush draw, and pair the ace, with none of your suit showing, or call with a small pair like 44 or 55. Most of the time, these will be losing hands. Especially if there are several players in the pot, there is likely to be someone with an Ace and a better second card, putting you at a huge disadvantage. In the case of the small pair, you are hoping to flop a set (hit the third card, such as a third 4, or third 5) If there are several people in the pot, and there is a bet before you play, just fold. If it is checked around, and no card comes on the turn that would seem to help anybody, you may want to try a bet and see if they all fold. This is most likely to work if there are only a few people in the pot. The more players there are in, the less likely that they will all fold. You must also be aware of how the players play. If you have a player that will call to the end with a slightly better hand, it may not be worth a bet. Also, if you do bet on the turn, and get raised, fold. Not very many players at the low limits will check raise as a bluff.5) A situation that happens often is that, after the flop, you either have no made hand, or a very weak made hand, but you have possibilities for improvement. For instance, you call from late position after 4 others have called, with an Ace and 6 of hearts. The flop contains 2 hearts, but no Ace or 6. You are drawing at the nut (best) flush. If you get another heart, you will probably win the pot, otherwise you will most likely lose. To make a decision with drawing hands, you need to consider pot odds, implied odds, and your odds of making the hand you are drawing to, and winning. Note that in many cases it is quite possible that you will make the hand you are looking for, and still lose. And extreme example of this would be hoping to hit a 9 to pair the one you are holding. This would of course lose to anything, pair of Tens or better, and is a bad idea. A more practical example is drawing to an open ended straight, such as 8, 9, T, J, with 2 cards of one suit on board. If either a 7 or Queen hits, you have a straight. However if that 7 or Queen puts 3 of one suit on board you may lose to a flush. As well, if the 2 cards that you have are the 8 and 9, someone else may be drawing to a better hand, with a King and Ace for instance, in which case the Queen that gives you a straight gives them a higher straight at the same time, and is going to cost you some money. As we will see when we talk about counting outs in another article, you must take these possibilities into account when calculating your odds.There are many more factors that need to be taken into account in each situation. How the other players play, position, the size of the pot, the exact makeup of the flop etc. These will be covered in more detail in future articles. For the moment, this should get you headed in the right direction.Contact the author at http://A1-PokerInfo.comCopyright © 2005 A1-PokerInfo.com. All rights reserved.This article may be freely distributed and published, providing it is distributed and/or published in its entirety, including the contact information and copyright.
About The Author
John Porter has been playing poker online for about 3 years, and can be ontacted at http://A1-PokerInfo.comCopyright © 2005 A1-PokerInfo.com. All rights reserved.This article may be freely distributed and published, providing it is distributed and/or published in its entirety, including the contact information and copyright.
by: John Porter
After the flop, your hand is pretty much defined. Before the flop, you have seen only 2 cards out of the total 7 cards that will eventually be in play. The flop gives you 3 more cards, so now you are seeing 5 out of the 7 total cards that will eventually make your hand. As a result, the strength of your hand will change far more on the flop than it will on the turn or river, with the exception of those times that you draw at a flush or straight.For instance, before the flop an Ace and King of the same suit, such as AhKh, is a good hand, with potential to become a huge hand. After all, with a great amount of luck it could turn into a royal flush, the best hand possible. A little more likely is something like top pair, with the best available second card, a pair of Aces, with the King as your second card (kicker), still a very good hand. However, if the 3 cards on the flop are 2, 6 and 9, with no hearts, you have nothing but a weak draw. The best you can hope for is that it is checked around, and an Ace or King comes on the turn. Your great potential has turned to trash, and if there is a bet you should fold unless the pot is very large.At the other end of the scale, you could start with something like a J and Q unsuited, which you would hopefully only be playing in 1 of the last 2 positions or the blinds, which is a weak starting hand. However, if you get lucky and flop something like J, Q, Q, your hand has just gone from marginal to monster. In a case like this, your decision changes from one of “should I stay in†to “how do I get the most money in the potâ€.The result that will occur most frequently is that you put in a raise before the flop with premium cards that have an opportunity to turn into a big hand, or you call a bet in late position with a weak, speculative hand like a suited connector, and once you see the flop, you have nothing. In this case, you must check and fold.This is the reason for only playing speculative hands in late position for one bet. They will not usually turn into anything and you throw them away, so you don’t want to put in a lot of money which you are probably going to lose. The large premium hands will however end up turning into a good hand much more often, so you raise with those to get more money in the pot because you expect to win it.After you see the flop, one of several things is going to happen.1) After the flop, you have nothing. You have no pair, no draw to a straight or flush, and there are cards on the board that are higher than yours. For instance, in late position, after 3 other players have called, you call with a Jack and Queen of 2 different suits. The flop contains an Ace, a 9 and a 3, all different suits. Note that if someone has an Ace, your only hope is that both a Ten and a King come to give you a straight, or both a Jack and a Queen come, to give you 2 pair, or perhaps 2 Jacks or 2 Queens to give you 3 of a kind. In the latter 2 cases, your opponent could be holding an Ace and either a Jack or Queen, so you would still lose. The decision in this case is very simple. Check and fold to a bet.2) Once you see the flop, you have a huge hand. For instance, you started with a pocket pair, and hit a third of the same rank, giving you a set, or you flopped a flush or straight, or you hit top 2 pair. Once again, the decision is easy, bet and/or raise. There may be an occasional case where you want to slow play, i.e. check and just call a bet. For instance, you raised before the flop, hit a third ace, and it seems unlikely that anybody could have a hand where they could call a bet. However, at the low limits, there is no need to be tricky. The players will call bets and raises even when it should be obvious that they can’t win. One of the worst things that can happen is that you hit your huge hand, while someone else hits a very good second best hand and would have raised, so you cost yourself money. Of course the worst thing that could happen is that you let someone draw cheaply, or for free, and they end up beating your huge hand. This is very expensive, because your slow play cost you the entire pot.3) You have a good, but not great hand. For instance, you raised before the flop with a pair of jacks, no cards higher than a Jack came on the flop, and there is no flush or straight likely. You probably have the best hand, but it is vulnerable to bad cards appearing on the turn or river. Any Queen, King or Ace that hits the board may give someone a higher pair, and the board could develop into straight or flush possibilities. Ideally, you would like the person on your right to bet, so that you can raise, giving everyone else the situation of having to call 2 bets instead of 1. You may have to try for a check/raise in order to face people with calling 2 bets. You can only try this if you think someone will bet after you check. If you are not sure that someone after you will bet when you check, you should bet. What you want to do if possible is to get players with an Ace, King, or Queen to fold. At the low limits, this is very unlikely when they only have to call 1 bet. Some of them will call all the way to the end with an Ace and any other card hoping that you are bluffing. You may however get someone to fold small cards that would have turned into a straight, a flush, or 2 pair if you had let them draw for free, and this is still a good thing.4) You have a mediocre hand, such as top pair with a poor second card, or you have the second or third pair. An example of this would be when you call from late position with A7 suited, hoping for a flush draw, and pair the ace, with none of your suit showing, or call with a small pair like 44 or 55. Most of the time, these will be losing hands. Especially if there are several players in the pot, there is likely to be someone with an Ace and a better second card, putting you at a huge disadvantage. In the case of the small pair, you are hoping to flop a set (hit the third card, such as a third 4, or third 5) If there are several people in the pot, and there is a bet before you play, just fold. If it is checked around, and no card comes on the turn that would seem to help anybody, you may want to try a bet and see if they all fold. This is most likely to work if there are only a few people in the pot. The more players there are in, the less likely that they will all fold. You must also be aware of how the players play. If you have a player that will call to the end with a slightly better hand, it may not be worth a bet. Also, if you do bet on the turn, and get raised, fold. Not very many players at the low limits will check raise as a bluff.5) A situation that happens often is that, after the flop, you either have no made hand, or a very weak made hand, but you have possibilities for improvement. For instance, you call from late position after 4 others have called, with an Ace and 6 of hearts. The flop contains 2 hearts, but no Ace or 6. You are drawing at the nut (best) flush. If you get another heart, you will probably win the pot, otherwise you will most likely lose. To make a decision with drawing hands, you need to consider pot odds, implied odds, and your odds of making the hand you are drawing to, and winning. Note that in many cases it is quite possible that you will make the hand you are looking for, and still lose. And extreme example of this would be hoping to hit a 9 to pair the one you are holding. This would of course lose to anything, pair of Tens or better, and is a bad idea. A more practical example is drawing to an open ended straight, such as 8, 9, T, J, with 2 cards of one suit on board. If either a 7 or Queen hits, you have a straight. However if that 7 or Queen puts 3 of one suit on board you may lose to a flush. As well, if the 2 cards that you have are the 8 and 9, someone else may be drawing to a better hand, with a King and Ace for instance, in which case the Queen that gives you a straight gives them a higher straight at the same time, and is going to cost you some money. As we will see when we talk about counting outs in another article, you must take these possibilities into account when calculating your odds.There are many more factors that need to be taken into account in each situation. How the other players play, position, the size of the pot, the exact makeup of the flop etc. These will be covered in more detail in future articles. For the moment, this should get you headed in the right direction.Contact the author at http://A1-PokerInfo.comCopyright © 2005 A1-PokerInfo.com. All rights reserved.This article may be freely distributed and published, providing it is distributed and/or published in its entirety, including the contact information and copyright.
About The Author
John Porter has been playing poker online for about 3 years, and can be ontacted at http://A1-PokerInfo.comCopyright © 2005 A1-PokerInfo.com. All rights reserved.This article may be freely distributed and published, providing it is distributed and/or published in its entirety, including the contact information and copyright.
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