Congress Gets Graded – By The PPA
The Poker Players Alliance has released a guide that rates member of Congress according to their voting history on poker legislation. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_16102008_60.html

French Pro Fabrice Soulier Joins Everest Poker
Everest Poker have signed on Fabrice Soulier, a French poker pro. This move will help increase Everest Poker’s support for the French poker industry. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_26112009_394.html

While many glamorize heads-up no limit hold’em poker as the ultimate test of skill
the truth is that in a sit and go tournament
heads-up play is usually the simplest and most mathematical poker you can play. The reason for this that usually the stacks are small enough – fifteen big blinds or so – that the only correct poker plays are pushing all-in or folding. Because of this reality of short stack poker
many of your opponents will make big mistakes
so you can still come out ahead in the long run.

The Button or Small Blind

On the button in a standard heads-up poker match you are first to act preflop and only have to post the smaller blind. In a short stack situation it is actually something of an advantage to act first
and of course it is better to have the poker privilege of putting less money in the pot without looking at your cards. The correct play here is usually to to push all-in most of the time
folding your worst poker hands. With any ace
any pair
and any two face cards
you should push in against all opponents with fifteen times the big blind or less. With twelve big blinds you can add hands like king-medium and suited connectors. With ten or less you should push any face card in addition to these hands. And with eight big blinds or less you should push with any two cards. Some may say this is not “real poker” It seems like you might be risking too much to win too little
but the reality is that you usually will have a 35-40% chance to win when called even when pushing with a truly trashy hand
and it is the correct poker strategy. You aren’t “risking your whole stack” when you push
but simply risking playing a pot as an underdog
which will usually only cost you one or two big blinds in expectation while you win 1.5 if you push and win the blinds. Naturally
if you know your opponent is a chronic caller with bad poker hands
you might choose to fold some of the worst hands when your stack is large
but don’t take this too far. With many of these hands
you could show your cards to your opponent and pushing would still be highly profitable poker strategy.

The Big Blind

In the big blind you will often be facing an all-in push from your opponent. Your decision whether to call should be based on what range of hands you think they are pushing
and like all poker strategy
the odds the pot is offering you to call. Quite simply if you are getting 2 to 1 or better pot odds you should always call
and you should just about always call getting 1.5 to 1 or better. There are just few very hands that have you in a poker situation where you aren’t going to win at least 30-40% of the time. Above 1.5 to 1 pot odds or so it depends more on your opponents poker hand range. For example if an opponent pushes ten big blinds into you
you will be getting 11 to 9 on your call
meaning you need to win 45% of the time to profit. At this level of pot odds a good default range to call with is any ace
king ten or better
queen jack suited
and any pair. But if your opponent is an extremely aggressive poker player
pushing nearly every hand
you can add more marginal calling hands like the weaker kings and suited face cards. And if your opponent is the type to limp preflop unless he picks up a monster
you should of course be folding without a large pair or ace yourself.

Against Players that Limp on the Button

Many players will limp in on the button. This is usually bad poker strategy
but you still need to react correctly against it. Usually you should respond by pushing. Push a range similar to what you would push on the button in this situation. Usually an opponent will limp with slightly better than average poker hands
but this is offset by the fact that there is more money in the pot as they have added another half a bet With trash hands
check and take a flop. One
common poker mistake many players make from here is checking too many flops in this situation when they miss. The type of player to limp on the button is usually not very aggressive
and you can steal a lot of pots with small bets. A good poker strategy is to make a minimum bet (half the pot here) each time you hit the flop
plus on about half the flops that you miss. This bluff doesn’t cost much
but against most opponents who will automatically fold if they miss the flop
can be very effective.

Most sit and go strategy is complex enough that a simple guide like this one will only provide the fundamentals
but for heads up play with small stacks
nearly everything you need to know is right here. Remember
the most common mistake made is folding too much
followed by limping on the button. Your opponents may constantly seem to be getting the better of the luck in the all-in showdowns
but play aggressive poker and you will win more than you will lose in the end.

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PPA Calls For Action On Online Poker


The Poker Players Alliance is calling on their members to use Obama’s website to vote for changes to online poker legislation. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_16012009_139.html

Phil Hellmuth lost
but UltimateBet Poker still shipped him the pot


UltimateBet Poker now is facing new questions regarding the integrity of its software after its system paid out UB pitchman Phil Hellmuth with the losing hand instead of the player with the winning handle poker hand on Dec 20. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_25122008_116.html

Titan Poker Sending Players to Grand Final of the GUKPT


The chance to compete at GUKPT Main Event in London this month is welcomed by dedicated players
courtesy of online poker innovators Titan Poker. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_05112008_77.html

Australian Joe Hachem’s big 2005 WSOP win inevitably triggered increased interest in the game Down Under
and lifted the attention of people in the Asia Pacific towards poker. Those in the poker industry in established countries see the vast opportunity for bringing poker competitions to Asia.

Already Asia has
in the 6 months prior to the writing of this article
seen at least 3 new tournaments sprouting around the Asian continent. The most famous of these was the Asian Poker Tour held in Singapore.

The APT is a prelude to Singapore’s 2 new integrated resorts
of which casinos formed the highlight component. The integrated resorts are major commercial and residential property developments introduced by the Singapore Government’s as its latest initiative to drive the Singapore economy and to grow Singapore into a major tourist destination for the region.

But Singapore is not the only destination in Asia with a draw for the poker player’s dollar. Macau has
less than a decade after the liberalisation of its casino restrictions
recently surpassed the dominant Las Vegas as the highest revenue generating gambling destination in the world. Perhaps there are benefits to introducing casinos and poker to the Asian region still enjoying rapid economic growth and populated by some two thirds of the world’s population.

Singapore and Macau in the Asia Pacific are sure to provide many more opportunities to play poker in this region.

All the signs are that poker can be bigger here than it could ever be in Europe and North America. Indeed
with the recent passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the US
several major companies have adopted the policy of completely restricting US citizens from playing in the US. The result is that these companies are actively promoting their poker games to Europe
Australia
and soon
you will find
Asia as well. There are no borders in the internet and any individual sitting in Manchester
Melbourne or Macau can play poker online.

Asia will have its challenges in the development of this industry. Many countries are of conservative values or are still staunch in religions or beliefs and hence that may look poorly upon poker. Of course
the starting perception of poker is as part of gambling and betting and gaming.

However
these are no different from issues once faced by poker players in other continents. Indeed
the perception of poker worldwide is changing. There is argument that poker should be seen more as a sport due to the dominance of skill over the element of chance involved in poker. An increasing number of people do not turn professional to play roulette or other casino games – they turn professional to play poker because there are opportunities to influence the course of game with skill.

In any event
as we see from the many tournaments and casinos sprouting around Asia
those that do not get into the industry (with the right regulations and balance) lose out.

Poker is coming to Asia
and Asia welcomes poker.

–

Relative Hand Strength with Jon Aguiar

Jon FatalError Aguiar has traveled the globe playing in the world’s richest poker tournaments. In the last five years
hes accumulated $1.1 million in winnings in live and online tournaments. Aguiars latest trip was to Monte Carlo for the…

2008 California State Poker Championship (source: launchpoker.com)
The 2008 California State Poker Championship is coming at the turn of the month, with some estimated $7 million in total prize pool for the series. Starting on September 2nd, 18 events will take place at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. Players can buy … (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS feeds and Widgets on Feedzilla.com

Poker can be played at a physical casino in a city such as Atlantic City, or poker can be played online from virtually anywhere in the world. It is here that a poker bonus is most effective. A poker bonus is designed to lure players to a specific casino to play poker. This helps to generate revenue and word of mouth for the poker site itself, but it is also an incentive for players on the basic level that they see where they can potentially win and receive the most amount of money.

A poker bonus is beneficial to both parties involved, and this symbiotic relationship is helpful when a poker site is trying to make itself stand out from the rest of the hundreds of sites that exist on the World Wide Web.

A poker bonus can be anything from money for signing up to the specific website, or referring people to the website, but one thing is for sure. The poker bonus has been used successfully in generating business for many different casinos for a very long time.

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Brian Townsend Admits to Multi-Accounting (source: PokerSourceOnline.com)
Brian Townsend, a CardRunners.com instructor and one of the most popular young internet poker … (source: PokerSourceOnline.com) – RSS and RSS Feed on Feedzilla.com

How-to-play-7-5-cardstud – Courtesy of Poker Skool (source: poker-skool.com)
How to play 7 and 5 card stud poker, where are the best places to play 7 and 5 card stud, can you play for free, how much will the casinos pay you to play. we show you how and where. (source: poker-skool.com) – RSS and RSS Feed on Feedzilla.com

1. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
2. An active pastime or recreation.

From this characterization, we understand that sports should meet some basic requirements. Any kind of sports consists of physical activity, skills, rules and a competitive element. Since the aspect of physical activity conveys the basic obstacle in our question, we shall leave its discussion for the end.

Does poker encompass a clear set of rules?
Without any doubt, the concept of poker is guided by precise rules and ranging. Acceptable regulations define a true course of the game, and some actions are under an interdiction. Infringement of rules can cause terrible consequences. Public reprimand and disqualification are the unique measures of punishment applied by a sports management.

Sport is a competition of skills, and poker is a competition of skills too?

The ability to understand what is a good hand and when it is necessary to leave the game defines the creditable player. However, players can make similar decisions based on probabilities knowledge or correct strategies. The magnificent poker player is the player capable intuitively to feel a bluff, who is able to analyze and systematize tendencies of other players and the one who is capable to bluff convincingly with a hopeless combination on hands. Poker is a competition of cunning, a deceit and intuition, which, in my opinion, are the same skills, as dexterity, force and accuracy.

Can poker game be competitive?
In any display, poker bears on surface dark human emotions because when money is involved, there is no place for compassion. There will always be people, who cannot lose the game with dignity, but when they lose money, they are not capable to control themselves; therefore, strong feeling of rivalry is required very much in poker. It is necessary to forget about morals; in fact, your purpose is to win.

Is physical strength involved in poker competitions?
While poker demands certain intellectual force, its physical component equals the “Achilles’ heel”. Certainly, players should strain all muscles of a back and a back part of a body to remain sitting in a soft armchair sometimes more than 10 hours, but I doubt that any medical association will define this condition as “active”.

Can we define poker as a sport?
Proceeding from our definition of sports, poker includes many of its components. Poker is a competition with a variety of strategy and tactics, which the skilled player will use on a way to success with much greater efficiency. Poker is not competition of physical strength, and, in my opinion, this is a sufficient evidence not to consider poker as a high-grade kind of sports. It is wonderful game, which everybody can enjoy in land based casinos or poker rooms and online poker rooms as well. At the best, poker resembles the best intellectual sport I know.

–

WPT’s Fall Boot Camps (source: launchpoker.com)
“Boot camp” is term generally given to the military training that turns a kid, whose greatest challenge in life was getting past the Nightmare level on Halo 2, into a well oiled fighting machine. This type of training usually involves trading one’s locks f… (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS and RSS Feed on Feedzilla.com