Archive for May, 2008

TV Has brought Texas Hold’em To The Forefront

Thursday, May 29th, 2008
A message about gambling: Gambling (or betting) is any behavior involving risking money or valuables (making a wager or placing a stake) on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event in which the outcome of that activity depends partially or totally upon chance or upon one’s ability to do something.

A Simple warning about gambling: Know your limit and play within it…

What is Texas Hold’em: Texas hold ‘em (or simply hold ‘em or holdem) is the most popular of the community card poker games. It is the most popular poker variant played in casinos in the western United States, and its no-limit form is used in the main event of the World Series of Poker (abbreviated WSOP), widely recognized as the world championship of the game.

Through television, Texas Hold’em poker has managed to find its way to people’s living room and into the “kitchen tables” of amateur poker players. The result is a poker explosion that has everyone curious about how Texas Hold’em is played.

There are two types of Texas Hold’em player. One is the no-limit Texas Hold’em and this is the type that you most often see on television shows like ESPN’s broadcast of the World Series of Poker. The other type, the low-limit Texas Hold’em poker is designed for players who are just beginning to learn the game.

Most low-limit Texas Hold’em games have a betting structure of $2/4, $3/6, or $4/8. These kinds of Texas Hold’em betting structures can be found mostly in online gamerooms.

The Basics of Texas Hold’em

In Texas Hold’em, each player is given two initial cards, called the pocket cards. The players will match up these cards with the five community cards which are dealt later on the board in order to create a Texas Hold’em poker hand. The one with the best hand wins the game.

Suppose we use the Texas Hold’em betting structure of $2/4 where you have a limit of $2 for each of the first 2 rounds. At the last 2 rounds, your bet limit increases to $4. Your raise or your bet depends on the limit set for that round.

The Game Flow of Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em starts with two “blind” bets. The player who is immediately to the left of the dealer posts the small blind, which is half the minimum bet that was set before the start of the game. The player next to him will then place the big blind which is equivalent to the minimum bet. The third player to the left of the dealer will now start the first betting round.

In Texas Hold’em, the first betting round ends with the player who made the small blind. The player who posted the big blind can either raise or “check” the bet if the player before him made a call. In Texas Hold’em, to check means to pass up the chance of making a bet.

After the last player makes his move, the new dealer (the player with the dealer button - in this case the small blind player since Texas Hold’em follows the clockwise movement) will now deal the first 3 cards face up. This stage in Texas Hold’em is called the flop. The second betting round begins and still at $2.

When the flop is completed, the dealer turns up a fourth card called the turn. Following the Texas Hold’em betting rules, the bet is now at $4. After the fourth round, the dealer will turn the fifth and final community card face up. This card is called the Texas Hold’em river.

After the river is completed, the players will now have enough cards to begin forming their Texas Hold’em hand. The player with the best Texas Hold’em hand wins the pot.



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Looking for the Best Online Poker Site

Thursday, May 29th, 2008
When you mention poker, people usually associate this with the cowboys of the West. We imagine a set of grizzly and rugged cowboys inside a Wild West bar or saloon. One of the cowboys could be fiddling with his gun preparing to draw it up anytime until before the other had a chance to collect his winnings.

Some people might associate poker with businessmen. A group of high-rolling businessmen, those who lay down very large bets in some underground poker tournament or at the back room of an ultra high-class casino somewhere.

Good for us common men, the onset of online poker proved to be one of the best things to come out of the Internet. Good as it was, it made poker craze to spread beyond the mega-rich, the business-suited elite.

Due to the proliferation of a number of the best online poker site, they made possible poker-playing to beginners and novices. They made it possible for people to place modest bets from the comfort of their own homes.

Looking For The Best Online Poker Site

The problem of the beginner or novice is to look for the best online poker site available. When you are a beginner, you can be sure to have problems choosing the best online poker site simply because there are thousands out there.

Each poker site has something to offer that other poker sites do not offer. There are also poker sites that does not necessarily provide enough information to the beginner or novice, instead of learning, the beginner might find poker playing confusing.

A couple of poker sites or websites with information regarding poker sites are listed below for checking by the beginner. The poker sites below were chosen randomly and therefore does not necessarily reflect the option of the writer.

By actual testing of each poker sites, the beginner might have an idea of what the best online poker site should be. The best online poker site might just be one of these poker sites.

List Of Possible Best Online Poker Sites

1. Poker Pages

This website is focused solely on poker and has a chance of being judged the best online poker site. It includes an international directory of websites all about poker. In this website, you can see information regarding poker tournament schedules, poker rooms, poker strategies and tips, articles about poker, and more.

To check out Poker Pages, go to www.pokerpages.com

2. Card Player Magazine

This website offers the poker player an online publication of articles about poker tournaments and strategies. Likewise, it has a chance to be judged the best online poker site.

To check out Card player Magazine, go to www.cardplayer.com

3. Poker Forum

This website includes several information about poker. A discussion forum, the rules of playing poker, poker tournament schedules, poker book reviews, and much more. This is also a possible contender as the best online poker site.

To check out Poker Forum, go to www.thepokerforum.com

4. Play Winning Poker

This website includes articles about poker strategies, and various articles and resources about poker. This can be judged as the best online poker site.

To check out Play Winning Poker, go to www.playwinningpoker.com

5. Poker Top 10

This website boasts a collection of top ten lists that includes poker games, rules, and players. This is a serious contender for being the best online poker site.

To check out Poker Top 10, go to www.pokertop10.com

6. United Poker Forum

This website offers a message forum that is interactive. Aside from this, a bulletin board is available to discuss various poker strategies, the competitive events, the poker players, and all sorts of game variations.

To check out United Poker Forum, go to www.unitedpokerforum.com

7. Texas Hold’em Poker for Beginners

This website is also possible for being the best online poker site. It provides a Texas Hold’em and several general poker guides. It has poker strategies, odds, the rules, and much more.

To check out Texas Hold’em Poker For Beginners, go to www.texas-holdem-zone.com

8. Low Limit Hold ‘em

A possible best online poker site, it offers the beginner the various strategies of poker, the tactics, and a starting hand selection for all low limit games of Texas Hold ‘em.

To check out Low Limit Hold’em, go to www.lowlimitholdem.com

9. Serious Poker

This website offers the beginner or novice various poker articles, the reviews, and all available poker links. An online glossary is also available. This is also a possible choice by the beginner as a best online poker site.

To check out Serious Poker, go to www.seriouspoker.com



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