Your Poker Persona – Suit Of Armor?

• Author: David Patron
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 19,2010

It seems that many serious players in poker, in trying perhaps to project a minimum of tells, project a kind of moody, somber, or even sinister effect, sunglasses and sun-visors sealing off unshaven faces as if they had a pair of six-shooters under the table. One wonders whether they know what exactly they are trying to gain or whether they simply underestimate the influence of appearance on their own game and on the players around them.

There has got to be some kind of method to their madness. Undoubtedly some of them think they can confuse and deflate opponents by their intimidation and arrogance, thereby, discouraging them from any sound play against them. Theirs is a sullen, bullying persona, which may be the only one they have the imagination to pull off. Some of them may actually be that dark, insolent person, but I rather think that they are hiding behind a lack of creativity.

The player should consider the image they are actually projecting around a poker table. If they were to seriously look at the schoolyard bully persona they choose to project, they would see that while it may work on some of their victims, most of the really ripe ones will be totally deterred from playing with such a dour, frightening type. In other words instead of attracting valid prey that could actually add to their coffers, they are encouraging them to run the other way.

It may have exactly the opposite effect and attract the more secure, professional players who are looking for such an atmosphere so they can practice intimidation and arrogance on you. These guys may be difficult to get rid of because they may sense you to be the weaker player and proceed to empty your wallet. This will keep them coming back for more.

If the sullen, serious type isn’t really you, you are spending way too much time on your phony image and not enough on your cards. It is almost impossible to play several rounds of poker with an impassive faade. While you do need a special poker persona to strategically manipulate situations to your advantage, it should be one that is comfortable for you, not one which takes a lot of concentration to maintain. Your concentration should be focused on reading your opponents personae and the cards that are dealt.

Poker does require the ability to act at times, such as when bluffing. The good player will adopt an image that is closer to who they really are, though. If you are not naturally gregarious, you may want to practice becoming more so to better enjoy the game and keep focused on it rather than sprucing up your act.

It takes too much concentration to hold on to a persona that is not at all natural to you. It’s like playing from a locked cage or straightjacket. Your focus will be scattered and your game will lack that robust quality.

Thus, shades and a baseball cap in the dimly lit poker room may only seem to require less effort. It may be better, for the professional player, to spend some time observing one’s own ways and selectively organizing them into the poker player you wish to be and actually can be at the table.

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categories: body language,poker tells,poker psychology,poker,gambling,card games,games,entertainment,recreation,sport,sports

Some Methods To Finding The Best Free Casinos Online

• Author: Simon M Skinner
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 18,2010

You may have already noticed how popular casinos have become with everyone recently. This is namely because they give people a form of entertainment and also the chance to win some extra money in the meantime. The great thing is that you don\’t even have to actually go to a casino for this entertainment; it can be done privately from your house in your spare time. The following suggestions will help you finding the best free casinos online.

Often times, casinos that are popular outside of the internet will also have websites where you can participate in gambling. Consider finding out what some of the most popular offline casinos are and then see if they offer their gambling services online. This is a good way to know that you are dealing with a reputable casino. In addition, casinos are often in chains, so finding one casino website may link you to another casino for you to participate in as well.

If your friends gamble online, consider asking them what casinos and websites that they would recommend. This can be a great way to find out about new casinos and also find out which casinos pay out the most often online. Your friends will be more likely to tell you about online casinos that they have had success with, and also which sites they feel that you should avoid.

Check out the sites that you can find from searching on the internet. Just a simple search can give you many sites to join in on. You might even find that you have too many sites to choose from after using this option.

In consideration of the above then, you should also consider joining a gambling or casino forum online. This will allow you to read the experiences of other online gamblers and find out what they recommend. In exchange, you can share your experiences as well. It\’s a good way to find out which online casinos you should spend your time at and which you shouldn\’t try out at all.

Sometimes, different gambling websites will also post lists of online casinos that are worthwhile. These can be a point of interest and can make your search for free online casinos more convenient. You will also come across these lists on the gambling forums that you join.

A few searches and you will most likely start finding the best free casinos online. Possibly, you will even find enough of them to start a list of your own to refer fellow casino goers to as well. Before you realize it, you will have found the right casino to add in to your own spare time.

It\’s simple to begin playing FREE casino games today! Tips for how you can play free online casino games easy and fast from the comfort of your own home.

Deciding Your Poker Game Of Choice

• Author: Tom Kearns
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 16,2010

In deciding upon the perfect poker game for you, you should begin with one that has copious literature available, whether online or book format. Omaha, for example, is an interesting and profitable game but very difficult to get information on because there is very little written on the subject. Hold’em is where you should go. It is the most popular form of the game out there today in both actual and virtual casinos and so has much written about it.

Now that that’s over, the next step is some personal soul searching to determine your proclivity for risk..

It is a very peculiar thrill, and those who cannot stand, having calculated your best chances, to make that step into the air, like Indiana Jones towards the end of The Last Crusade (he did not so much summon the faith the walk on air, but merely calculated that his father’s diary implies an invisible bridge), had better keep away from the poker table (watching others play might be the compromise to settle for). Nor is poker the right activity for people who cannot control themselves and play kamikaze-style. For those who feel they do not sufficiently understand themselves, there are tests which determine inclination towards risk. The more risky you are the more sense it makes to play no-limit cash and tournament poker.

Decide for yourself if you are a mathematician or a psychologist. Human calculators will be comfortable with limit games. The body language deciphering psychologist will be most at home with no-limit and multi table tournament (MTT) play.

If you are willing to devote the time, complex no-limit and MTT games offer the best means to develop as a player. If you are just taking a look around, at first stick to sit-and-go tournaments and limit games.

The least potential for players reach the heights of fame and fortune is in limit poker. The best games for would-be poker champs are tournament games and high profile no limit games.

Limit poker is far more prevalent and available online than in casinos or clubs. Tournament poker should gain the attention of all players in public establishments because it is the only form of the game officially designated as a sport.

Those considering poker as a profitable career should focus on those games with a high percentage of weak players. Hold’em poker involves the fewest of the weaker players due to the widely available literature devoted to the game. No-limit and tournament poker should be your target, as long as you have made the decision to educate yourself on it and continue to do so. The beginning player should play limit poker in games with limits below 1$/2$. If in a SnG game, the novice should stay below $20+$2 and in a no-limit game, below $100. If you want to play in games below these levels, just a basic knowledge of the rules of poker is probably sufficient. More intense study is required of higher limits and even the most apt student of the game is incurring risk.

All of these suggestions are preliminary for you to play and gain experience. With experience, you will be able to answer your own questions much more clearly.

The author takes advantage of the highest Minted Poker Rakeback. Please visit Rakeback Solution to also sign up for Minted Rakeback.

categories: poker,hold’em,no limit,limit,gambling,card games,games,casino,cards,recreation,entertainment,sport,fun

NFL Preseason Handicapping Basics

• Author: Ross Everett
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 15,2010

Among the sports betting public there\’s a lot of conflicting opinions about betting NFL preseason games. That\’s not really surprising, since there doesn\’t seem to be much middle ground on the subject. Overly cautious handicappers would argue that preseason football is a poor wagering opportunity. Some of the more obnoxious tout services would have you believe that short of a fixed game there is no greater \”lock\” that preseason football. Like most things that produce such polarized opinions, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. Preseason NFL football is a unique proposition for the sports gambler, but when approached with caution, discipline and knowledge it can yield some profit.

First, let\’s examine the case against preseason NFL wagering. Clearly the biggest argument against it is the simple fact that the games don\’t count. Though spots will exist during regular season games when the motivation and preparation of individual teams may vary, in theory both teams want to win. That\’s not always the case in preseason football, since different coaches have different goals. Some might want to just evaluate their personnel, others might want to establish a winning attitude, and all coaches want to keep their stars from getting injured. Factor in all of the variables and conflicting agendas, the preseason naysayer would argue, and there are just too many unknowns to consider taking a financial position on.

The preseason NFL betting enthusiast would suggest, however, that it is the uncertainty that characterizes these games that makes for such a strong wagering opportunity. For example, in a matchup between a championship level team and a losing team you often see strongly divergent approaches to the game. Successful teams have more to worry about in terms of player injuries, fewer areas in which they need to evaluate talent, and more continuity in the areas of coaching and team chemistry. They often view preseason games as a chore, and have little interest in their outcome as long as they keep their superstars healthy.

Now, lets look at the other side of the equation. A \”lesser\” team by regular season standards might have a number of starting spots or key backup spots up for grabs. They may have new coaches to impress, or new offensive or defensive coordinators whose schemes they\’ll have to implement. Certainly, winning any games\”whether or not they count in the standings\”are of utmost importance to losing teams trying to turn things around. Finally, a bad team can gain a lot more psychologically from beating a playoff team than the playoff team can from beating a doormat. A struggling team that is destined to lose a lot during the regular season won\’t have a lot of bright spots, so a preseason win against one of the league\’s elite can mean a lot more.

While some teams could care less about the result of preseason games, few want to enter the regular season having lost them all. In light of this fact, a successful preseason situation that has stood the test of time is to bet on teams that lost their first two exhibition games outright. This situation has produced a winning percentage right around 60%.

The philosophy of a NFL head coach is arguably the single most important factor contributing to preseason success. Some coaches always want to win, even if the games don\’t count in the standings. Other coaches place a much greater importance on evaluating personnel and giving backups playing time they won\’t have the opportunity to get during the regular season. The coaches that have a strong desire to win in the preseason often result in their team\’s pointspreads being inflated somewhat, but a motivated team is always worth consideration for a wager.

One of the best tools that a handicapper has at his disposal during the preseason is the Internet. Actually, it\’s a great tool year round but during the preseason it is invaluable. The best source of information on coaching philosophies, game plans, injuries, lineup changes, etc, are the local sports pages of NFL teams. Basically, the situation during preseason is that there is a lot of interest in the team and a lot of anxious beat writers looking to write stories. The problem is that there is little in the way of real news, and for that reason you\’ll find the sort of minutiae on teams and players from which you can often extract relevant handicapping information. Even if there aren\’t any nuggets of handicapping gold, you can at least get a feel for the coach\’s goals for the game and the amount of playing time that key players will see. Sometimes coaches will come right out and say who will play at what juncture of the game, and will occasionally go on record that personnel decisions like evaluating all of the guys they\’re considering for the backup defensive secondary jobs are more important than winning. Clearly, operating with this knowledge is a distinct advantage and operating without it can be fatal. There\’s nothing more frustrating than betting on a team only to have them look like they could care less whether or not they win the game. During the preseason, however, it can frequently be prevented with some simple research and analysis.

The bottom line is that while the NFL preseason does offer some solid moneymaking opportunities, its not a \’free cash grab\’. It\’s best viewed as an opportunity to grind out a small profit, but as always its essential to maintain the same degree of discipline in handicapping and money management as at any other time during the pro football season.

Ross Everett is a respected freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Poker After Dark: The Stars Of Poker In One Great Show

• Author: Alexis Emeria
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 14,2010

Poker production has no limit with regards to their poker show in NBC called Poker after Dark. They are going all out by assembling the best of poker players in the world playing high stakes game in their Railbird Heaven theme in two weeks time.

Poker after Dark has gathered some of the most celebrated live game players in the poker record, and also the man that has been performing well in the online poker arena. They will be place in a very unusual cash game where they had to buy in a minimum of $100,000 and must not exceed $250,000.

Poker\’s best Phil Ivey, fresh from the WSOP main event, will be involved in the said gathering with other known poker names such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Patrick Antonius and Gus Hansen to name a few.

Another player who will participate in this event has made his mark in online poker. Tom Dwan is an online poker pro, and has been doing well in view of the fact that he has moved to the live poker games. But in line with Poker after Dark\’s episode he will be challenging the best poker players.

The episodes in this live poker show, Poker after Dark will feature unusual bets by these top players. If they start to get tired, I\’m sure some prop bets will waken things up. In the past episodes the group played a hand blind and Daniel Negreanu proclaimed that it will be better off if they play that way once every hour and then Ivey suggested to play it every couple of minutes.

The poker show runs on NBC nightly at 2:05 AM. Every Saturday of the week, a director\’s cut of the weeks prominent actions will be shown. Negreanu, Ivey, and Hellmuth have levelled up the action with their prop bets, and the world is waiting to see the outcome in the next three episodes.

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