Le ga l St a t e m e nt © Copyright 2005 by PokerRewards All right s reserved No part of t his book m ay be used or reproduced in any m anner wit hout t he express writ t en perm ission of t he aut hor Lia bilit y / W a r r a n t y: The aut hor has m ade every at t em pt t o provide t he reader wit h accurat e inform at ion This inform at ion is present ed for inform at ion purposes only The aut hor m akes no claim s t hat using t his inform at ion w ill guarant ee t he reader personal or business success The discussion of websit es, law s, procedures and ot her inform at ion cont ained in t his book are current as of t he dat e of publicat ion The aut hor shall not be liable for any loss or dam age incurred in t he process of follow ing advice present ed in t his book TABLE OF CONTENTS Le ga l St a t e m e n t _ Ta ble of Con t e nt s I n t r odu ct ion Adva n t a ge s of On lin e Pok e r _ Ba sic Pok e r Ru le s Te x a s H old’e m Pok e r Ru le s 10 Be t t in g Lim it s a n d Ot h e r Fa ct s 14 Te x a s H old’e x St t e gie s _ 18 Playable St art ing Hands 19 Fold’em and Bluff’em 21 10 Essent ial Tips and Tact ics _ 23 H e lpfu l On lin e Pok e r St r a t e gy Tools _ 25 The Online Pok e r Appr oa ch 30 Pok e r Pla ye r Pr ofile s 35 Est ablishing Your Poker Player Profiles _ 37 Poker Gam e Et iquet t e 38 Con clu sion _ 40 Glossa r y of Pok e r Te r m s _ 42 INTRODUCTION There are m any different st yles of poker gam es you can play in live casinos and online, but of all t he st yles played t oday, none is m ore popular t han Texas Hold’em Texas Hold’em has received m uch of it s popularit y from cert ain hit TV shows such as t he Traveler’s Channel World Poker Tour, and ESPN’s World Series of Poker However, aside from t hese excit ing shows, Hold’em has gained popularit y because it is one of t he easiest gam es t o learn, t he hands are fast , and t he st akes are high Thus, m any novice players have com e t o realize t hat as long as one m ast ers t he skill of t he gam e, t here is a lot of m oney wait ing t o be won in t he world of Texas Hold’em poker I f you are int erest ed in such m oney m aking opport unit ies, or a chance t o im prove upon your Texas Hold’em poker gam e, t his book is exact ly what you need t o get st art ed in t he right direct ion Nevert heless, underst and t hat alt hough t his book will provide you wit h t he basic rules, as well as st rat egies for you t o keep in m ind and apply t o your gam e, playing Texas Hold’em , or any poker gam e for t hat m at t er, t akes m uch m ore t han luck – it t akes dedicat ion The skill you need t o becom e a good poker player can only be learned t hrough pract ice, pat ience and observat ion Therefore, if you ever hope t o win at poker or becom e a cham pion, you’re going t o need t o learn how t o play like t he pros So w h a t ’s t he ir se cr e t ? For st art ers, not only have t hey developed t heir own poker st rat egies, but t hey underst and t hat alt hough knowing how t o play t heir cards is im port ant , t he real t alent is playing t he ot her players Professionals st udy t heir fellow opponent s, and com e t o know how t he ot her players will react during gam e play This gives t hem an advant age over t he ot her players, because a pro will know how t o weed conservat ive players out of t he pot , or keep t he j uvenile player in t he hand for as long as t hey can, so he can m ilk t hese hot heads for all t hey’re wort h Since t hat is t he case, how you gain t he advant age over your fellow opponent s will vary depending on if you are playing poker live or online One of t he biggest problem s m any players who engage in online poker fail t o realize, is t hat while Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today t he gam es follow t he sam e rules and sim ilar st rat egies of live play, t he fact t hat you can not see t he ot her players m akes gaining t he upper hand over t hem difficult , especially if you don’t know how t o apply t he right psychology Why? Think about it : I n a live poker gam e you can see t he facial expressions, and t he react ions of t he ot her players This allows you t o gain a pret t y good idea of t he t ype of player t hey are, as well as how t hey play t heir cards by sim ply observing t heir body language However, when playing online, you not have t he luxury of relying on t he react ions of your opponent s, which m eans t hat in order t o figure out t he t ype of players you ar e up against , you need t o m ent ally pay at t ent ion t o t he decisions t hey m ake in t he gam e, and observe how t hey com m unicat e when you converse wit h t hem online For t he purpose of t his guide, we will be focusing prim arily on t he t act ics relat ed t o online Texas Hold’em gam e play This focus will help you gain a bet t er underst anding of how t o not only effect ively play against ot her online players by learning t he online psychology of good gam e play, but also how t o use t hese skills t o win Taking your online Texas Hold’em poker playing abilit ies t o t he next level is possible, and t his book is here t o show you how you can m ake t his goal a realit y Wit hin it s pages you will find t he rules, st rat egies and fant ast ic t ips relat ed t o online poker and Texas Hold’em You will even discover t he different t ypes of players you should wat ch out for, as well as fant ast ic st rat egy t ools t hat can help you uncover t he odds, providing you wit h a bet t er shot at winning t he pot So wit hout t aking up anym ore of your precious t im e, let ’s get st art ed Relax, get com fort able and get ready, because it ’s t im e t o t ake your online Texas Hold’em gam e t o t he next level H a ve fu n , a nd good Lu ck ! ( bu t if you r e a d t h is book you ’ll r e a lize lu ck r e a lly isn ’t a m a j or fa ct or w h e n it com e s t o be in g a k ille r pok e r pla ye r ! ) Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE POKER Before we t urn our at t ent ion t owards Texas Hold’em and t he st rat egies you can apply t o your online poker experiences, it is im port ant t hat you underst and t he differences bet ween online and live poker, as well as t he advant ages of playing online Now m ore t han ever, people are choosing t o t ake part in online poker inst ead of going t o a casino One of t he m aj or reasons is because visit ing an online poker sit e is far easier and handier t han going t o a live casino I m agine, inst ead of having t o t r avel out side of your hom e t o a busy, noisy casino, you can relax and experience j ust as m uch poker enj oym ent in t he virt ual world wit h a sim ple “ click” of your m ouse H e r e a r e j u st a fe w m a in h igh light s of t he a dva nt a ge s of on lin e pok e r : You can play at any t im e of t he day or night from t he com fort of your own hom e or place of choosing at your convenience You can play against players from all over t he world You can play for fun You can use special st rat egy t ools t o assist you when you play You don’t have t o worry about t he ot her opponent ’s seeing your expression or hearing your com m ent s during a hand To furt her appreciat e t he advant ages of playing online, we’ll t ake a closer look at t he differences bet ween live and online poker Following are som e not able dist inct ions: PH YSI CAL Vs VI RTUAL Perhaps t he single m ost obvious difference bet ween live and online poker is t he fact t hat at a live poker t able, players are physically present and can t herefore see t he m oves of t heir opponent s, t heir em ot ions, as well as t heir react ions This m akes playing live poker far m ore challenging t han online, because players always need t o be conscious of what t heir opponent s are doing, and if t hey are being wat ched Moreover players need t o have cont rol over t heir body language, Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today em ot ions and expressions, as sudden react ions or nervous gest ures or m ovem ent s can oft en be a dead giveaway t o an experienced player When playing poker online, however, players not need t o concern t hem selves wit h physical cont rol You can scream , yell, laugh and m ake any expression you want , because even t hough your fam ily, pet s or neighbors m ay hear or see you and possibly t hink you’re crazy, your opponent s can only j udge you by t he w ay you converse over a chat dialogue, and by t he m oves you m ake in t he gam e What ’s m ore is when you play online you don’t have t o worry about following a dress code, which is required at m any live casinos Therefore, whet her you feel inspired t o dress t o t he nines, wear your paj am as or –heaven forbid- your birt hday suit , t he point is you can wear what ever you want …j ust t ry not t o freak out your neighbours t oo m uch! TABLE LI M I TS Generally t here are lower lim it s in online poker room s t han in live casinos Of course, t here are cert ain int ernet casinos t hat offer t ables wit h higher lim it s, but t here is usually enough diversit y in t able lim it s, t o suit t he budget of any player Furt herm ore, t he lower lim it t ables m akes online poker an ideal environm ent for players t o learn, develop, and t ry out new st rat egies wit hout feeling as t hough t hey are t aking a huge gam bling risk Thus, t here is no worry of losing a subst ant ial am ount of m oney when pract icing your skills online VARI ETY When it com es t o choosing poker gam es and bet t ing lim it s, no live casino can provide you wit h t he variet y you will find online Choosing a desired poker t able is im port ant for all players, because it is essent ial t hat you feel com fort able while playing Online poker room s allow you t he chance of select ing a t able wit h a bet t ing lim it t hat you deem m ost suit able for your budget and expert ise You will also discover t hat finding a seat at an online poker t able of your choosing is far easier and m ore probable t han in a live casino Just check out t he hundreds of t ables t o choose from at www.pokerrewards.com GAM E CON D UCT I t is not possible for any players part icipat ing in online poker t o break t he rules of conduct t hat apply t o t he gam e Due t o com put er t echnology and gam ing Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today soft ware, no player has t he abilit y t o see t heir opponent ’s cards, show t heir cards t o ot her players, place st ring bet s or act out of t urn during a hand The soft ware will only perm it t he conduct t hat his been program m ed t o occur, and for t he st andard online casino or poker sit e, t his m eans t hat you are ent it led t o see t he num ber of players t aking part in t he hand, t he m oney am ount of each player, and t he t ot al sum of m oney t hat accum ulat es in t he pot On t he ot her hand, in a live casino, players can break conduct rules, cause disr upt ions and st all t he hand PLAYER SUPPORT Due t o t he fact t hat online poker can be played in t he com fort and privacy of your own hom e or place of choosing, you can use a variet y of special t ools and program s such as calculat ors, chart s and t ables when playing a gam e The purpose of t hese devices is t o assist you in finding out t he best odds in t he hand Alt hough t hey are not considered cheat ing, and while som e are even perm it t ed in a live casino, t he beaut y of using t hese helpful t ools online is t hat no one else can see you, and t herefore no one can j udge your act ions or int im idat e you when you play TI M E CON TROL When it com es t o fast hands, live poker doesn’t even com pare t o online poker Online poker gam es are subst ant ially short er t han t hose played in a live casino The m aj or r easons are due t o t he fact t hat int ernet players cont inually hop from t able t o t able, and hands are m uch short er as rounds are quick because of com put er soft ware, and players can not see t heir opponent s This allows online players t he freedom t o part icipat e in gam es for as long or as lit t le as t hey wish Therefore, while one player m ay only be int erest ed in playing a single gam e for a few m inut es, anot her m ay wish t o spend an hour or longer A live poker gam e, however, m ay last for hours, and t his is because t he average round during a hand can last anywhere from 10- 20 m inut es depending on t he num ber of players involved in t he hand Overall, t he experiences provided by bot h live and online poker t ables are equally social, enj oyable and rewarding for players Furt herm ore, each environm ent requires players t o adapt t o a different st yle of gam e play t hat is oft en challenging and involves skill However, when it com es down t o it , not hing beat s t he advant ages of com fort , convenience and choice t hat you will only find wit h online poker Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today BASIC POKER RULES Have you ever caught yourself racking your brain every now and again t rying t o rem em ber t he basic rules of poker hands, or forget t ing what poker hand beat s what ? Don’t worry; t his is a com m on concern am ong m any novice players and even effect s int erm ediat e players from t im e t o t im e Regardless of what player cat egory you fit int o, let ’s face it ; you need t o know t he basics of poker in order t o really dig your heels int o t he sport of Texas Hold’em , or any ot her st yle of poker gam e for t hat m at t er Thus, whet her t his is your first t im e learning about t he possible winning poker hands, or you are sim ply in need of a lit t le refresher course, here is what you need t o know First and for m ost , a st andard 52- card deck is used in every poker gam e, regardless of t he num ber of players, or t he st yle of gam e t hat is being played The st andard deck feat ures t he following cards st art ing wit h t he highest rank t o t he lowest as list ed below: * Ace * Kin g * Qu e e n * Ja ck * 10 * * * * * * * * * Ace ( an ace can count as bot h a low or high card) Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Ea ch r a n k is fe a t u r e d in t h e sa m e e qu a l su it s: ♠ Spa de ♦ D ia m onds ♥ Hearts ♣ Clu bs The obj ect is t o achieve t he highest hand by obt aining one of t he winning card com binat ions list ed below in t he t able N ot e , t he follow ing list be gins w it h t he h ighe st a nd e nds w it h t h e low e st possible w in n in g n d: Roya l Flush Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of t he sam e suit ( A♠, K♠, Q♠, J♠, ♠) St r a ight Flu sh consecut ive cards of t he sam e suit ( ♦, ♦, ♦, ♦, ♦) Fou r of a Kin d cards wit h t he sam e value ( ♥, ♣, ♦, ♠) Fu ll H ou se of a kind and a pair, wit h t he of a kind valued first ( ♦, ♣, ♥ - ♠, ♣) Flush Any different cards of t he sam e suit (3 , , , , J ) St r a ight cards of any suit in consecut ive order ( ♣, ♦, ♣, ♥, J♠) Thr e e of a Kin d cards wit h t he sam e face value ( ♠, ♥, ♦) Tw o Pa ir set s of pairs ( ♣, ♥ - ♥, ♦) Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today N AM ES W I TH OUT FACES Alt hough you have t he freedom t o m ake any facial expression you would like when playing online poker, as no one else can see you, t his is bot h t o your advant age and disadvant age because your ot her opponent s also have t his freedom Since no player can see t heir opponent , som e players becom e careless and will bluff t o t he point of foolishness, because t hey don’t have anyone t o st are t hem down However, j ust because players frequent ly bluff online, you can’t always assum e every opponent you are up against is pulling a fast one on you That being said, t here will be t im es were you will have t o call or raise m ore oft en t han you prefer, especially when faced against t hose players who are desperat e t o win t he pot every hand I n t he long run, if you find players frequent ly bluffing and you have a relat ively decent hand, it s best t o call, as m any online poker players find t his a far m ore rewarding t ack t hen const ant ly m aking a raise STATE OF M I N D ( M EN TAL CON TROL) Your st at e of m ind is key t o your success when play ing online poker The m ent al cont rol you have influences t he way you play When you are focused on t he gam e at hand, you will learn about t he ot her players, likely hand probabilit ies, and quickly discover opport unit ies t hat allow you t o gain t he upper hand over your fellow opponent s A pla ye r w it h a t r olle d st a t e of m in d is on e w h o: * Keeps t heir focus, and cont rols t heir em ot ions when faced wit h defeat * Does not becom e defensive when t hey com pet e * Has confidence in t heir abilit ies and let s t he ot her players know t his when t hey play * Does not let ot her players gain t he upper hand by let t ing t heir opponent s psyche t hem out * Rem ains posit ive Regardless how unfavorable your hand m ay be, Get t ing frust rat ed about const ant bad hands isn’t going t o m ake your odds 31 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today any bet t er, it ’s only going t o m ake you frust rat ed, which can cause bad j udgm ent once you get a hand you can wor k wit h * Does not let t heir m inds wonder or st art daydream ing during a gam e I t is im perat ive t hat your m ind is const ant ly focused on playing t he gam e That m eans knowing t he probabilit ies of yours and your opponent s’ hand * St ays pat ient I f you are t oo anxious t o win t he pot you can m ake foolish m ist akes, m aking it easy for m ore experienced players t o eat you alive A good poker player is in cont rol of t heir every act ion They are not only aware of t heir own st at e of m ind, but t he m inds of t heir ot her players as well They are relaxed, and easily adj ust t o t he different players t hat ent er t he gam e, ready and wait ing t o defeat t hem as soon as t hey get t he chance t o t ake advant age of t he way t hey play POSI TI VE ATTI TUD E I f you adopt a posit ive out look on life, it m akes all t he difference in t he world, because it affect s t he way you feel, t hink and respond t o t he people and environm ent around you for t he bet t er That ’s why it is in your best int erest t o m aint ain a posit ive at t it ude when you play poker * Look on t h e up side of t hin gs – if your gam e isn’t going t he way you would like it t o, put all your concent rat ion int o t he ot her players and t hink about how you will gain t he upper hand over t hem once t he st rong hand com es your way * Be lie ve in your a bilit ie s a s a pok e r pla ye r – everyone has different st yles of playing, find t he one you are com fort able wit h, st ick t o it , im prove it , and set t le for not hing but t he best * Ca r e a bout t h e ga m e – I f you ever expect t o becom e good at winning, you have t o t ake t he gam e seriously A carefree at t it ude won’t fly in poker * Tr u st you r in st in ct s – when you are feeling posit ive about your gam e, you will feel m ore in t une wit h your int uit ion, and won’t second guess your 32 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today decisions Your int uit ion is a powerful ally t hat is linked t o your subconscious, and m ore oft en t han not it act s in your best int erest Rem em ber, even t he best poker players were beginners once, and everyone has t heir days t hat aren’t so lucky But t hat doesn’t m ean you give up or care less about t he gam e You need t o work for success, and wit h a posit ive at t it ude you will gain t he det erm inat ion and dr ive t o win CLASSI FY YOUR POKER PLAYERS I f t here is one t hing frequent poker playing will t each you, it is t hat every player t hinks different ly Not only t hat , but t here is an • incredible difference bet ween t he way be t s t he poker player on t he left t hinks t o t he one on your right • You should t o figure out t heir st rat egies only Aft e r t he sh ow dow n pa y a t t e n t ion t o t he h a nds e a ch pla ye r d never assum e t hat all players act t he sam e, or t hat you will be able Ke e p t r a ck of t he w a y e a ch pla y e r • I de nt ify if a pla ye r is pa ssive or a ggr e ssive aft er a few gam es Experienced players won’t play wit h st raight edge st rat egy, t herefore t he only way you will learn t heir secret is t o st udy t hem For exam ple: * Ke ep t r a ck of t h e w a y e a ch pla ye r be t s You can achieve t his by t aking not e of who folds, and who doesn’t This will give you an indicat ion on whet her t he players m ake st rong or weak bet s * Aft e r t h e sh ow dow n pa y a t t e nt ion t o t h e h a nds e a ch pla ye r h a d Did t he player wit h t he weak hand place st rong bet s? Did t he result ing weak hand have pot ent ial ( for inst ance, were t hey m issing one card t hat could have provided t hem wit h a flush, et c.) * I de nt ify if a pla ye r is pa ssive or a ggr e ssive Do t hey const ant ly raise and st ay in t he hand for a long t im e wit h a weak hand, or t hey fold or call oft en, rarely m aking a raise 33 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Every player has a cert ain st yle, st rat egy and m et hod of playing t heir cards While som e will be easy t o classify, t he m ore experienced players will be m ore spont aneous, and use m ore t han one approach when playing in order t o t hrow off ot hers who are t rying t o t rack and figur e out t heir profile More about dist inguishing player charact erist ics will be discussed in t he next sect ion “ Player Profiling” When you m aint ain a posit ive at t it ude, and have cont rol over your st at e of m ind you will be m ore open t o im provem ent and won’t lim it yourself t o a one t rack m ind Online poker psychology is an art t hat requires you t o be flexible and focused at t he sam e t im e This art is not one t hat is easy t o com e by and t akes hours of pr act ice However, t he rewards you will reap aft er t aking t he t im e t o develop your own online poker psychology, and learn Hold’em inside and out , will be wort h all your blood, sweat and t ears 34 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today POKER PLAYER PROFILES St udying your opponent s is how you will find out how t hey play, respond and react during a hand Even if you fold out of t he gam e, you can st ill wat ch t he rem aining players t o see what decisions t hey m ake Discover if t hey: Fold m ore oft en t han call or raise Frequent ly bluff Check/ raise or check/ fold oft en The m ore you wat ch your opponent s t he bet t er you will be at player profiling, which is a t alent t hat t akes t im e t o achieve, especially online, due t o t he fact t hat you will rarely play t he sam e players over and over again Once you are able t o dist inguish t he t ype of gam e your opponent s like t o play, you can t hen slot t hem int o one of t hese player profile cat egories: Th e Aggr essive Pla ye r The Tight / Conse r va t ive Pla ye r The Loose Pla ye r Th e St r a igh t Pla ye r Th e I m m a t ur e Pla ye r To gain a bet t er underst anding for t he way t hese players funct ion, here is what you can expect from each – TH E AGGRESSI V E PLAYER Players who are aggressive will t ry t o all t hey can t o psyche you out and get you t o what t hey want They will be t he player who chooses t o raise over folding, put t ing pressure on t he ot her players t o eit her fold or m uck t heir hand at showdown Really t alent ed aggressive players have a lot of confidence and it shows They m ake t he ot her players feel uneasy, oft en causing t hem t o second guess t heir posit ion in t he gam e when t he st akes are high I f you don’t see t hem com ing, a good aggressive player will t ake cont rol over t he way you play, and you out of t he pot and your m oney 35 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today I f you want t o st and up t o t he aggr essive player you need t o show t hem you have a backbone, and t hat t heir bullying st rat egy isn’t going t o work on you Know your cards and have t he courage t o give t he overly aggressive player a t ast e of t heir own m edicine TH E TI GH T/ CON SERVATI VE PLAYER A t ight , or conservat ive player, is one who does not like t o t ake risks unless t hey are necessary He or she will not have t he confidence t o bet if t hey don’t feel t heir cards are st rong enough More oft en t han not , t he t ight player knows t he rules of t he gam e inside and out , has an excellent m em ory, as well as a t alent for analyzing t he skills of ot her players Therefore, when t hey achieve a st rong st art ing hand, t hey’ll surprise all t he ot her players and snat ch t he pot A t alent ed conservat ive player is an ext rem ely t act ical opponent When faced wit h him or her, you will find t hat t hey generally fold or call, inst ead of t aking risks Thus, be wary of t his t ype of player, for alt hough you m ay t hink t hey are passive at first , t hey could very well be wait ing for t he opport une m om ent t o t ake t he win Be on t he lookout if t his player is st ill in t he hand in t he lat er rounds, t his usually is a sign t hat t hey have a st rong hand TH E LOOSE PLAYER The loose player is one who is carefree, and is m ore likely t o fold or call m ore oft en t han raise or bluff They rarely win frequent pot s, and t reat poker m ore as a fun pass t im e t han as a serious m oney- m aking sport I f you discover t he loose player, you can gain t he upper hand over t hem by playing a lit t le m or e aggressively, and int im idat e t hem int o folding early, so t hey don’t get t he chance t o obt ain a st ronger hand TH E STRAI GH T PLAYER The st raight player is one who is robot ic He or she rarely t akes risks, unless t hey have a really st rong hand Oft en t hese players are beginners and are only following t he advice of a program such as t he odds calculat or You will discover t hat t he m ore you wat ch a st raight player, t he m ore you will be aware when t hey have a st rong hand because t hey will play m ore aggressively and raise, which is a good indicat ion t hat you should fold, because t hey only play aggressive when t heir helper program shows t he odds are in t heir favor 36 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today TH E I M M ATURE PLAYER The im m at ure player is one who is generally t he easiest t o recognize Their poker st yle is oft en cocky, rude, careless and t hought less Rarely t hese players win big pot s as t hey t ake foolish risks and are t he first t o lose all of t heir m oney I m m at ure players are not respect ed by ot her players, because t hey don’t t ake t he gam e seriously I t is easy t o t ake advant age of t hese players, so use t hem t o put m ore m oney in t he pot early on in t he gam e The fast er t hese players are out of t he gam e, t he quicker you will increase your winnings, and have m ore of a budget t o play wit h Rem em ber, even if you have profiled t he players you are up against , you should never underest im at e any player at any t im e Let t ing your guard down cold be t he end of your gam e Play t he players – don’t let t hem play you! ESTABLI SH I N G YOUR POKER PLAYER PROFI LE When it com es t o est ablishing your own poker player profile it is best t o be adapt able The m ore you change your t act ics and st rat egies when playing, t he harder t im e t he ot her players will have at figuring out what your next m ove will be A player who is adapt able is except ional, as he or she can out wit all of t heir opponent s when t he st akes are high Of course, becom ing a m ast er of profile changing isn’t som et hing t hat com es nat urally, and like everyt hing else, t akes pract ice and plent y of experience playing against , and st udying ot hers To help you wit h t his t ask here are som e t ips t o keep in m ind on your quest t o becom e a great player: D on’t be a fr a id t o fold - The best poker players in t he world fold when t hey know t heir hand j ust won’t cut it Folding doesn’t m ake you less of a player, on t he cont rary it shows t hat you know how t o keep your chips D on ’t st udy a nd t r y t o out w it on ly on e pla ye r - I n online poker, m ost of t he people you play against at a t able won’t be t here for long Therefore, t his 37 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today st rat egy can prove t o be a wast e of your t im e if you const ant ly have t o face new players Ke ep you r e m ot ion s in ch e ck - I f you are feeling upset or frust rat ed it would be best if you called it a day and calm down before at t em pt ing t o play again Negat ive em ot ions cause you t o becom e dist ract ed, and dist ract ions cause your m ind t o wonder, allowing t he ot her players t o walk all over you D on ’t fa ll int o a r out in e – You m ay find t hat you are ext rem ely com fort able wit h one st rat egy, but falling int o a rout ine of using only one t echnique will t urn you int o a st raight player, allowing ot hers t o gain a good idea of what your next m oves will be D on ’t be com e t oo com for t a ble – I f you find t hat you are com fort able wit h t he way you play, it ’s t im e for you t o im prove your skill and t ry som et hing new Com fort is a sign of laziness, which can cause you t o rem ain at one level, lim it ing your pot ent ial as a player and winner Ke ep your m in d ope n for n ew idea s – Advice and a few point ers never hurt s anyone, as it could be t he one t ip you need t o progress your abilit ies You can always learn som et hing Therefore, whet her you get a t ip from a professional, a book, a friend or even a kid, show your grat it ude and don’t forget t o ret urn t he favor whenever t he opport unit y present s it self Being a good poker player is knowing how t o t hink and act for yourself So t rust your inst inct s, learn t o be flexible, and give it all you’ve got ! POKER GAM E ETI QUETTE Regardless if you play poker live or online, et iquet t e m at t ers Unfort unat ely m any online players t hink t hey can get away wit h an obnoxious or crass personalit y, sim ply because t hey don’t have t o look ot her players in t he face There is no excuse for rudeness Having respect for yourself and ot her players is essent ial when you play online How you are perceived as a poker player should m at t er t o you, and is not som et hing you should brush aside I f you expect ot her players t o respect you, 38 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today you have t o show t hem t he sam e court esy Therefore, m ake your m ot her proud and keep t hese t ips in m ind when engaging in online conversat ion wit h t he fellow m em bers of t he sit e: M in d your P’s a nd Q’s – Wat ch your language when you’re online Don’t use profanit y or vulgar language t hat ot her players m ay find offensive Not only is t his ext rem ely im m at ure, but you’ll soon becom e unpopular and disliked by ot hers Cont r ol your pr ide – No one want s t o hear anot her player boast about t heir winnings, or whine about t heir loss Ke ep you r com m e nt s t o you r se lf - Don’t m ake snide rem arks about ot her players or m ake fun of how t hey play Ar guin g ge t s you no w h e r e – There is no point in arguing wit h anot her player I t will only frust rat e you, and won’t change what has happened Let it go, m ove on and keep your focus on t he gam e Use you r com m on sen se – St ay level headed at all t im es, and adapt t o t he players and t he t able you are playing at Avoid argum ent s, and your part t o m ake t he gam e run sm oot hly Don’t becom e a problem Re la x a n d h a ve Fu n – Don’t forget t hat as m uch as you want t o win, it is im port ant t hat you also have fun when you play So relax, enj oy yourself, m ake friends and respect t he ot her players 39 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today CONCLUSION I n t he end it doesn’t m at t er how m any t echniques you learn, all t hat m at t ers is how you t hink and use t hese st rat egies for yourself when playing Being a good poker player is about knowing how t o play it sm art Don’t forget , t hat despit e all of t he st rat egies you learn, and how well you st udy t he players, t he single m ost im port ant aspect of your poker gam e is you REM EM BER: KEEP YOUR EM OTI ON S I N CH ECK – St ay focused on your cards, t he players and t he gam e your goal You need t o t hink st raight and keep your m ind on Don’t succum b t o your pride should ot her players t ry t o ruffle your feat hers KN OW YOUR LI M I T – Keep in m ind t hat you will have m ore bad hands t han you will good ones, so don’t get sucked in t o becom ing obsessed wit h winning, or let t he ot her players int im idat e you int o cont inual play when you know you should call it quit s Make sure you: * Set a budget lim it for yourself and don’t go past it * Know when you should and shouldn’t gam ble * Only play wit h t he m oney you know you can afford t o lose * Know when t o walk away STAY REALI STI C – Don’t fool yourself int o believing t hat you are ready for t he big t im es like t he professional players on TV Poker for t hese pros isn’t only a gam e, it ’s a livelihood which t hey t ake seriously, and is one t hat t hey have played for years in order t o m ast er PRACTI CE – t he only way you will progr ess as a player, develop new st rat egies, learn t o read ot her players, and win m ore pot s is t o pract ice You can’t rely on luck t o becom e a good poker player, or read all t he st rat egy books in t he world and expect for it t o happen over night I t t akes dedicat ion, det erm inat ion and t he drive t o win 40 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Finally, remember that winning is rarely about luck, it’s about killer poker instinct Thinking like a winner is what sets you apart from the average poker player, and to be a winner, you have to think and act like one And the only way you’ll achieve such status as a player is to have patience and self-control to know when to hold’em or fold’em D on ’t for ge t t o e n j oy You r - se lf, a n d h a ve a gr e a t t im e pla yin g pok e r on lin e ! Click here to join thousands of people playing poker online right now 41 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today GLOSSARY OF POKER TERMS While you will find t hat som e of t he following t erm s have appeared in t his guide, t he ot hers are popular t erm s you m ay com e across when playing Texas Hold’em Act ion – anot her t erm for bet t ing All- in – when a player bet s all of t heir chips Ant e – A buy in am ount paid t o t he pot by all players before t he gam e begins and is not recognized as part of t he gam e Blind – A forced ant e in Texas Hold’em m ade by t wo players The big blind is t he full m inim um bet , and t he sm all blind is half of t he m inim um bet These first t wo bet s count in t he gam e Blu ff – when a player bet s aggressively wit h a bad hand Boa r d – anot her t erm for t he com m unit y cards on t he t able Bu y- in – t he cost of ent ering a t ournam ent For a ring gam e it is t he m inim um st art ing st ack Bot s – online poker cheat ing m et hod t hat involves robot soft ware which has been creat ed t o run 24/ disguised as a player Ca ll – t erm used when a player wishes t o m eet t he bet of anot her player Ca pt t h e be t t in g – The final raise dur ing t he fourt h bet t ing round, and from t his point on a player can only call or fold, and can no longer m ake a raise Ch e ck – This is an opt ion during t he bet t ing rounds t hat perm it s players t o st ay in t he hand wit hout m aking a bet , call or raise Check can be used only by t he big blind in t he first r ound ( as long as no ot her player m akes a raise) and by t he first player t o m ake a wager in t he following rounds, and can t hen be used by t he ot her players in t he round unt il som eone m akes a bet Ch e ck Fold – check when able, fold when bet int o 42 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Ch e ck Ra ise – Check when able, raise when bet int o Collu sion – Popular cheat ing t echnique t hat involves t wo or m ore players conspiring t oget her t o cheat t he ot her players out of t he pot I t could also only involve one person who is act ing as t wo players by use of a bot or anot her com put er Com m u n it y ca r ds – cards t hat are dealt face up on t he board and are shared by all players Con ce a le d Pa ir – A pair t hat is face down Conn e ct or s – t wo car ds t hat follow in consecut ive sequence Cow boys – Two kings D e a d Ca r d – Cards which have already been played and are not long recognized as part of t he gam e D e a le r But t on – But t on t hat shows which player is dealing dur ing t he gam e D e uce / D u ck – a single t wo D r a w ing H a n d – a player’s hand t hat requires m ore cards in order t o im prove a winning hand, for inst ance a st raight or flush Fa st Pla y – A playing st rat egy t hat result s in a player bet t ing, raising and reraising in order t o int im idat e t he ot her players out of t he hand as fast as possible Fish H ook s – Two Jacks Flop – The second round where t he first com m unit y cards are dealt Fold - Opt ion used dur ing any bet t ing round in which a player can quit t he gam e H ole ca r ds/ Pock e t ca r ds – The t wo cards t hat are dealt face down t o each player during t he pre flop 43 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Kick e r – t he side card t hat is not apart of a pair and has t he highest value La die s – Two queens La y- dow n – folding a st rong hand M uck – When a play er folds out of t he gam e inst ead of exposing t heir hand during showdown, so t he ot her players can not see t heir hand N u t s – The best possible hand in regards t o t he cards on t he board Ope ne r – t he first player who volunt eers t o bet Ove r - ca r d – t he highest card in play on t he board Ove r - pa ir - a concealed pair t hat has higher value t han any ot her card on t he board Pa yout – t he am ount of m oney a player leaves wit h from a ring gam e, or wins in a t our nam ent Ra ise – When a player increases t he previous bet Ra k e – percent age of pot m oney t hat is given t o t he poker sit e, or live casino which host s t he gam e Re - bu ys – The second t im e a player m ust pay in order t o rem ain in a t ournam ent or ring gam e in t he event t hat t hey lose all of t heir chips Rin g Ga m e – An ongoing gam e where a player buys- in and can leave at any t im e Rive r – Last card dealt in t he gam e, and is also know as t h st reet in Hold’em Rock e t s/ Pock e t Rock e t s – Pair of aces 44 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today Slow Pla y – a playing st rat egy t hat result s in a player checking or calling whenever t hey can, in order t o keep as m any players in t he gam e as possible so t hat t hey can m axim ize t he pot winnings Split Pa ir – When one card is one t he board and t he m at ching card is concealed Tr ips – Term for t hree of a kind 45 Click here to claim your $200 bonus and play online poker with us today ... casinos t hat offer t ables wit h higher lim it s, but t here is usually enough diversit y in t able lim it s, t o suit t he budget of any player Furt herm ore, t he lower lim it t ables m akes online... ypes of lim it gam es you can play in Texas Hold’em – Fixed- Lim it Pot - Lim it No- Lim it FI XED LI M I T A fixed lim it gam e m eans t hat dur ing each bet t ing round, lim it s are placed... poker with us today One Pa ir cards wit h t he sam e face value ( ♠, ♦) H I GH CARD I f none of t he above hands are achieved wit hin a gam e, t he player wit h t he highest card wins Addit ionally,