Women in Poker - Top Earners

1. Kathy Liebert

Career Winnings: 5.5 million

Born in Tennessee, Kathy attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, graduating with a degree in business and finance. After graduation, she worked as a Business Analyst for Dun & Bradstreet. Dissatisfied with the job, Kathy took the advice of her mother who encouraged her to do something she loved and the money would follow. During her time at Dun & Bradstreet she had played the stock market, doing well enough to quit her job to follow her heart and dreams. A friend encouraged Kathy to try her hand at tournament poker. She headed for Las Vegas where she finished second in the first tournament she played. A week later she entered another tournament and again came in second. She took home $34,000.

Kathy has had many repeat performances and success. She has appeared on GSN's Poker Royal, Poker superStars and on the World Poker Tour. Kathy has one WSOP title from the 2004 $1500 Shootout. She was the first woman to win one million dollars when she won the PartyPoker Millions Cruise. Kathy continues to play tournament poker and is the top ranking female poker player today.

2. Vanessa Selbst

Career Winnings: 4.4 million

Vanessa Selbst is studying law at Yale, and she started playing poker with her friends during her freshman year. In 2006 Vanessa made the final table of the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em event at the World Series. In 2007, she finished third in the $5,000 Heads Up event and final tabled the Ladies. She continued cashing in tournaments and won the Ladies event at the L.A. Poker Classic she also came in second that WPT Ladies Championship.

In 2008, Vanessa was the champion of the $1500 pot limit Omaha event and won her first gold bracelet. Vanessa has made five final tables at the WSOP.

She had her best year of poker in 2010 when she won the North American Poker Tour Championship at the Mohegan Sun for $750k, finished 4th at the EPT London High Roller for over 200k and won the Partouch Poker Tour Main Event for over $1.7 million. In 2011, Vanessa pulled off an incredible back to back victory by winning the NAPT Championship at the Mohegan Sun again.

Vanessa intends to use her law degree to fight for racial justice and economic equality, and against police misconduct and government abuse of authority. Selbst hopes to earn enough money to eventually fund a foundation dedicated to the creation of national civil rights projects.

3. Annette Obrestad

Career Winnings: 3.3 million

Annette started playing poker when she was only 15. She played under the name Annette_15 online. Annette was born in Norway, and was taught to play Stud by her father at a very young age and she was a great player.

In her early teens she became fascinated by the internet and online poker and started to study the game. She started to play freerolls and from her winnings grew a large poker bankroll online.

In 2006 she was at the height of her online poker career and, won $500,000 on Poker Stars, $200,000 on Ultimate Bet, and $136,000 on Full Tilt Poker.

Annette became a household name when she become the champion of the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe on September 17, 2007, just prior to reaching eighteen years of age. She took home $2.01 million, a record winning for a female poker player at that time, and became the youngest person to win a WSOP bracelet.

Since then, Annette has experienced a number of victories including taking first place in the £5000 No Limit Headsup at the European Poker Tour London in 2010 for $187,000 and second at the 5k No Limit Hold'em Main event during the 2011 Wynn Classic for $216.000.

4. Vanessa Rousso

Career Winnings: 3.1 million

Vanessa has a dual citizenship in both France and the United States. She spent seven years living in France when she was young, and is fluent in French language. She attended Duke University on a full scholarship and while there she studied game theory and played backgammon, chess and of course poker. She received her degree in economics in just 2.5 years and then went to study law at the University of Miami.

In 2005, Vanessa came in 7th in the $225 No Limit Hold' em WSOP Circuit Event at Harrah's New Orleans, netting $6,456. Encouraged by this, she started participating in many tournaments, and in April 2006, she scored at the World Poker Tour Five-Star World Poker Classic where she came in 7th at the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship event for $263,625.

In October of 2007, Vanessa came in second at the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker and won over $700,000.

Vanessa won $250,000 in for finishing second in NBC's 2009 Heads Up Championship. And a few months later she came in first in the €25,000 High Roller Event at the EPT Monaco and won € 570,000. Since that time she has been at many final tables including coming in third at the 2010 Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $359,000 and placing 5th in the EPT Grand Final Madrid in 2011 for €100,000.

Vanessa is passionate about poker and she instructs students and players of the game through her Big Slick Poker Boot Camps. Her teachings are based on Sun Tzu's "The Art of War."

World Series of Poker -- Ben Lamb Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship

One of the largest prizes of the 2011 World Series of Poker was awarded on Monday when Ben Lamb topped a field of 361 players in Event No. 42 ($10,000 pot-limit Omaha championship). He defeated Sami Kelopuro heads up and won one of the most coveted title of the summer in the process. He also picked up a handsome amount of Card Player Player of the Year points — 2,160. That is the most points awarded for any bracelet win this summer. Lamb took home his first gold bracelet and $814,436 in prize money as well and his career earnings now stand at $3,172,055.

The poker professional was both gracious and humorous after his victory. “Some of my friends would tell me that I’m a great player,” Lamb joked. “But then, they would point to their own wrist and say, ‘Oh wait – I’ve won my gold bracelet. Where’s yours? After winning this, now I can say back to them – I’ve got a $10,000 buy-in world championship gold bracelet. Where’s yours?” Many of Lamb’s friends were present at the final table to root him on and they celebrated with him in photos after the win.

Lamb is a pot-limit Omaha specialist and it was apparent at the final table as he topped other professionals like Dario Alioto, John Kabbaj, and his heads-up opponent Sami Kelopuro. He was cognizant of the level of competition he would have to defeat to win a $10,000 world championship event. “I feel like a lot of players will play in a (smaller) buy-in tournament. But when it comes to the $10,000 buy-in, the backers say – ‘no, you can’t play in that one.’ The players are tougher in the bigger events.” He continued by putting his win into context, “It feels great. The money is good. But this bracelet stays with me forever.”

Here is a look at the elimination hands from CardPlayer.com’s live updates:

Poker Test - Determine Your Actual Poker Skills Quickly and Objectively

For many years, poker players had no way to test their poker skills, other than engaging in actual poker play - and often risking significant sums of money only to discover they aren't winning, and then try to intuit over a long period of time where their game needs improvement.

It's now possible to test your actual Texas Hold'em poker skills using a free online poker test. There are several of these tests now available. The original test was first published at PokerTester.com.

The poker test consists of answering 25 multiple-choice questions, testing 8 different poker skills areas.

Everyone who learns to play poker climbs the "poker ladder" over a period of time, as they learn more and grow each poker skill.

Progressing up the poker ladder from a beginner toward becoming an advanced or expert player takes a combination of skills, time and experience.

In particular, the following skills areas are tested by PokerTester's Texas Holdem test:

• Starting Hands - which starting hands you select to play, from which positions and under which circumstances, has a big impact on how well you do in poker.
• Betting Strategy - how you choose to bet makes a huge difference in your winnings at poker. Choosing to bet or raise when you should've called or folded, for example, will make the difference between cashing out or making the final table in a tournament, or going home early with empty pockets.
• Playing the Odds - knowing how and when to play the odds is critical to making money and building your stack in poker. This includes quickly calculating outs, pot odds and determining whether your hand is a money-maker or loser (statistically). While you can't play strictly by the odds, it's an important factor of the game, since there's always an element of chance involved.
• Bluffing and Trapping - one of the most important skills in the game of poker is successful bluffing. The ability to bluff and trap successfully is so critical because in poker, you won't typically get that many super-strong hands, so knowing when and how to bluff and trap typically makes all the difference in how well a player does at poker.
• Reading Players - the ability to understand what a player is likely doing at any point in the game, as well as successfully reading their hand strength, is a critical skill. If you learn to do it successfully, you'll know when to fold when holding the second-best hands and when to raise or go all-in against a bluff the opponent is making.
• Heads Up Play - playing properly in a one-on-one situation is critical, since there are many occasions where you'll be pitted against just one opponent, either in a particular hand or at the end of a tournament. Winning heads up play is what separates the Champions from the rest.
• Advanced Play - knowing a number of advanced techniques will enable you to confuse your opponents, keeping them off balance and wondering what's going on, preventing them from easily reading you as a player, or gaining certainty about your hand strength.
• Tournament Play - as much of today's play is centered on tournaments, both large multi-table tournaments as well as satellite and sit and go tournaments, knowing and using proper tournament strategy is an important skill to develop.

It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to thoughtfully take the poker test. Upon completion, you receive a "report card" containing your overall score. The report includes a score for each of the 8 key poker skills areas, so you know your strengths and weaknesses exactly. In addition, tips are provided to indicate exactly what you need to brush up on (the questions you missed or scored weakly on).

By truly understanding one's skills, it's then possible to focus one's study on just those weaker areas, enabling a player to improve their overall poker game much more rapidly.

With these kind of innovations now available online, anyone can now quickly and easily discover their own poker skill level - objectively. By combining this skills information with proper study, it's now possible for players to quickly brush up on their game and become strong players much faster than ever before.

Rick

Rick Braddy's poker websites, books and software helps thousands around the world win more Texas Hold'em poker games. You can take his free Texas Hold'em poker test to measure your poker skills, read his sit and go poker tournament e-book, and watch his sit and go poker videos to learn how to win more poker tournaments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Braddy

Calculating Poker Odds and Pot Odds Without a Poker Odds Calculator

The #1 most commonly asked question I receive from my subscribers has to do with calculating poker odds properly. When I look at how my students do on their Poker Test scores (overall) when taking my poker test, the area that people clearly struggle with the most is in calculating odds.

You calculate "pot odds" as the current size of the pot vs. the amount of chips you'd be required to bet in order to stay in the hand.

For example, let's say the pot has 1000 chips in it, and you can call a bet of 100. Your pots odds are 10 to 1, or 1000:100. These are the odds the pot is giving you to make that bet.

Another example. The pot has 150 chips in it, and the blind is currently 50, and you're first to act. What's your pot odds? Simple. They're 3 to 1. Once you put your bet in there, the next person's pot odds will be 4 to 1, and so on.

So, the more people there are to act after you, the more likely it is that you're going to end up with BETTER odds than you're seeing from the pot right now. Make sense?

OK then. Now you understand "implied odds" - what your pot odds are likely to be after everyone acting behind you place their bets into the pot, too.

Simple enough - right? Well, sort of. Pot odds by themselves are good to understand and easy enough to calculate. What you also need to know are the odds of improving your hand to WIN this pot!

These are called your "hand odds" - the odds of you improving your hand (or holding the best hand already) to win.

So, let's say you have a flush draw. You're holding two spades and there's two spades showing on the board. You need to draw one more spade, on either the Turn or the River - right? So, what are your "hand odds" now?

The easiest way is to calculate your number of outs. An "out" is how many cards remain that could make your hand. If it's the flop now, then there are four spades showing that you can see. This means there's nine more spades remaining (13 total - 4 showing = 9 left).

So, there's nine (9) outs available that will make your flush. You can calculate your hand odds (roughly) as:

(OUTS times 2) plus 1 = % chance you'll win

So, you have 9 outs. 9 times 2 is 18, plus 1 = 19%

You have a 19% chance of drawing your flush. Now, 19% is basically a 1 in 5 chance of drawing it.

So, should you stay in this hand?

Let's see what your "expectation" would be...

Your expectation is POSITIVE if the pot odds are greater (better) than your hand odds.

In our example, your pots odds are 3 to 1, and your hand odds are only 1 in 5. Fortunately, if two players behind you also call, then your pot odds rise to 5 to 1 - making this a "break-even" kind of expectation (not real good), and that's assuming the other players act as you'd hope they do...

Let's look further, though. Let's say you also have a straight draw, in additon to that flush draw. Now we need to add the additional outs for the straight.

Let's say you need a 9 to make a straight. There are 4 Nines in the deck. Therefore, your total outs are now 9 + 4 = 13.

Our chances of winning just improved:

13 times 2 = 26 + 1 = 27%

So, now you have better than a 1 in 4 chance of winning!

As long as those two people who act after you do call the bet, you'll have a positive expectation and should play this hand (something you generally can't count on).

If they do not act, you'll have "negative expectation", since your odds of winning are 1 in 4, and if you win, you'll get 3 to 1 on your money.

Statistically, if you play with a negative expectation long enough - you lose. All casino games (craps, blackjack, roulette, etc.) have a negative expectation - which is how they build those amazing, expensive casinos and keep them running day in and day out consistently.

To make money in poker consistently, you must learn how to think through these odds. If that's too hard (it is for most of us, so don't feel bad), then go ahead and get a good poker odds calculator:

Calculating outs, pot odds, hand odds and expectation is time-consuming, error-prone and hard to do without a computer. That's why it makes so many people now rely on poker odds calculators.

On the othe hand, you won't have that odds calculator the next time you're playing in a regular, offline game, so be careful to practice doing it the good old-fashioned way.

I'd wish you best of luck, but if you're playing poker odds properly, lady luck will naturally be with you.

Rick

Rick Braddy's poker websites, books and software helps thousands around the world win more Texas Hold'em poker games. You can take his free Texas Holdem poker test to measure your poker skills, read his sit and go poker tournament e-book, and watch his sit and go poker videos to learn how to win more poker tournaments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Braddy

Poker Strategy - What Does "Chasing Cards" Mean

There's so much to learn about playing poker and to become a really good poker player you have to know as much about the game as possible. There's all kind of terminology you have to learn. "Bluffing", "Stealing", "Blinds", Double-Blinds", etc. It can all become pretty confusing. Before sitting down at a table to play, you'll need to be aware of all the terminology used or you may get eaten alive. A term you make hear come up pretty often is "Chasing Cards". Chasing cards hoping they arrive to make your hand is extremely dangerous. Don't do it! You'll waste chips chasing and you'll lose them with the odds against you.

Say you have T J again pre-flop. Limp in cheaply. Flop is 6, 7, 8. You think that's not bad for you because if a 9 shows on the turn or river you'll have a straight. Somebody throws out a tasty bet. You call. Turn card is a 3. Still your opponent bets. You think "oh well, another few chips to see if I can get the nine on the river." But it doesn't arrive. Your opponent shows it hand at the showdown and flips over 9 T. He'd got his straight on the flop and had you dead in the water all the way.

You've lost a huge portion of your chip stack chasing a dream, ruined your chances of that top three finish and a return on your tournament entry fee. Don't chase - I don't advice it at all. I is way too risky!

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Top Three Full Tilt Poker Professionals

There are pros and there are Pros. Prior to this time, Ultimate Bet was the leading poker room online and could boast of a tight teak o poker professionals. But ever since Full Tilt came online, it has gone ahead to gather the best. Full Tilt poker professionals are truly in a class of their own. There are about eleven of them. Comprising Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman, Phil Gordon, Eric Lindgren, Eric Seidel, Clonie Gowen. Let's take a quick look at profiles of the first three. Shall we?

1. Phil Ivey. He is currently referred to as the one of the best poker players if not the very best. Born in 1976, and taught by his grandfather, he started playing poker when he was very young. He's reputed to have an aggressive style, never complaining or grumbling at the tables. He started playing pro poker when he was 18 going by the fake name "No Home Jerome". His first big break came in the year 2000 when he became a player in World Series of Poker held in Las Vegas. Since then, there has been no looking back for this Full Tilt Poker professional. He's won 5 WSOP bracelets the last being in year 2005. Besides the nickname "No Home Jerome", he also goes by different monnikers like "The Phenom" and "The Tiger Woods of Poker". He is married to his High School Sweetheart. He has won almost $8million in total.

2. Howard Lederer. Popularly referred to as the Professor is one of he very best minds you can find in the game of poker. He's called he professor because of his professorial look - Piercing gaze and highly analytical at the tables. Before he became a pro or ever dabbled into poker, he used to be a professor of linguistics, an excellent chess and backgammon player. By 1990, this Full Tilt Poker Professional became one of the most fearsome poker players in the whole world. However, between 1994 and 2002, he seemed to focus more on cash winnings than the tournaments. Even then, he still won two World Series of Poker events. Thankfully, he became focused on tournaments in 2002, and since hen, there has been no looking back for him.

3. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. He has a signature: black clothes, cowboy hats and has got brown hair and beards clinching him the nickname Jesus because of the looks. He is reputed to be the most calculating and analytical player in the game of high stakes poker. With a PhD in Computer Science, it is not surprising that he would be endowed with those two streaks. By the time he was 10, Chris has already started playing poker with his father. By 1994, this respected Full Tilt Poker professional was already winning poker games and events at local money tournaments. He never really played tournaments except just playing online until the year 2000 when he applied his poker theories winning; by T.J. Cloutier at the final table of the WSOP main event. He has won almost $5million in cash in poker.

This article property of : Full Tilt Poker Referral Code and Full Tilt Poker

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Bingo At Sea

Under the “G” for Great Holiday. Bingo players can take their passion for the game to new heights by enjoying play aboard most of the world’s finest cruise lines. Now a featured form of entertainment, Bingo is offered day and night in many of the show lounges aboard ship with prizes ranging from cash jackpots to complete cruise packages.

In addition to being a standard offering on board, many Bingo players get together and cruise together sharing their passion on Bingo specific cruises. As an example, the 17th Annual World Championship Bingo Tournament and Gaming Cruise takes place in September aboard Holland America Line's luxurious new "Vista" class cruise ship, the ms Oosterdam, as it sails the Alaska "Inside Passage" from Seattle! Other Bingo groups may choose the west coast and a 4-day Baja Bingo cruise. Not only do the ships offer you fabulous Bingo but much much more.

Some cruise guests have won enough money in on board casinos to pay for their next cruise vacation. Even if you are not the “gambling type”, you’ll enjoy the excitement of these glittering “ocean going” casinos. With all the bells and whistles of their Las Vegas cousins, they feature a fair number of traditional games of skill and chance - blackjack, electronic slot machines, video poker, craps, roulette and Caribbean stud poker. Cruise Ships even offer tournaments such as a “Festival of Slots” with large cash prizes and cruise raffles.

You get all the excitement of the land based gambling halls combined with fabulous food, fabulous ports of call and a world of colorful entertainment and nighttime enjoyment! And best of all, there is no cover charge, no tickets to buy or reserve, no waiting in line. Dazzling musical revues salute the very best of Hollywood and Broadway, with advanced lighting and sound systems and spectacular special effects.

Your entertainment aboard spotlights a variety of marquee performers, including musicians and singers, comedians and magicians. Cruise lines recruit professional performers from some of the best-known stages on land. The entertainers vary from ship to ship and line to line however don’t be surprised if Bill Cosby, or Bowser from Sha Na Na or jazz greats Manhattan Transfer is on your ship. The shows will easily rival anything you might see on land. Except that on-board your ship you don’t have to remember your tickets or struggle to find a parking space.

Not only will you enjoy Broadway style reviews, musicals, stand-up comics, movies and specialty acts, and guest talent shows, many cruise lines including Norwegian and Holland America offer “theme” cruises from Budd Friedmans famous Improv at Sea to a Bavarian style “Oktoberfest” where, in addition to daily beer tastings, the staff host a Bavarian Beer Garden Party and an authentic German/Bavarian dinner.

Prefer country music? No problem, you can join top-act headliners and other guest performers aboard foot-stomping, knee-slapping country music cruises. Learn the latest line dancing or try not to smile as you two step your way across the Caribbean.

How much would you pay back home to catch a Broadway show, enjoy the midnight buffet and then head for late night comedy before you hit the disco? It’s all included aboard your cruise ship.

Norwegian Cruise Lines treats you to extravagant, full-scale productions of classic Broadway musicals like Grease, 42nd Street, The Pirates of Penzance, The Will Rogers Follies, Crazy for You, and George M! And again, you don’t pay for tickets! Just walk in to the beautiful theatre at sea, and enjoy the show.

Can theatres at sea rival those on land? A three-deck-high showroom, the Palladium, on Carnival Destiny, is home to two showstopping Vegas style productions that combine complex sets, laser technology and awesome talent that leave you spellbound. And there is not a bad seat in the house! After the show, visit one of the many lounges to enjoy a jazz ensemble, or 50’s and 60’s music or spend some fabulous times around the piano bar becoming a karaoke star.

Between your ports of call, you will be surprised how much there is to do on board your ship. When it comes to nighttime entertainment your choices are as diverse as you want to make them. From ballroom dancing to late night comedy, from first run movies to dazzling shows, all free and all with guaranteed seating.

Sid Kaplan

Cruise Vacations Guide

Sid Kaplan has extensive experience in the travel business. He owned and operated a large retail cruise only agency in Canada and his wife has 25 years experience working for major cruise lines. Their website is Cruise Vacations Guide which offers advice and tips to those looking to create memorable cruise vacations. Shore excursion and land tour information is also provided. Cruise, hotel, car rental and vacation adventure booking online.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sid_Kaplan

Staying Safe aboard a Cruise Ship

Every summer, millions of individuals take a cruise. The majority of those individuals have a memorable experience. Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports of missing persons and cruise ship crime. While it may seem like the cruise ship industry has a problem, the reality is that they do not. Cruise ship accidents are few and far in between.

Despite the fact that you are safe aboard a cruise ship, you should still take precautions to protect yourself, your family, and your belongings. There are a number of steps that you can take. Most of these precautions are simple and can be done with little or no effort. Despite being simple, these precautions could keep you safe and your finances in check when you are on a cruise.

Many individuals believe that cruise ship safety should begin once they board the ship; however, it should begin well in advance. When traveling on a cruise ship, it is likely that you will visit foreign countries. In the event of a mistake or disaster, you are encouraged to have all of your important documents on hand. These documents should include your passport and driver’s license. Before boarding your cruise ship, you are encouraged to make copies of all of these documents. In addition to the originals, you should carry a copy with you and leave the other at home.

When you finally board your cruise ship, there are a number of steps that you should take to ensure your safety. These steps include familiarizing yourself with the cruise ship. Today’s most popular cruise ships are large in size. It may take some time to examine the ship, but you are still encouraged to do so. In addition to physically seeing the ship, it is advised that you request a map. This map should be carried with you at all times; it may come in handy if you lose your way.

Familiarizing yourself with your cruise ship is important, but so is familiarizing yourself with other passengers. You do not have to be outgoing or social to accomplish this. Simply keeping an eye out for individuals that appear to be shady or mysterious is a great way to protect yourself. If you were on land, it is likely that you would avoid individuals that make you feel uncomfortable. The same should apply aboard a cruise ship.

When walking around a cruise ship, you are advised not to travel alone. As with land, traveling with others is likely to reduce or eliminate your chances of becoming a crime victim. If you must move around the ship alone, you need to inform a number of individuals where you will be headed and when you expect to return. In the event that something does happen, a relative or friend should know exactly where to find you.

When on a cruise ship, your personal safety should be your first concern. In addition to personal safety, the safety of your belongings should also be important. If you are traveling with expensive luggage or large sums of money, you may want to take extra precautions. Before you leave home, you way want to consider leaving your expensive belongings behind. Most cruise ships will not reimburse their passengers for lost money or belongings; therefore, if you can’t afford to replace it, you might not want to bring it.

When it comes to theft, cash and credit cards are often the most sought after items. Instead of carrying a purse or a wallet, you are encouraged to carry a money pouch. To offer the utmost protection, you may want to obtain a money pouch that can be worn around your neck and tucked into your shirt. These pouches often make it impossible for thieves to strike.

In the event that you are unable to use a money pouch or you left yours at home, you are urged to divide up your money. Keeping your money in multiple locations may provide you with financial protection if a theft does occur. If you must use a purse, you are encouraged to keep it with you at all times. Women and men, with wallets, are urged to keep their wallets in their front pockets.

Cruise ships are exciting and, for the most part, safe. With a few simple precautions, you can safely enjoy your vacation aboard a cruise ship without fretting over the safety of yourself and your belongings.

Cruising With a Celebrity: Are Celebrity Cruises Worth the Money

You may have seen advertisements on the television, the radio, or online. Your celebrity is vacationing aboard a cruise ship and they want you to join them. The advertisement you heard is for a celebrity cruise. Celebrity cruises are gaining popularity in the Untied States and all around the world. The question that many want answered is, are they worth the money?

Celebrity cruises are not to be confused with the popular Celebrity Cruise Lines. Celebrity cruises are cruises that are offered by a wide range of different cruise line companies. The intention of a celebrity cruise is to attract travelers. To do this, celebrity cruises are booked with well-known television stars, movie stars, and musicians. For some reason, and they are right, cruises lines know that fans follow their idols.

If you are interested in determining whether or not a celebrity cruise is worth the money, there are a number of factors that you should first consider. One of the most important factors is the purpose of the cruise. A number of well-known musicians, television stars, and movie stars are compensated for their appearance. While this may not have a direct impact your reservation, it may be in your best interest to know.

In addition to being compensated for their appearance, a large number of movie stars, television stars, and musicians use a celebrity cruise to promote one of their upcoming shows, movies, or music albums. It is not guaranteed, but you may be granted behind the scenes information and footage. To many fans, this information makes a celebrity cruise worth it.

Promoting a charity or another good cause is another reason why a number of well-know celebrities make the decision to participate in a cruise ship voyage. If you are interested in promoting a specific charity or cause, you may find it beneficial, in more ways than one, to attend the cruise. In addition to being able to meet one of your favorite celebrities, you could be helping to bring awareness to one of the many world charities that need assistance.

Another important factor to consider when deciding on a celebrity cruise is the amount of time the celebrity will be onboard. Due to busy schedules, celebrities may be unable to stay onboard for the whole length of the cruise. To determine whether or not a celebrity cruise is worth the money, you will want to know how long each celebrity will be on board. If they will only be onboard one or two days, you may find that the cruise is not worth your time or money.

In addition to the length of a celebrity’s stay, you will want to know when certain promotional events are scheduled. These events should be established ahead of time. To determine when you may be able to dine with, meet, or get an autograph from your favorite movie star, musician, or television star, you should check the ship’s itinerary. This will enable you to determine if you will even get a chance to meet the celebrity onboard.

It is also important to estimate how many passengers will be the celebrity cruise you wish to take. The number of onboard passengers may have an impact on how much time you get to spend with the cruise ship celebrity. If there are a large number of onboard passengers and the celebrity will only be on the ship for a short period of time you may be unable to meet with them. This is something that should be closely examined when determining if a celebrity cruise is worth any value to you or your family.

Finally, the cost of the celebrity cruise should be closely examined. The cost of a celebrity cruise is often higher than other traditional cruises. This is because you are often paying to meet the person who is onboard. That is why it is important to take the above mentioned factors into consideration.

Celebrity cruises are nice, but a celebrity is not the only reason why you should plan a vacation on a cruise ship. You can still enjoy a cruise, with or without a celebrity.

Texas Hold Em Poker Tips

Texas Hold Em is a particular variation of Poker and has fast become one of the most, if not the most popular, Poker game in the current tournament circuit.

Texas Hold Em can be played by a small group or even a group as large as 22 people. You would not even need a dealer since the role can be assigned and rotated among players with the use of a dealer button which serves as a mark on who the current dealer is for a particular game.

A great deal of strategy kicks in when you start with the opening hand of five cards with the available option of requesting for additional hits of up to two cards for a total hand of seven.

Some think that staying in the game is a function of pure luck, but most people will disagree. Holding your own and being able to manage other players by betting strategically is where you will see the true art and skill involved in the game of Poker.

When starting, consider the number of players on a given table, the table size so it's called. Never join a table which is too crowded since this will surely present tactical problems. Elbow room should be sufficient especially because you would not want other players getting peeks regarding the hand that you're playing!

Keep your focus on the main objective of Texas Hold Em which is getting the best card hand among other opponents or if not, trying to make them think that you have the best hand for them to fold and for you to stay in the game.

It is better to play with relatively fewer hand changes, betting strongly and occasionally raising the ante to increase the pot. This will show other players that you are playing with a relatively strong hand!

When the cards are dealt to players, the dealer leaves two face up cards and three face down cards in the middle of the Poker table. Initial bets are drawn from each player situated around the table. When the third card is placed face up, the next round of betting ensues. This will repeat until the fifth and final card in the middle of the table has already been revealed.

Players may decide to back down or fold soon after they receives their opening draw. If everyone else should draw, the remaining players will compete for the pot. Should everyone fold, the player to declare shall win the pot.

There are some Texas Hold Em players who prefer to take a more aggressive stance. This strategy involves frequent betting and successive rounds of raised antes. This is appealing to Poker fans since Texas Hold Em Poker does not have fixed betting limits so more action is expected compared to limit games. With higher stakes involved, expect more bluffing and betting!

Some Texas Hold Em players take a more passive and relaxed strategy approaching the game in a more conservative manner. This is best advised for beginners so as to prevent a major tap out early on in the game.

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What is Poker Bluffing

A Poker bluff can be defined as one of the useful tips to bet or raise inferior hand in order to bluff opponent and win the poker game pot. It is an effective way to be fooling others by raising a hand you want others to think is better than what it really is.

Bluffing is considered as a poker strategy and it maximizes a player's chances of winning. It increases your chances of winning the game and adds more fun and excitement into the game. Being a key moment in the online poker, bluffing is not used frequently as it is believed to be.

Besides adding a lot of fun and pleasure in the game, bluffing also increases your chance of getting the poker pot. If you don't bluff, your tricks would be considered highly predictable and our number of wins would be expected to be affected. A bluff can work wonderfully when there is less chance of your winning the game or when all the cards have been dealt and you want to steal the pot.

In order to put fruitful bluff, a player needs to determine the different situation in which bluffing can bring good results. Following factors may help you to determine your bluffing while playing online poker game:

Nature of opponent:

Do not use bluffing if your opponent is weak or not that smart. This is a common mistake people usually make mistakes.

Opponents in Number:

It is not a good bet, if you bluff against three or more other players. It is effectively when you play against a single person as in this case poker pot becomes smaller.

Image of the table:

The success of your bluffing is entirely depended upon the image of a player. If he pretends to be a good player then his chances of getting caught is less than in comparison with others.

The Pot Size:

If the pot size is small, the chances of winning increase. Conversely, if you bluff successfully when the pot is large, your reward is much larger. You simply have to use good judgment when these situations arise.

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Blackjack Psychology - Mind Over Money

We all know that gambling is the ultimate risk where nothing is promised. More often than not people leave the casino dead broke and mentally wrecked as they think of how it all went down the drain. Succeeding at any task requires a little of Lady Luck's magic. Truth be told, Blackjack is one game that calls on a player's skill as well. Many know the rules and feel that is enough to win, confident that they can walk into a casino and get by on the bases of their experience. Few understand the psychology of Blackjack which is why this game often produces so many losers. Mind over money is the key here.

Several essential factors make up the psychology of Blackjack. Similar to poker, emotions and facial expressions could work against you by exposing your level of inexperience to an opponent. In order to produce consistent, favorable results, one must train their mind and remain focused. While winning the prize money is the overall goal, players shouldn't jump into a game thinking too far into the future.

OVERCOMING FEAR

Blackjack psychology could be related to the laws of attraction in a sense. What you endure in your mind is often what you get whether good or bad. Many people are gambling for all the wrong reasons; to buy that new leather coat, pay the rent or maybe it's an addiction. If you're enduring financial struggles in your life, you have no business at the Blackjack table. Doubt runs freely through your mind; the fear of losing it all. This alone can place a tremendous strain on your decision making and place you in the negative at the Blackjack table.

ARROGANCE

Overconfidence could severely cripple a player in the game of Blackjack. Just because you've spanked your pals at home doesn't mean you'll have the same results in the casino. In this case, invincibility is usually in one's mind and will work against you. Extreme arrogance could falter judgment and lead to crucial errors. Confidence is never a bad thing but don't go overboard with it.

REALITY

Enduring a stream of bad luck could mentally destroy a player. When that negative streak occurs in Blackjack it's often difficult to snap out of it. Some have the misconception that one bad game leads to another and maneuver accordingly. A few will bet higher after consecutive losses, believing that they are bound to win a hand sooner or later. Play in real time and erase that last bad game from your memory. Put all of your efforts into the cards here and now. The best advice is to use your head and don't fall victim to the many Blackjack myths.

FINAL ANALYSIS

In conclusion, understanding the psychology of Blackjack isn't as complicated as it may seem. It's just another way of successfully training your mind. Applying these tactics could get any player on the path to a better winning percentage. Remember to step into the casino with confidence, realizing that too much could be your downfall. Most importantly, have fun and know your boundaries.

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Playing Pocket Pairs - How To Play Pocket Pairs The Right Way

Ok, so you're playing Texas holdem and you're not doing to badly, you have a look at your next hand and find you've got a small to medium pair. Great! Or is it? Just how strong are your pocket pairs?

Let's take for example a starting hand of a pocket pair of eights. Most people's reaction to getting these pocket cards would range from happy to extremely excited. But if you look at it logically with a detached emotional eye, this really isn't such a good hand after all.

Statistically, out of all the winning hands in Texas holdem poker, a pair or better wins roughly about 55% of the time. A high card wins about 45% of the time. A pair of eights without improving by getting a set on the flop, turn or river will only beat a high card or a lower pair. The lower down the pair scale you go, the worse it gets.

The disadvantages of holding pocket eights are that the only card that can improve your hand is another eight while you opponents may have two over cards, which could end up pairing the board for them and make them be ahead of your eights. Furthermore they could have a flush or straight draw possibility and with your pair this means you cannot unless you get extremely lucky.

So what is the best way to play pocket pairs?

Playing Pocket Pairs - The Strategies

There are two different strategies you can use with a medium to low pocket pair. The first is to raise the pot and try and force most of your opponents out of the hand. The less competition you have going into the flop the better and if you manage to get rid of all the opponents but one the better chance you have of winning the hand and taking down the pot.

Normally this only works in late position. If you raise in early position and get re-raised or get two or three callers, you could be in a lot of trouble and your middle pair is unlikely to come out on top.

The second strategy is probably the best way to play middle to small pocket pairs. What you do is to try and limp in and hope to hit a set (3 of a kind) on the flop.

Hitting three eights is a very strong hand and it offers the possibility of slow playing if the circumstances are right, i.e. if the pot has been raised by someone else. The great thing about this hand is that it's disguised, you opponents are unlikely to put you on triples and there is even a possibility of a pair on the board, which will give you an almost unbeatable full house.

So the moral of the story is to tread carefully with your small and medium pocket pairs. Remember the lower the pair the less chance it has of holding up and winning you the hand and remember always be prepared to fold your pair if needed.

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Anatomy of a Poker Cheater

One day, way back in the year 2001 (ancient times for online poker), a friend came to me with what was then a shocking revelation. I don't want to reveal his name, so I'll call him "Jed." My good buddy Jed had devised a way to cheat while playing poker on the Internet. By today's standards, he was using a crude system, but it actually did work. And over time, he got good at it.

I, myself, never did try Jed's system because my career was going extremely well and the online poker bug had not yet bitten me, but I did spend a lot of time with him in those days. Over the next few years, I was able to observe how everything played out in his life.

At first, Jed's life was like a walk through fairy-tale land. He was playing online poker every day, and his bankroll was growing at a phenomenal rate.

During the next few years, Jed was not shy about spending his newly acquired cash. He bought the home he always wanted, a 4-bedroom showcase on an acre and a half near a lake. He bought not one Jaguar, but two. He persuaded the woman he loved to marry him, and he threw an extravagant wedding. (I was there.) During the early days of their marriage, Jed and his wife took vacations to places like Thailand and Bali. He even bought his brother a plot of land on which to build his own house. Jed was a picture of success. It seemed as if the heavens had opened up and showered good fortune on him. And there was no end in sight to this dream life he was living.

Jump ahead four years. Trouble first became apparent in the fall of 2005. Jed still had money coming in from his online efforts, but the excitement had left him. He still had his beautiful home, even more beautiful than before, since he had twice remodeled. He still had his beautiful wife, now pregnant with their second child. And he still had his two Jags. On the surface, everything seemed super. But Jed was not the same man he used to be.

I knew Jed well, so I could see what many others could not: He was miserable. How could this be, you might ask? With all the money and excitement in his life, as well as all the satisfaction of beating online poker, how could he be unhappy? Well, I'll tell you how. I had many long talks with Jed, long into the nights during those days. In my opinion, what had taken its toll on him was simply the devastating nature of cheating itself. What I was witnessing was the inevitable result of a life based on (and dependent on) defrauding others.

One thing that all human beings need in order to find peace and contentment is self-esteem. There are no exceptions. Every one of us requires at least some sense of self-worth. Jed had lost his. He felt worthless. He felt he was contributing zilch to the betterment of society. And indeed, his assessment was correct.

In the early days, Jed was able to mentally handle the thought that he was a cheater. The immediate rewards of his lifestyle were so new and so overwhelming that he was able to justify his actions. Money and the admiration of others made it possible for him to tweak his mind in such a way that he ignored his inner feelings of self-loathing. If he needed to secretly be a low-life cheater in order to obtain all the wonderful assets he was enjoying, then so be it.

But as time went on, the deep-seated realization of what he was doing and the type of person he had become finally caught up with Jed. He could no longer fight off the cold hard fact that he was morally bankrupt. Regardless of the beautiful trappings with which he had surrounded himself, the undeniable truth at the core of his being was that he was nothing more than a lousy cheater. And that recognition, over time, had a devastating effect on Jed's peace of mind.

At one point, Jed confided in me that he wanted to stop his cheating ways. But he could not. He was stuck. The money was too good, the lifestyle too easy. He found himself trapped in a situation he had created for himself.

So, you may wonder, how is Jed today? Not good. He is getting divorced, suffering from depression and struggling with his sanity. I won't share with you all the gory details of exactly how his life degenerated during the past two years, but I will tell you that he was recently committed to a mental facility. The Jaguars are gone. The beautiful house sits empty. And Jed is miserable.

I wish I saw a bright future for Jed, who is fundamentally an intelligent and kindhearted guy, but quite honestly, I don't. They say that a person has to hit rock bottom before he or she can turn things around and climb back to a meaningful life. Jed has certainly bottomed out, so maybe he will yet pull his act together. We'll see.

I tell you this story not to cry a sad tune for Jed. I tell you so you will know that there are always two sides to every situation. And there are different ways to evaluate any potential behavior you might be considering. Sure, making a fast buck is alluring. If you can haul in money by cheating, the benefits seem to outweigh the disadvantages, at least in the sort term. Many people feel that if they can get rich cheating and then later need to deal with some mental conflict as a result, that's actually a pretty good trade-off. They will just handle those negative feelings when they come up.

Big mistake. Cheating is not a good trade-off. Cheating may seem attractive, but don't be fooled. Hiding behind all the glamour and all the glory is a life of quiet discontent.

People find happiness by achieving. A purposeful life comes from doing things that contribute in some way to society. What has a poker cheater contributed? Nothing. What has a poker cheater achieved? Nothing. Worse than that, he has taken a portion of other people's livelihood by unfair means. The cheater has not even learned to play poker well. He can never receive fame or accolades for his playing skill, since all he knows how to do is cheat. He can never succeed at high-profile tournaments, because his cheating skills proffer him nothing when they cannot be used. Cheating is never admirable. A cheater is, at his core, a sad case of frustration and unfulfilled dreams.

Yes, you can cheat at online poker. (There are ways, even today, to accomplish this.) And yes, you can make money at the expense of well-meaning individuals. Although the rewards are inviting, do not be roped in. Like Satan's apple, it is a trick. You are wise to resist the temptation. The price you pay for cheating is always a cost that will eventually come due. A life of misery and low self-esteem is inevitable. As one who has witnessed his good friend go down that ill-fated path, I urge you not to fall for the false promises of cheating.

In a sense, me writing this article is ironic. In recent years, I have perfected a particular way to cheat at online poker, and I am now making the system available to those who want it. (I believe in freedom of speech, and I believe in people's right to information.) And yet, while I am making this cheating information available, I am simultaneously discouraging you from using it. Weird, huh?

The message of this article, if there is one, is simply this: do not cheat. In the long run, cheating is not worth the anguish it brings. Nothing beats the satisfaction of playing poker well and winning fair and square -- not a beautiful home, not an expensive automobile, nothing. You pay a dear price when you cheat. The devil must exact his due. And he will, one day.

Poker is a magnificent game. Whether online or in-person, it is the most perfect expression of competition ever devised. I implore you to play within the confines of the rules. Play the game as it was intended to be played, fairly. Play with honor and dignity. Appreciate the precious game of poker for the incredible blessing that it is. Love it, do not defile it.

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Learn Your Best Poker Style And Thrive

If you constantly struggle with playing Texas Holdem poker, then perhaps it is time to play one of the many varieties of different poker games to find the right game for you.

Although Texas Holdem is one of the most popular forms of online poker, there are plenty of alternative versions out there. One such version is stud poker. This comes in two main forms; five card and seven card. There is also a high/low version of this game which is two games in one, the best hand wins as usual but also the lowest hand wins. Stud poker is played by dealing out an initial three cards followed by the remaining cards one at a time. Two or three of these cards are shown face up depending upon the version. This allows other players to see part of your hand allowing you to bluff, knowing that they have seen some of your cards or to work out if a potential hand that you have is possible with the remaining cards.

Another version of poker played online is five card draw. This is perhaps the original form of poker dating back much further than texas holdem. This version is played by dealing out five cards to all the players and then each player has the option to throw away any number of cards from their hand and have them replaced from the deck.

Five Card draw usually produces slightly lower hands than Texas Holdem and draws are extremely unlikely. Although this version is nowhere near as popular as others it is still played and if you master this version it can be extremely profitable, especially if you play against the players who just want to try it out to make a change.

Omaha is another popular version of poker. In this version you have four cards in your hand and five community cards are dealt out. To make up your hand you need to use two cards from your hand and three from the community cards. Due to the number of cards used straights are a lot more common and this is usually the minimum hand to bet with. Anything lower than this and you should bet with extreme caution.

The advantage of playing Omaha is that you can get the best possible hand on the table without having to wait around for a long time as you would do with Texas Holdem. For the less patient players this can be a better game to play.

Our advice to you would be to read and practice all the different versions of poker because you may find you are more suited to some versions than others.

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Poker Odds - Ace King Off Suit in Texas Hold Em - What Are The Odds

Ace king is a great starting hand in Texas hold em. We will analyze the probability of AK winning a showdown against a number of other hands. This will allow us to see why this preflop hand is so highly regarded.

When up Against Pocket Pairs

The worst situation with this preflop hand is that you are up against pocket kings or pocket aces. In a heads up (2 player) situation, the probability of winning with AK off-suit against pocket aces are approximately:

As Kd vs. Ah Ac - As Kd winning at showdown: 6.67% or 12.7 to 1 (that is 12.7 lost hands to each won hand)

You have the worst of it against poker aces. However against pocket kings, the odds are:

As Kd vs. Kh Kc - As Kd winning at showdown: 29% or 2.4 to 1

As you may hit an ace, the situation is not as bad as with pocket aces, and while you would not want to be in the pot if you knew your opponent had KK, the odds below will show that your 29% chance of win makes this a situation acceptable considering the other starting hands your opposition may have.

To see the odds against an under pair, we will use pocket queens as a case study. The odds are approximately:

As Kd vs. Qh Qc - As Kd winning at showdown: 43.49% or 1.3 to 1

Your starting to approach even money on these odds. The thing about AK against pokets is that while you are an under dog, out of all the possible pre-flop hands (there are 1326 of them), there are only 6 possible preflop hands of any given rank that are pocket pairs (e.g. QcQd, QcQh, QcQs, QdQh, QdQs and QsQh). Over the 13 possible ranks (2 - A) this is only 78 out of 1326 possible preflop hands that you are in with the worst of it.

When up Against Hands that are not Pocket Pairs

Now, how does AK go against other hands that are not pocket pairs. Here we will see where this hand becomes so nice. Assuming you have put in a pre-flop raise and your opponent has called, the odds are good that they might have an ace, in which case you will have them dominated. Against AQ off the odds are approximately:

As Kd vs. Ah Qc - As Kd winning at showdown: 71.3% or 0.36 to 1

As shown here, this is where the odds really shines. Against a suited connector:

As Kd vs. 6h 7h - As Kd winning at showdown: 58.03% or 0.72 to 1

Here you are still a clear favorate, and when your opponent holds two under cards:

As Kd vs. Qh 10c - As Kd winning at showdown: 63.34% or 0.57 to 1

Things are looking good.

Against Varying Numbers of Randomly Dealt Hands

We now want to get some understanding of how AK performs against one verse multiple opponents. In order to do this we will look at AK off-suit against a different number of random hands, assuming all random hands see a showdown. Against one other randomly dealt hand, the odds are approximately:

As Kd vs. 1 random other hand - As Kd winning at showdown: 64.58% or 0.53 to 1

And against 3 randomly dealt hands the odds are approximately:

As Kd vs. 3 random other hands - As Kd winning at showdown: 37.42% or 1.59 to 1

Lets make a few assumptions to look at this: if you put say $10 in the pot pre flop and all random hands call and you are all in, against 1 random hand, you will take $20 with a $10 investment with a 64.58% chance and you will loose this pot with a 35.42% chance. This equates to giving you an expected pot of $12.92 (including your original investment). Under the same assumptions with all 3 opponents with randomly dealt cards who are all in pre-flop, you will take a pot of $40 with a probability of 37.42%, giving you an expected pot of $14.97. So you can see here that while many players like to end up in heads up with such an opening hand, under these assumptions, you are getting a better return against multiple opponents.

So we have just looked at the odds when holding AK off-suit as an starting hand in Texas hold em. As you can see from this study, when you are dealt this starting hand, you are in a very strong position.

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Party Poker Bonus Codes

So you have decided to play some poker on the internet. I am sure you know that there are many first deposit bonuses going around at different online poker rooms. Party Poker is usually the first place poker players look to play online. Party Poker has several enticing bonus offers that are sure to draw you in.

What is the catch?

You usually have to play a few hundred raked hands to get your bonus. This goes for all online poker sites. The bonus codes you use to get that extra cash will require you to play hundreds of raked hands in order to receive the bonus. The bigger the bonus the higher the amount of raked hands. These poker rooms are really risking nothing by giving you a bonus because the only way you get the bonus is by playing enough hands to generate an equal or greater amount of profit for the poker room. Some poker rooms take the bonus money out of the affiliates check that referred you to the site. It is a win-win situation for the poker site.

What are raked hands?

Raked hands are hands in which the poker room takes a small portion of the pot. Some poker rooms only take rakes from certain sized pots. Other poker rooms may count seeing the flop as a raked hand, the turn as a raked hand, and the river as a raked hand. Not all hands are raked hands. Keep in mind that playing a few hundred raked hands with only $50 can be tough. Especially if you are getting bad cards.

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How The World Series of Poker Began

Though the World Series of Poker made its official debut in 1970, the idea of the Horseshoe's annual tournament was actually conceived more than two decades earlier.

In the summer of 1949, as the story goes, inveterate gambler Nicholas "Nick the Greek" Dandolos approached Benny Binion with an unusual request - to challenge the best in a high-stakes poker marathon. Binion agreed to set up a match between Dandolos and the legendary Johnny Moss, with the stipulation that the game would be played in public view.

During the course of the marathon, which lasted five months with breaks only for sleep, the two men played every form of poker imaginable. Moss ultimately won "the biggest game in town" and an estimated $2 million. When the Greek lost his last pot, he arose from his chair, bowed slightly, and uttered the now-famous words, " Mr. Moss, I have to let you go." Dandolos then went upstairs to bed.

Though significant in its own way as a chapter in poker history, the five-month marathon took on added importance to Benny Binion. It was not until 1970 that Binion decided to re-create the excitement and stage a battle of poker giants - dubbed the "World Series Of Poker" - to determine who would be worthy of the title "World Champion." Johnny Moss came out on top. The decision was democratic in that the champion of the World Series of Poker was decided by popular vote.

The following year, Moss again was declared the World Series of Poker Champion. In 1972, when Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston won the title and went on the talk-show circuit, the World Series of Poker began to gain a wider following.

It was only a year later that Binion participated in the Oral History Project at the University of Nevada-Reno and discussed the World Series of Poker with interviewer Mary Ellen Glass. "This poker game here gets us a lot of attention," he told Glass. "We had seven players last year, and this year we had 13. I look to have better than 20 next year. It's even liable to get up to be 50, might get up to be more than that." Binion then paused, and as if gazing into the future, prophesied, "It will eventually."

In the early 1980s, Binion's prophesy came to fruition and the popularity of the World Series of Poker soared.

Today, the legacy Benny Binion left the poker community ranks as the oldest, most prestigious, and most media-hyped gaming in the world. The World Series of Poker has touched thousands of lives over the years.

Five world series of poker rules

1. Hold 'em
-Each player is first dealt two cards down.
-A round of betting occurs as players decide for the first time if they are in or they are out.
-Then five community cards follow with betting after the flop, the turn, and the river.
-In the end, the best five card combination wins the hand and takes the pot.

2. Omaha
-Instead of being dealt two cards, each player receives four down cards.
-A round of betting occurs as players decide for the first time if they are in or they are out.
-Then five community cards follow with betting after the flop, the turn, and the river.
-Those still in reveal their cards. But here is the catch... A player must use two and only two of heir down cards along with three of the community cards. And as always, the best five card hand wins the pot.

3. Seven card stud
-Each player is dealt three cards. The first two are down and the third is up for everyone to see.
-Players must then decide for the first time whether they are in, or out.
-The next three cards are all dealt face up, with more rounds of betting after each card.
-The seventh and final card is dealt face down.
-After one last round of betting, players still in will reveal what they have. As always, the best five card hand wins the hand and takes the pot.

4. Razz
-This game is a lot like seven card stud except of course the low hand wins.
-To begin, three cards are dealt to each player.
-The first two are down cards the third is up for everyone to see.
-A round of betting follows, as it does after each of the next three up cards are dealt.
-The seventh and last card is dealt face down.
-One more round of betting before players still in will reveal what they have.
-Now remember the low hand is the winner and flushes and straights do not count as high hands so ace to five is a good as it gets.

5. Lowball
-Basically, it is five card draw and the low hand wins
-The point of the game is to have the lowest hand possible.
-But unlike razz, straights and flushes count as high hands.
-So the best possible hand a player could have is 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.
-Each player receives five cards face down.
-After a round of betting a player is allowed to draw up to five new cards.
-Once a player receives their new cards, a final round of betting follows.
-Players then reveal their cards and since the lowest hand is the best-2,3,4,5 and 7 off suit is as good as it gets.

Good Luck!

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Poker Strategies

Like any realistic card games in the society today, poker is indeed the most multifaceted conglomeration of skill, luck, strategy, scheme, and personality. The theories involved in the playing of the game may not be applicable to everybody. There are instances that things might have worked for a certain group of people but may have undeniably failed with the others. However, most poker experts still contend that feasible poker strategies and tips are still critical elements of winning the game.

Most poker players assert that they face a lot of strenuous choices on many situations. Normally, they have to deal with checking, betting, raising, or folding. Because of these, most players believe that they need to equip themselves with practical poker strategy and tips so as to establish the appropriate expectation for every probable move of the players. By doing so, they will know how to act correctly in return.

Generally, psychological poker strategy is a decisive move basically because playing poker involves more psychological activities. A player should know how to read cards of the other players and must be well adept in reading the actions and reactions of his playmates. The best way is to know how to interpret body language and talk of the players. Both of these things can divulge a lot of the strengths and weaknesses of the hands.

A good poker strategy also requires a player to vary his poker approach. This means that there should be times that you know how to tactically bluff a game. This, in turn, will make other players have a hard time reading your cards or predict your next moves.

However, bluffing should never be a permanent strategy. This should only be used when the need arises. Constant and consistent bluffing may eventually lead to large losses. This is also about considering the hand strength. A player must not only master the rank of hands but also their relative strength during a poker game. For example, a full house may be a good hand that will be far more likely to be the best hand compared to a 7 high or the lowest possible hand.

Consequently, certain poker strategy may vary depending on the poker variant being played.

Like in a stud poker game, it is advisable to choose a seven-card-stud poker instead of a five-card poker. Here, five-card can give you limited opportunity to use your skill as it is significant if you have a strong first hand.

In a Caribbean Stud Poker, a nice one deals with when to bet timely and appropriately. A good poker strategy will require you to maintain a pair or better. In the event that the dealer showed 10 or less and matches one of yours and you have and Ace-King or better, don't hesitate to bet. You can also bet confidently whenever the dealer's card is less than your fourth highest card and you have an Ace-King or better; or if the dealer's card is an Ace-King and you have a pair of six or better.

Bear in mind to calculate the odds against you such that if the profit is greater than the odds, make the bet. So to speak, when the odds are in your favor, bet as heavily as you can.

But the most important poker strategy of all is: never form a pattern of play. Being able to disguise your play may be the most valuable ones you could have but then you must remember to apply them as varied as possible. This way, you avoid being known to your opponents thereby lessening the chances of losing big bets.

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Poker Lingo

It is always important to conduct yourself in a professional manner when playing the game of Poker. And to be able to do just this, you have to be familiar with the rules and equally important is that you are familiar with the Poker lingo. Talking the talk will help make you look more like a professional!

Remember that playing Poker is indeed a form of gambling since you are playing for money. When you have "tapped out" or being "tapped out" simply means that you have managed to loose everything after betting all that you have.

The game of poker is usually played with 52 cards where each card belongs to one of four different suits, namely the hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades. Some Poker variations will make use of the Joker as a "wild card." Wild cards can be played as if they were any of the 52 cards in the standard card deck used for Poker. There is no need to be worried and confused about these house rules since they should all be determined and explained before the actual game begins.

When playing on a Poker table one would think that Poker players have their own set of codes to describe the hand that they are playing. Poker usually involves words used by players to declare betting status and these words are most often used to describe their "hand." The "hand" pertains to the combination formed by the set of cards that a Poker player holds during game play.

Starting with an Ace, combinations can be called "Ace high" or "Ace low." Players state this phrase depending on how the Ace will be used in the hand. When you declare an "Ace full", it means that you have a full house containing Aces. This is one of the better hands that you should expect during game play.

A game is "in action" when the pace is relatively more aggressive than usual where there is a lot of activity on the Poker table. This may include "betting", "raising" and of course "checking". When you decide to "check", it only means that you are betting but you are not increasing the pot amount.

When you say you are "betting everything" it means that you are very comfortable with your hand and you will add it to the pot for a bigger payout. Be careful when you say "bet everything" since meaning what you say is one of the major Poker guidelines.

When you say "up the ante" you are referring to putting additional money to further fill up the winning pot. "Raising" an opponent means that you are responding to a previously declared bet by the particular opponent and that you would like to increase the pot.

A broke player on a poker table is usually called a "broomcorn uncle". "Broomcorn uncles" happen when a particular player overplays his or her hand.

Playing Poker in casinos usually involves "a buy" which only pertains to the amount of money that you need to carry in order to get into the game. It is up to you to make sure that your betting total does not exceed the amount required in the buy.

www.tellmeaboutpoker.com brings you fun information about poker. There's nothing to buy, just fun information. Be sure to check out all the pages for yourself. © 2007 copyright by DSquare Marketing and Della Franklin. Also check out Global Warming.com & Alternate Energy.com

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Top Ten Online Casino Tips

Online casino gaming is extremely popular, and although most games cannot be beaten over the long term because of the house edge, there are ten tips that players can use to increase their chances of ending a gaming session in profit...

1 - Watch your cash

Money management is essential for online players, and you should always avoid putting all of your available cash at risk in any given session. A much better idea is to divide your total bank into smaller session banks and to stop playing for the day as soon as you lose one session bank. For example, if you have £/$500 cash available, you could divide this into ten session banks of £/$50 or five session banks of £/$100, depending on how much risk you are comfortable with.

2 - Bet sensibly

Online casino games are very entertaining, but they can also cost you a lot of money if you don't bet sensibly. A good way to learn to bet sensibly is to be just as cautious when playing at an online casino as you would in an off-line casino. Avoid putting large amounts of money on long-shots and focus instead on the bets that give you the best chance of winning.

3 - Play strategically

In some games (for example, Blackjack) playing strategically can help your reduce the house edge to the point where it is largely irrelevant. Even in online casino games that are determined solely by chance (such as roulette or craps) having a specific strategy will help you to play consistently. My third tip is therefore to find a strategy that you like for your favourite game and to use it whenever possible.

4 - Quit when you're winning

When you are winning it is easy to think that the success will never end - that Lady Luck is on your side and that you will end up breaking the bank at the online casino you are using. All of this is nonsense. The odds are generally stacked in the favour of the casino, so the longer you play, the more likely it is that your winning streak will come to an end. The sensible course of action is to quit when you are winning. If Lady luck is on your side then the winning streak will continue in the next session, but if she isn't you will still have walked away with a nice profit.

5 - Specialise

If you are playing with very tiny stakes then there is no reason why you cannot have fun playing a wide variety of games, but when you want to increase the stakes it makes more sense to specialise. The more you know about a game, the easier it will be for you to identify the type of bets that give you the best chance of winning, and the more effectively you will be able to make strategic gaming decisions.

6 - Study your speciality

When you have chosen a particular type of game as your own speciality (my personal favourite is baccarat), spend time studying that game closely. Read books and online articles about it, play it regularly and always learn something from both your mistakes and your successes. Aim to become a master in your field and you will find that your gaming become far more satisfying and rewarding than most people ever imagine possible.

7 - Consider value

The majority of online casino players think that the higher the potential prize is in a game, the better value it offers, but this conclusion is simply the result of faulty reasoning. To determine true value you need to look at both the potential prize and the odds of you winning it. If one progressive jackpot stands at $5,000 and another at $50,000, and the chances of you winning are 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 200,000 respectively, the $5,000 jackpot game would be offering more value for money. You should also look at the house edge of different wagers, as the ones with the lowest house edge are generally better value for the player.

8 - Control your play

Although online casinos allow you to play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, such unlimited access to games can work against you, because it can encourage you to play for long sessions that make you tired. Fatigue, in turn, leads to one making poor gaming decisions and - as a result - losing money. To avoid all of this, control the length of your playing sessions so that you are never playing for longer than an hour or two. You will play better by following this tip, and you could end up winning more money to boot.

9 - Collect free money

Online casinos are constantly competing with each other for your patronage, and one way they try to attract new players is by offering bonus cash when someone signs up for a new account. You can have a lot of fun opening accounts with several online casinos and playing long enough to collect this free cash before moving on.

10 - Use simulations

If you want to try different strategies or learn to play new games that you aren't yet familiar with, use simulations. There are plenty of blackjack, video poker and other simulations available for personal computers, and these enable you to play for as long as you want without risk. Alternatively, you can play at "fun money" tables if your online casino offers these.

The ten tips given here won't guarantee that you will make money when playing at online casinos, but they will certainly help you to avoid many of the mistakes that tend to lead to more losses. Be wise, adhere to these top ten tips and have fun.

Jack Noble is a 47 year old casino enthusiast who specialises in baccarat and is now a full time casino reviewer. Find more articles by Jack at http://www.gamble.co.uk

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Georgia Casinos

Georgia casinos consist of two cruise ships, one that docks in Savannah and the other in Brunswick. The Georgia casino boats sail three miles into International waters where casino gambling is allowed. Cruises aboard Georgia casinos are available during the day with some cruise lines offering an evening cruise. Aside from the Georgia casinos, the state has a lottery and several poker/card clubs for those looking to try their luck.

The Millionaire’s Casino Boat is located in Savannah and has everything to make a day of gambling enjoyable. The boat has a full kitchen and a hospitality staff that waits to serve guests. A variety of gambling games are offered as well, including craps, roulette, and blackjack. A number of slot machines also reside on the Millionaire’s Casino Boat. The casino ship is open from 8am to 2pm, giving vacationers to Georgia plenty of time to take in all the other attractions of Savannah.

While in Savannah visit one of the tour companies to make sure you don’t miss any of Savannah’s most popular destinations. One must-see spot is the Tybee Lighthouse that has been lighting the way into the Savannah River for mariners for over 250 years. A night out on the town holds many options as well, from jazz clubs to piano bars.

Another Georgia casino is the Emerald Princess cruise ship located in Brunswick. The Emerald Princess has both day and evening cruises. There are several gambling tables like roulette, Caribbean Stud Poker, and blackjack. Try winning the jackpot on one of the ship’s several slot machines. Both lunch and dinner are served on the ship, featuring delicious dishes prepared daily on the boat. Guests are also treated to live entertainment shows during the cruise. Once aboard, guests are greeted by the ship’s cruise director who will assist in planning your stay. The cruise director also plans Bingo and Bingo Bonanza for large groups. Reservations are required for a day cruise on the ship, and you can even receive group rates or discounts during certain times of the year.

Georgia casinos are located in places that have beautiful landscapes and a rich history. There is a lot to see and do in Georgia, from the foothills of the mountains to the sandy beaches. Both Savannah and Brunswick offer guests of their cities great dining experiences, plenty of entertainment, and a good time for all.

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Cruise Gambling Basics

Going on a cruise and gambling both are a form of enjoying the extreme luxuries of life. When joined together they can create an atmosphere of ultimate amusement. The waves in water always enhance the excitement of any journey and the atmosphere of any cruise enhances delightful experiences of touring. Added to that the enjoyment created by playing games at casino while on a journey to some port provides an experience of lifetime. People usually have ample free time while on any cruise they can do not more than watch the scenic beauties around the waters or just wait for the destination to arrive. Well, all this is fine as long as the trip is short but with the increase in time span of the journey there’s a need for some time pass. What better way than having a casino on the cruise to have an enjoyable journey.

One of the most popular games Poker was invented on the waters of Mississippi river. Boatmen while on their way towards the destination developed a card game that later became the most favorite among all other games in the casino. While governments of most countries and states have their own governing the existence of casinos on board yet most governments now legally allow having gambling centers floating on water. Well this is far from truth that only long journey luxury cruises have casinos on them also short trips of about four to five hours and a day long trip are also dedicated to casino lovers. At many times people board on ships just to enjoy the game while on water and they come back after having an experience of a pleasurable journey.

Some of the short boat trips having casinos in them also offer free service to its passengers as the revenue earned by the cruise from the gambling games makes for the cost of ferrying. This is a preferred choice for many as it solves dual purpose of traveling and enjoyment together. The desire of winning games and making lots of instant cash may not be the only motive for having casinos on cruises. Here the major motivation is of having a fun filled journey. People are not in the cruise casino to hit a jackpot but yet the money involved in the game is of considerable amount.

Apart from the gambling games in the casinos there is also variety food for the travelers. Other than the most popular games of poker and Blackjet several additional playoffs like that of slot machines and roulette are also available. One does not need very high amounts of cash when inside a cruise or riverboat casino as contradicted to while playing on land. Many travel agencies also provide a day trip of cruise with a casino as an included activity in their travel plan. Cruises in the Mississippi waters are world famous for their hospitality and excellent facilities they provide. If anyone is willing to enjoy gambling for fun or go for a cruise on vacation they can choose either of the two from the numerous options available. And the best option may well be to enjoy the best of both events by going on a cruise that has a casino in it.

Mansi aggarwal writes about cruise gambling. Learn more at http://www.cruiseandgamble.com

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How To calculate Odds For Poker - Will The Use Of Poker Calculator Help You

Learning how to calculate poker odds is an elementary requirement of Texas Hold'em. Why are poker odds so important anyway? If you know the odds it gives you an idea when you are in a good or bad situation. This means that you will be able to make more money from your game, and that is the main reason for most poker players - to win money. Maybe you have tried to make some minor calculation, like counting the outs or something like that. Calculate the correct odds in real time are difficult and only few people are able to calculate the exact odds in the middle of a Poker game. If you play more than one table at the same time it will not be easier.

One way around this problem is to memorize the odds for the most common situations and draws. Learning the odds of different starting hands is useful. If you are a newbie in calculation this could be an appropriate start in your calculation career. Do you want to win more than coffee money you have to aim higher? You must be able to handle all kinds of situations that appear around the poker table. Instant decisions when to push, fold or call are important. It doesn't just decrease your mistakes; it will also increase your incomes.

Counting the outs is another good method you can use. I think you know how to do it, but the question is, are you able to do it in real time and when you multi table. I you are not capable to do it, it will make your poker play expensive; you will call when you should fold and vice versa. The understanding of odds makes the game easier, you will know when to play loose and if you should call with "the gutshot draw".

Let's calculate the odds for a special hand you know well. This is a hand most people play - the flushdraw hand. Tell me, how often do you got beaten by a flush, and you scream that he was lucky. Maybe he wasn't lucky; maybe he just calculated the odds and made a great play.

Let's calculate:

If you have suited hole cards and the flop makes you a drawhand with 4 of the same suit. There are 13 cards of each suit in the deck; you can see 4, your holecards and 2 on the flop. That makes 9 outs for you (13-4=9). There are 47 unseen cards of 52 which means that you have 9/47 chance of getting your flush on the turn. That is 19%. Ok, easy so far. But you can also hit your draw on the river. Now there are 46 unseen cards which mean 9/46. Another way of looking on odds is look at those cards that NOT will make your hand. 38 cards on the turn don't give us our hand and 37 cards on the river don't give us our hand 37/46. If we convert this into decimals it is like: 0.80x0.80=0.64 and in percentage it is 64%. 64% of the time we won't catch our flush. 36% of the time we do.

Does it sound complicated? Keep in mind that this is only one scenario. Other types of hands desires more complicated calculations.

My last word to you is - if you want to become successful around the poker tables you have learn to calculate.

I am not a math genius. Making instant calculations made me insane. I searched for a software that could help me with the calculations. I found software called "poker calculators". These software helped my incomes increase and I could throw my pen and paper away - No more calculations. You can read more about them here

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Poker Psychology - The Secret Of Winning Big

Poker psychology is important because it separates average players from truly the great ones.

The person, who wins big simpy has a better psychology than his or her opponents and getting it right can make you huge money.

In poker (unlike other casino games) you don’t have to have the best hand to win, all you need to do is make people think you have the best hand!

Let’s look at what it takes to develop the right mindset to win big in online poker and how to develop the correct psychology for poker.

1. Desire

To win big at poker the first step is to want to win big. If you have the desire, you are likely to put in the hard work (and like anything in life that can make big money you need to put in the hours) that is required to become a really top poker player.

2. Learn from others

Once you know all the basic strategies and odds its time to read some books written by great poker players. They all have different approaches but they will all focus on poker psychology and you can learn from them.

In poker you never stop learning and it is good practice to read and study at least one book a month. Not only will you learn something new, but you will also get great motivation to purse your goal of winning at poker.

3. Check Your Opponents

Your opponent is studying you and you need to study him. You can then see the way he plays, spot potential weaknesses and exploit them. As we said earlier, the best hand doesn’t win at poker, the player with the best psychology and strategy does.

4. Have Courage

To win big pots in poker you need to have courage to take risks at the right time. This is not rashness, it’s an essential part of poker psychology and is the only way to win big money.

If you have done your homework and the circumstances are right you need to take the plunge and go for the pot!

5. Patience

It’s hard to keep folding one hand after another at times, but it’s what you have to do. If the circumstances are not right and you have no chance of winning the pot, don’t waste money wait. All great players know that it’s the hands you choose not to play that can be as important as the ones you do. So, be patient and your time will come.

6. Focus & Commitment

When you sit to down to play a game you need to be fully focused on the game. So, no drinking, drugs or feeling anything less than 100% focused and committed and all the former will impair your judgment.

If you don’t feel right don’t play, it’s as simple as that.

7. Practice

You can only learn so much from books. When you play money is at stake sometimes big money and this can and does affect peoples judgments

It takes a lot of playing experience to become a great poker player and it can’t be rushed. Take it slowly, moving up to more difficult tables and potential pots as you gain experience.

Don’t try a level above your capabilities to quickly. If there are big wiiings to be made at a table competition will be stiff.

The proper poker psychology as you can see is critical if you want to become a great player.

For more poker information

For more poker tips, strategies and reports and all major casino games visit:

http://www.net-planet.org/gaming.html

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