Texas Hold-Em Poker

Macau's Poker Scene Looking Vibrant after Successful 2009

2011-07-12T23:37:00.000-07:00

With the new year just beginning, Macau is already gearing up for even more poker tournaments and events to build on a successful 2009.

Last year, Asia's gaming capital was the site of record-setting poker events from the biggest poker tours in the region. It also saw the opening of several new poker rooms, signifying that local players were steadily becoming more interested in the game.

In mid-August, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) held its 2009 Macau event at the StarWorld Hotel and Casino and experienced a large surge in player participation. Its twelve-day festival of poker featured fifteen side events in addition to the main event, which set a new APT record with a field of 326 runners. The winner was France's Adrien Allain, who won HK $3,035,000 for his first-place finish.

Over at PokerStars Macau at the Grand Lisboa Hotel, the third season of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Macau event saw Irish player Dermont Blain win HK $4,194,000 in its main event. Blain was just one of the APPT Macau record 429 players who played in the main event, contributing to the prize pool of HK $16,130,400.

The PokerStars Macau poker room also held its own series of tournaments throughout the year, culminating in a grand finale in December. The poker room's Macau Poker Cup held four Red Dragon main events in 2009, with each one getting more players than the last.

The first Red Dragon main event, which was held in March, saw its HK $500,000 guaranteed prize pool broken as 112 players entered for a total prize pool of HK $1,052,800. Due to the large turnout, the subsequent Red Dragon events offered a guarantee of HK $1,000,000. It didn't matter, as player numbers kept increasing, including a field of 247 runners in October.

PokerStars Macau then held its grand finale in December with the Macau Poker Cup Championship (MPCC). Held from December 12-20, the MPCC featured a HK $20,000 main event with HK $2,000,000 guaranteed. The winner was Devin Tang, who defeated Taipei's Michael Chang to win the HK $727,600 first prize.

2009 also saw two new poker rooms open in Macau. Sun City's Poker King Club, named after the movie released earlier in the year, opened on October 31 at the StarWorld Casino. Over on the other side of town, The Venetian opened its own poker room in late November, adding to the hotel's multitude of gaming and shopping attractions.

With more poker rooms and bigger tournaments, 2009 definitely showed just how much poker is capable of growing in Macau and the region as a whole. Already established as the go-to place for poker in Asia, it won't be long before it becomes one of the biggest poker hotspots in the world.

Visit Asia PokerNews for the latest news and information on poker in Macau, Asia, and around the world!

Christian Chua is the news editor for Asia PokerNews, an online news site that focuses primarily on the poker scene in and around the Asian region.

Aside from his work at Asia PokerNews, Christian is also the editor and online content manager for the Asian Poker Tour.

Raising and Reraising the Stakes in Asian Poker - A Glance at Past APT Champions

2011-07-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

What makes champions? What motivates these winners? If we do know, then we can probably win a tournament or two and be a thousand dollars richer as well. But the thing is, as many hopefuls have realized by now, poker is a man's game; a sport of cutthroat competition where you need skills over luck to be a successful player in this trade.

That said let's take a look at the past Asian Poker Tour champions. Knowing them is half the battle; and well, we'll all just hope that this knowledge rubs off on our luck at the tables.

David Saab - APT Philippines 2008 Main Event Champion

Saab carries some interesting nicknames: Superman, The Turtle and WonderSaab. But none as interesting as his first major international tournament win in the inaugural leg of the APT in Manila. The Korea-born Australian did win the first two editions of the Crown Series and the Victorian Poker Championship in 2005 but his winnings there pales in comparison to the USD$ 280,000 he won in the APT main event as he outlasted 310 players.

After the APT stint, Saab would continue his romp in the international stage placing in the money in the 2008 PokerNews Cup (7th-US$8,414); 2009 PokerStars APPT Sydney Heads-Up Event (13th-US$12,875); and the NLH Championship at the WSOP 2008 (46th - US135,100)

Yevgeniy Timoshenko - APT Macau 2008 Main Event Champion

"Bballer88" and "Jovial Gent"--- clearly, his name in the online world is a tad bit more tongue-friendly relative to his real name. But whichever name he brings to the online/live tables, the results are quite the same: impressive money finishes and tournament wins.

When he won the APT title in 2008, Timoshenko was considered one of the up-and-comers of the game. Two years and a handful of major tournaments later, he has crossed over from being just a promising potential to a full-blown poker star.

Born in Ukraine but migrated to the United States at the age of 10, Timoshenko's biggest win came in the 2009 World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship as he won a whopping USD$2,149,960. This year he has had respectable finishes in the World Poker Open VI NLH Event (2nd-US$110,000); and the 41st World Series of Poker 2010 placing in the money in multiple events.

Neil Arce - APT Philippines 2009 Main Event Champion

The rise of local poker in the Philippines was simultaneous with the rise of Filipino Neil Arce from the ranks as one of the best not only in the Philippines but in the entire Asia. Nicknamed "Dirty Ice Cream," Arce has won local tournaments consistently and earned his place in local poker history by being the first-ever Filipino to cash in the World Series of Poker in 2007 winning USD$50,000 at 222nd place.

In 2009, protecting his turf, he managed to hold off 262 players from 40 different countries to win the APT Main Event--- his first-ever major international title. Seven months later, he would again be under the spotlight by placing 3rd in the No Limit Hold'em APPT Macau High Rollers Event--- good for $ HKD652,800.

Adrien Allain - APT Macau 2009 Main Event Champion

With an APT-record 326 registrants, APT Macau saw the improbable happen. The man behind the unlikely feat is Frenchman Adrian Allain who qualified to the tournament through a $6 lottery tournament on http://www.pkr.com! He won US391,580 dollars for his efforts jumpstarting a pro career at live tables.

The online specialist known as "zlatan35" was already very successful behind the screen especially at PKR tournaments. Before the APT Macau title he had already 45 in-the-money finishes and made the final table 26 times in 321 tournaments he joined at PKR.

After tasting success at the APT, he went on to join other live international events finishing in-the-money in a pair of World Series of Poker events in 2010 before placing 2nd (US$66,705) in the Barriere Poker Tour Main Event.

Michael Cua - APT Philippines 2010 Main Event Champion

A year after a local held the bragging rights for the APT Philippines Main Event; another Filipino in Michael Cua duplicated his compatriot's feat by winning the first leg of the APT in 2010.

Unlike Neil Arce however, Cua was one of the unheralded and unknown players in the local scene qualifying in an APT-satellite event worth PHP5,000 (roughly US$115) before winning the biggest win in his poker career.

Cua took down 225 players to take the APT Philippines title and US$172,000 cash prize not to mention a seat at the next APT event in Macau set later this year. Unlike the APT champions before him, Cua's poker resume pales in comparison to his fellow APT champs. However, with the recent APT title in the bag he looks to become the first back-to-back APT champion promising to join the Macau festivities this November.

***

What makes champions? Arce, Saab and Timoshenko show that consistency is what makes them special; mastering the art of poker demands dedication to the sport. What motivates these winners? Allain and Cua show that with the right focus, a little bit of luck, anyone has the potential to be successful in this craft.

Who will be the next APT champion? Can the underdogs continue their mighty rise? Or will the stars finally show up? Find out in the next APT main event held in Asia's gaming capital, Macau. For tournament schedule and details visit APT MACAU 2010.

James Patrick Quizon, is a writer/editor working for Asian Poker Tour. For further information about the latest poker events in Asia, go to www.theasianpokertour.com

A Look at 10 Celebrity Poker Players

2011-07-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Turn the channel to any high-stakes poker event, and chances are high that you'll see at least one Hollywood celebrity in the thick of the action. With flexible schedules and larger-than-average bankrolls, celebrities have both the time and inclination to hone their poker playing skills in tournaments around the world. Some, of course, never rise above the rank of amateur, but others go on to become familiar faces in the world of poker. What follows is a list of ten of the best celebrity poker players in the world (listed in no particular order).

Ben Affleck - It's hard to argue Affleck's status as one of the best celebrity poker players in the world after he won the California State Poker Championship in June of 2004 (where he won $356,400). When he's not acting in movies such as Daredevil or Armageddon, Affleck collects vintage video-arcade machines and has been known to take poker lessons from pros like Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke. His win at the California Championship also qualified him for a seat at the 2004 World Poker Tour final tournament.

Patrick Bruel - Patrick Bruel is a well-known French singer and actor, having performed in over 40 television and film productions and recorded numerous top-selling albums. He also happens to be a world-class poker player. So while he may go unrecognized by American movie audiences, poker players from around the world will instantly recognize his face. Why? Well, in 1998 Patrick picked up a World Series of Poker bracelet for winning the 1998 $5000 Limit Hold'em event. He has also placed in the money numerous times in WSOP events, and earned over $750,000 in live play events.

Jennifer Tilly - This Oscar-nominated actress has starred in such hits as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway. However, she has publicly stated that she's becoming more interested in poker than acting. One look at her accomplishments in the poker world and it's easy to see why. In June of 2005, Tilly outlasted 600 other players and won her first World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies' No-Limit Hold'em event, becoming the first celebrity to do so. She has also won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament and competed in Poker Royale, Poker Superstars, and Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Josh Malina - With acting credits such as Sports Night and The West Wing, Malina is a respected actor of both the stage and screen. He is also an avid poker player. In fact, when he was struggling to get his career off the ground, he would often play poker in order to have enough money to pay his rent. Now that he's financially secure, Malina is spreading his love of poker by producing Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Matt Damon - After starring in the poker film Rounders, you might expect the world-famous Damon to know his way around a deck of cards. He's a regular entrant in the annual World Series of Poker, and his most interesting WSOP story occurred back in 1998. Miramax Studios entered both he and Edward Norton in the WSOP Main Event ($10,000 buy-in) to promote the upcoming Rounders. Damon played well, but he was eliminated on the first day by poker legend Doyle Brunson after Damon's pocket kings failed to beat Brunson's pocket aces.

Tobey Maguire - In October of 2004, the star of the Spider-Man franchise demonstrated his poker skills by winning the first-ever Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker Tournament. He also picked up $95,480 for the win, causing Andy Bellin to remark to Phil Hellmuth, "This kid could be a legitimate pro." He has finished in the money in several other events and has received lessons from poker pro Daniel Negreanu. And keep in mind that he's only been playing seriously since 2004.

James Woods - Having starred in movies such as Salvador and Another Day in Paradise, James Woods is one of America's most respected actors. And not only is he a familiar face in poker rooms across the country, he's also the face of a new poker site. Their selling point is that players have a chance to match poker wits with top stars like Woods. Not that matching wits with Woods is a good idea, considering he has a 180 I.Q. In 2006, Woods finished in 24th place out of 692 at the L.A. Poker Classic for $40,000.

Mimi Rogers - When she's not starring in hits like Lost in Space and Austin Powers, Mimi Rogers moonlights as a pretty darn good poker player. Tom Cruise's ex-wife took first place on an episode of Hollywood Home Game, and also finished in the money during the World Poker Tour's Shooting Star Championship.

Wil Wheaton - One of the stars of Stand by Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wheaton plays in big-money games in Los Angeles all the time, is a frequent participant in online poker rooms, and was even invited to play in the World Poker Tour Championship. He is also a member of Team PokerStars and played in the 2005 World Series of Poker.

Gabe Kaplan - Best known for his role on Welcome Back Kotter, Gabe Kaplan is such an accomplished poker player that most no longer regard him as a "celebrity" player. His first World Series of Poker appearance came in 1978. In 2004, he finished third at the World Poker Tour's No Limit Hold'em event, winning more than $250,000 in the process. He has also taken second place in the World Series of Poker Limit Hold'em event. His career tournament poker earnings exceed $680,000. He also serves as an expert poker commentator, having appeared on such shows as the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Intercontinental Poker Championship, and High Stakes Poker.

When he's not reviewing movies or losing money at the poker table, Damien Chambers can usually be found at http://www.gamblingchitchat.com/

The History of WSOP (World Series of Poker) 1990 – 2010.

2011-07-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

WSOP 2011 is just a few days away and while looking forward and getting ready to the new series we would like to remember the history of this magnificent event to and see how it grew to become the most desirable and iconic live poker tournament. Having gone through the events between 1970 and 1989 we shall carry on the story.

Benny Binion the founder of World Series of Poker (WSOP) in1970 died on Christmas Day in 1989.

Jack Binion, his son, took over the empire and continued working on growing WSOP by attracting a lot of publicity attention, media interest around the world and improving player experience. His promotional work around the world certainly paid off and in 1990 Mansour Matloubi, an Iranian-born player from the UK, won the title. This was also the year that attracted the highest number of women and international players since the beginning of the Series. It was also the first time when WSOP became a four week event for the first time.

1991 was the first year when WSOP awarded the top winner the first prize of $1,000,000 and it was also the first time in history when the Main Event attracted more than 200 players. Brad Doherty, a professional poker player from Reno, Nevada won the top prize and the bracelet.

1992 Main Event attracted slightly less amount of players than the previous year, 201 compared to 215 a year before. The winner that year was Hamid Dastmalchi, an Iranian born American player, who won $1,000,000 top prize.

In 1993 the Main Event attendance was on the up again, with 220 players taking part. One of the most interesting facts of that year was that for the first time over half of the players qualified through various satellite events. Jim Betchell was the winner of $1 million first prize.

1994 was a special year for WSOP, which celebrated its 25th anniversary. To commemorate this Jack Binion offered the winner's weight in silver in addition to the $1 million top prize. When the final table was assembled it did not look too bad for Binion as most of the players were slim, apart of Ross Hamilton, who weighed over 330 pounds and carried on enjoying hamburgers and chips through out the day. At the end his efforts were generously rewarded with $30,000 worth of silver bars on top of the first prize.

WSOP 1995 had a record 273 Main Event entrants and Dan Harrington picked up the $1,000,000 prize. The following year it was Huck Seed who came first with exactly the same hand of 9d, 8d as Harrington the year before.

1997 WSOP was the only time when the Main Event was held outdoors on a huge stage on Fremont Street, as Horseshoe casino could not fit a massive increase in the number of players. Stu Ungar was the winner that year and like Johny Moss became three times world champion. Scotty Nguyen came first the following year.

Following a decline of the Horseshoe Casino business and a break up in the Binion family, Jack Binion left WSOP operation and the Series seemed to loose their appeal to many professional players who stayed away between 1999 and 2002. However WSOP 2001 held a record 512 players in the main event and for the first time a $1,500,000 top prize. Chris Ferguson was the champion that year. Coincidently he was the last professional poker player to win the Series for many years to come.

2002 Championship started again with record braking figures, when 631 participants joined the Main event with $2,000,000 top prize and $1,000,000 for the runner up. Robert Varkonye, an amateur newcomer from New York, was such an expected winner, that Phill Helmuth said that he'd shave his head if Varkonye won.

In 2003 the critics started to think that the Series were at their end and no longer were capable to attract the poker players, since World Poker Tour (WPT) became a competitor. They however were to eat their words when 839 players took part in the main event. And when Chris Moneymaker won a record $2,500,000 first prize, he changed everything for the future of poker. To start with he was the first WSOP winner who won his place through live poker tournaments qualifiers online. This fact alone showed people around the world that $10,000 buy-in was no longer an issue and an entry ticket can be obtained in an online poker room through a series of online poker promotions. Also Chris was an extremely likable ordinary guy with who everyday poker players could identify and see themselves in his place. He was the perfect face for the new poker era.

In 2004 both the number of participants 2,576 players, most of who qualified through series of online poker promotions, and the prize money hit through the roof. If only one year earlier the top prize was a record breaking, at the time, $2,5 million the top prize that year was a staggering $5,000,000 and the top five finalists eared over $1 million each. The second place was paid with $3,5 million. Greg Raymer, a patent lawyer, won the Championship that year. Once again he got his place in the Series through online poker promotions. 2004 was also the year when WSOP operation was sold and Harrah's Entertainments secured the property rights to WSOP.

In 2005 The Series moved into their new home RIO All-Suits Casino and Hotel. The numbers soared once again and became truly astronomical. The Main Event alone attracted 5,619 players! As the year before that most players joined the series through various online poker promotions held by an online poker room throughout the year. The prize pool was unbelievable with the top nine places earning over $1 million. The winner, Joe Hachem, cashed $7,500,000 and the runner up, Steve Dannenmann, won $4.25 million.

2006 once again broke all the previous records. 8,733 participants, $12 million top prize at the Main Event, which is higher than Wimbledon, The Masters and The Kentucky Derby top prizes put together, and $82 million total prize pool. The winner that year was Jamie Gold, a television producer from Australia, once again an unknown amateur player, who decided to play at the last minute. This was also the first year when a $50,000 buy-in High-roller event was introduced.

With introduction of UIEGA in 2006, there were universal concerns about the future of the big live poker tournaments as many online poker rooms, now major source of players for live poker events, moved out of the USA market and those rooms who stayed had to find the ways of getting player's funds into the sites. In some ways such concerns were justified as 2007 was the only year of decline in history with "only" 6,358 players taking part and $8,250,000 top prize, which was won by Jerry Yang.

In 2008 the numbers were on the rise again with 6,844 players in the main event and $9,152,416 top prize, won by Peter Eastgate. 2009 Main Event saw 6,494 participants and $8,547,042 top prize for Joe Cada, an online poker player from Michigan. In 2010 the numbers continued to increase to 7,319 entrants into the Main Event and $68,798,600 total prize pool with a $8,944,138 top prize for Jonathan Duhamel, the first Canadian player to capture the title.

If you have not secured your place in Las Vegas this year yet, don't worry, there is still time to qualify online to live poker events WSOP 2011 with Unleashed Poker as well as many other online poker promotions running now. And maybe, who knows it will be you crowned as a champion and making it into history in 2011.

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

Watch Hellcats Episode 15 u

2011-07-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

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Online Casino Gambling Legislation in US States

2011-07-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

This week, the destiny of online gambling including online casino and sports betting sites will be decided. However, no matter what Gov. Chris Christie's decision will be, there are some other states in the US that are making their move to online gambling legalization. The state of Florida is also considering legalization that will partly permit online gambling, while Virginia may totally ban the same.

The state of Florida may possibly begin its invasion into online gambling with poker. A news report from Daytona Beach News Journal said that legalization of the intrastate online poker could possibly be as early as July 1, 2011. What seems to be its main objective is that legislators want to stop the budget deficit of $4 billion. The one who proposes the bill is a Democrat from Wellington, it is the state Rep. Joseph Abaruzzo. "We want to legalize it, regulate it and bring the revenue to Florida. To me it's common sense to protect our players.", Abaruzzo said to the Daytona Beach News Journal.

In the next session of the state congress that will start on March 8, said bill will be discussed. The plan is to put forward a proposition authorizing race tracks and jaio - alai frontons to build entries that will permit players to play online poker against others in the state. The bill visualize up to three operators to act with the act with the states' 23 pari mutuels and give way for online poker. Online betting on dog and horse racing are also being pursued on the bill. Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room is one of the pari-mutuels under review. "I think it'll help take Internet players and try to convert them into brick-and-mortar players. You always have a question when people are playing online for money. How do you know they're paying if it isn't regulated?" said by its manager, Daniel Francati. Jamie Hinks at the Calvin Ayre website doesn't believe that authorizing online poker will bring players back to land based casinos. However, he stated that if New Jersey withdraw from legalizing online gambling, then probably Florida may be the first US state to permit online poker.

Meanwhile, Virginia is heading towards the direction of the state of Washington. The propsosal's architect is Clifford L. Athey Jr. The bill outlaw all forms of gambling which includes lotteries, sweepstakes style action at internet cafes, online casino sites and online poker rooms. The bill has just ceased short of enforcing a Washington state style ban on the actual players. The bill has passed the General Assembly. State Senator Obenshain and Delegate Oder have introduced companion bills that will permit restaurants to offer online time and games that do not involve any forms of gambling. If ever the bill will become a law, enforcement agencies will be enstablished to pursue criminal charges against the owners of any establishments that offer online gambling including those that are trying to use loopholes in existing laws.

Joe Adams wrote a 469 words article related to online casino games, bonuses, promotions, news, updates and trivia.

International Federation of Poker and The IMSA - The Truth

2011-06-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

In conversation today with the president of The International Federation of Poker (IFP), Mr Anthony Holden, it became apparent that many of the reported news stories over the weekend of the imminent nature of the membership being granted to The International Mind Sports Association, were to say the least exaggerated.

Mr Holden explained that it was indeed one of the IFP's goals, to seek membership of the IMSA but that this goal was not, as reported, a done deal, and that much work has yet to be completed before any decision is made. Furthermore, the president stated that there were other goals to achieve and that they were working closely with Sportaccord (formerly the General Association of International Sport Federations) with the intention of applying for membership.

A statement that has been issued today from Mr Holden reads:

In response to media speculation over the weekend, to the effect that the International Federation of Poker (IFP) has been accepted as a member of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), IFP President Anthony Holden has today issued the following statement :

The internet appears to be awash with unconfirmed reports that the International Federation of Poker (IFP) has been formally accepted as a member of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA). I do not know how or where these rumours started, but I must make it clear that they are premature. IMSA membership is one of IFP's publicly declared goals, and we have put in much work towards that end over the past year. Despite very encouraging signs, however, we are not there yet. An accurate account of the current situation runs as follows :

In order for IFP to secure a "global" membership and be recognised in as many countries as possible, IFP requires poker to be recognised as a game of skill - a "Mind Sport" and is, therefore, planning to apply to become a member of both Sportaccord (formerly the General Association of International Sport Federations - http://www.sportaccord.com) and the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA - http://www.imsaworld.com).

IFP is working with Sportaccord President, Hein Verbruggen, and Executive Director, Mrs Nolvenn Dufay de Lavallaz, for IFP to become a full member of Sportaccord. IFP will be an observer at the 2010 Sportaccord Congress in Dubai on 30 April 2010 with IFP's application to become a full member of Sportaccord being presented for approval at the 2011 Congress to be held in London.

IMSA is a "collective" of Sportaccord Members which are designated as "Mind Sports". IMSA is a non-profit organisation whose current members are the World Bridge Federation (WBF), World Chess Federation (FIDE), World Draughts Federation (FMJD) and International Go Federation (IGF).

The goal of IMSA is to ensure different Mind Sport Federations pursue common aims and interests, and to organise world events - World Mind Sports Games - under the aegis of Sportaccord. The development of IMSA events is entirely consistent with the vision of Sportaccord for its members to unite through multi-sports events.

The principles for IFP to become a member of IMSA have been discussed at length with IMSA President, Jos' Damiani (President of the World Bridge Federation). IFP will be attending the 2010 IMSA Executive Council Meetings in Dubai from 27 to 29 April, during the Sportaccord International Convention, with the aim of becoming an immediate (provisional) Member of IMSA as it continues to secure the requisite number of national members and becomes a fully recognised member of Sportaccord.

A more measured account of the current state of play can be found at :

http://www.pokerblackbelt.co.uk/858/the-seedy-game-of-poker-no-longer/

I myself wish Anthony Holden all the very best in guiding the IFP towards these goals and can assure him that I will be behind him every step of the way and applauding the gains. It is very plain from this statement that the main goal at the moment for the IPF is to become a member of Sportaccord, and then, or simultaneously, become a member of the IMSA which is made up from members of Sportaccord with a common purpose in mind.

It is VERY clear form this statement that the IFP will only be observers at the 2010 Sportaccord Congress in April 2010 and that hopefully, if all goes well, the application for full membership can be presented at the Sportaccord Congress in 2011.

Hopefully this information will put the rumourmongers to bed and allow the proper progress of the application and it to go ahead unimpeded.

An amateur poker player writing for players of all abilities.

A Brief History of Texas Hold Em - The King of Poker

2011-06-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

This article will reveal a brief history of Texas HoldEm and share with you information all about the kind of poker.

Texas Hold Em is a popular poker game not just with the casinos in Vegas or other parts of the United States of America, but with poker lovers around the world.

In world class poker events like the WSP or WPT, Texas HoldEm ranks among the main events and continues its march among the front runners in the poker arena for nearly a century now.

The History Of Texas Hold Em - Origins

The origin of Texas Hold Em can be traced to early 1900's when the game first arrived in Dallas, Texas during 1925. The name poker itself is derived from the German word Pochena meaning "to knock".

With Las Vegas becoming the gambling capital of the world, the popularity of Texas HoldEm soared to greater heights and in modern times, no casino in the world can do without this poker game among its offerings.

Along with the sharp rise in popularity, Texas HoldEm has evolved into different variations and the No Limit variant has become a hot favourite among poker enthusiasts around the globe.

The History Of Texas HoldEm - Modern Times

In modern times, it is no more necessary to visit a casino to play Texas HoldEm and professionals as well as amateurs have the ability to play different levels of the game through the internet or even on a mobile telephone.

The massive growth of the internet on the global platform has further helped Texas HoldEm and today, a number of major poker tournaments are held at different cities around the world and as you would have guessed it right, Las Vegas undoubtedly is home for two of the most popular championship events.

The History Of Texas Hold Em - New Age

For the uninitiated, learning Texas Hold Em is easier than ever today. The internet has some wonderful resources which will work as an extensive tutorial on how Texas Hold Em is played, how the major tournaments are organized, who the leading players around the world are, and even ways to make money playing the game.

Poker tournaments have come a long way from its early beginnings in 1970's when the WSP had just 8 players participating. Some 40 years later, today, these tournaments draw close to 1,000 players and Texas Hold Em has a pride of place among the tournament fixtures.

Do You Want To Learn More History Of Texas Hold Em? If So, Download My Brand New Free Tips Ebook '7 Of My Top Texas HoldEm Poker Tips' here: http://MyTexasHoldemPokerTips.com Alex is an avid Hold Em Poker player. Shoot him an email at alex@mytexasholdempokertips.com with any questions you have about winning Holdem.

WWE News And Rumors For Feb. 18, 2011

2011-06-29T01:50:00.000-07:00

WWE News And Rumors For 2/18/2011
By Reporter / WrestleSite.com

Jericho's interview promoting the book release of "Undisputed" was recorded on Wednesday morning and will air in its entirety on Wednesday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. EST on Sirius 125, XM 241.

WrestleMania needing a big angle:
"Absolutely, but what's wrong with that? I mean, last week I listened to your guys's show and you guys were complaining as critics do that WrestleMania had no jump to it. Vince McMahon is a genius. You can say what you want and whatever you want to say. He will always pull stuff out his ass. You wait and see what he comes up with at WrestleMania. You think "The Rock" is the last thing is going to be the big selling point. No way! I'm sure he's got two or three other things up his sleeve for this WrestleManiaâ�¦ There's still five weeks until WrestleMania."

TNA:
"When I worked for WAR in Japan, the company was half the size of new Japan, but for me, WAR was the best company in the world, and if anybody talked badly about my company, I'll fight you. And if we had any kind of interaction with New Japan, I wasn't trying to work for New Japan, I didn't give a s- about working for New Japan, all I cared about was working for WAR, and flying the banner as high as I couldâ�¦ I don't care if TNA is the worst company in the world, I don't care. Once you sign a contract for there, you work for Dixie Carter, and you do the best you can to make people believe it's the best company in the world, and if all you're doing is b-- about WWE, then go f-- work for WWE, or act like a hasbeen that used to work there. TNA should be the best place in the world to work, and if you don't believe that, the fans won't believe it, they're not gonna buy your product, they're not gonna believe your product, and they're not gonna watch your product."

A WWE return:
"Now that's the thing people ask me 'When are you coming back to wrestling? When are you going to do this? When are you going to do that?' I got asked today 'Are you? - the rumor is you're the new singer of Velvet Revolver?' Even if I was the lead singer of Velvet Revolver, even if I was coming out of the Chamber why would I tell you a-holes?"

-Scott Hall's Twitter noted that he and Sean Waltman will be filming a shoot interview next week under their Wolfpac Productionsbanner

- Kevin Nash is starring in a new DVD movie called Monster Brawl which also stars former WWE star Kurrgan, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart and UFC referee Herb Dean.

- Several sources are under the impression that Alberto Del Rio isn't thrilled about Mistico coming to WWE. Del Rio realizes Rey Mysterio's WWE run probably won't last another 5 years and he doesn't want any competition in that top Hispanic role.

- Matt Hardy garnered some heat in the locker room for taking credit for the recent TNA Impact ratings spike coinciding with his arrival to the organization and being paired with his brother.

He wrote on Twitter following the February 3 episode, which scored a strong 1.3 cable rating: "Hulkster & Jeff brought me in & the ratings keep growin-Coincidence?I think not! FACT! .. Dixie, u can thank ME & Jeff 4 the ratings jump-just saying."

"When guys do that, they bury themselves with the boys," said one company source.

- WWE Studios' The Chaperone with Triple H hits theaters today on a limited release. Here are some reviews on the movie. Currently on RottenTomatoes.com, the movie has a "rotten" rating of 25% with a 3.1 out of 10 average rating, based on 12 reviews.

Variety: "Presumably there's an audience out there for old-fashioned, poorly written, unevenly thesped, family-friendly tales of redemption starring beefy wrestlers and a bunch of kids, but it's difficult to imagine who."

Hollywood Reporter: "This lame WWE produced family comedy isn't likely to turn wrestling star Paul "Triple H" Levesque into a household name."

Los Angeles Times: "Like last year's "Legendary" and "Knucklehead," which didn't exactly slam moviegoers to the mat with their entertainment chops, this haphazardly clichÃ©d comedy-drama about redemption similarly suffers."

Filmcritic.com: "If WWE is going to continue to insist on placing its stars in ill-fitting projects like this, the least it could do is spring for some livelier material."

Roger Moore: "As funny as these guys can be when they work themselves into a purple-faced rage yelling at the TV camera, none of the current generation of wrestler-actors seem to have the charisma or comic gifts of a Hulk Hogan or Dwayne Johnson."

New York Observer: "As long as the poker-faced "Triple H" is the centerpiece, The Chaperone is not without moments of genuine sweetness. Best of all, he is the most unpretentious and least flamboyant human juggernaut to ever hit the screen."

New York Post: "Stephen Herek's "The Chaperone" is dreadful enough to make you wish Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was still making family movies.Wrestling champ Paul "Triple H" Levesque is a fairly painless screen presence, but his taste in scripts may be even worse than former WWE colleague Johnson's."

More Updates On The Rock Coming Back To WWE Plus SmackDown Spoilers WrestleSite.com.

The Vanessa Rousso Poker Phenomenon

2011-06-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever played online poker, or at least read some poker related news, has undoubtedly heard of Vanessa Rousso at least once. Her name dominates the poker news portals noticeably. What is it exactly about her that has made her so popular?

Born in New York, this 27 year old girl was hired by PokerStars, the biggest online poker room on the planet (over 300,000+ users playing at any given time), to be their main spokes model/player. This happened for a couple reasons:

1) Having majored in economics in less than 2,5 years, and being a student of law, she is considered to be an extremely intelligent person.

2) With over 3,000,000 in poker winnings to her name, there is little doubt about Vanessa Rousso's poker skills.

3) She's a girl, and she's hot.

It is no coincidence, however, that they have chosen a girl for this role. Contrary to what most people think, it is possible that online poker will experience a collapse within as little as 5 years. This mostly has to do with all the poker legislation problems that are currently visible in most countries.

PokerStars is therefore trying very hardly to attract the attention of female poker players. They represent an untapped source of income, a gold mine that is waiting to be exploited. And here we have Vanessa Rousso -- a brainy, beautiful and very talented poker player. She makes a perfect role model for every aspiring poker female who might have been thinking of poker as a game meant only for guys. Women all around the world see the perfect woman in her.

With Vanessa's Big Slick Boot Camp (a poker course dedicated exclusivel to women), and various ladies-only tournaments being organized by PS, it certain that PokerStars will continue to leverage Rousso's image as aggressively as they have ever done.

Expect her to flood the news in 2011.

Mark Conner has been playing poker professionally since 2005. He started off by playing freerolls, and currently is a regular grinder at the $2/$4 No-Limit Texas Hold'em online games. Melanie Iglesias is his favorite poker girl.

The History of WSOP (World Series of Poker) 1970 - 1989.

2011-06-27T05:34:00.000-07:00

WSOP 2011 is just 10 days away and while looking forward and getting ready to the new series we would like to remember the history of this magnificent event to and see how it grew to become the most desirable and iconic live poker tournament.

This year over 70,000 players from every corner of the world will compete for $280,000,000 of the prize money in 58 different events. It is hard to believe that 1970, when the first World Series of Poker began, the entire state of Nevada had only 70 poker tables and on 50 of them in the whole city of Las Vegas. Although Benny Binion is universally thought of as the founder of the Series the story began a year earlier in 1969, when Vic Vickrey and Tom Moore set up a "Texas Gamblers Reunion" in Reno. A few high profiled Texan players joined the series of high rolling gaming including Benny Binion himself, Jimmy Snyder, Doyle Brunson, "Amarilo Slim" Preston, Johny Moss and Puggy Pearson. Although the original plan was to have this gathering an annual event 1969 reunion became the first and the last in history. However is gave Binion an idea to set up World Series of Poker in his Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas the following year.

1970 WSOP attracted only 6 players. The first champion Johny Moss was not even the tournament winner, as he was selected as the best player by mutual agreement of the other players. There was no attention or interest in the event from either press or public. What's more Horseshoe Casino did not even have a poker room and the event to place in a little alcove about the size of a small hotel room.

1971 WSOP was set up as a freeze-out. The tournament fee was $5,000 and again only seven attendants. Johny Moss defended his title and won the top prize. In those days the tournament was run on "winner-takes-it-all" basis. Once again nobody outside and in fact most people in Las Vegas new anything of what was going on.

1972 WSOP became the turning point, although still with only twelve participants joining the table. When "Amarillo Slim" Preston won the event, he took this opportunity to turn his victory into a huge publicity whirlpool and became live poker's greatest ambassador, telling the nation about this amazing new opportunity.

Preston's promotional efforts paid off and 1973 was the first time in history when live poker tournament made an appearance on CBS Sports. It was also the first year when other poker variations such as Razz, Seven Card Stud and lower limits of Texas Hold'em events were introduced. Puggy Pearson was the main even winner that year.

Johny Moss made a history and won his third title in 1974 and Doyle Brunson got the bracelet in three consecutive years 1975,1976, 1977.

It was 1978 when the tournament format was changed again to spilt the prize money and award top five players with progressive amounts. Also the same year the first woman, Barbara Freer, joined the tables to compete against all male clubs.

Hal Fowler became the first unknown amateur player to win the bracelet in 1979 to shock the famous professional hard core. His victory became a real aspiration for many new players, who had never thought of it before, to go Las Vegas and test their skills.

Young New Yorker Stu "The Kid" Ungar was another surprise for old school Texan dominated fraternity when he won in 1980 and then again the following year. His achievements where so exciting for the nation, that NBC Sports did the coverage of the whole event.

1982 WSOP offered eleven events, including Ladies World Championship. The main event buy-in became $10,000 and 260 players joined in.

In order to make WSOP participation more popular and achievable for all poker players from all backgrounds Eric Drache, WSOP tournament director at the time, introduced an idea of satellite qualifications in 1983. This idea was exactly what was needed attract universal interest and to move WSOP into a different league. From that point on the Series' popularity shot through the roof. The old Horseshoe Casino could no longer host the event alone and Binion even had to buy next door Mint Casino to accommodate some of the tournaments. Sadly Binion died in 1989 on Christmas Day.

If you have not secured your place in Las Vegas this year yet don't worry there is still time to qualify to live poker events WSOP 2011 online with Unleashed Poker as well as many other online poker promotions running now.

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

Win a $7,500 Package to a Live Poker Event of Your Choice.

2011-06-27T04:31:00.000-07:00

Have you been dreaming of winning a title and massive amounts of cash in a huge poker tournament like WSOP, EPT or WPT? Have you been following the excitement of the events unfolding this week in European Poker Tour Final in Madrid wishing it was you taking the place at the final table today in a contest for â�¬1,500,000 top prize? Then carry on reading because Unleashed Poker is giving you this chance.

We have set up a Live Tourney Trek to give all our players an exclusive opportunity to make it up to the top and win a seat in one of major live poker tournaments. The winners will have a full choice of the live tournament to take part in with a $7,500 package. The buy-in at step 1A starts from only $0.25+$0.05 and all Step 1 qualifiers are set up to run every 6 hours.

Step 1B qualifiers entry is only $1+$0.1 buy-in and with only 8 players required we recommend you tell all your mates about it and have a friendly competition at the table to see who can make it to the next round.

Live Tourney Trek is a five step journey and all players can join in at any time at any step of the trek. Steps one to four are run daily at and at early stages also at different times of the day to allow players from around the world take part at the time that suits them. The final Step Five is held on the last Saturday of every month. With only eight players required for most parts of the trek, including the final, your chances of making it all the way to the top table are extremely high.

Have a look at our daily coverage of EPT Final in Madrid to get you in the mood and we really hope that this time next year it will be your name on the final table leader board as a chip leader representing Unleashed Poker.

Unleashed Poker is an online poker room that offers players some of the online poker promotions, freerolls, online and live poker tournaments, wide choice of games for free or for real money. Now for a limited time only until the end of June 2011 we offer a new increased 200% First Deposit Bonus up to $600, Cash Back Rewards and Gold Rewards to our loyal Players.

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

Find Best Online Casino Games

2011-06-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for safe, trustworthy, regulated, and licensed casinos, this is the right place. Here you can find the best online casino games. This portal is like a search engine for live online casino. You can play for fun in real mode. You can find everything you want to know about casinos, for example, new games, latest information, articles, and news. This portal is the best casino guide you can ever find online. Whether it is internet gambling casinos or online casino slot games, you can find everything under one roof. This is a one-stop shot for all your gaming needs.

What's more? You can update your knowledge about this game and learn about casino tournaments, casino jackpots, casino history, its rules, strategies, tips and tricks, winners and dealers, and much more. Not just that, you can also find information about roulette, blackjack, slots, video poker, craps, baccarat, keno, and Caribbean poker. The latest online casino news is also updated on this portal. The best online casino games are at your fingertips on this portal. They are easily reachable online. If you have a passion for gaming, here is the avenue for enriching your experience and winning prize money. You can check the list of winners online.

This portal offers safe online casino. It stresses on protecting the privacy of visitors. It does not record IP address or browser information used by the players. You can find the online casinos from the USA, the UK, Spain, France, Germany, and Japan.

If safety is your prime concern, this place is just perfect. You can be assured that your privacy will not be compromised. Information about the best online casino games is available here. Read on to know more about the latest news.

Watch Hellcats Episode 15 u

2011-06-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979056587

http://inesph.com

Online Casino Gambling Legislation in US States

2011-06-24T14:15:00.000-07:00

Joe Adams wrote a 469 words article related to online casino games, bonuses, promotions, news, updates and trivia.

International Federation of Poker and The IMSA - The Truth

2011-06-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

A statement that has been issued today from Mr Holden reads:

A more measured account of the current state of play can be found at :

http://www.pokerblackbelt.co.uk/858/the-seedy-game-of-poker-no-longer/

Hopefully this information will put the rumourmongers to bed and allow the proper progress of the application and it to go ahead unimpeded.

An amateur poker player writing for players of all abilities.

WWE News And Rumors For Feb. 18, 2011

2011-06-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

More Updates On The Rock Coming Back To WWE Plus SmackDown Spoilers WrestleSite.com.

Win a $7,500 Package to a Live Poker Event of Your Choice.

2011-06-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

The Vanessa Rousso Poker Phenomenon

2011-06-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

1) Having majored in economics in less than 2,5 years, and being a student of law, she is considered to be an extremely intelligent person.

2) With over 3,000,000 in poker winnings to her name, there is little doubt about Vanessa Rousso's poker skills.

3) She's a girl, and she's hot.

Expect her to flood the news in 2011.

Win a $7,500 Package to a Live Poker Event of Your Choice.

2011-06-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

Find Best Online Casino Games

2011-06-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Watch Hellcats Episode 15 u

2011-06-18T12:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979056587

http://inesph.com

Casino Theme Party-Leading website offers help with Casino equipment and Poker events

2011-06-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

There are few better ways of spending an evening then at a Casino theme party and it appears that many would agree, by the surge in interest in this form of entertainment. The question always comes down to one thing, how to organise such an event. The answer lies in one location, a website that is receiving rave reviews, that website is http://www.dialadealer.com

Informative and innovative in nature, this website provides a portal into the world of casino theme party nights. With the crescendo of interest in this type of social event, this website is seeing a surge in visitors and enquiries. Its usefulness is down to a simple premise it provides the information required in an easy to understand and user friendly way, ensuring the visitors are provided every piece of the puzzle required to make an informed choice.

The popularity of this service is down to a simple need to escape the drudgery of everyday life, especially in times of the doom and gloom of a recession, which we are presently involved in. This form of escapism offers respite and sustenance in that it helps to focus the mind on other matters, basically enjoyment instead of worrying about bills. The service provided by www.dialadealer.com encompasses all that is required to fulfil a fun casino theme party and to enjoy, with friends and family an exciting night out.

This website offers all manner of casino related information and resources including casino equipment and how to organise poker events , its comprehensive and user friendly interface belies its enormously useful service. For anyone looking to arrange a casino theme night, this website is the one stop shop of casino party paraphernalia. With everything that is required to organise an unrivalled night out which would be enjoyed by all who attend.

For further information visit http://www.dialadealer.com

Online Casino Gambling Legislation in US States

2011-06-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

Joe Adams wrote a 469 words article related to online casino games, bonuses, promotions, news, updates and trivia.

PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker Charged with Money Laundering and Bank Fraud

2011-06-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Acquiring Free Dough For Internet Poker Sites

2011-06-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, poker is so popular that not knowing the basics of poker is almost the same as not knowing which Beatle is still alive. Of all the poker variations, Texas Holdem is the most popular one. Here you can find introduction to the basic of Texas Holdem poker including the game rules and terminology.

Texas Holdem is a community card poker game, in which all the players can share the face up cards dealt to the middle of the table. The object of Texas Holdem poker and any other poker variant is to win the pot by forming the highest possible poker hand according to the hand ranking detailed below. In Texas Holdem poker, each player has to form a five card poker hand of seven dealt cards: two private face down cards known as hole cards and five community cards.

Texas Holdem poker is played with a standard 52 card deck. Formally, up to 22 players can take part in a game, but you will not find a Holdem game with more than 10 players.

There are three betting structures: fixed limit, no limit and pot limit.

In fixed limit games, the maximum you can bet or raise in each betting round is fixed in advance.

In pot limit, the maximum amount of money you can either bet or raise is limited to the amount of money available at the pot during the betting round.

In no limit, the maximum you can bet or raise is the amount of chips available on your table. In other words, it is not limited.

Here we will refer to fixed limit Texas Holdem games.

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

Prior to the dealing, the two players who are positioned at the dealers left put out blind bets. These are called blind bets, because they are put out before the players have seen their cards. The player to the dealers immediate left puts out the small blind, which is usually half the amount of the minimum bet and the players to his left puts out the big blind, which is the amount of the minimum bet. Then, the action begins.

The play begins with the dealer deals each of the players two face down cards. Afterwards, the betting round begins with player to the left of the player who put out the big blind and continues clockwise. Each player has to choose whether to call, raise of fold.

If he calls, he has to add the amount of the minimum bet to the pot.

If he raises, he has to double to the amount of the maximum bet.

If he folds, he has to forfeit his hand

The first betting round is followed by the flop, in which the dealer deals the three community cards and places them face up in the center of the table. Then, another betting round occurs, which is followed by the turn. In the turn, the dealer deals the fourth community card. In the betting round that follows the turn, the bet has to be the amount of the maximum table limit.

The dealing of the fifth and final community card is called the river and it is followed by a final betting round, which is followed by the showdown. In the showdown, each of the remaining players is exposing his five card poker hand formed by the two hole cards and the five community cards. The player who holds the highest hand, wins the pot.

Here are is a list of poker hands ranked from the highest to the lowest:

Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit

Straight Flush: five cards in sequence of the same suit

Four of a Kind: four cards of the same value

Full House: three of a kind and a pair

Flush: five cards of the same suit

Straight: five cards in sequence of different suits

Three of a Kind: see: Four of a Kind

Two Pair: two pairs

Pair: one pair

As you can see, learning how to play Texas Holdem poker is not very complicated. However, there is a long way between knowing how to play poker and knowing how to win in poker. Learning how to win in Texas Holdem poker, or any other poker variation, is an art that requires much more attention and practice. In the meantime, you can at least understand what everyone is talking about when they are talking about no limit Holdem.
So that's all it takes. If you have any questions, or if anything isn't working out for you, email me and I'll give you assistance; the email address is obtainable on my website. Good luck at the poker tables -AnHatMan, www.pokermanhattan.com

International Federation of Poker and The IMSA - The Truth

2011-06-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

A statement that has been issued today from Mr Holden reads:

A more measured account of the current state of play can be found at :

http://www.pokerblackbelt.co.uk/858/the-seedy-game-of-poker-no-longer/

Hopefully this information will put the rumourmongers to bed and allow the proper progress of the application and it to go ahead unimpeded.

An amateur poker player writing for players of all abilities.

Tom durrr Dwan - dsestroying fulltiltpoker

2011-06-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

WWE News And Rumors For Feb. 18, 2011

2011-06-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

More Updates On The Rock Coming Back To WWE Plus SmackDown Spoilers WrestleSite.com.

Online Poker Rooms In Comparison

2011-06-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, poker is so popular that not knowing the basics of poker is almost the same as not knowing which Beatle is still alive. Of all the poker variations, Texas Holdem is the most popular one. Here you can find introduction to the basic of Texas Holdem poker including the game rules and terminology.

Texas Holdem is a community card poker game, in which all the players can share the face up cards dealt to the middle of the table. The object of Texas Holdem poker and any other poker variant is to win the pot by forming the highest possible poker hand according to the hand ranking detailed below. In Texas Holdem poker, each player has to form a five card poker hand of seven dealt cards: two private face down cards known as hole cards and five community cards.

Texas Holdem poker is played with a standard 52 card deck. Formally, up to 22 players can take part in a game, but you will not find a Holdem game with more than 10 players.

There are three betting structures: fixed limit, no limit and pot limit.

In fixed limit games, the maximum you can bet or raise in each betting round is fixed in advance.

In pot limit, the maximum amount of money you can either bet or raise is limited to the amount of money available at the pot during the betting round.

In no limit, the maximum you can bet or raise is the amount of chips available on your table. In other words, it is not limited.

Here we will refer to fixed limit Texas Holdem games.

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

Prior to the dealing, the two players who are positioned at the dealers left put out blind bets. These are called blind bets, because they are put out before the players have seen their cards. The player to the dealers immediate left puts out the small blind, which is usually half the amount of the minimum bet and the players to his left puts out the big blind, which is the amount of the minimum bet. Then, the action begins.

The play begins with the dealer deals each of the players two face down cards. Afterwards, the betting round begins with player to the left of the player who put out the big blind and continues clockwise. Each player has to choose whether to call, raise of fold.

If he calls, he has to add the amount of the minimum bet to the pot.

If he raises, he has to double to the amount of the maximum bet.

If he folds, he has to forfeit his hand

The first betting round is followed by the flop, in which the dealer deals the three community cards and places them face up in the center of the table. Then, another betting round occurs, which is followed by the turn. In the turn, the dealer deals the fourth community card. In the betting round that follows the turn, the bet has to be the amount of the maximum table limit.

The dealing of the fifth and final community card is called the river and it is followed by a final betting round, which is followed by the showdown. In the showdown, each of the remaining players is exposing his five card poker hand formed by the two hole cards and the five community cards. The player who holds the highest hand, wins the pot.

Here are is a list of poker hands ranked from the highest to the lowest:

Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit

Straight Flush: five cards in sequence of the same suit

Four of a Kind: four cards of the same value

Full House: three of a kind and a pair

Flush: five cards of the same suit

Straight: five cards in sequence of different suits

Three of a Kind: see: Four of a Kind

Two Pair: two pairs

Pair: one pair

As you can see, learning how to play Texas Holdem poker is not very complicated. However, there is a long way between knowing how to play poker and knowing how to win in poker. Learning how to win in Texas Holdem poker, or any other poker variation, is an art that requires much more attention and practice. In the meantime, you can at least understand what everyone is talking about when they are talking about no limit Holdem.
If you want to play online poker, and don't know where to find the latest poker bonus code, you can always check on www.FTPokerBonus for e.g. a PokerStars bonus code which also is known as a PokerStars marketing code.

Texas Holdem Poker: Basics Of The World Most Popular Game

2011-06-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, poker is so popular that not knowing the basics of poker is almost the same as not knowing which Beatle is still alive. Of all the poker variations, Texas Holdem is the most popular one. Here you can find introduction to the basic of Texas Holdem poker including the game rules and terminology.

Texas Holdem is a community card poker game, in which all the players can share the face up cards dealt to the middle of the table. The object of Texas Holdem poker and any other poker variant is to win the pot by forming the highest possible poker hand according to the hand ranking detailed below. In Texas Holdem poker, each player has to form a five card poker hand of seven dealt cards: two private face down cards known as hole cards and five community cards.

Texas Holdem poker is played with a standard 52 card deck. Formally, up to 22 players can take part in a game, but you will not find a Holdem game with more than 10 players.

There are three betting structures: fixed limit, no limit and pot limit.

In fixed limit games, the maximum you can bet or raise in each betting round is fixed in advance.

In pot limit, the maximum amount of money you can either bet or raise is limited to the amount of money available at the pot during the betting round.

In no limit, the maximum you can bet or raise is the amount of chips available on your table. In other words, it is not limited.

Here we will refer to fixed limit Texas Holdem games.

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

Prior to the dealing, the two players who are positioned at the dealers left put out blind bets. These are called blind bets, because they are put out before the players have seen their cards. The player to the dealers immediate left puts out the small blind, which is usually half the amount of the minimum bet and the players to his left puts out the big blind, which is the amount of the minimum bet. Then, the action begins.

The play begins with the dealer deals each of the players two face down cards. Afterwards, the betting round begins with player to the left of the player who put out the big blind and continues clockwise. Each player has to choose whether to call, raise of fold.

If he calls, he has to add the amount of the minimum bet to the pot.

If he raises, he has to double to the amount of the maximum bet.

If he folds, he has to forfeit his hand

The first betting round is followed by the flop, in which the dealer deals the three community cards and places them face up in the center of the table. Then, another betting round occurs, which is followed by the turn. In the turn, the dealer deals the fourth community card. In the betting round that follows the turn, the bet has to be the amount of the maximum table limit.

The dealing of the fifth and final community card is called the river and it is followed by a final betting round, which is followed by the showdown. In the showdown, each of the remaining players is exposing his five card poker hand formed by the two hole cards and the five community cards. The player who holds the highest hand, wins the pot.

Here are is a list of poker hands ranked from the highest to the lowest:

Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit

Straight Flush: five cards in sequence of the same suit

Four of a Kind: four cards of the same value

Full House: three of a kind and a pair

Flush: five cards of the same suit

Straight: five cards in sequence of different suits

Three of a Kind: see: Four of a Kind

Two Pair: two pairs

Pair: one pair

As you can see, learning how to play Texas Holdem poker is not very complicated. However, there is a long way between knowing how to play poker and knowing how to win in poker. Learning how to win in Texas Holdem poker, or any other poker variation, is an art that requires much more attention and practice. In the meantime, you can at least understand what everyone is talking about when they are talking about no limit Holdem.
James Lezpool has been playing poker for over 15 years. Recently, he has started to play Texas Holdem online. He also writes poker tips and reviews for the online casinos 707 web site.

The Vanessa Rousso Poker Phenomenon

2011-06-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

1) Having majored in economics in less than 2,5 years, and being a student of law, she is considered to be an extremely intelligent person.

2) With over 3,000,000 in poker winnings to her name, there is little doubt about Vanessa Rousso's poker skills.

3) She's a girl, and she's hot.

Expect her to flood the news in 2011.

Phil Ivey destroying fulltiltpoker 2011

2011-06-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

2011 Aussie Millions: Full Tilt Poker Academy

2011-06-13T23:57:00.000-07:00

Win a $7,500 Package to a Live Poker Event of Your Choice.

2011-06-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Unleashed Poker is an established Poker Room. Regulated and licensed in Curacao.

The World Series Poker Events

2011-06-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

Almost every kind of people had carried way bracelets in the World Series
Poker history. Holistic practitioner turned millionaire, television producer turned millionaire are some of the stunning changes after one wins the major event in the World Series Poker much to the envy of onlookers.

There can be times when every one may comment on every kind of hand you play. They may criticize and frown over most of your moves. They may not like the way you are dressed up and the way you carry yourself, but whatever others say, if you are going to beat all the participants in some way or the other everyone is going to praise you. People may not support you through the strategies in the World Series Poker but once you win they are behind you.

There have been several stances when people were making faces and commenting in a raw and bad manner on the way a particular player played in World Series Poker, but eventually the most criticized player would have turned to be the champion, beating several 1000s of people behind them. Be yourself and play yourself right, especially in tourneys like World Series Poker.

H.O.R.S.E tournament is one of the highlights of World Series Poker events. In the H.O.R.S.E tournament holdem, Omaha, razz, stud and eight or better are all played in a particular table in each round. Understanding all these 5 variants pretty well is the only way to play this game better. Even if you are going to be weak in one of the variants of H.O.R.S.E tournament you are likely to have a less advantage than others who know all the 5 games and the varying strategies.

Well, the final word would be to not feel discouraged if you have been eliminated from the World Series Poker events. World Series Poker is definitely a big event, it is advantageous if you win, but the world and opportunity is still open even after you loose. Losing in these games is not the end of your world! Feel pepped.

Jimmy Harolds is a professional casino expert offering poker strategies and tips for other poker players.

Texas Hold'em Poker Equipment

2011-06-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

Whatever you're looking for online, you should have no problems finding what you need. There are a huge range of options available so you shouldn't have any trouble at all getting good deals that are suitable for your needs. You'll have to take your time while you're browsing the web to ensure that you're aware of everything on today's market.

There are lots of options to choose from and you may find it difficult to make up your mind. Well, if that's the case then you should read on to learn how to choose the right services for your needs. You will also need to set yourself a budget so that you don't overspend and waste your money on a deal that's not worth it.

The first thing you should consider is the type of purchase you're planning on. This will be an important aspect of your decisions so make sure you understand what you're looking for before you buy or pay for anything. You will need to be aware of everything available on today's market so take your time while you're browsing the web.

Poker accessories are very popular at the moment and a lot of people are enjoying gambling a lot more. Casino items are available from a variety of online stores as well as some offline such as Debenhams and other large department stores.

Poker is a very popular game and is actually the most played game at online casinos (other than Bingo). The best way to play poker is with your friends and if you can get a casino cloth then you'll be able to enjoy the game more. You should find a huge range of options online but just remember to take your time and do your research.

For years you have been playing poker with very basic plastic poker chips. These chips are the same that everyone else is playing with because they were purchased at a local retail store. Your chips are now just "plain". Now is the time to get yourself a new set of custom poker chips. You know you want them, but now the problem is what the poker chips should look like.

This is a very common situation. Many poker players and poker game hosts understand that they need custom poker chips and they really WANT them, but they just haven't thought about the design. This can be fairly simple if you break it down into a couple questions that need to be answered.

First, what type of custom poker chips do you want? There are generally three kinds. Clay poker chips are the standard and are used in many casinos. The only problem is that real custom clay poker chips are hard to find and when you find them they are very expensive, often costing $1.25/chip or more when considering the fees involved. Ceramic poker chips another casino-quality version. Unlike clay poker chips these have become readily available for anyone to purchase. Also, custom ceramic poker chips are much lower in cost and they are FULLY customizable. The third option is to customize different variation of plastic poker chips with stickers, labels, stamps, or something similar. These are low cost but also often low quality when compared to clay or ceramic poker chips.

Now you know what type of custom poker chip you want. The next thing to consider is what type of games the chips will be used in. Many people will host cash games of different stakes and also host tournaments. For people like this it is best to get chips with no denominations on them. While useful, chips with no denominations will cause some slight issues with some players that can't remember the values.

Next, brainstorm and think about what your interests are. Often, a personalized poker chip set can revolve around what you are most interested in. This will help define your chips. Your theme could be anything - cats, motorcycles, skyscrapers, anything!

After you have an idea of the theme for your custom poker chips, take some time to look at other poker chips. Do some searching online and review the design of casino poker chips and of custom chips that others have had made in the past. While you don't want to copy some other poker chip design this will be helpful to give you ideas regarding design elements that you may want to use.
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How To Win Millions Of Facebook Poker Chips & Play In The Highroller Games

2011-06-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Becoming an experienced facebook poker player involves both dedication and patience and is not something that happens overnight. You should first remember that it's important that you always keep your conduct in the facebook poker game within the guidelines of conduct and player etiquette. Facebook poker players in the higher buy in tables will not tolerate mistakes and silliness that perhaps lower level players would in the beginner tables. If you make an effort to be friendly and connect with others you will find your experience to be a much more positive one in facebook texas holdem.

If you're goal is to climb the ranks of the game and win millions of facebook poker chips, you should already have an understanding of the rules and basic strategies of the game, so I wont be covering how to check, bet, raise or what cards are needed for a flush or straight. Instead we will focus on general intermediate strategies and pointers that will help you become an better overall player who is able to handle the challanges of higher level play.

Players in lower level games don't have many facebook poker chips to start out with, so they don't have much to lose. This usually leads them to call hands with little or no chance of winning the pot just because they want to be involved in the game and feel some excitement. Once you start accumulating a decent stack of facebook chips however, your play should become selective and you shouldn't be so quick to jump into hands that offer little reward and high risk. It's easy to get fooled by the perception that everytime you lay down your hand you are missing out on the possibility of landing a monster hand in Facebook Poker, but for every great hand that you miss out on, there are 10 others that never materialized and playing them would have only served to whittle down your stack of facebook chips, leaving you short stacked and unable to take advantage of the great hands.

Bluffing in Facebook Poker is also another great strategy to win millions of chips. Care must be taken to do it correctly however, or else you risk not only your chips but your reputation in the game as well. Bluffing is a skill that takes days to learn but years to master, but you can pull it off successfully if you keep a few points in mind. You should never let your ego get involved in bluffing. Sometimes players in Facebook Poker develop rivalries in the game and this begins to reflect in their game play. Often a player will reraise or make a large bet against another player to try and teach them a lesson for having previously taken their facebook poker chips in another hand. A bet or raise should never be based on emotions, it should only be made when the likelihood of winning the hand seems statistically in your favor.

Players should also try to vary their play in the game whenever possible. Once your opponents realize that you always bet with strong cards and bluff or fold with weak ones, it won't be long before they're crafting their strategy around your weaknesses in order to steal your facebook poker chips when you least expect it. It's wise to occasionally make intentional mistakes and switch up your game play style so that your opponents will have trouble labeling your as one type of player. If after hours of conservative play you start bluffing and raising and reraising, you will throw other players off guard and it will take them some time to adjust to your new style. Just make sure that you don't waste too many of your poker chips when trying out this strategy.

Follow these guidelines and you should have no problem rising through the ranks of both your friends and facebook poker players all over the world to get your name on the top players list. Winning millions of facebook poker chips is not an easy feat, but with discipline, patience and a little luck, it's a goal that any poker player can accomplish.
Facebook Poker Chips Blog is an online resource for social gamers who play Facebook Texas Holdem Games.

FBI Seizes Huge Poker Domains Fulltiltpoker.com, Absolutepoker.com, Pokerstars.com, UB.com

2011-06-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

Texas Hold-Em Poker

2011-06-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

All you need to know about texas hold-em3 in 1 Texas Hold'em Table Top (Poker/Craps/Blackjack) poker!

What To Expect - Online Poker Event -

2011-06-12T02:55:00.000-07:00

For many poker beginners, this card game can be very hard to learn. Many poker sites give new users free download software programs that can teach them the poker game. There is even a poker school in some poker sites that give out the tips on how to improve the users game.

Soon enough, after learning all the basic skills of poker, you will have to go to a live online poker event. What is a live online poker event? Well, as you are only a trainee, if you have been playing alone in front of the computer then you are playing an offline poker game.

A live poker event is where you log on to your poker room and join thousands of other poker players in tournaments hosted by the website. Why is it called a live poker event? It is live because you are playing against other people from different places in real time.

What is exciting about a live online poker game is you can actually put your knowledge and skills to the test. Betting a computer is one thing, especially if it is pre-programmed. Trying to outwit another human being in a live event, you now have a real competitor.

There are different types of tournaments that you can join in. Over 60,000 players try to beat each other in these live events. Finding the poker tournament that matches your current budget and skill level could help you earn more winnings.

The first live online poker tournament type is a freeroll tournament. This is a multi-table tournament where more than 10 participants can play. Multi-table means that you can play on different tables without having to tear yourself off an ongoing play. Freeroll in freeroll tournament means there are no entry fees needed to play. online

The second tournament type is the guaranteed tournament. Guaranteed Tournaments are also multi-table tournaments played with more than 10 participants. Guaranteed means there is a guaranteed prize pool amount, regardless the number of entrants in the game.

Unlike the freeroll, guaranteed tournaments require a buy-in and an entry fee. This type of game has a guaranteed amount for the prize pool, which is always bigger than the 10 combined entrants value. This makes sure that the prize is big even if only a few entered the live online poker game.

Some guaranteed tournaments provides for "rebuys" and "add-ons" of the game chips.. This means that if you lose all of your chips, you can "re-buy" your entry into the live online poker tournament and continue to play. An add-on is offered at the first break. Add-ons give those who have a short stack a chance to "top up" their chips at the same original buy-in amount. Some tournaments have "double add-on" which will give you twice as many chips as the starting chip count, but for the same cost of an original buy-in.

Another kind of live online poker tournament is a freezeout tournament. It means there are no "rebuys," so once you lose all your chips; you are out of the game.

The fourth live online poker tournament available to users is the sit and go tournament. Sit and Go tournaments are played on a single table, but it can also be played as a multi-table, depending on what the participants agree upon.

Sit and Go live online poker tournaments have specific buy-in and entry fee amount. This will form the prize pool money. At the end of the game, this is split up among the top three ranked winners and can follow a payout schedule in claiming the pool amount.

There will be times when you will encounter some problems, like being confused by the rules of the game. Some online poker rooms provide telephone support that you can call and ask about some clarifications.

Whatever live online poker tournament you play on, just remember that you are still a novice. Just feel your way into the game and everything will fall into place. Who knows? With constant practice, you just might be the next World Series Poker Champion!

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