Poker is a game of chance. You play the hand you are dealt and the highest wins. So how can you improve your odds in such a game where your hand depends on the cards you hold? There are several strategies used to do this.
Though there are many different poker variants, that is, different types of poker games, each with a slightly different set of rules, the general concepts remain the same.
Even though the game is based on luck, there are tips you can use to help improve your hand and know how to play even the bad ones. Remember, it is a game of chance, so even if you have a bad hand, there is still a chance you could win should you implement a technique such as bluffing, or use a different strategy.
First keep reading. There are various books available on poker, hand strengths, and strategies, many of which were written by pros. These people have been there and know what it takes to be successful. They have also been on both sides, so can provide both angles. The more information you arm yourself with, the better off you’ll be in the long run.
Next, play the game often. Though repetitively playing the same game can seem to be boring, it will help you use the information you gained when reading about it. When you read, you will learn how to improve your game, as well as learn why other players play the way they do. When you play, you’ll see how that works. Use your knowledge to gain more. Though you have the “textbook” perspective, so to speak, there is still nothing like the true experience to learn how it really works.
Next, play for keeps. If you are serious about playing to win, and wish to play in a large stakes game, playing at a free table will not get you where you need to be. Though doing so is a good way to learn and practice, it will not give you the practical experience of playing a large stakes game. This is because when nothing or next to nothing is at stake, people aren’t concerned with losing much so they aren’t playing to win. Some will even do things such as bluffing for no good reason because they have nothing to lose by doing so. Instead, play with others who are interested in the same thing as you, that is, to win. This will teach you how to be more competitive and give you a more realistic idea of the strategies and techniques employed in this type of game.
Lastly, don’t give up. Everyone will lose, that’s how you learn more about winning.
Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Poker, please visit Texas Holdem Poker for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/
Almost every roulette player has purchased a roulette system from the internet only to find it fails miserably. Unfortunately, the internet is rampant with fraudulent and clearly ineffective gambling systems. While almost every system seller claims to offer the “only” truly effective roulette system, almost every known roulette system fails. With virtually every system seller claiming the same thing, how do you know if a roulette system is ineffective or genuinely effective without risking your money? The principles explained within this article will aid you to determine which roulette systems are almost definitely ineffective, and which are at least “possibly” a genuine winner.
PRINCIPLE 1: You can beat the roulette wheel, but not the betting table: Einstein himself once said, “You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it.” Read his statement carefully. Most people assume he meant the game of roulette itself is unbeatable, but this is not the case. He made his statement about the table, not the game of roulette. While it’s completely true you cannot beat a “roulette table”, you certainly can beat a “roulette wheel”, and therefore the game of roulette. Contrary to popular belief, roulette is indeed beatable - millions can and have been won but only with methods based on the wheel itself.
Although the betting table is a scattered representation of the wheel, they are certainly not the same thing. For example, consider the first dozen (numbers 1-12). Each of these twelve numbers are perfectly scattered throughout various sectors of the wheel. Similarly, other outside bets are not a representation of specific sectors. Understand the table is intentionally designed not to represent wheel sectors because the casinos know while you cannot predict any “outside bet” with enough accuracy to overcome the house edge, you can predict which sector of the wheel will spin with enough accuracy to overcome the house edge. Although some tables permit sector-based bets, on most roulette tables, the only way to cover a wheel sector is by placing bets on individual numbers (inside bets). It is a mathematic and scientific certainty. Once you understand this principle, you understand that any system based on outside bets simply cannot win over the long term. This knowledge alone will help you eliminate approximately half of the roulette systems for sale on the internet as a candidate for a genuine winner. You should only ever consider a roulette system based on wheel sectors, because it’s the only way a system “can” be effective.
PRINCIPLE 2: You can only beat real wheels, not computer generated spins: One of the golden rules of marketing is people buy what they “want”, not what they “need”. In the case of roulette systems, most people want a system they can apply online, so that’s what most system sellers offer. However, rather than using real wheels and balls, almost every online casino uses random number generators to determine winning numbers. Because there is no real wheel, absolutely no bet can ever represent a wheel sector, and therefore no system can ever beat online casinos and computer generated spins - it’s absolutely impossible. While this may not be what purchasers want to hear, it is the plain truth. The only exception is live online roulette where a real wheel is viewed by webcam.
PRINCIPLE 3: If a system fails with flat bets, it cannot succeed with progression bets (changing bet size after wins/losses): If 10 reds spun in a row, the odds that black will spin next are still less than 50%. In such a situation, would you bet on black thinking it’s just bound to happen sooner or later? Perhaps this has happened to you, and after losing, you increased your bet to cover losses only to eventually blow your entire bankroll. This is one of the most common and fatal mistakes made by roulette players. It doesn’t matter how fancy or intricate your progression bets are, whether they be increasing or decreasing bets after a win or loss, progression bets cannot increase your chance of winning in the long term. If you increase bets after losses, you will only either get lucky and win big, or increase the rate at which you blow your bankroll. If you decrease bets after losses, you just decrease the rate at which you blow your bankroll.
No matter what you bet on, unless your prediction is accurate enough, you cannot overcome the house edge. To understand exactly what the house edge is, consider the European wheel has 37 numbers. If you bet and win on a single number, you receive 36 units back (35 new units + 1 unit you bet with). In other words, the payout is less than what you would be entitled to if the odds between you and the casinos were equal. This is where the house edge comes from. It is important to understand this concept because once you do, you realise even when you win, you still actually lose.
Genuine long term winning systems and strategies do exist, but they do not contravene the above principles. By investigating whether or not a system contravenes the principles, you can eliminate the clear majority of systems for sale as potential genuine winners. Among the known effective techniques are roulette computers, visual ballistics and wheel analysis methods - each of which are based on real wheels only, sectors of wheels, and can win over the long term without any form of progression. However, a system that complies with the principles does not guarantee it is effective. In fact there are a number of known ineffective roulette computers and just plain impractical visual ballistics and wheel analysis methods.
Prospective buyers of roulette computers should be wary and insist upon personal demonstrations before buying, rather than just rely on a seller’s claim that they can provide personal demonstrations. Alternatively, the buyer should insist upon clearly unedited video footage showing proof of effectiveness before buying. Some roulette computer sellers are known to use voiceovers (predictions) in video footage to give the illusion that their computer is effective. Despite the effectiveness of a correctly designed computer, readers should be advised such electronic devices are illegal to apply for monetary gain in some jurisdictions, and thus should only be used for evaluation purposes.
With regards to visual ballistics and wheel analysis methods, the buyer should still insist upon undeniable proof. If the seller cannot provide proof of effectiveness such as a freely downloadable and clearly unedited video footage, be wary because when something is legitimately effective, it can easily be proven. Never rely on the word alone of a seller.
Stefano Hourmouzis is an alternative energy researcher. Read about Stefano at
http://www.roulettecomputers.com
and http://www.genuinewinner.com
Learning how to win at online roulette and casino gambling is not difficult, just ask Stefano Hourmouzis an Australian alternative energy researcher and roulette consultant who has developed and released a one hour video demonstration of what may very well be the world’s most effective roulette system and strategy.
Not only does Stefano demonstrate approximately a +350 unit profit over an hour, an exact number hit rate of 1 in 21 is achieved which is even better than some roulette computers. The demonstration has sparked interest amongst roulette enthusiasts and casinos alike, raising questions of how his results were achieved. One might look at the possibility of a wheel bias, but no bias is apparent and his betting pattern is not consistent of exploiting such a bias. Furthermore, the wheel utilized in his demonstrations is of a modern design and level without a common ball drop point, eliminating the possibility of a dealer signature being used. Stefano even demonstrates a clear recovery from a losing streak to prove it’s not just “luck.” Was some other trick used, or is this the real thing?
While roulette is considered by most to be a random and unpredictable game, experienced roulette players understand it is in fact not random. Roulette can and is already being beaten by a number of methods including visual ballistics, roulette computers, bias analysis, and a variety of little-known wheel analysis methods. These methods are finding success both amongst players of online roulette and casino gambling. Stefano claims to have taken the known effective techniques one step further, greatly enhancing their effectiveness. In addition, he claims his energy research has led to new knowledge of predicting roulette that very few others have discovered - namely several types of patterns currently completely undetectable by any casino’s pattern analysis software.
“Absolutely every wheel generates some kind of recursive pattern that can be relied upon to increase a player’s chance of winning,” Stefano says. “It is just a question of whether not a particular wheel’s patterns are sufficiently defined to overcome the house edge. While my roulette system involves all the traditional known-effective techniques such as visual ballistics and standard wheel analysis, the core of my system is very different, and something only an energy researcher is likely to understand. If it weren’t for my work in energy development, I wouldn’t have discovered the patterns. Absolutely nothing in this universe is “random” - it’s all cause and effect, and therefore nothing is without an element of predictability.”
Can millions be won with Stefano’s system? According to him, it has already been done. While Stefano manages teams of players worldwide, he also offers his system to the public.
Stefano Hourmouzis is an alternative energy researcher. Read about Stefano at
www.roulettecomputers.com www.genuinewinner.com
and www.site-promotion.com
An understanding of the relevance of free casino chips must be put into its proper context: are the offers of the free chips coming from honest online casinos?
The first online casinos opened 10 years ago, and now there are hundreds that can be found online. Estimates vary as to the number of people who gamble online, but recent estimates suggest that a figure of around seven million worldwide would not be too far out. Taking that into account, and with a further estimate of more than $12 billion spent in online casinos alone (not including physical land-based casinos), offers of free casino chips may understandably be seen as something of a drop in the ocean.
Add to that the question of whether or not these free chips are being offered by honest online casinos, and we enter an area worth some study or serious research.
Firstly, let us consider what these free casino chips are really worth to the individual online casino player. Free casino chips are of four main types:
No Deposit Bonus. This is simply free money. Honest online casinos will offer free casino chips with no strings attached, simply to attract people to play at their virtual tables. There will sometimes be minor strings attached. For example, the casino may ask for credit card details up front. Always read the terms.
Matching Deposit Bonus. This is where the house will match your deposit. Often this is done in multiples. For example, a 200% bonus will mean that if you were to deposit $100 then the casino would add $200 in free casino chips to your account. Very nice! Especially useful for new players starting out.
Uncashable Bonus. This is the so-called ’sticky’ bonus. This can never be cashed, but its usefulness lies in that fact that it stays in your account and enables you to use the bonus account to ‘leverage’ higher wagers. These free casino chips stay latent in your account simply to allow you to do things which you otherwise could not.
Loyalty Bonus. This is exactly as it sounds. All honest online casinos, and offline ones too, want to keep hold of their good returning customers, and will offer loyalty bonuses, including free casino chips, as a result.
Remember that online casinos can afford to do this because they simply do not have the overhead that their brick and mortar land-based counterparts have. Equally, there is no excuse for an online casino NOT to be honest for exactly the same reason. They can offer free casino chips AND be an honest online casino in circumstances where their physical equivalents would find the financial burden impossible.
So how do we go about identifying which are the honest online casinos and which are not? Well, a lot has changed since the earliest online casinos set up shop in their offshore locations in 1996. Self-regulation (at best dubious) led to accreditation of bodies like ECOGRA (E-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance). Look out also for evidence of good customer care, positive feedback from online casino forum members and decent helpline facilities. The more honest online casinos will offer (will actively boast) 24 hour live chat and live email support as well as toll-free telephone help. Does it have a mailing list you can join to keep in contact with the latest tournaments and special offers? Trust lies at the heart of any subscription process (or people would not subscribe) so that in itself is a good indicator of an honest online casino.
Transparency of accounting systems is another good indicator of honest online casinos. When testimonials are published make sure that it is from more than a set of initials, and make sure they have a state or country. Free casino chips may be ‘virtual’ in concept, but they are used by real people!
But the best indicator of an honest online casino is by personal recommendation. This also includes affiliation of such casinos into trusted casino websites and portals. If an offer of free casino chips is made by an online casino on such a site then it can probably be trusted.
Edmund Deacon is an Internet technologist and has compiled an ebook of reputable online casinos where you can gamble on the Internet in relative safety. To get $17,000 of free casino chips, go to http://www.gamble-on-the-internet.com
The color of money is always greener in the City of Sin…Las Vegas. The legends of Las Vegas casinos have always made sure that this is a consistent truth. Las Vegas casinos reputation of luring tourist in the webs of game tables and the allure of the sound of slot machines. In the bright lights of the city, surely a Las Vegas casino will tower over the dust fields and the prairies of one of the Midwest’s most colorful and liveliest cities.
Las Vegas casinos made the city famous for making easy money. Tourist could never ever escape the comes-ons of Las Vegas’s casinos, it’s like the most fondling sound that they have ever heard in their entire lives and the promise of wealth and instant millions, that are sometimes posted on the billboards that welcome you while driving into the city, make them mesmerized to the point where they are no longer in control of their own purse.
The stories of defeat and anguish are so common in any Las Vegas casino; some of them have become urban legends and modern day mythologies that some of them are known by heart by the frequenters and the players. They have even lifted their stories to the level of being legends among craps table newbies. And their stories linger on to the very corner of every Las Vegas casino and strip clubs, the names and the amounts have immortalized themselves.
Las Vegas casinos are also known for their side attractions that take the players (gamblers)mind off the money that their actually losing. Everyday a player loses almost half of their annual incomes in just one game table and the least that the Las Vegas casinos’ owners are to have side shows that will entertain players keep their minds of the money they just burned. The common Las Vegas casino have playboy bunny girls, midgets doing magic and other attractions that players see to help them from remembering that they’ve just burned enough money to feed their family for half a year.
The typical Las Vegas casino, or almost all of them have memberships and to be part of their exclusive clubs, the interested party must have at least a certain amount of money they could burn at one time to qualify. Any self-respecting Las Vegas casino has will look closely at any membership. They of course don’t want anyone getting inside their club without passing club standards. Typically, a Las Vegas casino will investigate any prospecting applicant and make sure that this person is not just a bag of hot air.
In the deserts of the Midwestern frontier, Las Vegas will always stand out. Besides the scenery, the beautiful people and the constant desert weather. Las Vegas is always a good place to visit. Just remember to bring a lot of cash, tons of sun block and remember if you’re going to run around town getting drunk and spending your life’s savings to have the time of your life…leave the wife and kids at home and if they’re already with you, leave them at the hotel room. So if you’re already and good to go, drop by any of the famous Las Vegas casinos and have the time of your life.
Zark Barker runs Las Vegas Live.com