Absolute Poker: Victim or Embezzler?

I just recently heard that Absolute Poker, one of the Internet's most reputed online poker rooms has been involved in quite a predicament. While I have never actually played there, I have close friends who have. And, they are certainly quite confused right now. The whole thing started several months ago when a rumor regarding a certain tournament poker cheater started circulating in different poker forums. People said that that something very wrong had been going on at Absolute Poker.


To be more specific, some players were convinced that the winner of a certain poker tournament staged by Absolute Poker used some sort of a super-user account that gave him the ability to see his opponents' private cards. When the accusations gained substantial weight, Absolute Poker came under extensive investigation launched by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), the regulatory body that issued Absolute Poker's operating license.


At the same time, Absolute Poker officials launched an internal investigation in the the matter. Eventually, the poker room officials found out that an employee had managed to breach the security system and played unfairly on the site. Needless to say, the employee was dismissed at once. Having figured out the matter, the poker room issued a statement declaring that this was an internal security breach within the company, without the intervention of any third party.


All Absolute Poker is left to do is wait for the KGC's decision on the matter. However, whatever it may be, even if the Kahnawake Gaming Commission decides that the poker room is innocent of involvement in the aforementioned cheating scheme, its reputation as an honest online gaming will become tainted anyway. OnlinePokeReport.com, the online poker portal where I first read the information, is probably going to provide further details about the case.

2008 WSOP is Coming!!!

Wow, it's been quite a while since my last post. It's not because I've suddenly forgotten to write but because I was so busy at work and at school. There is nothing to worry about either, though I somewhat doubt that anyone ever did, poker is still my favorite hobby. Yes, I'm still a proud poker lover who seeks to express herself right here, in this blog of mine...

Unfortunately, my time is short. So, the only thing I'm going to mention here right now is the fact that Harrah's Entertainment has recently announced the schedule for the 2008 World Series of Poker. How exciting is that... The first 2008 WSOP tournament will take place at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas on May 30. The entire competition will feature 55 poker events. Much like always, in addition to hefty cash prizes, competition event winners will also receive exclusive World Series of Poker gold bracelets created by top watchmaker CORUM.

I can't wait already...

Pammie's Full of Surprises

Pamela Anderson is indeed full of surprises. According to recent news, the buxom lady is getting ready for her third marriage. This time to poker player Rick Solomon. By the way, Solomon is Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend who co-starred in the infamous sex video they made together and which became very popular over the Internet.

Anderson just recently revealed that she had a certain poker debt. She settled this bet between the sheets, as they say. Although, at first, she refused to unveil the identity of the guy and people even said that it was poker pro Antonio Esfandiari, Anderson ultimately confessed that it was Solomon. She played poker with him, lost her entire stack of chips and eventually became indebted. Solomon said that he would pardon the debt if she slept with him. Without considering the pros and the cons of such a move, Anderson hopped into Solomon's sack.

The couple obtained their marriage license just yesterday. Solomon will become Anderson's third husband. Previously, she was married to Kid Rock and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. . In early September, both Lee and Kid Rock made grand news when they fought over Anderson at the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony.

And, what I ask is 'is she really worth it?'

Murder over Poker Game

I know, I know, I know... I have already written a couple of articles about people killing other people over poker games. But, I can't help it. Just this morning I read an article about some people who were engaged in a friendly game of poker. Apparently, when the game ended somebody was less than satisfied with the outcome of the game. So, he went out and when he came back he shot five of his opponents. Three of them were mortally wounded and the other two died on the spot.

According to police, the shooting may have also been drug related with the game loss fueling the suspected killer's fury. Detectives assigned to the case are now investigating the incident. The suspect escaped the crime scene and police currently have no information regarding his whereabouts. Although they are hopeful that the attacker would be found very soon, at this point, nobody can guarantee that. Personally, I feel bad for the victims. Although they may have been dirt bags (drug dealers), it's still human life, you know.

The entire incident just proves how little appreciation people have for live. I'm sorry that the game of poker, something that is supposed to bring fun and entertainment to people's lives, sometimes involves death and murder.

Completely Nuts Poker

I have just found out about a new online poker room called Nuts Poker. Much like many other popular Internet card rooms, Nuts Poker operates on software provided by Playtech. In my opinion, the greatest thing about this online poker, beyond the games offered, is the incredibly generous Welcome bonus. Players who open a new account with the poker room are offered the opportunity to collect up to $500. Isn't it completely nuts?

I was quite disappointed to find out that they have no live chat support. But, the poker room operators state that the support via telephone and e-mail is as instant and efficient as if it had been done through live chat. Another thing that kind of made me think twice before opening an account there is the fact that Nuts Poker traffic is so-so outside peak hours. However, despite all the aforementioned disadvantages I still signed up and eventually learned that I did good. All in all, it's a great poker room providing a very realistic gaming experience!

Pamela Anderson Happy to Pay off Poker Debt in Bed

I just read a news article that left my mouth wide open. And, it's not because I read something outrageous. Outrageous does not cut it when it comes to Pamela Anderson. The woman has tried it all...and, that's not something she wishes to hide. She prefers her personal life to be an open book to the general public.

So, back to this article I read. The new item said that the former Playboy bunny recently settled a poker debt in the sack. During her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the sexy actress was reported as saying that she lost about $250,000 playing poker at some LA card room. When her debtor offered to pardon the debt if she went to bed with him, Anderson happily agreed.

Surprisingly enough, despite being more than just honest regarding the entire affair, Anderson refused to reveal the name of the man. However, rumor has it that the poker player is Antonio 'The Magician' Esfandiari. Additionally, she said that she was deeply in love with man and that she believed the incident was very romantic. She hopes to become engaged to him.

The woman is totally and completely nuts...

Desperate Mac User Looking for Mac Compatible Poker Room...

The world of online gaming has been cruel to Macintosh computer users. This is because there is only a meager selection of online poker rooms and casinos featuring no-download option compatible for Mac computers. Indeed, finding an Internet card room available to Mac holders is not an easy task. Most online gaming destinations require poker lovers interested in their games to download their software in order to play. This is highly unfortunate to people using Macs.

So, I've decided that this is going to be my 'challenge of the day.' I've made up my mind to find 5 top online poker rooms with a no-download software option no matter how much time it will take. If a Mac user happens to read these lines, this is for you buddy!

Well, the search was not easy at all. After all, with Mac compatible poker websites being so few, it took me quite awhile until I was able to find the most profitable and reliable ones. Here go my 'top 5 Mac compatible poker rooms':

Pacific Poker- This is a high-quality online poker room. Generous promotions. Good selection of games. Highly attractive graphical design. The competition is relatively easy. What more can a player ask more? And, they certainly offer their gambling action to Mac users as well.

Hollywood Poker- Hollywood poker is a fast growing poker room. Competition can be found at most hours of day virtually at any table. The support service is excellent, fast and savvy. Mac compatible.

PokerRoom.com- Yet another cool online card room. Games available are Texas Hold 'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo and 5-Card Draw. Provides a great gambling experience. Reliable when it comes to payouts.

Party Poker- Generally speaking, Party Poker offers its patrons very generous bonuses and rich promotions, including a Bad Beat Jackpot. Account holders are also offered the option to play casino games and even place wagers on sports. The general environment is safe and secure. Mac users are more than welcome.

Fult Tilt Poker- I couldn't help myself with this one. Full Tilt Poker is a great poker room and was among the most profitable ones before the U.S. government enacted the UIGEA last October. While numerous other poker rooms abandoned the U.S. market, Full Tilt Poker decided to stay. So, it means that it still offers gambling entertainment to U.S.-based players, but the legality of play over there is unclear. But, if you don't care about the legal issue, Full Tilt Poker does offer no-download play for Mac holders.

Good Luck you Mac folks!.

News: Poker dealer murdered...

I'm positively shocked. Or, should I say negatively? Well, in any case, I just read a news article that definitely shocked me. It was about this middle-aged poker dealer who was tortured to death. The victim's body was found by an employee of a cheap Las Vegas hotel where he lived. Police said he was brutally tortured before dying. I guess that any detailed depictions are unnecessary.

An, what is worse, police have no clue regarding who did it or why they did it. Apparently, the dealer just moved to Vegas from Ohio so he could not have made any enemies so rapidly. On the other hand someone indeed had the motive to slay him. The authorities suggested that, perhaps, he was murdered by his former illegal gambling business buddies. Yep, the victim was not a saint either.

At first, police suspected that his estranged wife was involved, but soon such assumptions were dropped. The woman had a solid alibi. And, after being questioned, detectives assigned to case concluded that she didn't want him dead. So, now they are trying to figure out who murdered the man in such a cruel manner...I hope they nail the attacker and make him spend a lot of time behind bars. 'Cuz pretty much nothing justifies murder!

'Cuz It's Worth It!

'Why play poker over the Internet?' That's a question many informative poker portals are more than willing to answer. While some mention the great selection of games typically offered by online poker rooms, others seek to attract players describing the incredible gambling adventures players would be experiencing. Personally, however, I play for the perks. My motto when it comes to online card room promotions is 'the more the better'!

So what should you expect when checking out a poker room in terms of bonuses and promotions. According to OnlinePokeReport.com, the following list should more or less answer this important question:

Welcome bonuses

These refer to a perk a poker room is willing to give you if you open an account there. The Welcome bonus is usually very generous and is designed to attract as many players as possible. Remember, anything under 100% match is not worth your time. And another thing, check out what are the conditions for bonus withdrawal because these are sometimes very tricky.

Reload bonuses

These refer to a perk expected to make you to return to a poker room where you have already registered in the past. In other terms, where you are already an existing client. The poker room wants you to keep playing there instead of opening a new account somewhere else. So, they offer you some additional cash just to get you started. Reload bonuses are not as frequent as one would like them to be, so a poker room that has them is a great one!

Freeroll tournaments

Freerolls are great. No, really! Freerolls are tournaments where you are not required to invest any money in order to participate. However, the prospect of winning some actual cash is more than real. All you need to do is express is sign up and there you have it: real tournament play at it's finest! The quality of the freeroll is judged by how much money the poker room is putting up per player. If you see a freeroll, dive in. Just be sure that there are no strings attached.

Satellites to prestigious live events

Satellites are online poker tournaments with seats to major live events, such as the World Series of Poker championship, as first place prizes. Satellites are perfect for players who can't afford to pony up the buy-in for the major event directly. These are typically quite expensive, you know. Once again, just be sure what a poker room requires you to do in order to gain entrance to the satellite tournament.

Bad Beat jackpots

You can't win them all, right? Sometimes, you happen to hold a great hand and you can almost smell the victory, but it's snitched away at they very last moment. Some poker rooms understand your sorrow and offer a Bad Beat bonus. This is a prize awarded to a player who gets beaten despite holding a spectacular hand.

These are the promotions you look for when evaluating a poker room. Once again, 'the more the merrier'!

Poker Debt Leads to Incredible Cruelty...

Apparently, it is true. Poker may indeed lead people to incredible cruelty. Just this morning I read a news article saying that some two guys from Colorado were very desperate to collect a certain poker debt. Apparently, the third guy, the one who owned them money, refused to pay. So, in order to force him to settle his debt they decided to torture him in the most vicious way.

Their creative drive knew no limit. They built a wooden box and placed rattlesnakes in it. Their plan was to make the debtor put his legs in the box without the option of pulling them out. It would have been a slow and very painful death. And for what? For the money!

Fortunately, they never had the chance to carry out their scheme. The would-be victim called police and the plotters were apprehended and placed under custody. They now both face grave charges, and if proved to be guilty, would certainly spend some time behind bars.

Personally, I think that it's outrageous. I believe that poker is about honing ones' skills and having great entertainment at the tables. It should have nothing to do with any physical violence, much less murder conspiracies. Otherwise, why bother?

Poker Quiz for You Folks

O.k., so it may appear rather childish, but I admit that I simply love taking quizzes. And, I really don't care what the subject is. History, literature, sciences, whatever. Poker quizzes, nevertheless, are my favorite. The minute I lay my eyes on a poker quiz I feel an unstoppable urge to test my knowledge. After all, I consider my self highly knowledgeable when it comes to the world of poker. My friends usually tease me calling me 'poker brains.' This, unfortunately, says nothing of my gaming skills...

Needless, to say that the poker quiz presented below is aimed at poker beginners. However, if any of my readers are already poker professionals, I'm positive, that you would have a lot of fun ass well. The questions are taken from different areas of poker, from tournament play skills to general poker trivia. I hope you have fun with it:

1. Who of the following top poker pros holds the most World Series of Poker bracelets?

A. Johny Chan

B. Phil Hellmuth

C. Carlos Mortensen

This is a tough question because all of the above are highly experienced poker pros who have taken their share of cash at the WSOP...

2. In what Hollywood movie Mel Gibson portrays a poker player?

A. The Bounty (1984)

B. What Women Want (2000)

C. Maverick (1994)

Mel Gibson has certainly played in a great variety of films. However, there is only one great movie where he portrayed a player desperate to collect enough money to participate in a high-stakes poker tournament.

3. Which of the following descriptions describes the best a 'maniac'?

A. A player who bets and raises without taking into account his hand value.

B. A novice player with marginal gaming skills.

C. A rude player who is used to insulting his opponents.

You will come across different types of opponents at the poker tables. It is important for your future success to identify them and adjust your gaming strategies accordingly.

4. What popular poker game is different than the rest?

A. Texas Hold 'em

B. Deuces Wild

C. 7-Card Stud

Every poker game has its own rules and winning strategies. However most of them also share the same elements, such as the ranking system. What I'm asking is what poker game has the least in common with the others?

5. Which of the following female poker pros started playing poker when she was only four years old?

A. Kathy Liebert

B. Jennifer Harman

C. Barbara Enright

Women poker players have long since demonstrated that they can rule the poker world with the same success as their male counterparts. The women listed above are considered highly talented poker players as fierce opponents at the tables.

Answers: 1. B., 2. C., 3. A., 4.B., 5. C.

Btw: all the info can be found at OnlinePokeReport.com.

What Makes an Amateur Poker Player a Pro?

Boy, that's a question I've been asking myself for a long while now. But really, what makes an average poker player a poker professional? What separates amateur players from real pros? Some would say that professional players are the ones who consider poker their career and make their living from playing poker. These guys eat, drink and sleep poker. However, it is only one way to look at the issue. Many prominent poker players, like 2005 WSOP champion Joe Hachem, who are definitely considered pros, are in no hurry to abandon their non-poker jobs.

Looking from a completely different angle on the issue, perhaps a poker pro is a person who makes huge profits by playing poker. However, this is also inaccurate. Take, for instance, Jamie Gold. Prior to his record-breaking win of $12 million at the 2006 World Series of Poker, the guy barely new how the game is played. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but despite nabbing such an attractive jackpot at the WSOP, Gold is largely not considered to be a poker professional.

In my opinion, the separating factor is the pros' attention to details. Simply put, most poker amateurs lack the ability to pay close attention to details which at first may seem unimportant. While the pros are constantly engaged in filing information on each and every of their opponents and on the gambling action that takes place at their tables, poker amateurs focus on on issues of no immediate value, such as how to nab the next WSOP bracelet. Additionally, amateurs are easily distracted by the sounds they happen to hear around them. Pros, however are completely fixed on the game.

A lot has already been said on the importance of tells. Players who know how to read whatever their opponents project have an incredible competitive advantage over others. Thus, while poker pros invest extra time in reading their opponents' behavior, amateurs are mostly preoccupied with their own hands. Once, when staying with my family in Vegas, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Annie Duke in action. Frankly, I do not remember which casino it was at (because that they I visited many of them on the Strip), but what I do remember is how amazing she was. Her eyes were concentrated on the cards. She was examining the body and faces of her poker foes. No wonder she's considered one of the best tell spotting players in the industry!

So, what do we actually learn from this? Well, the way I see it, it takes time to become a pro. And, it's all about paying attention, folks!

Trust No One!

The Internet is virtually swamped with advice on how to play Texas Hold 'em. Everybody is very eager eager to teach others how to play the game so to be able to win. By just googling the phrase 'Texas Hold 'em rules/ strategy' you receive a couple of hundreds of poker-related websites featuring game play rules. This is all just fine. However, what bothers me the most is the fact that most of these recommendations are completely senseless.

What I mean to say is that, most of these guiding tips have absolutely nothing in common with reality. Basically, the vast majority of them lack logic altogether. It is very likely that they have been written by amateurs with high self confidence, but with almost no poker experience. This becomes a major problem for poker beginners who seek genuine, usable advice.

In my opinion, the best thing to do in order to avoid using the no good information on how to play poker, is visit major poker blogs (just like this one) or forums and ask experienced players for advice. Asking regarding reputed informative poker portals that provide reliable information is the best solution to this problem.

Anyway, much like always, I recommend OnlinePokeReport.com!

Confessions of a Greedy Poker Player...

Yep. This is actually true. It's time to come out...When it came to poker bonuses I was once a greedy fellow. I was always on a search for a generous bonus or an attractive promotional offer. I used to think online poker rooms where created for people just like me. The greedy ones. Those who refuse to settle for a poker room that doesn't run frequent freeroll tournaments or is giving away prizes for its existing players (as opposed to lavishing incredible perks on newcomers).

To my defense on the greediness part, I shall state that I was only greedy because I could. What I mean to say is that much like many other poker lovers who play the game over the Internet, I was spoiled with the vast range of online poker destinations competing one against the other for a player's attention. With so many great online poker rooms offering the ultimate poker experience, I could afford to get picky.

When I first started playing online poker, I was modest. I was looking for a nice poker room to settle in, become a regular and enjoy the adventure of playing the game in cyberspace. But, as time went by, my appetite for free perks grew bigger and bigger. I started looking for poker rooms with other free attractions, and the more I found the more I wanted more. I came across poker websites providing players with incredible First Deposit bonuses of as much as $600 and satellites promising to send players to exclusive live event like the World Series of Poker.

Other incredible offers included guaranteed tournaments with jackpots worth thousands of dollars, unbelievably profitable Refer-a-Friend bonuses (by the way, I referred so many of my friends that, at a certain point, I could no longer keep track of whom I referred where) and other irresistible promotions. The entire thing got out of hand so badly that I realized that things were becoming ugly. So, I stopped.

No, not that I stopped playing poker altogether. I'm too big a fan to do just that. I still play online poker. But, I no longer chase the ultimate bonus, rather, now I go for other important qualities. The list of these qualities typically includes honesty, integrity and zero tolerance for collusion. Now, I only play at poker websites that have truly earned my trust. Actually, this is the best advice I would have given to a beginning poker player, if asked, of course.

Btw, you can find a list of great online poker rooms at OnlinePokeReport.com. Enjoy!

Poker Hypnotherapy to Do the Trick?

From the beginning of time, poker players have been searching for an efficient way to overcome poker's four toughest challenges: lack of confidence, lack of patience, loss of concentration and going on tilt. These four elements have prevented even the most brilliant poker aficionados from cashing in big time. If you comb some of today's most popular poker forums and blogs, like I did for the past couple of weeks, you will see what I'm talking about.

Players repeatedly complain that they lose the games they play because they either lose their self-confidence after a string of unsuccessful games, lose their patience when they should do just the opposite, go on tilt when they feel that victory might be close or suddenly become impatient for whatever reason. In my opinion, players who can put these aside and just focus on the game are sure winners.

I just recently found this website saying that poker involves mental aspects. And, the way I see it, the four challenges I mentioned above are indeed all mental. People with vast experience in poker realize the mind & body connection and how it influences game outcome. They understand that developing useful poker strategy and having good luck are only part of the equation when it comes to winning.

Well, the most interesting thing about this website is, that they suggest that it's possible to gain the coveted mental edge over opponents through Poker Hypnotherapy. At first, was quite skeptical but they insisted that the Hypnotherapy treatment really made a huge difference. They claim that hypnosis helps enhance the performance of professional sportsmen and that it works the same for poker players.

When asked what poker hypnosis is, the website operators say that it's a state of relaxation highly similar to being asleep and with the emphasis on poker. Also, they say that your subconscious works to keep you happy. When you hear positive suggestions, your subconscious will accept them and instruct your body to perform the physical functions accordingly. Consequently, it's possible to actually retrain your mind to react with different behaviors while playing poker. Although it takes a lot of practice, it can really be achieved.

After reading the above material, I was quite intrigued. I wondered how safe it was to actually undergo such a treatment and whether or not the results were truly worth the effort. I guess I'll never know the answer because I'm quite satisfied with my armature poker play as it is. I usually beat all my friends anyway...

Hmmm, Razz Anyone?

I never played Razz poker before. Never even knew that it's actually very similar to the way you play 7-Card Stud. I was greatly surprised to find out that these two poker variations are pretty much the same. Well, they do have their differences still...

For instance, in Razz, the lowest hand, A-2-3-4-5, takes the jackpot. Also, Aces are low, and straights and flushes have no impact on the low value of a hand. It was kind of weird for me at first, but then it turned out to be really ok.

I gathered my poker buddies at my house yesterday and said 'Guys, tonight we're playing Razz.' At first, they protested saying that we always play Hold 'em and there is no way we're betraying our years-long tradition. But, eventually, after much yelling, they came around and we played Razz.

The only part that I really hated was losing. This is because I usually win in Hold 'em. It's probably because I am a beginner with Razz. I wonder if the other guys had prior experience with the game playing it over the Internet. Maybe I should practice online too. Frankly, I hope that I'll have better luck next time...

Btw, there is a pretty clear explanation on how to play Razz at OnlinePokeReport.com.

PokerOcean.com an Ocean of Wealth

A longtime friend of mine, who by chance happens to love poker as much as I do, recently mentioned to me that he had found this fantastic Internet card room, PokerOcean.com. Being curious by nature, I immediately typed the the name of this card room in my web browser. The poker room opened instantly and I was captivated by the attractive graphical design. Then, I wanted to know more. I guess there is no limit to my curiosity...

The first thing I check out when evaluating a poker room is what gaming software it uses. This is of paramount importance because it saves me lots of unexpected crashes. Overall, I like software that is user-friendly and generally reliable. In PokerOcean's case, I was greatly satisfied. This online poker room operates on software provided by Playtech, which is a leading company in its field. Their products are of high quality and totally trustworthy.

The second thing that I'm most anxious to find out is the selection of bonuses they have to offer. Let's face it, most of us search for the most profitable poker rooms on a daily basis. The welcome bonus is the most critical of all. If it's not as attractive as I expect it to be then I move on. Luckily, the first deposit bonus at PokerOcean.com is more than just ok. It's actually great! It's a 50% match up to a total of $200. Potentially, that's a lot of money. There are other excellent bonuses as well, such as a $75 refer-a-friend bonus and a 100% monthly reload bonus.

The third thing that, in my opinion, is a must is the range of games the poker room features. If a certain website has nothing to offer but Texas Hold 'em variations, I would never open an account there. But, this is not the case with PokerOcean.com. There you will find all limit variations of the following games: Texas Hold 'em (don't get me wrong this is actually my favorite game, I just like diversity), Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud and 5-Card Stud. Most of the games are quite loose.

The list of other perks I found at this poker website includes a selection of safe and secure depositing and withdrawing methods and 24/7 support services available through either live chat, or telephone or e-mail.

The bottom line is that PokerOcean.com is a great place to play poker and make new poker buddies!

Reasons to Raise or Call...

Getting a good (and by 'good' I mean effective and comprehensible) advice on poker strategy is not such an easy goal to achieve. There are many strategy tips out there and all of them are boasting their high quality. However, soon enough you realize that the vast majority of these tips and recommendations are of no value at all. So, what an average poker player is to do in order to get some valid info on smart poker play?

Well, that's a tough question... So, I've decided to do some serious research on the issue. It took me some long time, but, finally, I found this poker guide with pretty useful tips (I actually tried some of them out and they worked for most of the time) on what to do at the tables.

The first set of tips gives you an idea when it's a good time to call. Here they go:

A. You should call when you're trying to see more cards. When you happen to hold a drawing hand, you can get the correct pot odds by calling and having some more cards exposed.

B. You should call when you're trying to avoid a re-raise. Only you calling would deny the original bettor his right to re-raise.

C. You should call when you're trying to conceal the real value of your hand. If you happen to hold a good hand, you might want to keep this fact to yourself in order to keep your opponents in the pot. Scaring other players out of the pot means lessening the potential pot size.

D. You should call when you are planning to bluff later on in the game. Such a move is sometimes called a long-ball bluff. Calling on an early round of betting can prepare the ground for a successful bluff on a later phase in the game.

The second set of tips presents you with situations when raising is the best move. Here they go:

A. You should raise when you are holding an unbeatable hand and you seek to get more money in the pot. This move is called 'drawing for value' and it enables you to win a more impressive pot.

B. You should raise when you have a killer hand and are trying to kick your opponents out of the pot. Such a move may help you protect your hand by driving your opponents out of the game and denying them the opportunity of improving their own hands.

C. You should raise when you are trying to get a free card. If you have a drawing hand, your opponent may check to you on the next round of betting, giving you a chance to get a free card to improve your hand.

D. Finally, you should raise when you are trying to get information on other players' hand strength. Say you have an uncertain hand and need some additional info on your opponents' hands, you would be granted this information if you are called.

I hope that you'll find these tips useful...

Man Against Machine, Any Bets?

An amazing thing is now taking place in Vancouver, Canada. Two poker professionals, Phil Laak and Ali Eslami, are locked in a Texas Hold 'em battle against a computer program, dubbed 'Polaris.' The two men are no poker beginners. Both Laak and Eslami are expert poker players with vast experience in the game. However, the computer is no fool either. The program was developed at the University of Alberta in Edmonton where the researches invested huge efforts to 'teach' the computer the secrets of poker.

The Texas Hold 'em competition between Polaris and the human poker pros is held at the annual global conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (IT). According to Onlinepokereport.com, there are are as many as 1,000 scientists attending the conference. I bet they are very curious about the outcome of the battle.

A researcher who helped develop Polaris said that there were already computers in the world capable of playing other games, such as checkers and backgammon. Amazingly enough, in 1997, an IBM computer Deep Blue succeeded in beating the legendary Russian world chess champion Garry Kasparov.

The event was a sensation extensively covered by media from all over the world. It was the first time a machine proved to be a more successful player than a man...Even though the idea is generally clear, there are still several things I, personally, don't get. First, poker has this emotional factor that is very difficult for any machine to figure out. I refer to bluffing. How can a computer guess when his human opponent is bluffing? As far as I know, no modern computer can read tells...

Although Polaris is very good when it comes to mathematical calculations, which I admit form an integral part of poker, the human aspect of the game is truly out of its reach.The way I see it, people should not compete against computers but use their help when battling against other human players. This gives a huge advantage to any poker player who's smart enough to follow my advice. The machine will monitor all players' movements and give its users educated advice regarding their play, much like an advanced poker tracker. Imagine how easy winning at poker would become. The downside of such practice is the fact that poker wouldl probably lose its appeal. If winning the game will require no effort on the part of the player, the game would become somewhat boring. Don't you think?

Is Poker More Important than Children?

Well, that certainly is a great question! This is because the answer is apparently unclear to some poker players. I just read a news article that said that a Florida resident left his two kids in a car so to be able to go and play poker in a local gambling establishment... What a horrible thing to do!

If it was not for a passerby who spotted two little boys sitting in the car by themselves and called the police, who knows how many hours would have passed before the poker-playing father returned to the vehicle. The father, by the way, claimed that he had only been at the facility for 15 minutes...

Luckily, the boys are fine. None of them suffered any injury during the incident. Still, the father is very likely to be prosecuted because, according to Florida's, law a parent is not allowed to leave a child in a vehicle unattended.

Although I'm an ardent poker fan myself, I would never leave my children (well, the yet unborn ones) in a vehicle by themselves no matter how bad the craving for poker might be... But, who knows maybe it's just me. It's a crazy world out there!

2007 World Series of Poker Winner is Finally Here

After much anticipation and suspense the 2007 World Series of Poker finally has a winner. The lucky winner is Jerry Yang, a 39-year-old psychologist/ social worker from California. I bet he is pretty happy right now because the first place prize stood this year at $8.25 million! I sure would not mind switching places with him. Who would not want to become a millionaire almost over night?

What's even more amazing is the fact that Yang is no poker professional, but an average poker player like me. In fact, during an interview held after his win, he said that prior to his incredible win yesterday he had been playing poker for only two years. The 2007 WSOP Champion earned his entry into the Main Event through a satellite in a local casino gaming establishment in California.

In my opinion, the guy is just unbelievably lucky. It is not every day that a relatively new poker player (and I say that he is relatively new because there were other players in the competition who have been playing the game for over twenty years), beats veteran players to a multi-million prize. Besting a field of 6,358 players, who long for the first place prize as badly as you do, is certainly no joke.

Yang, however, probably deserves winning. According to onlinepokereport.com, right after his win, he said that he promised to donate 10% of his winnings to several charitable organizations. That's a worthy decision... I hope he goes through with it.

This somehow reminds me of Jamie Gold, last year's WSOP winner. Gold was a relative poker beginner as well and was lucky enough to win the championship. His first place prize stood at a record amount of $12 million. But, eventually, Gold got only half of the money. This is because he had this legal fight with some other guy named Bruce Crispin Leyser who said that Gold had promised to split his winnings with him. This was in exchange for help in recruiting celebs willing to sport the Bodog.com logo. Gold denied the whole thing. But the court ruled that he must give $6 million to Leyser anyway.

In any case, the WSOP is today's richest poker competition. Players from all over the world flock to Las Vegas in order to try their luck at winning a prestigious WSOP bracelet. By the way, top poker pro Phill Hellmuth is the world leader is WSOP bracelet ownership. He has 11 of them. Right behind him are Doyle Brunson and Johny Chan with 10 gold bracelets each.

Are You up to Some Russian Poker or Do you Want to Follow the Queen?

I just recently discovered this website featuring an incredible amount of exotic poker variations. On top of the popular and widely played variations, such as Texas Hold 'em, Omaha and 7-Card Stud, there are many more games that use traditional poker rules in some altered way. Some of them are played almost like poker, while others have almost nothing in common with it.

Personally, I was shocked to find out how many of them actually exist. Most of these games are played at home...

Here goes a partial list of the poker variations I found:

1. Best Flush. A maximum of ten players may take part in this game. Every player receives one hidden and one exposed card. All active players make their moves. Another up card is dealt. Another round of betting takes place. One up card followed by a round of betting continues until each player holds five cards. The final betting round occurs. Now comes the showdown. Only players holding flushes or straight flushes may win the game.

2. Cowboy, Cowgirl, and Cowpatty. The maximum number of 7 players may play this game with the minimum standing at 3. The game features one single round of betting. All the active players receive five cards face down. If a player does not happen to land at least half of the jackpot, he is obligated to match the entire pot. After the betting round, players have three options:

A. Cowboy- a player may discard three cards and receive three cards back.

B. Cowgirl- a player may discard one card and receive one card back.

C. Cowpatty- no card exchange takes place.

Then, players declare high or low or both typically by putting none, one or two chips in a closed fist and putting it on the table. Players who have no chips are trying to make the low hand,players holding one chip are trying to make the high hand, and players holding two chips are trying to make it both ways. Play continues until only two active players remain and they split the pot among them, or just one player stays in and wins the whole pot.

3. Follow the Queen. This game is said to be among San Fransisco's most favorite poker games. Each participating player is dealt two cards face down and one exposed card. The betting structure is pretty much the same as in 7-Card Stud except that all queens and any other higher card on the board is treated as wild. Nevertheless, if the last card dealt on 6th street happens to be a queen, then only queens are wild. The highest hand nabs the pot!

4. Russian Poker. Up to 4 players are allowed to take part. All players build the pot by investing an equal amount of money (typically $1). Each active player receives 13 cards into his pocket and is required to make three hands, a low, a middle, and a high. The bottom hand contains 3 cards, and the other two hands contain 5 cards. Naturally, the middle hand must be stronger than the low hand and the high hand must be stronger than the middle hand.

At show down time all players first reveal their low hand (the highest one takes 25% of the jackpot), than the middle hand (the highest one takes 50% of the pot) and than the high hand (the highest one takes the remaining 25% of the jackpot). Does anyone know why the game is called Russian Poker?

Well, the above are only some of the poker variations I found... If you behave, I'd mention others sometime later...

A Poker Dictionary: The greatest invention ever!!!!!!

I just found the greatest poker dictionary ever. With so many terms gyrating among poker enthusiasts, how can an average poker player like me get familiar with them all? Being ignorant in this area could sometimes be such a drag...It can really ruin the game for you!

Imagine a friendly game of poker being held over the Internet. People are trying to develop their winning strategies as the game takes place. One of the greatest features today's online poker rooms offer is the chat. People are actually able to talk to each other as if they were seated in the same room as is the case in traditional gaming facilities.

What I hate most though, is when some hotshot joins the game and starts throwing all these rarely used poker terms to show off. So, to stop feeling like I'm the only one on the face of the earth who knows nothing about poker jargon, I started looking for a comprehensive poker dictionary. Imagine my happiness when I actually found one.

If you happen to look for one, here goes the link to onlinepokereport.com/poker-glossary/ace-ax. It contains terms not mentioned by any other poker dictionary available over the Internet.

Hope it helps to at least some of you...

Maverick is Nothing but Brilliant

I've just seen the movie "Maverick" for the twentieth time (well, maybe not exactly twenty times, but certainly more than ten). This poker flick is nothing but brilliant. The fictional story takes place in the American Old West and unfolds from Bret Maverick's point of view. Needless to say, Maverick, portrayed by Mel Gibson, is a poker aficionado who never misses a chance to make some easy money through the game of poker.

Maverick has an enormous ego. He wants to prove the world that he's the best poker ever. Such thinking leads him to multiple mishaps on his way to a celebrated five-card draw poker competition. And, of course, he does not my catching the first place prize. Especially knowing that it's going to be a hefty amount of cash. However, Maverick's journey towards the coveted pot is full of all kinds of complications and obstacles.

And, when a cunning, but gorgeous woman (Jodie Foster) suddenly appears in his life things get even more confusing. Maverick is $3,000 short of the required tournament entry fees. All sorts of people make their best effort to prevent Maverick from participating in the competition. However, luck is probably on the protagonist's side as Maverick does make it to the highly anticipated tournament.

Both Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson are very talented actors. They play their roles very realistically making the viewer actually believe the characters.

In addition, although this poker movie is classified as a Western, I would say it's more of a comedy. I laughed practically at everything Maverick's every word. Well, maybe it's just me!

Online Poker Room Selection, Important Criterion!

A friend of mine just recently bought a computer. Surprisingly, the first thing he asked me after the purchase was if I knew some good poker rooms to play at. Naturally, I answered that I did. I gave him onlinepokereport.com's list of online poker websites whereI typically play and wished him good luck. After a day or two, he called me back and said that he was really displeased with the poker rooms I gave him because he hadn't won a single dime. In short, he said that my poker room list was disappointing.

Well, the first thing I did in response was explain Brandon (yeah, yeah, like that guy from Beverly Hills 90210) my criterion for selecting a poker room. I tried to make him understand that besides the possibility of winning a generous jackpot the first time you play at any online poker room, there are other important factors that he must take into consideration when choosing a poker room.

The first thing, I said to Brandon, you should look for an online card room that has proved its reliability. This means that it's operators are honest when it comes to payouts. Actually, this is the most important factor of all. What can be worse than finding out that you're not going to get the money that is rightfully yours because the poker room you've been playing at is crooked. This is what I call disappointment! Generally speaking, however, most of the reputed online poker rooms now available over the Internet are pretty aware of the importance of being reliable.

Another factor you need to consider is the game range at the poker room. If it only offers two types of games, Texas Hold 'em and 7-Card Stud, for example, Omaha lovers should look elsewhere. After all, you're looking for entertainment when you're visiting any poker room, so, if your favorite game is not on hand, than it's definitely not the place for you.

Lastly, check out their promotional offers. Most of today's online poker rooms have very rich bonuses and generous promotions. A good poker room would feature satellite tournaments promising to send players to prestigious live events, a Bad Beat bonus intended to cheer up losing players and a Refer-a-Friend bonus making with worth to recruit your friends. Other perks to look for are freerolls and attractive Sign up bonuses.

After a long argument with Brandon, I finally succeeded to convince him to give my list another shot. And, know what? It actually worked...He even won some money!

How Fast are You?

I was playing a friendly game of poker at my house the other day. I had nine friends over so there was ten of us to play. I must admit that I'm a very average player and my friends' play is roughly the same. Although it may sound corny, a somewhat ridiculous method to employ while playing with friends, I trust tells.

Since I've been playing the game with the same people for years now and I'm quite good at reading them. For instance, I know that when my friend Dov is sweating heavily, even though the air conditioner is on, he certainly has a good pocket. He will never admit that but the reason why he's sweating is that he's getting ready to nab the pot. I guess that the sweat is his body's physical response to him being anxious.

Another friend of mine, Alex, has his hands trembling when he has things going on his way. He takes our games very seriously and when he feels that victory is near he gets stressed. Once I asked him if the game meant that much to him, he just answered 'yeah.'

There is only one tell that still has me confused: the speed of betting. Should I assume that when my opponent is starting to make very quick moves that his hand has strength and he's about to nab the jackpot? Or, maybe, it's the other way around, and the increased speed of betting means that my opponent is weak?

Do You Believe in Superstitions?

The way I see it, superstitions are the product of uneducated beliefs which originated at a time when people were highly fearful of everything that was considered extraordinary and unexplainable (see 'Salem witch hunt' in any vocabulary). One such extraordinary thing was the deck of cards. In the past, playing cards were largely associated with fortune telling and gambling. Both of these practices were rendered as sins by the Christian religion and, thus, were feared of and even abhorred.

Although the vast majority of playing cards related superstitions have a negative aspect to them (meaning, if you do this... or that..., you'd get back luck), some of them have positive sides as well. For instance, one superstition claims that if you happen to touch your favorite card before game begins, you'd sure have Lady Luck on your side that night. Another positive superstition says that blowing upon the deck while shuffling brings good fortune as well. Personally, I haven't tried neither of the aforementioned superstitions so it's hard for me to judge their credibility.

Not surprisingly at all, the negative superstitions related to cards are indeed quite vicious. For example, it's highly unrecommended to have a dog in the same room where a game of poker takes place. This superstition originates in a popular belief of past times that dogs were loyal servants of the dark forces. Personally, I believe that demonizing harmless creatures, such as dogs, to the extent of avoiding their presence when playing poker is not only ridiculous but completely absurd. I wonder what C.M. Coolidge, the artist who painted the 'Dogs Playing Poker' series, would have thought about this superstition?

Another superstition of the negative kind says that picking up a card with the left hand is sure to bring the player his share of bad fortune. Apparently, the left hand has long since been considered having an evil aspect. After combing the web for quite a while, I found a website saying that the word 'sinister' originated from a Latin word that had two interpretations: 'on the left side' and 'harmful.' Thus, it's no wonder that some people believe that using their left hand during an activity delicate in terms of luck is totally unrecommended.

Finally, the most popular superstition having to do with playing cards is the one saying 'unlucky at cards, lucky at love.' But, why do I have to choose? I want to be lucky at both...

The Online Gambling Mess: Legal or not?

This is something I really don't fully understand. Is playing poker over the web, or visiting an online casino, legal for U.S.-based players? Apparently, the answer depends on who you ask. After the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) last October nobody is no longer sure of anything. Some say that playing online poker is still a legal activity, while others disagree.

On the surface, the UIGEA does not prohibit the act of gambling in an online environment, but the processing of of online gambling-related financial transactions. Under the UIGEA, all American credit card companies are disallowed to handle any deposits and withdrawals of funds associated with online casinos and card rooms. This means that U.S. players can no longer deposit money to their gaming acoounts and, thus, can not take advantage of online poker games offered...

What makes this legality- illegality issue even more confusing is the fact that although most online poker rooms already dropped their U.S. customers, there are some Internet poker websites that still accept deposits from U.S. players. So, where does this prohibition leave the average poker/ casino enthusiast? Whom will the law hold responsible for the gambling activity taking place?

If accepting U.S.-based players is a blatant violation of the American law, why do such popular and well-established poker rooms like Doyle's Room and Bodog are still willing to face the once lucrative (and I guess now even more lucrative than ever because of the departure of many other Internet poker rooms afraid law enforcement) U.S. market. Perhaps, they know something we don't know? I seriously doubt that the gambling industry moguls are willing to take the risk of having their operations declared illegal. So, does this make the gambling prohibition law bogus and completely ineffective?

And, another thing about the UIGEA. If the U.S. government was seeking to prohibit Internet gambling on the grounds of it being immoral (its availability to minors) and even potentially dangerous (gambling addiction and stuff), why is traditional gambling (I mean going to a land-based casino or poker room) is still OK? Is this preferential treatment towards the traditional gambling industry?

Personally, I think that the prohibition is nothing but temporary. Online gambling industry lobbyists, such as the Poker Player Alliance, will not let the UIGEA last too long. The potential profits from online gambling are to seductive to give them up without a good fight. The way I see it, as long as their are organizations or individuals interested in these profits, the ban on online gambling in the United States is very likely to be lifted very soon...

More detaled information about the legal issues involving the UIGEA can be found at http://www.onlinepokereport.com/... That's what I did anyway...

Maurice Druon and Poker: A loose connection...

Yesterday, I read Maurice Druon's historical novel 'The Iron King,' which is the first installment in the French author's popular series called 'The Accursed Kings.' Personally, I just love historical novels allowing me to take a glance at a world long since forgotten. Druon indeed was a great master of the written word. The intrigues of the royal court of those times depicted by the author are particularly interesting (almost breath-taking in their viciousness).

It was the reign of Phillip IV of France...Somewhere in the early middle ages...

The king had three sons and a daughter. The sons, Louis X, Phillip V and Charles IV, were all married to three princess rightfully accused of adultery. For their wrongdoing, two of the princesses were sentenced to eternal incarceration. When Phillip the Fair (they say that the guy was quite handsome) died, his son Louis X became king. Legend says that, seeking a convenient and rapid way to wash off the unfavorable reputation courtesy of his beloved wife and become a merry widower, the king sent a messenger to his imprisoned wife. The poor woman was found strangled the very next day after the visit.

You must be wondering what does this literature report have to do with the game of poker... Well, I must admit that the connection is quite loose: the guards at the Château-Gaillard castle where the queen (Louis X's wife) was held were playing some sort of a card game during their shifts...

Want to Get Your Poker Money Back? Ever Heard of a Rake-Back Program?

I confess... I love playing poker over the Internet and it sure is one of my favorite pastimes. I know that many other players from all over the globe would say the same if asked. Unfortunately, since I am not the greatest player, I tend to lose some dollars here and there...It's not a big deal, because I never allow myself to squander more than I can afford to lose, wouldn't it be great if I could get some of it back somehow... To my great surprise, I just recently learned that I actually can! It's called a rake-back program and it really works. Boy, myth becomes reality...

To understand how rake-back programs work, you need to know what a rake is (and if you don't, a 'rake' is a fee land-based and Internet card room operators charge for staging the game). Usually, the charged rake is 5% of the pot with the maximum limit reaching $3. Thus, a rake-back is a kind of a refund players are offered on some of the money they invest in the game. Although the amount for a single game is not so important, if you play at the same gaming establishment for a while, the rake-back can reach more significant amounts.

Cruising the web, I found quite a selection of online poker rooms offering their patrons all sorts of rake-back programs. My question is, which of them are reliable? I mean, which of them I can trust to really pay me as initially promised. Since the Internet is a media where schemes are carried through much easier because of the anonymity factor it provides, you should really be carefull regarding whom you trust with your money, your bank account details and other personal information.

However, if up until now I have given you a negative impression regarding rake-backs, the concept is actually working and, as we speak, people are cashing in on it big time. Needless to say that poker rooms are willing to give up a certain percentage of the rake not for humanitarian purposes, but they consider it another special attraction designed to draw crowds to the poker room. It's all about catching flies with honey.

Overall, judging from my own experience, getting your rake back is not a complicated task. Players receive a percentage of their investment in the pot through rake-back service providers cooperating with poker rooms willing to pay players their rake back.

The way I see it, joining a rake-back program will not make you laugh all the way to the bank, but it's sure nice that you can put some of the money you lost back into your pocket!

Hollywood Poker 24/7 Hollywood?

I just read a review of this quite popular online poker room Hollywood Poker at onlinepokereport.com. Much like many other Internet card rooms it has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the fact that it has a Java client is a huge plus. Up until now, Mac users were crippled in terms of game variety because most of today's poker rooms have only the downloadable version. Now all Mac users from all over the world can play poker as they wish, when they wish.

Another unique feature they have at Hollywood Poker is their generous first Deposit bonus structure. It's attractive both for high-rollers seeking to make big bucks (and not afraid of large investments) and for the average players not willing to put great amount s of money on the line. Another big plus is their Refer-a-Friend bonus. If you happen to recruit ten new players to the poker room, you could make up to $2,000 and that's an offering you don't see every day.

However, Hollywood Poker is said to have disadvantages as well. The most significant downside is that some players complain that the cash out speed is very slow. It apparently takes a lot of time until your cash out request is processed. Personally, since I haven't played there yet, I don't really have an opinion about this supposed disadvantage. I promise to keep you posted on this one...

What does Britney Spears Have to do with Poker?

Boy, this is a tough question to answer. The partying singer has led a rather outrageous lifestyle since her break up with her hubby K-Fed. From shaving her head, getting new tattoos and getting completely drunk in all sorts of public establishments to her recent suicide attempt at the rehabilitation clinic, the young mother of two has done pretty much every crazy thing that you can only imagine. So, what does it have to do with poker?

While cruising through a couple of poker portals for some hot news on the poker industry I came across the following headline, "This is How Briney Spears Can be Compared to Poker..." An unknown writer by the name Ruben (it is very likely that he did not want to advertise his last name because of the article's not very flattering content) compared Spears' last few public appearances to poker hands.

"...Once every three months, Britney Spears hits either a straight flush (no underwear for five consecutive nights) or the closest she'll get to a royal flush (nipple flash, ass flash and underwear flash for three consecutive nights in a row). What are the odds of these things happening consecutively?"

Spears' behavior is indeed embarrassing. Forsaking her image of an innocent and humble teenage girl whom we all loved and admired in "Hit Me Baby One More Time," Spears turned into a partying mega celebrity not caring what the rest of the world, including her most loyal fans, think about her! (by the way, where have we lost that sweet girl who promised to stay untouched until marriage, ha?)

Interestingly enough, it seems that Spears is unaware of the damage she causes to her own image, both on the professional and personal levels. Professionally, because her singing career has long since become dormant. I refer to the fact that she has not produced any songs or dancing clips for a long while now and most of her fans have become very discouraged by her frantic antics. Personally, because she is setting a wrong example to her own two boys. Although they are too young to understand what is going on now, but I'm sure that when they grow older they'd sure become ashamed of their mother.

In any case, another connection I see between the singer and poker is the fact that both have and will survive people's negative attitude towards them. Much like Spears, poker has had dark periods in its history and still survived till this very day...

Stu Ungar Champion of Champions

I just recently read the biography of Stu Ungar, a three-time WSOP Main Event winner. The more I read the sadder I became. It seems that the man indeed was very talented in poker, but the drug addiction he battle for almost twenty years of his life ultimately took its price. The gifted poker pro passed away when he was merely 42 years old.

One of the most amazing things about Ungar is the fact that he won his first WSOP title (in 1980) having almost no experience in No Limit Texas Hold 'em. Who could have guessed that the 22-year-old poker novice would nab the coveted title? The phenomenal player, who was nicknamed 'The Kid' because of his youth, proved his talent once again the very next year.

In 1997, almost sixteen years after his 1981 WSOP win, Ungar won the prestigious competition once again. According to reports, he dedicated his success to his daughter Stephanie.

The Kid died on November 22, 1998. I read at onlinepokereport.com that after Ungar's death, his wife and daughter established a charitable foundation in the poker player's name. The foundation's official goal is to increase worldwide awareness to problems associated with addictive behavior, such as gambling and drugs.

The Fine Line Between Bluffing and Cheating!

Ok, when you play poker, bluffing every once in a while seems only natural. Anyone with the poorest game knowledge knows that bluffing is part of what makes poker so challenging and exciting. It is one of the reasons why we find playing poker such a fun pastime. Let's face it: poker is all about taking risks. And, indeed, with every step you make, you take a risk, and if you eventually happen to win, the achieved conquest feels highly satisfying.

However, there certainly should be a great difference between bluffing and cheating. Bluffing is typically considered a legitimate winning strategy. All sorts of bluffing methods are intended to mislead opponents regarding the bluffer's hand. Sometimes, you seek to give the impression that you have a strong hand, and, at other times, you seek to achieve exactly the opposite goal (meaning, to project weakness). I find it difficult to put the word "innocence" in the same sentence with "bluffing," but the way I see it, there is something 'innocent' about bluffers. It's a whole other story when it comes to cheating, however.

Cheating is defined as an intentional attempt to disrupt the game's course and give an advantage to the cheater through a completely illegal method. Most of today's online and land-based poker rooms take precautions against cheating players. Highly elaborate technological means are employed to prevent cheating. If a cheating scheme is detected, the cheaters are severely punished. Such punishments as being kicked out of the poker room are very common. And, that's nothing but fair, right?

However, where does that fine line that separates bluffers from cheaters lie? I've been combing the Internet in search for an answer to this somewhat philosophical question. Although there are specific descriptions of all sorts of cheating techniques, the difference between cheating and bluffing is typically blurred.

When I turned to my friends with this query of mine, none could provide me with a singly coherent answer. For instance, while some of them called 'semi-bluffing' a pure cheating technique, others completely disagreed with such an opinion... Then, they argued among themselves for hours only to leave me even more confused than when the discussion initially started. Could somebody please tell a beginning player such as myself, if there are any official rules separating cheating methods from bluffing strategies?

Titan Poker Guys Really Ok!

Allow me to admit something: I'm a self-proclaimed Internet warm (like a book warm but one who can't turn off the computer for more than two hours). During my virtual voyages, I usually come across many online poker rooms because I'm always on the hunt for rich bonuses or other attractive promotional offers. And, needless to say, the Internet is packed with incredibly generous online poker websites promising players a gaming adventure like no other.

However, as we all know not all poker rooms are secure (in terms of player privacy protection). That's why I typically stick to the popular ones which have already proved their reliability and integrity time after time again. Then, I look for the poker rooms with the greatest bonuses. After all, fat bonuses are an integral part of the entire gambling experience.

One such great poker room (and this is probably no news to most of you) is Titan Poker. Beyond the great game variety, the multiple promotions and the lucrative VIP program they have there, what I appreciate the most is their customer service. Forget getting in touch via mail or phone, what can be more convenient than a real-time chat with their support team? The representatives are never rude and actually quite helpful. On all the occasions that I contacted them, they were always more than happy to help. Well, that means a lot to me!

Another important thing is software functionality. Well, Titan's software is indeed really good (very user-friendly). Zero disconnections during play, great features and, generally speaking, boasts very good playability. After all, they use software by Playtech...

Strip Poker, Alcohol and Sex with Minors Lead to Incarceration!

I just read something quite shocking in the news. And, to tell you the truth it has shaken me badly. A 35-year-old woman was recently convicted for having sex with minors and providing them with alcohol. The woman organized a strip poker party for her son's teenage friends and openly gave them alcoholic beverages. And, what is even worse, she molested a 15-year-old and actually had sex with a 16-year-old.

At some point during the sexy bash, the woman realized that her husband was soon to come back from work. So, she asked an 18-year-old to drive all her guests home. The entire ordeal was revealed after the young driver crashed the car (which was loaded with teens).

Surprisingly enough, the woman actually admitted to having had sexual intercourse with two underaged boys.

Luckily, she will spend the next 300 days in prison, which is more than enough time to ponder upon her wrongdoing! Needless to say that her husband, a local police officer (isn't it ironic?), filed for divorce from his lascivious wife four days after her arrest.

If I left someone with the taste for some more juicy details on the convicted strip poker partier, go to onlinepokereport.com. That's where I read the news in the first place.

First 2007 WSOP Event Kicks off Tomorrow

The first 2007 World Series of Poker tournament is scheduled to kick off tomorrow and the mere thought about it gets me really excited. It's not as if I'm going to actually participate or anything (I'm not that good of a player), but as a staunch poker enthusiast I definitely will follow the reports on the strongest players and the most exciting tournaments.

In my opinion, last year's WSOP final table event was among the most titillating poker events ever. Who could have thought that it would be Jamie Gold who's going to land the first place prize. And, what an impressive prize it was - $12,000,000! This sure is a lot of money for a middle-class TV producer who was relatively unknown in the poker industry. Later, however, I read in the news that he had a fight with some other guy who claimed that Gold had promised him to split the jackpot and later refused. Eventually, they went to court and the 2006 WSOP champion was ultimately ordered to share half of his winnings with the plaintiff. Anyway, despite Gold's immense luck there is absolutely no chance of him grabbing the first place for the second time...

Yet, although winning a WSOP champion title for the second time is certainly a highly challenging goal (on the verge of the impossible almost), there are poker players who've done it. Take, for instance, Stu Ungar. He took the title twice in 1980 and 1981 and also made a hell of a comeback in 1990. What can be more amazing than becoming a three-time WSOP winner?

I've been talking to some friends of mine and they tried to convince me that, this year, we are going to crown Carlos 'El Matador' Mortensen as the fortunate winner. He won the title for the first time in 2005. That year he finished in the money three times in the WSOP and also managed to win the Season Five WPT championship. Last year, Mortensen placed in the money five times and that's why my friends believe that he has the best chances of winning this year.

Personally, however, I believe that there are other gifted (or plain lucky) candidates as well. The likes of Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer, Joseph Hachem and Cris Moneymaker. All of the above have proved their amazing poker abilities and talents. On the other hand, there are plenty other skillful players that we haven't heard about it just yet. And, they sure have a chance to make it to the top as well.

So, who is it going to be?

Chauvinist: No room for women in poker!

Allow me to state the obvious: there are lots of chauvinistic pigs among today's poker players. I was playing poker at this local gaming club we have in my neighborhood. The game itself was actually quite exciting. I had an excellent hand (A-K) and could already see myself scooping the jackpot when this guy sitting next to me started making obnoxious jokes about female poker players. First, I thought 'what do I care if the guy is an idiot and has no appreciation for women,' but then I started thinking about it seriously...

Throughout its impressively long history, poker has seen a long procession of amazing female poker players, especially in the recent years. With the invention of the Internet poker has become as accessible to women as it has always been to men. After their initial exposure to this exciting game, female players started honing their poker skills and eventually became worthy rivals of their male counterparts. Indeed, today's female poker players play as successfully, if not more successfully, as male ones.

Take, for example, Annie Duke. In my humble opinion, she's just amazing. It was Duke's brother top poker pro Howard Lederer who encouraged Duke to get into poker in the first place. He also trained her and taught her her first poker strategies. In 2004, Duke collected $2,000,000 in the inaugural World Series of Poker Tournaments of Champions, an exclusive winner-take-all event. In 2006, Duke has won one WSOP bracelet and currently boasts over $3.1 million in tournament play winnings. Eventually, as it often happens, the student surpassed the master. Duke has long since beaten lots of prominent poker pros, including her brother. (by the way, this info comes from onlinepokereport.com)

In fact, the list of brilliant female poker players is very long. It includes the likes of Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Harman, Barbara Enright, Jennifer Tilly, Evelyn Ng and others. All of these incredible women have earned their place among top poker pros by working very hard on their gaming abilities. They have all proved that women are as bright poker players as men! So, who has the right to ridicule them so viciously?

I guess that I got so angry with that joking buddy I had at my table because I felt that he has no right of doing what he did. That just makes him a disgusting chauvinistic pig! Luckily, his inappropriate jokes infuriated some of my other opponents as well and so after realizing that he has the wrong audience he left the game.

A Murderous Poker Case...

Can poker eventually lead to a cold-blooded murder? Well, apparently it can. Shockingly enough, a Californian woman mad at her husband for losing money in poker games (and maybe other marriage-related stuff too) stabbed her husband to death and later tried to commit suicide. The stabbing incident took place in a luxurious condominium near the Las Vegas Strip and the suicide attempt in another state altogether, California, several days after the murder.


If you're reading this blog, you probably think that I'm hallucinating, but no! This is actually part of a news item that I just read and left me thinking. The article actually said that the murderous wife had lots of reasons to be furious at her husband, poker was just one of them. The hubby, as it turned out, was quite a maniac, deceiving his family, friends and business partners by taking their money and never paying them back. The wife probably decided that the scumbag didn't deserve to live anymore (this is, however, my assumption!).


Regardless, the reasons (whether the murder was justified or not), the wife is very likely to spend the rest of her life behind bars. I guess she'd have lots of time to ponder upon her wrongdoing. In the meantime, in my opinion, poker has nothing to do with such cruelty!

WPT's Gadecki Indeed Replaced

Well, it turned out that the vicious rumors regarding Sabina Gadecki's departure from the World Poker Tour show were true. I just read a news article that said that the svelte model will no longer be hosting the show. The reasons behind such a decision were not disclosed. They just said that Gadecki was unable to sweep poker fans worldwide off their feet.


Gadecki will be replaced by 23-year-old Layla Kayleigh. Personally, I never heard her name but, apparently, she is highly experienced in celebrity interviews and even played in some film due for release in 2008. I wonder what she knows about professional poker.


Somehow, I'm quite positive that, just like Gadecki, Kayleigh will not last for more than one season. Actually, it's just a gut feeling...

Is Mike Really Addicted to Poker?

Yesterday, a childhood friend of mine asked me a question that got me thinking quite seriously. He said, “how do I know if my gambling behavior has become compulsive?”. To be honest, his question truly freaked me out. First, I turned to humor. I said, “No way, Mike. What is this a joke?” But, there was no humor in Mike's eyes or anywhere on his face, for that matter... It didn't take me too long to figure that Mike wasn't kidding at all...


So after the initial shock was over (I was so amazed by his sudden confession, because I know Mike from preschool and, believe me, he does not have an addictive personality), I started searching the web for answers. How can you recognize the symptoms, how do you know if you've become addicted to poker?


Well, fortunately enough this is a very common issue among poker players. I found several other gaming blogs and poker websites discussing this very same problem: compulsive gamblers. I was relieved to know that it can happen to the very best of us, poker enthusiasts, and there are organizations willing and able to assist problem gamblers seeking for help.


First and foremost, compulsive gambling habits are indeed very destructive. It can force the sanest people do the craziest things that, in a normal situation, would sure make them very ashamed. Such antics include spending one's entire paycheck on a single game. Or, when you find yourself losing game after game unable to detach from the table, then, buddy, you have a serious problem and should definitely ask for help! Playing in such a condition involves great risks, monetary and medical alike.


After combing the net very rigorously, I learned that a compulsive gambler's best chance of getting rid of this malady, is first admitting that the problem does exist. Actually admitting the addiction is a hell of a challenge. Most compulsive gamblers choose to deny everything and anything. Saying stuff like “So what if I spent all my money on poker, so what if I had to borrow from someone else (most probably a loan shark), so what if I lied to my family about the money, so what if I'm willing to do anything for an extra buck...” is very common among addicts.


The next step after admitting having a problem is to look for professional help. Such help may come in the form of a counselor or support group. Many gambling addicts maintain that talking to someone helps a lot when trying to overcome the habit. According to what they say at onlinepokereport.com, turning to gamblersanonymous.org is a great start. Membership is free and all you need is determination!


I'll be following Mike's battle very closely and hope that makes it unharmed...

Poker Pro Joe Hachem the Next Hollywood Star?

Hi, folks. Check out the scandalous news item I recently read at this poker portal, onlinepokereport.com. It's been reported that the mighty poker pro Joe Hachem is expected to appear in a new Australian horror movie, called 'Prey.' To tell you the truth, I'm quite surprised. It seems that Hachem we'll not be having a leading role, so I figure that he is not going to make as much money as he's used to in poker tournaments. Just to remind you, he left the 2005 WSOP final table with $7,500,000 in his pocket!

So, what? It's like charity work for Hachem or is he determined to pursue a career in acting? Who said that the guy has any acting skills at all? Nevertheless, a fact is a fact and, when the movie hits theaters we'd be the judges of Hachem's acting talent.


Anyway, the movie is set in Western Australia and follows a group of six friends traveling through the desert. Since it's a horror flick then lots of horrific incidents are simply a 'must.' Somehow the group manages to awaken some sort of a dormant mythological creature, whose sole purpose is to either kill or possess his unsuspecting victims. As an ardent horror movie fan I must admit that the plot sounds promising...Or, is it?


But, again, what does Hachem have to do with all of this? Unless the movie's characters entertain themselves with an occasional poker game just to alleviate their growing fear, I don't really see how Hachem fits the plot. By the way, the poker wizard is going to appear opposite popular Australian actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Other film participants haven't been officially named yet.


I'll try to keep up with the news to find out how Hachem will be integrated in the cast. This should be good, trust me...

Can't Cash out My Winnings!

I'm seriously mad and have no idea what to do. I've been playing poker at this online website, lets call it pokerforidiots.com (obviously not its real name because I'm not interested in trashing it), and somehow even managed to win some money. That's a really special occasion because winning does not come easy to me. So, naturally, I was very excited. Imagine how disappointed I was when I found out they won't pay me. Their excessively long list of 'Terms&Conditions' determines that for a certain reason I'm not entitled to the prize. Online entertainment at its best, right?

I am not a dummy and, before investing my cash, I actually did some investigation work to figure out if they were to be trusted. I read some poker room reviews and even asked a buddy of mine for advice. To my satisfaction, everything seemed to be Ok. However, when it came to payout time, all of a sudden all these obstacles appeared. First, I totally disregarded the fact that there was no live chat support. So, the only way to communicate with these people is via e-mail. And, it sure took them a long while to respond. Second, I should have noticed that the First Deposit bonus can't be cashed out at all!

Anyway, when they finally did respond to my withdrawal request, they said that that I can't cash out my profits just yet, but needed to play some more games before I' m allowed to collect . Too bad they never mentioned this cashing-out condition on their home page. I sure would have thought twice before playing there!

So, what am I to do? I still hope that they'll come around...

WPT Says Bye Bye to Sabina Gadecki?

I just bumped into a certain news item that left me virtually speechless. I read that the gorgeous super model Sabina Gadecki is very unlikely to come back to host the sixth season of the WPT show. Ok, so its still regarded a rumor and the WPT has not yet made an official statement about Gadecki's unexpected departure, but it seems that she is indeed not coming back.

Interestingly enough, if these rumors eventually become reality and Gadecki is replaced by some other hostess, she would share the fate of her predecessor Courtney Friel, who was hosting the show for a single season as well. A friend of mine, who loves the game as much as I do if not more, said that somehow neither Gadecki nor Friel were successful in hitting it off with the global poker community.

Another friend said that it was Shanna Hiatt, who hosted the show for three seasons, was the one to gain the sympathy of poker players worldwide. Its' too bad that she left the series on really bad terms. I heard that Hiatt sued WPT producers claiming that they tried to prevent her from participating in NBC's rival poker show, 'Poker After Dark.'

Anyone has any information on the reasons behind Gadecki's possible retirement?

Don't Cry for Me, Cry for Yourselves

I want to share my frustration with someone. As we all know following the recently enacted UIGEA, banks and other financial organizations are no longer allowed to process online gambling-related transactions. This means online poker's death. At least, for U.S. players like me. Personally, I love playing the game. It's a sexy and challenging pastime. I like taking chances and going all the way. It does not matter whether I play poker over the Internet or in a real casino in Vegas, the adrenaline rush just makes my day.

However, with so many online poker rooms now pulling out of the U.S., it becomes increasingly difficult to find an online website that is still willing to accept wagers for U.S.-based poker enthusiasts.

In my opinion, the anti-online gambling legislation is going to hit the U.S. where it hurts the most. I predict a significant surge in illegal gambling activities. Because, let's face it, people are still going to play poker. It's going to be unregulated play and the state will not even enjoy taxation. So, dear lawmakers do you still believe that it's smart to ban online gambling?

Give me one, just one good reason, why online poker should be prohibited for U.S. players. And, if you're going to bring up that moral nonsense, just remember that land-based casinos are still allowed to offer gambling entertainment. It makes no sense, because if you seek to eradicate poker as a phenomena, wouldn't it be more logical to ban live games as well? But, it isn't so in reality. It's only the online gambling industry that takes the blow.

Maybe, some people occupying higher positions in our esteemed government are interested in keeping things the way they are. For all I know, maybe some of our lawmakers are even profiting from the current situation...(If you know what I mean!)

Anyhow, what's a poker lover like me to do? Move closer to Las Vegas? Perhaps, I really should! Naaaaa, I'm just kidding. I'm not about to relocate my entire family for an occasional visit to a land-based gambling establishment. That would definitely be ridiculous!

Surprise, Surprise: Tony G Poker

Here goes something I do not tend to do often. But feeling the need to do so, I'm not going to restrain myself. I must confess that I love playing poker. I'm always looking for great poker rooms to play at. And, just recently I came across this relatively new poker room called Tony G Poker (sometimes spelled TonyGPoker or TonyG Poker). As many other poker enthusiasts out there, I typically play at the bigger and more popular poker websites, like Titan Poker or Full Tilt, because they have already proved themselves as reliable. In addition, the traffic there is great so you can play poker virtually at any table day or night (you don't need to wait until the table is full).

I was cruising the net for no particular reason, and somehow (and kill me if I do remember how) I found myself checking out Tony G. The first impression was not WOW! I think that the graphical design is mediocre and the game range is not that great either. With these downsides in mind, I was about to close this website and totally forget about it, but then at the very last minute I decided to try out their software. And, there was the greatest surprise.

They've just recently switched to a new gaming platform and now use software provided by Playtech. This should be a major advantage for the poker room and its regular players. So, I downloaded the software (which surprisingly was a fast and trouble-free process) and started playing. Their first deposit bonus, up to $300, is not too bad either. The play goes very smoothly and the competition is very soft. I made an extra buck without any effort. I had a lot of fun making my opponents pay real cash for their mistakes.

I just wanted to let people know that easy money is not a fantasy. Things like that do happen at Tony G. The poker room is virtually a fish tank!

'Lucky You' is Short on Luck

Has anyone already seen Drew Barrymore's just recently released poker flick “Lucky You”? 'Cuz I haven't, but sure am curious. The plot sounds pretty romantic to me. She (Barrymore) is an innocent young woman coming to the big city to pursue a singing career and he is a hotshot player seeking to play some killer poker. Although the two characters are portrayed as sharing nothing in common, the film makers somehow make them fall in love.

My friends went to see the movie and, to be sincere, were not that impressed. They told me that the love story was completely unconvincing. Since the two protagonists lead such different lives the chances of somebody like them falling in love are really modest (to say the least). Ok, so both Drew Barrymore and Eric Banna are gorgeous, but beyond the initial physical attraction could there be anything else? Somehow I real doubt that...

Also, I was told that 'Lucky You's subplot is really shallow. My friends said that the didn't buy all this father-son conflict. So, Banna is not in touch with his feelings. So, what does it have to do with his poker playing daddio? According to the movie, Banna is first supposed to resolve his personal issues and only then can he become successful in poker. Maybe an encounter with a seasoned psychiatrist is in place. After all, psychiatrists make it their goal to help others get in touch with their inner emotions.

The bottom line? I consider both Banna and Barrymore fairly talented actors. The movie also features other esteemed actors, including four-time Golden Globe winning actor Rubert Duval and 'Will & Grace' actress Debra Messing in supporting roles. The director is Curtis Hanson, the man behind the successful "L.A. Confidential” film. The script was written by Eric Roth, another celebrated figure in the movie industry. So many right people invested so much effort in something that turned out somehow wrong...

One thing I'm happy about is the accent on poker made throughout the film. I am a true poker fan. So, the more poker play I see, the merrier...