Professionalism Beyond Compare

Poker dealers rank among the most skilled dealers in a casino. The poker tables enjoy as much action as the craps tables, the roulette tables and the blackjack tables. Poker fans wanting to become poker dealers will find there are more colleges and gaming schools than they can shake a stick at. Multiple poker dealer training programs abound. And many of these poker schools will even provide players with advice on finding employment at casinos, gaming resorts and even cruise ships. These companies will often post personal online profiles, inclusive of an applicant’s video audition, to showcase a graduate’s skills to potential employers.

Choosing to Become a Poker Dealer

Once you’ve made the decision to become a poker dealer, a world of opportunity awaits you. But poker dealers need to possess multiple skills, characteristic and habits – all of which are essential to successfully nailing this career option. Dealers need to be polite, sensitive to a player’s requests, firm in delivering the action and taking the bets, numerate and able to calculate betting decisions, payouts and odds rapidly. Most importantly poker dealers need to be clear of a criminal record. Dealers wishing to work at Las Vegas or Atlantic City casinos will need to be registered via Gambling Authorities too. Players wishing to become dealers in the UK will need to contact the British Casino Association. And when all has been said and done, the world is your oyster!

Structure of Poker After Dark

The series was initially structured as a contest pitting 6 leading poker professional against one another in a week of intensive No Limit Texas Hold’em gaming action. The pot was staked at some $120k. And because it’s a winner-takes-all packet, the competition was intense. The buy-in for each of the 6 poker pros is a whopping $20,000.  Poker After Dark determines a winner by the end of the 5^th show. There is a great deal of commentary interspersed within the gaming action, courtesy of players and the voice-over. The show continually innovates and provides players with many entertaining formats. By the beginning of Season 4, the producers of Poker After Dark decided to introduce NL Games and a Double Elimination Heads Up contest between the final 4 of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Poker After Dark in 2011

• Week 10:  Episodes 55-60 take place between September 12^th and September 17^th.  $100,000 is on offer and Andy Bloch, Annette Obrestad, Justin Smith, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Hellmuth and Huck Seed are competing.
• Week 11: Episodes 61-66 take place between September 19^th and September 24^th. It’s a $20,000 Sit & Go with Mike Dappen, Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Chris Ferguson, Erica Schoenberg and Jennifer Harman.
• Week 12:  Episodes 67-72 take place between November 21^st and November 26^th. There is $200,000 up for grabs. David Peat, Eli Elezra, David Oppenheim, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan will be competing.
• Week 13: Episodes 73- 78 take place from November 28^th to December 3^rd.  A good tally of $200,000 is up for grabs. Tom Dwan, David Peat, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, David Oppenheim and  Eli Elezra are slated to compete.

Players with the Most Wins in Poker After Dark Include the Following:

• Johnny Chan won 4 times and appeared 6 times. (His win rate was 67%).
• Howard Lederer won 4 times and appeared 12 times. (His win rate was 33%).
• Clonie Gowen won 3 times and appeared 5 times. (Her win rate was 60%).
• Gavin Smith won 3 times and appeared 5 times. (His win rate was 60%).
• Gabe Kaplan won 3 times and appeared 6 times. (His win rate was 50%).
• John Juanda won 2 times and appeared 5 times. (His win rate was 40%).
• Vanessa Rousso won 2 times and appeared 4 times. (Her win rate was 50%).

Chicken Tenders with BBQ and Honey Mustard Sauce – this is by far one of the most exciting and tasty treats to indulge in when playing your favourite games of Razz, Stud, Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud poker. But it’s not ideal for video poker because those games usually require quick thinking, so you’re best advised to stick to chicken nuggets for video poker  .

Peanuts & Raisins – These are the ideal gaming accoutrement for a wide variety of traditional and online games. Players will find that this food is not only an exciting taste sensation, but it’s ideal for ongoing quick games. If you’re a video poker fan, this food is ideal and if you’re seated at a game of Hold’em then this is a great way to keep the nibbles at bay.

Dried Fruits – Bingo! These little beauties are the bee’s knees in keeping players wide awake and focused on the game. But a caveat is in order here: too many dried fruits will give you the runs and unless you’re playing cricket, this is NOT what you want. So enjoy these in moderation.

Salads – In truth very few serious poker players will be seen eating salads at their high-stakes games. For the sake of appearances, image and perception, it’s probably best to stick to the culinary norms here .

Pizza & Pasta – There can be no doubt that these foods are ideal for home-based poker games and all manner of online poker games – especially between hands or during breaks. Pizza & pasta are terrific for long-term sustenance and they keep you well stocked for the long haul. Carbs are always great and these foods taste fabulous!

Remember to provide a wide range of beverages to help wash down all these tasty tidbits. And besides, it’s always good to keep players hydrated, not imbibed, on lots of sodas, sky-juice or whatever else is being provided on the house.

*Be sure to use napkins or paper towels because you certainly don’t want to be wiping your hands on the poker felt!

Some poker writers like to provide complex mathematical and statistical reasoning for their formulae and theories. Other writers are more practical and while they cite stats on a regular basis, they know that most readers of poker books are novices. Therefore it’s foolhardy to come down on new readers and potentially new players with so much complex statistical data.

Texas Hold’em poker is clearly a game that meshes strategy and Lady Luck in a fine gaming embrace. It’s the ultimate showstopper in casinos and the most legendary of all the card games in existence today – including the renowned game of blackjack. For poker writers there’s more than just their reputation at stake when they compile literary efforts, there’s also the inculcation of the poker masses and that’s paramount.

Top Poker Reads for New and Seasoned Poker Players

Every Hand Revealed is a terrific poker book. It was written by the poker meister himself – Gus Hansen. It reveals in exquisite and intriguing detail how ‘The Madman’ of poker has played so aggressively and so successfully over the years. Hansen is the master of Texas Hold’em and his reputation speaks volumes. He’s a winner – he’s crazy – but he can play poker like no other. He won the Poker SuperStars Invitational title and he’s claimed 3 WPT Titles. Beat that poker fans! He’s also the 2007 Aussie Millions champ and he claimed over $1 million for that effort. With this latest book – available here – Gus reveals his deepest secrets to winning more poker games. Oh  yeah, the book is relatively inexpensive too.

Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies for No-Limit Hold ‘Em Poker Tournaments and Sit-n-Gos The title is a little aggressive but the book certainly packs a wallop. This is the bee’s knees of poker gaming. It’s got some incredible fascinating insights into Multitable Tourneys (MTTs) and it details in fine fashion, all the most incredible aspects of poker gaming. The book features terrific illustrations and full-color poker charts. There are also loads of in-house commentary, courtesy of the European legendary player Elky.  It was written by Tysen Streib and Steven Heston. And it’s pretty affordable for a book of this quality.

These and other titles are plenty popular on the poker scene. Grab a copy, new, 2^nd hand or Kindle – they’re well worth it.

Other Nicknames that Poker Players Hear all the Time

The Doyle Brunson is a world-famous poker hand. But the reality of the hand is an absolute shocker. It consists of a 2-10 pocket card draw. Typically there is virtually nothing that’s going to get you to win on this hand – perhaps if the flop is a pair of 10s or J,Q,K and A. The truth of the matter is that Brunson captured 2 WSOP bracelets with this hand – not too bad.

The Dolly Parton is the 9-5 combination and it’s equally shoddy, but nonetheless it’s been crowned.

A – A: Known as the Pocket Rockets; American Airlines or Bullets. It’s a killer poker hand.
K – K: Pretty awesome starting hand and it’s known as King Kong or Cowboys.
Q – Q: The Ladies, the Whores, or even Siegfried & Roy – because these royals know how to rumble.
J – J: These form a formidable pair, known as Fishhooks.
A – 8: Dead Man’s hand
K – Q Suited: Known as the Marriage.
K – Q Off-Suit: Known as the Mixed Marriage
K – J: For obvious reasons, this is known as Kojak.
K – 9: Known as the Dog or Fido.

K – 3: This is the King Crab.
Q – J: A wild hand known as Maverick

T – T: The 10, 10 pair is otherwise known as the Dimes.
9 – 9: When we’re talking the 9s then we’re talking about the German Virgin.
8 – 8: Look at the numbers 8, 8 and you know why they’re known as Doggie Balls.
7 – 7: Fancy a stroll along the 7,7 – Sunset Strip?
6 – 6: Nowhere better than Route 66 to get a midway mark.
5 – 5: This is low-limit territory known as the Speed Limit.

There are numerous other poker hands and card combinations. Each one of them has a distinct flavour and history. And of course they come with their own peculiar nicknames. This is a game with a rich and varied past and a more than promising future.

Strategy, tips and playing advice from Texas-Holdem-Poker

All the top online poker rooms offer their players a variety of fun-play tables. These allow players to ply their poker smarts against one another without having to risk any of their own cash. Once a player is ready to begin betting for real money, it’s easy to make the switch. Online poker gaming provides ease of use (in terms of setting up tables, dealing cards, shuffling the deck and calculating which hand holds the highest value). Getting started is a snap. Players will be faced with either a Limit game or a No-Limit game. Then there are blinds and antes to deal with. These are the start-up costs to get into the game. Once that’s out of the way, players get dealt 2 hole cards from the deck of 52. These ‘pocket cards’ as they are known are only for the player’s eyes. A betting round gets underway, beginning with the player to the left of the blinds (small and big blind).

This pre-flop allows for quick calls, raises and folds. After the betting round has ended the dealer removes the top card of the 52-card deck and flips 3 cards face-up on the table. The flop constitutes community cards that can be used in combination with the player’s hole cards. Next up the player left of the deal bets and the dealer again flips another card (removing the top card to prevent cheating) and the turn is on. Again the player to the left of the dealer bets. This betting round ups the stakes and it is followed by the 5^th community card – the river. The goal is to make the best 5-card hand from buy generic drugs the 5 community cards and the 2 hole cards. A final betting round commences and then a showdown of remaining players ensues. Typically the pot is won by a single player, but in the event that more players have equal-value hands – the pot will be split.

Going extreme can pay dividends or make you go bust

Foolish poker play  – like playing every hand and not folding – can result in massive losses. Poker is a game of patience, luck, strategy and skill. Players need to know when to hold and when to fold. Remember this game can make you a fortune if you play your cards right. Start with the free-play option, up the stakes and build a bankroll.

Here’s how it works:

No Limit Texas Hold’em is all about players being able to bet all of their chips in a game. This format of the game works especially well for tournament gaming action. If you’re a poker greenhorn then you’re going to want to avoid this particular style of gaming until you’re experienced enough to understand poker rules, betting techniques, strategies and the like. All Texas Hold’em poker contests start off in the same way. This is to say that players are dealt 2 hole cards. These are dealt face down. Don’t be lulled into complacency Buy Levitra Online Without Prescription by the apparent simplicity of playing Texas Hold’em. The game unfolds at a furious pace as players have to form the highest possible combinations of cards given their two hole cards and the 5 community cards. These community cards are shown face-up on the table and all players can make use of them to form the winning hand. This means that you will effectively have 7 cards at your disposal to make the best 5-card hand.

Low Limit Texas Hold’em strategy is used to learn the ropes in this type of game. If you’re a novice you’re going to want to start off low and work your way into the higher limit games. A typical low-limit structures involves the $2/$4 system whereby each of the 4 betting rounds in the game first comprise a limit of $2 and the last 2 rounds are constituted by a $4 limit. Note that all betting or raising in a typical No Limit game is restricted to the amount of the limit for that particular playing round.  Game play starts off with 2 blind bets. The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind – which is equal to the minimum bet for the game – in this case it is $2. Other players do not post blinds, but they’ll get their turn should they decide to stay in the contest long enough for the dealer position to rotate relevant to them.

Moving along with Texas Hold’em for No Limit and Limit Games

As each player receives two face-down cards, he or she will call after the blinds have been posted. Calling is the process of acknowledging that you wish to remain in the game. In NL games by calling, you’re going to meet the blind bet or raise by putting $4 into the pot. The other option it to fold your hand. The betting continues until it reaches the player who last posted the small blind.  Remember that you’re already in the hand at this point if you’ve put in the big blind so you don’t need to raise to stay in the game. You can simply check. The following sequence of events unfolds at this point The Flop (3 cards dealt face up), then The Turn, then The Turn, then The River and then The Showdown. These and other important poker playing stages will be discussed in subsequent posts. That’s it for this week on NL vs. Limit gaming – remember – it’s all about the $.

What Buy Levitra Online every novice poker player should know right off the bat

Okay so you’re sitting down at a game of Texas Hold’em – what else? There’s no game like it – and you’re listening inattentively to the poker speak of the cowboys alongside you. To many players who have no idea of what is being spoken about, the rhetoric and jargon is often dismissed. But should it be? Methinks not. It may appear to be spoken in Flemish but I assure you that it’s English they’re rambling on in and it’s important.  First up is the concept of the Ante bet. This is a small wager placed by each player at the start of a poker hand – learn it, it’s important. Then you’re going to hear things like call, fold, raise and the like. Simply put, to call is to place an amount of cash into the pot. This amount is equal to the last bet. Another term used is see. Players may see your bet which is the same as calling it.

If the poker gaming action is getting hot and the play is reaching a bubble, this means that only 1 more player needs to bust before the others are in the money. And if you didn’t know that you’re easily forgiven because being a fish is ample excuse. BTW (by the way) a fish is a novice player – an experienced hand at online poker.  Let’s move it along slowly now. Perhaps you’ve made it through the opening phases and you’re looking to use the community cards to maximum advantage. Firstly, that’s the right strategy to employ. You may be staring at the community cards and hoping to hit on the turn or the river. Do you know what that means? The Turn is the penultimate card dealt by the dealer. The River is the final community card dealt. If you’re going to hit on either of those, it means you’re going to score a winning hand.  Now the converse of a winning hand is a muck hand. And if you’re holding a poor card, that particular card is considered a muck card. Get rid of it by tossing it into the muck pile.

What about more technical and general poker terms

There are plenty of those and a simple poker glossary will provide you with a veritable feast of lingo. If you’re holding pocket Jacks and one’s a heart and the other’s a spade then your Jacks are off suit. A suited group of cards are simply two cards of the same suit. But wait, there’s something else. I’ve remembered something that’s going to help many players who simply don’t know the purpose of it. It’s called a Satellite. What is it? Simply put it is a poker tourney offering a seat in a renowned poker contest such as the APPT 2010, the WSOP, the Aussie Millions or the WPT. Satellites are plenty popular and lots of budding poker stars relish participating.  There are loads more terms and phrases that we can throw around, but it’s best to play poker. Learn from fellow players – these concepts are best understood under playing conditions. Enjoy the game J

Picture this: you’re seated at a table in a sprawling Las Vegas casino and you’re waiting to be dealt your cards in a dazzling showdown of Hold’em. You can barely contain your excitement as the gaming gets underway.  Believe me – I’ve been on the novice end of Texas Hold’em poker – there are many things that need to be learnt about playing the game effectively. Chief among them is about knowing the game’s rules, hand values and betting limits. Let’s call this rule number one. I can’t stress it enough, but too many poker greenhorns go into a game of Hold’em blind. Remember folks that the poker ocean is full of savvy players, many of whom are waiting for novices to drop big cash as they go through their learning curves.

Rule number two and a certain trait of winning players is being able to effectively manage your poker bankroll. This ranks as the most important component of your game. Without proper financial drugstore management techniques, you’re going to go bust before you know it. So remember: only game poker when you have disposable income that you’re prepared to lose and/or be sure stick to your limits. This includes, but is not limited to, raising, calling and buying in according to careful and calculated practices. This comes up all the time – so remember it no matter what your poker proficiency level.

Rule number three is about being aware of your surroundings. Sure you should know where you’re playing poker and that it’s a licensed casino or poker room. But what I’m most interested in is that you’re aware of your fellow players. Are you watching what hands they’re playing, what cards are being dealt at the table? These are all important and if you keep your mind open to the possibilities and remain focused, you’ll certainly be a much wiser poker player.

Rule number four is to know when to hold and when to fold. New poker players often run the risk of trying to play each and every hand, without proper regard for their winning chances. It’s entirely plausible that you will have to fold 2 or 3 hands out of every 5. This is certainly one of the more common aspects to poker that you won’t see showcased in films or promotional advertisements. By and large, many top-tier poker players fold a great many hands, preserve their bankrolls and increase their winning chances.

Rule number five is all about keeping emotions in check throughout your poker gaming. If you’re able to mix aggression with passivity and courage with patience, you’ll be well on your way to picking up a lot more poker pots. These are some of the most important traits of winning poker players. All it takes is time out in the middle, knowledge of the rules and a desire to succeed. The rest is in the cards – happy dealings

Most online poker sites offer a generous welcome bonus to new players when they make their first deposit. Take advantage of this and you could get a big boost to the amount of money you have to play with. Keep your eyes open for ‘happy hours’ where existing members get a deposit bonus too.

Also, don’t forget about comp points, and rewards for regular players.

If money is tight, there are low stakes rooms where you can get a full night worth of play for a lot less than the price of an average night out. Then there are freeroll satellite tournaments, imagine getting a chance to play in a big Vegas tournament by proving your skills online!

Remember, though, don’t play online poker because you want to hit that big win. Play to have fun, and to improve drugs without a prescription your skills. Poker is a very challenging game, it can test your memory, reasoning skills, and your knowledge of psychology. Keep that in mind, play texas hold’em to enjoy yourself, and any winnings will make you even happier!