The Gaming Club Online Poker Room

To be the best, you've got to beat the best. The Gaming Club Poker Room offers you this challenge with more tournaments online, more chances to win seats to land-based tournaments and more opportunities to win big prize pools. Don't share the pot - own it, at The Gaming Club Poker Room. The Gaming Club Poker Room also now supports miniview so players can play up to four tables simultaneously. This is undoubtedly some of the best poker room software available today.

Sportingbet stakes $297m on Paradise Poker

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Sportingbet stakes $297m on Paradise Poker: "Sportingbet stakes $297m on Paradise Poker" Sportingbet stakes $297m on Paradise Poker Nils Pratley Friday October 29, 2004 The Guardian Sportingbet, the internet betting group, yesterday agreed to buy Paradise Poker, one of the world's largest online poker sites, in a deal that revealed the tremendous rates of growth in this area of gambling. Paradise is being bought for an initial $297m (£169m), representing a huge return in just five years for its founders, who have insisted on anonymity. They are thought to number three and to be Canadian computer engineers. They will receive £105m in cash, £48.6m from a share placing yesterday and the rest in Sportingbet shares. They will earn further cash bonuses if Paradise's cumulative profits over the next three years pass $150m. The acquisition will almost double the size of Sportingbet, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market. The group presented the deal as a bargain as the price represents less than seven times Paradise's expected profits this year of at least $44m (£25m). The business has a 10% share of the worldwide online poker and, like many of its rivals, enjoys strong cashflow and high operating margins. Chief executive Nigel Payne said the online poker market has trebled in size over the past 12 months and has "a long way to go". Sportingbet also hopes to cross-sell its established sports betting products to Paradise customers. In America, growth in online poker is being driven partly by television coverage of offline events - a recent celebrity tournament on CBS featuring actors Ben Affleck and Nicole Kidman attracted almost 13 million viewers. Almost 80% of Paradise's players are Americans but, like most online poker sites, it has no assets in the country in order to avoid the possibility of legal action under the US Wire Act, which forbids gambling across state lines. Paradise is based in Costa Rica and runs its computer servers from Kahnawake, a Mohawk Indian reservation near Montreal. Mr Payne said he did not expect regulatory problems to materialise. "I go to the States every month and I own a house there," he said. "This brand is advertised across the States and it is generally held that poker, as a game of chance rather than skill, does not come under the Wire Act." Sportingbet funded the cash element of the deal from a new £90m facility with Barclays and a placing of shares to raise £11.4m.

Poker, What’s The Risk? Pt. 2

Poker, What’s The Risk? Pt. 2 Patrice Walsh (Rochester, NY) 10/26/04 - Poker has recently become extremely popular; adults play weekly poker games and kids are playing in school or at friend's houses. It’s just a card game, right? That depends who's playing. Counselor Ray Scott has worked with teens as young as 16 who were so addicted they were spending their parents household money. "They can definitely get hooked and run through a lot of money," said Scott. "Kids are very anxious, there are even bookies in some schools...if kids don't pay off, they threaten them." Scott said it is possible to play the game for harmless fun and not become addicted. It depends on what other problems people have and what their motives are. He doesn't think it's smart for teens to be playing poker unsupervised even if it is just for chips, because he said that can lead to more compulsive gambling with money. "If you look at most people who develop gambling problems, they started when they were teenagers, or before---it starts for some as harmless gambling,” Scott said. Whether playing poker on a video machine or at a table, players say it's the excitement that's the draw, and of course, the chance to win money. Some regulars like Justin Villa and Phil Terpolilli don't think of it as a habit or addiction. They say they know when to stop playing. Terpolilli said, "We play a lot but we've also taken off three weeks, it's not a big deal." Warning signs of compulsive gambling include--missing time from work or school, loss in productivity, failing grades, stealing money to support the habit or running up credit card debt. The Health Association offers counseling and other programs for problem gamblers. Their helpline number is 1-877-543-7580.

Poker Face -

AlterNet: WireTap: Poker Face: "Poker Face" Have you been bitten by the poker bug? You're not alone. This year, thanks to televised poker games and online gambling sites, poker has replaced sports betting as the most popular way to take a risk. Gone are the iconic old greasy poker players – green visors, cigars and all. Now, poker is glamorous. Heck – it’s televised, and even celebrities like Ben Affleck, Tony Hawk and Angela Bassett aren’t ashamed to say they play it. Poker is hot, and teenagers are flocking to it with open arms. ESPN started televising the World Series of Poker a little over a year ago, and since then, poker popularity’s taken off like gangbusters. The Travel Channel, Bravo and Fox SportsNet have also taken to televising poker tournaments. The young players on the televised tournaments are one reason the sport’s really taking off with teens and young people. Whether it’s “The Crew,” a group of 20-somethings headed up by phenom Dutch Boyd, who earned a law degree at age 18, or Phil Ivey, a 27-year-old who’s been playing poker professionally for 10 years, there are plenty of young success stories to latch on to. Emily Biondo, a senior in high school from Maryland, says that while she started playing poker with her family when she was in sixth grade, she didn’t come out of the “poker closet” until last year, when poker became mainstream in her school. She estimates that about 90 percent of her school knows how to play poker, just from watching the shows. And, she said, about 60 percent play regularly, Studies in the United States and Canada have indicated that about 80 percent of teenagers have reported gambling in the past year. While sports gambling used to be the most popular way to take a risk, in the past year, all that attention has switched to poker. While many teens might not bet any money and play just to have something to do in the suburbs with their friends on a Friday night, others lay down around $20 a game. One teen told WireTap that their friend cashed their entire paycheck each week, around $200, and used it to play poker until the next check came in. The phenomenon has even sparked an urban legend in the Philadelphia area about a freshman who was so indebted to upperclassmen because of poker that he sold his laptop. While most players are just into the game for some fun with their friends or family, some parents are having a hard time teaching their kids the value of money when millions of dollars might be won or lost on an average televised event. One parent asked ABC News, “How can I teach [my son] to earn his allowance of $10 per week when he sees people betting tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars?” The idea that poker, or gambling in general, is a get rich quick game might truly be a myth, according to Jackie Lapin, Media relations coordinator for the World Poker Tour. “One lesson to be learned in poker is hard work,” she said. “The guys at the top of this game work very hard. They read all the books and study the opposition. They are always, always learning. The people that we deal with are people who have done well, and it’s because they’re very serious students. It’s like anything else. If you work hard and practice long enough, you will get better.” With so many young people spending time on the internet in their free time, it makes sense that online poker is especially popular. Many sites offer players free credits to play against people all over the world. The last two World Series of Poker winners have qualified online. In fact, most big poker events like the World Series have seen dramatic increase in numbers of players who have qualified online, sometimes for no money at all. Because some players buy their way into the big events for fees of up to $10,000, this is an appealing option, especially for new players. Vikrant Bhargava, General Manager of partypoker.com, one of the internet’s most popular and well advertised poker sites, says that online poker has grown almost 15 times bigger in the past 18 months. At any given time, partypoker.com hosts about 65,000 players simultaneously. “The market has just exploded with people becoming less shy about playing poker with others outside of their close friends circle,” Bhargava says. Ideally, youth and teens getting into poker only play for fun, or they understand the value of hard work and skill in the game. Some parents see poker as something better for their kids to get into than drugs or alcohol. The World Poker Tour hopes that its younger fans will play the games with their families as a bonding activity and will be launching a family-oriented page on their website (www.worldpokertour.com) within a month. At the same time, though, poker is gambling, and with gambling comes the lurking sense of possible addiction or compulsion problems. Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), says that he believes that while the number of teens legitimately gambling might not go up, the fact that people are gambling earlier and more intensely might increase severity of gambling problems, getting teens into more trouble, quicker. One reason poker is so appealing is the “get rich quick” idea. While the chance of making millions of dollars from surprise poker skills is there, it’s not really possible for most people. That doesn’t mean, though, that millions of people don’t play poker or the lottery with the idea in their heads. “Alcoholics don’t believe the next drink is going to make them rich and famous, but gamblers do,” says Whyte. Compulsive or “problem gambling” is defined by the NCPG as, “all gambling behavior patterns that compromise, disrupt or damage personal, family or vocational pursuits. The essential features are increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, "chasing" losses, and loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.” Whyte says that gambling becomes compulsive because of sheer human nature. “We tend to remember our wins and forget about our losses,” says Whyte. “Gambling encourages persistence, to keep playing to win back the money you’ve lost.” Oftentimes, a compulsive or problem gambler doesn’t recognize their problem until they’re deep in debt. That’s another thing that makes gambling different than other addictions like drugs or alcohol – there are no outward signs. Someone can hide that they’re gambling on credit, but it’s often hard to hide a substance abuse problem. “We don’t have any natural defenses for gambling addiction,” says Whyte. “If you drink too much, you pass out. If you take too many drugs you OD, but there is not enough money in the world to satisfy a problem gambler.” It is possible to gamble safely, though. The NCPG recommends knowing the warning signs of problem gambling. “If gambling becomes the only thing in your life,” says Whyte, “if you need to bet increasing amounts to achieve the same excitement, and if you lose control, you’ve got a problem.” To make sure your poker game doesn’t get out of control, set a limit and stick to it. Don’t gamble when you’re drunk, high or stressed, and don’t gamble alone. If you’re gambling online, as many youth do, it might be harder to keep track of your money or debts. It’s also easier to fall into the trap of gambling on credit, which is a problem that can escalate quickly. Some poker sites have checks in place, though, to make sure someone’s gambling doesn’t get out of hand. Partypoker.com, for example, takes special care to ensure that their site stays out of bounds for minors. They check with verification companies to cross check the information cited on the online registration forms, including the date of birth. They require people to sign, electronically, that they are over 18, though that’s not infallible. “We make it clear,” says Bhargava, “that winnings will not be paid out without verification, to discourage minors from trying to bet and win.” Partypoker.com also has strict deposit limits for players, keeping people on budgets. Bhargava says, “the lifetime limit is less than what many people lose in a land-based casino in one session.” If a player loses a lot of money without having “high roller” status as a well-versed player on the site, they can have their account blocked. Whether poker is just a passing fad, or a trend here to stay, it’s best to take the advice of actor/singer Kenny Rogers -“you’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run.” Marah Eakin, 23, is a graduate student in Cultural Studies in Education at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Sportingbet is set to raise poker stakes

Times Online - Sunday Times: "Sportingbet is set to raise poker stakes" Matthew Goodman THE world’s largest internet betting group, Sportingbet, is in talks to acquire Paradisepoker, an online poker firm, for more than £170m. The acquisition would almost double the size of Sportingbet, whose shares are traded on the Alternative Investment Market. It has a market value of £229m. The news comes as it emerged that Richard Segal, the former boss of Odeon Cinemas, has joined the owner of the world’s biggest online poker business Partypoker.com as chief executive. His appointment to the board of iGlobalmedia will fuel speculation that the firm could be grooming itself for a flotation. Sportingbet announced last week that it was in “advanced discussions” about a “potential substantial acquisition of an online poker business”. It did not name the company it is buying, but The Sunday Times has learnt that the target is Tropical Paradise, which operates the Paradisepoker website from Costa Rica. The site has been on a publicity drive in Britain this year and launched a series of advertisements featuring the model Caprice. Industry sources said that the founders of Tropical Paradise had been trying to sell the business for several months. Last week, Sportingbet, founded in 1998 by bookmaker Mark Blandford, said its acquisition would be “significantly earnings enhancing” although it warned it was not certain a deal would be agreed. Sportingbet was recently named the world’s leading online gambling operator by the industry bible eGaming Review, which put it ahead of Ladbrokes and William Hill. The purchase of Partypoker would give it an even greater lead. Last week, a report on the interactive gaming industry by the stockbroker Arbuthnot Securities gave a “buy” recommendation for Sportingbet and said the company had “an opportunity to accelerate progress”. However, some investors have remained wary of the company because it does a large part of its business in America, where online sports betting is banned. Partypoker has been discussing a flotation with a small number of investment banks, as revealed by The Sunday Times last month, and Segal’s appointment will be seen as a another step towards this goal. Segal, 41, left Odeon in August last year after seven years at the cinema chain. He said last night how excited he was to be joining: “The growth rates both in terms of this market and this business are something that are fairly unequalled.” Segal had been considering a number of opportunities with private-equity groups before deciding to join iGlobalmedia during the summer. Meanwhile, Betfair, the online betting exchange, will this week announce plans to launch a legal challenge to the Dutch government over its decision to award an exclusive betting licence to De Lotto, the monopoly betting and gaming firm in Holland.

New Book Release - Texas Hold'Em Poker Secrets!

Texas Hold'Em Poker Secrets! by Robert Barnard "Learn Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Texas Hold'Em Poker Or You Get To Keep This Breakthrough Book For Free!" Learn the Shocking Secrets of One of the Most Popular Games on the Planet! Thanks to this eye-opening new book that goes behind-the-scenes to reveal all the Secrets of the playing Texas Hold 'Em, you're about to discover the answers to every question you've ever had about competing in this wildly popular game! There is so much information packed into this book, "Texas Hold 'Em Poker Secrets," that you'll want to read it again and again to make sure you remember everything! Written in plain, easy-to-understand language - no "tech-speak" or insider jargon - this informative book shows you everything you need to know to compete with the big boys on the big tables... for BIG money! Texas Hold 'Em Tattoo Poker has hit the big time -everyone from celebrities to people like you and me want to compete, but many of us are so new to the game we have way too many questions - and not enough answers - to even try to sit down at a poker table and win a round!

Here's the deal on poker

Here's the deal on poker There's no limit on how simple or extreme a friendly card game at home can go Joan Kazan | Enquirer contributor The card sharks are circling. Poker has become the game to play, and people are bluffing their way to victory from senior centers to country clubs. You've seen it on TV and heard about those charity tournaments. How about hosting a poker night in your home? It can be simple or elaborate. There are a few basic elements. You'll need at least two decks of cards for a six-person game. Ron Pfeiffer is an experienced poker player who is coordinating a Texas Hold 'em charity tournament for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America in February. He explains that having a second deck of cards is important for players with superstitions who think that changing decks may change their luck. "I've seen people walk around their chair to change their luck ... or sometimes a person will want to sit in the same seat all the time." He adds that his weekly poker game adheres to a three-hour time limit, regardless of who's won or lost up to that point. While poker is usually played on a kitchen or dining room table, some people choose to outfit their homes with elaborate card rooms. Dale Rockwell, professional poker player and manager of Reece's Las Vegas Supplies in Dayton, explains, "Everybody's turning their rec rooms into Las Vegas rooms." The collapsible card tables of yesterday are quickly being replaced by specially designed "Texas Hold 'em tables." These tables, named for one type of poker, can be used for any card game and are priced $400-$1,200. Chips are another stapleof poker, although plenty of people just use pocket change. According to Rockwell, you need "a minimum of 500 chips for 10 players." Reece's sells 100 chips for anywhere from $5-$105. Big-time poker players like Rockwell swear by cards made by Kem. "Kem cards are all plastic, won't bend or tear, and can even be washed." These cards don't come cheap though, he says, at $23 for two decks. Small-time poker players swear by free airline cards and matchsticks, and buy their chips in a bag to munch on throughout the evening. No matter how fancy or expensive your surroundings, like the song says, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em... ." Happy bluffing. Types of poker There are countless different card games in the broader category of poker. Here are the basic types of games from which dozens of variations stem. Community games: Some cards are dealt face down to each player and some are laid out in the center. The cards in the center are flipped over as the game progresses, with betting occurring between rounds. Each player "shares" the center cards and can combine them with those in their own hand to form, it's hoped, a winning hand. Texas Hold 'em is a community game. Draw games: After a regular deal, players can discard a number of cards for new cards from the deck in the hopes of improving their hand. Stud games: Each player gets a number of cards face up and a number face down (called "in the hole"). Cincinnati: Yes, we have our own poker game, and it is one of the original community games. Each player is dealt 5 cards, and 4-5 cards are laid out in the center to be flipped over one at a time with betting in between. Players make the best 5-card hand out of all 9 or 10 cards.

Sweden rapidly growing market for online gambling industry

It is emerging that in Sweden, the online gambling momentum is gathering, with thousands of Swedes now indulging in the activity in their evenings. Current estimations are that up to six thousand players hit the web every night in Sweden, and are on the most popular gambling sites simultaneously. A spokesperson of Swedish owned company Expect, Michael Holmberg, also revealed that profits in Sweden based in this sector are estimated to rise by 27 percent a month, as the online gambling pursuit starts to become a craze. Representatives from other companies including Betsson, Unibet and Ladbrokes have confirmed the prediction, by stating that they are also witnessing a similar trend, with revenues spent from their Swedish members increasing at a rate comparable to that claimed by Holmberg. One factor that may be contributing to the significant rise in activity, is the success of Scandinavian players, particularly in the realm of poker. Recently Martin de Kniif won the World Poker Tour in Las Vegas, winning himself the equivalent of 21 million Swedish crowns. Success stories such as these often prove to be inspirational to others, and seems to be having a distinctive knock on effect in Sweden, whose population is now logging on to gaming sites more than ever before.

Online Poker Is Fun

Online Poker Is Fun Oct 05, 2004 Bradpitts sits on the edge of his wooden chair, shirtless, yelling at his computer screen. Two guys in blue togas, breaking between parties, stand behind him giving advice as each card is turned by an invisible hand. Bradpitts gets a full house and knocks swodog28 out of the game. He jumps a little in his chair, making his long blonde hair swing up. “Ha ha, sucker,” he said. “I’m on a hot streak.” It’s 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Before the night is through, Bradpitts will win the 10-person, $10 buy-in, no limit Texas Hold ’Em tournament, and the tournament’s $40 prize. Bradpitts is one of many KU students who partake in one of the fastest growing pastimes on the Internet: virtual poker. He asked that his online alias be used in place of his name because online poker is illegal by federal law. The Federal Wire Wager Act, amended in 1994, prohibited betting over any “wire wagering facility,” including the Internet, according to the Kansas Gaming Commission. However, it is against the law for someone in the United States to wager on any site, regardless of the site’s location, unless he is in a place where gambling is permitted, such as Las Vegas. Playing cards for money has a long tradition on college campuses, dating long before the Internet. David Hodges, who graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1949, said he used to play the game Pitch with friends at a local college hangout. Since ESPN’s broadcast of the World Series of Poker gained unprecedented popularity last year, attracting more than one million viewing households, the sport’s popularity has increased among the ESPN demographic, mostly young adult males. Other television stations sought to capitalize on ESPN’s success by broadcasting other poker tournaments, including the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and Celebrity Poker on Bravo. Cole Robinson, Overland Park junior, said his favorite game when playing with his buddies is Texas Hold ’Em, the game usually played on television. “It’s the most exciting form of poker,” he said. “In Hold ’Em, luck and skill have a nice balance. It makes for really entertaining poker.” Because getting a game together is not always easy, many poker players are turning to the Internet, where tables are available at any time.

Poker Tells . Com - The Truth About Tells by Daniel Negreanu

Poker Tells . Com - The Truth About Tells by Daniel Negreanu: "The Truth About Tells by Daniel Negreanu" I’m going to let you in on a little secret here. If you believe that watching for a twitchy eye or a flared nostril is what poker is all about — you’re quite wrong. Many poker players (mainly those who are new to the game) are preoccupied with the notion that bluffing and the ability to discover tells are what it’s all about. I often hear someone say something like, “Oh, I could never be a good poker player. I have a terrible poker face.” Or, “I wouldn’t be very good at poker. I just can’t tell a lie, so I wouldn’t be able to bluff with a straight face.” Well, if you believe that, this column should be a pleasant awakening. While it is important to avoid giving away too much information with your body language, it’s nowhere near as important as learning the fundamentals of the game. In fact, I would bet that a world-class player could beat a low-limit game even if he told his opponents what he had on the turn every single time! Of course, that would work only if his opponents didn’t always believe him, but I think you get the idea. So, what is it, then? What is it that separates average and good players from the great ones? Well, obviously, tell recognition would be one factor, but it’s simply not the most significant. The answer is: hand-reading ability; the ability to process information that you’ve gathered from your opponent in the current hand and in past hands, and to use that information to narrow down your opponent’s holdings. Picking up on your opponents’ betting patterns and understanding what they are and aren’t capable of doing, makes this much easier. So, when you hear people talk about “reading people,” what it really comes down to is reading into your opponent’s mind what he is thinking at the moment, and trying to figure out how he would play various situations. It’s not about noticing that when Al has a flush draw, he eats an Oreo cookie without opening it up first, but when he has top pair, he licks out all the cream first. That would be one heck of a tell, but obvious tells like that are pretty much reserved for the movies. However, some pros would like you to believe that their biggest strength is their ability to “see through your soul”; that is, knowing what your holecards are just by looking at you. This might be true in cases in which players have exaggerated tells, but for the most part, a great player makes his read based on the actual betting that took place, not the facial tics. Now, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but I will anyway. It’s simply a scare tactic used by many pros to make you feel uncomfortable. Think about it: When you make a bet (whether it’s a bluff or not) and your opponent throws his hand in immediately, or even calls immediately, is it intimidating? No, not really. Well, what if he takes extra time? He stares you down. He cuts his chips out to make it look like he wants to raise, and so on. Now, that might make you sweat a little bit, especially if you are indeed bluffing! If it doesn’t make you sweat, it at least might make you uncomfortable having a guy stare at you for so long. It’s all a ploy, as simple as that. Most often, a player knows exactly what he’s going to do within five seconds. You’ll see it on the World Poker Tour telecasts quite often, thanks to the hidden cameras. There was a hand at the World Poker Open tournament in which Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot made a play with the 5 2. The player he had raised moved all in, and David went into the tank (meaning he took a substantial amount of time pondering whether or not to call the bet)! Why did he do this? After all, he is an experienced pro, and knew full well that he wasn’t going to call the all-in raise, so why waste all that time? Well, there are a couple of possible answers to that question. He may have just wanted to save face in order to conceal the fact that he was raising with a trash hand, or, more likely, he was trying to make his opponent sweat a little bit. He wanted to make him nervous, and put him through three minutes of torment before finally releasing his hand. Many players in this situation would be so relieved that it’s finally over that they subconsciously might think to themselves, “Hmm, I better think twice about making any moves against that guy in the future.” Well, that’s just what the Devilfish wanted from him. He wanted to scare him. He wanted him to think that if he ever tried to bluff him, he would have to deal with a full five-minute stare-down. That’s more than the average guy wants to deal with at the table, so many of them will begin playing in a straightforward manner from that point on — thus making it even easier on our pro to control the table. Don’t be paranoid of or obsessed with tells. That’s not where your focus should lie. I remember a few years ago something that I thought was rather cute. There were a few aspiring pros in a $10-$20 game at the Mirage one night. They looked fresh and ready to play. For several hours I watched them. Their eyes were constantly fixated on the player who was next to act. They gave each and every player the stare-down — on every street, whether they were in the hand or not! I thought it was quite funny, actually. They were so obsessed with trying to figure out what people’s tells were that they completely neglected what was actually going on in the hands — who bet, who raised, and so on. Instead of watching the action of the game and studying betting patterns, they spent all of their time trying to figure out if Grandma Betty actually had a nervous twitch, and whether or not her twitch revealed something about her holecards! They clearly had a lot of passion and energy for the game, but they were wasting all of that energy exercising the wrong muscles. Having said all this, I should probably point out that what you say, or what you do with your eyes and hands, can be giveaways to the strength of your holding. Great players watch almost everything, and many do have an innate ability to read body language. You don’t ever want to dismiss tells from your poker repertoire, but you just might be better off putting less emphasis on their importance. I have a simple rule when I’m being stared down: The tougher my opponent, the less I’ll do. If I believe I’m up against an average or weak player, I may send out some false tells and basically try to manipulate his decision in my favor. I may even make a comment, it just depends on what I think I need to do to manipulate his mind. A great player can usually read through that act, though, so you don’t want to give him anything. If you give him nothing and he still tells you he can “see through your soul,” don’t sweat it; I assure you it’s just another scare tactic. To contact Daniel Negreanu, email daniel@fullcontactpoker.com. Essay added 10/12/2004

Texas Hold 'em is hot game these days

When one speaks of poker these days, it's usually a version known as Texas Hold 'em, often played in so-called "tournaments."

In Texas Hold 'em, each player receives two cards face-down (the "hole" cards), then the next five cards are all common cards dealt face-up, meaning any player can use any of the latter to make a hand.

Distribution of the common cards goes by colorful names such as the flop, the turn and the river.

Tournament play differs from the typical Friday night poker game or casino game in that every player buys a seat at a table for a fixed price and receives a predetermined amount of chips, i.e., the chips in play typically are just a means of keeping score. As players lose all their chips, they drop out of the tournament. The last player with all the chips wins a prize

-- Abe Aamidor

Bellagio Poker Tournaments - Five Diamond World Poker Classic

The Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas is one of the major stops on the World Poker Tour with the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic, an annual poker tournament that takes place at the Bellagio in November and December. The Bellagio has one of the top poker rooms in Las Vegas and the Five Diamond World Poker Classic is a popular tournament as is the Bellagio Festa al Lago Poker Tournament in June and July, and the Bellagio Five Star World Poker Classic in April. The Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic begins at the end of November and includes about two weeks of daily poker tournaments culminating in a 3 day World Poker Tour no limit Texas Hold'em poker tournament with a $15,000 buy-in. The daily tournaments preceding the WPT poker tournament include no limit, limit, and pot limit Texas Hold'em as well as 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pot Limit Omaha. Tournament buy-ins are between $1,000 and $3,000. The 2004 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic starts on November 29, with daily poker tournaments running through December 11. The $15,000 World Poker Tour tournament takes place from December 13 through 17. The winner of the $15,000 WPT tournament will receive an entry to the $25,000 World Poker Tour Championship which will be held at the Bellagio in April, 2005. Some of the other poker tournaments in the 2004 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic will also award entries to the $25,000 World Poker Tour Championship in April (as long as the tournament prize pools reach $200,000). Those are the tournaments on November 29, December 4, December 6, and December 10. Bellagio will hold daily satellite tournaments beginning on November 27, and will hold a $1,000 buy-in Super Satellite tournament on December 12 that will award as many entries as possible to the $15,000 WPT poker tournament. Following is the schedule for the 2004 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Call the Bellagio Poker Room for more information at (702) 693-7290. Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic Tournament Schedule - click here

The new face of poker - Silver Chips Online

The new face of poker - Silver Chips Online Stakes are high for teen gambling Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identity of the sources. Forget Atlantic City. Forget Charlestown. Forget the proposed slot machines for the District and Maryland. For all the not-so-high rolling, card playing junkies out there, the SAC is the place to be. Instead of pulling levers on brightly lit slot machines, Blazers can press buttons on brightly lit soda machines. Instead of sipping cocktails, players, here, chug milk. Instead of sporting bowties, dealers wear IDs around their necks. Shortcoming aside, Blair stages a genuine casino-like experience with several tables showcasing multiple card games. Everyday during 5A lunch, eight male Blazers crowd around a table littered with red, white and blue chips and a stack of playing cards. In an organized chaos, the boys carry on several different conversations all while shifting their eyes from the cards in their hands to those that have been flipped over in the center, and finally, to the faces of their opponents. Today, freshman Jason Salazar flips his cards to expose a pair of kings and a pair of fives. Ridding himself of a poker face, his friend grins, reveals his cards and swipes the chips away. It seems like the SAC isn't the only one with a full house. Salazar collects the cards, disappointingly shuffles the deck and deals another round. From high school cafeterias to college dorm rooms, poker has quickly been gaining popularity among teens and young adults. The explosion of television shows such as The Bravo Channel's Celebrity Poker, The Travel Channel's World Poker Tour, and especially ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has helped spark the card playing craze. The WSOP attracts audiences by representing a more realistic group of players. "You know, Moneymaker, a regular fat guy won the tournament; it just shows anyone can win at poker. It's like, if he can do it, I can do it," says senior Tom Meyer. Not only do these television programs offer an appealing picture of poker playing, they also glamorize gambling, an unhealthy habit to start at a young age, according to experts. The National Council on Problem Gambling reports that, "Age of exposure plays a part in that adults who seek treatment for problem gambling report having started gambling at an early age." In a different study, the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling finds that 87 percent of teens have gambled for money at some time. Research also shows that teenage boys seem more affected by the activity than girls. According to a 2003 survey conducted by University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center, half of 14-18 year-old males said they've gambled for money, while only 16 percent of adolescent females admit having ever gambled. However, the popularity of poker is also on the rise among teenage girls. Junior Eleanor Seavey learned the game of poker at age nine, and just recently, she's begun to play more often. Seavey recognizes the male dominance the more she plays. "If you win, it's a huge deal. If you lose, it's, like, ‘You're a girl. Who cares?'" she says rolling her eyes. By nature, both male and female adolescents are drawn to high-risk activities that boost adrenaline levels. Poker and gambling meet both criteria. It's been almost ten years since senior Neil Hofman learned the game of poker. Since then, the wood chips and marbles he used to gamble with have turned into five, ten, and even $20 bills. Hofman spends his weekends hosting or attending poker parties and tournaments—over the summer, he admitted playing three to four times a week, making $60 on average. Hofman has experienced the extreme highs and lows of playing poker. "Once I had $700 in twenties. I threw it up in the air and showered myself with it," Hofman joyfully recollects as he rubs his hands together in excitement. Since October of last year, he has saved over $1000 from winnings, only splurging on items like a $120 chip set. Nevertheless, Hofman also remembers an especially dark occasion where he lost $50. "I remember I was driving home, and I was so incredibly mad. I was screaming, yelling, and cursing all over the place, saying ‘How could you be so stupid?'" Since gambling is nearly as impossible to restrict in school as out of school, some Blazers take advantage of the opportunity to play during lunches. George and his friends have played Texas Hold ‘Em, one of the most popular types of poker, with $1 buy-ins at lunch since last year. Despite the fact that they've never tried to conceal their games, these students have never been caught gambling. "I enjoy playing for money. It adds another dimension to the game, but I don't know what I would do if I got caught. I've never really thought about it," admits George. Still, Blair administrators and security don't find gambling to be a prevalent issue. "I don't think it's a problem. If we are made aware of it, we'd try to fix it, but it's hard to control what happens in dark corners around the school. We can't be everywhere," says Principal Philip Gainous. Salazar and his lunch group don't gamble with real money at school, but like other Blazers who play, the competition is what really draws them to the game. "It's the chance of winning and the fact that I like thinking that I can beat all my friends," says senior Matthew Fritz-Mauer. For others, poker is just another recreational pastime. "You can't make a steady income from playing. Poker is just one of the few social outlets from school and work," Meyer confesses. Like Meyer, his poker buddy, senior Nathan Barrymore plays leisurely. "It's not for the money. It's a way to be competitive that's not a sport," he says just before resuming in a conversation about the coverage on the WSOP he saw the previous night. Turning to his friend he adds, "Oh, and I found a couple more guys who want to play." There's a chance for anything; those who begin as amateurs on Blair Boulevard may just end up playing professionally on The Vegas Strip.

The Poker Gazette

The Poker Gazette: "Affleck Graces Cover of Poker Magazine" Affleck Graces Cover of Poker Magazine NEW YORK, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Add another magazine cover for Ben Affleck. Only this time the cover is based on something other than Affleck's personal life or upcoming movie. ALL IN, the world's leading poker magazine put Affleck on the cover of its most recent issue for his first place finish at the California State Championship. Affleck is an iconic figure in the poker world primarily due to the glamour that he has brought to the game. The victory clearly established Affleck as the best player among the poker-playing Hollywood set that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ed Norton, Tobey McGuire, and James Woods. "Everyone knows about Ben Affleck's commitment to the game of poker," said Bhu Srinivasan, publisher of ALL IN Magazine. "We wanted to be careful not to put him on the cover purely because of his celebrity, but when he won a major event, it became a no-brainer." With amateur victories such as Affleck's fueling poker's ever-growing popularity, ALL IN Magazine has become one of the fastest growing magazines in the country. Over the past four months, subscriptions to ALL IN Magazine have grown by over 450%. The growth of poker media isn't limited to print alone; televised poker continues to draw the ratings usually reserved for major athletic events. ESPN, FOX Sports, NBC, Travel Channel, and Bravo all carry a variety of poker shows. Estimates suggest that up to 50 million people watch or play poker in the United States alone. With an audience this size, marketers are paying close attention to the poker phenomenon to see if there are branding opportunities in poker. "We were surprised at how receptive the advertising community was to an upscale poker magazine," said Srinivasan. "Advertisers are finding that ALL IN Magazine is a great way to capitalize on poker." Brands that have made marketing investments in poker include Oakley, Belvedere Vodka, ESPN, Anheuser-Busch, Jim Beam Brands, Miramax, NBC, Discovery Networks, Diageo, Altadis, Toyota, Levitra, Samuel Adams, and Fairmont Hotels. Several major advertisers in electronics, automotive, travel, and apparel are currently negotiating category exclusive deals with the publication as well major sponsorships with the television networks. www.allinmagazine.com

News For Today

Retailers betting on poker's rising popularity Akron Beacon Journal (subscription) - Akron,OH,USA TOLEDO, Ohio - With poker's popularity growing because of televised tournaments, retailers are betting that playing cards and chips will be among the must-have ... US teens hit by poker craze epidemic Gambling Gates.com - Herndon,VA,USA They're playing poker -- Texas Hold `em, reads the pokergazette.com. ... The newfound popularity of poker among teens worries some adults. ... James Woods and Vince Van Patten Introduce Hollywood Poker Club ... Yahoo News (press release) - USA 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Hollywood Poker Club (http://www.hollywoodpoker.com) is inviting everyone to a sneak-preview celebration with a huge free celebrity tournament ... Starting a Poker Website CardPlayer.com - USA There are now more than 200 poker sites on the Internet, with no end in sight to the poker boom. Are you curious about what is involved ... Poker just got Sexier with PlayersOnly.com Online Casino News - USA Sportingbet PLC (LSE SBT.L) announced today that the sexiest Sportsbook on the internet, PlayersOnly.com, has added a new poker room to its existing sports ...

Poker Forums -> Another Way To Calculate Outs

Poker Forums -> Another Way To Calculate Outs: "Another Way To Calculate Outs, For the mathmaticly impaired :)" There is an easier way to figure out the chances of making a given hand without having to memorize long lists of numbers for all the possible hands. It is important to note, though, it isn't 100 percent accurate, but close enough... within 1-2% For example, if you hold two suited cards in your hand and you flop another two, giving you a four-flush with two cards to come: 1. You must determine the number of “outs” that you have – that is, the number of cards left that will make your hand. If you have four to the flush – that is, four of the 13 of your suit – there are nine cards remaining somewhere (either in the deck or in other players’ hands) that will make your hand. 2. Multiply your “out” cards on the flop (nine) by four. That gives you 36, or 36 percent. So, after the flop, you have about a 36 percent chance of making the flush. The actual number is 34.97 percent, so this easy method has given you a number that’s within 1.03 percentage points of the actual number. That’s fairly close for an answer that came as easily as that. Now, let’s look at the turn card. It’s a blank. Now you still have nine outs, but with only one card to come, you multiply your outs by two and you get 18, or 18 percent. The actual number is 19.57 percent, so you are within 1.57 percentage points of being right on target. As a novice player, don’t these “approximate” numbers give you a lot of information? Try this... You flop a pair. What are the chances that you will make at least three of a kind? You have two outs with two cards to come. Two times four equals eight, so your chances of making trips are about 8 percent. The actual number? 8.42 percent! That’s a pretty good estimate for such an easy task. And with one card to come, multiply that same number of outs (two) by two and you get four, or 4 percent, which is close to the actual number of 4.35 percent. Remember, with two cards to come, multiply the number of cards that will make your hand by four; with one card to come, multiply by two. It is also important to note that when you figure your outs, there may be other cards that can win for you. For example: if you flop a flush draw and hold A-K, you may want to add the three remaining aces and three remaining kings to count of “out” cards if you think that pairing one of these cards could win the pot for you. There are many things that can be learned with this system, and if you practice when you are not involved in the throes of battle, you will learn to use this tool quickly and effortlessly. Above was taken from Card Player Magazine by Jan Fisher

Save Your Bet, Article by Rick Fuller...

I the recent edition of ALL IN there is an article that explains almost everything I have been saying the last few months. Save your Bet: How to increase profits by keeping your game from going to pot odds.... ------"One of the most common mistakes that can cost you a lot of money over the long haul is calling a bet on the river when you know you're beat. It's a huge leak for a lot of players--one I'm familiar with because I'm actively trying to remove it from my own game. ------"Well, I've got pot odds," you say to justify your call. But it doesn't matter. In there situations, pot odds means less than a marriage proposal from Britney Spears. Yet so many of us make the call anyway, thinking we have no choice........ ------There are times when you simply have to ignore pot odds and lay down your hand. This applies to pot-limit and no-limit Hold'em games as well. A favorite ploy of many no-limit tournament pros is to make such a small bet on the river that their opponent feels they simply have to call. If there's $4,000 in the pot and I bet $400, and you know that I will bluff at least on time in ten in this situation, then you have to make the call...right? No! If you know, either through a read or betting patterns in play that you are beat then you do not have to call. Save the chips for use in a better spot..... ------Folding on the river when you know your beat--just a slight tweak to your game--can significantly increase your expected winnings--from 1 big bet per hour to 1 or even 2 big bets per hour." Rick Fuller The entire article can be found on page 22 of the recent ALL IN. The excerpt above could be confusing, so be sure to check out the full article in ALL IN, or read the discussion thread at PokerForums.net here - The Moral of the story is that if you know you arte beaten, FOLD, irrespective of the pot odds.