Five More Tribes Approved for Blackjack, Poker

Five More Tribes Approved for Blackjack, Poker OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Five more Indian tribes have won federal approval to offer blackjack and poker at their casinos. The Choctaw, Chickasaw, Quapaw and Citizen Potawatomi Nations and the Eastern Shawnee Tribe are the latest to have their gaming compacts with the state approved. There are now nine tribes eligible to offer tournament-style card games and faster electronic machines that include video poker. Eight other tribes are still waiting for federal approval of their gaming compacts. State Finance Director Scott Meacham says of the nine tribes whose compacts were approved, six have paid the $85,000 in state fees required to offer the new games.

Mastering the Three Levels of Poker

Mastering the Three Levels of Poker by Lou Krieger These days, everyone seems to be playing poker. Or, if they aren’t playing, they’re watching from the rail and marveling at the moves players make and the amount of money at risk on the turn of a single card. It is very seductive. Just how seductive it is can be seen by the explosion of poker on TV. There are upward of 30 hours of poker on TV every week. If reruns of the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour aren’t enough, Hollywood’s “A-List” celebrities have gotten into the act, too, with cable channels promoting shows like Celebrity Poker, where your favorite heartthrob from the afternoon soaps and an obscure insult comedian sit down with a couple of B-level movie stars and “let ’er rip.” The success of shows like the World Poker Tour is amazing. The first shows turned into the most watched show the Travel Channel ever had, and word of mouth was so strong that the reruns actually attracted an even larger audience. From our point of view, as extremely serious poker players, some of these shows are fabulous and some not so good, but the attraction keeping us riveted to the screen is the skill displayed by the pros in these events. So, in the hope we can seduce some of the newer readers and players into joining the ever-growing ranks of serious poker players, we’ll tell you why play at the final tables is so engaging. It’s important to realize that the poker you see being played on the WPT and the WSOP is not typical of most poker games — not by any stretch of the imagination. For the most part, you’re seeing only the final table of an event that has lasted for days. In typical WPT events, several hundred players begin play. In the championship event of the 2004 WSOP, nearly 2,600 players plopped down $10,000 to play, and it took seven days before Greg Raymer claimed the $5 million first prize. Major poker tournaments are a lot like golf and tennis tournaments, in that a large number of competitors start out and play over several days, with only a few making it to the final table. Moreover, you aren’t seeing all the hands. TV shows are taped well in advance and then edited down. The producers select the most exciting hands to show — ones in which a brilliant bluff worked and an intimidated opponent threw away the best hand, or a player caught a “miracle card” to turn a sure loser of a hand into a big winner. These hands make for great television, but are relatively rare, even at a final table. Here’s a clue as to what’s going on. Dealers are replaced every half-hour. If you look carefully, you often see that three different dealers have been working the table even though only seven or eight minutes have passed by on your watch. As exciting as they are, hands with miracle cards are not the attraction. Sure, we love watching someone hit that miracle card, and it’s hard to resist the antics of world-class players when they are trying to get a psychological edge on their opponents, but the real key is much more subtle. It has to do with mastering the three levels of play in poker. Level 1 (Hand Selection): Every player must master this to have any chance of becoming good — and by “good,” we mean at least breaking even. The key to Level 1 play is learning to evaluate your own hand, estimate its strength, and understand how well your cards will play given your position and the playing styles and tendencies of your opponents. The essence of Level 1 play is dead simple: Start with the best hand and you are more likely to end up with the best hand. If you start with a lesser hand, you are likely to end up a loser. Be careful about your starting cards, and don’t put your money up without having a decent chance of winning the hand. Although we have been playing poker for a long time, it’s still astonishing to see how many regulars have not mastered the rudiments of Level 1 play. If you have, these folks will essentially give you their money, and we’re always happy to see our readers prosper. Level 2 (Reading Opponents’ Hands): To move up beyond Level 1, you’ll need to master the key trick here, reading your opponents. You may have a very strong hand, such as three kings, but it is worth absolutely nothing if your opponent has three aces. On the other hand, you can pick up a pot with a bet or a raise with virtually nothing if you sense that your opponent has a hand so weak that he’ll fold if you bet. There are two elements to learning Level 2 play. One involves ascertaining at what level your opponents are playing. If your opponent seems to be someone who understands Level 1 play, you can often get a good read on his hands simply by noting when and how he bets or raises. The other way to get an edge at this level is by “reading” your opponent’s actions, movements, voice quality, body language, and manner of betting. One of the best books on this topic is Mike Caro’s Book of Tells. In poker lingo, a “tell” is something your opponent does to reveal the strength of his hand. Mike’s book is full of useful photos and detailed analyses of body language. Or, it might be a false tell, which is designed to trick you into believing your opponent is weak when he is really strong, or vice versa. Relatively few players reach this level. You can often tell when someone is working to learn this skill. If you overhear a poker player say something like, “Well, when he raised me after a third spade hit the board, I put him on a flush,” you are listening to someone who is playing at Level 2. Don’t worry about being less than perfect at picking up tells. No one picks all of them up. You just have to be right more often than chance to improve your lot at the poker table. Level 3 (Reading Opponents’ Minds): The key to Level 3 play is figuring out what your opponent thinks you have. If your opponent appears to understand Level 2 play, you know he’s trying to figure out what you have. By analyzing the pattern of betting and raising as the hand progresses through its betting rounds, you can often get a good read on what your opponent thinks you have. The key to making this work for you lies in adjusting your own strategy based on what you think your opponent thinks you have. If your opponent thinks you have a strong hand, you can bet and win a pot with the worst hand. If your opponent thinks you’re weak, such a bluff won’t work. Very few players master Level 3. In fact, the overwhelming majority of poker players — even some who have played for years — don’t even realize this level exists. But mastering it is critical to becoming a very solid player. Now you know why we like watching final-table play on TV. These guys are all playing at Level 3. Indeed, some of them take it up a notch and slip another layer of “he thinks that I think that he thinks that I have” into their game. Many of the hands that look ordinary actually contain layer upon layer of this kind of analysis. When a top pro sits there and thinks for several minutes, he is going through these various Level 3 considerations. There are wheels within wheels within wheels, and sometimes they just seem to keep spinning. So, come join us in the poker rooms that are springing up everywhere. Start at the lowest stakes; win a little, lose a little. Enjoy yourself and learn to love this fabulous game. It is a lot more fun than mindlessly stabbing at the “spin” button on a slot machine.

Public moves 'all in' on poker trend

The Western Herald - Public moves 'all in' on poker trend By Erica Finley Senior News Writer When a person finds meaning in phrases like "all in," "rockets," or "I got the nuts," it's probably a sign that person has fallen victim to one of the fastest growing forms of real-life and online gaming -- the world of Texas Hold 'em poker. Of course it doesn't help that TV is bombarded with poker shows like Bravo's "Celebrity Poker," the Travel Channel's "World Poker Tour," ESPN's extensive coverage of "The World Series of Poker," and its new hit drama, "Tilt" -- a show about high-stakes players trying to make it big before The World Series of Poker. Jacqueline Clegg, a Western Michigan University sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, likes the constant coverage of her favorite game -- most of the time. "I like it," she said. "I'm really surprised by how quickly it blew up. It happened around the same time I was getting into it and some of the shows are dumb because of the commentators, but I like things like the 'World Poker Tour.'" In a typically male-dominated sport, Clegg considers herself just as much of a challenge as the next guy. "I think girls don't have as much experience but that doesn't mean they don't play well," she said. "I see it as an advantage -- the guy's thinking 'she doesn't know what she's doing,' when the girl can actually know a lot about it." Poker in some form has been around since 1834, although its true origin is somewhat unclear and is likely a combination of many different games, according to pokerpages.com. For those who may have missed the Texas Hold 'em bandwagon, the game begins with each player being dealt two cards. The two players to the left of the dealer put out forced bets called "blinds," a rule designed to build money in the pot and drive betting. The players then bet based on how strong they think their hand is. The dealer then lays down three "community cards" for all players to use. Another round of betting takes place, the fourth card or the "turn" is laid down, followed by another round of betting and the fifth card or the "river." The final round of betting takes place and the person with the best five-card combination wins the "pot" or collection of all money bet in previous rounds. WMU Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Blaine Kalafut said WMU hasn't experienced the same issues as other universities associated with large-scale gambling problems. "I've been here 27 years and we've never, since I can recall, had any criminal complaint involving gambling," he said. The Student Code of Conduct doesn't explicitly prohibit student gambling, according to Suzanne Nagel-Bennett, associate dean of students. However, she said it does prohibit the "violation of federal, state or local law on university premises or at university sponsored or supervised activities," which could include gambling.Kraft, Laura 2/8/05 Sarah, does this make sense? like, the university uphold federal laws on campus? Student athletes have their own set of rules and are specifically prohibited from engaging in any type of gambling or bribery, Nagel-Bennett said. Not only are people playing in real life for money but some have moved their game online to play with other enthusiasts or to use play money to practice and hone their poker skills. A software program called Poker Tracker allows you to track other players' habits, how many times you see the flop, raise and win money. Online sites make an average of $2 million to $2.5 million per day, according to poker.net. Pokerpulse.com keeps a record of online poker statistics and estimated the number of active real money players online at 1,784,000 in January alone. Clegg thinks the popularity of the TV shows will eventually die down but poker's entertainment value will keep people playing for a long time. "You spend about the same amount of money going to the movies and in the end, you get paid for it," she said. "You have control over how much you win or how much you lose. I think I'll be playing for a while."

Poker Clothing (Poker Apparel) Company Signs Celebrity Christine Nguyen as Company Spokesmodel

PRESS RELEASE: Poker Clothing (Poker Apparel) Company Signs Celebrity Christine Nguyen as Company Spokesmodel Big Slick Attire has signed model/actress Christine Nguyen to appear in its latest marketing and promotional campaign. Christine is known for appearances on The Man Show, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and as host of Inside The Box on ESPN2. Bakersfield, CA (PRWEB) February 9, 2005 -- Big Slick Attire has signed model/actress Christine Nguyen to appear in its latest marketing and promotional campaign. Christine is known for appearances on The Man Show, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and as host of Inside The Box on ESPN2. She has also appeared in campaigns and commercials for Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Pepsi, WWE, Miller Lite, Radio Shack, and Goldschlager. This summer Christine appears alongside Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the remake of The Longest Yard. Commenting on the campaign, Christine Nguyen stated “Big Slick Attire is a company with attitude and fun designs. With the popularity of poker and the phenomenon it is becoming I believe that this company will do very well in the next few years, I am happy they chose me to be the face of the brand”. David Higdon, Brand Manager, stated that “in order for us to be heard and seen we need a celebrity that is recognizable around the world and who is involved in major entertainment projects; we believe that Christine will help us make Big Slick Attire a household name”. About Big Slick Attire Big Slick Attire was created to catch the growth and competitive nature of individual poker players. The line was introduced in November of 2004 and was very successful using the indoor bathroom advertising medium to launch the brand. Currently, the company sales t-shirts, baby doll tees, hoodies, hats, and more from their website; www.bigslickattire.com. The company has recently begun the process of searching for distributors and retail establishments to carry the line.

Route 66 Casino Opens New Mexico's Newest Poker Room

Route 66 Casino Opens New Mexico's Newest Poker Room Route 66 Casino Opens New Mexico’s Newest Poker Room February 10, 2005 Two-Time World Series of Poker Champion Jennifer Harman Celebrated Opening Route 66 Casino recently held the grand opening of its state-of-the-art poker room. Two-time World Series of Poker champion Jennifer Harman helped to celebrate the grand opening with an autograph session and she played poker with Route 66 guests throughout the day. With a sophisticated and comfortable design, special amenities, and a variety of games, the new poker room is one of New Mexico’s finest. To celebrate the grand opening, poker room guests had the opportunity to play a game against Harman simply by dropping their names into a drawing bin. Each hour, a drawing was held and nine guests were selected to play a few hands for cash winnings against Harman. “Poker is among the most popular casino games today and our players have said that they would love to play the game here at Route 66 Casino. Now they can,” said Dan Ihm, marketing director of Laguna Development Corporation, which owns and operates Route 66 Casino. “Our room includes many popular games and variations on the game. In addition, we have added several amenities to make our room the most players friendly. For example, ours is a non-smoking room, we have an exclusive bar for our guests and we use automatic shufflers that create the fastest games in town.” Route 66 Casino’s poker room includes 12 tables that offer Texas Hold’em Omaha High and Low, and 7-Card Stud. Other games include two mini-baccarat tables, one Pai Gow poker table and one four-card poker table. The poker room has two $25 blackjack tables. “Our guests will find that our room is designed to be relaxing and yet it will make them feel special,” added Ihm. The décor of the room includes dark woods with a special glass railing to a separate poker bar area. The Route 66 Casino poker room is designated as a non-smoking area. It includes in-room food and beverage service from a select menu in addition to the bar. Four plasma screen televisions allow guests to view the most exciting sports action and news. Players will note that the games are the fastest in town with high-speed automatic shufflers. In addition, the Route 66 Casino poker room offers no limit games and a maximum buy-in of $100. Members of the Fast Cash Reward program can earn units for every hour of play. “Albuquerque poker players know what they want – action. Our poker room offers them what they are looking for,” said Ihm. “Poker is among the most competitive games in the country and Albuquerque is no exception. We will continue to work with our players so that our room remains the hottest spot in town for the game.” The Route 66 Casino is owned and operated by Laguna Development Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pueblo of Laguna. In addition to the poker room, the 167,000-square-foot property includes more than 1,200 slot machines, 20 table games, a bingo parlor, the Hungry Cowboy Buffet, the Cabaret Dell Rhea, the 2,800-seat Legends Theater, which features headline entertainment, and a retail shop. The Route 66 Casino is adjacent to Interstate 40, parts of which are formerly the historic Route 66. The property is just 10 minutes west of Albuquerque.