How To Win WITHOUT Great Cards

331 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting dealt an Ace-King suited
before the flop.

220 to 1.

Those are the odds AGAINST getting pocket Aces before the
flop.

Monster hands like these are GREAT when you catch them...
and you'll definitely have a good shot at raking in a killer
pot.

But the fact is, when you play poker you WON'T catch
monsters very often.

The same is true with wired pairs and suited connectors...

When you hit with one of these hands, your opponents will
usually NEVER see it coming...

And once again, you'll rake in a nice pot.

But how many times do you get hands like these AND hit the
right cards?

Not too often.

ANYONE-- no matter what their skill level-- can win a pot
with a monster.

The SECRET to poker success, my friend, is learning how to
win hands WITHOUT having the "nuts" or great cards.

It's what separates the AVERAGE card players from the poker
LEGENDS.

So how do you play hands that are DECENT, but not GREAT?
Hands like Q-J, J-10, 9-10, Q-10, K-10, K-9, and so on...

If you FOLD every time you see cards like these, you're
playing too tight. Because you're going to see these types
of hands A LOT.

To consistently win at Texas Holdem poker, you've got to
learn how to win with hands that AREN'T great.

But how?

I'll tell you how...

The key is POSITIONING.

That's the magic word.

In Texas Holdem, positioning is EVERYTHING...

You can see a hand in one position and the right play is to
FOLD it...

And then see the SAME EXACT HAND in a different position and
the right play is to make a BET.

For example, let's say you're in an 8-player no limit Holdem
game... where the blinds are $1-2.

You're first to act before the flop (a.k.a. "under the gun")
and look down at your cards:

Q-J offsuit.

What do you do?

Playing the hand shouldn't cross your mind.

Calling with a Q-J offsuit can easily turn into TROUBLE when
first to act.

Because SOMEONE at your 8-man table is probably going to
throw out a pre-flop raise.

Think about it...

How many times does the action go COMPLETELY around the
table before the flop without SOMEONE making a raise?

Not too often.

Even if it's just a small $5 raise... you don't want to pay
$7 with your Q-J offsuit just to see the flop.

After all, even if you HIT top pair, you're STILL going to
be one of the first to act, if not THE first. What then?

Your kicker isn't too strong, and you don't have a read on
the other players.

It's just a bad situation to be in...

Which is why I muck "decent" hands like these when I'm under
the gun or in an early position.

And you should too.

Now let's say you're fourth to act before the flop (sixth
position at the table) and you peek down at a Q-10 offsuit.

You're positioning isn't great, but it's not too bad either.

The action is on you to call the $2 big blind...

What do you do?

Instead of mucking, this is where I'd limp in and call the
blind.

The key is to pay $2... don't raise it. You've got a good
chance at seeing the flop for just $2 and you won't have to
act first after the flop hits.

Even if someone throws out a small pre-flop raise, you can
call and see a cheap flop without getting into too much
trouble.

Now let's say you're on the BUTTON (dealer position) with a
Q-J offsuit. Four of your opponents limp-in and the action
is to you.

What's the play?

This is where I'd make a pre-flop raise. Nothing crazy...
just a small $5 that's not going to get me into trouble.

And I'll do this with any good positioning, not just when
I'm on the button...

Here's why:

First, it gets rid of the "crap" hands at the table...

Anytime you can force the scraps at the table to fold, your
odds of winning the pot increase.

(The reason you don't want them in the hand is in case one
of them gets lucky on the flop.)

Second, I get to see what my opponents do AFTER the flop...
before I have to act.

This is a HUGE advantage. I can get a read on everyone
else's hand... and NO ONE gets a read on mine. Use this
advantage EVERY chance you get.

And third, my bet gives me relative control over the
table... and is likely to result in a free card if I want
one.

Let's say the flop hits: 9-10-2

That gives me an open-ended straight draw with my Q-J.

There's a good chance my opponents will CHECK, because they
anticipate another bet from me.

So I'm in a win-win situation...

I can throw out a semi-bluff bet... or... I can see a free
card by checking.

Getting control over the board also puts me in a position to
buy the pot if I sense weakness at the table.

Which brings me to another point...

Positioning is a fundamental part of Texas Holdem, but you
had better have a good read on your opponents in order to
win the hand.

And you'd better know the right size to make your bets...
and what to do if there's a draw on the board... and how to
bluff if you get into trouble.

That's why I recommend you download software tools-- a.k.a.
"player assistance programs"-- to help you at online poker.

The tool that will give you the FASTEST, most "fool-proof"
roadmap for dominating online poker can be found right here:

http://www.TexasCalculatem.com/tl/554kjde

Stop Losing Big Hands

We talked about why it's CRUCIAL that you learn to
ANTICIPATE your bets and your opponents' bets BEFORE they
happen.

Today I'd like to share with your part TWO of how to prevent
big losses, and that is:

DON'T GET GREEDY.

Successful poker players all have one thing in common:

They understand the PSYCHOLOGY of greed, and how powerful it
really is.

Let me share a story with you how *I* fell victim to greed
the other night at my local $1-2 no limit game... and how it
emptied my pockets.

Here's how it went down...

I get dealt pocket 6's and am sixth to act.

Josh is first to act and makes it $5 to play. Don and Brett
are next in line and call Josh's pre-flop raise.

The action is to me, with the pot size at $18.

There's no doubt I'll play this one and hope to spike one of
my sixes.

One other guy behind me calls the bet.

Okay... flop comes out:

Ah, 9d, 6s

Perfect.

I've just spiked my 6's and there's an Ace on the board,
which I'm sure someone is holding.

It looks like I'm going to rake a HUGE pot at this point.

Josh comes out firing, as I expect. I immediately put him on
AK or AQ.

Brett folds and Don calls Josh's $20 bet.

Who knows what Don has... I can never put him on a hand
because he's the manic at the table. He'll play just about
anything. He's probably sitting on 10-J, looking for a
runner-runner straight draw for all I know.

Needless to say, he's not the guy I'm worried about.
Actually, I'm not really worried about ANYONE at this point.
I just flopped trips... and all I'm thinking about is how to
milk these guys for all their money.

I decide to not slow-play the hand. I want to find out where
I'm at... so I re-raise Josh's bet. I'm confident I'll get a
call. I know Josh won't fold if he has the Ace, like I
think.

"Make it $50", I say, as I push in my red chips.

The guy behind me folds and the action is back to Josh. He
thinks for awhile as he shuffles his chips.

"I call", he says.

Don, however, doesn't hesitate one bit. He throws in his
chips with some frustration and splashes the pot.

I've done everything right so far... I'm very
well-positioned to rake in a huge pot.

The turn card comes... 4 of diamonds.

Now the board reads:

Ah, 9d, 6s, 4d

So the 4 doesn't scare me at all.

Josh and Don both check this time because I'm in control.

"Seventy five" I say... in a rather DEMANDING voice that
makes it sound like I'm trying to buy the pot.

Josh mucks his hands... which he later told me was an AJ. So
he made a good lay down.

Don, on the other hand, thinks for a moment before calling
my $75 bet. Now I'm feeling GREAT about this hand...

Josh was the guy I was really worried about, not Don. Don's
probably got pocket 2's, or something crazy like that. Who
knows?

The river card is a 2 of diamonds.

Now I hope Don DOES have ducks! If he does, I'm going to
take the rest of his stack.

The board now reads:

Ah, 9d, 6s, 4d, 2d

Don checks to me.

I see the backdoor flush on the board, but I throw out
another large bet anyway.

AND THAT'S WHERE I SCREWED UP.

I SHOULD have checked right behind Don when I saw the flush
on the board. Instead, I got GREEDY and made a stupid bet
because I figured there was NO WAY he chased the flush all
the way down.

Don raises my large bet by going all in, and he seems
confident.

I lean back in my chair and take a deep breath. Then I
call... with the remainder of my stack.

He turns over a 7-8 of diamonds.

He's got the flush, which beats my trip sixes.

So he had flopped an open-ended straight draw... and ended
up catching the flush instead.

I had played the hand perfectly right until the backdoor
flush hit. THAT is when I let greed take over.

I had made another bet when Don checked to me... but I
SHOULD have just checked back.

If I hadn't let greed take over, I would have saved a lot of
chips, and stayed in the game.

Greed is a powerful emotion that can empty your pockets...
just like it emptied mine.

But of course, you can use greed to your ADVANTAGE...

Because once you have your OWN greed under control, you can
learn to make positioning moves and bets based on the greed
of OTHER players.

You can literally COUNT on the fact that your opponents will
get greedy too...

In my book, "No Limit Holdem Secrets", I'll teach you
step-by-step how to leverage greed (along with other
emotions) to win more pots...

And of course, I'll show you more ways to STOP LOSING big
hands...

So get my book now, and take your card playing skills to the
next level. You won't be sorry.

Click here:

http://www.NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com/tl/552aUbP


To completely remove greed from your OWN game, you've got to
stick to the MATH behind poker. Follow the odds and emotion
won't even matter.

To know the exact odds of your cards in "real time", click
here to download TEXAS CALCULATEM. This game-changing tool
is actually "free" when you follow the 3-step process on
this webpage:

http://www.TexasCalculatem.com/tl/551ENbn


Check it out right now, while it's fresh on your mind.

I'll talk to you again soon.


Your Friend,

Roy Rounder

How To Memorize Odds... Fast!

*** QUESTION FROM A READER ***

Thanks for the tips Roy.

I usually calculate the odds in percentages using a simple
formula for calculating outs. It works well up to a high
amount of outs, such as 15, where a decision is usually easy
anyway.

You probably know what I mean but what you do is take the
amount of outs and times them by 2 and add 1, this is the
chance you will make your hand on the turn if on the flop or
the river if on the turn...

Then it's just a matter of seeing if this percentage is
higher than your bet or implied odds percentage.

What are your thoughts on this approach?

C.D.


>>> MY THOUGHTS:

Great point...

I actually LOVE this method for calculating odds, because
it's fast and EASY.

However, just like anything else, it has some pitfalls...

So basically, what you're saying is that you can calculate
the PERCENTAGE CHANCE you have of making your hand by
DOUBLING the NUMBER OF OUTS and adding one:

(OUTS X 2) + 1 = % of getting a card you need

Remember, "outs" refers to the number of cards in the deck
that will complete (or "make") your hand.

For example, let's say you're holding J-10 and the board
reads:

8-9-2

That means either a seven or a Queen will complete your
straight. Since there are four sevens and four Queens in the
deck, you have EIGHT OUTS.

OK... so let's take a look at how this works:

First, let me give you the REAL percentages for each
situation. I've created a chart.

The first column is how many OUTS you have. The second is
your chance of hitting on the TURN card. And the third
column is your chance of hitting on the RIVER card.

If your email program jumbles this chart, just click here
for the easy-to-read web version:

http://www.Texas-Holdem-Secrets.com/oddschart.htm

(You may want to click that link and PRINT the chart out for
future reference also.)

OK, so here's the chart:

-------------------------
OUTS TURN RIVER

1 2.13% 2.17%
2 4.26% 4.35%
3 6.38% 6.52%
4 8.51% 8.70%
5 10.64% 10.87%
6 12.77% 13.04%
7 14.89% 15.22%
8 17.02% 17.39%
9 19.15% 19.57%
10 21.23% 21.47%
11 23.40% 23.91%
12 25.53% 26.09%
13 27.66% 28.26%
14 29.79% 30.43%
15 31.91% 32.61%
16 34.04% 34.76%
17 36.17% 36.96%
18 38.30% 39.13%
19 40.43% 41.30%
20 42.55% 43.48%
21 44.68% 45.65%
-------------------------

As you can see, the formula holds true... for the most part.

If you have three outs or fewer, there's really no need to
add one.

But then again, if you have three outs or fewer, you
probably shouldn't be calculating odds... you should be
FOLDING instead!

And if you have more than ELEVEN outs, you should probably
add TWO, instead of one.

So... to break it down:

1-3 Outs: Outs x 2 = % of hitting

3-11 Outs: (Outs x 2) + 1 = % of hitting

12+ Outs: (Outs X 2) + 2 = % of hitting

So already we're getting kind of complicated, and these
aren't even giving us EXACT numbers.

However... here is why this simple little formula is SO
POWERFUL:

For the most part, in REAL LIFE poker situations, the times
where you want to calculate odds are in situations where you
have about 3-11 outs.

Think about it... in order to have MORE than eleven outs,
you'd have to have something like an open-ended straight
draw AND a flush draw. And that's a situation where you
should probably be aggressively BETTING or RAISING... not
doing math.

OK... so now you know how to QUICKLY and EASILY figure out
the odds of making your hand. What REAL VALUE does this add
to your game?

The answer is, "Not much."

You must know how to APPLY this knowledge to bet sizes...
that way you can make the right decision on whether to call,
raise, or fold.


*** HOW TO CALCULATE "BETTING PERCENTAGE" ***

So now we need to learn how to calculate "betting
percentage". Luckily, this is very simple.

The two numbers you need to compare are:

1. Bet size
2. Pot size

The FORMULA is this:

Bet Size / (Pot Size + Bet Size)

For example, let's say there's $90 in the pot and the bet is
$10. The betting percentage would be $10 divided by $100
($90 + $10)... or 10%.

If you were looking at it strictly in terms of odds, you'd
say your chances were 90:10.

90:10 means you'd miss 90 times and hit 10 times. That's a
total of making it 10 times out of 100 times, which equals
10%.

Now... the FINAL part to all of this is to compare your HAND
ODDS to your BETTING ODDS.

If you have a higher percentage chance of MAKING your hand
than the betting percentage, you should call...

Let's look at some examples to make sense of all this
madness...

Example:

You've got A-2 of diamonds and the flop hits:

5d-Qd-Ks

That means there are two diamonds on the board and two in
your hand... so you've got the nut flush draw.

You're on the button. There's $40 in the pot from before the
flop. Don bets $20 after the flop and three players call.
The action is to you.

So the pot size equals $120, and you need to decide whether
to call or not.

If you based your decision strictly on odds, here's how it
would look:

You have nine OUTS... since there are thirteen diamonds in
the deck and you already see four of them (13 minus 4 = 9).

So we plug NINE into our handy formula...

9 x 2 = 18

Add 1 = 19% chance of making the flush

Now... if we look at the chart (we don't need to), we see
that the real percentage is 19.15%.

Presto. Works like a charm.

Now we just need to compare the bet size and pot size to
find our "betting percentage".

The bet size is $20 and there's $120 in the pot.

So we divide $20 by $140 ($120 + $20).

We don't even need to do the math. We just need to figure
out if it's BIGGER or SMALLER than 19% (which can be rounded
to 20%).

Obviously, 20/140 is smaller than 20%.

The conclusion?

Well that means our odds of GETTING another diamond and
completing our hand are HIGHER than the betting percentage.

This means our pot odds are GOOD. We should call or raise...
but not fold.

OK, now for another quick example:

Let's say we've got K-J of spades and the flop hits:

Ah-10d-4c

No spades... but we have an inside straight draw. All we
need is the Queen.

Let's use the same numbers from the last example:

Pot Size = $120
Bet Size = $20

Should we fold or call?

20/140 equals 1/7. We need to figure out if our odds of
hitting our inside straight are higher or lower.

Well, since the only card that can really help us is a
Queen, we have FOUR outs (the four Queens).

So we double the four and add one...

(4 x 2) + 1 = 9% of getting our Queen on the turn.

The REAL percentage is 8.51%. Pretty close.

So what's bigger... 1/7 or 9%?

The answer is 1/7.

I always just round numbers to keep it simple. In my mind,
9% is about 10%, which would be 1/10. Obviously 1/7 is
higher than 1/10.

So that means our betting percentage is higher than our hand
odds... which is bad.

So we fold.

In order to call, the betting percentage would have needed
to be LOWER than 9%. And as you know, that's VERY RARE.

So... that's it. That's the "quick and dirty" way to
calculate pot odds. Here's the 3-step review:

1. Double your outs and add 1. This equals your approximate
percentage of "hitting".

2. Divide the bet size by the pot size added to the bet
size. (Bet Size / [Pot Size + Bet Size])

3. Compare the "hand odds" to the "bet odds". If the hand
odds are higher, you should stay in the hand. If the hand
odds are smaller, get out.

That's it.

At first some of this may seem like an awful lot of work and
effort... and requires extra THINKING.

But if you're serious about poker, you've got to try these
types of things. What you'll discover is that after using
this stuff for a little while, it all becomes NATURAL in no
time.

And soon you'll never have to actually do ANY of this.

For example... after figuring it out a couple times, you'll
quickly learn that you should NOT chase inside straights.
It's not worth it.

Also, you shouldn't stay in a hand with just an Ace high
hoping to hit top pair (unless it's a heads-up match or
something).

And so on.

But the BAD NEWS is that calculating odds doesn't always
give you clear cut "answers". Odds are just another piece of
the puzzle... to be added to your poker "weapons".

In the first example I shared with you, we were on the nut
flush draw with multiple players in the hand. This is a
situation where the IMPLIED ODDS are so enormous that the
"real" odds don't matter.

Because think about it: If you hit your flush, someone ELSE
probably hit it too... except you'll have the NUTS. This
means you're very likely to get someone's ENTIRE chip stack.

Also... odds don't tell you whether to CALL or RAISE. As you
know, raising is a key part of the game, and can often buy
you a "free card" while on a draw.

And in the same way, it's not even really "possible" to
calculate the exact number of OUTS or the exact POT SIZE.

For instance... if there are three opponents in a hand and
two diamonds on the board, you'd better believe SOMEONE ELSE
is holding two diamonds. So you don't REALLY have nine
outs... since more than four diamonds are being used.

If you aren't last to act, the exact pot size is unknown
because you DON'T KNOW what the player(s) behind you will
do. They may fold, they may call, or they may RAISE.

These are the EXACT reasons why the game of Texas Holdem is
so complex and unpredictable... and exciting. And it's also
why I recommend using a tool like Holdem Genius.

You see, Holdem Genius doesn't just give you the straight
"odds". It also includes ADVICE, takes into consideration
IMPLIED odds, and uses "smart logic" to adjust for the
human element of the game.

Once again, Holdem Genius won't always have all the right
answers... but it sure helps!

You can download Holdem Genius here:

http://www.HoldemGenius.com/tl/577BJMD


And if you haven't already done so, be sure to download my
"No Limit Holdem Secrets" eBook course.

My course will give you the skill sets you need to become an
absolute POWERHOUSE at the poker tables... by combining all
the different elements into one congruent game strategy.

You'll get step-by-step examples of pro-level tactics that
You can use... starting tonight.

But I'll be honest, the course ISN'T for everyone.

It's only for players who are SERIOUS enough to "invest" in
their game... and who are willing to put these techniques
into good use.

If that's you... if you've made profits at the poker table
and are ready to take things to the "next level", just click
here for my course:

http://www.NoLimitHoldemSecrets.com/tl/578QIlm


I'll write to you again soon.


Your Friend,

Roy Rounder

Poker Book Report: Getting Lucky by Richard Sparks

This Poker Book honestly tries to be interesting because throughout it's pages, you get to follow the personal trials of a player trying to improve his game, all the while rubbing shoulders with, and interviewing some of the biggest names in poker today. The well know poker personalities like Greg Raymer, Daniel Negreneau, Erick Lindgren, Ted Forrest, and Chris Ferguson and many more, venture in and out of this professionally written dialogue.

Of course it has the literal qualities of a top notch English Major, with some milk-toast humor thrown in for good family reading. Poker players however, will surely find this is an unfortunate mix of boring characters, thrown into plots so stretched out that getting through some of the chapters is like drinking hot chocolate your grandmother laced with garlic. The idea of it seems alright, but you got to force yourself to finish it.

Put it this way, the main poker player – character - is Tom McEvoy Just hearing that name could eclipse the power of two strong sleeping pills. Oddly, Sparks actually seeks out McEvoy to teach him better poker, even though the last know tournament McEvoy won was sometime earlier this century. Worse yet, if you search this whole production, I challenge you to find anything remotely profound. "Patience" and "pay attention" keep coming up as some of those invaluable lessons McEvoy breathes into Sparks game. Gee, thanks. If I had patience like that, I too could wait another 50 years for another tournament win, and this time there might be more than 70 competitors in it.

Believe it or not, the better poker player in this book is played by Spark’s wife, Jenny who cleans up at an invitational for media actually covering a real poker event. The event, a Party Poker Cruise, may be the closest some of us get to a big tournament, including Sparks. In his wife’s case, the good bit of the real poker we get to enjoy has no stakes, but Sparks finds a way to stretch another chapter out of it.

Another chapter is devoted to copying the exact transcript of a chat log on Party Poker that Sparks had with a railbird. Sparks actually gives him $50 bucks so as to point out how good natured poker players can really be. Foolishly Sparks dares to embarrass himself by asking a Party Poker official to find this character under another game handle as, wow, big surprise, Sparks never hears from him again. I am sure the office at Party Poker had a laugh about that one at Spark’s expense.

I don’t know whether to give my copy away, or keep it as a reminder of how desperate I was at one time to seek out some new, wonderfully entertaining, poker writing, and found this instead.

Poker Calculator Report: Hold'em Indicator, A New Standard

If you have ever read my review of Poker Indicator, you will know that I thought it had great potential, save for a few important draw backs that kept it from competing with the market leaders in this category. Holdem Indicator now succeeds Poker Indicator and not only that, has zoomed to the top of the class of empirical poker calculators market wide.

With a lot of new calculator software being introduced rapidly, I have tested virtually all of them only to find numerous programming quirks that had to be noted so that I knew which one would work with which site, and on which computer! Poker Indicator always worked smoothly and never suffered from over-programming. Holdem Indicator does just that as well, seamlessly flowing into every poker site I tried it on. New in this software is a mini view option that just squeaks under your site window if you just want the basic information in a handy spot. Why can't all poker calculators be this flawless?

When using Holdem Indicator you get the distinct notion that the software designers actually play poker and understand layout and design, as much as odds in the game itself. Especially valuable in this software is the odds display that shows two vital things - your odds of winning the pot, and your pot odds when a bet is put to you. If you have ever had trouble laying down hands, this feature alone will save you the cost of this calculator in one .25/.50 cent session at Full Tilt Poker. Seriously. You can change the odds display to percentage or ratio whatever your preference, but for poker ratio is the way to go as it easily compares your pot odds. When a bet is put to you, and one of these indicators is significantly larger than the other, take a closer look before your next move. For example if your pot odds are a decent 4 to 1, but your odds to win are 22 to 1, then your juicy pot odds don’t really matter, and you should muck.

There has also been a great design improvement in the visibility of your hole card display versus the flop. No need for color decks any more. This is as clear as graphics can be. And when you hole cards do show, they are accompanied by a convenient “out” window showing cards you will need to hit, and the familiar Sklansky hand rank system showing what groups your hole cards fall into further enforcing playing with cards of strength. Hey, there is a reason ten-deuce off suit is group 9.

Empirical means that this poker calculator can help you keep track of your opponents, even if you are not. You can actually monitor a table before you sit at it, or keep track of players while you sit out for a period. The opponent stats window will indicate a player's profile based on several calculations including VPIP, aggression, and show downs wins. After collecting 50 hands of data, Hold’em Indicator will assign a graphic image to you and your opponents. Some interesting icons include a time bomb, eagle, elephant, fish and yield sign. While the software is collecting this, it is also summing the table as a whole giving you a snap shot of the action.

Holdem Indicator is the new standard in Empirical Poker Calculators and works with all of the best sites including Full Tilt Poker.

Marty Smith is webmaster of http://www.PokerCalculatorReport.com where all the online poker calculators are tested and reviewed, including Sit and Go Shark, Calculatem Pro, and Poker Spy. He is also editor of http://www.PokerBookReport.com

Poker Calculator Report: Hold'em Indicator, A New Standard

If you have ever read my review of Poker Indicator, you will know that I thought it had great potential, save for a few important draw backs that kept it from competing with the market leaders in this category. Holdem Indicator now succeeds Poker Indicator and not only that, has zoomed to the top of the class of empirical poker calculators market wide.

With a lot of new calculator software being introduced rapidly, I have tested virtually all of them only to find numerous programming quirks that had to be noted so that I knew which one would work with which site, and on which computer! Poker Indicator always worked smoothly and never suffered from over-programming. Holdem Indicator does just that as well, seamlessly flowing into every poker site I tried it on. New in this software is a mini view option that just squeaks under your site window if you just want the basic information in a handy spot. Why can't all poker calculators be this flawless?

When using Holdem Indicator you get the distinct notion that the software designers actually play poker and understand layout and design, as much as odds in the game itself. Especially valuable in this software is the odds display that shows two vital things - your odds of winning the pot, and your pot odds when a bet is put to you. If you have ever had trouble laying down hands, this feature alone will save you the cost of this calculator in one .25/.50 cent session at Full Tilt Poker. Seriously. You can change the odds display to percentage or ratio whatever your preference, but for poker ratio is the way to go as it easily compares your pot odds. When a bet is put to you, and one of these indicators is significantly larger than the other, take a closer look before your next move. For example if your pot odds are a decent 4 to 1, but your odds to win are 22 to 1, then your juicy pot odds don’t really matter, and you should muck.

There has also been a great design improvement in the visibility of your hole card display versus the flop. No need for color decks any more. This is as clear as graphics can be. And when you hole cards do show, they are accompanied by a convenient “out” window showing cards you will need to hit, and the familiar Sklansky hand rank system showing what groups your hole cards fall into further enforcing playing with cards of strength. Hey, there is a reason ten-deuce off suit is group 9.

Empirical means that this poker calculator can help you keep track of your opponents, even if you are not. You can actually monitor a table before you sit at it, or keep track of players while you sit out for a period. The opponent stats window will indicate a player's profile based on several calculations including VPIP, aggression, and show downs wins. After collecting 50 hands of data, Hold’em Indicator will assign a graphic image to you and your opponents. Some interesting icons include a time bomb, eagle, elephant, fish and yield sign. While the software is collecting this, it is also summing the table as a whole giving you a snap shot of the action.

Holdem Indicator is the new standard in Empirical Poker Calculators and works with all of the best sites including Full Tilt Poker.

Marty Smith is webmaster of http://www.PokerCalculatorReport.com where all the online poker calculators are tested and reviewed, including Sit and Go Shark, Calculatem Pro, and Poker Spy. He is also editor of http://www.PokerBookReport.com

How Online Poker Is Changing The Future

Did you know there are some people who actually make a living from online poker? As unbelievable as it sounds, many people are doing this every day.

If you’re an old hand at online poker, then I’m sure you are already aware of the fact that people can earn quite a bit of money from online poker.

But obviously, it isn’t as easy as it may sound. It takes a lot of skill and talent to be able to consistently earn more money than you lose.

Behind the scenes, you will realise that the people who earn a full time living from online poker virtually live and breathe the game. They have to always be studying up on poker skills and strategies, to make sure they stay ahead of the pack who are also studying hard.

The easiest money in online poker is made on what is known as “fishes”. These are the people who are not very experienced at the game, and can end up loosing a lot of money to these professionals who “prey” on the fishes.

Since the advent of online poker, it has become much easier (in some respects) to earn good money with poker. A lot of the social interaction is taken away, so it’s harder to judge a person’s style of play. There’s also a lot less intimidation around the table, because you can’t actually see each other.

One of the great benefits of online poker as opposed to casino poker is the fact that it’s very convenient. You don’t have to travel to a casino, you don’t have to dress smart, you don’t have to wait for a table. So it’s no surprise people are turning to online poker much more than “real life” poker.

But the internet has certainly changed the way the game of poker is played. On the internet, you need to change your style of play much more otherwise you become very predictable… especially if you’re playing with the pros.

The game can also be much faster paced. You can hop in and out of games very quickly, and there’s no waiting for cards to be shuffled either. There’s also hardly any (if there even is any) opportunity to cheat in online poker. Whereas playing professional poker in real life, you have to keep an eye on the shuffling… unless you’re playing with people you can completely trust.

So in conclusion, online poker is a great opportunity for someone who has a keen interest in poker to improve their skills, and even earn a little cash.

Poker Chip Tricks

The main difference between poker and other games played in a casino is that the former is not played against the house. Poker is a simple game that is played against other players. The game involves players examining their own hands before making a wild guess about what cards the other players might have. The different versions of poker games are Texas Hold?em, Seven Card Stud, Omaha Poker, the Hi/Lo version, Five Card Stud, and Five Card Draw. Poker chip tricks are considered to be an essential ingredient of any poker game.

Casino poker chips generally refer to special tokens that represent a fixed amount of money. In casinos, these poker chips are commonly known as ?checks.? Poker is considered to be a fun game, and some players try poker chip tricks such as twirl flick and bounce back, adding to the fun of the game. The former refers to a trick wherein the players toss the chip and flick it in such a way that they end up catching it with the other hand. The latter trick is done with a player throwing a chip up into the air with a backspin. After the poker chip bounces, the player catches it next to the other poker chips. There are other poker chip tricks such as drifter, lift twirl, top spin, around the clock, look out, finger roll, swirl, twirl hop, and butterfly. The most common one is the thumb flip, which revolves around lifting a chip with the thumb and is then flipping it over to the chips that are stacked up. This is considered one of the easiest tricks to learn.

These poker chip tricks can also be done with coins or any other similar object that is round and light in weight. There are many poker chip tricks, but most of them are hard to learn. They require a lot of practice before a player can become proficient at them.

How to Win Poker Tournaments Online

Are you sick of losing when you play online poker? Do you know and feel that you should be winning? Are you having trouble understanding why you are not winning more tournaments? I am going to give you a simple formula to show you how to win poker tournaments online.

First, you need to be playing at a poker site that is not able to be hacked easily by the players that like to cheat. Yes, this happen, and more than you think. Players will use a hack to get into the software and it will allow them to see all the hands at the table so that they know when to play and when not to play.

It does not seem fair does it? There are three major sites that have pretty strong protection against this. They are: Ultimate Bet Poker(my favorite), Bodog Poker, and Party Poker. These three have the best protection and are the only places I play.

The second thing you need to learn is patience. This is the most important part of the formula. Learn to be patient and wait for the right hands. This will win you more poker tournaments than anything else I can tell you. Wait for prime hands and, then make your move.

The last tip I have for you is to stop doing other things while you are playing. Stop multi tasking during tournaments. Watch the table and the other players. Figure out what they are playing and how they are betting. This will give you an idea of how weak they are or how easy it would be to bluff them.

Use these tips to improve your play and you will start making it to the money more and winning more. There is no way you are going to win every tournament. Sometime you lucky and sometimes you don’t, but these tips will help you give yourself more chances to become lucky.

Multiplayer Poker Tournament

If you enjoy playing poker online, another thing you may enjoy playing is a multiplayer poker tournament online. Often tournaments take a lot longer to play, but they can be very exciting and fun to play. There are many sites that offer the chance to play in a multiplayer poker tournament at various times during the day. Often it is possible to win large jackpots when playing these tournaments as well.

A multiplayer poker tournament does differ in many ways from a regular poker game. First of all, one of these tournaments will usually last a lot longer than a poker game, and people expect you to play faster as well. Everyone wants to play as many hands as possible in a multiplayer poker tournament. There is more at stake in one of these tournaments so you want to be careful to avoid getting into fights and arguments.

Often you will find that a multiplayer poker tournament will actually involve more than one table. Some have two or three tables, while larger sites may have 10 or 20 tables going on at one time and some even more. There are a lot of people in these tournaments, so sometimes it can get a bit confusing. Just listen to what you are told, and be sure to read the rules before you play.

You can have a lot of fun playing in a multiplayer poker tournament and you can win a lot of money as well. If you are tired of playing with the same people all of the time, then register to play a multiplayer poker tournament and get ready for some excitement.