How To Maintain Objectivity Whilst Playing Poker

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Maintaining objectivity is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to any sport or hobby where decision making is key. One of the best examples of this can be seen within the game of Chess – the endless possibilities and permutations on the board mean that correctly evaluating a position is absolutely vital when deciding how best to proceed.

The same can certainly be said of poker for example, where an overestimation of one’s position can lead to the undertaking of unnecessary risks and an inevitable loss which can be hard to recover from. Many amateur poker players speak of how much easier they find analyzing other people’s games when away from the board and this proof positive that your own view can be skewed purely due to your own unconscious bias. With this in mind, below are a couple of tips which will hopefully help you to maintain a clear mind while playing at the table. Continue reading →

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Poker Versus Blackjack: The Similarities & Differences You Need To Know

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Blackjack and Poker are two of the most popular card games in physical and virtual casinos. While a lot of casino games, such as roulette, are down to pure blind luck, there’s an element of skill and learned tactics that can give you an edge in both of these games. If a game of poker was truly down to pure luck we wouldn’t see the same players going far in tournaments consistently. The ability to learn to increase your chances of winning by acquiring the required skills is particularly appealing to gamblers, who are happy to gain an advantage over the house or other players.  Continue reading →

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Basic Card Odds and Probabilities

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Getting your head around the basics of probability, especially when it comes to card games, can be a bit tricky if you aren’t already good at Maths. That’s why the good folks at casino.paddypower.com have put together this introductory guide to the basics of working out card odds and probability, particularly as it pertains to Poker and Blackjack (though as long as the deck contains 52 cards, you’ll be seeing the same numbers popping up for all of them).

The infographic gives you a few cool statistics to go with the general information, like the number of unique shuffles possible with a deck of cards. The total number is 80,658,175,170,943,878,571,660,636,856,403,766,975,289,505,440,883,277,824,000,000,000,000. Which doesn’t include the jokers. You get this number by going through 52 factorial, that is 52 multiplied by every number from 1 up to 52. This is contextualised by getting into astrophysics and describing a galaxy full of people with decks of cards shuffling them every 5 seconds or so and only just now repeating since the dawn of time. But what this means is that the odds of getting a deck shuffled the same way is intensely unlikely not, importantly, that it is impossible. Continue reading →

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Razz Poker Game Rules

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

When Chris Moneymaker took down the WSOP Main Event back in 2003, he not only helped ignite the poker boom, he made Texas Hold’em the world’s game of choice. Although the variant had long been one of the most popular choices for regular players, Moneymaker’s historic win turned it into a game the masses simply had to play. Indeed, fast-forward a year or two after he became World Champion and everyone was playing Hold’em. Today, however, the industry has evolved both online and offline and players young and old are branching out into different games. In fact, players such as Jason Mercier, who were once feared No Limit Hold’em tournament players, have successfully transitioned to other variants. For example, during the 2016 World Series of Poker, the American managed to win the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. event as well as the 2-7 Lowball Championship. In addition to his outright wins, Mercier finished second in the $10,000 Razz Championship which attracted 100 entrants. While that number may pale in comparison to other variants, it’s markedly higher than the <50 it received just a few years earlier. Continue reading →

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Calculating Odds in Texas Hold’em Poker

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Let’s face it, very few people enjoy math but if you want to make more money playing No Limit Texas Hold’em you need to use some. We have come up with a simple way for even math intolerant people to benefit below.

To calculate pot odds in the heat of the battle can be a little intimidating for the Texas Hold’em beginner. There are basically 3 simple equations that need to be learned, and you will be on your way to increasing your winning percentage in Texas Hold’em.

Percentages are easier than working with fractions. Using division on the fly is not easy for most of us. Continue reading →

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The Most Interesting Texas Hold’em Poker Games Online Right Now

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Poker comes in many different forms, from high-stakes cash games with thousand-dollar hands to hyper-turbo tournaments, which tend to turn the heat up and get the action going. With so much on offer, how do you know which games are best for you? To help you decide, we bring you some of the best poker games available online right now.

So, aside from your usual Sit N Go’s and cash games, what other Texas Hold’em games are out there?

If you like it fast, then Zoom is the game for you. As you might have guessed by the name, this cash-game style variation is one of the fastest and most thrilling ways to experience poker. The standard Texas Hold’em cash game rules apply, with steady blind levels throughout the game. The main difference is that when you fold your hand, you will instantly be transported to a new table to play another. This means you get fewer chances to study individual opponents and table dynamics, and more chances to play hands. Zoom is available at many different buy-in levels, from $0.25/$0.50 to $25/$50. Continue reading →

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Could Learning the Kelly Criterion Improve Your Poker Game?

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

According to pokerplayersresearch.com the 2.6 percent of the adult population who consider poker to be something more than a hobby is constantly looking for ways to improve and get to a higher level. In the cutthroat world of poker in which more and more people are competing every year, this is imperative. The playing figures at the World Series of Poker say it all. In 1970, there were only seven entrants to the Main Event where it was decided that Johnny Moss was the best in the world, but in 2017, when Scott Blumstein emerged victorious, there were 7,221 players. This massive increase not only shows the growing popularity of the game but also highlights the fact that getting to the latter stages of major tournaments like this is getting ever more difficult. Continue reading →

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Who To Trust: How To Evaluate Tips, Tricks & Strategies

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

There are plenty of people out there claiming to have all the answers. Who is the go-to to learn more about you favorite table games? What types of sites are reputable and have experience to back their bold tactics and tips? How can you tell if the strategy your researching is proven and effective? Here are a few things to keep in mind…

I do not know the best way to play blackjack or poker. I am a writer, and one that plays from time-to- time, but I am far from what you would call an expert.

Like you, I also want to learn more about the games I play. Where to start? Who should I ask? How do I know the source I’m referencing knows what the heck they’re talking about? Continue reading →

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Multi-Table Tournament Strategy

Posted on January 9, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

Playing in MTTs (Multi Table Tournaments) provides an excellent buy-in/likely return ratio. Although the odds of beating out several hundred, or even several thousand opponents drag the equation down, MTT play is still a pretty good EV+ one for an experienced poker player.

General MTT strategy is pretty simple. Since tournament chips are your life-blood in the game, you have to do whatever it takes to protect them. In this respect, in the early stages of a MTT, you need to play tight, and act only on good starting hands, from late position. Continue reading →

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Different Types of Online Poker Variants

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Poker Dictionary

When someone asks if you play poker, they generally mean Texas Hold’em. It is of course the poker variation that is played in the World Series of Poker Main Event. However, there are many versions of poker beyond No Limit Hold’em. Some poker players like to stick to one game whilst others play many different poker variants.

Most online poker games can be divided into one of the following categories:

  • Stud Poker – The most common games of this type are Five-card Stud and Seven-card Stud. Players receive both face-down cards and face-up cards, with multiple rounds of betting taking place.
  • Draw Poker – Five-card draw is the most common example of this game. Players receive a full hand, face-down, and may discard and redraw a set number of cards.
  • Community Card Poker – Texas Hold’em and Omaha are the most popular examples. Shared cards are dealt face-up, while each player also receives a certain number of face-down cards. Community cards and cards in the player’s hand are combined to make the best possible poker hand.

Other common poker variants include:

  • Lowball – In games such as Razz, the lowest poker hand wins the pot.
  • High-Low Split – The highest and lowest hands split the pot.
  • Pai Gow Poker – Player and dealer are dealt seven cards. The player must make a five-card hand and a two-card hand. To win, both of the player’s hands must beat the dealer’s hands.

These poker games can sometimes be played in land-based poker rooms. As you’d expect, it’s the more popular poker variants that can most often be be found at online poker rooms. Texas Hold’em and Omaha are the games you’re most likely to find in your favorite online poker site’s lobby, however, don’t let this discourage you from trying out other variations of poker, including mixed games such as HORSE (which allow you to play multiple poker variants at the same time). Just expect to find less tables to join for the less commonly played poker games. Continue reading →

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