How Can I Win When Playing Heads Up Poker Online?

February 28th, 2010

I am somebody who loves to play online poker. It is more about the enjoyment and the relaxation than about attempting to gain financially. It goes without saying that it is always good to win and if you can make some money from playing a game that you enjoy then it’s a massive bonus. I personally like to play on a table where there are only a total of five players with the first two players receiving a pay out. My aim is to reach the “heads up” stage by playing as “tight” as I can. If I can get into the final two I feel that I have a seventy percent chance of winning the tournament as I then change my poker strategy from playing tight to playing aggressively.

I am by no means a professional poker player; in my business life I run a web promotion company and I also help people who offer bargain holiday deals. As a side line to these main business interests I am also involved in the DVD authoring sector.

I used to be a very poor “heads up” player as I would often get bullied out of the majority of the hands. I realised that I had to learn a new way of playing in the final stage of a poker tournament as what I was currently doing was not working.

I soon learned that I needed to be the aggressor, the poker bully if you like. Instead of folding the majority of hands I now play, on average, ninety-five percent of them. I raise the pot with any ace, king, queen or Jack and raise all in with any two picture cards or when I am dealt an ace with a picture card.

By doing this I win a lot of the pots by default and if the other player chooses to call I believe I have a great chance of winning the hand. You should never show any form of weakness by only putting a small amount of chips in as this could lead to a multitude of problems. It is a prudent idea to start in a very decisive way; be strong but also wary of your opponents. You will lose from time to time, that has to be expected, but by playing in this way has enabled me to win 70% of the heads up games that I have played in the last three months. I hope these tips work as well for you as they have for me.

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Playing Poker Game Online

December 29th, 2009

The card game that has captured the hearts and minds of players for decades is now being played online. Each day,millions of players are meeting up online to play virtual games with other poker enthusiasts around the world. If you can’t think of a better way to spend a few hours than a rousing game ofpoker in the comfort of your own home, I have a few tips for getting started:

1. Even if you’ve played poker before, you want to start out online by playing a game that you have already mastered. There are hundreds of variations of poker games based on the classic games, and it may be best to start with something simple like Seven Card Stud or Texas Hold ‘Em until you get comfortable playing online. Once you have the hang of the process of playing a virtual game of poker, you can expand your repertoire to include some of the more sophisticated versions.

2. Be honest about your playing ability. If you have any hope of being a great poker player you need to be able to look at your game with objectivity. This means making changes as they are needed each time you play. Instead of simply logging on to play each day, prepare for each game by taking a couple minutes to review mistakes you made in previous games. Poker is an intelligent game, and those who win consistently are those who are willing to analyze their play.

3. Remember that you’re playing real people online. The other players may not see you, but they can notice your behaviors, calls and tells and use them against you. You have to have just as much of a poker face in the virtual world as you do in real life.

4. Set limits for yourself, including how long you want to play and how much you want to spend. If things aren’t going you way, get up and move around a little. Online poker is just like any other work or play done on a computer. Too much staring at the screen for long hours can put strain on your physically and mentally, and it will end up affecting your play.

5. Do your homework. You will find many online resources for improving your game. Forums and communities are full of people trading secrets and offering advice to players regardless of their skill level. If you’re serious about becoming a good player, be prepared to dedicate yourself to learning everything there is to know about the world of online gaming.

Visit the following sites for more information on: Online poker, Play poker

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Understanding Poker Probabilities

December 3rd, 2009

The end consequence of a poker hand is the combination of what the player does, and what cards show up. Now owning the top hand always helps, and if you play to the river - of course you win the pot. If you bet enough to make your adversary fold even if your hand is second best, you still win the pot.

Knowledge of odds and probability can turn a seemingly random event into long-term, numerical certainty. Understanding the positive or negative expectations to say the long-term profitability of the game and comprehend the fundamental game theory you can impart a lot about the likely response of opponents. Poker is not just about luck. But ask yourself if poker pros get superior cards than anyone else. Of course not. The key is to be acquainted with the poker probability of poker hands and what to do next with those cards.

Think of poker game theory like you would basically learning any new subject matter. Good information is by and large the result of a close study of not only opposition, but also past interactions with those players. Therefore, the players who have conquered the game in the past are the players who will do so in the future. These are the small percentage of consistent winners that take the same information anyone else has at the table and direct it into dependable winning strategies.

The surest and simplest way to view poker probabiliity is just by doing the essential math first, then practicing tougher situations. There is always the option of a poker calculator for this too if you play online. You should at all times play with the odds in your favor because having to chase draws that you know are a long shot will only leave you disillusioned. Since most poker these days is all about no limit hold’em, then you have got to also understand of how much you can win or lose in just one hand. So, when risking your poker bankroll, knowing your opponents is critically imperative.

After some unfailing practice, you’ll know you’re there when you can quickly scrutinize a flop, count the outs and straight away interpret that to odds to complete and then compare that to your pot odds. This should come instinctively. There are still other variables that this won’t take into account, but at minimum you’ll have a fundamental comprehension of the situation you are facing.

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Online Poker Players: Society’s New Celebs

November 8th, 2009

If you believe what Celebrity Apprentice Joan Rivers says, poker players are “beyond white trash.” But I think there are millions of people who would beg to differ. In fact, poker is incredibly popular at the moment and so are those who play it professionally. This is evidenced by the fact that poker players like Scotty Nguyen, Phil Gordon, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow and many others have achieved huge celebrity status in recent years.

Poker’s star-making ability has inspired many to try to make a living on on-line poker websites. Some have actually been very successful and as a result, poker has created a whole new wave of Internet millionaires. These successful poker players are sometimes surprising, because there are almost as many teenagers and people in their early-twenties as there are seasoned professionals. Unfortunately, for every new batch of successful poker players, there are also those who have been victims of online poker scams. These scams befall mostly new players, because they are lured by the promise of big money and don’t do their homework first.

To make sure you don’t fall into this same trap, the following points can help you determine whether a site is a scam:

  • If the site doesn’t look professional, don’t play there. Low-quality construction could be the sign of a quick-buck artist at work or at the very least, a cash-strapped operator.
  • Check if the site or its owners are members of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). IGC members agree to adhere to a code of ethics.
  • Make sure the site has 24-hour support with a toll-free phone number and e-mail.
  • If a site passes the first three requirements, do several small test transactions before you do any major gambling. These will reveal a lot about the integrity of the site.

Every poker player got his or her start somewhere, so with some luck and a lot of skill and practice, you too could become one of online poker’s new stars. Just be sure to do your due diligence first, so any success you achieve won’t be spoiled by regret.

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How Can I Win at Heads Up Poker?

October 26th, 2009

I am somebody who loves to play online poker. It is more about the enjoyment and the relaxation than about attempting to gain financially. It goes without saying that it is always good to win and if you can make some money from playing a game that you enjoy then it’s a massive bonus. I usually play on the five-man tables where the first two get paid out. My aim is to reach the “heads up” stage by playing as “tight” as I can. If I can get into the final two I feel that I have a seventy percent chance of winning the tournament as I then change my poker strategy from playing tight to playing aggressively.

I am by no means a professional poker player; in my business life I run a web promotion agency and I also help people who offer online guitar lessons for beginners. As a side line to these main business interests I am also involved in the stuttering therapy sector.

I used to be a very poor “heads up” player as I would often get bullied out of the majority of the hands. I realised that I had to learn a new way of playing in the final stage of a poker tournament as what I was currently doing was not working.

I soon learned that I needed to be the aggressor, the poker bully if you like. Instead of folding the majority of hands I now play, on average, ninety-five percent of them. I raise the pot with any ace, king, queen or Jack and raise all in with any two picture cards or when I am dealt an ace with a picture card.

By doing this I win a lot of the pots by default and if the other player chooses to call I believe I have a great chance of winning the hand. Just limping in can lead to all sorts of problems/decisions. Make it easy on yourself and your brain by being decisive early on. You will lose from time to time, that has to be expected, but by playing in this way has enabled me to win 70% of the heads up games that I have played in the last three months. I hope these tips work as well for you as they have for me.

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Do You Want to Learn How to Improve Your Online Poker Skills?

October 5th, 2009

It really doesn’t matter what stage you are at as an online poker player, whether your are a fish or a pro, it’s still critical that you keep striving to get better and improve your game. It doesn’t really make a difference whether you are looking to win more money or just improve your overall poker play, it’s always nice to see improvements as your poker career moves on.

So what adjustments can you make to ensure that you advance and succeed in online poker?

Reading

Whether it’s on the internet or a book from the library, there is masses of information available which can offer you new techniques and strategies that you can incorporate into your game. There is a lot of info about the game of poker from very basic play to advanced strategies, so finding resources to educate yourself shouldn’t be a problem at all.

Get A Mentor

Like many other industries,  poker  coaches and mentors are becoming increasingly popular in the online world. Mentors are usually people who have reached the top of the game, or are experts at a specific technique, and they will take the time to teach you how you can implement these into your own game. Unfortunately, mentors can be pricey and they need to make it worth their while since they could be winning thousands playing online poker. On a positive note, these mentor fees can be recouped fairly quickly once you apply the advanced stategies to your overall poker game.

Ask. Ask. Ask.

Join a forum or online club, and ask others what works for them. Although they probably won’t tell you everything, just a few pointers could help you improve your overall poker play.  

Shawn has been a SNG Poker Coach and mentor for several years now. Find out more about  being a winning SNG Poker player by visiting his website and signing up for his FREE SNG Poker Training Course entitled “From Fish to SNG Poker Shark in only 17 Days” at http://www.sngtrainer.com

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Is Ace King a good hand to play against maniacs?

August 13th, 2009

If I can't get pocket aces or pocket kings then I always hope for AK or AK suited. But playing the micros where there are absolute maniacs i.e. those who play anything aggressively pre-flop, take the joy of landing AK. I mean donks who are in every hand, and I mean every hand betting, raising, or re-raising whatever he has even air. They can screw you too, becuase they have a good chance of hitting the flop better than your Ace King.

I’ve made three typical plays to deal with these players. You could play it with a raise pre-flop, then trap then if the board is good for you. If my poker software says I am up against a maniac, I feel tend to bluff more even with air if he senses weakness in your hand. It’s the perfect way to trap him especially if you flop something big like a KK or AA, or get flush or a straight draw.

The second is I play normally as I would pre-flop so that I can just let it go if I don’t hit the flop and reduce the risk of a major suck out. 

The 3rd alternative is to put him to the test for all his money. Needless to say, if they don`t have a pocket pair, you are ahead with AK. Poker odds math suggests I am good against all other hands aside from KK and AA. Once there, I just hope that the AK holds up. I am reasonably confident it's not pocket aces or kings, since I am already holding part of that.

Each one of these strategies depend on the type of maniac I’m facing, and if there is poker tournament strategy involved. If he’s a super donk and a known idiot who will call and raise any hand just to get to the flop, I do number three. Which is a very popular strategy indeed. And to great success too.

If he’s aggressive but is known to play a good hand or two, and shows a penchant for waiting for the flop, I go with number one. In the long run, you should have the higher chances of winning as you have top hand other than AA and KK, and have as much a chance of flopping flush or straight, and have an edge of winning top card.

If I don’t have enough information yet on said donk, I go with number two until I know more about him at least. Understanding your opponent is a critical part of your decision. Those are just my suggestions based on my experience anyway.

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Gambling doesn’t have to be bad

August 9th, 2009

There has been much discussion on the pros and cons of gambling, usually ending in the opinion that it is a bad habit. We are all aware that if it gets out of hand too much gambling can cause addiction, debt, broken homes and ruined lives, but a lot of people don’t realise it could actually work the other way around too. Could it be that we’re projecting the misfortunes of a few unlucky individuals onto the gambling world as a whole? After all, who hasn’t gambled at some point in their lives, whether they’ve entered a casino or bookies with the purpose of placing a bet, played the occasional quick game of online poker or simply bought a scratch card or lottery ticket?

Because gambling is all around us everyday, and it’s becoming a way of life. Not just the ready availability of the lottery and Everest Poker but even the smallest, most normal things like crossing the road or trying a new flavour of crisps are a gamble, not to mention the risks we all take in business or on the property market. In fact the skills required to become a successful gambler are not so far from those that we use to make the most important decisions in life, such as choosing a new house or a school for our children. We can’t know all the facts but by assessing the situation and using the information we do have, we make the most educated choice we can.

Gambling comes in many forms, and quite often, luck doesn’t really come into it. You might not need any particular skills to play the lottery, but if you want to win at a game of Betfair Poker or place a winning bet on the horses then the more knowledge and experience you have the more money you will make. And with the right attitude and the right skills it’s possible to make the most of gambling without letting it take over. Not everyone who gambles ends up bankrupt, those are just the ones we hear most about – the simple trick is to make sure you never bet more than you can afford. If you can keep to that one simple rule you could make a nice bit of extra cash gambling, learn loads and have a great time while you’re at it.

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Does online poker require different skills to the real game?

August 8th, 2009

Poker is a game where players need to have a certain degree of skill. To win at poker you need to have a really good memory and be great at reading other people whilst all the while maintaining your own unfailing ‘poker face’. Because of all these factors you have to wonder how online poker is so successful – if the whole point of the game is for players to be able to read each other’s expressions, then wouldn’t it be incredibly difficult to win against unseen opponents? But this could work both ways, and knowing that other players can’t see you might make it easier to hide your intentions behind that poker face even if things are going really badly.

Whichever way you look at it, online poker is a very different game. If nothing else, poker sites like Party Poker have brought the game to a much wider audience and give them the chance to bet as much or as little as they like. It’s much easier to bluff online, as the other players can’t see you so won’t be able to tell if you’re telling the truth. Of course this also works both ways because you can’t see them any more than they can see you and have no way of knowing what hand they have. You have to rely a lot more on memory alone but after a few games you can become just as skilled at online poker as the real game.

The danger of course is that a player who was new to the game and lost a lot of money could be tempted to go back and keep trying to win until they have nothing left. But as long as you’re careful and only bet what you can afford then online poker games could be a really good way to learn and have fun doing it. The only disadvantage to playing on popular sites like Party, Betfair and Everest Poker is that they make their money by taking a cut of every pot, called the rake, as commission. It’s worth looking around for a good online poker deal before signing up to a poker room, sites like raketherake.com have loads of great rakeback deals for most of the main online poker rooms.

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Look for Implied Odds, not Pot Odds When Calling

July 2nd, 2009

Raising middle pairs over limpers in the early stages (regardless of buy-in) is somewhat risky.  You are likely to get better long term value from set mining cheaply. In the early stages, loads of players are correctly playing for implied odds. A five times raise is not a big hit to their stack and you mostly just don’t narrow the field enough. You end up most times trying to decide whether to continuation bet into an overly large pot with over cards on the board and it all gets a bit too much like hard decisions for me.  Why not open raise, but once there are limpers, avoid attacking them when its deep stacked and when the blinds are very small.

You also can’t forget about the 2:1 odds. So if the pot is now one.5BBs pre flop, there is 1 limper, that makes it 2.5BBs. You now decide to raise to three big blinds, making the pot five.5BBs and the limper (assuming everyone else folds) has to call 2BBs to see a flop with 5.five big blinds in it. So he is getting nearly 3:1 on his call.

You have to consider the fact that you’re likely to never be worse than a three to one under dog pre-flop. However there is a problem. Maybe even more than one problem.

Firstly your problem is bet-ability of a marginal hand. This could mean rags facing off against ace king. The flop comes down 5 J Q. You are in front by quite a long way, but can you put much money into this pot? What about the continuation bet? But what if you just bet into the pot? What happens when he calls? Do you fire again on the turn? How deep a hole are you going to dig for yourself with your bottom pair hoping that it is good?

What about if you have 33 pre flop? With three big cards flopping, you can theoretically assume your opponent miss the flop, but you are stuck with how much to bet since it missed you as well?

So yes, you had correct odds pre flop, if you could get to showdown for something approximating that pre flop investment. But in deep stack situations you can’t. You still have 3 betting rounds before you get to fifth street.

But that leads to the second problem. You are out of position and that’s not good poker tournament strategy. What this also means is that when you do actually hit the flop, the pots will be smaller. You will also lose more chips, because your opponent can bet you off a better hand because he has position.

If you think about it, in deep stack play, you shouldn’t be concerned with pot odds too much. I am only ever looking at implied odds.. i.e. what is the size of my chip stack and my opponents chip stack. My calling range is rather wide if this bet represents 5% of my stack or less. If they have a big pair and I have little connectors, I am okay with that. If they have AA, and I want to be playing my little cards. When it gets higher, like ten percent, I am more likely to fold. But in all of that the only thing I am thinking about is the size of the bet I have to call compared to the effective stack.

I might have 56s and be up against AK. But unless I make and OESD, Flush draw or 2 pair or better, I will be surrendering pretty much every pot on the flop especially if I am OOP. This may be an opportunity to play passively checking and calling if you haven’t had a low pair.

If you notice in Every Hand Revealed, Gus Hansen frequently berates himself for calling early position raisers with trash when he is in the BB. Understandably, these regrets come about as soon as you see the flop which invariably are difficult to play. Gus can look at his opponent for tells, and after all his is The Great Dane. We don’t have physical tells and we are not Gus. Importantly also, our opponents are not Gus’ opponents. It’s also important to know if your opponent can get away from a top pair, or are more willing to let it ride.

So for what its worth, I’d recommend not falling too much in love with pre flop pot odds in deep stack situations. Hey, you may play the hand anyway, but look at it from an implied stand point, not just pot odds. You have to know how to calculate poker odds when getting into hands like this becuase it may very well determine your long term success in tournaments. Just knowing Poker rules are not enough to win, you need strategy too.

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