April 11, 2010

Poker Beats: What Is A Bad Beat And How Can You Deal With A Poker Beat?

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Poker Beats

Bad poker beats occur when one player beats another one in unlikely circumstances. Although there is no strict definition of the term, the winning player often takes the pot by hitting an unlikely card on the turn or river. Sometimes the winning player is rewarded despite making mathematically unsound decisions in calling another player’s hand or, alternatively, a really strong hand is beaten by an even stronger one.

Risks associated with poker beats

Suffering a bad beat can be extremely hard to accept. Some players, including poker professionals, will be sufficiently unsettled to enter a state of extreme frustration during which they risk allowing their emotions to rule their head. Typically, this could mean that their usual prime game strategy is neglected and they adopt a more aggressive style of play, remaining in hands which they would normally fold and trying to bluff their opponents.  When learning to play poker, its important to understand the best time to bluff.

Poker Beats girl on a beach

How can I cheer myself up?

 

How to deal with bad poker beats

The best thing a player can do when they suffer from bad poker beats is to forget about them. Poker players should understand that chance is one element of the game and accept that they offer themselves to the luck of the gods with every hand they play. However, over a sustained period of time, the element of skill will prevail over the element of chance.

Of course, this is much easier said than done and, as mentioned above, even professional players are not immune from the unsettling psychological processes which can be triggered by a bad beat. The old saying about not throwing good money after bad has great relevance here – when you have been a victim of a bad beat, it is more important than ever that you make your remaining chips harder for your opponents to win.

Finally, one way to make bad poker beats work in your favor is to remember the potential effects that they can have on players so that, the next time an opponent suffers one, you will be aware of his potential vulnerabilities and able to capitalize should he be unable to harness his emotions.

Bad beats can actually work in your favour and provide you with a killer advantage.  This simple trick will let you beat the opponent every time, especially if combined with a killer tool, an automatic poker calculator.  Find out more and download your free automatic poker calculator here.  Combined with your skills and a Free WSOP entry, this tool could win you a million or more.

March 22, 2010

World Series Of Poker – 10 Things You Can Learn By Watching

The annual World Series of Poker, held in Las Vegas, is (as its name suggests) one of the biggest poker tournaments in the world. It is now broadcast on television with glass tables and under-the-table video cameras to allow viewers to see the hole cards, allowing a fascinating insight into the betting patterns and behavior of the players. The televised images are backed up with expert commentary and so provide a great way to learn more about the game from the experts.  Anyone can enter, and some sites even offer a free WSOP entry.  Below is a list of 10 things you can learn by watching the World Series of Poker.

  1. Since the World Series of Poker is such compelling viewing, beginners can pick up the rules of the game automatically, simply by watching.
  2. Note how players maximize the potential of good hole cards. Note the early raises, reflecting the fact that they have a higher percentage chance of winning the pot.
  3. The coverage of the World Series of Poker will sometimes show the percentage chances each player has of winning the pot. Examine these carefully and, as an exercise, try to work out the cards required by each player to win.
  4. Watch how the experts try to extract as much money as possible from their rivals when they have good hands. Look at how they judge bets to try to avoid scaring other players into folding.
  5. Take particular note of rounds where expert players fold strong hands which they believe will be beaten. Listen to the commentators try to explain the psychology and reasoning.
  6. Watch the way the players behave and interact with one another during hands. Bearing in mind their hole cards, try to work out what sort of message they are trying to project into their opponents’ minds.
  7. The World Series of Poker will exhibit some of the finest loose and tight players in the game. Study players who play in a similar way to yourself in order to improve your own game.
  8. Study all the different types of players. These might be experts, but you will encounter the playing styles in your own games so you need to understand them.
  9. Watch the techniques the experts use to bully low chip players out of the game.
  10. Examine the techniques players use to try to avoid being ‘read’ by other players. Look particularly at their body language and the way they project themselves, particularly when they are bluffing, as described in the article “Learning To Play Poker – Tips When Bluffing

Author

Alex Mayer is a Poker playing professional who issues her tips and strategy knowledge at the FirstPokerTips website. Hundreds of great tips available on everything from poker hand rankings to bluffing.

To become an expert poker player you need to understand bluffs and common poker tells.  Alex Mayer provides free unbiased poker advice including psychology  of poker on the First Poker Tips Poker blog. Many more articles are available on everything from bluffing, to tournaments and how to qualify for the WSOP for free.

March 14, 2010

Magic Holdem Poker Calculator Review – How Advanced Odds Give Players Advantages and Help Win More

The Magic Holdem Poker Calculator is a Texas holdem online poker tool that automatically runs when players use their online poker software to play live poker online.  Installation is quick and easy.  The application is small and does not take up a lot of space or resources.

To learn poker, players must acquaint themselves with hand ranks, winning odds, pot odds, and out odds.  Magic Holdem Poker Calculator displays all of this information automatically as soon as the player starts his or her online poker software.

Magic Holdem’s display makes sense to the new poker player.  Odds are broken out into various windows.  If the player does not want to see a certain piece of advice, he or she can close that window.  The player can move the windows for what works best.  Use of color and graphical representation of out cards and the best hand available helps players understand everything they see during fast game play.  The odds windows convey important information without taking over the display.  

Magic Holdem Poker Calculator only works with online poker software.  Unlike other free poker odds calculators that work when the user enters the values in for cards dealt, Magic Holdem Poker Calculator only receives inputs via what is communicated in the browser window.  Magic Holdem could not be used for study purposes without a game online. 

 Magic Holdem Poker Calculator works with most online poker rooms.  It will not work if the default window size for some rooms is changed.  Directions for resizing these browser windows and configuring Windows settings are available at the Magic Holdem website

 Check to see if your primary site condones the use of odds calculators.  Many poker rooms set lists of applications that they find acceptable or not acceptable during live game play.  Most sites accept odds calculators as within the realm of fair play.  They set limits on programs that support player collusion (two or more players sharing card information during a game).  Collecting player betting information is also off limits.  Magic Holdem Poker Calculator does not collect and store data about other players.  It also does not support player collusion.   

 Poker rooms also set limits on how much the odds calculator program does for the player.  Providing advice is one thing.  Playing the game for the user is another.  What poker rooms do not want to have happening is poker bots gaming them.  Most poker sites do not have a problem with Magic Holdem. 

 Try a trial version of Magic Holdem Poker Calculator and compare it to a free poker odds calculator yourself.  Enjoy a year’s license free by signing up and making small deposits with partner poker sites.  These poker rooms include Titan Poker, Party Poker, Pacific Poker, Full Tilt Poker, Expekt, Mansion Poker, and Everest Poker now.  New sites that will be added soon include Red Kings Poker. 

Author

Alex Mayer is a Poker professional who shares her knowledge and Poker Room Reviews at http://www.firstpokertips.co.uk.  Read more about the Magic Holdem Poker Calculator and find plenty more tips and strategy at the Poker blog.