Poker Strategies for Dummies 15 Minutes

38
Vol. 1 IN 15 MINUTES FOR DUMMIES STRATEGIES POKER

description

Poker_Strategies_for_Dummies_15_minutes

Transcript of Poker Strategies for Dummies 15 Minutes

  • Vol. 1IN 15 MINUTESFOR DUMMIESSTRATEGIESPOKER

  • AFTER READING THIS E-BOOKYOUR FRIENDS WILL ENVY

    YOUR NEW SKILLS AND SUCCESS!

    In order to save your valuable time we have collected only the best poker know-how & tips

    from multiple books and other resources.

    Good luck and have fun!

    Poker involves risk. Use logic and exercise a good degree of caution when making decisions.

    Time: months Time: 15 minutes

    The usual way Our way

    best forbeginners

  • STORIES OF REAL PLAYERS1 of 3

    The accountant from Tennessee who turned a $39 investment into $2.5 million

    Chris Moneymaker (Yes, that is his real name)

    Casino Winnings: $3,460,405

    Online Winnings: $413,459

    The 27-year-old Chris was working as an accountant and also serving it up part time at a local restaurant when he won a seat into the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event through a $39 satellite tournament at PokerStars.

    Thus, his journey to the high rollers' table began with the click of a mouse. After beating out eighteen other players in a $39 satellite, Moneymaker found himself with a seat in a qualier for the largest and most prestigious tournament in the world of poker. Just one victory later he had won a $10,000 buy-in for the 2003 WSOP Main Event.

    After he won his trip to the WSOP, he didn't have enough money for the cost of flying to Vegas and staying there for the week, so he sold part of his entry to his father and his friend in exchange for a

    portion of his winnings.Moneymaker's amateur status was painfully obvious during his run to the 2003 WSOP nal table. He often made mistakes, betting and checking out of turn. In the end, Moneymaker certainly caught some lucky breaks en route to his victory, but he also likely beneted from the fact that his opponents didn't think much of his game.

    Chris made it to the nal and crushed Sam Farha, who basically was a living caricature of a professional gambler - a smooth-talking player with slicked-back hair and an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. Overnight, he went from "I work two jobs" to "I'm a high roller", and celebrated victoriously by blowing $25,000 at a strip club. To balance out his karma, he also donated $25,000 to cancer research.

  • Tony Dunst (AKA Bond18)

    Casino Winnings: $1,482,179

    Online Winnings: $493,608

    Throughout highshchool I was attracted to the Bond or GQ lifestyle and I wanted to live that lifestyle to be able to travel the world, be dressed elegantly, be able to pick up girls with ease, have a bunch of really cool friends who could connect me to stuff going on. That was the dream for me. Instead of owning a bunch of things it was having a bunch of experiences.

    When I was 19, I won a package on PartyPoker, while playing in my dorm, that gave me an entry, a trip and a hotel to a tournament down in Australia. I would say it was the happiest period of my life. It was just online poker every day, hanging out with friends every evening, taking days off to go golng or play tennis, go drinking with my friends. So i just had a happy and very balanced life when I was able to do a little of everything I wanted.

    The biggest difference that the money online poker provided me was a real direction for what I wanted to do in my life. I was a theatre major in college and I didnt really care about it and I knew that I wanted something that allowed me a large degree of autonomy, but would hopefully make me a fairly wealthy guy and that was exactly online poker. Plus it allowed me the freedom to be whatever kind of person I wanted to be and hanging out with whomever i wanted so as long as you could go home, log on and play well enough to win, everything else you did was to your discretion.

    STORIES OF REAL PLAYERS2 of 3

    The boy who realized his dream tolive like James Bond

  • STORIES OF REAL PLAYERS2 of 3

    The kid who won $2,1 millionat the age of 21

    Casino Winnings: $6,824,703

    Online Winnings: $4,712,278

    I was rst exposed to poker around 2003. I saw Chris Moneymaker win the World Series on TV and was immediately enthralled and became interested in the game. I gradually started playing with friends I was in high school and a few of my friends got into poker as well at that time. We started small games for fun and from there I slowly made the transition to online play. I started playing online with 888poker and things started growing from there.

    Yevgeniy Timoshenko is an Ukrainian poker player. He was born in 1988 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Timoshenko moved to Washington when he was 8 years old. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington.

    Yevgeniy Timoshenko (AKA bballer88)

  • POKER GLOSSARYTerms you must know

    5

    5

    9

    9

    K

    K

    Flop Turn River

    Community cards (The Board)

    Hole cards (Your Hands)

    Four down, one to go. The fth and nal community card to be dealt is the river. Now that all the cards have been dealt, each player remaining in the hand can now see what their best ve-card hand is. It's now time for the nal round of betting, again at the higher level of the table stakes.

    RiverIt's now time to see who takes the pot - the showdown. Each remaining player in the hand shows his cards, starting with the last person to bet and so on. The winner is decided using universal hand rankings.

    The Showdown

    Now that the rst round of betting is out of the way, it's time for the flop. The flop is the set of three cards that are dealt face up in the middle of the table, and each player can use these community cards to build their hand. At this point you can begin to assess the strength of your hand. After the flop it's time for another round of betting.

    FlopOnce the post-flop betting has nished, it's time for another card to be dealt face up on the board. This fourth card is called the turn card, and again can be used by all players to construct their hand.

    Turn

    K

    KA

    A

    1. 2.

    3. 4.

  • The act of checking passes the action to the next person, immediately clockwise from the player. A check does not forfeit interest in the pot, only the current right to bet. If all active players check during a round of betting, the round is considered complete.

    POKER GAME RULESBetting

    Check

    If there is not yet a wager on the current betting round, a player may bet. If a player bets, the player immediately clockwise from him or her (and any subsequent players) may fold, raise, or call.

    Bet

    The act of folding forfeits all interest in the pot. A player who folds is not required or allowed to wager any further money during the current poker hand, but cannot win that hand either.

    Fold

    If there has been a bet on the current round of poker play, a player may call. The act of calling requires the player to match the current bet made by his or her opponent(s).

    Call

    If there has been a bet on the current betting round, a player may raise. The act of raising requires the poker player to match the current bet, and then make a greater one. All subsequent players are required to call the raise or raise again ("re-raise") to maintain interest in the pot.

    Raise

  • Style used by almost all successful poker pros

    PLAYING STYLESWhat playing tactics to choose

    Tight-aggressive Strategy

    PassiveLoose Tight AggressivePlaying strong hands and folding weak ones.

    Frequent bets and raises, and calling rarely.

    Frequent calls and rare raises.

    Playing too many hands, including weak ones.

    Playing tight and aggressive means waiting for protable situations and consistently taking advantage of them.

    Tight play Tight means that you dont play everything that falls into your hands. There are many cards that look weak and actually are weak. However, there are also some hands that look strong, but aren't, such as King Jack. After the flop you dont need to see every showdown simply because you have a pair. Knowing when you are beat or when the price is too high can save you a lot of money.

    Aggressive playThere is one simple rule in Texas Holdem: You dont want to be the one to just call, i.e., the one who just goes along with the bets, without betting or raising yourself.

    In a poker game your prot is a result of your opponents' mistakes. And when do people make mistakes? When they have to make an important decision under pressure.

    At a table with nine players you should only play 15% to 20% of the hands you are dealt, on average. This means you should fold before the flop in four out of ve cases.

    It is also protable if all your opponents fold their cards, giving you the pot without having to show your hand. This is only possible if you are betting and raising a lot.

    Best style combo for beginners

    Poker involves risk. Use logic and exercise a good degree of caution when making decisions.

  • DAN BILZERIANS ONLINE POKER TIPS

    A couple factors differentiate my online strategy from regular poker. In a regular live game I cant switch tables all the time, and I also cant play tight all the time as others would learn my pattern of only playing good hands. But online I can switch tables as I wish and no one will notice this. Online I can also play as tight or as loose as I want.

    Switching tables allowes me to get a lot of action even with playing only the best hands like AA, 1010 and AK. Of course, to mix it up I randomly also bluff and go in with weaker hands.

    Play Tight-Aggressive

    I change tables every two or three rounds of the blinds and always have four tables going. Since I play only premium hands I am not overwhelmed with decisions. My time is spent folding, going all in and changing tables. For this I use the multitable feauture on betonline.

    Change tables every 2 or 3 rounds

    K

    K

    A

    A

    A

    A

    10

    10

    A

    A

    10

    10

    Examples of hands to play

    1

    2

    I love home games because I can socialize face to face. Until recently it was not possible online, but now on some sites like 888poker you can play face to face via webcam technology. You can brush up on your blufng skills, just have fun with mates or even make new friends. It gives you the real taste of poker.

    See opponents faces with PokerCam3

  • BENEFITS OF ONLINE POKER

    Try before you buy Become your own boss

    There Are More Fish OnlinePlay Anytime, Anywhere

    Much smaller commission/rakeBonuses

    Any poker game you wantSmallest stakes

    Multiple tables simultaneouslyTracking your opponents

    Poker in a live casino can prove very costly. The beauty of online poker is that most good sites offer play money tables so you can get used to the game, etiquette and rules before committing real money

    With online poker you can manage your time as you wish. Dont miss any important life moments just because your boss tells you to.

    You can play poker from the comfort of your couch or travel the world while playing. The choice is yours. Poker rooms are open 24/7.

    While Las Vegas may boast more drunk tourists just dying to donate their money to you, the pool online is much bigger.

    Theres so much competition online right now that all poker rooms offer generous welcome bonuses for rst-time real-money depositors.

    Live tournament fees of 15% on a buy-in are common. Live games also have 5-8% rake compared to online 3% average.

    Not only you can play virtually any poker variation you can think of, you can also nd great online sites that offer micro stakes of only $0.02.

    No-limit Holdem, Limit Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, Five Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Razz, Badugi - are just a few that you can play online.

    Some major sites have now banned the use of tracking software but taking notes on players at an online table is now easier than ever with a simple on-screen notebook.

    Playing live youre pretty much restricted to playing one table at a time. Learning to multi-table online is key to making more prot over the long-term. And thats where online poker excels.

    24/7

  • WHICH POKER HANDS WINThe hidden factors of strength

    The number of players helps determine poker hand strength. If lots of players have chosen to play the hand voluntarily, you have to assume they are doing so because they hold strong hands. However, if only two players are involved in a hand, it is less likely. A pair of Aces, for example, is quite a strong poker combination against one player, but its value decreases signicantly against four players.

    The number of players

    It makes no difference whether someone has the ace of clubs or the ace of diamonds. If remaining players have exactly the same hand at showdown, only in different suits, the pot is split.

    A

    A

    A

    A

    A

    A

    A

    A

    = = =

    All the suits in poker are of equal value.

    A fundamental skill in poker is being able to determine whether your hand is strong or not. A common beginners mistake is to think that the strength lies purely within the hands. But there are numerous outside factors that contribute to how strong or weak a certain poker card combination actually is. Here are the main four:

    The composition of the community poker cards will determine how many strong potential hands are in play. If you hold three of a kind, but there are four cards to a flush and four cards to a straight, your poker combination strength goes down. This is called a 'wet' board. Likewise, if the board is made up of out of sequence cards with no flushes possible, your hand strength goes up.

    Community cards

    31

    If your opponent plays tight, meaning he plays few hands, then you can expect him to show up with a strong hand when has one. If he is loose meaning he plays a lot of hands, then the relative strength of his hand usually goes down.

    Opponents style

    2

    In a tournament when chip stacks are shallow, it is not unusual for players to commit their money with weaker holdings to avoid 'blinding away'. However in cash games, where the stacks are deep, you are less likely to see such risks being taken.

    Amount of chips4

  • #1 Royal/Straight Flush

    Poker hand rankings | Traditional High Poker Hand Ranks

    #2 Four of a Kind:Four cards of the same rank, and one side card or kicker.

    Five cards in numerical order, all of identical suits.

    #3 Full HouseThree cards of the same rank, and twocards of a different, matching rank.

    #4 FlushFive cards of the same suit.

    #5 StraightFive cards in sequence.

    #6 Three of a kindThree cards of the same rank, and two unrelated side cards.

    #7 Two pairTwo cards of a matching rank, another two cards of a different matching rank, and one side card.

    #8 One pairTwo cards of a matching rank, and three unrelated side cards.

    #9 High cardAny hand that does not qualify under a category listed above.

    Print version

  • TABLE POSITIONWhich are the best positions

    Remember that poker action moves clockwise. If you can choose, sit behind (to the left of) opponents who are unaggressive. That way when you raise, these players will already have money invested. If youre on their right and raise, they probably wont play and youll lose their action. You should also sit to the left of experienced and aggressive players. They can interfere with your strategy, so let them act rst.

    The earlier your position, the stronger your hand must be!

    EARLYPOSITION

    EARLYPOSITION

    EARLYPOSITION

    EARLYPOSITION

    MIDDLEPOSITION

    MIDDLEPOSITION

    MIDDLEPOSITION

    LATEPOSITION

    LATEPOSITION

    SMALLBLIND

    SMALLBLIND

    BIGBLIND

    BIGBLIND

    Dealer Cut-off

    Underthe gun

    Table position is a very important factor in poker, especially in Texas Holdem. The best position to be in is when you are last to act on the hand. This means that you gain knowledge about what kind of hand they may have before the action gets to you. Having good position in a hand can easily turn a losing hand into a winning one.

    In most situations you should be coming in for a raise on every dealer position for a hand which you want to play. This is because acting last is a big advantage and you would be wise to build bigger pots for the hands where you have the advantage.

    Blinds are bets that are made before any cards have been seen.The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the small blind, and the player to their left posts the big blind. The blinds are placed in the pot to kick-start the betting and give players an incentive to enter the hand. They also mean that the winner of the hand can never walk away completely empty-handed.

    The Blinds

  • WHICH HANDS TO PLAY AND HOWBefore the flop

    One player raised Fold

    Examples of preflop hand potential

    Choosing the right starting hand is half the battle in poker and many players lose their money at exactly this point. If you enter the game with the right cards, you will not only avoid difcult situations in the later betting rounds, you can also be reasonably sure that you are indeed holding the best hand. You will learn when certain hands are playable and why, as well as how to extract maximum prot from them.

    Weak potential Medium potential Good potential

    A K

    9 8

    6 6

    - Connected & Suited

    - Ace & strong kicker

    - Pairs

    A Q

    7 5

    J 10

    - Suited, unconnected

    - Ace & medium kicker

    - Medium kickers

    A 4

    K 10

    9 6

    - Offsuited, unconected

    - Ace & weak kicker

    - Random numbers

  • CHEAT-SHEET: HOW TO PLAY BEFORE THE FLOP

    Your Cards Actions before you Early Position Middle Position Late Position Blinds

    High Pairs

    AA, KK, QQAll players fold RaiseOne player called RaiseOne player raised Raise

    Middle Pairs

    JJ, TTAll players fold RaiseOne player called RaiseOne player raised Call 20

    Low Pairs

    99 - 22All players fold Fold Call Raise CallOne player called Fold CallOne player raised Call 20

    Your Cards Actions before you Early Position Middle Position Late Position Blinds

    Ace-High Kicker

    AKAll players fold. RaiseSomeone called. RaiseThere was one raise. Raise

    Ace-High to Middle Kicker

    AQ, AJ, ATAll players fold Fold RaiseOne player called Fold Raise CallOne player raised Fold

    Ace-Small suited

    A9s - A2sAll players fold Fold RaiseOne player called Fold CallOne player raised Fold

    Your Cards Actions before you Early Position Middle Position Late Position Blinds

    Suited Face Cards

    KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, QTs, JTsAll players fold Fold RaiseOne player called Fold CallOne player raised Fold

    Face Cards Offsuit

    KQo, KJo, KTo, QJo, QTo, JToAll players fold Fold RaiseOne player called Fold CallOne player raised Fold

    Suited cards in sequence

    T9s - 54s All players fold Fold Raise FoldOne player called Fold Call

    A9s stands for ace nine of the same suitKQo stands for king queen of different suits

    Print version

  • WHICH HANDS TO PLAY AND HOWAfter the flop

    After the flop the weaker your hand, the more you should pay control the size of the pot. Try to keep the pot small with weak hands, and if your opponents create too much resistance or too much action, fold. The more opponents you are facing, the stronger your hand needs to be. If there was no raise before the flop, or if you called a pre-flop raise, you should have a really good hand before you get involved in any large post-flop pots.

    4 4

    4 4

    A 9 4

    10 9 6

    K Q 7

    66

    6

    8 7

    Your hand Community cards Your potential

    Great Bet or Raise

    Bad Check or Fold

    Great Bet or Raise

    Strong draw Bet or Raise or Call

    Monster draw Bet or Raise

    Bad Check or Fold

    What should you do

    K 58 7

    28 7

    K 9 48 7

  • TIPS & TRICKSAdvice from the pros

    Michael Mock

    Look for check-raises

    If a smart guy check-raises an unconnected flop, he has a good set in his hands and you should watch out.

    Bodo Sbrzesny

    Top mistake of rookies

    The biggest mistake that rookie poker players make with a flopped monster hand is to automatically slow-play to the river. The desire for deception is admirable, but it usually comes at the cost of prots. Instead of asking yourself how can I look weak you should be asking how can I get as much money into the pot as possible? This wont work if you havent been blufng and being aggressive before, so try to be moderately aggressive all the time.

    James Sudworth

    Make your deposit last

    The rst time you play poker online can be intimidating. There are so many buttons to press and more exciting noises than a Vegas Casino! Just relax. Dont try to play every pot, or bluff every hand. Patience is a virtue, the longer youre initial deposit lasts you; the more experience you will get. The more experience you get; the higher your win rate.

    Tyler Patterson

    Bet while eating

    While eating, put down your fork and make a huge bet. Theyll fold double queens!

    Erik Jensen

    Use a city for your nickname

    Many poker players are afraid of players who are nicknamed after a city. So if you want to instill fear - this is an easy way to do it!

    Erik Jensen

    Look for patterns

    The difference between winning and losing can be as a simple a quick distraction. Does your opponent always limp in with big hands? Does he only re-raise with AA or KK pre-flop? Take notes and take the game seriously then youll see how youve been doing.

    Check-raiseis a common deceptive play in which a player checks early in a betting round, hoping someone else will open. The player who checked then raises in the same round.

  • Antonio Esfandiari

    Condence is Key

    I really believe that you have to believe youre going to win everytime youre going to play. Condence is key to being successful at poker.

    David Vamplew

    You cant win every pot

    Amateur players try to win every pot. You cant, so dont.

    TIPS & TRICKSTournament strategies

    Who to attack

    As a short stack, you want to attack the medium stacks who cant afford to call you light. Big stacks can call you more freely. As a medium stack, you want to attack fellow medium stacks and the big stacks. Dont attack the small stacks, as they have less to lose. As a big stack, you can pick your spots more carefully, if you must - play against some big stacks who have a seat locked.

    Raise from early position = danger

    If an early-position player raises, it means he feels that his hand is already better than the rest of the table. After all, his raise has to make it through the entire table, and each player left to act could potentially hold a better hand. If, however, he raises from late position, he is really only saying "my hand gures to be best against everybody else." Thus, an early-position raise holds a lot more weight than a late-position raise because it needs to beat more players.

    Mix up your play

    You should be taking different lines in marginal spots. So most of the time you should be playing in a similar fashion, but sometimes you should change your play. For example, dont always reraise preflop with the same types of hands or dont always check raise a flush draw on the flop.

    Stay aggressive

    The more aggressive players tend to have an advantage over a less aggressive player. Most of the time neither one of you will make a strong hand so whoever makes the most convincing argument will win the pot.

    Don't bluff too much

    Another common misconception about poker is that you need to bluff to win. You may see spectacular bluffs on the WSOP shows, but these are edited to show the highlights of the tournaments and give the wrong impression of how often top players bluff. Blufng in poker is not as essential as you think it is.

  • LIVE POKER TELLS

  • LIVE POKER TELLSMaster how to read your opponents

    When you have learned the basics of poker, the main element for success becomes the ability to read your opponents. A tell is any mannerism or movement that a player makes subconsciously or purposely when trying to disguise the strength of their hand. Average players double and triple their prots when they master the science of tells.

    Tells happen because players are trying to conceal the true value of their cards. If a hand is weak, they will try to make you believe you it's strong. If a hand is strong, they'll try to convince you it's weak. Your opponents are actors. But if theyre not Ben Stiller, you can learn to decode them.

    Why and how players lie

    The most important tell is the one you give to the other players. Don't use the same method every time you bet or raise. Do one method on strong hands several times and then use it again on a bluff, or after getting caught on a bluff, use the same method the next time you have a monster.

    Reverse psychology

    Its critical to understand that most decisions of your opponents will be made randomly. That's because there are relatively few overwhelmingly strong or weak hands that dictate an exact tactic.

    Most decisions are spontaneous

  • TOP14 LIVE POKER TELLSMaster how to read & fool your opponents

    Players often stack chips in a manner directly indicative of their style of play. You shouldnt expect a player with neatly stacked chips to bluff very much or be in with weak hands.

    Tell #1Chip stacking

    It is very important to determine the style of your opponent - is he a tight or a loose player. Your rst clue to this is how many hands they actually play. A tight player is likely to only nd about one hand in 10 they really want to play. Simply count the hands they are involved in. If they fold a lot, expect the hands they do get involved in to be all pocket pairs, face cards and face cards with an ace.

    Tell #4Fold percentage

    A player who does an instant raise is unlikely to be blufng. He was just waiting for the action to get to them and then quickly tosses the chips - thats a sign of a good hand.

    Tell #3Insta-Raise

    Some players that are normally talkative get very quiet when they hit a hand. And if they suddenly raise, that's usually the tell to watch out!

    Tell #2Sudden silence

    Neatly stacked chips

    Messy chips - Those are his winnings.Usually if you bet just a little more than those winnings, he wont call. This is especially true when the night is coming to an end.

  • A player who raises pre-flop and on the flop, will sometimes try to act so relaxed that he actually whistles or sings a little tune when he bets on the turn or the river. That's usually a good tell that he hasnt improved his hand, hes just acting happy.

    Tell #5Lying whistler

    An almost involuntary move by many players is to immediately look at their chips when they love a card that hits. It could be the flop, turn, or river. However, when they look down quickly, then act uninterested until it is their turn and they raise, I'm usually convinced they hit something nice.

    Tell #6Chip glance

    The shortest tell is the most reliable. Most long, drawn out tells are false, set up to confuse.

    Tell #7How long is the tell?

    Most players do shuffle around in their chair and sit upright when they have a good hand

    Tell #9Sits upright

    Anytime a player uses a sad tone, he or she is trying to fake weakness. Remember, pretended weakness means strength, so you should be cautious about calling sad tones. Especially cheerful tones are attempts to show contentment. Usually, these mean weakness.

    Tell #8Sounds of sadness

  • If a player looks at his hole cards and then checks instantly, it's unlikely that he improved his hand.

    Tell #10Instant check

    Players staring at you are usually less of a threat than players staring away.

    Tell #11Why is he staring at me?

    Players staring at their cards are usually weak. The player would normally guard his hand if he liked its looks.

    Tell #12Staring at his cards

    A gentle bet usually means strength. In his mind, overly forceful or exaggerated betting moves will make his hand appear strong. Bland, timid motions convey weakness, he thinks.

    Tell #14Gentle bet

    Players who ask for any clarication of the rules before they raise are legitimately strong. Often they already know the answer to their questions. By acting dumb, they're trying to convey that they're uncertain that perhaps they'll raise or bet only if it doesn't cost too much. This is an act to appear weak and unsure. You should seldom call when a player asks, "How much is it to raise?"

    Tell #13Asking for clarication

  • 5 GOLDEN RULES OF BLUFFINGHow to bluff correctly

    Blufng is better ifyour hand can still improve.

    Only bluff against opponents that you know usually fold.

    Don't bluff against several players at once.

    Don't inflate the pot with bluff bets.

    Only bluff when you can credibly represent a strong hand and you think that your opponents dont have monster hands.

    The purpose of blufng is to force opponents with better hands to fold so you can win the pot.

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

  • ONLINE POKER STRATEGY

    & TOP6 TELLS

  • Most players who call your bet immediately have a weak calling hand. These players want you to believe they have a stronger hand and hope that you will not bet into them again.

    The insta-call after you bet

    Most players who take longer than normal to check to you do not want you to bet. They are attempting to display strength because they want to see the next card for free.

    The delayed check

    When an opponent thinks for a long time and then bets, they are usually holding a strong hand. They want you to believe they are weak so that you will call/raise.

    The delayed betThe player who utilizes this move will usually be holding a very strong hand. By raising or betting so quickly, they are trying to make you think they are blufng. This move can also be used on the turn and generally, though not as frequently, denotes strength.

    The insta-bet/raise on the river

    A player sitting in late position who uses the "in turn" check/fold button is usually weak. Often, they are playing at multiple tables and are hoping to save time by using the "in turn" buttons.

    The insta-checkWhen a player has checked and called on the flop and then bets into you on the turn, it usually indicates weakness. This type of bet often means that they picked up a draw or that they are semi-blufng with a draw they picked up on the flop. Strongly consider raising even though you might be blufng yourself.

    The bet into on the turn

    ONLINE POKER TELLSHow to read your opponents wihout seeing them

    Since you cant physically see your opponents when playing online, the physical tells weve mentioned are clearly not going to apply. Remember though, that betting patterns are the most reliable of all poker tells. Online tells are mostly related to the speed with which an opponent acts. For example, online it is possible to use the "in turn" buttons, or you can wait until it is your turn to act and click on the desired button. When using the "in turn" buttons, a player can select "check/fold" or "bet/raise" before the action gets to them. There is clear distinction in speed between these two methods of acting and, in certain situations, it can provide you with advantageous information.

  • BEST US FRIENDLY LEGAL POKER SITES

    Poker siteSign-upBonus

    MinimumDeposit Try it

    up to $2500

    up to $1000

    $10 $25$0.05

    $25

    up to $5000 $25 $50$0.02

    $0.05 $100

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    up to $500 $50 $0.10 $25

    up to $1000 $50 $0.01 $50

    Poker siteSign-upBonus

    MinimumDeposit

    Platforms

    Platforms MinimumWithdrawal Try it

    up to $1000

    up to $2000

    up to $600

    up to $888 $0 ($10 free) $25

    $100

    Minimumbet/wager

    MinimumWithdrawal

    Minimumbet/wager

    $0.01

    $0.01$10

    5$0.0110

    up to $600 $5$0.02$10

    $10 $50$0.01

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    Play now

    BEST POKER SITESFOR NON-US CITIZENS

    up to $500 $50$0.01$10 Play now

    Residents of New Jersey,Nevada & Delaware

    Visit www.poker4beginners.com for regularly updated poker site reviews!

  • Most poker sites dont give you the bonus straight away. Instead it is released in stages as you play a certain amount of hands or earn VIP points at the site.

    Rollover refers to the total number of wagers you need to make in order to cash out your bonus. Rollovers vary from 1X - 30X depending on the poker site. For example you will need to rollover your deposit and bonus 3 times prior to making a withdrawal at bet365 poker.

    Rollover

    Gradual release

    THE OFTEN MISSED FACTS ABOUT POKER BONUSES

    Every second beginner stumbles upon a shocking surprise about the nature of the sign-up bonuses of 100%, 200%, etc. They use the bonus without reading the associated terms, win a nice amount of money, and then are shocked to nd out that they cant withdraw the winnings as they wish. If you use bonuses, then there are certain limits of overall turnover you must make before withdrawing. It is called Rollover.

    For your safety we have included the info about rollovers, minimum withdrawals, etc. in our reviews (most other poker resources skip this). So study, compare them, and have a safe and productive gaming!

  • This London Stock Exchange listed company offers PokerCam tables for face-to-face play. Poker players looking for loose games with lots of easy-to-beat-players, big and frequent promotions and tons of options often nd themselves at 888Poker. Initially known as Pacic Poker, 888Poker was one of the rst real quality poker sites in the industry and remains that way as the third-largest poker site in the world.

    Does not accept all US players Games lobby could have better ltering Not many high stakes tournaments

    $10 free, no deposit needed Deposit $100, get $100 extra free. Win $2,200 packages to Live competitions

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 30,000+

    Min. withdrawal: $6 online, $20 wire

    Cashout time: 6 days see all timeframes

    Min. deposit: $0 (rst $10 are given for free)

    Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard , Diners Club,Laser debit card, Eurocard, Paypal, SkrillMaestro debit card see all deposits & limits

    Games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud

    Established: Holding established on 1997

    Website: www.888poker.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, Linux

    Bonuses

    DETAILED REVIEW

    Pros Cons

    Table Lobby

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 1%-5%

    Bonus rollover: 30X

    Wide variety of all sorts of poker games Biggest choice of platforms including iPhone Unique and interesting promotions going on $88 Free & exclusive $888 deposit bonus A cool animated graphic hand replayer Great software and graphics Face-time play option with PokerCam

    WINNER2013 EGR AWARDS

    POKER OPERATOROF THE YEAR

    APPROVED FORREAL MONEY GAMINGIN NEW JERSEY,NEVADA & DELAWARE

  • 200% Signup Bonus Over $250K in Guaranteed Tournaments! Win $1,900 package to Battle of Malta 500,000

    About Bonuses

    DETAILED REVIEW

    BetOnline is currently one of the largest US facing poker sites and was launched back in 2004 as part of the Chico Poker Network. BetOnline Poker offers a good selection of games and a lucrative $2500 welcome bonus. They are also one of the most active online poker rooms that accept US poker players. Further, BetOnline offers tons of freerolls and is notorious for its loose players and incredible monthly promotions.

    Up To $2500 Bonus Plenty of freerolls Great deposit options Simple, fast software Accepts US players

    Low player trafc until site builds Small tournaments Difcult to nd high limit games Small variety in poker games offered

    Key info

    Pros Cons

    Table Lobby

    Players: 6,000+

    Min. withdrawal: $25

    Cashout time: Same-day

    Min. deposit: $10

    Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, Amex,Bankwire, Cheque, Skrill.see all deposits & limits

    Games: Holdem, Omaha

    Established: 2004

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 5%

    Bonus rollover: 10X

    Website: www.betonline.ag

    Platforms: Win, Mac, Android

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Lobby

    Full Flush Poker is one of the latest new poker sites that is US-friendly and accepts players from all states, except NJ, NV & DE. Besides a Windows client there is also a Mac native version available. The amount of poker players is increasing each day.The site utilizes software that is licensed from Playsafe Holding AS, a publicly traded Norwegian Poker software provider (tried and tested over many years).

    Fast Cashouts of average 24-48 hours! Plenty of easy-to-beat games with weak players Play for free option to test the waters Lots of inexpensive tournaments and freerolls

    Limited banking options Hefty fees for withdrawals No withdrawal requests taken on weekends

    150% welcome bonus 20% instant cashback on First Deposits over $50 Free $3000 Tournament Ticket with Deposit $125 Free ticket to the $5000 First Depositors Freeroll $350 of Daily Freerolls

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 1,000

    Min. withdrawal: $100

    Cashout time: 4-6 days

    Min. deposit: $25

    Payment methods: Credit cards, Skrill,Neteller, see all deposits & limits

    Games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Blackjack

    Established: 2013

    Website: www.fullflushpoker.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac

    Bonuses

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 5% - 10% (max $3)

    Bonus rollover: 20X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Lobby

    Titan Poker is an established online poker provider, winner of the 2011 Gambling Readers' Choice Award for Best Customer Service and popular destination for PokerStrategists. Titan Poker is hosted on the iPoker Network and belongs to the top tier. What you'll love about Titan is that the majority of your opponents are recreational players who nd the poker tables via the big sports betting brands who share the 'iPoker Network'. This makes the games fun, loose and - best of all - very protable.

    $16 million in guaranteed prize money per month You can play up to 16 tables simultaneously. Fantastic Titan Rewards program for new and experienced players Easy to Navigate Ongoing Poker Tournaments

    Lack of game selection No synchronized breaks

    Deposit $50, get $100 (200% bonus) Exclusive $30 free cash on deposit Exclusive $100K freerolls $1 cash for every 100 points earned

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 10,000 - 55,000 at tournaments.

    Min. withdrawal: $100 (No less than Bonus)

    Cashout time: 10 days

    Min. deposit: $10

    Payment methods: Credit card,Neteller, Moneybookers, Wire Transfersee all deposits & limits

    Bonuses

    Games: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud

    Established: Holding established on 1997

    Website: www.titanpoker.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, Linux

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 1%-5%

    Bonus rollover: 30X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Lobby

    Carbon poker is one of the best real-money poker sites for US players with quick cashouts, reliable software and helpful customer service. With a variety of stakes, games, and promotions, CarbonPoker has something to offer players of all experience levels and bankroll sizes. The poker software has unique features, allowing players to run it twice, rabbit hunt, expose one card, and much more.

    Free Poker Odds Calculators Free Poker Training Videos US and International Players Welcome Carbon OPS tournaments series

    No Loyalty Program Only 1 free withdrawal per year, others cost 3%

    200% bonus Over $6 million in monthly GTD Tournaments

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 6,000

    Min. withdrawal: $50

    Cashout time: 3 -7 days

    Min. deposit: $ 25

    Payment methods: Credit Cards, Cash Transfers (Western Union and Moneygram), Checkssee all deposits & limits

    Bonuses

    Games: Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, Five Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Razz, BadugiEstablished: 2005

    Website: www.carbonpoker.ag

    Platforms: Win, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 1%-4.5%

    Bonus rollover: 35X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Lobby

    William Hill Poker is one of the oldest and largest bookmakers in the U.K. If a rock solid reputation is what you want, then William Hill is for you. Given its U.K. origins, William Hill Poker is a popular poker room for British players (and European players in general), making the busiest trafc time around European peak hours.

    Incredibly loose games and players Massive amount of guaranteed tournaments Great tournament trafc and sit-and-go selection Reliable software with smooth game play

    Not the best graphics in the world Doesn't accept U.S. players

    200% bonus up to $2000 $16m+ guaranteed on network every month Weekly $200k GTD events

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 65,000

    Min. withdrawal: 5

    Cashout time: 1 -5 working days

    Min. deposit: 10

    Payment methods: VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, Neteller, ClickandBuy, Skrillsee all deposits & limits

    Bonuses

    Games: Holdem, Omaha, 7 card stud.

    Established: 2002

    Website: poker.williamhill.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad

    Rake (Commission of the pot): $1

    Bonus rollover: 30X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Mobile

    Party Poker is a monster among online poker sites. They are one of the biggest rooms with tremendous player action at any time of the day. They did suffer a costly hit to their player base when they decided to exclude US customers as a response to US legislation towards online gaming. Party Pokers outstanding marketing efforts have resulted in a rebound of player trafc and they are once again on the rise.

    Known for fewer pros & softer competition Run by a huge, publically-traded company Software is very user-friendly Many satellites and promos

    Not many high stakes tournaments Doesn't accept U.S. players

    100% up to $500 $10,000 freeroll

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 70,000 at peak times

    Min. withdrawal: $50

    Cashout time: 3 - 7 days

    Min. deposit: $10

    Payment methods: VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, Neteller, ClickandBuy, Skrillsee all deposits & limits

    Bonuses

    Games: Holdem, Omaha, 7 card stud,

    Established: 2001

    Website: www.partypoker.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad,Linux

    Rake (Commission of the pot): $0.50 - $3

    Bonus rollover: 10X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    Table Lobby

    PokerStars is the largest poker site in the world and offers an awesome variety of games, from the super high-limits to some of the rarest mixed games. Many of the worlds most famous poker players are PokerStars pros, including Canadian star Daniel Negreanu and WSOP Main Event winners Chris Moneymaker, Rafael Nadal and more. The main drawback of Pokerstars is that the opposition is tough at higher stakes.

    The largest site in the world - excellent trafc. Award Winning and Secure Software Best VIP Program and Rewards PokerStars always has qualiers for the WPT, WSOP, EPT event and more.

    Tough opposition in high-stakes tournaments and cash games Doesn't accept U.S. players

    100% bonus up to $600 Deposit with bonus code FREE20 and claim $20 free

    Key info

    About

    Pros Cons

    Players: 60,000 - 150,000

    Min. withdrawal: $5

    Cashout time: 3 - 10 days

    Min. deposit: $10

    Payment methods: VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, Neteller, ClickandBuy, Skrillsee all deposits & limits

    Bonuses

    Games: Omaha, Holdem, 7 card stud, 5 card stud,Courchevel, Razz, Horse & Mixed games, Badugi

    Established: 2000

    Website: www.pokerstars.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 1.3% - 8%

    Bonus rollover: 16X - 26X

  • DETAILED REVIEW

    fulltilt.com is a leading poker brand known for delivering the most authentic online poker experience in the world. Full Tilt Poker's innovative software, game design and gameplay make it the online home for serious poker players. Full Tilt Poker was re-launched in November 2012 by The Rational Group, which also operates PokerStars, the world's largest online poker site.

    Tough mid-stakes cash games No ten seat tables

    Awesome promotions Smooth software Endless customizable options

    Key info

    Pros Cons

    Table Lobby

    Players: 30,000

    Min. withdrawal: $10

    Cashout time: 3 days Skrill, 3-10 Visa

    Min. deposit: $50

    Payment methods: Visa, Neteller, Skrill.see all deposits & limits

    Games: Holdem, Omaha, Stud, Mixed Games.

    Established: 2004

    Rake (Commission of the pot): 5%

    Bonus rollover: 16X - 26X

    Website: www.fulltiltpoker.com

    Platforms: Win, Mac, Android, iOS

    100% First Deposit Bonus up to $600 Regular tournaments

    About Bonuses

  • THANKSFOR READING