Can your nationality help your opponent to predict your style?
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Created:
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1/29/2008 3:22:34 PM
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Recent observations conducted in European countries have revealed that your nationality has a reflective effect on your online poker play.
Here are some of the most prominent national poker tells that have been found to occur:
Newcomers to the online poker scene (and poker scene in general), the Spanish- play an intensely analytical game. This derives from the fact that a huge portion of the new poker enthusiasts have a chess back-ground that has in turn rubbed off on their poker play. It’s for this reason that it’s no surprise that they’re becoming one of the strongest poker players in Europe.
Also known for an overtly methodical play, the Germans apparently don’t bat an eyelid playing against professionals –who they are willing to lose money to in order to improve their own skills.
True to the “victorianesque conservative” nature the English are known for… U.K. players are known for a distinctly vigilant and conventional style. This lack of willing to take a risk also seems to be the nation’s most characteristic weakness.
Another country, who remains loyal to their typecast is the French, who, like their rugby team, play with the spirit, panache and flair very becoming of the flamboyant nation. While this style, on its good days has the tendency of being extremely fruitful, can in turn also generate significant losses.
The Italians however, are some of the most formidable players to face online. This is owing to their extremely aggressive and unpredictable style. It seems that they love the action of the game and promise a very interesting game.
The broader field of Dutch players are educated and young. They are reputed for being careful and detached in their play.
Sweden, in an unusual twist, completely defies their nature in their brand of poker play. The Swedes, who are known to be a very serene and composed, contradict their natures in their play. The Swedish players are aggressive and take risks…
No observations have been published to date on the style of African or South African players. And, obviously no two poker players are the same… But you can’t help but wonder whether your nationality has left a predictable stain on your play…. What do you think..?
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sunrisedatacare
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4/9/2010 7:01:09 PM
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http://www.sangambayard-c-m.com/
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Playing poker enhances your sport
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Created:
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1/29/2008 1:42:33 PM
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Australian cricketer Shane Warne recently rocked the sports world, when he announced that he will pass up on playing the Twenty20 Series later this year. He stated that he prefers to try his luck at a different sport- playing poker at the World Series of Poker 2008!
Interestingly enough, Warne is not the only cricket star, that has developed a penchant for “the game of the sophisticated”. Using terms that can only originate from a thorough understanding of poker, former Australian captain Ian Chappell was recently quoted saying:
“As the gambler says, “You've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em'.” However, Chappell was not referring to a game of Texas Holdem at all, but was making an appeal to the Indian cricket selectors to not omit Virender Sehwag form the probables for the next tour.
And it is reported that this poker principle refers directly to Sehwag’s style of playing. Sehwag is known to spend time in the middle, and ensures that the lead is constantly enhanced. He bats out time, but does not ignore the importance of batting for runs. Just when everyone seems to think that he is too close to the border of being reckless, he reigns himself in again. And as soon as is looking like a stone-waller, he lets loose. Considering this, it becomes clear that Sehwag definitely knows when to Holdem and when to foldem..
Another sports star that applies poker principles to enhance his game, is the tennis star Andy Roddick. A self proclaimed poker fanatic, he says that he has been practising his poker face, to assist in masking his emotions on the tennis court as well. He also claims that many other international tennis players, including his mentor Jimmy Connors, shares his passion for the game of poker.
The list of sports stars that have taken to the betting sports, is too long to mention here. But one thing that is undeniable, is that apart from being the latest hip thing to do, poker and any competitive sports has one very similar objective in mind: to strategically analyze probabilities, and to improvise in any unpredictable scenario –to emerge with the better hand..
Which is sort of how we’re supposed to approach life on all other levels as well, isn’t it…? So all you poker junkies out there, poker is not just another obsession. It can enhance your performance at sports, or improve your skills at the game of life!
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Calculating Poker odds ? As easy as one, two three!
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Created:
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1/21/2008 9:18:49 AM
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It is fundamental to be able to calculate poker odds in order to play online poker. It gives you quite an insight into whether you are in a good or bad situation. It therefore allows players to make more money from their game than before. Many people who try doing calculations by themselves realize that it isn't as easy as it made out to be in books. The reason for this is that when you read books, you have time to analyze and reflect on what you have read. On the other hand, in Poker you don't have the luxury of time. Odds have to be calculated correctly in real time to win. Calculating the exact odds in the middle of a Poker Game is a trademark of only the ?advanced? poker players. The situation gets even more complex when you are playing multi-tables.
One solution to the problem is to learn and remember the odds for common situations and draws. This includes learning start hands, number of outs in a straight draw, the probability of getting two-pair if you have a bottom pair and so on. This can be especially helpful if you are new to the game however, if you are chasing big money you will need to go further than this. You have to be ready to deal with all kinks of situations occurring at the poker table. Making smart decisions swiftly is the key to victory: such as when to raise and fold? All of these decisions are based on calculations.
Every one knows that if you have a drawing hand, it is important to figure out the pot odds before you make a call. What that means is, are the odds of you making the hand and winning the pot greater than the amount you had to call relative to the pot? Well there is a rule of thumb that will get you the correct odds within a percent or two and takes only seconds to learn and remember.
The first thing that you do is count up the number of outs that you have. Then the percent chance that the next card will be one of your outs is your number of outs multiplied by two. Say you are drawing to a spade flush. There are two spades on the board, two in your hand, which leaves nine remaining in the deck. Multiply 9 * 2 = 18 percent that the next card will be a spade.
Let's study this a little more closely. After the flop there are 47 unknown cards left in the deck, after the turn there are 46 which means that the odds of any given card being the next one to come out are:
1/47 = 2.1 %
1/46 = 2.2 %
If we approximate this as 1 in 50 instead of 1 in 47 we see that any given card has a 2% chance of coming out. Which means to find the chance that one of our outs is next we simply multiply it by two. To find the chance that one of our outs comes on the turn or the river multiply it by four.
It is important to note that these are underestimates. i.e. this rule of thumb would approximate the chances of your flush coming to be 36 % instead of 38%. If you would like to be more exact, multiply by 2 or 4 and add 1 percent for every 8 chances you have of hitting your out. So in this case we would add 2% because we have 9 chances on the turn and 9 chances on the river for 18 chances total.
However, if you get it wrong or in an untimely manner, you are going to be eaten. Getting it right can help you decide when to play it loose and tight.
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Raymond Rahme making name for himself in the Aussie Millions…
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Created:
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1/16/2008 4:29:59 PM
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One of our local icons, as well as our frequent players here on 3 Piggs Poker, Raymond Rahme is holding his head up at the Aussie Millions tournament. Initially he had a few setbacks after receiving a few knocks in the main event (Day 1a), after emerging on the wrong side of a show off against J.J. Lui.
Though at the end of the day, he landed himself in amongst the top fifteen chip leaders for the day. Rahme is still hanging in there and doing us proud! We’re all holding thumbs to see him in the final tables.
He is entering day 2 with a stack of 79 000, while another local, Ryan Eber hangs in with 16 700 in chips.
Come on boys - go for it!
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Warne pinged at Aussie Millions
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Created:
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1/16/2008 11:16:26 AM
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Shane Warne, legendary legspinner, now turned poker pro was penalised for using his mobile phone to send a test message will playing at the Aussie Millions 2008 at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. Reportedly he was given a 5 minute penalty for using his phone.
Warne has just signed up with an internet poker room to play poker around the world and wil lbe participating later this year at the WSOP 2008!
Warne had the following to say about his new career: "Its' a game of skill. You have to be disciplined." Rather ironic if you consider his history as a cricket player.
We are watching his progress closely and will report anything of interest.
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Bluffing
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Created:
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1/16/2008 10:09:56 AM
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Bluffing is an important skill in the game of poker. It is what makes poker exciting and challenging at the same time. After all, what fun would it be if the best hand always won and if we could predict what the other players were holding?
To be a profitable player, a balance is needed between bluffing when the time is right and bluffing for the sake of just bluffing. That is why it is important to know how and when to bluff, or your stack could be reduced to nothing before the first blind level is over.
There are two kinds of Bluffs, namely the ?Pure Bluff? and the ?Semi Bluff?. The pure bluff is when a player bets or raises with a bad hand that has an outside to no chance of improving. The semi bluff occurs when a player bets on a hand that has a chance of improving as the hand progresses.
One of the biggest mistakes made by poker players is that they often think that they need to bluff after a certain number hands regardless of what he/she has or what the other players appear to have. When bluffing is used correctly and wisely it is an asset, but it could also prove to be a costly part of poker if you do not pay attention to the other players and if you do not pick the right time to bluff.
Even though bluffing is an essential skill to learn, you will not be measured on how you bluff but on how often it works.
Here are some best times to bluff:
1You are in the late position and no one before you is indicating that they a strong hand
2)Your table image of a rock and only calls on good hands
3)You are facing only one opponent
4)You sense the other players are weak and will fold if you raise or bet.
Here are some worst times to bluff:
1)When the player that is still left in the hand is the kind that never folds
2)When there are still a lot of players left in the hand
3)When a player has invested too much money in the pot that they will not fold to your raise or bet
I hope that you find the above helpful and that you will be bluffing your way up the poker rankings in no time.
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Poker triumphs over cricket!
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Created:
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1/11/2008 7:43:01 AM
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Shane Warne, one of the best leg spinners in the world, committed to play cricket for Hampshire, but believe it or not would rather be playing poker in Las Vegas than play in his club's Twenty20 campaign later this year.
Warne, who writes a column for "The Times" in Australia, wrote: "Now that I am retired from international cricket - in fact all cricket in Australia - I am gradually moving into other areas. There is a deal in the pipeline with a poker company that will involve playing in certain events through the year."
Warne, who is no newcomer to poker, played at the Aussie Millions in 2007, where Ryan "FBT" Brauer, a 3 Piggs Poker player, clinched 30th position. 3 Piggs Poker was also represented at the Aussie Millions 2007 by 3 Piggs Poker Manager, Sandy Koor and Joe "Soprano" Rhame.
Warne, 38, who has been in cricket for about 20 years says that he needs a rest at some point during a 6 month campaign. He has not played Twenty20 for the past few seasons and would rather go to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, which is taking place at the same time as the Twenty20 Cup.
The World Series of Poker Main Event Title is the most prestigious and most sought after poker title in the world. Ray Rahme, another player with 3 Piggs Poker, achieved 3rd position at the 2007 WSOP, becoming the first Southern African Poker Player to achieve such a feat!
It will be interesting to see how well Warne does in Las Vegas and he may just find himself at a table with a 3 Piggs Poker player or two.
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WPT Ladies is launched
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Created:
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1/9/2008 3:17:21 PM
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With ladies' poker taking the world by storm, it is not surprising that the World Poker Tour (WPT) has expanded its female focused offering to now include an official WPT Ladies League and a No Limit Texas Holdem Tournament circuit - WPT Ladies (WPTL). The tournament circuit will be offering buy-ins ranging from $300 to $1500, therefore providing a prestigious gaming environment where amateurs, semi-pros and professionals alike can pit their skills in a tournament environment.
The ladies will have the opportunity at each stop to win a WPT title as well as a seat in the WPT Ladies Championship.
Executive Vice President of WPT Studios, Robyn Moder, said: "Women are a rising force in poker. By bringing a WPT ladies league and tour stops to top gaming destinations across the US, we hope to support and perpetuate the evolution of the sport and recognition of the women who play."
We might just be seeing the likes of our very own Martie Faber and Karin Hasserriis at events like these in the future!
So ladies get your game on!
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Online Poker vs. Live Poker
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Created:
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1/4/2008 10:43:19 AM
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For decades, poker has been played in, casinos, pubs and homes across the world within a group of people all looking to outwit their opponents by trying to pick up tells on each other to give themselves an advantage. However, over the last few years there has been a new breed of poker joining the poker world, which is the ever so popular online poker game.
Many poker players enjoy playing poker online because of how easy it is to find a good game without needing to leave the comfort of your own home. You can play at almost any stakes you want to suit your bankroll, and you can always find action at your desired game and limit no matter what time of the day. Furthermore, the game speed is much faster online than it is at a live table, as the cards are dealt electronically and there is no need for a dealer to manually shuffle and deal the cards in between hands.
So far it sounds like online poker has a lot to offer when compared to live poker, but what does live poker have over the online game? Well the one undeniable advantage that live poker has is that you have the chance to sit down face to face with other players for a real poker playing experience. It is great fun playing online, but there is nothing can replace the thrill of battling against opponents in a live arena and experiencing the excitement of the game first hand.
So which version is better, live or online? In my opinion they both have their pros and cons, so I don?t think it?s fair to say that one is completely better than another. Some players will comfortably say that live is the best because there is no substitute for playing against real people, but this is more just a matter of opinion. On the ?flop? side, there is no substitute for the simplicity and ease of use of online poker, and you will never find as many tables or limits on offer in a casino as you would in online poker. I believe that every player should try and get a healthy mix of online poker as well as live poker, and use this mix to improve their overall game.
If you are exclusively an online player, it is well worth your while giving live poker a shot, because you will certainly find it to be a very exciting experience. Similarly, if you are purely a live player, you should sign up for an online account and give online poker a try, you may find it more fun than you think. All in all, it is good to keep a bit of diversity in your game and play in both the live and online formats of the game. But whatever you choose to do, just make sure you?re having a good time playing poker, as that?s what poker is all about at the end of the day.
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Be Aggressive and take control of the Heads-Up situation.
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Created:
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1/4/2008 10:33:08 AM
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Heads-Up Poker is the pinnacle to every single game of Holdem, if you are going to win you will always face a heads up situation. Heads up poker is where you play head to head against a single opponent and whether you start off with two players in the game or two thousand, the result is always the same - a duel between the final two players.
If you start with a high number of players, or indeed any number of players bigger than two, the game will lose one of them at a time as they run out of chips until you are left with the final pairing - the heads-up. Now playing Heads-Up is different from the rest of the tournament and requires a different approach in order to be successful.
Nowhere is the contrast more stark than in online Holdem poker play and if you've never made it to the final of a Hold ?em tournament you are in for a rollercoaster ride when you do!
The pace is extremely fast and furious with little or no time to think, you are relying mostly on your experience and quick thinking to pull you through. But the number one strategy you need to adopt when playing heads-up poker online is to be aggressive. It is a ruthless winner-takes-all situation and if you don't show enough determination, strength and aggression, your opponent will most certainly take advantage of the situation and take charge of the game ? prepare yourself for an onslaught.
You need to call almost every hand, after all you're paying for the blinds so if you don't call it your opponent gets to keep the blinds for free. Remember that when it gets to this stage, the blinds are at their highest so every hand is important to win. You can?t afford to let one go for free unless you feel you have absolutely no chance of winning the hand.
Of course a Holdem hand that you would probably fold in a ten player situation is often one that you can go all-in with at heads-up poker. Any Ace at all is certainly worth raising and re-raising, the chances are your opponent is adopting a similar strategy to you and he may be going in with a King or Queen along with a lower card.
Say for example you are dealt King-Eight. Now at a ten player poker tournament you would most probably fold this hand in early position, but call or possibly even raise in late position. In a heads-up situation you would be perfectly entitled to go all-in with a reasonable expectation of winning the hand if it got played out.
Vary your play and if you find yourself in front in chips, be even more aggressive! Don?t be afraid to put in a big raise with no hand, your opponent will most likely back down unless he has a big hand.
The bottom line is this for heads-up poker - attack or be attacked!
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