Journey to became a Poker Pro

he dealer position (known as the "button") is the best
position at the poker table.

The reason is because when you're on the button, you get to
act LAST after the flop... giving you the chance to see what
your opponents do first.

This lets you get a "read" on your opponents at the table...
and decide who has a strong hand, who has a weak hand, who's
bluffing, and so on.

OK, so that's common knowledge.

What's also common knowledge is the fact that LATE
POSITIONING is preferred over EARLY POSITIONING... because
once again, you get to see what your opponents do first
before it's your turn to bet, raise, call, or fold.

Of course, being on the button is BETTER than just plain
late positioning... because the button GUARANTEES that you
will be LAST TO ACT post-flop.

OK, now here's what is NOT common knowledge...

Once you understand positioning and its enormous
implications, you can begin "improving" your positioning and
setting yourself up for more pots each game.

The technique is called STEALING THE BUTTON.

It's simple... it's practical... and right when you're done
reading this newsletter you can immediately start using it.

Stealing the button is LEVERAGING your late positioning when
you're NOT on the button... but getting all the same
benefits as if you WERE on the button.

Remember, the dealer position is SO POWERFUL because it
means you're LAST to act post-flop.

Being SECOND TO LAST to act isn't nearly as good, especially
considering there's usually only three or four players to a
flop at an 8-man table.

So what you do is make a reasonable pre-flop RAISE when
you're in late positioning... and therefore force the player
on the button to fold.

Having done this, you'll be last to act after the flop...
the same as if you actually were on the button. (Hence the
name, "stealing the button").

OK, let's look at an example so you can see what I'm talking
about:

Let's say you're sitting two seats to the RIGHT of the
button at a 10-man table. The game is $1-2 no limit Holdem.

Two players limp-in... and you look down at your cards:

J-9 of clubs.

I call hands like these "semi-connectors"-- they're not
quite connected... but almost.

The great thing about semi-connectors is that they're a
"hidden hand". When they HIT (straight, flush, two pair...)
your opponents NEVER see it coming.

You decide to play your Jack-9 suited. Now remember, there
are two players BEHIND you that will act post-flop if they
both call the blinds.

So it's YOUR JOB to make sure they DON'T limp-in.

The solution is to crank up the pressure...

You make it $15 to play. Nothing crazy (after all, you don't
exactly have a monster). You simply want to force the two
players to your left to FOLD... which will happen most of
the time.

Of course, they won't always fold... because sometimes
they'll pick up a big hand. But odds arethey'll fold.

The RESULT, of course, is now YOU have the button.

Well, not the button exactly... but all the advantages that
it brings.

Sure enough, the two players to your left fold, and Josh--
who's in the big blind-- is the only caller.

The flop comes out:

10h-8d-Ks

No flush possibilities for you here, but BINGO, you've just
flopped an open-ended straight draw.

This is the type of flop you hoped for.

Now it's on Josh to act first. And this is where your
positioning is so important. Not only do you get to see what
Josh does first... but you also have the CONTROL in this
situation.

Since you made the pre-flop raise, Josh will likely check
the flop to you... giving you the opportunity to play
aggressively and take down this pot.

No matter what happens after this, you've set yourself up to
win this pot. Sometimes Josh will pick up a real hand and
come out firing... but usually not.

Sure enough in our example, Josh checks.

You throw out a $30 semi-bluff. This is a bet you should
make even WITHOUT the open-ender... because you made the
pre-flop raise.

Josh mucks it, and you rake the chips... leaving the table
wondering what you had.

That's how you "steal" the button. It's a simple, surefire
way to gain control at the table by improving your
positioning.

There are five main steps you need to know...

1. You need a playable hand.

If you're going to bluff, make it a "semi-bluff" by raising
with a hand that can hit... something like semi-connectors.

I personally don't like raising with 7-2 offsuit or crap
like that. It seems to me like an "ego raise" more than a
logical play.

Remember, the key is to gain that extra bit of control and
power by acting LAST after the flop.

2. Force out the player on the button (and possibly the
player to his right).

The whole point to stealing the button is to ACTUALLY STEAL
THE BUTTON. If you make a wussy raise that doesn't scare
anyone, you've failed.

If you're one seat to the right of the button, you want to
raise enough to force the player on the button out. If
you're TWO seats to the right, then you've got to force out
both players to your left.

One of the "secrets" to this process is to ALWAYS pay
attention to the pre-flop betting patterns of your opponents
on the left.

If you're sitting on the right of "Tight Tim" who only sees
flops when he's got pocket pairs, then you can steal the
button quite often.

On the other hand, if you're on the right of a LOOSE player,
you won't be able to steal the button nearly as much.

So pay attention.

3. After the flop, your opponents will usually check to you.

Notice if someone bets into you, beware. That's a red flag.
Usually players will check into you since you raised
pre-flop.

When players check into you that gives you the power to
either BET and try to steal the pot right there... OR... get
a free turn card by also checking.

While I normally recommend a bet, you can check to mix it up
once in awhile or in the case that you're getting
short-stacked.

4. Don't get pot-committed.

Remember, stealing the button is a simple technique that
improves your position and sets you up to have a BETTER
CHANCE at winning the hand.

Don't get stupid. Don't get stubborn and bet any amount in
hopes of bluffing out someone with a real hand.

Like I said, you need a playable hand to steal the button in
the first place.

Don't become pot-committed... Never bet so much that it's
PAINFUL to fold your cards after the flop.

5. Sometimes you don't need to raise to steal the button.

Often the blinds will be high enough where you figure simply
CALLING the big blind will get you the button (this is
especially true when you're to the right of a tight player).

Also, someone in front of you might raise the pot enough
that all you have to do is CALL THE RAISE and you'll get the
button.

OK, so that's the process...

Here are the two types of situations where you DO want to
steal the button...

DO STEAL THE BUTTON WHEN:

1. You sense weakness and want to steal the pot on a bluff
or hidden hand.

2. You have a good hand that you want to play post-flop.

On the other hand...

DO NOT STEAL THE BUTTON WHEN:

1. You have a poor hand and you sense someone else has a
strong hand.

2. You think someone to your left will call a raise no
matter what (that defeats the purpose).

The MOST IMPORTANT lesson you can get from all this is to
realize that winning poker depends on ALL THE LITTLE THINGS.

Stealing the button is just a little technique for setting
yourself up for better positioning... it's not a "game
changing" strategy that will double your poker profits or
anything.

But when you combine it with ALL THE OTHER LITTLE THINGS--
like establishing the right table image, throwing out feeler
bets, representing the flop at the right times, buying free
cards, picking up betting patterns, spotting tells, and
more-- then you will become a DYNAMIC and POWERFUL poker
player...

AND THEN your poker profits will double.

A lot of amateurs base their games on the "big hands" and
might get lucky once in awhile. But over time, the REAL
MONEY always goes to the GRINDERS... the guys who know how
to CONSISTENTLY take down pots.

It takes a lot of discipline, don't get me wrong.

But you can do it.

And I can SHORTCUT the amount of TIME you spend doing it by
showing you the STEP-BY-STEP PROCESSES for all those "little
things" that will transform you into a winning poker
player...

Not to mention... I'll show you the "big things": the
pro-level tactics that most players never EVER learn.

So if you're ready to take your skills to the next level,
visit here and download the easy-to-read eBook "Sit-N-Go pro".

It's jam-packed with hundreds of strategies and tactics,
along with step-by-step examples and more. After reading it
many players have reported up to DOUBLING their profits...
instantly!

So have the discipline to INVEST in your skills-- rather
than LOSING that money at the tables because your
competitors know THESE secrets...

This article is brought by roy rounders.

And here comes another tutorial by FullTiltPoker.net. This is a very important tutorial and is the first step to became a better player. This tutorial is about the starting hands. What to play and what to fold. Also an important factor as it is discussed in the video is the position. The cards change value depending on position. Howard Lederer and other poker pros will give you more details in the following video tutorial.

Tournaments can be tough when you’re up against seasoned players. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t do well at first. It takes a lot of practice to become a holdem tournament master.

Here are some strategy tips to help you win your next holdem tournament:

· You’ve got to stay in the game in order to win. Play tight but aggressive.

· Don’t play every hand, just the ones you have a chance of winning.

· Avoid bluffing unless you know how to read the other players well.

· Make the most of your good hands and take advantage of situations when they fall in your favor.

· Fold before the flop if you have a bad hand unless everyone checks.

· Fold after the flop if your hand has not improved.

· In an early position, pre-flop, play only AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK suited; TT, AQ suited, AK, AJ suited, KQ or suited.

· In a late position, pre-flop, stay if you’re holding 99, AQ, AT suited, KJ suited, QJ suited, JT suited, or small pairs. But only if the betting is low and no one seems particularly proud of their hand.

· Don’t be afraid to bet and raise. The bigger the pot, the more likely you’ll scare out weak hands and improve your chances of raking in all the chips.

· Never think of folding as a sign of weakness. It is a sign of a smart and aggressive player who knows when to hold’em and when to fold’em.

· If other holdem tournament players before you are calling, raise whenever you have a large pocket pair. Call with anything else.

· If there are a lot of early callers, and the pot is big enough, raise if you have a premium pair. There is a good chance you can take the pot right there if everyone else has a weak hand. In any event, you’ll scare away some of the players and help reduce the competition.

· Respond to raises cautiously. If it looks like chips are cheap, and everyone is raising, examine your hand carefully. This is a good time to know what pot odds are and how to use them properly.

These are only some of the things you need to know if you want to be the next big pot winner in a holdem tournament Read More...

check out this amazing hand where a pot of $ 361,800 real money where involved in a single pot in high stakes poker, and it was the last hand of the night...

$361, 800 real money

I have just watched the movie Peaceful Warrior. It was note poker related but the concept can be applied to poker and it really makes sense. The basic concept is to concentrate on the moment.

The film is about a guy who wants to make it to the olympics. His mentor told him, if you want to do good he has to concentrate every moment on the current action. The concept i got for poker is when in a crucial hand concentrate on the moment on the best move that time...

good movie.

A group of Poker Pros and Top Online Marketers just released The United Poker Group...

this article is brought to this blog by roy rounders

You're probably familiar with the term "represent the flop".
But do you know what it REALLY means?

And do you know how to PROPERLY represent the flop in order
to win more chips?

Most players think that REPRESENTING THE FLOP just means
betting and acting in a way as if the cards on the board
HELPED your hand...

Although this definition is ACCURATE, it's much too
simplistic to add any benefit to your game.

Representing the flop is in fact a very in-depth strategy
that is CRUCIAL to pro-level Texas Holdem poker...

First, let's look at WHY you should represent the flop:

The primary reason is to find out WHERE YOU'RE AT IN A HAND.

In other words, you want to learn how strong and how weak
the OTHER players at the table are. And the only way to do
this is through BETTING.

If you only check, check, call, call... then you will NEVER
become a good poker player. Never.

You've got to bet... and PRETEND that the community cards
helped you. If someone has a weak hand, they will be forced
to fold.

If someone has a mediocre hand, they will probably fold
too... because you're "representing" that you have something
good.

And if a player has a STRONG or VERY STRONG hand, they will
either call you or raise your bet.

So based on what everyone does, you can find out if you have
a chance at winning the pot, if you can bet other players
out, or if you should just fold. All information you
WOULDN'T have known otherwise.

Frequently representing the flop is an AGGRESSIVE style of
play. If you do it, you'll get a lot of action at the
table... especially after the flop.

For example, if you come out firing after the flop three out
of four hands, your opponents will begin calling your bets
and giving you action... because they KNOW you don't have a
great hand EVERY SINGLE TIME.

This comes in handy when you hit a MONSTER... like when you
flop a set or a flush or something. You don't have to worry
about everyone folding to you.

But even more important than getting lots of action,
representing the flop will help you STEAL a lot of pots over
the course of every card game.

And when YOU control the action and the betting, you'll find
it much easier to steal blinds and pots after the flop.

And trust me, THESE SMALL POTS ADD UP... FAST. If you only
go for the "big pots" in a poker game or tournament, you
won't last long. You've got to stick your neck out there and
go for the SMALLER POTS too...

OK, so representing the flop is a USEFUL and IMPORTANT TOOL
in no-limit Texas Holdem poker.

Now you've got to learn how to represent the flop the RIGHT
WAY...

I have FIVE BASIC RULES when it comes to representing the
flop... each rule gets progressively more complicated as
they go on.

But trust me, if you master these rules, you'll DEFINITELY
be on your way to higher "poker profits" and winnings.

OK, so here they are. These are my FIVE RULES:


RULE #1: When you represent the flop, don't act weak by only
betting the MINIMUM amount... BUT, don't bet so much that it
can burn you.

This is kind of like the "not too hot, not too cold"
principle.

You see... when you represent the flop, you've got to accept
the fact that you will likely NOT get the chips back that
you're betting.

I mean, obviously you want to WIN, don't get me wrong. BUT,
if someone has a great hand and you're representing the flop
WITHOUT a great hand, then there's a good chance you'll have
to fold soon.

So when you make a representation bet, do NOT bet so much
that you'll feel "pot committed".

On the other hand, don't bet too LITTLE. When you bet too
little, your opponents will see right through it. And it
won't be enough to scare the mediocre hands away.

For example... let's say you've got 9-8 suited and the flop
hits K-8-2 and you're first to act. You don't want to CHECK
because you know the guy after you will bet if you do.

So you REPRESENT THE FLOP by throwing out a bet...

If no one has the King, everyone will probably fold to your
bet. Even if someone DOES have the King, they may fold if
they don't have a decent kicker.

The key is you must make sure you BET ENOUGH. If you only
bet the minimum amount here... someone with A-4 might call
the bet, simply because the pot odds are in their favor. And
if the Ace hits on the turn, you're in trouble.

So always be sure to bet BIG ENOUGH to scare out the bad and
mediocre hands, but SMALL ENOUGH to not get in trouble if
you lose the chips.


RULE #2: Whenever possible, represent the flop when you have
OUTS.

This is a strategy most players don't quite "get" until
you've been playing poker for a LONG time.

Here's the thing:

If you represent the flop frequently every single time you
play Texas Holdem, you want the odds to be as much in your
favor as possible.

In the scenario above, for instance, representing the flop
with middle pair is a good move. Because you have some OUTS.
If another 8 hits on the turn or river, you're going to have
three-of-a-kind.

Obviously, hitting the eight is NOT likely (about 8.42%).
But there's STILL A CHANCE, and that's what is important.

Think about it:

Let's say you have just a 5% chance of hitting one of your
OUTS that would cause you to have the best hand at the
table.

Well, if you represent the flop fifty times and get a caller
TWENTY times, that means you'll MAKE your hand (on average)
one time out of these twenty. And when you DO make your
hand, you'll BUST your opponent and win a ton of chips.

Make sense?

This is kind of a MENTAL DISTINCTION that separates the pros
from the wannabes. Pros think about the LONG TERM ODDS of
playing. They don't base their decisions on situational
circumstances alone. They base them on WHAT WORKS OVER THE
LONG TERM.

That's how you develop a CONSISTENT winning career.

Because as you'll see in the next rule, you don't want to
CONTINUE to represent the flop if people stay in the hand
with you... unless you're confident that you can get them to
fold.

But usually, if someone calls or raises, you want to "let
up". Don't risk more chips when someone's got you beat.

So by representing the flop when you have OUTS you'll open
yourself up to the chance of MAKING YOUR HAND on the turn
(or sometimes river).


RULE #3: If you get raised, muck it.

All of these rules are general in nature... especially this
one. Obviously you don't want to ALWAYS FOLD every time
someone makes a raise.

BUT USUALLY, if you represent the flop with a bet and
someone comes back over the top of you, that opponent will
MOST LIKELY have a strong hand (maybe even a monster).

It's not logical to continue to bluff at the pot if you're
up against a surefire winning hand. You'll lose too many
chips that way.

That's the downside of being an aggressive player: You've
got to give up and cut your losses quite often. Discipline
yourself to do it.


RULE #4: Change gears with your betting amounts.

As we discussed earlier, one of the benefits to representing
the flop is that opponents will give you more ACTION during
the game because they'll "catch on" to your aggressive
style.

That does NOT mean, however, that you should become
PREDICTABLE. Being predictable is a recipe for disaster.

And that's why you've got to "change gears" and "mix it up"
with your betting.

For example... in our scenario where you made a bet with
your 9-8 suited (middle pair), let's say your bet was for 50
and then someone RAISED YOU to 200.

Your opponent probably has the King and a good kicker...
maybe even two pair. So you fold your middle pair with a
loss of only 50 chips.

NOW... when you fold, everyone at the table will SEE that
you just made a bet and then folded to a raise. This will
tell them that you were betting WITHOUT a good hand after
the flop.

Now... let's say a few hands later the flop comes out 5-A-Q
and you're second to act and you've got pocket deuces.

Your first opponent checks.

Now, although you know someone at the table probably has you
beat right now, you're not sure if someone has the Ace...
because there weren't any pre-flop raises.

So you REPRESENT THE FLOP (and the Ace) by betting.
(Remember, you also have outs here... if a two comes you'll
make trips.)

The key is to NOT BET 50 again, as you did with your eights
just a few hands ago. If you bet 50 again... or always bet
50 when you represent the flop... your opponents will know
exactly what you're doing and read right through you.

If Blake... who's sitting to your left... is only holding
the Queen, he's going to fold if he thinks you've got the
Ace.

But if he thinks you're just REPRESENTING the flop, he will
call your bet. And you DO NOT want that to happen (because
his Queens are better than your two's).

So instead of betting 50 again, you bet 150 this time. This
way you stay out of any PATTERNS that will give away your
hand... and increase the odds that everyone will put you on
the Ace and fold.


RULE #5: After you get better at representing the flop,
INTENTIONALLY STOP mixing up your bets in order to trap your
opponents.

This is a "tricky" play that works very well against
intermediate poker players.

Here's how it goes:

When you represent the flop and get "caught" in your
semi-bluff, use the event to YOUR ADVANTAGE to bust your
opponents.

Let's use the example from before with the 9-8 suited:

You got middle pair. You bet 50. Your opponent raised. And
then you folded.

Well, let's say you represented the flop AGAIN a few hands
later with a bet of 50. And then you got caught AGAIN when
your opponent raised you... and you were forced to fold.

After watching this happen two or three times, your
opponents will suddenly think they're geniuses and that
they've got you "figured out".

They'll think, "Woa, when he bets 50 on the flop he doesn't
have anything... and all I have to do is raise in order to
scare him away."

And of course, you're doing this ON PURPOSE in order to trap
your opponents.

Let's say a few hands later you get dealt pocket fours. The
flop comes: 4-7-J.

You've flopped trips. Now what?

Well, since you've built a reputation for betting on the
flop no matter what happens, you can feel safe betting and
you'll probably get action.

But what KIND of action are you looking for?

You want to get as many chips into this pot as possible. So
you take advantage of the "trap play" that you've created
and you bet 50... again.

This time, your opponents think they've got you figured out.
They think to themselves, "That flop didn't help him one
bit, he's just up to his old ways."

So your opponent RAISES you.

And that's where you GET REWARDED for the trap you set up.

Now you can either re-raise, or maybe call and hope that
your opponent tries buying the pot again after the turn
card...

It doesn't really matter. Because as long as there aren't
any draws out there, you can feel safe in knowing that
you'll win the hand and a nice pot either way.

It's amazing to me how easily players will fall into this
trap. (Especially with online poker.)

But remember... only use this trap play AFTER you have
mastered the first four rules for representing the flop. And
be sure that you aim the play at intermediate players, as
they'll fall for it the quickest.

There's one last component I want to mention here that
relates to our discussion of representing the flop... and
that's what you should do when you make a PRE-flop raise.

My technique is simple:

If I raised before the flop, I will come out betting AFTER
the flop... no matter what hits.

The reasoning is simple...

For starters, NOT betting after the flop is like waving a
red flag and TELLING your opponents that the flop didn't
help you.

If you represent the flop after your pre-flop raise, your
opponents won't know what to put you on. They'll be more
likely to fold.

And using this strategy over and over and over again pays
off in the long run. Because after awhile your opponents
will catch on...

And this benefits you in three ways:

1. You'll get more action when you catch a BIG hand.

2. Your opponents will fold more frequently to your pre-flop
raises because they know you're going to bet after the flop
as well. This gives you the opportunity to steal more
blinds.

3. Your opponents will be easier to read. When they have a
good hand they won't be afraid of you and they'll come back
over the top with a raise...

This lets you know that they've got you beat and that you
should just minimize your losses and fold.

Learning how to PROPERLY represent the flop is a crucial
aspect of Texas Holdem...

Article extracted from pokerjunkie.com

Five Easy Ways to Improve Your Texas Holdem Game

1. Stop Playing So Many Hands

2. Try Second Level Thinking

3. Try Third Level Thinking

4. Find Your Comfort Level

5. Analyze Your Play

article extracted from
http://www.helium.com/items/693966-becoming-a-poker-pro

At no point should you ever make a conscious decision to become a poker pro. As soon as you've done that, you've set yourself up for a fall. Instead it is important to focus on being profitable in poker. When you find yourself at a point that you look at your finances and say, "it doesn't make sense that I should be working any more - I should really be putting that time into cards," then you may be getting ready to ramp up into the pro life. Nonetheless, building the skills to succeed in high stakes poker takes a huge amount of time and effort. If you're smart enough to be a successful poker pro, you could become a lawyer with the same expenditure of work.

I cannot stress enough that you play within your means, but it's ok to devote income to your bankroll if you don't have the capital to start out. When I started to get serious about poker, my math degree at Waterloo had left me in a heap of debt. Nonetheless, I was writing compilers for a living at the time and my income was sufficient to cover my lifestyle and start fleshing out a bankroll. At the time, the smallest game around was a 5-10 at the local charity casino and online poker was in its infancy and seen as something insecure and unreliable. It took two thousand hours of play at 5/10 in my spare time for me to have enough data to support that I was a strong winning player. I'd wake up at 2:00 am and head to the cardroom to play against anybody who was stuck and steaming from the night before and a lot of the old retired players with nothing to do started rolling in by 6. At 8:00 I'd jump into my car, throw on a clean shirt on the highway, and drive to my day job.

After moving up to 10/20, I spent another 2000 hours before 20/40 and beyond. During that time I also started playing microlimits online. I felt completely comfortable putting small amounts of money into an online roll and playing for 15 minutes before bed just. Soon that roll started to grow and I started moving up my limits online. Over the course of several years I started going to the casino less and less and playing online more and more until I was virtually exclusively an online player. Then around the time that Moneymaker won the world series, poker was at an amazing boom and I quit my job to become an online poker pro. I decided to spend a month driving across America with poker stops in Tunica, Vegas, LA, and the Bay Area. I fell in love with the Commerce Casino. I found myself a road pro living in Bellagio and Commerce.

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The article below is by Roy Rounder

When you get a MONSTER hand, you should NOT slow play it.

Here's why:

"Slow playing" means that you don't bet very much, or bet
nothing at all, in hopes that your opponent makes a big bet
or tries to bluff.

For instance, if you got two Aces before the flop and only
called the big blind, you would be "slow playing" your Aces.

Or if you flopped a straight and just "checked", you would
be slow playing your straight.

Make sense?

The problem is, most amateurs will slow play their big
hands... trying to perform the famous check-raise
maneuver... or trying to "trap" their opponents...

But generally speaking, this is NOT a smart strategy... for
two reasons:

1. Because many poker players will see right through you...
and fold the hand as soon as you make your move.

2. Because you won't win as much money when you slow play
big hands versus betting them.

Let's talk about the first reason...

The fact is, slow playing big hands will NOT confuse your
opponents.

On the contrary, it will actually give them a SOLID READ on
you.

Why?

BECAUSE MOST PLAYERS SLOW PLAY MONSTER HANDS.

That's just the way it is.

You may think you're being SLY, but you're really just being
STUPID.

I think it's actually human INSTINCTS to slow play big
hands...

Think about it. When someone gets a big hand, what are they
thinking in their heads?

They SHOULD be thinking... "How can I get the most money
possible out of this pot?"

But what they are REALLY thinking is... "How can I make sure
everyone doesn't fold and this great hand doesn't go to
waste?"

It's the truth.

Especially since it will often take HUNDREDS of hands before
you catch a monster.

And that's the REAL reason why people slow play big hands...

Because they're SCARED TO DEATH that if they make a bet,
everyone will fold.

So the point is, it is NOT unique to slow play a monster...
in fact, it's what MOST card players do. Especially
amateurs.

Now let's look at the second reason why slow playing a big
hand is a bad idea... and that is:

YOU WON'T MAKE AS MUCH MONEY.

The fact is, when you hit a monster, you should bet it. It's
that simple.

Even if you REALLY ARE thinking to yourself, "How can I get
the most money out of this pot?", the answer is to bet it.

Not slow play it.

You'll win more chips and make more money by betting your
big hands... especially when you look at it over a long term
perspective.

Let me show you three reasons why:

1. Usually, one of your opponents will have SOMETHING...
whether it's a bottom pair, wired pair, straight draw...
whatever.

This means that you'll usually get one or more callers for
your monster hand... which is "sure money" going into the
pot that you're about to win...

2. When you slow play big hands, you're opening yourself up
for BAD BEATS. You shouldn't give your opponents the
opportunity to see free cards.

When you let them see free cards, you're just increasing the
odds that someone catches a lucky draw... or the one
"miracle" card that can bust your hand.

Betting your big hand, instead of letting your opponent get
free cards, will narrow down your chances of a bad beat.

3. Your opponents won't see it coming.

Since most players slow play monsters, your opponents will
often put you on a BLUFF when you bet your big hand.

And if they think you're bluffing, they'll try to come back
over the top of you with a raise.

This, of course, gives you yet ANOTHER way to make more
money from your hand...

Now... let me talk about the EXCEPTION to this rule. And
that is when you get a monster that is SO UNBELIEVABLE...
AND you sense complete weakness at the table.

The most common example of this is 4-of-a-kind.

For instance...

Let's say the flop came out 8,8,2 and you've got pocket 8's.
The other two players check to you.

In this case, it will be smart to just check your big hand,
rather than betting.

BUT, you're not really "slow playing" it.

What you're ACTUALLY doing is just letting your opponents
"catch up" to you.

Since you know the 8's couldn't have helped either of your
opponents, you want to make sure a turn card comes out...
and maybe even a river card... in hopes that someone catches
SOMETHING.

If the turn card is a face card, that's good news for you.
Because it means that someone might have made top pair and
will be willing to give you some action in the hand.

But besides that, you should NOT slow play your big hands.

Now let's see a real-life instance where this strategy
helped me make more money at the poker table.

Just the other night I was at the riverboat and got dealt AQ.
My positioning wasn't good, but it was the first decent hand
I'd seen in awhile, so I raised the pot to 1,500 in chips.

Only one player called me... the man on the button. This guy
(we'll call him "Mike") is a very good card player. He goes
to the casinos every single night... 7 days a week...
grinding it out and making his living.

He's one of the only players at this table that I generally
avoid going heads-up with, actually.

So anyway... the flop comes out, and it's:

Q-Q-3

I've flopped a set with an Ace kicker.

I'm first to act. So what do I do?

Most players would slow play... but not me. I come out
firing.

I hesitate for like two seconds and then push in 4,000 in
chips.

Mike is thinking there is no possible way I'd bet trips like
that... so he's probably putting me on a high wired pair
(but not Queens).

Plus, he might think I'm just representing my pre-flop raise
with this bet...

So instead of folding, Mike decides to represent the Queens
out there... and act as if HE has the trip queens.

"Make it 10,000", he says aggressively.

Of course, now I've got Mike EXACTLY where I want him...

I call his bet.

The turn card comes... it's a 10.

I check... because I know Mike is going to make a big move
on me.

"Make it 10,000", he says again.

And I call again.

It turns out Mike is sitting on K-10... which means he's got
a pair. This will give him even MORE confidence to try to
buy this pot.

Now that I've called his bets, however, he's probably
thinking I have Kings or Aces. Which means the only way he
can win this pot is to scare me away.

The river hits... and it's a 3. Which gives me the full
house.

I check again, and Mike goes ALL IN with his huge chip
stack... thinking he can bully me out of the hand.

I call... and I take down a MASSIVE pot from the seasoned
rounder.

And it all started because I DIDN'T slow play my trips. Mike
didn't put me on the three Queens and was willing to push
his entire stack into the middle to try to win that pot.

Of course... that won't happen every time you get a big
hand. And trying to confuse your opponent is definitely NOT
the only reason to not slow play your big hands.

The reality is, when you bet your big hands you'll
CONSISTENTLY win more pots and make MORE MONEY playing
poker...

To discover step-by-step strategies and
concepts like this one that will improve your Texas Holdem
skills click on the link here

Most of the secrets to poker are CONTRARY to what you'd
expect. And it's only after you learn the REASONING and
LOGIC behind these techniques that you'll be able to take
your poker game to the NEXT LEVEL.

Read this book now and be on your way to QUICKLY and
CONSISTENTLY winning the home games or tournaments that YOU
play in...


I'll talk to you again soon.


Your Friend,

Roy Rounder



------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: I do not promote illegal, underage, or gambling
to those who live in a jurisdiction where gambling is
considered unlawful. The information within this site and
newsletter is being presented solely for entertainment
purposes. I will not be held responsible for any personal
loss of wagers or damages you may incur. Anyone concerned
about having a problem can contact Gamblers Anonymous for
further information.
------------------------------------------------------------



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Today with other 4 poker friends, we met a friends house for some poker. we had to be around 8 people but at the end we ended u 5, good enough for a small . It was the first time I was playing with these friends, and no one knew what where the other opponents poker skills. We decided for a 10 euro buy-in and add-ons for the first hour. We had 1000 chips each.

Early Stages.

In the early stages I was studing my opponents and was just checking and seeing the flop, blinds where low and we could afford to see same flops as no one was raising. When I had something I was doing standard raise of 3 blinds and I was winning few blinds. All the players where just checking and no one raising so I started to play aggressive.

Table Image.

I was caught in few bluffs so my table image was of a bluffer. I was out of position and was being raising and being called. At the river I was caught with nothing. Then there was a pot where I had A 10. I raised got called, continued betting and lost to A Q. I think this was the turning point of the game as I had the image of a loose player.

And after this I was down to around 500 chips. I went all in with pocket 2s got called by Q 4 and by 2s won so I doubled up. I continued pushing and climbed to around 1500 chips.

Middle game.

Blinds where increasing and 2 players made an add-on. I was getting good cards now and won few pots and climbed to around 3000 chips. I lost a big po t with A5 when I hit 2 and tried to slow play and the other guy made a straight on the river, when I tried to slow play him. after this I won a big pot with pocket kings. 2 players where eliminated and now there where 3 players left.

End game.

I was chip leader, and was raising to win blinds with nothing. I was re-raising and won few more blinds but was folding when i was being re-raised when I had nothing. The 2 other players went both all in and one of them eliminated the short stack. now I was heads up and a slight chip leader.

Heads up.

my opponent was being aggressive and blinds where high. my stack was slowly disapperin. I wanted a good hand to double up. I won a big pot with 7 4 when I hit 7 raised the other guy re-raised me all in with pocket 22 and i won a big blog, now i had around 7000 to 1000,I cmy opponent was going all the time all in. I was waiting for some cards. finally I had JQ suited, he went all in I called and my JQ won against his 75.....

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Day 1 review, just a small profit yesterday, I was unlucky when I had the pocket aces and got eliminated. If I won that pot I would have been in a good place to win the tournament, but luck is part of poker. Also I was unlucky in another ocasion when I got eliminated with..............

I mistake i did was when i got eliminated in 8th or 7th place, I should learn to be more patient in the early stages of the tournaments the key is survival and patience... hopefully i will do better next time.

I am in profit of around 7 dollars in 10 games which is not bad (since I am in profit) but not good if I want to became a poker pro.