Poker Strategy - Playing Trap Hands Like King-Queen, King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Ace-Ten & More

Poker Strategy - Playing Trap Hands Like King-Queen, King-Jack, Queen-Jack, Ace-Ten & More
By Matt Canei

One of the most frustrating and subtle strategies of playing poker is through the handling and play of these range of hands that actually are badly overrated by amateurs and beginning players. They are referred to as trap hands because they appear as a premium hand but they are actually really just high suited or unsuited connectors that most players aren’t aware of.

The beginning player will be dealt King-Queen and will likely think, “Oh, sweet this is just like Big-Slick.”

They could not be more wrong. Great players that want to play tight, smart poker probably do not even have king-queen on their list of starting hand requirements and if they do it’s in very late table position. These hands need to be treated similarly to 9-8s, 10-9s and other suited connectors, the only difference is that they are high in card rank but do not make the mistake of playing them like a premium hand because they are not.

Let us look at a quick example. You are dealt K-Q suited, which by most is the highest rated “trap” hand, and call another player’s raise (this player was located under the gun, directly left of the big blind and the raise was 3x the big blind). This raise was called by you who sat in 2nd position directly left of the raiser. The first mistake was calling a raise with this hand in early position, when a player raises in early position they are indicating a tremendous amount of strength and poker theory states that to call their raise you need a hand of equal or better strength.

The rest of the players fold and the flop reveals: K-J-5. You flopped top pair with second kicker and you are most certainly ahead! You can’t be so sure just yet. So you call the original bettor down to showdown and he reveals A-K and you lose the pot.

That is the problem with entering pots with trap hands, because most beginners play them like premium hands so they enter pots against premium hands that have them hopelessly crushed.

For a more in-depth (3000 words to be exact) explanation of playing trap hands as well as over 10,000 words of other free poker strategy as well as much more please take a look at http://www.mega-poker.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Canei
http://EzineArticles.com/?Poker-Strategy—Playing-Trap-Hands-Like-King-Queen,-King-Jack,-Queen-Jack,-Ace-Ten-and-More&id=965359

This is a table of Poker Professionals discussing how to trap your opponent. Some of the pros include Gus Hansen, Howard Lederer, Daniel Negreanu and Jennifer Harman.

Ideal Computer Configuration For Playing Online Poker
By Douglas Hayman

If you are looking to play Online Poker for money or for fun over the Internet, then it is imperative that you have an appropriate internet configuration and computer to support this hobby. Poker is no easy to play and learn, and no beginner or advanced player needs the added burden of having to worry about their computer system configuration not being fast enough to play. A poker player needs to spend his time concentrating on Poker, and not on whether his computer and internet connection is powerful enough or not. Given the above, here is a highly recommended configuration that online poker players can rely on:

• Your computer should have a minimum of 1GB (gigabyte) of memory (also know as RAM, or Random Access Memory), but ideally could have 2 GB (gigabytes) or more. Extra memory is unquestionably the biggest factor when it comes to applications (local or internet-based) running expediently on your computer. The general rule is the more memory you have, the better.
• Given the inexpensive cost of today’s computer technology, your computer should runs at a clock speed of at least 1.7 Ghz (that’s Gigahertz, not Megahertz).
• We recommend dual (2) monitors for your computer. Almost all of today’s computer video cards, support more than 1 monitor. Dual monitors will give you the capability of displaying all of your poker windows at once on your screen real estate, and will eliminate the need to manually switch between all of your windows in a 1-screen environment. Moreover, more screen real estate allows ancillary windows to be displayed, that support Poker help-tools, such as spreadsheets, odds charts, or Poker Calculators.
• Your computer should have a minimum of 100 GB (gigabytes) of hard drive (or disk) space. Hard drives allow you to save data and programs on your computer, from one user session to the next. 100 GB should be more than adequate to store your Operating System files (whatever flavor of Windows that you are running), a sizable number of Poker programs, and all other data that you require to store on your computer.
• Internet connection-wise, we recommend significantly more than most experts will recommend. We recommend that you have dual-internet connections, which means that you have 2 internet services, each from a different Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, at any given time, they do not need to both be active. The rationale for dual internet connections is obvious - if you are in the middle of a Poker game where you have money at risk, and your internet connection goes down, you will be liable for any money that is at risk in your current game, even if the internet disconnection was not your fault. In this failure scenario, if you have a 2nd ISP, you could quickly connect to the Internet via this 2nd ISP, re-establish your session with your Poker vendor in the Poker site allotted timeframe, and continue onward with your current game. Typically, most reputable Poker vendors provide you with a 60-second grace period to reconnect to your active session, upon a disconnect. In regard to the 2 aforementioned Internet connections, we recommend that your primary ISP be broadband-based (i.e., cable modem, DSL, dedicated T1 line, etc.).

  These high-speed connections are relatively inexpensive in today’s marketplace, and provide optimal speed for sending and receiving data to/from your Poker vendor (in other words, they are much, much faster than traditional modem-based dial-up lines). For your 2nd (or redundant, so to speak) ISP connection, we recommend a cheap dial-up service (preferably 56K service - lower if you area doesn’t support this 56K dial-up speed over your telephone line). Often, your local library will provide free dialup service, which may satisfy this requirement. A broadband Internet connection requires a dedicated modem which typically is provided by your ISP vendor, and connects to a broadband point coming into your house and to your computer. A dial-up Internet connection require either an external or internal modem, which connects to your telephone line.

• Although some Poker vendors still support Windows 95 and Windows 98, we recommend that you minimally have the Windows 2000 Professional Operating System installed on your computer, and preferably have a version of Windows XP or Windows Vista installed on your computer.
• Ensure that your computer has speakers, so that you can hear easily audible signals that your Poker vendor game provides during gameplay.
• Make sure your computer has a mouse, so that you can easily navigate your Poker application. We highly recommend a wireless mouse, if at all possible. This usually requires an accompanying USB-based accompanying recognition card.
• Make sure your computer is connected to a printer, so that you can easily print out Poker records of hand history or game statistics. A solid ink-jet printer will cost you less than $ 75 U.S.
• A final critical component that we highly recommend is a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) that connects between your homes’ electrical source outlet and your home computer. A UPS is a fancy acronym for a Battery Backup System, which typically provides 30-60 minutes of backup power, should the electricity in your home go out. Similar to the internet disconnection scenario described above, an active UPS can save you from disconnecting from an active Poker session that you are in, where money is at risk. This is certainly worth the price of admission. A UPS allows you to continue to play in your current game, as long as your ISP is not effected (cable modem broadband providers, for example, don’t tie directly into a homes’ electrical current). For obvious reasons, a UPS can be viewed as an essential part of your computer Poker arsenal, and should not be dismissed.

Douglas Hayman, President of Expert Software Systems, is a database designer and developer, that designs and hosts several informational websites, including:

Best Online Poker Sites - Top Poker Sites Review which is a premier informational website that contains a plethora of information pertinent to the game of Poker. Features include rules, rankings, Poker Tips, access to Poker calculators, Poker rankings, and much, much more.

Best Online Casino Sites - Top Casino Sites Review which is a top informational website that contains a myriad of information pertinent to Online Casinos. Features include review of the best Online Casino Sites, and full descriptions of many popular casino games.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Douglas_Hayman
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ideal-Computer-Configuration-For-Playing-Online-Poker&id=173215

Reasons to Regulate Online Poker
By Douglas Hayman

Recently, in 2006, the United States enacted legislation, known as the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act), which essentially made it unlawful for any American Poker player to fund an online Poker site with money to be used in Poker gambling. There are many reasons as to why this detrimental law should be reversed, and why the U.S. government should consider regulating Online Poker. Here are a few central ideas:

The UIGEA was literally tacked on as a last minute rider to a Ports bill, which was destined to pass. The UIGEA was added to ths bill, which was signed by President Bush, about 20 minutes prior to the Port bills Congress vote. The UIGEA was never discussed or debated in Congress, and was voted on from its original draft, which has many, many holes in it.

The UIGEA unfairly puts the onus on its implementation on the U.S. Banking system. It makes banks responsible and culpable for identifying and stopping checks and internet bank transfers that are gambling-related. Specifically, the UIGEA does not clearly delineate what a gambling transaction is and isn’t. The banking system is currently ill-equipped with the necessary man-power to implement such a vague law, and has been blunt in stating that it would take many years to implement a correct system that could identify offending transactions, without inadvertently halting benign transactions. Further, the UIGEA is requiring the banking system to implement this law on its own time (i.e., for no payment), and assume the culpability of its actions. Given the recent turmoil in the U.S. banking system, it makes absolutely no sense for the banking industry to be spending its time devising a plan to implement a law that is full of crevices, especially when there are infinitely more pressing needs that the banking system must reckon with these days.

Now, for the hypocrisy argument - the U.S. government says that online Poker is illegal, when accounts are funded for the purposes of gambling, but it is totally legal and permissible to play state lotteries, wager for online horse-racing, and bet on fantasy sports online. Why on earth are lotteries deemed to be legal (when, in fact, they are totally left to chance), when a game of skill (Poker) is deemed to be illegal and immoral, as stated by the proponents of the UIGEA. It just makes no sense. Anyone who plays Poker knows that there is an inherent chance element associated with the game, but it is largely a game of skill (akin to Chess).

We are currently running the biggest government deficit in American history, courtesy the Bush Administration, and the National Debt will have increased from 5 BB to 9.5 BB under George Bush’s watch (that over a 90 % increase). Regulation of online Poker could bring a significant windfall to the U.S. government, that would certainly have a positive impact on lowering the budget deficit and slowing down the ballooning National debt. There are many who have suggested how to implement taxing online Poker, and we could surely learn from our friends in the U.K., who are already doing this.

There are many (this author included) who believe that the reason the U.S. government is not regulating internet-based Poker, is the strong Las Vegas casino lobbyists (who believe online Poker is hurting their business), and those that believe that Las Vegas is planning their strategy of going online at some point as well. The lawmakers who engineered UIGEA believe that elimination of non-US-based online Poker, will help pave the way for land-based casinos to enter this market, and will help eradicate any international competition that might otherwise exist.

Other proponents of the UIGEA argue that online Poker encourages underage gambling, which destroys the fabric of American society. Nothing could be further from the truth, and the sophistication of technology currently exists that would enable online Poker websites to prohibit the patronage of underage customers.

Finally, how is it that the American government can tell its U.S. citizens how they can spend their own money ? There is a serious Freedom of Speech issue at stake here. Further, the internet shows no geographical boundaries, and by prohibiting citizens from playing on an online Poker site that is physically located in another country, this demonstrates that the U.S. government feels no remorse in telling its constituency what websites it can and cannot frequent. If the U.S. government is not going to allow online Poker sites from being accesses, then maybe, just maybe, we should eliminate any websites that cater to alcohol, tobacco, sex, credit cards, etc., etc., etc. Why stop at online Poker ?

In summary, there are many, many reasons to repeal the UIGEA, and permit online Poker to be played. Hopefully, the next governmental regime will see the light, and reverse the stupidity and short-sightedness imposed by the current administration.

Douglas Hayman, President of Expert Software Systems, is a database designer and developer, that designs and hosts several informational websites, including:

Best Online Poker Sites - Top Poker Sites Review, which is a premier informational website that contains a plethora of information pertinent to the game of Poker. Features include rules, rankings, Poker Tips, access to Poker calculators, Poker rankings, and much, much more.

Review of Best Online Poker Sites which is an informational website that contains a detailed review of features of today’s most popular online Poker websites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Douglas_Hayman
http://EzineArticles.com/?Reasons-to-Regulate-Online-Poker&id=1363461

Poker is a type of card game with players bet on the value of the card combination (”hand”) in their possession, by placing a bet into a central pot. The winner is the one who holds the hand with the highest value according to an established hand rankings hierarchy or otherwise the player who remains in the hand after all others have folded (the player who makes an un-called bet).

This type of game requires the use of smart strategies and some mathematical thinking to be able to win the game. This is for the reason that there is a betting and showdown involved that will determine the outcome of the game. In playing smart you have to decide which card to discard and dealt new ones.

In addition, in the game of poker, the player who often bluffs is the one who wins the pot. This is for the reason that players see someone bluffing with a dominant hand and causing the opponents to fold.

Bluffing is not some ordinary strategy but rather a tactical one. Mathematically, bluffing strategy is to bluff in such a way that the chances against your bluffing are identical to the pot odds your opponent is getting. The best bluffing strategy is to bluff in such a way that no one will identify if you are bluffing or not. Most successful game players employ randomizing agent so as to identify when to bluff.

Learning how to bluff (the key to winning poker) may not be that easy if you are a first time player. You have to take Poker Lessons and may choose to go to a Poker School. If you are trained well you will do a better bluff staging in a way to make your opponent fold! Moreover having poker lessons will let you play poker with bluffing as the situation needs.

Poker lessons not only teaches you to do the defensive strategy but also the offensive. You get to learn to crack bluffing and to give a reverse false tell in making the opponent bluffer mislead. Making a reverse tell in poker is a high skill level of bluffing itself where one bluffer out does the other bluffer. This is achieved by pretending and strategizing mannerisms such that the opponent will think otherwise, than what you are really intend to do.

Execution in poker is very vital such that it will determine how you play and how you hit the goal of winning. This can be a natural skill but only a few have this exceptional skill. This mean that success is rather learned than acquired. This is true with poker and the way to bluff.

Regardless of all such skills it is going to be very difficult to make one deceived to bluffs if they are good at math. Mathematical deduction of whether an action is a bluff is that which pays lot and worth mastering. Try poker lessons and learn how to win in a poker school at http://www.poker-lessons.net .

Colorado Springs, Colo. (PRWEB) August 6, 2008 — In what will be a record-setting event, one lucky poker player will win a Grand Prize of 21,000,000 frequent flyer miles this weekend as part of the Continental OnePass Poker Tournament.

The 21 million-mile Grand Prize represents the largest frequent flyer mileage prize ever awarded in the 27 year history of frequent flyer programs. Continental is hosting the tournament and offering the enormous prize in celebration of the OnePass program’s 21st anniversary.

On BoardingArea.com, a special “LiveFlyer” blog has been created to report on the event as it happens.

…using 11,825,000 miles (they could do this trip twice!) would get you an entire 777-200 Continental airplane to fly the friends and family to Hawaii and back, 48 of them in BusinessFirst (first class) and 235 more in coach.
A recent post on the BoardingArea blog outlines some of the items a 21 million-mile prize could be redeemed for, including:

* A 35,000 year subscription to Conde Nast magazine
* 840 domestic coach class tickets at the current 25,000-mile SaverPass level
* 280 first class tickets to Hawaii
* 95 Around-the-World tickets in first class

Or, if the winner is feeling especially generous,

“…using 11,825,000 miles (they could do this trip twice!) would get you an entire 777-200 Continental airplane to fly the friends and family to Hawaii and back, 48 of them in BusinessFirst (first class) and 235 more in coach.”

Read More?

The World Series of Poker has always attracted a competitive international field. Interestingly, this year’s WSOP featured more players from Russia than ever before.

That’s a trend that’s likely to continue.

Last year, the main event’s final table included Alex Kravchenko, who finished in fourth place.

This year, Ivan Demidov sits in the final table’s second chip position. He’s got a good shot at bringing the title to his Russian homeland when play resumes in November.

Two other Russians won WSOP bracelets this year. Vitaly Lunkin won a no-limit Hold’em event and Svetlana Gromenkova won the Ladies Championship. Also, Nikolay Evdakov broke the WSOP record for most cashes in a single year with an astonishing ten cashes. The pre

Read More

Europe’s largest poker festival, ‘Poker in the Park’ hosted by Bluff Europe magazine and innovative 3D poker site PKR, will take place in Leicester Square, London, on Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th of August.

As well as free masterclasses from some of the game’s top players including Irish Open winner Neil Channing, those who visit the festival will have the chance to take part in several free live poker tournaments. The Nuts Poker League, London Pub Poker, Student Poker and the England Poker League among others are all sponsoring a tournament.

Read More?

The world’s second largest online poker - Full Tilt Poker - announced a down period for the entire day Tuesday. European poker addicts in particular were most affected as the maintenance schedule was being conducted via California time (Pacific Standard Time).

3AM PST to 8AM PST to be more specific. For the Euro crowd that meant they would be unable to access Full Tilt until some time in the mid afternoon if not later. Those living in the Pacific US states would be least affected by the downtime.

The long closure period was presumably scheduled for a time during the morning when most US customers were either sleeping in, heading for work and least likely to be playing online poker. But addicts are addicts.

Read More?

Europe’s biggest poker festival, Poker in the Park, will be in London’s Leicester Square on August 15th-16th, from 4pm - 9pm on Friday 15th and, 10:30am – 6:30pm on the 16th. Those who visit the event will be given a taste of live tournament poker, with a chance to play for glory in one of several free poker tournaments.

Poker in the Park’s PKR-sponsored Poker Dome will host free hourly Texas Hold’em tournaments. Free to attendees, players will find out what it’s like to be a pro-circuit player with professional dealers, tournament director and massages by Ibiza Angels, as well as coverage on the big screen, Poker in the Park’s Jumbotron!

Read More?