28 Feb 06
Poker Strategy: Buying the Free Card
"You may have heard about players buying a free card. I know that I didn't understand what this meant for quite a while. But it is not an advanced move, and it's used almost routinely in many games. Here's how it works.
Let's say that on Fourth Street you have an exposed 2-Flush (8c-Jc)7cKc. Your opponent with (x-x) As9d bets $10 in this $10/20 game. Naturally, with a little less than a 50% chance of hitting your flush and almost surely winning the hand, you're going to the River with it unless your opponent catches something extremely scary. So you might normally call.
Instead, you can sometimes raise with that 4-Flush. You've given yourself a few new ways to win, enlarging a pot for yourself if you do catch the Flush, and also won yourself a free card on Fifth Street if you don't hit your suited card."
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28 Feb 06
PartyGaming CEO To Depart
"Online poker company PartyGaming unleashed something of a double-whammy today when, in addition to exceptional full -year figures, it reported that CEO Richard Segal was to leave the company. According to the company's announcement, Segal's impending departure was a matter of geographical location. Since PartyGaming floated last year, Segal has been commuting from London to the company's Gibraltar headquarters on a weekly basis. PartyGaming said that, in light of the company's surging growth, both Segal and the board concurred that 'the CEO now needs to be located in Gibraltar along with all the other executive directors.'"
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27 Feb 06
Poker Fraudster Caught
"Internet poker fraudsters, and the consequences of this dishonest conduct at major internet poker venues was one of the top discussion subjects this week following spectacular detective work and the confiscation of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In one case, the $200 buy-in, $500 000 Guaranteed Poker Tournament held by market leader Partypoker was the target ... the packed tables were finally (apparently) conquered by a hitherto unknown player using the handle 'ABlackCar', who won $140 000. ...
Through some astute detective and technology work, Partypoker exposed the fact that 'ABlackcar' was the fraudulent multiple account of one of the Internet's top Internet poker players who uses the handle 'JJ Prodigy'.
Partypoker's reaction was decisive and immediate, stripping the first prize from ABlackcar and awarding it instead to the next placed player, with a consequent unexpected 'bump up' for all other winners."
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27 Feb 06
Estimated $60 Billion Wagered
"According to a new online poker report released by Research and Markets, a market research provider, the amount wagered at online poker sites in 2005 topped $60 billion. This is good news for online poker fans, operators, and investors who have been subjected as of late to constant naysaying by various industry 'experts.'
"In addition to offering that attractive little tidbit, 'Online Poker - Driving Gambling to New Heights' surveyed a group of online gaming insiders regarding their predictions for online poker in the coming years. Surveyed participants believed online poker to be more than just a passing fad, with nearly two thirds predicted its continuing to be the principal offering in online gaming over the next two to three years."
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27 Feb 06
Guide to Mac Poker Rooms
NewYork, NY (PRWEB) February 26, 2006 -- For a while Mac poker players have been left in the dust during the online poker boom. The only poker room to offer Mac compatible software was pokerroom. Lately however there has been a wave of poker sites offering new Mac compatible poker rooms.
pokeronamac.com offers a directory of reviews for the best Mac compatible online poker rooms. New sites open up and offer both Mac and PC poker rooms, and existing reputable sites are releasing Mac compatible software. They both have their upsides and this is explained on pokeronamac.com.
The owner of pokeronamac.com, Mike Jonas, is a professional online poker player. For the past three years he has made a living from playing online poker on his 17” G4 Apple PowerBook.
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24 Feb 06
Smart money backs poker
"The potential profits offered by online gambling are phenomenal and, over the past few years, the smart money has turned to poker. ...
According to Ladbrokes, an estimated £36m was staked on online poker sites every day in 2005, up 89 per cent year on year. Those who got in early are getting their share of that money, but for the 'Johnny come lately' it may already be too late."
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24 Feb 06
Books: 'Fundamentals of Poker'
by Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis: "A hard-hitting guide to the best strategies for the most popular casino poker games seven-card study and Texas hold'em - plus insights into winning at Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better, seven-card study, eight-or-better, razz, and lowball."
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24 Feb 06
Books: 'Poker For Dummies'
It was only a matter of time before the (in)famous 'Dummies' series of teach-yourself books pulled one out of the hat for the novice poker crowd. "[T]his friendly guide shows you step-by-step how to get, bluff, and play your way to the top, from seven-card stud and high-low splits to Omaha and Texas Hold'em." Penned by Lou Krieger (author of 'Hold'Em Excellence') and Richard Harroch, "an attorney and avid poker player".
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24 Feb 06
Books: 'Poker Essays' By Mason Malmuth
"Poker is an extremely complicated game. This is especially true if your form of poker is either Texas hold'em or seven-card stud. In addition, the typical opponent that you will face has gotten tougher as the years have gone by. As a result, those of you who just play right (also known as playing ABC) are unable to win more than just a small amount at the lower limits. ... This text contains many of the author's current ideas on poker and related subjects."
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22 Feb 06
Revenues up for SportingBet
"A buoyant Sportingbet, Britain's second-biggest online gaming group, reported a 72 percent increase in second quarter pretax profit this week and said poker commission rose 107 percent.
Second quarter pretax profit was GBP 27 million in the three months to January 31, said Sportingbet, which owns the Paradise Poker and Sportsbook websites."
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22 Feb 06
Pokershare To Relaunch
"Pokershare.com, the innovative poker concept which was controversially abandoned by Excapsa Software Inc last year, looks set for a comeback in March. Playit Ownit Limited, the operators of PokerShare.com, has also announce that its dispute with Excapsa Software has been settled.
Pokershare introduced a new concept to the online poker market, where players would effectively end up owning a share of the poker room. The poker room launched on Excapsa software (which also powers Ultimate Bet). About a month after its launched, Excapsa pulled the plug."
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22 Feb 06
Bad Luck for Pros and Celebs at L.A. Poker Classic
"After six grueling days, the L.A. Poker Classic has found a champion in relative unknown Alan Goehring. Although the tournament attracted the upper crust of professional poker and Hollywood alike, many of the more famous names busted out during the first two days of competition. In total, close to 700 poker enthusiasts came to Commerce Casino for the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold 'em tournament."
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21 Feb 06
CA Bill To Allow Charity Poker
As reported by the San Jose Business Journal: "The California Assembly has upped the ante on charity poker by approving legislation that would allow a wide variety of nonprofits to hold fundraisers using gambling.
"The bill, introduced by Alberto Torrico, D-Newark, is given a good chance of passage in the Senate where it now awaits action. Attorney General Bill Lockyer is a sponsor.
"The Almaden Business Association ran afoul of the poker ban last October when it planned to hold a Texas Hold 'em poker fundraiser to pay for furniture in a planned children's story room in the new Almaden library branch…"
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21 Feb 06
Free Online Poker for Mac Users
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL (NEWSWIRE) -- Compatiblepoker.com opens up a full Mac(R) poker review and compatibility Website on the best free Mac online poker rooms. Compatiblepoker.com's free online poker for Mac review center is said to have the best information for Mac poker players on the web. The site was launched will full bonuses and free Mac compatible poker rooms at www.CompatiblePoker.com.
The site owner provides valuable information to Mac users on which poker room to choose when using a Mac. In total the site has over 9 Mac compatible poker rooms. The only two downloadable poker rooms listed on the site are Full Tilt and Bugsyclub. Full Tilt was recently added to Compatiblepoker and new users can get $600 and a chance to win an Apple computer by using sign up bonus code "Macintosh." ...
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21 Feb 06
Hannem wins Canada's Women's Poker Classic
RICHMOND, BC, Feb. 20 /CNW/ - Clarissa Hannem of Esquimalt took top honours and won $22,680.00 to become Canada's first ever Women's Poker Classic champion.
Hannem out-maneuvered and out-played 249 other women to nab the top prize after about five hours of play in the $75,000 No Limit Texas Hold'em tournament held at Cascades Casino in Langley Feb 19. ...
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20 Feb 06
Play Short Handed for Profit
A SHORT-HANDED poker game is one in which there are six players or less seated at the table.
The way you are required to play in order to be in profit is quite different from tables with more players or multi-table tournaments. Short-handed games give you more action and most professionals prefer playing against fewer opponents as they are able to win more often against less experienced players.
Each person plays more hands in short-handed poker so poor players are soon found out. If you know how to apply different strategies to different situations then short-handed games can be very profitable.
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20 Feb 06
New Face Of The WPT
On a cool early winter evening in Las Vegas, many people were arranged on the balcony overlooking the Bellagio's famous dancing fountains. As the show ended, WPT announcer Mike Sexton approached a lovely young lady, who turned to him and cooed, "Don't you look handsome tonight? And what a nice tie...," as she reached up and adjusted the poker champion's neckwear.
It is obvious that the new hostess for the WPT, Courtney Friel, has found herself a home with the World Poker Tour and the Travel Channel.
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20 Feb 06
Software adds Tourney Training
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) February 20, 2006 -- Poker Academy, a leading developer of poker software products (http://www.poker-academy.com), today released Poker Academy Pro Texas Hold'em Version 2.5, which is the first Texas Hold'em poker software game and training tool that allows its users to create, simulate, and host online multi-table tournaments of any structure. A free upgrade to existing Poker Academy Pro 2.0 customers, Pro 2.5 also empowers them to seriously analyze their game play from real world experiences by now being able to import hand histories from popular online poker rooms, including Party Poker, Poker Stars, and Paradise Poker.
“With poker tournaments the rage worldwide, for fun or for money, players of any skill level need help training to win at casinos, online poker rooms, or poker leagues,” said Kurt Lange, president and chief executive of Poker Academy. “Our new version of Poker Academy Pro delivers that in spades. Players can design, simulate and save tourney structures from their favorite local casino or online poker site. We have empowered them with the tools to train to win without taking any risk.”
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17 Feb 06
Congressman Attempts Poker Ban
"The United States government has shown a long history of not being up to speed with today's Internet world. It is well known that, in the international trade arena, the United States has previously been found to violate free trade agreements regarding online gaming in a now famous ruling by the World Trade Organization for Antigua in 2004. Continued efforts to prevent Americans from participating in the poker rooms and casinos of the Internet have come up several times in the past (most notably led by Arizona Senator Jon Kyl) but, as of yet, have been rejected. This hasn't stopped some Congressmen from attempting to pass some law banning it, however."
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16 Feb 06
Does Poker Sharks Have The Bite?
"A new online game called Poker Sharks founded by a 22 year-old from the United Kingdom is set to shock the foundations of the poker world by taking a slice of their billion-dollar poker industry. ... Poker Sharks is unique in the way it fills the gap between online gaming and online gambling. Players can play Poker Sharks and learn the game of poker without the fear of losing money. For players that are worried about going straight in at the deep end, Poker Sharks introduces and nurses total novice players into players that can hold their own against the fiercest of Poker Shark.
Already the site has attracted over 3.8 million hits in the six months online with thousands of players already signed up and playing each day."
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