Instead of playing with money, gamblers use coloured plastic or metal discs, called chips. This enables the games to run quickly and smoothly, as the chips can be piled up into stacks and easily counted. Players can purchase chips at the cash point (in any currency), or on the gaming tables (in the local currency). Read the rest of this entry »
Players have a wide range of bets to choose from. The highest paying bet is to predict which number the ball will land in. Since there are 33 numbers on the wheel, this is also the most risky type of bet. The bets with the least risk (and the lowest return) are the even chances: bets on whether the ball will land on red or black, or on an odd or even, high or low number.
Although the betting layout looks complicated, placing bets is quite simple. To bet on individual numbers the chip is placed directly on top of the number. For two adjacent numbers on the layout, placing a chip on the middle of the line that divides them makes the bet. A bet on red or black, high or low, even or odd is made by placing a chip in the corresponding box on the betting layout. Read the rest of this entry »
Computer poker programs have come of age. The best programs offer interactive learning opportunities that were unavailable only a few years ago. Improved versions are hurtling down the pipeline at warp speed, each leaving its predecessor light-years behind. The realism of contemporary programs has largely negated statements made by poker gurus only a few years ago:
“I suspect poker is just too difficult a game to program reasonably well,” wrote one expert in 1996. At about the same time, another expert wrote that computer opponents were unable to learn from events in previous hands when making decisions, something a human player always does (or should). Read the rest of this entry »
In the past, you could learn the nuts and bolts of poker quickly, but you could get experience — that old beginner’s bugaboo — only through the school of hard knocks. There was no comprehensive, integrated poker course for beginners. You just had to run the gauntlet of costly errors at the tables and take your lumps. Period.
Then poker books came on the scene, making things a lot easier for those willing to study them. By using book and others we recommend in a continuous cycle of reading, studying, playing, and thinking, you’ll have a real leg up on the competition. Videos and seminars will help, too. And do discuss your play with experienced friends! Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re serious about improving your poker skills — especially if you’re a beginner — you need to get cozy with a personal computer. Here’s why:
The union of poker and computer technology offers an opportunity to jump- start your poker progress and move up the learning curve with ease. Playing poker on your PC will also save you money: Dump those beginner boo-boos before they cost you dearly in real games!
Today’s poker students can use a personal computer as the cornerstone of a comprehensive, interactive self-study course in poker. If you study poker books and use a computer to practice your newfound skills, you can leapfrog past the anguish and expense of gaining experience the old-fashioned way (by losing your greenhorn’s money to the sharks). Read the rest of this entry »
Participating in the Future of Poker at(RGP)
Think of the Internet newsgroup(RGP) as your one- stop poker newspaper, discussion club, information bureau, and personal advisor. Like all Internet newsgroups, RGP is a global, interactive electronic bulletin board serving thousands of people interested in the same subject— in this case, poker.
As with other bulletin boards, you can read messages already there, respond to them (using either private e-mail to the author or a public message called a post that is meant for all RGP readers), or create your own messages. Read the rest of this entry »
Online poker casinos offering real-cash games often offer introductory play- money games. These are a great place to start. Here’s why:
Because they are meant to get clients used to the graphics and procedures of cash stakes games, these play-money games are user-friendly by design. You’re a potential cash client, and the online casino hopes to expand its business by making you feel welcome and comfortable.
Although the games are remarkably easy to use, the programming and graphics are highly sophisticated — they’re identical to those used in the money games. Overall, the games are far superior to games offered at Internet sites intended strictly for entertainment. Read the rest of this entry »
Using state-of-the-art computer technology, thousands of people play poker online for real money. By linking their computers to the Internet, players living as far apart as New York, London, and Tokyo are able to play together simultaneously in computer-generated poker games — for real cash.
Until recently, such games weren’t feasible. The challenge was to invent poker software that would enable strangers to play against each other in live games from different locations — and with enough confidence to back their mouse clicks with cash. Read the rest of this entry »
Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
The self-described “poker brat” is one of poker’s most intriguing, yet controversial players. At times, he demonstrates a level of ingenuity that is rare, even among high-stakes poker players. On other occasions, Hellmuth admittedly plays so poorly he probably couldn’t beat a small-stakes game. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Heilmuth is the son of a university dean. He started playing poker seriously while enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and soon discovered he was far more interested in playing poker than studying. Read the rest of this entry »
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