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Folding Poker Table is the Top Choice For At-Home Poker Evenings
Poker evenings are becoming more and more popular these days and as their popularity grows everybody is trying to keep up with the Jones's next door by making their hosted poker evening the best. No longer do you see people converting their dining room table into a poker table by just adding some poker chips. Nowadays it is more common to see real tables especially built for playing poker, the most common being the folding poker table.
I have always been in two minds about how much I spend on the tables that I buy for playing poker at. You see on the one hand it's good to spend a little extra and buy a good quality folding poker table that will last you a good number of years, but on the other hand, after a few rounds of cards and one too many beers, drinks get split and cigarettes get dropped and these things ruin a good table.
A really good quality table for poker normally is made with a very durable felt, the same kind that is used in most casinos. This surface is normally scotch guarded which means cleaning it, regardless of what gets split on it, can be a breeze. I know around my friends that this is a strong point to consider when choosing the right table.
There is a massive different in the price between a fill size traditional table when compared to the folding poker table. I for one believe that the convenience offered by a folding poker table plays a big role in making this my preferred choice regardless of the fact that it is cheaper than a standard poker playing table. I don't want my house permanently looking like a casino, so like to fold the table away after a good night of cards.

Poker Skill Development for the Visual Learner
This is the third of a four-part series on "Using Your Individual Learning Style to Develop Texas Holdem Poker Skills".
When engaging in any learning process it is important that the approach to learning that you engage in has the best possible chance to be successful. This includes any learning situation including learning how to play Texas Holdem poker or if you are an experienced player, how to improve you current skill level. In order to have the best chance for success, you must use the appropriate resources and learning methods that best reflect your natural approach to learning. Visual Learners acquire sensory information through seeing and viewing. They process, consolidate and then recall this information by visualization.
Are you a Visual Learner? Take a look at the following statements. If they seem to reflect the way you look at things then maybe you are a Visual Learner.


At the poker table you look at the whole picture, you don't mind a seat of the end of the table because you can observe everything that is going on.

When you or other players are discussing a hand, you form mental images of what is being said.

You read your opponents by watching their body language, facial expressions or other physical tells.

You have no problem correctly identifying images that are presented upside down or backward.

When you have a new purchase that requires assembly you follow the written instructions. It's even better if it has diagrams.

You prefer to communicate with others using e-mail or text messaging. The phone doesn't do it for you. You love your computer.

Lectures are terribly boring and you can't wait to get out of there.

You remember things better when you can visualize them in your mind.

You use a map to get from Point A to Point B.

When you are giving other people directions you draw them a map.

When you are presenting information to others, you prefer to write instructions and use pictures or diagrams.

In conversation, you use phrases like I see what you mean or looks good to me.

When recalling information, thinking or problem solving, you visualize your thoughts and doodle on paper.

When doing work around the house you visualize the work being completed, that energizes you.

You like your desk or work space to be tidy and free from clutter.


This is not a scientific analysis based on years of research, but if you like the look of these statements and can visualize yourself in these situations, you are probably a Visual Learner.
So what works best for you?


Your medium for learning is visual, so use visual learning materials as much as possible and record your observations using visual recording methods and tools.

Learn to visualize information before your put it in hard copy.

Reading is a key activity for you to add to your knowledge base. Write down key points as you go along. Use post it notes and then stick them on places where you can read them at your leisure.

After reading an interesting or important passage, stop to reflect what you have read by creating visual images in your head. Transfer your thoughts to paper in the form of charts, graphs, diagrams or webs. Review your information after a short period of time and then periodically to build those neuron pathways and transfer the learning from short-term to long-term memory.

Put information on index cards or flash cards so that you can look at them periodically.

Instructional videos are also a good source of information for you. Again, as you are watching stop occasionally and transfer the information to a hard copy. Color-code your notes into categories or by importance by using colored pens or highlighters.

You will work best in an area that has limited background noise. Sound tends to distract you. Head phones that block out noise will work for you.

You learn best while viewing so try to watch live poker being played by expert players. You will pick up a lot of information. Record your observations using some of the previous methods.

You can do the same with poker demonstration videos or from watching poker on television. Be the commentator only mentally visualize your observations about what happened and what you might have done in the same situation.

Video tape yourself playing poker and then critique how you played.

Use your computer. Find online resources that use videos, graphs, diagrams, charts webs, etc to present information. Create your own diagrams, charts, etc. to record your thoughts.


Some cautions about being a Visual Learner.


Too much visual stimulation can be a distraction. Flashing lights, bright lights and lots of color can affect your ability to focus, so for you dark glasses and a hoodie can be more than a means for hiding tells.

Sound can also be a distraction. You do need quiet to concentrate so head phones that reduce noise are also a good idea.

Lectures on poker, trying to memorize information or listening to audio tapes will not work well for you.

You probably already do this but keeping your chips neat and orderly for a quick visual count will help put you at ease.


As a Visual Learner there are an abundance of resources available to help you. Your challenge is to use these resources effectively. Developing your ability to mentally visualize and then using this ability to acquire, reinforce and permanently store information is your path to quick and effective learning.
You have to learn to... watch the veins in his neck, watch his eyes, the way he sweats." - Johnny Moss (1975 - W.S.O.P. Champion 1970, 1971, 1974)

Secrets to Winning a Texas Holdem Poker Game
1) You can't win if everyone plays loose.
How can a player win if everyone at the Texas Holdem table plays loose. The casino is the one who will profit slowly and steadily while all the players keep on trading pots from each other. The experienced Holdem players will lose considerably less but then, no one can actually win after all. While all the players play tight, no one can have victory. The people playing tight will mostly trade for the smaller pots and the casino will feed in all the money perpetually.
2) Don't select a table where people play the same.
You can expect everyone at the table to be playing similarly, because then no one could win. Doing a trial-and-error on Texas Holdem to learn this game is foolishness. You can't learn it by just trying your hand at it.
Learning like this, you are committing the same mistake every single person on the table did, and then you can't expect to learn the tricks of the trade. For success in Texas Holdem, you must participate in loose games and play tight there. If you are trying to find the magic key, then unfortunately their isn't one. This is the only way to surefire victory. In a tight game of Texas Holdem, any player, how experienced or wise he may be cannot guarantee victory, but in a loose game anyone can by playing tight.
3) If a session gets tighter, find another table.
Playing loose can get you a few wins but not continuously. You'd have to be playing with a bunch of nutcases for that to happen. Unfortunately, people risking their money at the table aren't like that. Normally, as a session of Texas Holdem poker pursues, the game continues to get tigher than expected. If you observe carefully, many of the players will fold in the first round itself and the pots will tend to be smaller. In any case, if the game you're in, gets tight enough to expect losses, then find another table or leave playing for that day. The most ideal situation would be to be the single and only tight player in a Texas Holdem poker table game, but unluckily you'll find a few more there trying to play tight out of instinct or just play the way you want to.
4) Changes are imminent. Tight to loose or vice verse.
Many a times you may see loose players going tight, but don't be frightened because that's only temporary. They'll be at it again out of habit. So before entering a game, you'll have to check the risks of the game while keeping in mind all the above mentioned tips to ensure its a profitable game.
5) There are no foolproof rules.
Finally, there are no exact features of a sure-shot game, neither a criteria for a low-risk game, but its the evaluation of human nature that tells you how the game will go around. After a few sessions you will develop a feel of the game and you'll be able to tell if the game is a looser or a sure-shot profit bank. You will develop a sense and will understand whenever a player got two unwanted cards. Experience will teach you when it's time to leave the game. This accrued experience will help you decide when its time to leave the game.
6) Learn from experience and know the opportunities.
Ask any professional play and you'll hear that it was when they played tight games, they lost their money. But this was what taught them the tricks. Even if you play better poker than everyone else at the table, your expectation in a tight game can be little more than break even. When it comes to tight games, the top players have little chances to gain a only a bit extra from the break even. So, just find your loose game and play tightly. Evaluate before you play.

Texas Holdem Poker Math
The most fundamental piece of Texas Holdem is math. If you are looking to win you must learn the in's and outs of pot odds, investment odds, your available outs to win a hand, and odds against. If you use pot odds and outs together you can make the right bet every time for an overall winning percentage.
Holdem is all about the numbers and making the correct bets. There are both good and bad investments. If the odds are 4 to 1 you're hitting you shouldn't be investing a lot of money into the pot. It's similar to the stock market. You're betting on the future of what will hit. If you're risking too much money on long shots, you won't be an overall winning player.
Investment odds on the other hand allow you to get away with certain bets that don't make sense pot odds wise. Investment odds are predictions of how much you believe you could win from the hand if you do indeed make your hand. Let's use this in an example. Let's say you're trying to hit an open ended straight so you have eight outs to hit. You have about a 16% chance of making your hand by the next card. But your opponent bet half the pot. Pot odds wise this isn't a good call. You, however, believe you can take all your opponents chips if you hit. Using investment odds this may become a worthwhile call.
Bluffing also affects poker math. If you know how and when to bluff you can pick up extra chips. Let's say you've been playing tight and the table knows it. If you raise the table is more likely to fold because they believe you have a monster of a hand. On the other hand if you're seen as loose when you pick up aces and bet you're more likely to get callers. By playing tight aggressive you can pick different spots to bluff and get away with it. Betting on flush draws and straight draws would be known as semi-bluffing, and may pick up some pots without having to actually win.
The final component has to do with your wins and losses percentages as well as the potential to win or lose on each starting hand. If you're playing with a lot of cards that have a lower win percentage, you're more likely to lose chips. If you're playing with hands that have a better chance to win, you'll win more pots. Tied into this is your current win loss record. If you're on a losing streak you may not play as well as you typically would due to tilt.
Bluffing, odds, outs, wins, losses, and table image all come together to make the game known as poker. Math and psychology control the game. By knowing the math you can minimize your losses and increase your chances to win. By using psychology you can get inside the heads of your opponents. Know your texas holdem math, win more pots.

Texas Hold'em Tournament Tips - The Trap
As you progress through the skill sets and learn how to play hold em poker, you want to continue to enrich your style to include some of the more advanced strategies. An exceptional poker strategy to learn is known as the Trap.
Trapping your opponent in Texas hold'em tournaments is the process of doing exactly that, trapping them into a situation where they are forced to over-commit with a weaker hand and lose a sizable portion of their chips. Executing a perfect trap when you play Texas hold'em can easily propel you to a lead, especially in an online poker tournament.
The trap requires several situations to be in play in order to maximize your wins. These situations include the set-up, the weak play, and the takedown. When you play Texas hold'em, use the following guidelines and allow your opponent to easily fall prey to your trapping skills.
The Set-up
Usually when a new player begins to learn to play poker, they typically follow the same style that they are accustomed to as a player. In other words, you can set up your opponent by playing a strong hand pre-flop as though you are weak. For example if you have pocket 9's and just limp into the pot, you are starting the set up of your trap.
In any hand that you get an opportunity to limp with, you should always keep in the back of your mind that a good trap would net you more chips than over playing a strong hand. Therefore, in many cases, when you choose to limp, do it with the hopes of trapping.
The Weak Play
When you play Texas hold'em, most players assume a check is a sign of weakness. Therefore, if your pre-flop hand hits the board and produces a monster hand, this is your opportunity to allow your opponent to try and steal or make a play against you.
In the example above, your preflop hand is pocket 9's, let us say the flop is K of diamonds, 4 of hearts and 9 of clubs. This is a perfect scenario for trapping. Check to your opponent hoping they will bet, and if they do, as is common in Texas hold'em, you should just call.
On the turn, as long as no draws exist, play the same way and check hoping for a bigger bet from your opponent. However, if the board creates a situation where you may become victim to a suck out (a flush draw, straight draw, etc) you may want to raise your opponents bet here.
The Takedown
The takedown is the most rewarding part of the trap; you have convinced your opponent that you are weak just by smooth-calling the flop and the turn. The river card is where you can likely get the most action for your hand, especially if the river does not put out any hand that may cause your opponent to fold (like a straight or flush).
If you are first to act on the river, now would be a good time to make a value bet, usually ½ the pot up to 2/3 of the pot is good. If your opponent actually had a part of the flop or turn, they will likely call the value bet. If you are last to act after the river, you can make a lot more if your opponent bets out first. When they bet, make a value raise, about 2 and ½ times their bet or 2/3 of the pot whichever is greater.
If you play Texas hold'em with the skill of a pro, you will soon find you are getting deeper into tournaments and reaping greater cash rewards. Use the trap as your way to play Texas hold'em and win!

One of the games we all know of, is blackjack. It doesn't matter if you have seen the game being played in movies, at the casino, or in your own dining room with friends and family. This is a game that was being played alongside poker in the saloons in the 19th century. Although the true origin of the game is not known, there are distinct similarities with a game played by the Spanish in the 17th century. This of course is a lot different from playing blackjack online.
Nowadays there are hundreds of sites that are offering the ability for you to play blackjack online. There are some sites that are better than others as with all sectors, but generally speaking, all the fun of the casino except the live interaction, is available through your internet connection. Some sites offer many variations of blackjack games, and others offer the standard blackjack that everyone knows about. Whichever is your preference, it is available from good gaming sites.
Having the ability to connect to your favourite internet gaming site to play blackjack online, is for some people, a dream come true. Some people make a handsome living from their online gaming activities, as well as having fun. Just like the casinos will do, if you are a frequent player, and you play seriously, there will be incentives offered so that you continue to bet more money. You have to be careful with how you spend your money when betting.
Playing one style of blackjack online is one thing, but like everything else, it can start to get boring. This is why some online gaming sites have launched variations on the game of blackjack. These are variations that change the game slightly, and provide something different for you to concentrate on. Blackjack is a game of risk taking. Your role is to beat the dealer by assessing the risk of two potential outcomes, and betting money accordingly. There are ways to point the odds in your favour, through understanding the game of blackjack as well as you can.
Playing blackjack online, using any of the blackjack games available, will result in you having a lot of fun and potentially making some money. All is better when you have selected a great online gaming site to frequent. With all of these components working in unison, it is easy to see why some people become addicted to playing any games, including blackjack, online. A reputable site will provide many links to help with this issue.
One section of the community that has an increase in patronage is the elderly. There are many people who can't get out every day, can't stand what is on television during the day, have worked hard all their lives, and now get complete enjoyment being able to play blackjack online. This is one way of forming relationships with other players, and enjoying the excitement of winning some, and the acceptance of losing some. There are certainly more and more sites setting up to provide blackjack online. They understand this is a growth market and have positioned themselves accordingly.

When deciding upon a new blackjack site, there are a number of things to take into consideration before you start to play online. You will of course want to play at the best online blackjack casino. However, which is the best blackjack casino?
Unfortunately the only way to answer this is through trial and error. But there are a few simple things that you can do to help find you find and decide upon the best place to play online.
Firstly think about the following 2 questions:
1. What to look for in a site when you are trying to find the best place to play blackjack online
2. How do you play blackjack online - If you play correctly and win this will also make you think it's the best place to play blackjack online.
So let's look at those points a little closer.
Point #1: What to look for in a site when trying to find the best place to play blackjack onlineYou need to consider the features that are offered by the blackjack casinos and you need to think about what you want from the blackjack game. We have written previous articles on these points, take a look at them. You could also use a website that offers online casino reviews.
Point #2: How do you play blackjack online, do you win - this will also make you think it's the best place to play blackjack online
Learn basic strategy, you will be aware that blackjack is a game of skill and not chance. If you take the time to learn basic strategy you will lower the house edge. You will decrease there chances of taking your money from you plus increase your chances of winning a jackpot. Of course card counting is out when playing blackjacks online due to systems put in place by the casinos - but increase your chances by sticking to and playing basic strategy.
It is well know that blackjack players using basic strategy will lose less than 1% of their total wagered amount; this is very favourable towards the player when you compare blackjack to other online casino games.
If you don't stick to the rules and deviate away from basic strategy through ignorance you will lose more than 1%. This happens in the majority of cases so make sure you use strategy and are strict with yourself when playing blackjack online.
The best casinos will offer a number of variants as well, which have different rules that can make them more fun or give the player an advantage.
This great form of entertainment which is potentially profitable is offered at hundreds of casinos as we have said it is subjective you will have to use the facts above to make your own decision.