5 Poker Leaks And How To Fix Them

5 Poker Leaks And How To Fix Them
Losing a big blind here and there might not sound like a big deal, but they all add up over time. Finding, and fixing small leaks can make a huge difference to your win rate over time, so here are 5 of the most common leaks, and how to fix them.
Completing the small blind
Two players limp, and you complete the small blind with a hand like 10-3 "because of the pot odds". While it's true that you're getting a very good 7-1 on your money, this spot just isn't going to be profitable. Far too many players complete the small blind with rag hands, and it's a definite losing play in the long term.
There are a number of ways this could play out. The big blind could squeeze, forcing you to fold preflop. If the big blind checks, you'll miss on the flop most of the time and be forced to fold to any action. Even if you hit top pair, you have a very weak kicker and are out of position, and with 2 cards to come there's a good chance of an over card on the turn or the flop.
Stop completing the small blind with rag hands. 90% of the time, if your hand isn't good enough to raise here then you should just fold.
Playing to tight on the button
In no limit, or pot limit, position is everything. The button is the strongest position, and as such you can play a very wide range here. In fact, if the action folds to you, you can probably open here with just about any two cards. You should also be widening your 3 bet range considerably, and raising to punish any limpers.
Playing too tight from the button is a major leak. The button should win you the most money of any position at the table, but you need to be in the action to take advantage. Loosen up here and you'll likely see your win rate increase.
Only firing one bullet continuation bets
Raising pre-flop, and then making a single continuation bet on the flop before giving up is a sure-fire way to leak chips. Your opponent can call with a wide range of hands on the flop, but may well be forced to lay hands down to aggression on the turn, and then the river.
Being more aggressive throughout a hand, and firing off multiple times, will win you a lot of medium sized pots. If you find yourself giving up after the flop, checking down and then losing to ace high, or a low pair, you know that betting on multiple streets would have won that hand. Choose your spots wisely though, don't just bet the turn randomly. Make sure your bets are believable, and that you're betting turn cards which logically could have helped your hand, otherwise you'll find yourself getting called down light.
Not isolating limpers
A fundamental rule of successful poker, is playing pots against weak opponents, in position. If a fishy player limps from early position, and the action fold to you, you should almost always raise to isolate.
A major leak here is to limp behind, or fold a mediocre holding. The weak opponent has already shown weakness by limping from early position, so take advantage. There is a very good chance they will fold to a raise, or to a single c-bet so start isolating more and see your results improve!
Checking to induce a bluff
Not getting maximum value with your strong hands is one of the worst leaks of all. If you have top pair, top kicker and you suspect your lone opponent is beat, checking to induce a bluff on the river is often a bad idea.
The thinking behind this move is that they may have a busted draw, and so will never call a river bet. However, they are just as likely to have a lower pair, or top pair with a lower kicker. Failing to bet in this position, and get maximum value from your hand is probably costing you money, so start value betting here and reap the rewards.

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Learn How to Beat Your Opponents in Poker

Learn How to Beat Your Opponents in Poker
1. Never try to play the game in public if you have only "a little knowledge about the game." People say that little knowledge is a risky thing. Poker is a game that takes time to grow upon you and this growth cannot be attained over the weekend. Many have toiled for years before tasting success in the game. There are plenty of online tools with the help of which you will be able to hone your poker skills.
2. You will have to play the game to attain more information about the game play or start reading some of the famous poker books that have been authored by world famous poker players. The reader must know about the presence of various poker games related magazines in the country and if possible subscribe to one of these if you want to excel in every game that crosses your path.
3. Learning can be done with the help of simulated games that have been set up in some of the renowned websites. Always bear in mind that everyone who is at the table will have the same intention as you, to take all the money home and sleep off the tensions. In such situations if you want to succeed in the game, it is better to have a thorough knowledge of the game.
4. Let us dig deeper into the game play. The "starting hands" is one of the crucial concepts while the game is commenced. Make sure to have an idea about these (these are in actual ten). Once you get this correct, you will have a higher chance of winning and edging over the others. Practice bluffing and slow playing.
5. Try practicing an aggressive approach from the beginning of the game itself. The players will be alarmed. Professionals do not generally seek after passive approaches. Certain players who mix the two game play strategies and such players should be dealt with carefully. Stick to one niche of poker games instead of trying to specialize in all the available derivatives. Do not worry, as plenty of money is at stake, and you will be able to make more than you will be ever able to contemplate.
6. Being intoxicated is not a good idea while you are into the game play. Every game play opportunity must be considered as a challenge. Practice hard until you are confident of beating any table.

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Free Online Poker Guide To Pot Splitting Game Scenario Strategies

Free Online Poker Guide To Pot Splitting Game Scenario Strategies
In this free poker games article we'll examine split pots. A split pot is a pot where two (or more) players have identical five-card hands at the showdown.
For example, in a board with 8-9-10-Q-2 both players have a Jack meaning both have a Queen-high straight, therefore, they split.
It can also happen if both of them use the board cards as their five-card hand; for example with a board of A-K-Q-J-10; one player has 9-9 and the other has Q-J. Who wins? Both. They use the board cards as their hand; both of them have a Broadway Straight, so they split the pot.
Most players think that they should use at least one card from their hand to complete their hand. In the above example, the player with 9-9 might think that his straight is King-high, when actually it is Ace-high.
Assuming no flush possibilities, the other player might move all-in. That might scare the first player completely into folding. Don't. You both have nuts hands.
Some Straights on the Board are a little bit more suspicious. Like 4-5-6-7-8. Someone bets substantially and now it's up to you whether you call or not, or even raise. Just keep in mind that a Nine can finish you or your opponent.
In this case, you want to represent the Nine. When? If the Board is 6-7-5-4-8, in the order in which they fell? What if it is 4-5-7-6-8? 8-7-5-6-4 or 4-5-8-7-6? On which Board do you think your opponent will be most inclined to represent the Nine so you can fold without remorse? It's important to be as analytic as possible here.
But what about a Board of 9-9-8-8-8? It's a Full House. Both of you have a Full House already. You have Q-10 for example, and you follow until the river. Then in a jolt your opponent bets enough to put you all-in. Will you call? It is possible that your opponent is bluffing with, say, J-10; you still both have the same hand. Your opponent might have the last 8, but if he really did, then he should have folded, because you bet the Flop and the Turn.
Then, with unmistakable confidence, you overtly declare, "I play the Board, I call." If you did, then you're the 1997 World Series of Poker runner-up, Kevin McBride, who lost to J-9. The winner? Scotty Nguyen (baby, baby, baby). You have Eights full, baby. Scotty had Nines full (9-9-9-8-8).
With the Broadway Straight (with no flush) it is appropriate to call the all-in, and it is a sign of a smart player to do so. (Don't call yourself smart if you held the 9-9 and you folded.)
But with the above Full House on the board just determine all possible hands that can beat you: a lone Nine or the last Eight. Surely if you have many more chips, just stack them and wait for some more hands.
But read the board well, don't be psyched out by the chatter of the other player. During the interview after the heads-up match, McBride admitted that he called because of what Scotty said to him after Scotty pushed him all-in: "If you call it'll be over baby".
In some boards, such as A-K-2-2-7, if you have an Ace and your opponent bets substantially on the river, you can well put him on the Ace (but not A-K or A-2) and call him, even though you know you can't win. You just split the pot.
If he bets heavily, forcing you to make the hard decision, you might as well fold. Why hope for a tie when you can win later?
No doubt about it this is a tricky area of poker, if you've not comfortable with this sort of situation make sure you practice a lot first in free poker games so that you won't lose your bank when you go into money games.

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A Deck of Poker Strategy

A Deck of Poker Strategy
Poker strategy can be found on nearly every corner. Whether you just play with your friends or try your luck at casinos or online gambling sites, strategy is vital. Below is a unique list of poker tips that follow the format of a deck of cards.
2 - Two bad hands in a row can destroy your game. Always sit out at least one hand after suffering a big loss.
3 - Three's a crowd. When up against two opponents at once, too many players only focus on the stronger player. Always keep one eye on that third player in the hand.
4 - Don't let Chris Moneymaker's play on pocket fours fool you; it may have worked for him but this hand is garbage. Either raise excessively in the beginning or fold immediately.
5 - Five is a handful. Every one of your five cards may count toward the hand. Factor in the strength of your kicker when applicable; it could save you a lot of money.
6 - A six is the worst card to be dealt with an ace. It is a weak kicker and eliminates the possibility of using both cards to make a straight.
7 - A seven-two is considered the worst hand in poker. Remember that if you play a seven, other sevens may have been folded and your chances of pairing it could decrease.
8 - An 8 is a rotated sign for infinity. Sometimes games may seem to drag on infinitely, but be patient and never get discouraged; your money-making hand will come.
9 - Nine's are very middle-of-the-road. Suited with a ten, a nine represents an extremely catchable hand.
10 - Ten out of ten are the only guaranteed odds of winning. Unless you have the nuts, remember that there is still a chance you could lose.
J - Pocket Jack's are one of the most dangerous hands in the game. Raise enough to eliminate anyone that might catch a card on the flop; 24% of the remaining deck is over-cards.
Q - Queens are a silent killer, especially pocket queens. Most players fixate on kings and aces as the power hands, often ignoring the possibility of queens.
K - Kings may have ruled in medieval times, but today they can be trumped by one card: the ace. Don't assume your opponent "couldn't have caught that ace;" people get lucky.
A - Always have an ace in the hole. This means always having an "out," or a backup plan.
Poker strategy is the single most important aspect of the game. Always approach this card game with a level head and play the odds. From casinos to online gambling sites, if you use these basic tips you are sure to be on the path to poker success.

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Gus Hansen's Winning Tournament Poker Strategies Revealed

Gus Hansen's Winning Tournament Poker Strategies Revealed
1. Strategy: Look to surprise your opponents with an out-of-the normal play. Just realize it will be more difficult to play your hand since your opponent won't know the strength of your hand (you probably sent out a message you were weak and not strong).
Tactics: Bet out rather than check when you hit the flush on the turn. It's okay to mix up your game and check a hand you would raise with pre-flop and bet with on the flop.
2. Strategy: Make an over-sized bet on the turn when you know you are ahead and your opponent is drawing--you don't want to be drawn-out on the river.
Tactic: If you put your opponent on a draw, make an over-sized bet to get him to fold on the turn (putting him all-in if necessary).
3. Strategy: Know when to bluff--especially when you know your opponent is weak. There are chips in the pot waiting for you to grab.
Tactics: Bluff on river if opponent checks twice after you call his c-bet and scare cards come on turn and river. When it is two checks to you, make a stab at the pot.
4. Strategy: Attack late position by re-raising with hands that are usually calling hands.
Tactics: If you think your opponent is making a play on the button, raise with A-x. And make the raise about three times the button raise. Attack late position raisers in the big blind with even K7 offsuit.
5. Strategy: Know your opponent stack sizes at all times as it can help you to size your bets--that is, to get your opponent to fold.
Tactic: Put your opponent all-in on the flop when the flop is favorable and a call on a pot sized bet on the flop will naturally mean he must also be all-in on the turn.
6. Strategy: Slow-play the nuts on turn.
Tactic: When you hit the nuts on the turn, check to allow your opponents to catch something or bluff the river.
7. Strategy: When you spot weakness, re-raise your opponent off his hand.
8. Strategy: Bet sizing: Bet your premium hands the same amount as your steals.
9. Strategy: Miscellaneous
Tactics: Call if opponent is desperate for chips, you have a strong hand, and it won't cost you more than 20% of your stack. When antes increase (especially a 4:1 ratio between SB and ante) be more aggressive. Also figure out the cost of a round when blinds and antes go up. The average stack compared to your stack. Sometimes you will fold the best hand. You don't always have to make a c-bet--especially if your opponent has been playing very tight. In general, Gus aims at making a c-bet about 80% of the time.
There are more strategies at my How to Win a Poker Tournament blog (see link below).

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Best Online Casino Games for Strategy

Once the initial fascination with playing online casino games for real money wears off, most players stop setting entertainment value as the number one priority. Many of us don't even realize we're doing it. But when profit finally takes over that spot, it's time to stop spinning the slots reels and start playing the best online casino games for strategy.
I'm not saying there is no money to be made playing the slots. Someone has to hit those ever-growing progressive jackpots. But strategy wise, there just isn't much slots have to offer, certainly not when compared to the best online casino games that do present a reliable strategy.
The best strategy for slots is to claim a no deposit casino bonus and spin your way to a hopeful victory. Most no deposit casino bonuses come with "slots only" wagering requirements, but the free credits provided make it well worth your time to try. Once the no deposit casino bonus is gone, it's time to get down to business.
The best online casino games for strategy include Blackjack, Video Poker, Roulette and Baccarat.
Blackjack offers one of the best strategy guides, especially for online blackjack games, as you can obtain a simple card that will tell you exactly how to react in every possible hand situation. The chart gives best actions for a most probable win according to your exact hand and the card the dealer is showing.
I know there are multiple ways to play blackjack - Vegas Strip rules, Atlantic City rules, games with optional side bets and progressive jackpots, etc. If you look around on the internet, you'll find interchangeable rules to give you the best online casino games strategy for any blackjack variation. It is recommended to find a blackjack game with the least possible number of decks, blackjack payouts of 2 to 1 and no soft 17 rule (i.e. you want the dealer to stand on soft 17).
Video Poker is also one of the best online casino games for strategy. Much like Blackjack, there are specific strategy charts that will guide you through each hand to give you the best possible odds of winning, according to the variant you are playing. The casino will also have the house edge, as is the nature of the business, but with a perfect video poker strategy, you can minimize the house edge to all but nothing.
Baccarat and Roulette are both favored as some of the best online casino games for strategic betting according to fans of the 'Martingale Betting System'. The idea is that you place a 1-unit bet on a 1-to-1 payout (i.e. black or red, high or low, odd or even in roulette; player or banker in baccarat), and every time you lose, double the bet amount. When you win, you will always profit by 1 unit. Then just start over with a new 1 unit bet.
The only flaw in this system is a too small bankroll, or if the next intended bet exceeds the table limits. Chances of you losing 8 bets in a row with this strategy are extremely minuscule, but if it happens you could suffer a heavy hit to your bankroll.
The longer you play, the more likely the Martingale system is to fail, though, so I personally recommend sticking with blackjack or video poker for the best online casino games strategies. And do take advantage of no deposit casino bonuses when they come along, as the elimination of risking your own money is the best strategy of all!

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A Guide to Play All the Casino Games Online For Free

A traditional casino which can be played from one's system is the online casino. It is the finest option to play from the comfort of one's home for the gamblers without the need to go out. They offer its players to choose from the hundreds of free online casino games either for just fun or for real money. Irrespective of a player playing for fun or real money they get to opt for either the downloadable version or the flash browser based game.
These casinos offer the players to open real accounts and play with real money. It is left to the choice of the player to play for real money on these online casinos. Moreover the players get to play with real money without actually having to put in money from their pocket.
A player gets to play these finest games online along with the slot games that can be played with great ease and chance to win the top prize. The various types of online games that one can be played are Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Bingo, Poker and so on in some of which the chances of winning are higher than in land based casinos.
Most of these online casino games provide the best gambling experience and value for money to its players. The free online casinos should give complete security and protection to your private information. These net based casinos are quite safe as it is kept pace with the industry norms having inspection from authorized companies.
These online casinos also offer a no deposit casino bonuses that are great for players skeptical about playing with real money. The players get a chance to go for the trial version of the games for free without having to put in any money and can also pull out the amount won as per the specified rules. The players get an opportunity to get all the free offer and no deposit casino bonuses while undertaking registry. The player gets a credit to play the online games with no need to put in real money.
The amount of free bonuses made available can range between $10 to hundreds of dollars. For those not having any idea about playing their favorite online games can make use of the live dealer feature just like in the traditional casino games to see flip and move the cards in the game. The player get highest payouts and prospects to win enormous money with these online free casino games. The author writes on fervent issues related to gambling such as online casino games and no deposit casino.

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Finding a Site That Offers Good Free Casino Games For Free

There are a number of websites out there that are designed to help you identify the best of something. One of the areas that you might probably need a little help with would be to perhaps identify the right kind of website that offers free casino games. There are a couple of things that you might probably be interested in for being sure that you do get a good list. Continue reading to be able to figure out a good way in which you can have access to some of the good websites that are out there.
Comprehensive listing
One of the basic requirements of a website of this kind would probably have to be that they be able to list the websites thoroughly in order to be compared. Hence, it is important that you go to a website that is able to factor in a lot of websites and pick from many rather than just shortlist a handful of these websites. In this way, you can be assured that when you look at a site for the free casino games, you would be seeing something that has been shortlisted from a comprehensive source.
Good user reviews
A good website can also be identified by the different user reviews that it has received. This is an important thing to be assured that you are not simply on a site that does not provide particularly useful information. Many people have learnt that trusting the source of your information comes on top of the priority, before you can actually use the information for anything as such. After all, you wouldn't want to simply take undue risks because you read about it somewhere. It only takes a little more time and is definitely worth it.
Easy to understand
Sometimes, websites that offer such information might have a very difficult layout, which makes it extremely challenging to follow anything that has been put on the website. Even the most highly rated websites might not be useful for you if the information present here is not put in a nice and understandable manner. Thus, you might want to look at alternatives if you are unable to properly understand what you might be getting into. A good website that talks about sites offering free casino games should not really be as hard to identify. In fact, you can save a lot of time if you get to such a site early on.

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Online Poker Benefits

Online poker has become one of the most popular online casino games. Whether it is played for real money or just for fun, playing poker online is the favorite activity of millions of people all around the world. Even though there are still a lot of people who do not understand why this is so, the reasons why so many players enjoy playing this addicting card game online are numerous. One of the greatest benefits of this game is the fact that it is played just like regular poker games at casinos, with the only difference being the fact that it is played from the comfort on your own home. What this means is that you have to follow the rules of the game, but not the dress code, nor the rules of conduct at a fancy casino.
The Benefits of Playing Poker Online
Although there are many different online casino games available to people, poker is still the number one casino game in the world. When playing poker games, poker players are given the chance to have loads of fun, play with people all around the world, play against real poker pros, enjoy multiple poker games at a time and even try to make some money while playing this addicting game. Aside from these benefits, another one of the amazing benefits of online poker is the ability of poker players to remain anonymous, which is great for those who have to keep this hobby a secret. Also, you can make a lot of money in the computer world and spend it in the real world on whatever you want.
Playing Poker Online for Real Money
Playing poker online for real money can prove to be either the best or the worst thing that has ever happened to you - depending on how seriously you choose to take it. Namely, it is easy to get carried away in a game of online poker and lose a lot of money without even noticing it. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a good plan of managing the money you invest and hopefully earn. Playing for fun at first and slowly starting to invest smaller amounts of money is the best way of managing your funds in online casino games. Besides this, you should also always put the majority of your potential winnings in a separate account and use it for everything but online casino games. By doing this, you will learn that the money spent or earned at online casinos is nevertheless real money and that it should always be respected.

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Australasian Online Slots Manufacturers

Australia and New Zealand have thriving gambling markets, thanks to a few land-based manufacturers that have made significant developments in the electronic gaming industry. Companies like I.G.T. and Aristocrat have put Australia and New Zealand on the map when it comes to gambling technology. In recent years, the two companies have moved into the online gambling market, and both have experienced a great deal of success.
I.G.T. first got its start in Australia's gambling market during the 1980s. It was certainly not the most experienced name in the market, but quickly established itself as a reputable name in the gambling industry. Its S-Slot was a revolutionary device, using a microprocessor to power the game's reels. During this time, I.G.T. also developed the world's first progressive jackpot machine with a starting pot of $1 million. This was made possible by its wide-area jackpot network, linking machines across several casinos. This system was one of the first of its kind.
The company also managed to develop a wide range of themed poker and slot machines, which intrigued players across the nation. With the introduction of I.G.T.'s themed slots games, Australia's gambling market was changed completely. I.G.T. started a new trend that would see all local developers creating slots games with inventive themes and designs.
After the turn of the century, I.G.T. decided to get involved in the online gambling market. It became one of the first Australasian-based gambling developers to begin creating online slots. This was a huge step for the country's gambling market, and inspired other developers to follow suit. During I.G.T.'s time in the online gambling market, the company has made some significant strides. Many of I.G.T.'s online titles are recreations of its most popular land-based games. This has certainly given the company a leg-up on other operators, as it has an existing fan based in the offline gambling world.
Aristocrat has made a similar transition into the online gambling world. The company is the oldest gambling operator in Australia, with over 50 years of experience developing poker machines and casino games. The company has created some of the country's most iconic pokies, and provides over 80% of the electronic gaming devices to Australia's gaming clubs.
It wasn't until after I.G.T entered the online gambling market that Aristocrat decided to follow suit. The company took a similar approach by re-releasing its most popular land-based slots in the online gambling world. 5 Dragons was the first Aristocrat game to make its debut online and has seen a great of success. The game saw so much success that Aristocrat has also launched it as a mobile game in iTunes App Market.

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