This weekend I discovered a new product that actually impressed me for a change - and believe me, as a seasoned online poker player and author of online poker products, it takes a lot to do that these days. I also used this product to verify it's claims as best I could.
I was poking around seeing what the latest tools were that people were using (as I often do), and tripped across this tool called "Sit-N-Go Pro". At first, I thought it was probably just another poker e-book that rehashes the same old stuff - until I looked further…
I couldn't resist. The hub for this site is http://www.BlueSkyBrothers.com/. There, you will find all kinds of information about everything from hypnosis to mlm to poker. Give it a "look-see."
Back to poker: this story is heart-felt, proving, once again, that poker, in and of itself, is not the problem.
This is a tale of two brothers. It's a love story, really. A story of commitment, encouragement, and most of all, pride. I suppose I could subtitle it: Everybody Loves Raymond.
Let me backtrack for a minute. For decades, Raymond has sat on the sidelines and cheered for his brother, Steve. Steve excelled at sports. Raymond watched. Steve married and fathered two great kids who also compete in hockey and softball. Raymond sits on the sidelines and cheers for his niece and nephew now. Raymond is everyone's biggest fan. You see, he has cerebral palsy, a cruel disability that affects muscle tone and movement, leaving him incapable of enjoying the physical activity that most of us take for granted. He mostly moves about with a wheelchair. When he does walk, it's tentative and aided with a leg brace or the arm of a loving brother. I met Raymond and Steve (nvflag) recently at the PokerSchoolOnline 4th Annual convention. It was a meeting that will stay with me long after the memories of the poker games have faded. Read more
This video is entertaining and informative and it's all about the legislation banning online gambling.
It's rather recent (November 2006) and was produced by Web 2.0 TV. What I like about it the most is that they actually interview people on the street and ask for their opinion.
If you like metaphors, you'll especially like this article. Krieger describes the best occassions for calling, while drawing the parallels between life and poker. Grab a cup of joe and enjoy!
by Lou Krieger In poker, as in life, we are often prisoners of our own design. We’re creatures of habit and all too prone to take the same actions under similar circumstances time after time. That can get you into trouble in a poker game.
Most of us have some sort of default programming at work, and that default position is usually set to “call.” Many poker players call unless they have a specific reason to fold or raise. It’s a cautious stance, designed to save money that might be lost on otherwise unreasonable raises, and win money in a situation where folding — which renounces any further interest in a pot — cannot.
But any player with a default tendency to call runs afoul of one of poker’s prime strategic precepts: Be selective, but be aggressive. Read more
For all of you history buffs out there, this one's for you. Certainly, it is a snapshot of the great game of poker. However, it is choc-full of interesting little tidbits. Relax and enjoy the read.
by M. Wilson
Poker, probably the favorite home card game in the U.S., is today a uniquely American game. People associate it mainly with the settling of the Western frontier, but it has been linked to U.S. history since colonial times, when decks of playing cards (like tea) had to be imported from England and were subject to a heavy excise tax. It was, in fact, illegal to manufacture decks of cards in the American colonies. Read more
Just the title of this article gave me pause. Want a good laugh? It is a bit dry, but if you read it with a heavy dose of sarcasm, it'll put a smile on your face. When was the last time you were thrown out of a poker game? Read on for more ideas.
by Paul McGuire
First and foremost, you cannot cheat the house. That's the biggest sin in a casino or cardroom. If you do it, you're better off getting caught in a Vegas casino these days than you were in years past, because the old Draconian methods of punishing cheaters (e.g., vise to the head or an icepick to the testicles) have become things of the past. These days, you're turned over to Metro Police right away. Cheating will also get you banned for life in Nevada casinos. In your local cardrooms, especially ones in New York City where you don't know the exact owner, you're taking your own life into your hands. Try to cheat a bunch of Mafia types, and you will most likely find yourself getting all ten fingers broken by a thug nicknamed "The Ukrainian Hammer." Cheating the house at poker is probably the hardest to do since you are playing against other people, not against the house as in Roulette or Blackjack. You'll see poker players cheating only rarely. Read more
I know, you thought that you'd heard the last of Donna. Well, the previous article required a follow-up. I didn't want to leave you hanging on, so here it is. Gentlemen, if your women are punishing you over your weekly game, read this article now. Enjoy and I'll check in with you later. Let me know what you think.
My mid-life crisis was different than most other women I know. Mine was stimulating, filled with joy and turned into an amazing mid-life rebirth.
When I asked my life-partner, Greg, to teach me how to play poker in 1996, little did I expect it would lead to a new, exciting career complete with adventure, travel and ultimately fortune. Granted, the ultimate fortune is yet to come, but I KNOW it will.
Greg keeps saying the 2004 World Series of Poker is mine. Sure that's a lofty goal, but I've always been an overachiever!
There are few opportunities like poker. Anyone can play. Poker gives you the arena to use the skills you already possess. Poker is almost the absolute equalizer. Poker players come in all sizes, shapes and ages. They are young, old, tall, short, thin, fat, hearing impaired, Olympic athletes and wheelchair confined. They come with all levels of education, all levels of abilities and challenges.
When Greg first taught me seven-card stud, it seemed like he went through hundreds of hands before he ever dealt a full seven-card hand. I've never heard of anyone else learning poker quite the same way, but in retrospect, I believe this was an excellent way to learn to play the game. Read more
In the 1950's and 60's I grew up in the mountains of the southwestern part of Virginia. It is a beautiful and secluded part of the country in the heart of the towering Appalachian Mountains, inhabited by gentle, country folk who are filled with a tremendous sense of family.
In this time and place far, far away, when someone mentioned poker, I immediately thought of an iron rod that we used to poke at the wood burning in the open fireplace, the only source of heat in the house…
A pair was something that grew on a tree beside grandmother's house; two pair was enough to share…
Three of a kind usually referred to the Carter triplets while a straight was any stretch of road through the mountains, at least a quarter mile long, without a curve in it. Invariably drivers anticipating a straight would act foolishly and charge ahead before they actually reached the clearing…
Flush was what my mother did when someone told an off-colored joke, or what we did after we upgraded to indoor plumbing…
A full house was always expected at every Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's… Read more
Poker Pages is a great site that I just discovered. The article section has some expert writers. One is Daniel Negreanu. I like this article because of Negreanu's candor. He allows us to get into his head. Enjoy!
On Saturday, November 18th, Johnny Chan and Phil Helmuth are the main attractions for, "Learn from the Best and Beat the Rest" at The Ultimate Poker School. Mike and Adam will be hosting the event at RiverRock Casino Resort. Prices begin at only $99. The Pros will cover it all, from the basics to the most advanced strategy and theory today!
