Category: English

For most of the new generation of poker players, their first experience of poker is increasingly likely to have come from playing online rather than in a live game. They may eventually switch to playing in live-action games (or combining live with online play), but their initiation to the game will probably have come online, where they don’t have to worry about the etiquette of a live-action game or whether they are giving off tells to the other players. As and when these players do migrate to live play, it will inevitably take them a while to adapt to the different nature of this form of poker, and most of these players will initially struggle at the hands of regular live-action players. Many live-action players therefore see the online game as a potential source of future profits, not because they choose to play online themselves, but because it may bring a wave of relatively inexperienced players into their own games.

However, it is not just inexperienced players who often struggle to adapt from online to live play – many regular online players have complained that when they return to playing in a live cardroom their results are much worse. There are a number of reasons why this could be the case. For example, in a live game:
•    They become distracted by the social aspect of the game, chatting to other players rather than focusing carefully on the game.
•    They don’t pay enough attention to the tells that are offered by their opponents.
•    They don’t pay enough attention to the tells that they themselves are offering their opponents.
•    They don’t recognise that their opponents are paying much more attention to the game than an online player generally would.
•    They don’t keep track of the pot accurately (whereas online this information is provided for you). Consequently some of their live plays are mistakes relative to the pot odds they are receiving.
•    They become impatient due to the smaller number of hands that are dealt per hour in a live relative to an online game.
•    They have become accustomed to playing more hands than they should when they are online, perhaps due to the generally loose nature of micro-limit play. If those same hand selections are retained when they switch to a live-action game, it is likely that their results will suffer.
•    They don’t vary their play sufficiently (since in online play it is comparatively less important to vary your play).
•    They may play so rarely in a live game that their results are nothing more than a reflection of the inherent variance involved in playing poker.

If you plan to play in both live and online games it is important to do both regularly, since otherwise your skills in one or other area may decline due to lack of practice. As a general rule, micro-limit online players should be looking to play tighter in a live game than they would do online.

At the heart of every playing site is the lobby, which provides players with a menu of the games that are currently on offer. Here each game is listed with the table name, stakes, number of players seated in the game, number of players on the waiting list and average pot size’ (typically based on the last 20 hands). Several sites also offer additional information on the number of players per flop (or fourth street for seven-card stud) and the number of hands played per hour.

If a game in which you wish to participate is currently fully occupied, you will be directed to join a waiting list and then prompted to take a seat once one becomes available. You may choose to use time spent on the waiting list to scout the game, identifying which players are aggressive, which participate in nearly every hand, which may be on tilt etc. If there is more than one game going on at your preferred limit, then it is advisable to join each waiting list individually rather than opt for a ‘first available table’ option. You then retain the option to pick and choose a table when the time comes, rather than be forced to either take the first available seat or rejoin the waiting list at the back of the queue, should you decide that the table on offer is unsuitable.

Every player has their own views on what constitutes an attractive game for their style of play: some prefer loose games with many players involved in each hand; and others tight games in which they can steal pots with aggressive play. If the site at which you play provides information on the average number of players involved in each pot, then you may like to use it to help you choose the right game for your style. However, as we have stated, it is important to note that the averages provided are typically based on only the last 20 or so hands, depending on the site, and the departure or arrival of a single player can often have a marked effect on the characteristics of a game. Indeed, even a table comprising the same players can sometimes experience a marked shift in dynamics immediately after a big pot has been won and lost.

Many sites also use lobby space to provide a list of the players seated at each table. If you keep notes on your opponents, this information can be invaluable, enabling you to steer away from players whose games you respect and towards those whom you reckon to fare well against. Furthermore, you may be able to identify some players who are playing more than one table at once – at times these players can prove to be ideal opponents, since you may be able to run over them while they are concentrating on the other games they are playing. Multi-table players normally play in quite straightforward fashion, so you should respect their raises and at the same time look to exploit their vulnerability to a well-timed bluff.

Once you are playing, you should still check back to the lobby periodically to see what new opportunities are on offer. A new game may have started at a limit you prefer, another game may now be populated by players you like to compete against, or maybe the game you are playing in has gone completely flat and simply any other game would be a better bet!

The lobby is an important resource in the armoury of a winning player – work it!

Once you have selected a table at which to play, it is important to consider where you should sit. Often you will have no choice in the matter – there will only be one seat available and you will either have to take that place or go to the back of the waiting list. However, on other occasions you will be presented with a choice of two or more seats. Which criteria should you consider when selecting a seat?

If you know nothing about any of your opponents, there is little on which to base your decision. In those circumstances, many players recommend sitting to the left of where the majority of chips are located. In flop games, chips tend to move in a clockwise direction and, other things being equal, it is worth taking up a position that seeks to exploit this trend.

Your initiaating decision becomes more involved if you know the playing styles of some of your opponents. In those circumstances, the conventional wisdom is to sit to the left of the more aggressive players, with more passive players to your left. That way you can see the action of the aggressive players before you commit to the pot, and do not have to be too concerned about being raised every time you make a bet or call. You can thus take advantage of your position relative to the aggressive players, whilst the passive players can be counted on not to take full advantage of their position over you. In addition, if there is an opponent who calls nearly every hand pre-flop (in unraised pots), you would ideally like them on your right. That way whenever you have a premium hand you can almost guarantee that they will be investing two bets before the flop, one for their initial call, and another when they call your raise.

However, if there is a hyper-aggressive player who bets and raises at nearly every opportunity at the table, then the situation becomes a little more complex. It may be that you actually want them to your left – the fact that they are so predictable reduces the importance of holding position over them, since you can tailor your play so that whenever they are in the hand they can help bet your hand for you. The problem with having such a player on your right is that whenever they bet or raise you always have to act without knowing the actions of the players behind you – even if you suspect that the ‘maniac’ doesn’t have much of a hand, there may be someone else behind you who does, and you could easily get trapped on a second-best holding. Card Player columnist and author Bob Ciaffone goes so far as to call the seat to the immediate left of such a bulldozer, the ‘death seat’ – the one place to be avoided in a hold’em game.

Dice, also known as craps, is a game based on the throws of two
dice. Players predict whether or not a winning or a losing score will be thrown. The complex betting layout makes dice appear more difficult than it actually is. The basic game is relatively easy to learn. Although the layout incorporates a wide choice of bets, in practice, only a few are worth playing.

Dice games are one of the oldest forms of gambling and were originally played with dice fashioned from the knucklebones of sheep. Gambling was very popular in Ancient Rome where various forms of dice game were played. Gradually these games spread across Europe. During the 18th and 19th centuries hazard was a popular game played by the aristocracy. Craps got its name when hazard was introduced to France. Crabs, a pair of ones, was the lowest score. The French misinterpreted the word ‘crabs’ as craps.
European settlers brought the game to America where it was simplified and became the modern game of craps.

Caribbean stud poker was invented in the mid-1980s on the Caribbean island of Aruba. It began to be played on cruise ships and gradually spread to casinos around the world. It differs from other poker games as it is played against the casino which acts as banker. Instead of playing for a pot, the winning hands are paid out at fixed odds. There is also no bluffing involved. In order to win, you have only to beat the dealer’s hand. The other player’s hands do not affect the outcome of your bets.

The game
The object of the game is to win by having a five-card poker hand that ranks higher than the dealer’s. Each player makes an ante-bet and is dealt five cards face down. The dealer receives four cards face down and one card face up.

Players then look at their cards and have the option to play or fold. If a player folds, his ante-bet is lost. If a player decides to continue, he must then make a further bet of double his ante-bet.

The dealer’s hand is then revealed. He must have an ace and a king or higher in order to play his hand. If a player’s hand beats the dealer’s, the ante-bet is paid at evens. See the below Table for the odds for the second bet. If the dealer does not have at least an ace and a king then a player is paid even money on the ante-bet and the additional bet is void (not lost). If, however, the dealer’s hand beats the player’s, both bets are lost.

One pair or less           1/1 (even)

Two pair                      2/1

Three of a kind            3/1

Straight                       4/1

Flush                           5/1

Full House                    7/1

Four of a kind               20/1

Straight Flush               50/1

Royal Flush                  100/1

If the dealer and the player play the same poker hand, the remaining cards are taken into consideration. If all five cards are equal, the hand is void (the bet is not lost). Neither the ante-bet nor the additional bet is paid. The type of suit makes no difference to the hand.

The disadvantage of this game is that you are relying purely on luck. There is no skill involved. You do not have the opportunity to bluff. In poker games where you are playing for a pot, you are still able to win even with a poor hand but with Caribbean stud poker, if you have a poor hand, you stand little chance of winning.

The minimum odds in this game are evens. In a normal game of poker with, for example, seven players, you would have odds of at least 6/1 and quite often a great deal better. The odds paid for the additional bet are also poor compared to the chances of achieving them. Odds of 100/1 are paid for a royal flush, yet your chances of being dealt one are 649,739/1. The only advantage you have is that you know how much each game is going to cost you.

Caribbean stud poker should be played only for amusement purposes. If you want to win money, you are better advised to play games where you are contesting for a pot.

Caribbean stud strategy
Caribbean stud poker has a house advantage of 5.26 per cent. By playing the following strategy it is possible to cut the house advantage to about 2.6 per cent. You need to decide whether to play or fold your hand. You should fold if you don’t get a minimum hand of an ace and a king.

Players should raise when they hold any pair or an ace and a king. With some hands you need to match the dealer’s up card to reduce the possibility that the dealer has a pair.

Player’s hand        Dealer’s hand                  Action
Lower than A K                                      Fold
Any pair              Any up card                 Raise
AKQJx                Any up card                  Raise
AKQxx                Must match one card     Raise
AKJxx                 Must match one card     Raise
A K 10 xx            Must match one card     Raise

The $1 progressive jackpot bet is extremely difficult to win. It is not worthwhile playing until the level of the jackpot exceeds $263,000.
 

Sic bo is based on an ancient Chinese gambling game and has been adapted for casino play as a banking game. The game is played with three dice. The winning numbers are those uppermost on the dice.

Players bet on the combination of numbers thrown. Bets can be made on individual numbers, pairs, triples (three of a kind) or combinations of any two or three of the dice. The house advantage varies between 2.78 and 33.33 per cent depending on which bets are made and where the game is played.

The delaer will anounce ‘place your bets’. Players place their bets on  the layout on the box marked with the desired outcome. For example, if you want to bet on big, you simply place your chip in the box maked big. The dealer will announce ‘no more bets’. The dice are shaken. The dealer announces the winning numbers and the winning bets are paid out.

Three card poker is a banking game. The house advantage is less than 3.5 per cent. There is no strategy involved with three-card poker, the player simply decides how much to bet. Three-card poker consists of two games that are played either separately or together – three-card ante/play and pair plus. It is played with a standard pack of 52 cards. With the pair plus game the aim is to make a ranking poker hand that is paid out at fixed odds.

With the ante-bet the aim is to make a three-card poker hand that beats the dealer’s hand. The dealer needs to have at least a queen high to qualify .

The dealer and player are both dealt three cards. Pair plus bets are paid out according to the payout odds.

Ante and play
Players can also place an ante-bet against the dealer. After the cards are dealt, they can place a play bet equal to the initial ante-bet.

As only three cards are used, the rankings are not the same as traditional poker. A straight ranks higher than a flush. Aces rank both high and low. There is also no mini-royal flush.

Progressive games offer the best value because they give you the opportunity to win a larger jackpot than flat top games.

The overall return for a game is usually expressed as a percentage. With some games it is possible to get a return of over 100 per cent if they are played over a long term. Look for a game that has already accumulated a large jackpot. In order to win the jackpot around 45 hours of fast play is required. This requires a bankroll of several thousand coins. If a large jackpot has already accumulated it will be possible to win it in a shorter time.

Always play the maximum possible stake as a smaller bet pays out lower odds. The maximum possible bet it usually five coins. A jackpot with five coins inserted pays on average 4000 coins. With only one coin inserted it pays around 250.

Learn the playing strategy for video poker. This differs from traditional five-card draw because with video poker there is no bluffing involved. Strategies like keeping a kicker to a pair are not correct for video poker.

Master jacks or better before graduating to other games. Jacks or better is the simplest game to learn.

Make sure the strategy you use is the correct one for the game you are playing. Games with wildcards like deuces and joker wild are more complex and require a different strategy to jacks or better.

Play slowly and carefully while you are learning. Hands like straights are not always immediately obvious, as the cards will rarely be displayed in the correct ascending or descending order. Don’t forget that in a straight an ace can be used as a high or a low card.

Basic strategy for jacks or better
Here is a simple strategy for jacks or better that is suitable for beginners:

Deuces wild strategy
The strategy depends on how many deuces are held:

Kings or better joker wild strategy
The strategy depends on whether or not you hold a joker.

There is a wide range of bets. Try to familiarize yourself with themand learn where they are placed on the layout before you play.

Pass (win) line
Win bets must be placed before the come-out roll. They cannot beremoved or reduced after the point is established. It wins if a 7 or 11is thrown on the come-out roll or if a point is made. It loses if craps(a score of 2, 3, or 12) is thrown on the come-out roll or if theshooter fails to make a point. Odds of even money
(1/1) are paid on winning bets.

Don’t pass (don’t win) line
This is the opposite of pass. The bet must be placed before thecome-out roll. After a point is established it can be reduced orremoved. The bet wins if craps is thrown on the come-out roll or if theshooter fails to make a point. It loses if 7 or 11 is thrown on thecome-out roll or if a point is made.

A lot of casinos bar one of the craps numbers, usually either 12 or2, to give themselves a bigger house advantag. If a score is barred itis shown by an illustration of two dice in the don’t win section -twoones if 2 is barred and two sixes if 12 is barred. If a score is barredit is void (neither wins nor loses).

Effect of a sequence of throws on the pass and don’t pass bet:

Throw     Score     Pass bet     Don’t pass bet
Example 1     1st           7          wins           loses
Example 2     1 st          6*
2nd          5
3rd           5
4th           2
5th           6**       wins           loses
Example 3     1st           6*
2nd           5
3rd           4
4th           7**       loses          wins
Example 4     1st           3(craps) loses          wins

* point established
**point made

Come and don’t come bets
These bets allow players who miss the come-out roll to bet. They aresimilar to pass and don’t pass bets. The difference is that they can beplaced on any throw of the dice after the come-out roll. When the betis placed, the next throw of the dice becomes the first throw for thebet.

The rules concerning the win/loss are the same as the pass line. Ifa 7 or 11 is thrown the come bets wins and don’t come bets lose. Ifcraps is thrown the come bets lose and the don’t come bets win. Anyother number thrown establishes a point. If the point is made the comebets win and don’t come bets lose. However, the score need not be thesame as for the pass bets. Scores of 2 or/12 may be barred for don’tcome bets.

If for example, a come bet was placed on the third throw and thescore is 6, the come bet will win if another score of 6 is thrownbefore a 7 or 11.  When a come or don’t come bet is placed, the dealerwill move the bet to the box of the score required. Come bets cannot bereduced or removed after a point is established. Don’t come bets may beremoved or reduced after a point is established.

Odds bets
These are additional bets that can be made once a point has beenestablished. You must already have a bet on pass, don’t pass, come ordon’t come. The bets are paid out at the true mathematical odds and areworth playing as the house advantage is reduced. However, casinos limitthe amount that you can bet. Some allow a bet of up to the amount ofyour original wager, others allow you to bet double the original wager.Odds bets can be reduced or removed at any time.

On the come-out roll, come odds bets are ‘off’ but may be called ‘on’ by the player and don’t come odds bets are ‘on’.

Place bet
This is a bet on the individual scores of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. It winsif the score selected is thrown before a 7 is rolled. These bets can bemade at any time. Place bets are ‘off’ at the come-out roll unless youcall them ‘on’. The bets can be increased, decreased, removed or calledoff at any time. ‘

Buy bet
Buy bets are similar to place bets except that a 5 per cent commissionis paid when the bet is placed. The bets are then settled at the truemathematical odds. An easy way to find 5 per cent is to halve theamount of your bet and move the decimal point one place to the left.The bets may be increased, decreased or removed at any time and thecommission adjusted accordingly each time.

If your buy bet wins and you leave it on again, you need to pay anadditional 5 per cent commission. Buy bets are automatically ‘off’ onthe come-out roll, but may be called ‘on’ by the player.

Lay bets
Lay bets are the opposite of buy bets. If a 7 is rolled before thenumber on which a lay bet is wagered, the wager wins at true odds. Thewager loses if the number on which a lay bet is wagered rolls before a7 is rolled.

For a lay bet, the 5 per cent commission is charged on the amountthe wager could win (not on the amount wagered as with buy bets). So,if you place a £40 bet on 4, the winnings would be £20 (£40 at 1/2 =£60, £60 – £40 stake = £20). Commission payable is 5 per cent of £20 =£1. You would
therefore need to pay £41.

One-roll bets
Some bets are made on just one roll of the dice:

field – for the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 to be thrown. It loses if a 5, 6, 7 or 8 is rolled.

hardways – throwing the same number on each die. Hardway four is twodeuces, hardway six is two threes, hardway eight is two fours andhardway ten is two fives. A hardway bet is for the numbers 4, 6, 8, or10 to be rolled hardway. Hardways are ‘off’ on the come out roll butcan be called ‘on’.

any seven – for a 7 to be rolled

any craps – the numbers 2, 3 or 12

craps two – number 2 (two ones)

craps twelve – a bet on number 12 (two sixes)

craps three – number 3 (a 2 and a 1)

eleven – number 11 (5 and 6)

horn – this bet is made in units of four. It is for the numbers 2,3, 11 or 12 being rolled. It is treated as four separate bets on eachnumber

horn high – the same as a horn except that there is one stake uniton each of the numbers and an extra stake unit on any of the numbersthat the player nominates. So if number 11 were nominated it would havetwo stake units on it.

Video poker is a game based on five-card draw. The software deals and displays the cards. The player bets against the casino,which acts as the dealer and the banker. The object of the game is to make the highest ranking poker hand possible. Video poker differs from most other slot machines because the skill of the player affects the outcome of the game.

A winning hand is paid a fixed return. The payouts for winning hands are displayed on the casino’s website. The higher the ranking of the hand, the greater the returns. The payouts vary depending on the casinos rules.

Video poker differs from a traditional game of five-card draw in a number of ways:
•    There is only one player so it is not necessary to beat other players’ hands.
•    It is a much faster game.
•    The payout odds for particular hands are fixed.
•    It does not involve bluffing.

The history of video poker
Poker has been played on gaming machines since the 1800s. In 1891 Sittman and Pitt of Brooklyn began manufacturing poker card machines. They proved extremely popular and were installed in virtually all Brooklyn’s licensed liquor establishments, which at that time numbered over 3000. By 1901 the machines had been redesigned so that draw poker could be played.
In the mid-1970s video poker was invented. By 1976 the first black and white video poker machines appeared. They were superseded eight months later with a colour version. Nowadays, video poker is one of the most popular casino games.

Types of video poker
There are a number of different games with slight variations in the rules. The most popular games are jacks or better, deuces wild and joker wild. Games can also be played where three hands at a time are played. For beginners, jacks or better is a simpler game to play. The returns for a royal flush on some machines are fixed, on others there is a progressive jackpot, which accumulates each time a game is played.