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Sign-up Instructions

1) Register with PokerInside via this link
2) Click "My PokerInside" in the top toolbar
3) Click "BetMost Poker - $10.00 USD" and follow the directions
4) Create a MoneyBookers account here if you do not already have an account.
5) PokerInside will send you $10 to your MoneyBookers account and then just deposit it into your BetMost account. You will get First deposit bonus and Tokens for first depositors Freerolls.
6) Now you're ready to start playing!

After you receive $10 from Betmost, you will be able to get a $50 No deposit Pacific Poker bonus. Just check Pokerinside for more details.

MoneyBookers
I was using my MoneyBookers account to deposit and withdrawal from pokerrooms. I thought it was free but I lost 1.99% on every transaction because of hidden conversion fee. Since almost all pokerrooms deal in USD, I wanted my account in USD. But MoneyBookers told me since I already made transactions on the account that I cannot change the currency from Canadian dollar to US dollar. And that the only way would be to close the account and create a new one. So I did, I withdrew all the money and created a new MBs account in USD. And now I'm just waiting for verification letter in the mail(3-5 days). I heard I could verify by sending them a bank statement but I'll just wait for the letter.


Holdem Manager
So far it looks like I'm going to get Holdem Manger. It's cheaper than Poker Tracker 3 and I heard it has more advanced stats. I tried it out too but the only problem I found with it is that it doesn't datamine on Pokerstars. PT3 analyzes and tracks the first 30 hands before you play a hand. 30 hands is not much if your 4 tabling but it still gives you an idea on how your opponent plays.

$20 Rebuy Tournament
I missed my friend's $20 rebuy tournament on Saturday. I was just too tired. I worked like 9 hour day on 3 hours sleep and if I lost $100 in the rebuy tourny than I wouldn't be happy. I Haven't played in the tournament yet, my friend hosts it about once a month. About 30 players play, 4-5 place in the money with 1st place taking $1000.

$3k Challenge
To start off the challenge, I will probably finish my Ultimate Bet $100 Free Bankroll I got from YourPokerCash in January/08. It was my first free bankroll I received and there is no time limit to complete it that I know of. To compete it I have to play 2500 hands which shouldn't take too long. I could probably finish in 2 days. After that, I'll try Party Poker Gift Offer from BankrollMob. The gift offer is quite a good deal because you get $25 free from Party Poker and Bankrollmob pays you $50 which you could deposit into party poekr account or to an ewallet.

Bonuses:
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- Free $150 Bankroll at Titan Poker

After losing all his money in a card game, Ismail Sheikh decided to keep playing and staked his 18-year-old daughter. Satyajit Bandhopadhyay, a senior police officer investigating the case reported:

"Ismail lost the game again and Mustafa walked away with the girl."

The incident occurred in the Indian village Satgharia. Village Locals said Ismail, who is in his late 30s, lost all his money to Mustafa Sheik from the neighbouring village of Sultanpur.

Panchayat member Saidur Rahaman said Ismail was “a known gambler...But this time he crossed all limits.” The panchayat and a group of people went to Sultanpur, the next day and brought back the girl home.

On hearing the story, Ismail’s angry father, Naimuddin, threw him out of the house. Ismail’s wife said she was worried about her daughter’s future. Malda police said they were investigating the incident.

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Players get excited when they flop two pair because they know they're in a great position to take down a pot. But often, two pair is not nearly as powerful as it seems. This is especially true when holding bottom two pair or top and bottom pair. These hands may look dominant on the flop, but they're usually quite vulnerable.

For example, say you're playing a No-Limit Hold 'em ring game. There's a standard raise to four times the big blind from middle position. You figure the player has A-K or maybe a middle or high pocket pair. Everyone folds to you on the button, where you find 5d-7d. You've got favorable position and a hand that can flop some powerful draws, so you decide to call. The blinds fold, and the flop comes 5c-7h-Ks.

This is great. Not only do you have two pair, but it's very likely that your opponent has a piece of this flop, with top pair top kicker or maybe an over-pair. He bets into you, and you have to decide what action is best.

I've seen some players smooth call in situations like this, but that is not a wise play. When you have bottom two pair and your opponent has an over-pair or top pair/top kicker, you're not as big a favorite as you might think. Your opponent has five outs - cards that will counterfeit your two-pair - which gives him a very live draw. You're a 75% favorite to take the pot, and that's great, but it's not the type of statistical edge that justifies slow playing.

The better play is to raise and put your opponent to a decision right there. Many players overplay top pair and over-pairs, and will either call or re-raise all-in. That gives you the chance to put all of your money in the pot as a big favorite. If he puts a bad beat on you at that point, so be it.

Is it possible your raise will force your opponent out of the pot and kill your action? Sure, if he's sitting with a pair of Queens or Jacks he'll likely fold, but against that sort of hand, you'd have no chance to win much of a pot anyway. Your opponent would probably check to you and then fold to any bet on the turn. And as Howard Lederer pointed out in a recent tip on playing sets, if a blank comes on the turn and you raise at that point, you'll be sending an indication that the turn card helped you in some way. He'll have to assume that his lone pair is no good.

There will be occasions when you flop bottom two pair or top and bottom pair at the same time your opponent catches top two pair or a set. When that happens, you're going to go broke. In fact, you should lose your stack in most situations like this. If you're not willing to risk a lot of chips in this kind of hand, you're probably not doing enough to maximize your pots when your hold the best hand.

When you find yourself holding two pair, play them aggressively and get your money in on the flop. It's the surest way to get the maximum profit from a strong but vulnerable hand.

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Played 2 sit and gos with the guys tonight. They went to see the movie Surrogate too but I didn't feel like watching a movie. It's a movie with Bruce Willis and it's kind of like the Matrix and virtual reality. Kind of wish I went but would rather go see Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day:) It just came out today too, maybe I'll go see it on Tuesday, I think Tuesday's are half price day. Here's a trailer:


Anyway, back to poker. The sit and Gos were $5 with 5 guys so $25 prizepool and we set it to $17 for first and $8 for 2nd place. The first sng I hit like every flop, straights and 2 pairs when my opponent hit top pair top kicker. So I won the first one pretty fast. The second sng wasn't so easy. Everyone started with about 100 chips. I built it up to 140 chips and then dropped to about 80. Then back up to 140 when this hand happened:

3 handed now, blinds 4/8. I am in the big blind with 140 chips. Folded to small blind who min raises to 16. I look at J8 and call. Flop comes J42 with 2 clubs. Great flop for me and I have position. Sb bets out 16, pot is now 48. I min raise to 32, sb calls. Pot is now 96, Turn is a 5 and sb moves all in for 90. It took me a while to call, thought maybe he had straight or 2 pair or something. And if I'm wrong than I don't place in the money. Sb showed 67 clubs for open ended straight and flush draws, actually had a lot of outs but he missed and I collected 280 chip pot. I ended up winning the second sng too.

So, tomorrow I might get a copy of Holdem Manger or Poker Tracker 3. Not sure which one to pick. On Sunday I start 30 days/$3000 Challenge. Tuesday, maybe Trailer Park Boys:) And I haven't watched UFC 103 yet. Just found out a friend is hosting $20 rebuy tournament tomorrow night so I'll try to make that.

Goodbye for now:)

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Yes 10 (22%)
No 21 (46%)
I want to 14 (31%)

Total Votes: 45
Started: July 29, 2009
Ended: August 29, 2009

You've probably heard the standard reason to avoid slow playing: It's dangerous, because when you slow play, you give an opponent a chance to make a bigger hand at a minimal cost. This is absolutely true. But there's another reason to play your big hands fast, and this one isn't talked about as frequently. A slow play can give an opponent a chance to get away from a hand more cheaply than he would have had you played it fast from the start. Consider the following example.

You're in late position in a No-Limit Hold 'em ring game. A player raises in early position. You look at your cards, see pocket 8s, and decide to call. The flop is absolutely perfect: Qh 8h 2d. You've hit your set and, with the Queen out there, chances are your opponent has something – maybe A-Q, maybe pocket Kings or Aces. He bets the flop.

Many players will just call in this spot, hoping to get their opponent to bet on the turn. But a raise is usually the better play. If you just call, you risk seeing a heart on the turn. I don't think you need to be especially worried about the flush beating your set. You might get your set beat by a flush draw even if you raise. However, you do need to be concerned about the effect the third heart will have on your opponent. He very well might suspect that you were on the flush draw and he'd no longer be willing to commit a lot of money to the hand, even if he has Aces.

In fact, any King, Jack, 10, 9 or a card that pairs the board is likely to give your opponent pause. If he bets on the turn and you raise, you're signaling that the turn card helped you. In effect, you're saying that you liked the flop enough to call and the turn improved your hand in some way. You're announcing that you can beat one pair.

So the flop very well may be the only time when your opponent is willing to make a stand with a single pair. If he bets the flop of Qh 8h 2d and you raise, he's likely to think that you're semi-bluffing -- raising on a flush draw. At that point, he might feel compelled to protect his hand with large re-raise or perhaps an all in. When this happens, you'll take down a monster pot.

It's OK when a flop raise doesn't get you the result you want. You might scare off someone holding pocket Jacks or Ace-King, but you wouldn't make a lot of money off these hands anyway. And, if you're up against Ah-Jh, you may lose a big pot to a flush. But that's OK, because you'll have gotten your money in with the best hand.

Of course, there are some occasions where slow playing is the best choice. If you flop quads or something like Queens full, you'll want to give an opponent a chance to make some kind of hand on the turn or river. But frequently, the best option is to play fast on the flop. It may be your only chance to win a big pot with a big hand.

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Sorry about not posting much lately. On Sunday I start my $3000 in 30 Days Challenge. It will be my toughest challenge to date. Of my 18 months playing online I have only made about $5000. So $3000 in 30 days seems pretty unrealistic but I think I can do it. I will only be doing Poker Gift Deals because those give back the highest rakeback. Haven't decided which deal to start with.

I have a part time job and work ~30 hours per week so the challenge won't be that easy. I plan on making $100 a day for 30 days, wish me luck:)

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Hey guys, here are 2 free full length videos from Cardplayer/PokerSavvy. Be sure to check out the other free Poker Savvy videos (Links Below). If you want access to all the CardPlayer/PokerSavvy Videos than you can sign up for a free 7 day here.


SirWatts - $1,000 Tournament Play
Poker Pro Mike "SirWatts" Watson discusses his late stage tournament strategy while playing in two high stakes WCOOP Events.

Ama0330 - $50 Cash Game Play
Ama0330 pulls out his database and picks out key hands to highlight to concepts of 'Forcing Mistakes' played at $50 No limit.

View More Free PokerSavvy Plus Videos

I'm best known in the poker world for my tournament success. I've won four World Series of Poker bracelets, including the World Championship in 1996. With as much success as I've had in tournaments, however, I still prefer to spend most of my time in cash games. If I were to limit myself to tournaments, I'd miss out on some of poker's most interesting aspects.

In tournaments, you're constantly moving. The tournament director may move you so that he can balance tables, or your table may break. So, even if you've been attentive to your opponents' tendencies, there's a good chance that you won't be able to exploit the information you've gained. In a cash game, however, you have far more time with a set of players. When I play a cash game in a casino, I might spend eight, 10, or 12 hours with the same group, so I have a longer time to study my opponents and exploit their weaknesses.

If I'm going to be playing with the same people for hours, I can create a table image that will benefit me over the course of my session. For example, when I first enter a game, I might make a series of unprofitable plays - some strange bets or bluffs. These plays may lose me a little bit of money, but they affect how everyone thinks of me for the rest of the session. Even if I shift to a more solid mode of play, some players will retain the idea that I'm a nut case. In a tip I provided a few weeks ago, I showed how developing this sort of table image can be used to great effect by representing a bluff.

In a tournament, however, it's tough to profit from that kind of persona. You can spend an hour getting everyone to believe you're a maniac only to be moved to a table of complete strangers. At that point, your stack will be decimated and your image will have disappeared.

In cash games, you also have the chance to track your opponents' mood shifts over time. At various points in a session, a player may get tired, frustrated or just go on tilt. If you're attuned to your opponents' moods, you'll find opportunities to profit from their weakened states. In a tournament, you rarely get a chance to take advantage of someone else's tilt. Usually, the hand that gets a player steaming also busts them from the tournament.

While tournaments can provide for some great action, playing them exclusively can limit your game. By branching out and playing cash games, you'll develop a completely different set of poker skills and be able to explore some of the more interesting psychological aspects of the game.

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Here are the best poker deals on the net, you actually get paid to play! All the deals below are all from PokerSource and are the highest rakeback percent. I will do these offers too. I already have a 27% rakeback account at Full Tilt Poker so I cannot complete that poker gift offer. Make sure you read the instructions at he bottom of the page.


Full Tilt Poker - 378% RakeBack
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BoDog Poker - 198% RakeBack
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Hollywood Poker - ~170% RakeBack
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Devilfish Poker - 84% RakeBack
-€20 ($28) + €0 + 9000 PSO Points = $118
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-Deposit amount: At least $50
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Sign-up Instructions

Step 1: If you have ever visited the Poker website, delete your Poker cookies and uninstall all Poker software before continuing! Make sure your browser accepts all cookies! If your Security or Privacy level in your browser is set too high, it may block the (perfectly harmless) cookies that need to be set to track you properly!
Step 1: Register with PokerSource via this link
Step 2: Click 'Free Poker Gifts', then select Pokerroom on the left and your desired gift on the right. Click Next. You should now be at 'Step 2' on the PSO website
Step 3: Download the Poker software via the sign-up link on the PSO page and register your account using the bonus code given to you
Step 4: Make a deposit (see above for requirements)
Step 5: Click next on the PSO page. You should now be at Step 3. Fill in your account and deposit details and submit the form
A few days after completing the requirements, you will receive an e-mail from PokerSource confirming that your PSO Points have been added to your account.
Step 6: If you ordered PSO Points, you can spend them right away in the PSO Points store or save up for bigger gifts!

From midnight, Thursday 3rd of September '09, the well known Victor Chandler $35 Sign-Up Fish and Chips Poker promotion expires.


They are replacing this promotion with the growing Beat Victor promotion; please click here to checkout the new bonus which also mentions an immense 300% Sign-up bonus!

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Most players are aware of the significant advantages that come with having a big stack in a tournament. When a player has chips, he can attack and pick up pots by forcing those around him into a corner where they have to make tough decisions. Those who have short stacks are always vulnerable to attack by those who have managed to accumulate lots of chips.

Why can the big stacks be more aggressive? The answer may surprise you. In tournaments, the more chips you have the less each individual chip is worth, making it easier for the big stacks to throw more into each pot. It's a strange concept, but one you should understand. To illustrate the point, say that you have 100,000 in tournament chips, and you lose 20,000 in a pot. You're not going to be happy about the loss, but that setback is not nearly as devastating as losing 15,000 from a 30,000 stack.

When you have a lot of chips that aren't worth much, you can be a lot freer to use them. You can go after blinds and antes without premium cards, or you can enter into race situations. If some hands don't work out, that's OK, because you weren't risking much to begin with.

The benefits of having deep stacks are significant enough that I'm willing to take some risks early in a tournament that give me the chance to build up my chips. When I'm playing in position, I'm likely to call raises with hands that I wouldn't play in a ring game or late in a tournament - hands like Q-9 suited or K-T suited. In a ring game, with these sorts of hands I'd be worried about being dominated and getting myself in serious trouble if I flop top pair. But early in a tournament, I can call with the hope of hitting the flop pretty hard. I'm looking for two-pair, trips, or some kind of big draw. When I flop a draw, I'll have the opportunity to semi-bluff; if I hit two pair, I might take a lot of chips from an opponent who can't get away from top pair.

Also, keep in mind that there are likely to be a higher proportion of weak players early in a tournament. You want to get as many chips from these players as you can before they bust.

Playing more hands early in a tournament does expose me to greater risks, but I'm fine with that. I'd rather gamble early and bust than cling to a short stack for hours on end. When I'm short-stacked, I know that one bad beat or one lost race will have me on the rail. I'd rather take some chances and try to accumulate a stack that can stand up to a little adversity.

So, in your next tournament, look for situations in early levels that give you a chance to acquire a big stack. You may bust, but if things work out, you'll give yourself a far better shot at surviving deep into the tournament and having a big payday.

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