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More News from the PPA

March 10th, 2010

Speaking of legalized online poker , The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide and over 25,000 members in Massachusetts, will testify this week before the Massachusetts State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies as the committee considers H4069, which would classify poker as a game of skill in the state of Massachusetts. “There is a vast, and growing, body of academic research proving that poker is game in which who wins and who loses is predominantly determined by skill, not chance,” said Randy Castonguay, Massachusetts state director of the PPA. “I am extremely proud that Massachusetts is on its way to codifying this fact into law and preserving our citizens’ rights to play the game they love.” In most jurisdictions in the United States, and in Massachusetts, the definition of gambling depends on whether or not a game’s results are predominantly due to skill or chance. Given the law’s reliance on the skill versus chance classification, legislation like H4069 is critical to ensuring that every American has the freedom to play poker, either with friends around the kitchen table or online at the computer table. Testifying on behalf of the PPA will be Patrick Fleming, director of PPA’s Litigation Support Network, and Andrew Woods of the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society (GPSTS) at Harvard. At the hearing, PPA will also be submitting a white paper describing the role that skill plays in determining the outcome of a game of poker, and offers an overview of the scientific studies that address that question. The bill, introduced by Representative Brian Wallace, is the result of a robust grassroots effort by PPA members in Massachusetts. While PPA is uncertain of passage of this bill as stand alone legislation, the bill could be included in a larger casinos bill that the Massachusetts legislature plans to consider this summer.

The Gift of Reading: Poker Books

February 4th, 2010

They say that books are the gifts that keep on giving. The logic is that you can open a book over and over again. Every time that you open a book, you could learn something new. The same is true for online poker books. There is no one in the world who knows everything about poker online strategy. Some of the pros come close, but I bet even the professionals pull a reference book off of the shelf every once in a while. It’s just a part of human nature not to know everything. One of the best gifts that you can give a serious online poker player is a reference book for poker. This may seem to go against everything that you would initially think. After all, it’s not really good policy to go around giving presents that imply that your friends don’t really know how to play. This would be true for your average amateur poker player. If you are among serious poker players, however, the situation is very different. For starters, serious poker players are serious about learning. They would see a poker reference book as an opportunity to learn rather than a commentary on their skill set. Give the gift of poker knowledge to the people who will really appreciate it.

Poker Betting Tactics

November 6th, 2009

Betting in poker serves two purposes. A bet is a signal that you have a strong hand that can win. It also is meant to scare players with poor hands into folding rather than risking a wager on their weak cards.

In theory, online poker players bet when they have a good hand, and players with weak hands are supposed to fold. Here are some betting tricks to use when they are not holding the best cards.

Blind stealing is a basic way to win with a bet. If you are in late position, and everyone folds ahead of you, so that only the blinds remain, then put in a raise. Often you’ll just scoop up the blinds. It’s not a big pot, but you’ve added something to your stack.

After the flop, when you are in late position and everyone has checked, then bet out a raise to steal the pot. This tactic should be used sparingly though because the observant players will recognize this pattern and check to you with the intention of re-raising your bet. Use it when you are on a draw to a straight or flush.

Learn how to use a check-raise from early position. Simply check your strong hand, then when a bet comes out behind you, respond with a raise. You may win the pot right away with the check-raise, and if called, will build a bigger pot you have a shot to win.

Open with a raise when you are first to act. It will cause most other online poker players to fold and narrows your competition. You’ll also gain information about how aggressive or strong the remaining players are.

Donkey Kicked

July 10th, 2009

If a donkey is a poker player who has little to no will to play the game of poker by the odds or by the books, getting ‘donkey kicked’ happens when that player, by the fickle nature of the poker en ligne gods, lucks his way into winning a pot when he’d been a big underdog all along. Getting donkey kicked for all the money hurts like few other things. You get all your chips that you’ve been working to accumulate throughout a session, and end up nailing this weak player to the wall with three outs to come, only to see him hit it on the river. The donkey, by his nature, is often quick to celebrate his great graces, letting you know that poker isn’t about math or skill, it’s about heart. Usually these players are just as quick to give those chips right back (perhaps not to you, but to the table), but still feeling the brunt of that donkey kick when it comes can be hard to get over. Knowing, though, that you made the right decision for the poker hand, got it in with way the best, and most of the time would have taken home the cake, hopefully will be enough to keep you in there, and as odds balance out, in the long run, give you the donkey’s money tenfold.

Small Cash Game, Small Action

March 24th, 2009

A friend of mine sent out an email that they were having a small .25/.50 online poker cash game. I showed up with a 6 pack and $40, good for casino games. I was told everyone bought in for $40, though I was contemplating sitting with like $25. I went with the full buy in. The first few hands I flopped pretty big and played conservatively. I had a tight image, so I really tried to wait for someone to start getting aggressive and then I would made a value raise on the turn or river and they’d usually go away. In these small stakes live cash games, I tend to play most poker hands for limps and calls preflop. The value of the money is so little, that raising with big cards preflop doesn’t really do much else than build a large pot. It does not get people to fold marginal hands, and it doesn’t really give you much information about what cards they could be holding. I played 66 for a limp in one hand and flopped a set on a 6, 7, 8 board with 2 hearts on it. I was in late position and decided to call along with a few other players for a cheap bet of a buck or two. Basically, I’m only going to get called by a straight draw, and the amount of money I’m going to bet is pretty inconsequential, so I decided to see the turn for a cheap call. A 5 came on the turn and I all but gave up, except now everyone checked to me. I could try and represent the straight here and maybe win, but I also suspected someone could be trapping. Let’s see a free river and maybe boat up. Something like a 3 comes out and there’s a bet of $5 and two callers. I mucked the set of 6’s. Two players split the pot with a nine and the other player had a set of 5’s. This hand cost me about $3. I was up money the whole night, $10-20 over a few hours. I caught JJ and limped in. I flopped J, 5, 5 someone bet a dollar and I made it $2 and they folded. I figured, if I flat called the dollar, then he’d put me on a 5 and shut down and

Terrific Porches to be won at windeprijsvraag online

September 4th, 2008

10 weeks ago a European webcompany took of a dutch online contests. Although some sweepstakes ask for a proof of purchase or UPC code, the sponsors must provide an alternate method of entry if they do so. Everybody can win marvelous prizes every 4 hours. The reason why contests are treated differently is that the winners are not chosen by chance but by an element of skill. That will be fantastic or really great to win 4352 dollars. There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Great swimming pools to win at sweepstakes websites. Anyone can win absolutely fantastic BMWs every 10 months. Sweepstakes are also legally different from contests in the United States. Its super or realy terrific to win 4627 euros. Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity. Really everybody can win super surfboards every 5 days. 7 weeks ago a Europe based dutch online company has started with a dutch online sweepstakes. Many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. It should be really great or great to win 4166 euro. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. Terrific plasmas to win at contest websites. In an effort to increase consumer demand for scratch cards and to help control the litter small problems associated with the disposal of non-winning lottery tickets. Sweepstakes are frequently used by fast-food restaurants to boost business. 10 months ago a Belgium company begun with a online sweepstakes. 2 days ago a Dutch online company started a contest websites. Absolutely fantastic wakeboards to be won at dutch online contests. 2 hours ago a Europe based dutch company took of a online sweepstakes. Many state lotteries also run a second chance sweepstakes in conjunction with the retail sale of state lottery scratch cards. Before home computers were popular a common method of entry was a mailed one.

The translation says: Leef je in Sint-Oedenrode of Roosendaal en wil jij graag veel prijzen winnen’ Met Windeprijsvraag winnen is nergens zo eenvoudig. Leuke prijzen winnen met een abonnement op windeprijsvraag.nl‘ Vaak 457 prijzen om de dag. Van Heerlen tot Bladel, met Win de Prijsvraag winnen is altijd mogelijk. Een man van 42 heeft zojuist nog een keuken weten te winnen.

Consumer promotions advertised as contests, however, can require an entry fee or proof of purchase. Sweepstakes are generally easier and quicker to enter than contests. Sweepstakes promotions are prohibited from requiring a purchase to enter.