The expression “fake it till you make it” has never been more true than at the poker table. Bluffing has become as much a part of the game as the actual cards are, and people are always looking for ways to improve their bluffing skills. If you’re looking to try your luck at the poker table soon, check out these tips on how to become an expert bluffer.
The Telltale Signs of a Tell
Before you can fix something, you have to know what you’re looking for. So before you can become a successful bluffer, you need to know what your tell is. Play a friendly game of poker with family and ask them to give you hints about what you do when you have a good or bad hand.
Know Your Bluff
Is your hand decent, but not great? Then you’re probably going to want to do a semi bluff. This is when your hand is okay, but you are confident it will get better as the hand progresses. A whole bluff on the other hand is much more difficult. If you’re dealt a horrible hand right out of the gate, you’re best bet is probably to fold. But if you decide to stay in, you better be either very skilled at the game or very skilled at bluffing.
Timing is Everything
You shouldn’t be bluffing throughout the entire game, so when is the best time to bluff? The rule of thumb is never bluff if you’re the first one up to bet. Instead, hold off on bluffing until your position to bet is later — this will let you analyze other players bets and possible bluffs.
Learn Other People’s Tell
A game of poker can last a while, so don’t jump into bluffing right away. Spend the first few hands playing your cards straight and studying other’s body language. If you play with the same friends every week you’ve probably already learned most of their tricks, so to really test your skills, try out a new group or table at a casino.
Practice, Practice Practice
Bluffing is a skill that takes time and practice to master, so before you hit any Las Vegas, $100 table minimums, have a few friends over for poker night. You’ll have a great time getting together and have a chance to perfect your new skill.
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Practice makes perfect, and the same holds true for poker. If you want to be the best, you’ve got train hard, and here’s how you can get your mind on the money.
Just do it. That’s right! The wise words of Nike can be applied to almost anything, including playing poker. Sure you might keep telling yourself you’re going to read that poker strategies book, watch that tutorial or even schedule a practice night with friends, but when? We say, start now!
Ask yourself why. Having a reason for practicing means you’ve found your source of motivation. Figure out what it is about the game that you enjoy, and why getting better at it means so much to you — and remind yourself over, and over.
Set deadlines. Is there a big poker tournament coming up that you want to feel confident enough to enter? Well, what are you waiting for? Make yourself a set schedule with goals up until that point. Read 10 pages a night, play poker one night a week — once you have a distinct path, it will be easier to stick with it.
Find a buddy. The best way to make sure you stick to it, is to have a buddy on board to help hold you accountable. Perhaps set a weekly practice night, or choose a date to discuss your findings on the latest poker strategy books you’ve read. Everything is easier when you’ve got a friend along for the ride.
How do you motivate yourself to stay sharp and up-to-speed on the latest poker training techniques? We’d love to her all about it on our Facebook page!
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Do you love playing poker, but wish you could win a bit more than you lose? Here are a few simple tips to help you improve your poker skills and take home the pot!
Tip #1: Don’t be afraid to fold. Playing every hand isn’t always best. In fact, it’s a common misconception that the more hands you play the better your odds. This is false and in actuality, failing to fold on bad hands will actually decrease your odds and make you lose more.
Tip #2: Keep your composure. It’s easy to toss back a few too many while sitting around the table with some buddies for a poker night, or even whilst playing in a casino, but that extra beer or martini can cost you. Poker is a real “thinking game” which means your head must be clear at all times!
Tip #3: Hold the bluffs. While bluffing can be a very effective technique, it’s important to know when to bluff and when to fold. In order to successfully bluff, the situation must be perfect and you must be able to read your opponents perfectly.
Tip #4: Don’t let emotions get in the way. Playing poker when you’re mad, sad or in an overall bad mood can be detrimental to your money pile. Letting your emotions get the best of you can cause you to make bad or rash judgement calls.
Tip #5: Pay attention! Make sure you’re keeping track of the cards that have been dealt and the moves that your opponents are making. Even after you fold, it’s important to continue to pay attention in order to understand and read your opponents for upcoming hands.
Do you have any great poker advice for fellow players? We’d love to hear all about it on our Facebook page!
When it comes to playing poker practice makes perfect, so why not practice with your friends and family at a casino party or poker night thrown by Casinos by M&M? We’ve got a wide variety of poker variations with authentic tables to match.
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The game of poker is strategic in more ways than one. Not only is your knowledge and skill of the game important, but your personal character and body language can make or break a hand. With so many different strategy types to mix, mold and adopt, it’s no wonder that no two poker players ever play the game exactly alike. There are however, four main style categories that most players can be generalized into.
The tight-passive player, commonly referred to as “the rock,” is only looking to play premium hands – aces, kings, queens, and the like. He’ll rarely take a chance on lower hands and doesn’t make a habit of betting or raising. If a rock is raising you, they’ve definitely got a good hand up their sleeve.
The loose-passive player, also known as “the calling station,” is big on calling, but shy on raising. No matter their hand, they’ll usually take the risk and play on most starting hands, but they rarely up the ante. This style is adopted by many beginners who haven’t quite developed a full understanding of the game, or are yet to hone their skills.
The tight-aggressive player, or the “TAG,” is selective with the hands that he or she plays, but often bets or raises. This strategies helps to simplify the game, eliminating losses from poor starting hands. However, the TAG is usually easily readable and easy to anticipate.
The loose-aggressive player, called the “LAG,” plays many hands and is known to bet or raise frequently. This strategy is highly risky, but when used effectively, as demonstrated by some poker professionals, it can produce large payouts. Typically, adopting a LAG playing style is characteristic of more seasoned, experienced players.
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If you’ve ever sat around a poker table, or watched the World Series of Poker on television, you may have heard people talking about “upping the ante,” but what does that actually mean? Well, the ante is the small bet that players are required to make before game play begins. As the game goes on and players bet more money, the pot grows and the ante is therefore “upped.” Today, this phrase is used both inside and outside the casino to signify when someone is pushing the envelope or making risky decisions.
Here are a few more poker terms that you should familiarize yourself with before you take a seat at a table in the big leagues:
THE BURN CARD refers to the top card that the dealer discards before each betting round begins. In the event that there was some sort of distinguishing mark on the top card there might be an unfair advantage for some players. The burn card covers the top card as a precaution.
DRAWING DEAD means that though you’re continuing to draw while playing a draw poker game, you know that there are no cards left in the deck that can make you a winning hand.
THE FLOP refers to the first three community cards that are dealt after the initial betting round is over.
A FLUSH indicates a poker hand that is made of five cards of the same suit. These cards do not have to be in any numerical order.
A FULL HOUSE means that your hand is made of of any three-of-a-kind combination and an additional pair.
A KICKER is the card that essentially acts as a tiebreaker in the event that the final two players have matching hands. For example, if both players have a flush, the player with the highest card making up their flush wins the hand.
POCKET CARDS refer to the cards that are unique to each player. These are specific to the player that is dealt them, in contrast to the community cards, which are dealt out by the dealer for all players to make a hand from.
THE RIVER indicates the very last card that the dealer draws. It is the final of the five community cards.
THE TURN indicates the fourth community card that is dealt, right before the river. It is dealt face-up and is also known to some poker players as “Fourth Street.”
Interested in learning more popular poker terms? Click here!
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Playing poker is a staple American pastime and a favorite among casino-goers worldwide. But, did you know that there is more than one way to play the world famous game? In fact there are a ton of different poker games built off of three distinct variations: Draw games, stud games and community card games.
Draw Poker: Draw poker allows players to trade-in some of the cards that they’re dealt (usually up to 3) for better ones, with the ultimate goal of improving their hand. This is one of the only card games that is most commonly played with the joker, but it can be played without as well. Though this is one of the most popular variations to teach beginners, you’d be hard-pressed to find draw games in most casinos.
Stud Poker: In this poker variation, players are dealt either five or seven card to start. The difference here is that they must use these cards alone to play their best hand. The hand is dealt with a combination of face-up and face-down cards, so the hidden cards or hole cards, can be a real game-changer for unsuspecting opponents! 5-Card Stud and 7-Card Stud are two the most popular stud poker games played.
Community Card: This is the most popular type of poker game, where players are dealt hole-cards that are uniquely theirs to use in tandem with a set of community cards that are playable by everyone on the table. Though the community cards are visible to all, each person’s hole-cards are secret, which enhances the excitement and suspense of the unknown. The most common community card game is Texas Hold’Em, which is said to be the most popular poker game with players overall.
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Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+!
So, you’ve decided to host a casino party, which means it’s time to brush up on your poker skills! Follow these five basic poker strategy tips to help you beat the odds and take home the pot.
Tip 1: Know when to bow out. Not every hand must be played! If you’re dealt a bad hand, don’t be afraid to sit this one out. Playing more does not always mean winning more, and consistently playing on with a bad hand will cause you to run out of money quickly.
Tip 2: Master the bluff. Be careful when you bluff. Bluffing can make for a very interesting and fun game, when done correctly. Learn to capitalize on the art of bluffing, and a weak hand can take you far!
Tip 3: Let some chips go. Just because your money is in the pot, doesn’t mean you have to play on. Be willing to take a small loss; after all, you are gambling! Continuing to play on when you know you can’t win will only make you lose more money in the end. Be patient! A good hand will come along, and until then just wait for your time to shine.
Tip 4: Read other players and follow the leader. You should be watching your opponents and reading their actions and body language. This will help you to detect when they are bluffing and can increase your chances of stealing the pot. Once you have identified the strategies that your opponents are using, follow their lead and play the game to your advantage.
Tip 5: Change it up. Since you are watching your opponents, know that they are probably watching you as well. Don’t make the mistake of playing the same game each hand. Switch up your strategies to throw them off of your trail. You need to be able to adapt to your opponents and the different hands that you receive.
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