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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While it’s always fun, playing poker may not always be so rewarding. With so many intelligent minds at the table all vying for the same pot, it’s quite difficult to come away with a win each time. Lucky for you, we’ve got three great tips to help you win more, and lose less!
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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!
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One of the most difficult things to grasp as a new or novice poker player is that the opportunities to win and the winning hand combinations are seemingly endless. With so many rules and an overabundance of cards, every single hand is completely different than the last. Luckily, while the actual card ranks can vary, there are only ten basic poker hands that can be made:
1. Royal Flush – If you’re holding an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 suited, you’re in luck! A royal flush is the best poker hand you can have, taking it’s “royal” name from the court cards that make up its majority.
2. Straight Flush – A step down from it’s royal superior, a straight flush includes any five cards, suited and in sequential order.
3. Four of a Kind – As its name suggests, this hand is made up of four cards of the same kind, one of each suit, and a fifth “kicker” card. Should two players have the same four of a kind, the player with the higher kicker wins the hand.
4. Full House – A mixture of three of a kind and a pair make up a full house. For example, having three aces and two kings would be considered “aces full of kings,” and is the highest full house hand possible.
5. Flush – Any five cards suited makes a flush, but while all five cards must share the same suit, they do not have to be in consecutive order. The highest card in the hand determines the flush’s rank.
6. Straight – The complete opposite of a flush, a straight must be consecutive but does not have to be suited. Again, the highest card in the straight determines the strength of the hand.
7. Three of a Kind – Similar to the higher ranking four of a kind hand, three of a kind consists of three cards of the same rank unsuited and any two others. The additional two cards do not have to be of equal rank or suit, but the higher they are the better.
8. Two Pair – If you’ve got two kings, two queens and a jack, that’s an example of a two pair. As long as you have two pairs of cards, each with matching rank, you’ve made the hand. The highest pair you’re holding will determine the strength of the hand.
9. One Pair – Just under the two pair is the one pair, consisting of only one pair of cards with matching rank and three additional cards. While this is usually not the winning hand, the higher the pair, the better!
10. High Card – When all else fails and your hand doesn’t fit any of the above requirements you’ve got a high card hand. If it comes down to it, the person with the highest ranking card wins the pot.
Now that you’ve got the basics down, how about trying your luck at your own casino party before hitting the big leagues? At Casinos by M&M we offer a wide variety of poker game variations with authentic casino-grade tables to match!
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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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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.
Still nervous about shaking off those poker cobwebs and getting back into the game? Casinos by M&M provides the best pit bosses in the industry! Our professional dealers are trained to provide you and your guests with step by step instruction, so you can all play with pride.
To learn more about Casinos by M&M, visit our website or dial 1-800-358-9467. Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+!
