Tag Archives: basics
How to Win at Video Poker
Video poker is a game of cold, calculated exactness. A pitting of man against machine, the often daunting mathematical odds prove that only the very brave step up to face the sickly, menacing glow of screen of the online casino video poker game.
And some are willing. A few brave souls rise, unwavering, to the task, and with mathematical prowess, offer tangible human challenge to the terrifyingly alien and inhuman stare of the video poker game.
But for those without that mathematical prowess, there are ways to meet the video poker machine head-on.
You know you’re brave enough, and the day is far in the future where you succumb to a mere machine.
The Tips
The first rule to besting video poker is to know the fundamentals of the game. You may be battling an entity devoid of emotion, a cold steel box from which you cannot pluck an inkling of feeling, or a bluff or a give-away. Knowing the basics of the game will help with this factor. As it is only when we know the basics that all other aspects are disregarded and the game becomes raw, stripped and real; which the only way a computer knows how to play.
Next, use those like you. Join a players’ club and practice the fundamentals. A human-being can conduct thought patterns which transcend those of a randomly generating machine brain. Practicing with fellow poker enthusiasts will open you up to those levels, and if mastered, will help you operate as a poker player, far beyond the linear capabilities of the video poker machine.
Check card combinations online. There are websites available that have on-hand, an array of possible video poker card combinations. If you know the combinations which favour retaining certain cards and discarding others, you automatically stand a chance of better anticipating the machine’s next move. These card combinations can obviously be used with many hands, and it’s up to you to decide whether to ‘stand’ or ‘fold’ as these combinations come at you. Memorising these combinations can only stand you in good stead, whatever the hand.
Adding to this, each game comes with certain pay tables afforded to it and knowing these pay tables, gives you another distinct advantage when deciding on cards. Remember, you need to retain the cards that improve your hand, and discard those that don’t. Knowing the pay tables allows you to decipher which combinations match with which paying structures, and gives you a head start advantage over that stationary opponent.
At the end of the day, though, it’s always best to cut your losses. Decide on a total loss and stop playing when you reach that total. The Online Casino video poker machine can never be the true winner, as it cannot turn from the challenge and live to fight another day. As you practice, memorise combinations, get familiar with different hands and pay tables, and build your poker assault with practice and the knowledge of the basics, you’ll triumph…you’ll triumph in the glow of that inhuman stare, and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
Five of the Best Poker Books for Starting Your Career as a Player
You have seen them on the sports channels: the big-time players dealing cards and playing it cool under the Vegas lights. Perhaps you have even dreamed of one day becoming a high roller. How hard could it be, really? The guys on TV make things look so easy. Of course, the reality is that poker is a game easy to learn but difficult to master. And if you plan on mastering it, it helps to have a few good tricks up your sleeve. But before you get into figuring out a way to beat the high rollers, you need to become grounded in the basics. And there is no better place to get an education than the five books listed below. While these may be what you would call “starter books,” they are poker books filled with spectacular information that will allow you to gain a solid footing in the game, so that your knowledge grows into a full-fledged education for how to excel. So without further ado, here they are!
1. Poker for Dummies: Don’t let the title fool you. Reading this book will leave you anything but a poker dummy. All of the basics are covered in this manual by Card Player Magazine writer Lou Krieger, along with extensive info on the many variations of play and a nice reminder on what it means to your experience to keep fun at the forefront.
2. The Poker Player’s Bible: Another Lou Krieger book, The Poker Player’s Bible promises to take your game to the next level. It helps to have a handle on the basics, but there is a primer for you if you don’t understand it all together. From there, Krieger goes into all the different strategies for poker games such as Omaha, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Seven-Card Stud. By the time you are done with The Poker Player’s Bible, if you have really stopped to hone in on and focus on the information, you will be anything but a beginner.
3. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Poker: Like Poker for Dummies, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Poker will leave you feeling a whole lot smarter about the game itself. “Poker Pundit” Andrew Glazer writes this easy-to-follow manual, which is much more useable as a flip to where you need it reference book rather than a straight cover-to-cover document.
4. The Smarter Bet Guide to Poker: Basil Nestor’s 128-page manual for learning the game of poker is a bullet-fast read. It contains succinct information on how to play with plenty of tips and tricks and a section at the end of each chapter that summarizes what you have already learned. This constant reinforcement ensures that you will have a firm grasp on the basics before moving on.
5. Winning 7-Card Stud: Ashley Adams, for those of you who want to get more specific, takes you on a journey into the intricacies of the seven-card hand. With key tips and strategies, you’ll always want to suggest this variation at a party once you’ve finished!
Poker books are a great way of learning and perfecting your craft if you want to be a high roller. With proper attention and care, that’s exactly what you’ll be.