CTOKOS Blog

There are very few situations in online poker where you want to play hands like AA or KK slowly. At a full table it’s extremely dangerous not to open raise or reraise a pot with them since these hands are what you would call heads up hands. They perform better and make more profit when you’re heads up against an opponent.

Now, knowing this, why is it that so many poker players will forget to slow play them against an opponent when they’re playing heads-up?

I was in a SnG recently and I had this player who rarely raised preflop. I was stealing his blinds left and right. But everytime he’d reraise me, he’d have a high pocket pair and would show me. AA, KK, QQ. And he wondered why he never got a call.

See, here are the dynamics of heads up play. One, the play will naturally be looser. When a player hits a high pair on an uncoordinated flop, he’s going to neglect to think his kicker matters at all in most situations. And because of this, you can string out your winnings by slow playing your big pairs when you play poker online.

You get AA and your opponent calls. Just check. The flop comes, and your opponent bets out pot. You call. Same for the turn. And unless you have a really good read or the board is getting scary on the Turn, you lead out on the river.

If your opponent is a thinking opponent, then he’ll see it one of two ways. Either you’re trying to steal, or you’re betting a hand you hit on a later street (which is hopefully lower than the pair he hit on the flop). And he’ll call you down. If not, and he just folds. You’ve just gained 2-3 half pot bets you wouldn’t have gained if you were to lead out strong with your pocket pair.

The only time I can see you wanting to reraise a raise heads-up with a big pocket pair is when your opponenty grossly overbets. This is usually a sign of a small pocket pair, and he’s racing against you with only 2 outs if he calls.

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but poker imitators tend to get lambasted for their attempts to look like the pros. If you go into a casino dressed like a pro, or with the mannerisms of your favorite poker star on display, you will get a rather chilly reception. Direct imitation will not help your game. However, the pros must be doing something right because they have the celebrity status and bank accounts to match their personas. As amateur poker online players, we perpetually face the dilemma of how to best mimic the poker pros.

The best way to mimic the poker pros is subtly. Many of the current poker celebrities offer online training schools where you can learn their approach to the game. This is a great way of paying homage to their professional skills without looking like a joke. You can also try to replicate the moves that you see on televised poker shows, albeit on a much smaller scale. The skills that you should mimic are the ones that just generally result in a good poker game. Don’t touch attitudes or personalities. Stick to the ways to handle the cards and you will be much better off than if you try to be a carbon copy of your favorite player.

Poker players use different strategies and psychology to win. No two games are ever the same because you are going up against different players, even if it’s just one or two unfamiliar newcomers to your regular game.

Winning at poker online requires that you get a read on other people. You have to focus on them in the moment and observe their actions. Don’t be complacent about players you already know, because they may change their styles of play for different tables. Just because someone played tight last week, does not mean they will again.

Try to get a read on other players’ moods. Are they there just to have fun and gamble? Or do they seem intent on pursuing a fiercely competitive game? Understanding another player’s motive for being at the table may give insights into the type of game they will play so you can adapt your style to them.

If you can, engage the players in conversation to try to draw them out and get information about how they think. Talking about sports, the weather, or news may give you insight into whether someone is conservative or more likely to take risks.

It’s a game of people. You can’t just rely on mathematical skills and probabilities. Your betting decisions must be based on more than cards, but must take into account how you think your opponents will react. Keep this in mind when you play poker online.

Two online poker sites have been announced “insolvent” and are facing liquidation. Eurolinx and BetOnBet, both owned by the Linx Media Group, and I think part of the Microgaming Network who have now revoked their online poker licenses.

For months, members of poker forums have been complaining about the site’s lag on cutting payout checks, and in some instances not awarding payments at all. The sites were alleged to have been using player funds in their own business model, which was apparently an unsuccessful one. The bigger poker sites, Full Tilt and Poker Stars have always kept their player funds in separate bank accounts from their own monies, so much so that when the player funds were in jeopardy months ago during a bank seizure, the site paid up with their own funds. But this is a scary time for small internet poker clients. Do they have the power to compete with the big boys as well as offer a stable assurance to poker players that their money is guaranteed? The truth remains to be told as to whether players on Eurolinx and BetOnBet will be getting any of their money or if their funds will be portioned out to investors in midst of this looming bankruptcy.

With shopping territories close to the Hotels in Glasgow, you won’t have to think about accessibility. Eating out will not be a hassle since there are numerous eateries to select from. Those needing to explore Glasgow’s nightlife will find a number of saloons and night clubs moments from the hotel. With a range of hotels to pick out from, finding a hotel in Glasgow that suits your budget is not a trouble and you can even hold your reservations online.

Even some of the Glasgow hotels are just a immediate distance from tourist attractions. An illustration would be Sandyford Hotel. It offers lower fees compared to those who lay claim to be affordable hotels.

Being minutes away from Glasgow’s shopping district, Hilton Glasgow Hotel is centrally placed. It is approximate to popular attractions like the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre and Glasgow Science Centre.

Considering that the airport is substantially far from the business district, it is advisable to get a abbreviated accommodation in a Glasgow hotel with a extended parking arrangement. Doing so lets you to rest well the night before your flight departs.

The airport is served by quite a number of high-class hotels, many of them provide short-term lodging and long term parking packages. Booking a extended parking arrangement in a hotel in Glasgow will already admit an night long check. From there, you’ll hold enough time to take a breather and prepare for the succeeding day.

A sound example would be the Lomond Airport Hotel, which is situated in a division of Paisley. This hotel is really handy to the airport. When you want a low-cost room for the night then your foremost bet would be the Paisley Guest House and Dryesdale House.

online poker players refer to the last betting seat in each hand as “position.” The poker player on the button has position at the table and enjoys several advantages over other players.

You can play more poker hands from position because being on the button gives you an edge. Here’s why: 1. The player in button position gets more information about the other players’ hands before having to act. Since poker is a game of information, although incomplete, being in position offers a wealth of information because you can observe the action ahead of you and try to get reads on your opponents’ hands. 2. The player sitting in the button position automatically gets “bluff equity” being last to act. Savvy poker players know they can leverage position to bluff (and equally savvy players look for bluffs coming from position betting). When you are in position, focus on spotting bluff opportunities - be selective. If you raise every time from position, you will eventually be called or re-raised, so mix up your play. 3. Sitting the button position lets you make more value bets simply to see a flop with medium or speculative hands. Small suited connectors that would be folded under the gun can be played here if the action is not raised ahead of you. 4. Being last to act gives that player more control over pot size because this is the last raising position post-flop..

When you are in the cut-off seat - one ahead of the button - you can sometimes seize position by raising the bet and causing the button to fold.

When taking part in the Spanish Lottery with Virtual World Direct (vwd) you can be reassured that you will be in very capable hands. My estimate is that Virtual World Direct (vwd) is amongst biggest buyers of lottery tickets; if not the largest Spanish lotto ticket buyer.

They have over 200,000 paying customers playing the Uk Lotto, Spanish Superdraw And The Euromillions of which the Spanish lottery is probably going to be the biggest elottery syndicate. Set Up in 2002 and a long standing member of the lottery council virtual world direct have all the credibly that is required, in addition a outstanding track record.

To take part in a syndicate you pay £5.00 weekly for the UK Lotto and the Euromillions with the Spanish Lotto costing £20 per four week cycle (Only monthly subscriptions). Being a member of a lottery syndicate evidently shrinks your particular pay out but then it does increase your chances of winning and because of the unique way the lotto numbers are formulated the possibility of winning is magnified even further!

The business sector opportunity is another produced Virtual World Direct (vwd) offers and now they have shed the joining up fee and the yearly subscriptions so that anybody interest in earning an extra income can take advantage. The way it operates is if an affiliate introduces a lotto player to any of Euro lottery, UK Lottery or the Spanish syndicates, virtual-world-direct will give that affiliate 20% of that members subscription, likewise, if that lotto player decides to become an affiliate, the affiliate that introduced them will gain five % of that player/affiliates earning, down to level 7. Global revenue is another motivator that pays affiliates that progress to a minimum level within e-lottery with a percentage of the companys worldwide income.

Almost daily I meet a part-time bowler willing to treat real bowling with improved precision and consistency. Should that be the case, you’re in the midsts of a crucial rebirth in growing as a true student of the game. Listen up, because this introduction to “Bowling Like a Pro” shouldn’t be ignored. An expert from your city’s bowling pro shop can help clients to uncover bowling talent. There’s an old bowling adage, the bowling balls do all the work (after you roll them). I kid. I admit, bowling is a simple game with not-so simple details. Don’t fret, we’ll get you throwing the bowling ball correctly.

Most importantly, get a knowledgeable friend to help you purchase properly-fitted necessities, especially good bowling shoes. It’s not a sales pitch, it actually matters. It’s no joke, have your private ball drilled for custom finger holes, and you can make more of your practice time. A carefully drilled bowling ball can make a substantial improvement in your game. The same goes for enjoying quality bowling shoes which have shoe laces!

Now that you already acquired your bowling equipment, now it’s time for the number two bowling tip: taking aim. When you hold the ball, don’t necessarily roll the ball at the pins. Aim for the the points about 15 feet down the lane, like a sling shot. Why, you ask? It is easier to aim for a point that is nearer. To take full advantage, double check to see begin your approach at the a consistent place on the floor every approach. Only then you can make small adjustements on your aim using the arrows in the lane.

As for spin, to get ball handling and velocity? It is the third-most essential bowler tip. They get traction with the their expensive reactive resin balls. Most us who were bown to bowl regularly roll at least two bowling balls to roll aggressive hooks, selected precisely for many factors. But begginers might want to work with just one, and don’t get a ball that is too heavy for you. Some serious bowlers opt for bowling balls featuring extra surface. However you should know these special-made balls might make even decent players look a fool. And that does it for our first three bowling tips. A pro from our bowling shop will return soon.

-James Chase

My family and I roll strikes for the recreational league comprised of a league for Bowling Pro Shop near Cincinnati. I dispense advice to beginning bowlers online and in my local newsletter. Lastly, I should say hi to our crew in the shop. Go Pinheads, Go!

While much of the news about the battles to prevent us from playing online poker comes from the U.S., here is some bad news out of Sweden. Sweden is considering plans that would limit its citizen’s access to foreign gambling sites in order to ensure the primacy of its own online poker monopoly, Svenska Spel. According to a story from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, the plans are part of the recent Government-commissioned Nyren Report investigating proposals that could lead to a new controlling gambling act. If passed as written, the proposals would prevent Sweden-based players from accessing and playing on foreign gambling and poker websites. The Government stated this week that it would continue its efforts at strengthening the nation’s regulations in order to prevent an increase in gambling addictions.

The State-owned Svenska Spel monopoly is the world’s twelfth largest online poker room and it is not currently illegal to visit or place bets using a foreign site. Now listen, I’m all for Sweden to want their state-owned gambling site to make money. But by not allowing its fine residents the choice of going to other online poker sites if they want too, the Swedish government is denying their citizens the basic right to choose. I hope this doesn’t pass, and that the Swedish people can gamble online wherever they like.

Internet hot shot Tom “Durrr” Dwan issued a heads up challenge to virtually anyone, risking $1.5 million to win $500,000. Is he really a 3-1 favorite?

Firstly, let’s talk about the parameters of the wager.

Dwan wants to play 4 heads up tables at once against anyone (excluding his friend Phil Galfond) at 200/400 NL Holdem or PL Omaha.

They will play an accumulated 50,000 poker hands. At the end of those hands, whichever player is up, even as little as a dollar, will win $500,000. Any profit made during play is kept by the winning player. If Dwan loses, he owes an extra $1,000,000 on top of the $500,000.

So, effectively, he is risking $1.5 Million to $0.5 Million, 3-1. With poker players already accepting the challenge like Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and David Benyamine, how can Dwan really expect to be that much better than them, some of the best in the world?

The fact that the challenge is multitabling heads up probably places a slight advantage to Dwan, who does this everyday. Though Ivey is an incredible heads up player, and plays at the highest levels, I don’t think he plays multiple tables at once, and if so, not more than 2 at a time. 4 heads up games at once is very high maintenance.

This is also after 50,000 hands, which is quite a bit of heads up play, maybe 3 weeks of 6 hour sessions of 4-tabling. To take this bet, a player must look at their normal per-hour/per-day rate and see if that would be less than $1.5 million. To take on this challenge, they will be sacrificing most other play for the better part of the month. Also, if losing 500K plus the losses in the matches is much more than their normal monthly loss, this is probably not a good bet to take. If winning 1.5 million or losing 500k would be extreme to their bankroll, the bet is too large, even getting 3-1. For someone like Phil Ivey, who loses or wins a million in craps some days, this bet is obviously not an attack to his bankroll, but it might just be a waste of time (monetarily). But poker is all about rising to a challenge and proving yourself, so the results of this challenge shall be greatly anticipated by the poker world.