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No, He Can’t Read My Poker Face
Although Lady Gaga might not have been talking about keeping a poker face during an actual game of poker, she did know the importance of maintaining one’s poker face. A poker face is all about deception and acting and for some it comes naturally. For others, it will take quite awhile to master the art. It’s a good idea to practice in front of a mirror or with friends before heading out into a big game. People spontaneously show their emotions and it’s perfectly natural, but you must learn to hide these emotions. The only emotion you can show is indifference, all the time.
However, this indifference must be mixed with your own personality. When you can do this, it will flow naturally and other players will have a more difficult time reading your emotions. Learning to cover up your tells is not easy. Many players will grow a beard to hide minute tensing of their jaw or wear sunglasses to hide the expression in their eyes.
Practice in front of the mirror and imagine the dealer gives the flop or you just received a pair of Aces. Notice how you react to each scenario. Reading poker books and watching poker DVDs can give you more great advice and soon you’ll be bluffing as good as Gaga.
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New Jersey Legalizes Online Poker
It’s official. New Jersey has now become the first state to legalize online poker, so put away your custom poker chip set and poker table supplies. If you recall, we talked about this subject about a month. The bill passed last week on January 10, with a 63-11 vote from the State Assembly. The Senate had previously passed the bill back in November with a 29-5 vote. The bill is now awaiting the signature of Governor Chris Christie. He has 45 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. If signing the bill slips his mind in those 45 days and no action is taken, the bill becomes law automatically. Christie hasn’t shown favor or disapproval for it so it is most likely that he will sign it.
If made law, it will take effect on July 4 (how patriotic!). It is not only limited to online poker, but will also allow other casino games and forms of gambling. No one is quite sure how this will affect the gambling industry, but it does mean that New Jersey players can only play online with other people from the state. Some players fear this will happen in other states, limiting the player pool to people within your own state. California is one of many states that are looking to pass similar bills. All eyes are now on New Jersey…
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Expanding Your Game Room Decor
I’m sure by now you’ve already purchased the poker table, the drink holders and the custom poker chip set. Maybe you’ve even gone as far as purchasing a custom table cloth, but now you’re ready to expand upon your game room decor. You got a cool poster and a poker clock last month for Christmas. What could possibly be left to purchase? I believe it’s time to turn the “poker room” into a full blown “game room.” Every game room needs a pool table. Just make sure the room is large enough to play. (Remember when Kramer and Mr. Costanza tried to play?) The Poker Shop offers a pool table that converts to an air hockey table so you don’t have to make the painful decision of only choosing one.
Another fun item to have is an arcade machine. I’m partial to Pac-Man, but I’m sure you can find whichever game you prefer to play. Don’t forget the drink and food cart or perhaps you have room to set up a full bar. Lame tiki signs are optional. Just be sure to purchase comfortable barstools and always have your bar fully stocked. With a few of these add-ons your game room can become the ultimate room to hang out in. Just be advised that your friends will probably never want to leave the room…ever.
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Tackling Intermediate Mistakes
The last blog was dedicated to the beginners of the bunch, but now it’s time to help out those who are a little more advanced. How do you know if you’re intermediate? You’ve seriously considered buying a custom poker chip set. Here are some of the most common mistakes:
- Not considering the strength of opponents’ hands. Of course the strength of your hand is important, but it really boils down to the cards your opponents are holding. You must direct your thought process to concentrating on the other players.
- Not tracking statistics. Most players do not do well at all games or all locations. Keep track of where you play your best.
- Being predictable. After a few hours at the same table, players will pick up on your betting habits. Change it up a bit and take them by surprise.
- Playing too many types of games. Intermediate players should focus on excelling at one game rather than trying to master them all.
- Thinking higher limits will help you win. If you can’t beat players at a lower-stakes game, I can guarantee you won’t have better luck with the higher-stakes players.
- Bad postflop folds. Intermediate players will player beautifully before the flop and then quickly fold afterward. They believe they need a very strong hand to win every time. Don’t be too cautious every hand, otherwise, you’ll rarely win.
Check back for more tips and in the meantime, check out the Poker Shop’s store for all your poker table supplies and decor.
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Common Beginner Mistakes
Last week we dabbled in poker jargon and today we’re going to talk about common mistakes that every poker player needs to avoid.
- Playing too many hands: Poker is very fun to play and we want to be involved in the game, however, many hands shouldn’t be played and you’ll end up losing money a lot faster.
- Playing beyond your limit: Some can’t control their betting and exceed the amount of money they can afford. Stick to a low limit and learn the game before leaping into a high-stakes game.
- Becoming too emotional: You win some, you lose some. Don’t let your emotions tamper with your judgment.
- Not following etiquette: Proper etiquette is not just for the dinner table. Learn the lingo, study the rules, and show you know how to play the game right.
- Imitating players: Not everyone is a good player and copying bad players will turn you into a bad player. Poker isn’t about mimicking. It’s a complex game that you have to learn and understand.
- Considering suit first: Many beginners will have a suited hand and play simply because it is suited. A suited hand is good, but you need to consider the ranks of the cards and if the cards are paired first.
To learn more techniques and mistakes to avoid, visit the Poker Shop for poker books and poker DVDs.
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Learnin’ the Lingo
Perhaps you’re new to the game of poker and a blank stare graces your face when you hear the words flop and river. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here is some of the jargon you should know before dabbling in a poker game.
- Blinds – A forced bet. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind and the person after him, pays the big blind.
- Ante – The minimum bet required to play a hand.
- Board – The community cards used by everyone.
- Flop – The first three community cards dealt in Texas Hold’em.
- Turn – The fourth card dealt in Texas Hold’em.
- River – The fifth and final card dealt in Texas Hold’em.
- Longhand – A poker game played by seven or more people.
- Outs – Cards that can improve your hand.
- Preflop – The betting round after you are dealt your two cards, but before any community cards are dealt.
- Tilt – When a player becomes over-aggressive and makes an irrational strategy.
Of course these are just a small handful, but they should be enough to get you started. There is a lot of lingo out there so don’t be ashamed if you haven’t memorized it all just yet. Stock up on a few poker books and poker DVDs and you’ll be ready to go in no time!
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Harry Reid Seeking to Legalize Online Poker
Just a few weeks ago we reported how New Jersey was looking to legalize online poker to help increase revenue. It appears the rest of the country wants a piece of the gambling pie. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is passing around a draft bill that would make online poker legal again in the US. In case you weren’t already aware, online poker become illegal in 2006 with the Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act.
Here’s the catch: the bill would only allow already existing casinos and slot-machine makers to run legal poker sites. The bill would set regulations and establish licensing requirements for companies. Of course it would help generate state and federal tax revenue. The casinos would each get a cut of the $25 billion generated each year. It seems likely that it will pass, but we’ll keep you updated. Barney Frank’s bill that sought to legalize all online gambling during the lame-duck Congress has very little chance at passing, however.
Currently, there are more than 2,000 online gambling sites run by offshore companies. About 15 million Americans play online poker alone. Until this bill gets passed, you can play poker at home or in casinos and purchase poker table supplies and game room decor from the Poker Shop.
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