Best Poker Books – Get Enriched With Poker Knowledge

posted in Online Poker

How can you determine the popularity of a sport? Is it the players’ count or the spectators’ count? There are two other aspects of this “Popularity” term.

  • A sport becomes popular and people start discussing about it.
  • People start discussing about a sport and it becomes popular.

Whatever the criterion and scenario of popularity is, poker online fits perfectly. Emerging trend of online gambling has made people mad after it because it’s not just a source of entertainment, but a money making mode as well. World class tournaments are no more limited to Tennis, Soccer, Cricket, or other court games. Just like Wimbledon, FIFA World Cup, ICC Championship, poker game has WSOP (World Series Of Poker Online) and WPT (World Poker Tour) to startle the online gamblers.

How Online Poker has influenced the writers to communicate their version of the game or to share their success stories? This writing is particularly about that aspect of poker game. The best books ever written on Poker are briefly discussed here that will surely tickle you to explore more about the game. Enjoy Reading!

Harrington on Hold ‘em Volume 1: Strategic Play (Author: Dan Harrington)

The book deals in no limit Hold’em tournaments with details of one of the best records and an in depth guide to the game. The main strength of this book is the Author Harrington as he was WSOP Main Event Winner in 1995. In 2003 and 2004, he was there in back to back final tables. Without any doubt, these two were considered as the best achievements in the history of online poker.

The book fairly guides the newbie as well as the revered players of the poker game particularly, of No Limit Hold’em Tournament participants. Players are provided with best strategies to build solid grounds during early hours of the play. Readers are also asked to go through a quiz that is of sample No Limit Hold’em Tournament carrying visual setup.

As the game revolves around players as well as their position, the book discusses less the mathematical probabilities. The Author has illustrated topics like playing hands according to positions, playing styles, and the continuation bets.

Harrington on Hold ‘em Volume 2: Endgame (Author: Dan Harrington)

As the name shows, the book is for intermediate and expert players. This is the 2nd Volume of Harrington’s series of books on No Limit Hold’em Tournaments. This volume again focuses the pure strategies of the game rather than mare discussion for the interest factor.

The first volume dealt with the initial hours of the game and this volume tells about how to close the game. Heads up play and shorthanded play strategies are thoroughly discussed in this book to sharpen the skills of online poker players. It’s the best recommendation to be in the library of all the poker lovers.

Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide (Author: Barry Greenstein)

This book is at second place with 96 rating points out of 100 total. It’s particularly for all those players who want to become professionally expert in this game. Unlike other books on Poker, in this one, the writer gives a philosophical approach to the game. He tells a player how to behave like a professional during the game. The illustration is made attractive with faces and places, popular in online poker.

The book is divided into three portions:

The Poker World: Deals about poker people that a player encounters during the game.

Philosophy: Deals with gambling, poker psyche, poker bankroll, and influence of the game over family life.

Advanced Play: Deals with real time examples of poker hands and the strategies to tackle any kind of tough situations during the game. The segment is supplemented with graphical demonstrations.

One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey “They Kid” Ungar (Author: Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson)

This book deals perfectly with the life history of Stu Unger, a well known player of online poker world. Unger, being the best poker player, has spent a life full of success stories as well as the tragedies.

Writers have justified the details about ups and downs of Unger’s Life; his childhood, his entrance into the gambling world, his victories in WSOP, his individual clashes, and also his fall down. This book, for sure, is a must read for poker lovers and the non-poker fans.

The Theory of Poker (Author: David Sklansky)

In this book, David Sklansky deals with all the variation strategies of the game. Fundamental Theorem of Poker is also discussed in this book along with implications and its influence over the game. The book has brought difference to the game of many expert players of present time.

The topics described in detail include bluffing, semibluffing, raising, deception, implied odds, game theory, free cards, heads up play, positions, and psychology. It’s not wrong to say that this is the finest book written over the game.

Play Poker Like the Pros (Author: Phil Hellmuth, Jr.)

Phil Hellmuth, author of the book, doesn’t need any words of gratitude. His introduction as a “Nine Time Champion of Poker” is enough for the reader to judge what level of information would be there in this book. Phil Hellmuth provides a poker player with complete strategies from scratch to end of the game. The writer has avoided any complicated technical details of the game to make it an easy read for those at startup of their poker career.

The describing style of Hellmuth is interesting as he addresses the needs of starters as well as advanced level players, dividing the strategy section of each game into two portions. He has advised all the players to adopt selective aggression style to be successful in the game. The cash game advice in the book is not that much influential as the tournament advice is.

How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Poker Or Super System (Author: Doyle Brunson)

The original title of the book is “How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Poker”, published in 1979; however, later on, the publishing companies change the title and made it “Super System” and “Super/System: A Course in Power Poker”.

The book is the most influential one for the poker lovers. The modern poker is based on the themes presented by Doyle Brunson in his book. Beginners will find little help from this book as the strategies are for advanced level players. The Book is quite old, but the merits it presents for the poker players still have no bounds.

Poker: The Real Deal (Author: Phil Gordon)

Phil Gordon has experience of playing at WPT and WSOP events, and has been appearing as poker expert in Celebrity Poker Showdown, that’s Bravo’s popular series. Gordon has presented his knowledge to arouse interest in non-poker fans about the game.

Rather than poker strategies, this book is more about poker lifestyle, dealing with variety of poker related topics. The discussion is carried out in a witty manner throughout the book.

Telling Lies and Getting Paid (Author: Michael Konik)

The book is all about gambling stories of WSOP, but in a non frictional way. The author has divided the book into two portions; the first one dealing with the inspiring gambling stories and the second one with his personal chronicle about WSOP. It’s not about poker strategy, but still a good read for all the poker fans.

The stories are about real time betting as well as online betting. Konik has been writing poker columns in national magazines and appearing as poker analyst in FSN’s Poker Superstars.

Big Deal (Author: Anthony Holden)

Holden is a British journalist and has written many other books (not related to poker). His decision to spend one year in poker world has materialized with the support of his book’s publishing company. He has contracted to write it, if his poker dream is funded. And yes, it happened. He got help of psychology, history, and literature to make the book read worthy for the poker fans. It can be said that this book is an excellent memoir of writer/poker professional.

What are you thinking about? Online poker is a real fun and a game of intense competition. Compensating the players, who can’t afford to visit land based casinos, poker websites are serving a great cause. After reading one or all of the books mentioned above, you will, no doubt, start playing poker. For expert players, the books are rich in poker related knowledge, to make them winners of the game.

Share your experience after exploring these poker books!

How To Become An Expert Online Poker Player? The Learning Doors

posted in Online Poker

“Knowledge is power”. The most common saying, but when this power brings financial benefits, then its significance increases many folds. For Players from every kind of sports, whether online or in real grounds, gaining knowledge is the key to success. Knowledge can be in the form of understanding the basics as well as staying in touch with the latest developments happening in a particular field.

Knowledge In Poker

For online poker players, gaining knowledge means development to become an expert and unbeatable player and enhancing the chances of winning. It doesn’t cost enough to gain poker relevant knowledge as internet is the rich and free source and accessible as well. Poker skills are not less than life skills and knowledge is necessary to sharpen these skills.

 

What Is Learning?

Learning is all about gaining knowledge, adopting behaviors, building skills, understanding values, making preferences, and extracting information of any kind.

Learning In Poker

Poker game is not a hard to learn task, as poker websites provide sufficient information to facilitate the players at their start up. Revered players learn from different other sources to enhance their capacity and give their competitors a tough time. All this, of course, will lead toward making more money out of this game.

Learning Resources for Poker

What are the best resources to learn poker? The most probable question from anyone, newbie or expert player. For answer, you need to read the lines below!


Training Videos as Source of Learning

The best tool to learn about poker game is the training videos of the revered players. For new blood in poker online, these videos are not less than an endowment. They can learn how the expert players play and what strategies they adopt at what time. All it doesn’t mean that watching videos will make you a hard to defeat player, experience plays its significant role. The thought process as adopted by the player in a training video may change from the real scene, where the situation may also vary.

Don’t forget to take notes while learning from a training video. Only those notes will be helpful which you can implement in your own game, or about the things that you find hard to understand.

Forum Discussions as Source of Learning

You have taken notes from the training videos, but want to discuss with other players or other experts to clear the mist in some topics, then forum discussions are the best way to go. Don’t get lost in forums that are filled with biased knowledge, instead, find some true knowledge based forums. In forums, people disagree, most of the times and here lies the beauty of discussion. Disagreement shouldn’t be returned with baseless disagreement. Discuss with reasons and logics, only that way, you can gain maximum advantage from your learning process.

 

Reading Books and Articles as Source of Learning

Book reading has always been a useful way to enhance knowledge; same is the case with poker related books. It’s not necessary to fully agree with the material provided in the books; you should read and analyze how the content can be helpful for you in real game. Just like books, articles are also rich source of learning about poker.

More Playing as Source of Learning

The best way to learn about poker game is to play more and review your game critically. You should implement all the strategies (according to situation) what you have learnt from the training videos, forum discussions, reading books and articles. That is the real use of knowledge and will benefit you in the long run.

Poker development is not dependent on one strategy; instead, it is a continuous process and players have to struggle hard to achieve their position and maintain that as well. You have to stay honest with your game and also with yourself. Keep on searching to reach the best strategies and new innovations about poker and make your game perfect. Making money through poker is your right, but providing poker websites with excellent game is your responsibility.

Keep The Learning Doors Open!

Make Your Poker Game Musical – Here’s The List!

posted in Online Poker

Poker – a game or fame, or leisure hobby, whatever you say is right. The game of youth has inspired the Hollywood celebrities; Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Anniston, Toby Maguire, David Schwimmer are just few names, there are many more who have poker as part of their life. Along with Hollywood entry, Poker shows at TV are also immensely popular among interested audiences. Charity based poker has given new heights to its fame.

Beverly Hills is the venue for No Limit Texas Hold’em, where a new celebrity joins the scheduled tournaments every Friday. Chris Weitz, The American Pie fame, played at the top tables of the poker tournament against the top winners. The rules are usually relaxed for the celebrities; they can play directly at the top tables without passing through the elimination rounds. Despite this relaxation, celebrities also enjoy their defeat in the game, because still they are promoting the game through huge fan following.

Do you think it’s just Hollywood, having the poker touch? Singers are not less than an inch behind to promote poker online through their songs. You can find it in the lines below!

Kenny Rogers – Singing “The Gambler”

If you say the song is at top of the poker songs’ list, then it’s true. The song depicts the real poker sense.

Lady Gaga – Singing Poker Face

Who doesn’t know Lady Gaga, a name that carries enormous fame! You will always see a different theme in her videos and same exists in her Poker Face song that is full of fun. Poker Face is among top 40 songs of Lady Gaga and is the most popular song about Poker game at present.

Of A Revolution – Singing That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker

The song is about craziness of the poker. It’s often telecasted in TV shows based on poker game.

Suzanne Vega – Singing No Cheap Thrill

Suzanne Vega herself is a very good poker player and her song is excellent depiction of poker night that a player is about to join. She asks them to get ready for the real fun and don’t shy away.

Grateful Dead – Singing Deal

The singer guides the poker players in this song to make cautious moves while playing the cards and follow the strategies timely.

Blood, Sweat and Tears – Singing Go Down Gambling

The song is a spirit for those who are running down. It tells them to go with gambling in wait of their luck coming back once again.

Leonard Cohen – Singing The Stranger

The song revolves around the poker game and its metaphors. Every poker fan might have this song in his collection.

The Animals – Singing House of The Rising Sun

The song is not completely about poker, but has little relevance. It’s about two generations spending time in New Orleans’ casinos.

Motohead – Singing The Ace Of Space

The rock hard song is all about poker. “The only thing you see, you know it’s gonna be, the ace of spades”.

Corb Lund – Singing All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards

There is nothing else left to say about the song, the lyrics tell the whole thing. The song is based in country music.

 

With the evolution of online poker, you can make your own casino, sitting in the comfy sofa of your living room, playing poker songs, signing in with your favorite online poker room (think twice before you decide), increasing the bankroll through bonuses, and proving your gaming skills for the final prize money. What else do you want? Spend less and earn more, play from your own home, but don’t forget to choose one best song from the list mentioned above.

Make Your Poker Musical!

Top Hollywood Movies Carrying The Poker Approach

posted in Online Poker

Media capturing tournaments, attentive spectators, rush of players, great prizes, amazing bonuses, the poker story doesn’t end here; Hollywood is equally contributing toward the popularity of the thrilling online games. Big screen fans are watching poker as part of the movies; some portray the online poker game in perfect manner, while others have made it ridiculous.

If you want to see poker movies, then here is the list with brief description:

Rounders – A John Dahl’s Direction

Released in the last decade, Rounders is considered to be the best movie on Poker game that has given fame to the high stake poker game. The main characters of the movie, Edward Norton and Mat Damon, kept on trying to win the money so as to get rid of their gambling debts. Another significant thing about the movie is Johnny Chan, a WSOP champion, who also played a role in the movie.

Maverick – A Richard Donner production

If you have watched Mel Gibson’s movies, then you will find Maverick a different approach. The movie is full of fun, though didn’t capture fully the real poker game. Mel Gibson was on hunt of money making through poker tournament.

California Split – a Robert Altman’s direction

The movie revolves around the routine life of two gamblers, Elliote Gould and George Segal. Unhappy ending, typical to Altman’s movies, is also here in California Split. Amarillo Slim, a poker legend, has also performed in the movie.

The Cincinnati Kid – A Direction Of Norman Jewison

The movie is all about Stud Poker online game. There is a battle between Steve Macqueen, The Kid, and Edward G. Robinson, The Man, both showing the best poker scenes that poker lovers might not have seen any where before. The movie is also known because of the dialogues that became popular among the players.

Lock, Stock, and Two smoking barrels – a rocking movie

You might not see the real card action in the movie, but still you can enjoy the real action, comedy, as well as the stress that Poker players have to face. A player starting from £25,000 rigged, and ending at £500,000 in his bank account; all it means the story might be really about poker game.

The Sting – A George Roy Hill direction

You will see more information about card sharking rather than about the poker game. One thing is sure that you will not repent over your time being spent there to enjoy the fun present in the movie. The movie is based on true stories about con game. Paul Newman, an Academy award winner, is in the movie as the best con artist.

High Roller – Tale Of A Poker Champ

The movie is about Stu Unger, the youngest champion of WSOP Main Event Poker for three times, an unbreakable record till now. However, Phil Hellmuth grabbed the title of youngest poker player nine years later. Michael Imperioli has justified the role of Stu Unger in the movie, giving tough time to the opponents in the game, but a desperate soul in real life.

Casino Royale – The Latest Hit

The movie is not just about poker game, but it looks like a real deal. The game gets dirty, when the players have high stakes. The movie is considered as the best movie of all the times that are specifically made over the poker game.

Futurama – Into The Wild Green Yonder

The story of the movie is interesting because the parents of Amy, makes a big casino at Mars. Fry is being able to hear, what people think, and he utilizes this ability to play at different tournaments.

 

The list will not witness an end, because more and more movies will come over the topic in near future. After grabbing the right attention of the media as well as the players, online poker will see an increase in the popularity graph. That’s what the poker business revolves around and that’s what the poker players are looking for.

Poker Online – From Finding A Site To Winning The Game

posted in Online Poker

Looking for an online gambling site….? What do you come across? The claims and offers. Most of the online casinos will say like

  • “Come, we are among top ten”
  • “Hey, we are RTG supported”
  • “Unbelievable 400% sign up bonus”
  • ‘We have the best and latest slot games”
  • “Your game is totally free, are you ready?”
  • ‘We are available 24/7”

Do you think all these claims are true to believe? Obviously not! You have to consider many aspects before deciding about one particular online poker site. Here is the guide!

User Friendly Software

Though poker website software should be supported by Real Time Gaming, but user friendliness is another very important factor that makes a website popular. It should run smoothly and should make gambling full of fun.

High Site Traffic

You will enjoy your game, if there are more opponents playing at the tables. Rush of people at the site shows the popularity of the site as well as the quality of the games offered there.

 

Games Of Your Choice

For common games, you don’t have to make hard efforts, but for uncommon games, you need to look for some specific sites offering those games.

24/7 Customer Care

A player always wants to have the query clearly answered at the poker online website. It means customer support should always be quick either through email, telephone, or even the chat.

Low Competition More Winning Chances

You can choose to play at the sites where the competition is low; hence your chances to win the prize money would increase. The negative aspect about playing at these sites is the poor excitement while playing.

VIP Rewards Against More Investment

The more money you invest in the game, if you are a high stake player, higher would you get the rewards; that’s what you really want from playing at a particular site.

Is There Any Free Money?

Free initial deposit bonus is the most appealing factor for the players. What else do you want other than getting the same money returned to you that you have deposited at the startup?

Reviews Will Tell You The Story

Before choosing any particular website for playing poker, look for the reviews from experienced players. Positive reviews mean you can trust the website, because it enjoys good repute among the players.

Well known websites provide you with the best gaming experience and excellent services along with the trustworthiness they have won.

Tips For The Beginners

If you are a fresh player at any poker website, you need to be cautious in the start. Here are some tips to help you in playing a good game and enhancing your gaming skills.

  • Avoid playing many hands consecutively
  • Keep an eye on the tables to know what strategies your opponents are using
  • Fold, if you get more bad hands
  • Avoid display of emotions, but try to read other’s emotions; you will come up with better strategies to play

Advantages Of Online Poker

Why to join the online poker sites instead of land based casinos? There are certain advantages for the players at their startup.


  • Online poker is speedy.
  • It is easily accessible.
  • The deals at online poker rooms are fast without any dealer error.
  • Multi-tabling is the best advantage a player can have at the online poker rooms. The more hands you play the more would be the chances to make money.
  • You can get expertise because it provides you with the time, opportunities, and resources to learn.
  • The competition is low compared to the land based casinos.
  • You don’t have to pay tip to the dealers.
  • You can play at your comfort and at whatever time you want.
  • You can get free credits at different poker websites; therefore, make a wise choice for a particular poker room.

Playing at poker online websites is, no doubt, amazing, but right selection of the poker room is of utmost importance. Once you have decided to play online, learn the rules of the game. You should have complete knowledge about the games of your choice, and also about the terms and conditions implemented by a particular poker room. Once you are at the table, focus the game, analyze the opponents, and set your strategies accordingly. This is the way to make a winning game.

Find luck!

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