Have you ever done any boxing? If so, you certainly are familiar with the “One-Two Punch.” It’s quite common as an aggressive maneuver in boxing. According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, it is “a sequence of two quick punches, esp. a jab with the left hand followed at once by a hard blow with the right.” We can also apply it to playing poker. In that case, a broader definition is more appropriate: “Any sequence of two related actions for a specific result.”

Just as in boxing, the poker One-Two Punch can be quite effective. Many skilled poker players use it as a significant part of their bluffing strategy whether they’re playing live in a brick and mortar poker room or online at US-facing sites or other internet poker rooms.

boxing gloves

By the way, I have heard recreational players say that they “never bluff.” If that is indeed so, then I expect that they rarely enjoy a winning session – if ever. If they were smart, they would learn all the ins and outs about bluffing before going back to the casino to play whatever variety of poker they prefer. (Reference: The Art of Bluffing; contact [email protected])

I often use the One-Two Punch in limit Texas hold’em when I have have a strong drawing hand, especially on the turn followed by the river bet – if necessary. Here’s a typical example:

In a middle position, you stare down at QhJh in the hole. You pay to see the flop along with four opponents – no raises. The flop substantially improves your hand: 10h-8h-2c

The Big Blind (BB) opens the betting on the flop. The next two players muck their cards. Studying your hand, you have a draw to a big flush plus a draw to a Queen-high inside straight. That gives you 12 good outs (nine hearts + three nines – excluding the 9h which was already counted among the nine hearts). Any one of these would almost surely give you the winning hand. Using the 4-2 Rule, the card odds against connecting either on the turn or the river, are only 1.2-to-1. A quick glance at the pot, and it’s quite apparent that the pot odds are well in your favor – a Positive Expectation. With the turn and the river to come, calling the bet is an easy decision.

The turn is a blank, missing all of your outs. The BB bets out again. What do you know about this player? Having observed their playing during previous hands, you read them as a loose-aggressive player – certainly not tight. They have a wide range of possible hands.

What’s more, this is a perfect situation to use the One-Two Punch. Your “left-hand jab” – POW! – is a raise. It’s also a semi-bluff. You have a fairly good chance of connecting on the river. (The odds are less than 3-to-1 against you.) The other opponents muck their hands; so now, it is just you and the BB. If they decide to fold, the pot is yours. But, after some hesitation, they call your raise.

The river is another blank. Chances are it missed the BB too. They quickly check to you. Chances are that their hand will beat yours if you check back and have a showdown. (All you have is Q-high.) Now comes the second part of your poker One-Two Punch. Without hesitation, glance at your hole cards and bet out with confidence – POW! – using the Esther Bluff tactic to make your bet even more convincing that you have a powerful hand. Bingo! He folds – and you win a decent-size pot even without connecting. POW! POW!

George Epstein ad

Poker, whether played live or online, is primarily played for money. There are really no two ways about it and almost every professional out there will admit to it. If there were no money in poker, many of the most passionate game aficionados would move on or would continue to play a bit here and there but would most definitely not spend hours upon hours rattling chips or clicking away on their mouse.

Even so, there is a case for trying play money poker games. Although you’ll never get rich this way (you’ll also never lose a dime!), play money poker can be quite entertaining as a hobby. On top of that, it can be an effective learning tool for complete newcomers, give you sense for what the game is all about, etc. So, without further ado, here are five reasons people ought to try play money poker games.

Zynga Poker

1. Play money poker is a great starting point

I’m not a big fan of play money games – never have been and never will be. Yet, we can’t deny the fact that this can be a great setting for those just finding out about poker and taking their first steps towards understanding the game. From a purely strategic viewpoint, it can be dangerous to learn from play money games as you’ll see many illogical, irrational moves, which definitely won’t help you get better at the game.

However, you can still apply fundamental strategy concepts to these games and see firsthand how they work without risking any actual cash. For example, whether you’re playing for plastic chips, virtual currency, or real money, a healthy starting hand selection remains pivotal to long-term success. So, you can train yourself in the fine art of patience and playing with only good starting hands, and if you can bring yourself to do it in play money games, you’ll definitely have no problem doing things right on real money tables.

2. There is still a sense of achievement

Although winning money may be the primary motivation for playing poker, it is definitely not the only one. Some people do enjoy game simply for its competitive aspect and find great satisfaction in beating others for heaps of play money chips or finishing first in a tournament with several thousand other players, even if they don’t become any richer for it. In fact, there are many people who enjoy playing slots games for play money, where there is no skill involved at all, so it only makes sense that they’d enjoy play money poker just the same, if not more.

Finishing 1-2 in the biggest buy-in play money tournament ever – 1B play chips: @barrygreenstein (13.95B) and @CMONEYMAKER (9.3B)

— Kevin Mathers (@Kevmath) March 30, 2015

3. Play money games can help you adjust to new software

Even if you’re an experienced player, it takes a bit of time to adjust to new online poker software. If you’re transitioning to a network you’d never played on before, you’re likely to face a client that you aren’t familiar with. Jumping straight in on real money tables could cost you some money due to mis-clicks, timeouts, etc.

online poker lobby

So, spending a bit of time on play money tables instead can be a good idea. It will give you a sense of where different buttons and sliders are located, how they behave, and if there is anything you should be careful about. You can test the slider and button sensitivity, check if the mouse wheel can be used to adjust raise sizes, etc.

4. Occasional play money poker session can be a blast

Even if you are used to playing for real money, taking a seat in a play money poker game here and there can be a lot of fun. An experienced player can afford to go crazy in these games and have a blast without worrying it will influence his or her strategy on real money tables. So, if you feel like just having some good fun without having to strain your brain too much, a play money session might be a good idea.

Drinking beer from a can and playing play-money poker online. The new Friday night turn up.

— Donnie Peters (@Donnie_Peters) September 3, 2016

In fact, whether you play on a pure play-money site like Zynga or a real money site with a big play money pool, like PokerStars, you’ll find that games aren’t that easy on the highest stakes. Even though there is plenty of splashing at low stakes, as you move up, games become progressively tougher to play.

5. Play money tables are excellent for remote home games

Finally, if you want to set up a friendly home game but it is hard to get all your buddies together at the same live location, play money tables online can be a great alternative. Many of the sites offering play money games will let you set up a private tournament or an invitation-only cash table, so you can make sure there are no strangers crashing the party.

As long as it is a group of people that know each other very well, you can even agree on a buy-in and settle things in person at some point down the line. So, you’ll get all the convenience of a private home game with no one having to leave their home and no one having to play the host, taking care of snacks and beers. Of course, there is nothing stopping you from preparing a few cold ones before you start to really create a proper home game feeling!

Editor’s note: Cardplayer Lifestyle is proud to debut a new, weekly feature entitled “Strategy with Stas.” Each and every Sunday, we will bring you a new lesson in article + video format put together by Stas Tishkevich, founder of the Poker Fighter Training App. We invite you to “meet” Stas through the brief video and written introduction below. It is followed by Stas’ first poker strategy lesson. We hope you enjoy this new feature and would be happy for you to share these posts — as well as your feedback — on social media.

Introduction: What am I trying to accomplish?

For many years I’ve been coaching poker, and the main thing I have understood is that this game is not an easy game to learn, especially when using conventional methods such as books, long videos, etc.

Because of that, I decided that I would find a better, quicker path to learning and teaching the game in order to help anyone who wants to improve their own poker skills, regardless of their theoretical level and experience.

In order to quickly close the theoretical gap between amateurs and pros, I will use the Poker Fighter School, which is a free online poker school that offers short 1-minute analysis videos of various poker spots, from pre-flop until the river.

But theory is not enough. In order to quickly close the practical gap between amateurs and pros I will use the Poker Fighter Training App, an advanced tool that helps you gather experience without risking any real money, while getting instant feedback and advice from professional players.

I will be utilizing both of these tools in a series of short articles that will combine 1-minute analysis video along with a brief analysis text with my own thinking process, from the pre-flop up until the river. I will try to include elements of both a GTO approach as well as exploitative strategies so that you will learn how to adapt to various player types.

Let’s take your poker game to the next level!

Lesson #1: Two Pair on a Made-Flush Board

Pre-Flop

Action is folded to us and we see King-Queen offsuit at the dealer position. We will open-raise from this position at least 42% of possible starting hands, and King-Queen offsuit is at the middle of our opening range, so we should always open-raise this hand in this spot.

The small-blind calls, and now it’s time for us to think about the most important thing in poker – what is the opponent’s range, meaning what hands will he play like this.

If we think the opponent is a loose-passive player type, as the majority of players at low stakes are, we can assume he plays like this mostly pocket-pairs (22-TT), suited aces (A2s-AJs), broadways (JT-AT, QJ-AJ, KQ), and maybe suited connectors (32s-T9s). Looser players can also call with low suited kings (K2s-K9s), suited one-gappers (42s-T8s), and offsuit hands like T9o, Q9o, J9o etc.

We are ahead of this range with our King-Queen offsuit, and feeling pretty good about this spot given positional advantage and initiative.

Flop

The flop comes AhKh5d and the small-blind checks to us. We need to decide between checking behind or betting our hand.

If we want to bet we need to find a good reason, in this case betting for thin-value and protection.

Betting for thin-value means we think that not many weaker hands will call our bet, but they still exist. We look for a call from weaker made hands (King with lower kicker for example), flush draws (T9hh for example), or gutshot straight draws (QJ for example).

Betting for Protection means that we want to take down the pot now and look for a fold from hands that can still improve to a better hand than ours if we check the flop, such as pocket pairs that can turn into a set.

We decide to bet, and choose a sizing of ~2/3 of the pot, as it is a draw-heavy flop and the small blind calls.

Turn

The turn comes Qh and we face an interesting spot. Although our hand improved to two pair, the queen of hearts completes a possible flush, that our opponent can definitely have. Again we face a similar decision to the flop – bet for thin value and protection, or check behind for pot control and bluff-catching.

Summary

The main point we need to understand here on the turn is that although we have two pair, our hand is only a medium made hand, and if we face a check-raise, our decision should normally be folding without hesitation.

Ed. Note: Cardplayer Lifestyle is happy to introduce this first in a series of recurring articles by Christina Bradfield entitled “What the Flop?” a poker column about the absurdities, humor, and just “random stuff” that goes along with playing poker.

It’s amazing that I’ve been around poker as long as I have, spoken about it, dreamed about the Main Event at the WSOP, which I had no idea that I’d one day be working at, and just remembered that it’s an evolving game. Duh Christina, I know, but poker has rules and structure and statistics. Yet, at the same time it’s instinct, feel, innate talent, reading people, and the charisma of the top player; the player that is rare in a generation that blows the rest of the competition away.

I’m an amateur player and will always be one. After watching Rounders and being caught up in all things poker, wanting to play until it felt like my poker chair was superglued to my behind, and I catch myself wondering when the last time I went to the bathroom was, I emerged on the other end realizing that I was much more interested in the social element of the game. I love speaking about it with other poker players, and the energy at the WSOP is palpable, giving me head rush as I open the door on my way to the Brasilia or Amazon room. Most of my friends in Vegas are in the poker industry, and are able to connect to me in a way most can’t.

I’m not interested in playing professionally, but I know enough to visit sites like pokersites.io if I wanted to start learning the game better. Poker is a fun social time for me — well, depending on my table’s personality or lack of one. As my mom would say, some players have the charisma of a number 1 pencil. Yes, not even number 2, a number 1. I love getting ready to play, (we’ll talk about dressing for the poker room in a later column), love my Commerce fruit cup that’s $1.95 if that’s where I’m playing, love seeing how long my rack lasts, or how much it can go up. I get excited seeing friends there. That said, seeing friends is how I learned my latest poker lesson.

commerce casino poker

A sea of poker tables at Commerce Casino

I hadn’t seen this particular friend since the WSOP and I was excited to catch up. We ended up getting there at the same time and that’s when I started to realize just how different our poker lives were. Let’s just say I play with the masses in the pit at this enormous card club (nicer than it sounds) while he plays not just in another room, but one that has its own safe deposit boxes and supervisors. I felt like it was the first time I’d ever been in a poker room, as I was wide eyed while trying to hide my squee in my head. There wasn’t a seat available where he played yet, so he asked the question that I now know I will always have a different response to in that moment:

“Can I sweat your rail while I wait?”

The answer now would be “No. NO. NO!” However, at the time I said “Sure!” We walked down to my area and his area would call him when his seat would be ready. At my level, if you miss your name being called, you’re out of luck and it wisps away like the wind. He sits behind me, and tells me to lift every hand so he can see it properly. I’m used to squeezing my cards low when I look at them, but I acquiesce.

It had been a while since someone sweated me, the last time being a date who thought it’d be fun to watch me play for three hours. It’s not and I’ve since learned to NOT go on a date while at a card club. The one and only time I met another player there for a date, he ended up talking trash at the table, that this was wayyyy below his limit, yet he ended up getting spanked and hit the ATM multiple times. There was not another date.

My friend sat there watching me and started grunting like a labor coach seeing how I played my hands. And then he uttered phrases of “Oh my God” loud enough that my table stared at me. And yes, I was at a table where it was definitely number 1 eraser charisma. The grunting and intermittent phrases escalated until I was sweating copiously and cheered internally when his seat was called and he left. He’s still a good friend and I learned a very good lesson about boundaries.

Boundaries are important, stay true to them.

— Brooke Taylor 🕉 (@btaylormusic) January 17, 2019

I’m all for learning to up my game, plug whatever leaks I need, etc. But not with someone who regularly kills it at a much higher level watching from behind. It’s like me playing with someone who doesn’t know if a straight beats a flush or vice versa. I’m good with whatever level someone’s at, and I’m good at what level I’m at. I enjoy myself, know why I’m there, and enjoy all the carnival atmosphere of playing poker. And yes, it’s not the first grunting I’ve ever heard at the table, but for different reasons. I love poker, while also knowing my place in the scheme of things.

And yes, I’m still excited at the thought of that fruit cup…

The year in poker is already off to a great start, as the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) kicked off 2019 with a bang.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) traditionally marks the peak of the poker year, taking place during the summer, but there are a number of can’t-miss poker festivals taking place around the world between now and then.

It’s impossible to list them all — and we won’t even get into online poker festivals, including at sites where you can play poker with bitcoin, as that’s beyond the scope of this article — but let’s take a look at seven of the best live poker festivals coming up during the first few months of 2019.

Aussie Millions: January 15–February 4 (Crown Casino, Melbourne)

The 2019 Aussie Millions is already up and running, but there’s still time to make it down to the Crown Casino in Melbourne and be a part of one of the longest-running major poker festivals in the world.

The 27-event schedule features plenty of big buy-in events for high rollers, including the newly added $25k Pot-Limit Omaha event. Other big money events include the trio of the $25k, $50k and $100k Challenge tournaments, and even if you’re not looking (or able) to play at those stakes, the Aussie Millions is still a great opportunity for fans to watch some of the biggest names in poker and enjoy the southern hemisphere summer.

#AussieMillions 10 Seat Guarantee official numbers: 341 entries, 261 Addons equals TWENTY ONE Main Event Seats & $100 cash for 22nd!!
Don’t forget there’s FOUR MORE 10 Seat Guarantee satellites coming… pic.twitter.com/ZfaWqMAmY8

— Crown Poker (@CrownPoker) January 6, 2019

The $10k Main Event gets rolling on January 27, and it’s looking like this year’s tournament could actually top the record-breaking numbers set in 2018. A total of 800 players registered for last year’s Main Event, with Toby Lewis taking town the championship for A$1,458,198.

World Cup of Cards: January 20-February 6 (Playground Poker Club, Kahnawake, Quebec)

Perhaps the most unique festival on this list, the World Cup of Cards features three big-money guarantee events and a lineup of smaller buy-in tournaments that showcase some of poker’s lesser-known variants.

The 26-event schedule kicks off with a $50k guaranteed Tag Team event, and also includes tournaments like the Crazy Pineapple 8-max 50/50 Bounty, Short Deck Hold’em Re-entry, and Roll the Dice mixed game 8-max.

Are you ready? Winter’s Hottest Festival kicks off this Sunday!
The @WorldCupofCards returns with over $2,000,000 in GTD Prize Pools!https://t.co/i3oHkWzuX4#PlaygroundPoker #Poker #Montreal #Kahnawake#WCC2019 #WPTDSMontreal #TagTeam #MILLIONSNorthAmerica #partypokerLIVE #CPPT pic.twitter.com/6Cby6YDC09

— Playground Poker (@PlaygroundPoker) January 16, 2019

The partypoker LIVE Grand Prix Canada is one of the three big money events on schedule, and we can expect a huge field for the $500k guaranteed prize pool with a buy-in of just $200.

Both the Card Player Poker Tour and the World Poker Tour are also staging events during this festival, with the CPPT running a $1,500 buy-in, $250,000 guaranteed event. The World Cup of Cards Main Event is the WPT Deepstacks $1,500 buy-in, with a guaranteed prize pool of $750k.

888poker LIVE London Kickoff: February 7-10 (Aspers Casino, London)

888poker kicks off its live event schedule with a four-day, £440 buy-in tournament in London featuring a £120,000 guaranteed prize pool.

This event is perfect way to take a quick trip to the English capital and enjoy what is sure to be a fun, festive, and affordable event. 888poker is currently running satellite qualifiers that start at as little as $0.01!

888poker ambassadors Vivian Saliba, Chris Moorman, and 2014 WSOP Main Event champion Martin Jacobson will all be on hand for the event, and the LIVE London Kickoff festival could be the ultimate long weekend poker trip you need to take this winter.

WSOP International Circuit: March 14-April 1 (King’s Casino, Rozvadov)

The WSOP International Circuit stops by one of the world’s premier poker destinations for a three-week event, culminating in the €1,103,500 guaranteed Main Event that kicks off on March 29.

The €1,550 buy-in Main Event is one of 15 WSOP-C ring events on the schedule, with other opportunities to grab a coveted ring coming in tournaments like the €225 buy-in Mini Main Event, €5k High Roller, and €1,850 PLO Highroller 8-max.

This event plays like a mini-WSOP, with numerous poker variants, but featuring affordable buy-ins.

WSOP

Image courtesy of WSOP.com

partypoker MILLIONS South America: March 15-24 (Copacabana Palace Hotel, Rio de Janeiro)

The first of four partypoker MILLIONS live festivals on the calendar for 2019 comes to Rio de Janeiro in March and features a $10k buy-in Main Event with a massive $5 million guaranteed prize pool.

Plenty of online and live qualifiers are expected for this tournament, as partypoker is already running satellites and expects the number of qualifiers to exceed 200. partypoker will also be putting a number of $12k prize packages up for grabs in the weeks leading up to the MILLIONS South America, so we’ll be sure to see a mix of pros and amateurs in the field trying to capture their part of the huge prize pool.

An added treat for the local poker fans, it has also just been announced that Phil Hellmuth will be in the mix this year, and is set to be playing in South America for the very first time.

The MILLIONS South America schedule also includes various low buy-in events, as well as $10k and $25k High Rollers. MILLIONS Main Event winners will get their names inscribed on the new traveling trophy that partypoker is introducing this season.

Irish Poker Open: April 15-22 (Citywest Hotel, Dublin)

If you’re into poker and all things Irish, Dublin is likely on your list of want-to-go destinations (and it should be). Look no further than the Irish Poker Open as your opportunity.

This festival has been running strong since 1981 (it’s the world’s second oldest, with only the WSOP outranking it), and this year features a schedule of 27 events with buy-ins ranging from €150 to €2,000. The €1,150 Main Event comes with a guaranteed prize pool of €1 million, so you could be leaving Dublin with a big payday.

Live Satellite this Sunday in Dublin – https://t.co/Yj9h87sGBX pic.twitter.com/4DHpdaKh9C

— Irish Open (@Irish_PokerOpen) January 3, 2019

Ryan Madara did just that last year, taking down the Main Event for €210,000. He outlasted a field of 1,340 players, and the guarantee far exceeded the €1 million mark, ending up at €1,347,164.

EPT Monte Carlo: April 25-May 4 (Monte Carlo Casino, Monte Carlo)

It would probably be pretty tough not to enjoy 10 days of poker fun in Monte Carlo, and the European Poker Tour offers just such an opportunity when the EPT Monte Carlo commences this spring.

The €5,300 Main Event will run from April 29-May 4. Last year’s Main Event final table featured a star-studded lineup that included David Peters, Patrik Antonius, and Ole Schemion. The tournament winner, however, was Frenchman Nicolas Dumont, who took home the first prize of €712,000 and a $30k Platinum Pass package.

EPT Monte Carlo

Image courtesy of PokerStars

The EPT Monte Carlo schedule includes 41 events with buy-ins ranging from €130 all the way up to nosebleed tournaments like the €25k High Roller and €100k Super High roller.

There are two kinds of books I love the most; biographies and history books. Gardena Poker Clubs: A High-stakes History by Max Votolato ticks both boxes for me, as it is both a biography and a history book. It isn’t your old high school history book though. It has gambling, gangsters, robbers, bombings, gunfights, shady politicians, dirty lawyers, celebrities, you name it… all the fun stuff!

Throughout the book, Max does an amazing job bringing the drama to life. He tells the story like he was there, and he has this natural ability to make the reader feel as though they were there too! Max spent nearly 10 years researching for this book, which pretty much makes him the leading authority on the history of poker on the West Coast!

Gardena Poker Clubs

I didn’t know anything about the California poker scene, current or past. A great thing about not knowing anything about the West Coast poker scene, much less Gardena’s history, is that I did not see the final twist in the plot coming at the end. If you are already familiar with the Gardena casinos, finding out how they got where they are today is going to seriously blow your mind! No joke, it is nothing short of a modern day-Old West gunslinger tale, but instead of gun duels in the dirt road in front of the saloon, the drama unfolds in the courtroom and spills out into the streets. The outcome is no less deadly, as people’s livelihoods are at stake. It truly is a high-stakes history!

I had never heard of Gardena, but I was familiar with this small town called Primm, which is located 40 miles south of Las Vegas off Interstate 15. I knew a little bit about Primm because it is one of the cities I looked into while researching potential places to move after my son Landon graduates from High School. We live in freezing cold, snowy Minnesota where there are no legal cash games in casinos, so I have been looking at every possible option of places to move to in Nevada for the future. Primm gets its name from Ernie Primm, the pioneer of draw poker clubs in Depression-era California, more specifically the poker capital of the world, Gardena. So, I was surprised when I got the Gardena Poker Clubs: A High-Stakes History book in my hand to discover the gentleman on the cover was Ernie Primm.

Gateway to Primm, NV. The town named after Gardena Poker Godfather, Ernie Primm.
Check out https://t.co/3WARf7HuiE pic.twitter.com/L4sCk7ZG1P

— Max Votolato (@Votolato) January 23, 2016

In contrast to all the shady characters fighting to be the king on top of the hill of the card room mecca is Ernie, who played all the hands dealt to him like a professional poker player; with class! In an environment that was filled with sketchy politicians and business owners with plenty of potential for corruption and scandal, Ernie remained humble with integrity. That is not an easy feat when you are the patriarch of a poker monopoly in which gangsters and crooked investment groups are fighting for their piece of the pie. Of course, Mr. Primm was the very face of evil from the point of view of all the church groups that were trying their hardest to topple Ernie’s house of cards. Can’t make everyone happy, I guess!

The book clocks in at a relatively brief 160 pages, and it’s a quick read to be sure. If audio books are more your cup of tea, Votolato’s work is available in that format as well.

https://t.co/p9TqkYsJ13

— Max Votolato (@Votolato) October 13, 2018

If you are at all into poker history and stories of how things came to be, as well as the charismatic people that made it happen then this is the book for you. It brings people and places from the past alive and it makes going and visiting the existing place more dynamic and vibrant. I never had any plans on visiting the Los Angeles area, but after reading Gardena Poker Clubs: A High-Stakes History, I can’t wait to go. I would want to take Max Votolato along as my personal tour guide though. 🙂

The old saying, “use it or lose it,” refers to our aging brains and muscles. As we get older – we all do (until, perish the thought, we die) – our physical and mental capacities experience substantial changes. Poker can play a key role in helping us use our brains, so that we don’t lose them!

During our earlier years, our muscles grow stronger and our brains gain knowledge and get sharper; but a point is reached when it all starts going downhill. This is especially likely after retirement. We aren’t as spry as we used to be; we can no longer compete on the basketball court, and we start to find it harder to recall things from our memory bank – and it unfortunately gets worse with time.

Let’s focus on the brain and the game of poker. The ability to analyze situations and make tough decisions is essential if you want to be a winner at the live poker tables or when playing at one of the top online poker sites. The doctors call it cognitive performance.

Alzheimers

Image used for illustrative purposes only

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in ten (10 percent) people aged 65 or older has Alzheimer’s. This year, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the U.S. $277 billion. By 2050, that amount could quadruple, reaching $1.1 trillion!

Based on my own experience and observations, I firmly believe that mental challenges will help our brains to function well as we age in years. Exercising the brain helps it grow stronger and retain its knowledge even as we reach our eighties and beyond. One of my seniors poker group at the Claude Pepper Senor Center in Los Angeles, explained it to us. Graciella was a PhD psychologist in Hungary, and her husband was a brain surgeon. Exercising the brain encourages the neurons (brain cells) and brain connectors (called the synapses) to multiply and get stronger – just as does exercising our body muscles.

That conforms with my observation that, of the over 200 members in our seniors’ poker group, not a single one is known to have developed Alzheimer’s disease. Yes, these are limited statistics; but they strongly suggest a health value for playing poker that you may never have considered.

A special column in its Science File in a December 2018 issue of the Los Angeles Times was entitled “Is it ‘use it or lose it’ with an aging brain?” It provides pertinent research information that would lead us to recognize that there are, in fact, significant age-related declines in mental performance. But, those who engage in mentally challenging activities – like playing poker – can expect to build a “cognitive reserve,” pushing healthy, operational mental functions further ahead in time.

Can we prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease?

Many billions of dollars have been spent in seeking medical means for preventing, deferring, or curing dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. But not a single drug has proven effective.

My suggestion: Let’s spend a small fraction of that amount (plus expert time and effort) to study the idea that playing poker on a regular basis may be the best – and least costly – solution to this dilemma. And, besides, it’s great fun to play poker; and it also provides highly desirable and enjoyable social interaction. Try it; most likely you will enjoy it…

In case you are interested, I am 92 – and shooting for 122 while still playing recreational poker several days a week. The other days, I get my physical exercise at the local senior center… 

George Epstein ad

Legal poker all over the world!

I almost wrote “legal poker throughout the United States,” but would I only ask for peace for my own country? Of course not. Oh, and world peace would be nice, too.

santa poker

People Play Many Different Games for Money

Poker, in tournament form, is no different than any other competitive tournament. I understand why cash games need to be regulated differently, but tournament poker is a very different animal. Consider similar games that people play for money.

In a nine-ball tournament, everyone pays an entry fee and the winners earn pieces of the prize pool based on finish position. The payouts are fairly similar to a poker tournament. The most skilled player doesn’t always win, but they have the best chance. And anyone who has the entry fee can usually play.

Fast Eddie Felson : “Hey, I’m back!”

THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986)
Directed by Martin Scorsese#PaulNewman #TomCruise#Billiyard #Hustler #9Ball #OscarBestActor https://t.co/YdFfdQAk5S pic.twitter.com/SYhXYy4B6u

— tatsuya miura (@tatsuya_82104) November 17, 2018

A Scrabble tournament works the same way. You pay your fee, you play against the best in the world, and if you can beat them, you win a big portion of the prize pool. So does a chess tournament, though some tournaments require a specific ranking. No matter what kind of tournament you are playing, the general format is the same. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

How is Poker Unique?

There are two primary reasons why poker tournaments are treated differently than other competitive games.

  1. Poker has a reputation as a seedy, back room, form of gambling.

This isn’t an accurate of description of tournament poker, especially in its current form, but the reputation remains. The general public has no idea how different tournaments are from cash games. And changing that perception won’t be easy. We play a game that looks very much like a cash game, betting chips, going broke, and bluffing with big bets. It’s hard for the casual fan watching at home to understand the difference. Some members of my family still think that when I bag up 200,000 chips at the end of the day, I’ve won $200,000!

  1. Casinos make a lot of money and they spend a lot of it lobbying.

I don’t have anything against casinos. In fact I really like a lot of them. I make my living inside casino poker rooms these days. But in a casino a poker room is typically a very low priority. Casino floor space is some of the most valuable retail space in the world. Poker rooms would not exist in casinos if they didn’t bring in players for table games and slot machines because they don’t make enough money. Tournaments in particular bring in players who gamble in other parts of the casino.

Offering something other businesses can’t offer is how casinos make their money. It’s also why they make so much money. There aren’t a lot of gambling licenses available and no casino is eager to see more competition. If poker was treated like other competitions, we would have huge poker tours sponsored by Bud Light and Red Bull, which would draw potential gamblers away from casinos. Casinos don’t want this to happen and, as mentioned, they have a lot of lobbying clout.

This makes it even tougher to hold poker tournaments outside of casino venues when cash games are played there. To be sure, cash games probably should be primarily played in poker rooms, whether they are located in casinos or not. Having a good security system and well trained staff is vital to having a successful cash game, so spreading them in every bar in the country might not be a great idea.

How Do We Solve Our Poker Problems?

The only answer is to grow the game and promote it. As tournament fields continue to grow, more venues will open up. Current venues, typically casinos, will assign a higher priority to the game. The more money they make from tournaments, the more tournaments they will run and the better job they will do. Competition is good for the game.

As we promote the game, more people learn about it. The seedy reputation will fade away as more and more people learn about poker and, hopefully, try it for themselves. If we could just help everyone see the game the way we see it, poker would be wildly popular and casinos all over the world would be hosting huge events in their event centers and convention areas. The more positive momentum the game gets, the more legislators will consider allowing smaller tournaments to happen in other locations.

If satellites could run at other venues, then the casinos could benefit by hosting high stakes events or simply hosting only day twos of big events. This brings in bigger gamblers and takes up less valuable floor space with smaller games, which is great for the casino. Should we accomplish this, then perhaps eventually we might actually have a legitimate pro tour sponsored by a big beverage company. Players covered in patches like NASCAR drivers making real money from sponsors would be the biggest change in the game since the start of the WSOP.

Michael Mizrachi in the house tonight. Hard to tell it was him without all the patches.

— Lance Bradley (@Lance_Bradley) July 15, 2014

This would certainly help bring online qualifiers, and indeed online poker, back to the United States. If casinos were hosting huge events with online qualifiers, they would be lobbying in favor of online poker rather than against it.

This pipe dream gives us a thriving poker tournament environment, a huge pro tour with big corporate sponsors, and legal online poker.

And THAT is what I want for Christmas…. and world peace, of course. That, too.

… and I want you to follow @iNinjapoker on Twitter 🙂!

Although poker is an entertaining, adrenaline-filled game, things can sometimes get boring and repetitive at the felt. If you’ve been playing poker for a long time, you may start experiencing déjà vu, which could potentially cause your passion for the game to decrease significantly.

This is something that happens to everyone, from recreational players to hardcore professionals. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to rekindle the flame and bring back the excitement you have for the game. If you’re looking for some ideas, here’s my list of the top 5 ways to enjoy poker more in 2019 (in no specific order).

2019 poker new year

Try New Game Variants

Most of us are used to playing No Limit Hold’em and/or Pot Limit Omaha. Of course, there are many more poker variants out there and learning how to play these can be a very entertaining experience. If you feel like you need a change of pace, you can always look for alternative options like Seven Card Stud, Razz, or even a game like Chinese Poker.

mixed games

Image credit: PokerNews.com

You’ll find that many online poker sites offer these different variations across all stakes, so you can start at micro stakes or get involved with some small buy-in tournaments. While things may seem hard at first, give yourself some time to learn the ropes and keep in mind that most players you’ll be facing at small stakes aren’t experts, either. Once you learn the rules, sticking to some general poker tips should help you hold your own just fine.

Focus More on Your Own Play

Many of us often go on auto-pilot when playing poker online and divide our attention between the games we’re playing, a YouTube video, scrolling through our social media feeds, and chatting with a friend, etc. If this is something you do, try to organize your time in a way that allows you to fully focus on your games and get rid of all distractions.

When it’s crunchtime for tests, get rid of distractions (yes, even twitter). Even a small distraction every 10mins decreases productivity

— Dr. K (@medschooladvice) November 27, 2017

This will allow you to really think about your decisions and could help you see the game in a whole new light. After a while, you’ll start noticing things that used to be just background noise, such as specific bet sizing or timing tells. While it may be hard at first, focusing more on your games should make your playing experience much more enjoyable and entertaining. The additional benefit of this approach is that you’ll also make better, more informed decisions, which should help improve your win rate as well.

Give Poker Tracking Software a Shot

While professional online poker players can’t imagine playing without the help of poker software, many recreational players seem to think they don’t need these tools. The truth of the matter is, HUDs and trackers can do wonders for your game and can help you discover a whole new world that you didn’t even know existed.

Keeping track of your opponents and figuring out how to use their stats to adjust your play isn’t just the way to make your money. It can also be very enjoyable and entertaining as it will feel like a whole new game. All of a sudden, you’ll have a plethora of information at your disposal and will need to figure out how to interpret this information to make the best decisions.

color coded HUD

While HUDs can be scary and confusing at first, you should take some time to get used to it. Perhaps you can play slightly lower stakes at first while figuring things out, but once you crack the code, you’ll surely enjoy every subsequent session much more.

Mix In Some Live Tournaments

Many online players have never tried their hand at live play. Some are too scared of the live setting, while others don’t think there is enough value in playing a single tournament for several hours (as compared to their typical multi-tabling online). However, if you’re looking for ways to enjoy the game, even more, you should definitely give the live play a shot.

Live and online poker are two completely different beasts and mixing up some live events if you’ve been playing exclusively online can be a fun way to try your hand at something new. While it may be a bit scary and confusing at first, it will give you a chance to apply completely different skills as you’ll have to make adjustments and use your live reads as you go.

Looking to play some live poker this weekend? Find the best room near you https://t.co/Srykj70Fai #poker #casino #playpoker pic.twitter.com/p6lnvhIynw

— PokerPilgrims (@PokerPilgrims) December 22, 2018

Of course, there is also the social element that you just don’t get with online poker. Playing in a live tournament can be a lot of fun, especially if you are an outgoing person, as there are always people ready to strike a conversation and have some fun. While your goal is always to win, there is no harm in having some fun while at it and playing a live tournament here and there can be a great way to rekindle your flame for the game.

Set Up a Home Game With Your Buddies

Just like live tournaments, home games can be an excellent way to play for fun without worrying too much about results. If you have friends who play poker, which most of us do, invite them over for an entertaining home game.

Ideally, you want to set up a relaxed and enjoyable environment where everybody feels comfortable. Cash games are a better option for a home game, simply because people can play as much as they like. Tournaments can be a bit frustrating because once you bust, you have to sit around doing nothing while everybody else is having fun.

home game poker

Don’t go crazy on the stakes, though. Come up with stakes that are high enough to be entertaining but not so high that someone will go home feeling bad. Your goal is to have fun and enjoy the game, so money should be secondary. You could also try and spice things up by throwing some new games in the mix or making the game “dealer’s choice” so everyone can pick their game from the rotation of few games you all know how to play.

Bottom Line

There are many ways you can enjoy poker, and you should always try your best to make sure that you do. If you feel like the game has become boring and it doesn’t excite you as much as it used to, perhaps consider implementing some of the tips from this article and see if it helps bring back the old flame in the coming year!

The period of time around Christmas is a unique one as far as poker is concerned. While some players “run away” from the tables to spend more time with their family, others prefer to use their spare time for entertainment, like playing poker. If the title of this article got you wondering whether it’s worth sacrificing at least a little time for poker during the holidays, here are the five most important reasons we could think of.

Everyone loves a good Christmas song and poker players (and staff!) are no exception. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and we just love showing our Christmas spirit!

— partypokerLIVE (@partypokerlive) December 8, 2018

 

1. Christmas is party time in many countries

In dozens of countries Christmas is celebrated in a traditional, family-like, serious way. However, if you’re not so religiously observant a trip to casino during the holidays to play live poker is a pretty enticing proposition. If you live in a country whose demographic isn’t so Christian-dominant, the end of the year period is still often market by a holiday-like atmosphere. Therefore, a lot of players willing to gamble are going to appear at the tables. It is a good occasion to grind a bit and try to score a nice payday, but there’s also the extra added holiday joy factor of the Christmas atmosphere in the poker room, which of course appeals to both professional and recreational players.

Merry Christmas Poker Fanatics! We wish you and yours a very happy holidays! pic.twitter.com/94lNiuAiFK

— PNIA (@PokerNightTV) December 25, 2017

2. You can set up a home game

If heading out to a casino isn’t possible or is just rather something you’d like to avoid, you can always set up a home game with friends and/or family. For some, it’s tradition, and for others it might be a great opportunity to start up a new tradition. Fun family/friendly home games lend themselves to introducing some new variants that guarantee a lot of action into the typical No-limit Texas Hold’em proceedings. Often, when prevents home games from getting together is the fact that people are busy with filled schedules to adhere to. During Christmastime most people are on break from work so it’s an excellent occasion to gather everyone together around the felt for some good old fashioned card playing.

Christmas poker! No place I’d rather be! So much fun! #amirah #winning https://t.co/T2VPrPRBrV pic.twitter.com/SbVT0ZHPjR

— Joe Miranti (@JoeMiranti) December 15, 2018

3. More weaker players at the poker tables

Experienced online poker players know that Christmas if one of — if not THE — most profitable times of the year! During this time, win rates of professional poker players skyrocket thanks to the drastically increased amount of weaker players at the tables. Many recreational players are feeling the holiday spirit, in the mood to do a little gambling, and have more money to spend on poker after they have received their end-of-year bonuses. As such, Christmas can be a good time for you to cash in.

Tonight we celebrate Christmas Eve with the Feast of the Seven Fishes and poker #tradition #merryChristmas! pic.twitter.com/cAbl1Fb1uy

— Samantha Warren (@samanthatoy) December 25, 2015

4. Less competition

Regular poker players approach the Christmas holiday break very differently than do recreational players. Some of them eagerly anticipate these days all year long as they’ll usually end up earning just as much in a few days as much as they make in a month. On the other side of the spectrum, there are others who simply cannot imagine playing poker during this family time, and prefer to just rest after the year-long grind. On average there are far fewer professional players at the tables at this time of year, both live and online! The action is particularly crazy as New Year’s Eve approaches, as many online regs go partying, having already completed their monthly or yearly bonus requirements.

I can’t wait to be back on the poker grind with the boys over Christmas break 👊🏼💸

— Cole Welker (@coleitoo) November 12, 2018

5. Attractive bonuses and prize pools

There is probably a no better time for poker rooms to offer attractive bonuses and tournaments with huge prize pools than the Christmas time. Every year, the largest poker rooms invite players to play with various promotions and casino offers, such as deposit bonuses, special extra rakeback offers, lotteries, new big guaranteed tournaments, and much more. This means more money up for grabs for everyone to take a crack at.

The best Christmas Poker Promotions https://t.co/4abJFsdx1y pic.twitter.com/8OtwzyC1xq

— PokerStrategy.com (@enPokerStrategy) December 12, 2018

As you can see, Christmas is an amazing time for both online and live poker players. Experiences at the physical and virtual felt rise to a completely new level thanks to the holiday atmosphere, attractive bonuses, and — on average — more profitable games. If you are passionate about poker, you should seriously weigh the idea of devoting some time to the game.

Whatever your decision, we wish you a Merry Christmas!

Was 2018 the year of the poker fan? Those of us who love the game consider ourselves lucky every year, but plenty of things happened in the past 12 months that made 2018 a fantastic year in poker.

If you were going to use the hashtag #goodforpoker on social media, you could certainly apply it to this list of 10 things that were good for the game in 2018.

good for poker

1. JOHN CYNN vs. TONY MILES

The final two remaining players in the 2018 WSOP Main Event gave us a heads-up match for the ages. John Cynn and Tony Miles battled for more than 10 hours before Cynn finally walked away with the Main Event bracelet and $8.8 million first prize.

We got to see these guys compete for 199 heads-up hands, with the lead changing 11 times and the game going until 5 a.m. before Cynn emerged victorious. This epic battle kept us glued to our screens and provided the kind of television drama that can only come from high-stakes tournament poker.

John Cynn bested Tony Miles in a 10-hour heads-up battle for the ages to win the 2018 WSOP Main Event. https://t.co/nTwJ08n45k pic.twitter.com/wsi6ZpW3A2

— PokerNews (@PokerNews) July 16, 2018

It was impossible to not be rooting for both of these guys, and the image of Miles raising Cynn’s hand in victory in the aftermath was one of the best of 2018.

2. JOE CADA

Speaking of the Main Event, Joe Cada’s journey to a fifth place finish had us wondering if the 30-year-old pro could really pull off the unfathomable feat of winning the event twice in the modern era.

If we weren’t sure what to think of Cada after his run to the 2009 Main Event bracelet, we now know that this guy is one of the better tournament players in the world. Cada is now a four-time WSOP bracelet winner, adding two more to his collection in 2018.

Just two days after taking fifth in the Main Event, Joe Cada (@cada99) wins his second bracelet of 2018 in Event #75, $1,500 ‘The Closer’ NLHE. It’s his fourth career WSOP bracelet, and the $612,886 winner’s payday moves him over $13M in WSOP winnings. https://t.co/dtdAMcRqnR pic.twitter.com/ptWrhtG64A

— WSOP (@WSOP) July 16, 2018

He came very close to a third 2018 bracelet in the Main Event, and if his pocket 10s had held up against Tony Miles’ AK in Cada’s final hand, who knows what would’ve happened later on? Watching the final table while Cada was involved gave us some of the highest drama of the year as poker fans. Much like Cynn and Miles, Cada comes off as such a good guy that we really wanted to see him pull off the win.

3. POKER CONTENT

It’s a great time to be a poker fan! There’s so much high-quality content coming out these days that’s it’s impossible to get around to watching it all.

PokerGO has revolutionized the game as a spectator sport; as seeing the high-stakes tournaments and cash games unfold live addresses a thirst never fully quenched by the post-production format we’ve been used to for years. Commentators like Ali Nejad, Nick Schulman, and Jeremy Ausmus really shine in the live format, and the chance to see literally every single hand gives us an unprecedented look into the minds of the world’s best players.

Former champs and poker’s biggest stars headline the first wave of #SHRBowlV players. See who will join @JustinBonomo, @tsarrast, @GatsbyKempinho, @RealKidPoker, and @phil_hellmuth in the $300,000 buy-in event here: https://t.co/0aoaSs07Jw pic.twitter.com/RSsLO4svY6

— Poker Central (@PokerCentral) December 4, 2018

In addition to the abundance of live poker content, players like Joey Ingram and Andrew Neeme are regularly producing some of the most entertaining content revolving around poker news, commentary, and hand analysis. Poker fandom in 2018 means you’re never stuck with nothing to watch.

4. SHOT CLOCK

Tanking is quite possibly the most detrimental thing holding back live poker as a spectator sport, but the shot clock/time extension format is appearing in more high-stakes tournaments, and even cash games.

The shot clock adds another strategy element to the game and keeps the action moving. When players do decide to tank they have to use the time extension chips (much like the time bank in an online game), and this gives fans another layer of beat-the-clock drama in big hands.

It’s also fun to watch the time extensions being used as part of the overall strategy, as we sometimes see players use them in situations where they have the goods, but want to make their opponents think they don’t. The idea of the shot clock has been around for awhile, and in 2018 we’ve continued to see it as a staple of high roller events and WPT tournaments.

5. MERGED ONLINE POKER PLAYER POOLS IN THE U.S.

Legal online poker in the U.S. experienced a landmark moment on May 1, 2018, when the player pools from WSOP Nevada, WSOP New Jersey, 888poker New Jersey, and the 888 network of poker sites in Delaware merged. This shared liquidity has given players in those states access to the largest player base for legal, regulated online poker in the U.S. since Black Friday.

This could be just the beginning of a renaissance for the online game in the U.S., as Pennsylvania will soon begin to offer online poker as well, with the possibility of adding many more players to the merged U.S. pool.

Interstate play is here and with it comes the $15 million summer, including an upgraded loyalty program, bigger tournament guarantees, and 4 Online Bracelets. NV players, make sure to download the new client. Head to https://t.co/d6DW8pasid and click download on the main tab. pic.twitter.com/TADEwgedvX

— WSOP.com (@WSOPcom) May 1, 2018

The addition of Pennsylvania would double the size of the U.S. player pool, and with many other states beginning to legalize sports betting, and players already itching to grab free bets no deposit offers here, it could just be a matter of time before online poker is up and running across several U.S. states.

6. MONEYMAKER PSPC

We’ve never really seen anything quite like the Moneymaker PSPC Tour, with PokerStars running live $86 buy-in tournaments across the U.S., each with a first-place prize of a $30,000 Platinum Pass package that includes entry into the $25k PokerStars Players Championship.

Tournament winners have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at the PSPC in the Bahamas in January, and along the way they – as well as everyone else who participated at each tour stop – had the opportunity to meet and play with 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker.

It was weird. Before the @CMONEYMAKER #PSPC Tournament @SHRThePokerRoom ended, we knew who was getting the #platinumpass. Andrés Risquez ultimately won the Pass *and* the tournament. That’s him with the guy who came in second. Full details shortly. pic.twitter.com/butEo1HPuu

— PokerStarsBlog (@PokerStarsBlog) November 12, 2018

If you’re an American poker player, it’s great to see Chris Moneymaker making the rounds, as he’s still one of the game’s greatest ambassadors and the embodiment of the poker dream. It’s also intriguing to see the PokerStars brand attached to a live poker tour in the U.S. Who knows what we can expect from them in 2019?

7. MARIA KONNIKOVA

Moneymaker inspired us with his realization of the poker dream in 2003, but in 2018 author Maria Konnikova confirmed that the dream is still alive and well.

Konnikova knew absolutely nothing about poker when she set out to learn the game in 2017. Konnikova’s original plan was to learn how to play and spend a year on the tournament poker circuit, as part of a research effort for a planned book on the role of luck in life.

She started studying game theory, received training from Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel, and started playing events on the PokerStars live circuit. Konnikova’s plans for the book went on hold, however, as that studying and training started turning into success on the felt.

What an epic year it’s been for @mkonnikova! 😮 Having already secured a #PlatinumPass and won her first major tournament, we’re now proud to announce author and journalist Maria Konnikova as the newest PokerStars Ambassador. 👋🎉 pic.twitter.com/RY0uv5pOjy

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 25, 2018

Konnikova’s live winnings have eclipsed the $260K mark in less than two years of play, which includes a first-place finish in a $1,500 buy-in event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January.

That win earned Konnikova her largest career cash of $84,600, as well as Platinum Pass. Perhaps Konnikova will pull off the ultimate poker dream and book a huge score at the PSPC?!

8. JUSTIN BONOMO

We’ve seen tournament poker heaters before, but Justin Bonomo put on a show the likes of which seemed unimaginable in 2018.

In the world of high roller tournaments, the highest of the high buy-in events include the Super High Roller Bowl China (buy-in of about $250k), the $300k Super High Roller Bowl, and the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop at the WSOP. Justin Bonomo won all three of those.

His $25,428,935 earnings total for 2018 is the all-time best one-year total ever recorded in tournament poker. In fact Bonomo’s 2018 total is more than the legendary Phil Hellmuth has won in tournaments over his entire career!

Bonomo’s ridiculous 2018 put him on top of the all-time money list with over $40 million in career earnings. He overtook Daniel Negreanu for No. 1 on the list with his win in the One Drop, where he outlasted Fedor Holz heads-up and took home a $10 million first prize.

Still only 33 years old, it’s safe to say Bonomo will keep adding to his staggering career earnings total for quite some time.

9. PARTYPOKER  MILLIONS ONLINE: $20 MILLION GUARANTEED

partypoker really raised the bar of what’s possible in the realm of online poker tournaments in November, running the biggest online tournament in history with the $20 million guaranteed MILLIONS Online!

This $5,300 buy-in tournament guaranteed a first prize of at least $2.5 million, along with seven-figure score for the top four finishers. Astonishingly, the guarantee was exceeded as 4,367 entries competed for what turned out to be a prize pool of $21,385,000!

The official first prize ended up being $2,729,376, with the final two players, ‘Sheparentao’ and Pim ‘ForMatherRussia’ de Goede  chopping and each taking home about $2.3 million. All eyes in the poker world were on the MILLIONS Online final table, and the event has to be considered a massive success.

A huge congratulations to “Sheparentao” and “ForMatherRussia” who chopped #MILLIONSOnline for a combined $4,639,937! “Scarmak3r” finished 3rd for $1,364,687 after qualifying for only $5.50! https://t.co/YtvxV5XpNg 18+. Play responsibly. begambleaware pic.twitter.com/LmHt3NAAXG

— partypoker (@partypoker) December 6, 2018

10. TRITON POKER SERIES

The Triton High Roller Series introduced poker fans to the world of Short Deck Hold’em, which had already been going strong in Asia for the last few years. The Triton Poker Series put the game on center stage for the rest of the world, and it looks like this fast-action and very entertaining poker variant is here to stay.

We got to see poker’s elite try to outwit each other in a poker format that no one’s really mastered just yet, and it was fascinating to watch. We also got to see the return of Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan to televised poker!

As an added bonus, the Triton High Roller Series spawned side cash games (in the traditional Texas Hold’em format) that produced some of the highest stakes and largest pots we’ve ever seen in televised poker. Players like Ivey, Dwan, Jason Koon, and Mikita Badziakouski mixed it up with some of Asia’s highest rollers in games that sometimes saw pots exceed the $2 million mark!

The Triton Poker YouTube channel has given poker fans something to look forward to, with weekly uploads that have us wondering what we’re going to see next.

If you didn’t know anything about poker, you might assume that video poker and Texas Hold’em poker amount to the same thing. After all, both involve receiving up to five cards from which you need to make the best poker hand.

But are there really any similarities between a poker player and someone who tries their luck at video poker, either in a casino or the online poker sites found on sites like safecasinos.org.uk? Read on, and you’ll find there’s more to the real game than the video poker player might think.

video poker

Skill, luck, and pure gamble

Anyone who plays poker will tell you it’s a game of skill. Like golf, it takes very little time to learn the rules, but years to master. Sure, the turn of a card is random, pure luck, but when you play the game, you understand the probabilities of what that card might be, the probability that it will help you win the pot.

Mastering the odds is one thing, but another key skill is bet sizing. You need to understand how to get away from a losing hand as cheaply as possible, and how to extract the maximum number of chips from your opponent with a winning hand.

Throw in the art of bluffing, being able to force a player with a better hand to fold when you hold cards with little or no value, as a weapon that every Texas hold’em player needs in their arsenal. And you also need reading abilities, so you can pick up tells at the table from the way your opponent is acting, or even their bet sizing.

The intricacies of poker strategies are legendary. Look around this site, for example, and you’ll find heaps of poker strategy tips. The best players in the world peel away so many layers of the game that it can be mind-blowing to the novice.

Compare all this to playing video poker. Is there any skill involved? You sit down at the machine, perhaps at a bar in a live casino environment, and spin the reels. You have the option to ‘hold’ any number of them for a second spin to improve to a winning poker hand, most often jacks or better and higher-ranked poker hands (three of a kind, straight, flush, etc.).

While the rankings are the same, you’re at the complete mercy of a random number generator spitting out the cards, as well as the paytable. While probabilities of your second spin revealing your desired cards are the same as real life poker, that’s where the similarity ends, for the most part. There is a strategy component to correct video poker play, but at the end of the day it’s a casino game.

Both Texas Hold’em and video poker require an element of gamble. In real poker, you have to know the time to put your chips on the line. You need that double-up late in a tournament, or you know you’re likely coin-flipping in a big pot. It’s time to roll the dice. In video poker, most players are in it purely for the gamble. It’s like any other casino game – a fun distraction that involves trying your luck.

Man versus machine

Real Texas Hold’em poker is a people game. You’re playing other human beings, either live around the table or in an online poker room. That immediately puts the better player at an advantage as he or she can identify and then take advantage of weaker players.

Amnon Cary Katz

But in video poker, you’re playing against the house. You might sit next to a friend at another video poker machine and have a little side bet about who can win (or lose) most, but other than that it’s you against the machine. A solitary experience, like playing slots. At least when you’re playing blackjack, roulette, or craps, you’ve got other people at the table with you!

Got time on your hands?

Video poker is perfect if you have a few minutes to kill. You can sit down and play a few hands and then leave. It’s particularly fun in a Las Vegas casino where you can sit at the bar, play the video poker machine embedded in the bar top and enjoy comped booze!

But while the video variant has that flexibility, real poker players need to invest a lot of time for their skill to manifest itself. You wouldn’t be likely to sit down at a cash game knowing you’d probably leave after just a few minutes (unless disaster struck and you lost all your money right off the bat). A tournament can last for hours or even days. And even a sit and go can take an hour or longer.

You also have to factor in travel. Many professional live poker players travel around the world to play in the best games and most lucrative tournaments, perhaps flying abroad for weeks at a time.

It’s all about the money

Of course the idea behind both real Texas Hold’em and video poker is to win money. Mostly, you won’t invest much money in your video poker session; perhaps a few dollars. And, in most cases, you won’t win much back. Even hitting a Royal Flush on video poker, which happens statistically every 40,000 hands, will pay back at most $1,000 credits if you’re betting one buck (unless it’s a progressive jackpot machine).

Compare that to some of the riches available in tournament poker. While the entry fee varies wildly, from the low tournament buy-ins online to the large live gigs like the $10,000 needed to play the World Series of Poker Main Event, the chances of making money back are good. If you won the WSOP, you’d get many millions back!

Joe Hachem

Fun is the only real common factor at play

We could add a whole load more reasons why playing Texas hold’em and video poker are different. In summary, we’d say that while the core objective (making a winning poker hand) is the same, everything else is different.

Apart, that is, from one key thing: they’re both a great deal of FUN.