My Poker Resolutions for 2007

By Lady Luck

1. Play less Flops – I looked at my statistics for Ring Games at PokerTime for 2006 and noticed that I had played too many flops. So my New Year’s Resolution for 2007 is to fold more hands before the flop (especially if I’m on blinds).

2. I’ve decided to play more aggressively in 2007 when I’m in a good position and have a good hand. However I’ll fold more pocket Aces or Kings when the blinds are big and my hand doesn’t fit the flop.

3. Play more multi-table tournaments. It’s always fun to play at these tables - you just have to put some time aside to enjoy poker tournaments in all their glory.

4. Improve other games. I love Texas Hold’em but in 2007, I’m definitely going to play Omaha and Stud. I also enjoy blackjack and you can actually play blackjack in some poker softwares.

5. Play at the high stakes tables. I’m going to try out the $100+$200 poker tables because it doesn’t help if you just make money from fish and don’t improve your poker skill.

Friday the 13th at the Poker tables

Luck has nothing to do with it or does it?
By Lady Luck October 13, 2006

Paraskevidekatriaphobia: the worst hand you could possible get in 13 Card Stud, a Poker Variation played by pirates sailing towards the Bermuda Triangle. Well if you are one of those people who believe walking under a ladder, killing a ladybug or seeing a black cat will bring you bad luck, then you might as well believe this.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia is actually the fear of Friday the 13th considered by many as one of the most superstitious days of the year. This fear is so bad that many people won’t drive in their own cars, eat at a restaurant or touch a deck of cards.

But what does Friday the 13^th have to do with poker? Poker is after all a skill based game and if you ask any professional poker player they’ll tell you that poker has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with your own ability to play. Poker is, however, loaded with superstitions about death hands, stats, seat numbers and who’s playing at the same table as you. You’ll also find while Friday is an unlucky day for playing cards, playing on the 13th, is bad, regardless of the day of the week. So you’re bound to see some strange behavior at the Poker room tables today.

Here are some interesting Poker Superstitions:

* Never sit with your legs crossed at the poker tables.
* Always move clockwise when changing seats.
* Sit on a handkerchief to break your bad luck at the tables.
* The unluckiest poker card is the four of clubs.
* Online poker players will reset their hand statistics to zero if they had a bad run of cards.
* Some online poker players will also shut down the poker room and restart if it they’ve been losing badly.
* Table position is a big deal and having players seated before you are considered bad luck.
* You can change the run of cards by walking around your chair three times.
* Players will flop a Death Hand (a certain hand that players constantly lose with), even if this hand is suited and the player is in the big blind.
* Trust your Poker sense and walk away from a table if you get a bad feeling.

Now that I’ve told you about some Poker Superstitions and possibly have you sitting on a handkerchief while folding the four of clubs, I want to end of with my own personal advice for Friday the 13^th at the Poker Tables:

You are not unlucky, regardless of today being Friday the 13^th. I do not believe that bad luck exists in online poker and over a long period of time, no one player gets more than his or her share of good luck at a poker table. Your own perception of being "lucky" or "unlucky" comes from how strongly you identify with the emotions of winning or losing when they happen. People who'd classify themselves as "very lucky" or "very unlucky" should avoid poker and stick with the scratch tickets - or maybe consider sailing to the Bermuda Triangle.

Online Poker Is Getting Personal

Online Poker Is Getting Personal

Breaching the Communications Barrier

The difficulty for online poker rooms to communicate with their players is increasing rapidly and they are therefore forced to find alternative ways to keep in touch. Still the most effective method of communications is e-mail, although it is difficult to avoid spam filtering systems of many e-mail providers that prevent legitimate invitations and offers from reaching the intended recipients.

Other means of communicating with players include snail mail, the poker room’s ‘Message of the day’ as well as several means of mass media (including television, radio, and adverts in print media). However, it is not always the best way to communicate personalized promotions and offers to individuals, especially when taken into consideration that certain offers and promotions are only valid for a certain timeframe.

Eliminating Mailbox Clutter

Leading online poker room, Royal Vegas Poker, has designed a unique application in an effort to reduce the amount of emails that are delivered to players on a daily basis. The software application, called Poker Messenger, takes only a few moments to download and install, and can be removed at any time without disrupting the operating system.

Believed to be the industry’s first tool for delivering player-specific information to the desktop, Poker Messenger is similar to instant message and chat applications that reside discreetly in the task bar and is activated when a new message is received.

How Does It Work?

Once a player has downloaded the application, the Poker Messenger interface will automatically pop up on their desktop. Should the player click on ‘Get Update’, the full message will appear, notifying them about the latest promotional offers. There is no need to log in with a password or follow complicated links to web pages – it’s all conveniently delivered to their desktop.

Let’s Get Personal

The Messages that players receive on their desktop are personalized, which means players will only get information on tournaments and promotions that are relevant to them. Furthermore, they will receive updates on their progress on qualifying for certain offers.

In addition to notifying users of special promotions and news, Poker Messenger provides players with one-click access to 24/7 live support.

With Poker Messenger, the sky is the limit and players can ensure that they will always be one step ahead.

First published in World Player Magazine