Would you play a pair of Oscar Queens?

If you are one of those online poker players who will go all-in with a pair of Queens then I have good news for you – betting all your money on Dame Helen Mirren to walk away with the gold Oscar is a safe bet.

The 79th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on February 25, 2007. This 'night of the stars' is not only an exciting time for movie fans, the paparazzi and red carpet enthusiasts, but also for online casino gamblers.

Immediately after the 2007 Academy Awards nominations were announced William Hill, one of the largest bookmakers in the UK, made Helen Mirren a 1/12 favourite to win the Best Actress award. This is the shortest odds they have ever offered at this early stage of the pre-Oscar build up.

With a Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award already in her pocket for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the movie, The Queen, the odds do seem to be in her favour. This is not the first time that this British actress has played her Queen Card. She was first nominated for an Oscar as Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George and she also won an Emmy for her role as the Virgin Queen in the TV drama Elizabeth I.

Many online poker players will tell you that Lady Luck could favour anyone especially with the stiff competition in the Best Actress category from other British actresses like Dame Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and ol' time American contender, Meryl Streep. With so much Brit talent involved, Hills expects a record turnover in the betting market.

While online casino bookmakers don’t have much to loose with their winning strategy of betting on entertainment events, time will only tell if Dame Helen Mirren’s golden pair of Queens will hold or fold.

For the love of Online Poker

In my single days, I always referred to Valentines Day as: “The unimaginative, consumerist-oriented and entirely arbitrary, manipulative & shallow interpretation of romance day.” Now that I’m older, and have finally found my suited pair, I’ve come to appreciate this day a little more. Don’t get my wrong I still don’t support the marketing aspect and as one person put it on Postsecret – the fact that "Hallmark stole all the romance from this day."

What I do treasure about Valentines Day is its history. It reminds me of poker and the current challenges the online industry is facing. We shouldn’t loose hope and should take the Valentines Day story below as inspiration that online Poker will overcome all the odds and we’ll be playing it happily ever after….

St. Valentine's Story....

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. Claudius wanted to have a big army and he expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. This made Claudius furious. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! Being a priest one of my favorite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing secret marriage ceremonies. One night, I was caught and thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh - because they know that love can't be beaten!

It’s Award Season… and the Best Poker Event goes to…

All the glitz and glamour, an evening of dazzling stars, and the most prestigious awards presented to Hollywood's kings and queens. It's award season in Hollywood and I think it's only fitting that we hand out a few Poker Awards of our own…

In the Category 'Best Poker Event' – the Oscar goes to…WSOP (World Series of Poker)

The World Series of Poker, or WSOP as most poker players know it, is the most successful poker event in history with not only the most players taking part but also the biggest prize pool. Televised on ESPN this poker tournament has expanded poker to an all-new level and winning WSOP is considered to be the ultimate achievement in any poker player's career.

And what would the Oscars be without the red-carpet hype? Well the World Series of Poker is not far behind in this department. Professional poker player Liz Lieu not only turns heads with her hourglass figure but also impresses with her poker skills – she came 5th in WSOP 2005. This poker diva, who always wears her signature diamond jewels, is as comfortable with the paparazzi, as any Hollywood starlet on Oscar night.


In the Category 'Best Poker Event' – the Golden Globe goes to… WPT (World Poker Tour)


The World Poker Tour (WPT) is a series of poker tournaments featuring most of the world's professional players. Like the Golden Globes it focuses on the American market and is televised to a world wide audience. The television show has led to a boom in the table game across American homes, in local casinos and online poker rooms.






In the Category 'Best Foreign Poker Event' – the People's Choice Award goes to – The Aussie Millions

The People's Choice Awards is an awards show recognising the people and the work of popular culture and it is one of the few to be based on the opinions of the general public. This is the main reason why we're awarding the poker players down under with this award. We're talking about all the cards, all the cash, all the cameras and the people's favorite poker experience at Melbourne's renowned casino for the Aussie Millions. Why the people love this rich poker event is that they can break away from the tables, step outside and soak up the summer sun, as Melbourne hosts both the 2007 Australian Tennis Open and the Ashes Cricket Series.


In the Category 'Most disappointing Poker event' the Razzie goes to – EPT Deauville

The Golden Raspberry Awards or Razzies intended to complement the Academy Awards by dishonouring the worst acting, screenwriting, songwriting, directing, and films that the film industry had to offer. The European Poker Tour in Deauville wins hands free in this category after their sudden cancellation of the poker tournament; blaming the French authorities for their decision. At least EPT tried to make up for the disappointment by adding another leg of the Tour in Germany.

From Couch potato to WPT Champ

It’s the final episode of American Idol, the crowd goes wild while Simon Cowell wipes back a tear… I switch channels just in time to see Jeff Probst snuff out the torch of the skinny survivor with hairy armpits, making her the final jury member... I channel-hop again and this time the Bachelor hands his number one lady the final rose while she tries to hide the victorious look imprinted on her beautifully-made-up face… more channel hopping and Donald Trump fires the last apprentice in his boardroom.

My remote control gets stuck on the Travel Channel broadcasting the World Poker Tour, a series of 18 high stakes global tournaments, and I’m mesmerised for the next 6 hours until Victor Ramdin finally calls with his Ah Js hand. In that moment Ramdin not only secured the WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic 2006 title but also walked away with $1,331,889 first prize money and everlasting poker glory.

In the competitive world of high stakes poker, the WPT "final table" is comparable to the final episode of Idols or Survivor. The only difference is that anyone can enter the World Poker Tour, unlike reality programmes where a panel decides on the contestants. This is one of the main reasons why the World Poker Tour is so popular because for a buy-in a complete unknown has just as good a chance of winning as a poker pro.

This year you don't have to become a couch potato to see some World Poker Tour action. Why not join me and play in the WPT satellites where the winner gets a $12,500 package to WPF Foxwoods Main Satellite that includes buy-in, flights, accommodation and $500 spending money. The satellites are happening daily @ 19:00 EST & 22:00 EST and for only $12 you could win a seat to WPT Foxwoods happening at the Foxwoods Resort, Connecticut from 1 April – 4 April 2007.

So if you're not ready to give up being a bachelor, being fired by a man who combs over his hair, leaving your singing career in the hands of tone-death America or getting your torch snuffed because ‘the tribe has spoken', why not try a different kind of reality TV – becoming a poker pro. WPT Foxwoods will give you the chance to face-off against pokers stone-faced superstars and walk away as the next poker millionaire. After all – you'll get much more than just 15 minutes of fame.

WPT Poker profile: Victor Ramdin

Title: WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic 2006
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Hobbies: 9 Ball and Darts
Family: Wife and two kids

Born in Guyana, Georgetown, Victor Ramdin got his first taste of poker while watching friends play at a local bar. A few years later, in 2002, he decided it was time to take poker on as a pastime, and while his real estate paid the bills, his buddies taught him the game.

Now 5 years later Ramdin is not only considered a poker pro with his well-deserved WPT Foxwoods title, he’s also a poker millionaire. Ramdin won a whopping $1,331,889 with his winning Ah Js hand at the final table of WPT Foxwoods.


Apart from the World Poker Tour, Ramdin also played in other high stakes poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) where his best WSOP performance happened in 2004 when he ended in 16th position.

So what does a poker millionaire do with all the money? Ramdin likes to give back to the country where he grew up and for more than six years he helped children in South America receive much-needed surgeries. “We put together a team of doctors from the U.S. who dedicate their time for free. We go to our country and we serve the poor,” Ramdin said. A great family man, WPT champ and philanthropic poker player Victor Ramdin is a legend in his own right.

The Biggest Bluff – On and off the field…

If you thought that the best actors in the world are restricted to Hollywood and Bollywood, then think again. They actually reside on the other side of the fence, where the grass is really greener. With a soccer field as a stage and free reins to improvise on the script, their acting career seems to be perfect…

These so called actors are professional soccer players who fake injuries to get a free penalty kick for their team. It usually happens when a player loses the ball to an opponent. Their natural instinct is then to flop on the pitch, as if the victim of a horrible foul that appears to have caused a career-ending injury. The player will grab his ankle or head in a state of theatrical paralysis until the referee stops play, and orders that the player be carried off the field on a stretcher. The injury lasts precisely as long as it takes the stretcher to reach the touchline. Once off the field, the player bounds out of the stretcher, fully recovered, and ready to rejoin the game at the next opportunity.

At the World Cup 2006, the Italian soccer team coined the phrase ‘give him an Oscar’ with all the flopping that they had going on. There’s even a video depicting how the Italian player’s practiced their famous swan dive.

So why do soccer players fake injury?

Well for the same reason poker player’s bluff – they don’t have the goods and they somehow have to trick their opponents or the referee into thinking they have. While soccer players fake injury because their acting could be rewarded by a penalty from the referee, with poker, it’s a completely different ball game.

When poker players bluff, it means that they bet or raise with an inferior hand, or with a hand believed to be inferior. While it might seem like a good idea to bluff your opponents with a poker face, most players will find out that bluffing isn’t really the way professional poker players make a living. Just think back to what happens to James Bond in Casino Royale...

While you might argue that you’ve seen poker pros make huge bluffs and get away with it like seen on this WSOP footage; poker pros have a different bluffing strategy. A pro will loose the minimum on a bad hand because they are disciplined to stick to solid fundamentals and not get caught in dangerous situations. Their aim is to steadily increase their chip stack with minimal risk and to not lose their entire stack on one hand.

If you’re caught in the act of faking an injury on a soccer field, you risk getting a yellow card or even being sent off the field. On the other hand poker players who get caught bluffing risk getting a certain reputation and loosing a lot of money.

On-the-field bluffer or off-field scammer – let’s leave the acting to Hollywood, they are after all the real drama queens!

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.

The Art of Playing Poker

It doesn’t happen often that the opening credits of a movie grab my attention. I’m usually still stumbling around in the dark theatre guided only by my mobile phone light over the manmade obstacle course consisting of people's legs, popcorn, softdrinks and the occasional lost toddler.

Casino Royale turned out to be the exception to the rule. I got to my seat early and by the time the opening credits rolled I was mesmerized by the flying poker cards and James Bond interacting with them in a colorful kaleidoscope. The Art Direction on the opening credits was so superb that I realized then and there just how inspiring and exciting poker as an art form is.

Just think about the famous Dogs Playing Poker paintings done by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge in 1903. ‘Four Aces’, ‘A friend in Need’ and ‘A Bold Bluff’ are part of this whimsical poker dogs collection and without a doubt the most recognized gambling paintings ever created. Replicas have adorned the walls of basements, bathrooms, and card rooms across America for a century and the poker dogs achieved national recognition by appearing on calendars and in various other advertising media.

In the modern world that we live in, art is so much more than just oil on canvas. Art is movement, creativity, expression and in the case of Poker – it’s a skill. Perfecting the art of playing poker can take a long time when you have a lot of things to take into account. You need to know how to bet, how to play with the chips, how to look at your cards, how to throw your cards in, how to stack your chips and how to bluff convincingly.

Casino Royale Director – Martin Campbell, realized this when he hired nine people, all coming with various degrees of experience, to play Texas Hold’em against Bond at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. While other actors are often rehearsed in the techniques they will need for the movie, be it horse riding, surfing or dancing Campbell called upon poker expert - Thomas Sanbrook. Thomas had the diligent task of training each actor on the technical skills of poker and helping them master their own individual style of playing like a pro.

The music comes to a crescendo and the closing credits are about to appear… but before you get up from your warm seat and leave the theatre, let me just end off with a final thought: The art of playing poker is a fascinating journey, and although it only takes minutes to learn Texas Hold'em, it takes a lifetime to master.

The Fine Line between Prison and Poker

Popular culture has always been fascinated by two things: Poker and Prison. They’ve both been the inspiration for countless movies, television programmes, songs, PlayStation games and even music videos. While many prisoners play poker to keep themselves busy while serving time, just take John Abruzzi from Prison Break, the two have one more important thing in common – fish.

In online poker we like to call poor poker players "fish". Fish are usually new to the game of poker and it’s relatively easy for Pro’s (known as sharks) to prey on them by dangling money in front of them and waiting patiently for the fish to bite.

Think of fish, as being like Dorie from "Finding Nemo," forgetting things as soon as they're taught but swimming full speed ahead anyway. In the same vein, an unskilled poker player will play loosely and passively - calling a lot of bets and risking money on a long-shot bet. It's a well-known (though not well-followed) rule among sharks to not upset the fish because they'll stop having fun and perhaps leave the poker room. Thus the phrase, "Don't tap on the aquarium."

In Prison, new prisoners are also called ‘fish’ and they are preyed upon by other prison inmates (known as predators) for their store goods, property, business deals and even for sexual favours.

One of the most famous Prison Movies, The Shawshank Redemption, coined the phrase ‘fish’ in the following conversation:
“Red: Well, rumor's that you're a cold fish. You think your shit smells sweeter than most.”
“Andy Dufresne: What do you think?”
“Red: Well, to tell you the truth, I haven't made up my mind.”

An important lesson that poker fish can learn from prison fish is that reputation plays an important role. If a prison fish ever gives into a predator by giving him what he wants, the predator will be back for more. That’s why it’s important in prison to find out “Who’s Who” in order to stay clear of the wrong people.

In poker the same rule applies – know your poker opponents and don’t let your own reputation overshadow your game. By studying your poker opponents a fish can gather who are tight players and who bluff all the time. It is also a well known fact that Predators and Sharks like to prey on the weak. That’s why poker fish should learn from the start when to fold’em and when to hold’em.

While it’s easy for prison inmates to know if they’re the fish, the golden rule applies for poker – If you can’t spot the fish at the table, you’re it!

Poker Trick O' Treat

By Lady Luck

If you are one of those online poker players who believe that you'll make a lot of money by cheating online then you’re in for a bit of a scare. It's called the Poker Trick O' Treat where scamsters promise that they'll treat online poker players with downloadable poker cheating software, but on the contrary, they trick you out of your hard earned cash.

We've all heard these lines before: Hold 'Em, Fold 'Em, Cheat 'Em’ or 'If you can't beat them join them'. These are just some of the popular lines that fraudsters use to turn your poker game into a nightmare, even scarier than the one on Elm Street.

In another era, if a player realised what was going on he might have thrown the poker table, pulled a gun, and cleared the saloon, but in modern days, the best you can do is be aware of these scams and try to avoid them. So for those players who want to relax this Halloween in the poker room and not let their money spook-tacularly disappear, here's the lowdown:

Software cheats - "Cheat On Poker v.1.2" promised special tracking software that helps you to track the hand of every opponent at your online-poker table and some even promise that you can see your opponent's cards. The catch – it costs you money for downloading and you cannot use it on real money games. Sounds like more of a trick than a treat to me.

Bots – Computer programs that play online poker for you. Not very effective in online poker rooms as security monitors often pick up their scent, especially when they spot a player going a whole 24 hours without a bathroom break. Advanced poker rooms also have mouse tracking that helps them determine if it is a real player or not.

Collusion - several players at the same table (or one player using multiple computers), share information. It often happens that a weak-handed player helps out a strong-handed co-conspirator by staying in the game and raising to convince others to bet more.

But there's a catch. Good colluders have to be able to play their combined hands well, and they have to win enough for it to be worthwhile after dividing their money throughout the group. Poker rooms also track Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to make sure if one person is using multiple aliases.

Great Applause and Welcome to Lady Luck

Hi

I was meant to do this post last week but things got the best of me, like Bush signing that stupid piece of legislation that is so unrelated to online gambling for instance. Yeah, what makes you think I'm just slightly ticked off that not even our petition that did the rounds for the last two weeks has helped a single bit.

Anyway looks like it's time for an uprising just like Eminem says in his song: Mosh - "it's time for us to stand up and fight for the right cause!"

To this end, I have decided to invite the expertise of fellow blogger Lady Luck to get the ball rolling in this court. Lady Luck has been competing against me in online poker tournaments at various poker rooms and I must admit her hand is getting stronger and stronger by the second.

I found her piece on Friday the 13th Online Poker quite amusing and informative so hopefully this will be quite a fruitul exchange and I hope you'll check out Lady Luck soon 'cause we all need some new charm around here ;-)

Welcome and much respect Lady Luck!

Aden

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.

Scam Alert

I nearly got duped into believing the email below until I remembered a post I read online about the recent phishing ordeal at NETELLER. Seems this buffoons haven’t escaped other banking institutions completely because I’ve received various mails lately offering me free money at some or other banking place.

FYI- A ‘phisher’ is a person who uses e-mail to fraudulently obtain valid data from a user.

Apparently NETELLER customers have reported numerous accounts of identity theft online. Someone’s on the rampage and has been using United States and London addresses to register “a fake NETELLER domain and has been busy at work, attempting to obtain account information” that would enable this thief to raid your cash.

I got this email in my inbox this morning and have also received a similar MoneyBookers.com one too:

Be careful out there and just be on the look out for dodgy content in your mailbox, and remember “When in doubt, just Delete!”

Aden

The Hype after the Hype

Life after WSOP 2006

It's been a quiet, reflective period of taking it in one day at a time, and learning to admit defeat after 5 tumultuous days at this year's World Series of Poker. Suffice to say, I had a great time duking it out with some of the best poker players around, and I can't say that all those late nights boozing it up with my buddies was not the raucous party I had signed up for!

Anyway even though everything is being kept under wraps for next year's WSOP what with all the hoopla surrounding the arrests and capture of key players in the online gaming industry, I can't say that these government shenanigans are going to be holding me back.

I've gone in search for another ego-booster tournament that is sure to make my day feel a lot better, and won't clean out my pocket after the wastage that I experienced in the last round of my stunning defeat on day 5. I decided to take it a little easy and play some low-cost tournaments that will boost my confidence and get me in the mood for smoother ride aboard the Caribbean Princess for the ICG Poker tournament.

I'm not a fan of online casinos but when the sister brand of my all-time favorite poker room, Royal Vegas Poker, decided to announce the start of the International Casino Games for a second year running, I had no option but to check out what the fuss was all about.

Turns out that they've introduced a new bevy of super guests to the online gaming mix by allowing 15 online poker players a chance at the enormously large 1.5 million dollar prize pot. Players just need to enter online at any satellite or sit 'n go tournaments hosted by Royal Vegas Poker or my new favorite brand, PokerTime. This is site is a quite young and vibrant and you're destined to meet some of the new upstarts in the poker game at their tables.

If you're keen on a 7-day cruise in the Caribbean then you can set your tropical sights on the International Casino Games Poker Tournament, and get your hand ready to make some moola.

Women Lead the Way Online

Women Lead the Way Online

With the online gambling sector set to triple to an astounding USD25 billion by 2010, one cannot help but question the masked identity of the consumers who game online, and just how is it that these people are keeping the market alive with possibility.

According to recent media reports the world online is vastly becoming a women’s playground with at least two thirds of the majority of gamblers and poker players being of the female sex. The biggest gambling event in history, The International Casino Games, boasts at least 56 of their 100 esteemed players who are to take part in the prestigious finale tournament aboard a Caribbean cruise, are female.

So just what is it that drives the ‘fairer sex’, as they are commonly known because of the patriarchal view that women are no more than objects of beauty that to be ‘seen and not heard’, to go online and game away?

Head of Poker Girl, a website catering for the gambling needs of British women, Julian Morel says, “the majority of our [female] clients are in property, fashion and public relations (PR), and the prizes like manicures and facials are not the reason why they game online.”

Morel attributes the spike in female players on the Internet to the social aspect of gaming online. The interaction could be seen as the equivalent to a ‘girls night out’ which is typically a night when girlfriends get together and let their hair down for some fun and a good chat.

The good ol’ ladies of Wisteria Lane in the award-winning soapie, Desparate Housewives, have also been contributing to the growing interest in poker, and it is a fact that well-known female celebrities like Nicky Hilton, Jennifer Tilly and Mimi Rogers, all hold regular poker tournaments so they can duke it out with other celebrity players for the title of “Star Poker Player”. Television shows like Las Vegas and sports shows such as ESPN Poker and The Small Town Poker Tour, all add to debunking the mystery that is gambling.

Celebrity endorsements enhance the popularity of many online endeavours as can be seen with the new Palms Home Poker Host, a poker software initiative, taken on by Jamie Spears, father and mentor of the illustrious pop star Britney Spears. This only adds to the attractiveness accrued to gambling online and for many women who look to the stars as their role models, seeing a Britney or Ben Affleck playing poker would give them the incentive to try it out too.

Usually this leads to regular sessions online and winnings that are quite appealing when it comes to beating the odds in games like Texas Hold’em, which is proving to be a women’s favourite when gaming on the Internet.

John Hughes, Marketing Director for 7Sultans Online Casino and Royal Vegas Online Poker says, “We are seeing an increasing number of female poker players. As women tend to be more disciplined and analytical than men, poker as a sport seems to offer both a social and competitive aspect, making it the perfect ladies’ game.”

So there it is in black and white, women like the freedom that Internet gambling affords them and winning online gives them the added bonus of being independent, and being able to afford the finer things in life is just one of the incentives that any woman needs to get gaming.

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

You Know you’re An Online Poker Player when...

You Know you’re An Online Poker Player when...

· You think "sitngo" is a real word.
· You come home from playing poker and immediately play more poker.
· You've played poker for years but have never actually seen a deck of cards.
· You know most of your best friends by their screen name only.
· The first time you played in a cardroom or casino, you looked for the "bet all/raise all" button.
· You stay up till three in the morning because "there's this freeroll on Royal Vegas."
· You miss your mother's birthday because "there's this freeroll on 7Sultans"
· You wear a catheter for no medical reason.
· You haven't seen the sun in three days.
· Your idea and your girlfriend's idea of "all-in protection" are two very different things.
· You won't play in your local cardroom because there's no refer-a-friend bonus.
· Your entire wardrobe consists of online player's hats and shirts.
· GL, NH, NB, GG and TY all make sense to you.
· Though you can't walk and chew gum at the same time, playing four simultaneous sitngos is no problem.
· You don't remember your own phone number, but know your NETELLER details by heart.
· You upgraded to DSL and a high resolution 20" monitor "for no particular reason."
· You can cram a four-course meal into a five minute tournament break.
· The first question you ask of any vacation spot is, "Do they have internet?"
· You've been playing online every day for the past 18 months, but can quit any time you want.
· You haven't seen your spouse/lover/significant other in weeks, but you see RustyNail23 every damn day.
· Sleep? Who needs sleep?
· You’ve typed, "I hate you, I hope you die" in the chat window on more than one occasion.
· You've taken every bad beat known to man -- except the next one.

First published in World Player Magazine

Poker chip Purchasing Made Simple

Poker chip Purchasing Made Simple

Credit cards may be the easier way to purchase poker credits online but they are not always the most convenient or the fastest way to get poker chips when playing online. Alternative payment methods are an easy and efficient way to fill up your account and they are safe and secure to use too.

Online transactions, also known as ‘e-transactions’, are vastly becoming the new age way to get all your banking and account payments done. Alternative payment methods make your life so much simpler if you effect all personal transactions from one place – your desktop, as opposed to visiting several different outlets to do the same inane thing over and over again.

Offering multiple payment options on your website is one of the ways that you can increase sales by increasing customer convenience and confidence. Providers that offer alternative payment methods, such as charging directly to a web wallet, electronic funds transfer (EFTs), and electronic checks, handle these transactions through a secure server or a payment gateway that utilizes the latest encryption software. This ensures that the information which you provide to them is always kept safe and that they remain confidential.

With an EFT, phone bill charges, and debit cards, funds are verified before the purchase is complete, reducing the risk of fraud and insufficient funds returns. At most online poker rooms there is usually a Banking section which will lead you to a “Deposit” page that lists all the preferred alternative payment methods like NETELLER, Click2Pay and PrePaid ATM. Other ways of taking payment online includes person-to-person, mobile commerce, pre-paid cash cards and micro-billing payment solutions.

These purchasing options are completely hassle-free, fast and most online casinos and poker rooms will give you an added incentive for using them. These could be in the form of free credits, bonuses and other promotions that are on-going and rather rewarding if you are a regular player.

Credit cards may still be the most common method of payment for online purchases, but other industry-leading payment options are available at your fingertips. You are afforded better service and more choice online so take the time out to familiarize yourself with your preferred payment method and make the better choice. Now you’ll have more time for playing online and less time worrying about the amount of chips you have left - doesn’t that make you feel good.

First Published in World Player Magazine

From Ancient China to your Dorm room…

From Ancient China to your Dorm room…

Chances are that your home, like the home of most other Americans, contains a standard pack of 52 playing cards. Card games are probably the most common pastimes across countries, continents and cultures. A simple game of cards combines two elements, which have always lured would-be players: chance and skill.

Playing cards have a history dating back to Ancient China, soon after paper was invented in that same country in 150 BC. These Ancient Chinese “Money Cards” had four suits: coins, strings of coins, myriads of strings and tens of myriads. In fact, these cards may have been paper currency that acted as a tool for gaming and the actual stakes being played for.

It isn’t clear exactly how and when playing cards were introduced into Europe. One of the popular beliefs is that the Mamelukes of Egypt (military caste composed of Turkish slaves) brought the first playing cards to Europe in the late 1300s. The Mameluke deck consisted of 52 cards of four suits: polo sticks, coins, swords and cups. Each suit contained ten “spot” cards or number value cards and three face cards: there was a malik (king), na’ib malik (deputy king) and a thani na’ib (second or under deputy). The cards were all hand-painted and nobility were the only ones to use them because they were the only people wealthy enough to afford them.

In Europe, different countries began to experiment with the design of the playing cards. Face cards began to represent European royalty and attendants, i.e. the king, chevalier and knave. Queens were later introduced into playing cards in various ways. In the 1400s, a deck of playing cards consisted of 56 cards, most of them containing a king, queen, knight and valet. German decks had suites of hearts, bells, leaves and acorns and these suits are still present in Eastern and Southeastern European decks today.

Italian and Spanish cards from the 15th century used suits of swords, batons, cups and coins. It is likely that the Tarot deck was invented in Italy at the same time. The four suits used in contemporary decks (hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs) originated in France in the late 1400s.

In early games, the king was the highest valued card in a suit, but the Ace subsequently became the highest card. The Knave of the earlier decks evolved into the Jack. So where did the joker come from? The joker is an American invention. It spread to Europe along with another great American invention, the game of poker.

First published in World Player Magazine

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Hey ppl,

Get ready for unique poker insights that will help you to develop your own poker strategies and win consistently.




Who am I?

I am a highly successful online poker player, in fact that is all I have been doing for the last four years and playing poker is how I make my living. Recently I have started reviewing poker rooms on the Net, I have been featured as a guest writer on news and info-related poker sites and I am currently writing a book on how to play winning online poker.

I enjoy playing poker because I can have fun and make money at the same time. I win consistently because of the effort I made to learn the game – now all my hard earned lessons can be yours in an instant, which means that you can skip the hardest part of learning to play successfully.

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Combine my tips with your own personality and a bit of practice and you can make a killing playing your favorite poker game.

The first step to playing winning online poker is: Luck has nothing to do with winning time after time.

Don’t take chances, learn how to calculate odds from the very beginning and only act when the expected return is greater than the risk.

You can also get the latest information, tips and playing secrets if you visit Vegas Poker. I have been writing for this site for a while and I will continue to update the content with the cutting edge of poker thinking – so have a look, I guarantee it will be worth your time.

Good luck out there,
Aden