Pop culture gives us many examples of cool casino gamblers. High profile casino management and VIP players are sometimes glamorous enough in their daily lives to outshine even their fictional Hollywood counterparts, but WSOP champions and the main characters of Goodfellas all have one thing in common: confidence.

Contrary to popular belief, this cool as a cucumber casino confidence doesn’t actually come from a gambler’s magical ability to predict the future or practice mind control. A skilled player’s confidence lies in careful observation of his circumstances and surroundings, which allow him to make well-considered decisions about his own fate based on logic, rather than emotion.

The benefits of employing this observant and level-headed approach to gaming are easy to see in
poker, for example, which combines a unique combination of the elements of chance as well as players skills and strategic awareness. In every card game, your opponents are almost constantly and unconsciously giving you clues that point directly to their intentions. These physical and verbal cues are called tells, and they are one of the most legendary aspects of casino gambling.

Playing poker online at sites like Ultimate bet Poker, of course, requires players to adapt to a new set of circumstances. In online card rooms, the most successful players are often the ones who are best able to adapt their internal lie detectors to suit online card table play. Consult online poker resources, such as the Poker.ca website, for more detailed information about online bluffing

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If you watch the successful poker players on television or in person, the ones that walk away from the tables with consistent wins and chips usually have one very important trait - PATIENCE. Here’s how they usually exhibit poker patience:

1. They don’t chase cards - even if they sometimes make you think that they’re card-chasing, really and truly that’s all for show so that the pot will be a lot fatter. Plain and simple, players who constantly chase typically go home broke.
2. They know when to raise - they always know the right times to make their move, especially based on the current feel of the table.
3. They make the least mistakes - ultimately, the player who walks away a winner versus the one who loses at the tables usually comes down to being the player that made the least mistakes. Patience lends itself to fewer mistakes being made.
4. They don’t make it personal - focus on “getting back” at the guy in front of you is usually a bad idea. A lot of silly mistakes are made because of pride and bravado, and the real good poker players typically don’t allow themselves to get caught up in this.
5. They don’t react emotionally - bad beats are inevitable. The good players are patient and don’t let their emotions pull them off their best game

The Nevada Gaming Commission has given the green light for a new type of Texas Hold’em poker which will soon be seen at the tables in Las Vegas. It’s called Royal Hold’em Poker and it follows much the same rules as Texas Hold’em, with the main and most significant difference being that Royal Hold’em is played with just 20 cards in the deck. Only cards of value 10 and above (face cards) are used for Royal Hold’em.

Since the 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace are the only cards used in the game, it promises to be quite exciting, as any hand that is dealt will have good potential. This game structure means that most hands are played to the flop, and there’s a much higher chance of getting a Royal Flush.

If you’re heading to Vegas in the near future, look out for this one, it promises a fast-paced and action-packed game.

As of June 1, 2008, the Meskwaki casino near Tama in Iowa will allow 18 to 20-year-olds to play poker games, such as Texas Hold ‘em. The casino’s Tribal Council approved the plan earlier this month, and although Iowa’s legal gambling age is 21, the Meskwaki casino is the only one in Iowa that is allowed to have gambling for younger players (ages 18 - 20). These players will however be required to wear a special security identification bracelet.

The age change allowance has been approved mainly because it’s the players, not the casino, that provide the game’s jackpot when they buy into the game.

Poker pro Phil Ivey dishes out his thoughts on poker advice. His attitude is very simple: “seek it out, absorb it, but while you’re at the table, forget it.”

He’s a firm believer in learning the game by playing the game, and while he doesn’t dispute the fact that there a lot of great resources around to help players improve their games, or that poker books and tutorials don’t have their place, he sees a problem however where people who rely on these kinds of aids sometimes end up playing poker like someone else or - even worse - like everyone else.

One of the things that makes poker great is that it’s a game where there’s really no right or wrong way to play. Different players have different approaches and in Phil Ivey’s view, you should take the things you learn from other players and incorporate them into a style of play that works for you!

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Fifth Street is the big decision point in seven-card stud poker, because that’s when you have to put in your first big bet. One of the toughest situations that you can face on Fifth Street, is what to do with small to medium pocket pairs. If your opponent is betting into you with one or two over-cards to your pair and representing an over-pair, when should you continue?

In the situation that you both catch average-looking boards, you need to know your opponent. Are you up against someone who’s aggressive enough to keep betting with just one pair? I know that an opponent like Phil Ivey has the heart to bet all the way to the river with a pair so I would be less likely to call him down with something small like a pair of fives. If I was up against a more timid opponent, however, I would call a bet on Fifth Street because I know if all he has is one pair and he fails to improve, he’ll slow down. I might have to call another bet on Sixth Street, but he won’t bet one pair on the river, and I can check behind him to save a bet.

Another good player once described this concept as the Ben Franklin principle. It goes hand in hand with the idea of pros increasing their equity by showing aggression in the appropriate spots. A bet saved is a bet earned and just like extra bets chopped out by shrewd and speedy play, they add up handsomely at the end of the year. In other words, you can enhance your bottom line in marginal situations by avoiding the Phil Iveys and chasing the timid guys.

Fifth Street decisions can be very tough, especially when you’re not sure of where you stand in the hand. By keeping a close eye on your opponents and on your outs, you’ll be able to calculate when you should make the big calls and when you should fold.

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Here are some thoughts and tips from a few poker professional about how to be a good poker player.

“A hand can be won with luck or lost through bad luck. Play more than 1,000 hands, and luck and bad luck even out”
Eike Adler, Poker coach and author

“Poker is very comprehensive. And it is immensely important to understand the game from the beginning. Poker is a matter of experience.”
Katja Thater, Professional Poker player

“Luck does play a certain role, but play only with money that you can do without.”
Jan Meiners, Poker professional and author

“Don’t get married to a hand. (Be ready to throw your hand away when it is obviously beaten no matter how good a hand you started with.) This happens a lot with Ace King. Also, don’t try to beat the other players; let them try to beat you. Memorize this.”
Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Champion

“Don’t try to steal a pot by trying to bluff a bad player, a big loser or a big winner, and be sure to vary your playing strategy. The player whose game is always the same becomes an easy mark for good poker players.”
Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Champion

“Focusing too much on getting your money in good can actually be a part of playing badly overall. Great players are going to get their money in bad once in awhile, especially if they’re playing against someone who’s playing way too tight. However, they’re actually going to make money over the long run because of all the small pots they win when their opponents are unwilling to challenge their raises without a strong hand. What this means is that if you try too hard to get your money in good all of the time, you’re susceptible to being bluffed and are going to lose more often over a long period of time.”
Chris Ferguson, 2000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Champion

“In tournaments, I play lots of hands. I’ll put my money in with all kinds of connected cards, especially when in position. I might limp, I might min-raise or raise a little more than the minimum, depending on the circumstances. I’m looking to keep my table off balance so they don’t know where I’m coming from. My overall goal is to pick up a lot of small pots without a lot of resistance. I might raise in position and hope for a call from one of the blinds. If I raise pre-flop with something like 6-7, I might miss the flop entirely, but the raise puts me in control of the hand. On the flop, I’ll likely bet if checked to, even if I miss. That small bet on the flop will usually win me a small, but helpful pot.”
Erick Lindgren, Professional poker player

Poker is fun, poker is exciting, poker is challenging, and with the advent of the television broadcasts of the World Poker Tour tournaments and other live poker events a few years back, poker has gained millions of new fans, and players. The poker beginners are popping up everywhere, from the online poker rooms to the smoke-filled poker halls at the casinos in Las Vegas.

Here are some Poker Beginner’s Rules, whether playing online or offline:

Know the good starting hands - each kind of poker game, from Omaha hi to seven card stud to five card draw has first draw hands that are considered “good starting hands”. Knowing a good starting hand from a bad one is the first step toward winning the round.

Understand the betting limits - your bankroll will determine the game you can afford to join. If your bankroll is $100, you’re better suited to joining a $1-3 game, not a $5-10 or more game. It’s simple - don’t make a fool of yourself and annoy others; stick to the table that you can afford.

Don’t lose patience - poker is a patient man’s game. No patience will likely mean no winnings for you. If you lose a few rounds, don’t lose patience, don’t get upset and don’t lose focus. Getting emotional about a game is a common problem among poker newbies.

Play your game - if there’s an audience, don’t showboat. Stick to your game, play smart and play safe. Don’t copy another Player’s move simply as a bluff or no good reason. Play your game.

Take a break - if you stay at the game for many unbroken hours, you’re likely to lose some sharpness and concentration. If you’re playing online, take a break from staring at the computer screen. If you’re in a casino, go have a snack, take a walk around the room, have a look at some other poker games in progress.

Watch the alcohol - on television, liquor and poker often go hand in hand. Liquor has also made many poker players brave but not smart. In most instances, professional poker players do not drink alcohol while playing. There’s a reason for this - alcohol dulls everything that should be sharp when playing poker, especially the mind. Playing poker and drinking is a sure way to speed your exit from the table with a lot less money than you started with.

Whether playing in Vegas at a top notch casino or at home with your poker buddies, there are dos and don’ts when playing poker; basic poker etiquette:

Poker Don’ts:

• DON’T play out of turn - whether you’re anxious to raise or can’t wait to fold your hand, don’t jump the gun. Not only is it annoying, it also gives the other players information that they shouldn’t have before making their own plays.
• DON’T take forever to play - yes, there are times when you may be faced with a decision that requires some significant thought, but definitely not every time. If you consistently take a long time to make your decisions, it makes the game less enjoyable for others.
• DON’T splash your chips into the pot - it may look good n T.V., but in reality it makes it hard to tell how much you’ve bet.
• DON’T be impolite - even if you’re having a bad losing streak or a frustrating time, swearing at the other players or being critical of their play or being otherwise impolite is a big no no. People tend to have long memories about obnoxious conduct, and verbal battles only help to distract from what should be your main focus … your poker strategy.
• DON’T give running commentary - whether you’re in the hand yourself, or just watching from the sidelines, no one, especially the other players, want to hear chatter about what could’ve, would’ve, should’ve happened!
• DON’T be a whiner or a cry baby. Nuff’ said!

Poker Dos:

• DO treat others as you would like to be treated at the poker table.
• DO pay attention. No one should have to remind you that it’s your turn because you were busy chatting on the cellphone or otherwise distracted.
• DO keep quiet during the hand. Let the hand end before you offer any commentary whatsoever.
• DO observe the DON’Ts above!