In order to be a successful poker player, you need to be able to understand what other players are thinking. The techniques and strategies used by the best players in the world in poker tournaments and cash games can often be imitated and used within your own style of play. Read the tips from these poker pros and you will have a much deeper understanding of Texas Holdem Secrets, Texas Holdem Strategies, Omaha Game Theory, and other poker game variations. If you want to learn more you should enroll in a poker school where you can get a top flight education that will help improve your abilities and your results.

Advice for beginners to advanced players can be found in Poker strategy articles written by poker's best players. Reading the poker articles written by your favorite pros will help you understand strategies and techniques that can make you a better player.

Poker Tournaments

Playing a Poker Tournament at your weekly home game can be both a fun and exciting way to have fun with your friends. Make sure you have the equipment first like the Poker Table, Poker Cards, and Poker Chips and then follow these instructions to host your poker tournament.

How To Play a Poker Tournament at Your Home Game

To Opt-in or to Opt-out, that is the question.

Often, members of my online poker school ask me about the best way to run a friendly home game single table tournament that is both practical and fun.

Well, I can only rave about the home game setup I play in every Wednesday night because of the opt-in or opt-out rule that they play with.

The tournament starts like any other tournament, for $10 each player gets 2,000 in chips. Chip denominations are 25 (white), 50 (red), 100 (black) and 500 (green). Blinds start at 25-50 and go up every half hour for the first two rounds and then every 20 minutes after that. Blind levels are 25-50, 50-100, 100-200, 150-300, 200-400, 300-600, 400-800, 500 -1000, 600-1200, 800-1600, and 1000-2000. Two card decks are used, one for the current dealer and the other for the small blind to shuffle for the next hand.

The opt-in and opt-out aspect of the game involves rebuys. This home game is played with unlimited rebuys. Any player can opt to rebuy back in and get 2,000 chips at any time if they are completely out of chips. The central idea is tht players can choice to opt-out if they feel the blinds are too high and that a rebuy is no longer practical. When the blinds get to 300-600 or 400-800, and the big stack at the table has nearly 10,000 in chips, it is usually wise for players to opt out because the chance of coming back at this point are slim. However, it is the players option when they choose to opt-out and this provides a very enjoyable home game tournament. There is no fear of going broke too early in the night and having to sit out the rest of the tournament. There is always plenty of action as players try to accumulate chips early and amass a big stack to bully those rebuying late in the game when the blinds are big.

Pay outs are usually $10 for third, $30 for 2nd, and the rest goes to the winner, an amount that often exceeds $200. Of course you could alter the amount you play for, change the $10 for another amount like $1 for a small game or $20 for a bigger game.

Oh, and it is always BYOB.

Poker Chips Buying Guide

Most casino chips are made of clay and other composite materials, and are produced through a process of compression molding. Quality chip manufacturing is a difficult process that expensive and takes a great deal of time and effort. The compression molding process exerts extreme pressure of 10,000 psi and extreme heat of 300 °F.

Ceramic chips are an alternative to clay chips and are often referred to as clay composite. Composite chips are injection molded solid white ceramic disks with printed on designs. Many home chip sets are molded around metal inserts in the middle to add weight to the chip. When playing, the ability to easily stack chips is important, and generally a heavier chip will stack better then a light one. The weight of the chips vary between 8.5 and 13.5 grams. Normally, the heavier the chip the better they are for playing, but heavier chips make transporting them more difficult.

Prices for chip sets vary and you usually get what you pay for. For example, you will notice the game play is much more enjoyable for heavier clay or composite chips then those that are cheap like plastic. Most home game poker set designs show six faces of a die or the suit symbols circling the face of the chip's outer edge. The colors for chip sets are usually white, red, and blue. Some sets have additional colors like black and yellow as well. Usually, having a sufficient amount of the three basic colors will enable chip counting aspect of the game to be simplified making the overall playing experience better.

Poker Cards Buying Guide

Playing cards are made up of either cardboard or plastic. To increase the durability and enhance the brightness of the colors, the cardboard or paper sheets go through a varnishing process. The printed sheets go through an automated process which cuts each card out and rounds the corners. The 52 card deck plus 2 jokers is then wrapped in cellophane and placed inside its cardboard case.

Do not overlook the importance of getting quality playing cards. The cards themselves make a huge impact when playing poker. Shuffling, dealing, and the overall game speed are all improved when using higher performance cards. There are many different designs to choose from when buying a deck of cards, but for a good home game you should usually look to get two decks of a name brand like card manufacturer like Copag. Make sure the two decks are different colors so they do not get mixed up, usually a blue deck and a red deck work best. When playing at a home game, while the dealer is dealing the current hand the player to his left will be shuffling the next deck of cards so he will be ready to deal when the current hand ends. Note the size of the card rank and symbol, when sitting at the end of an oval table it is often difficult to see the cards clearly especially if the rank and symbol design is small.

Poker Table Buying Guide

When buying a poker table there are some things you need to consider in order to get one that is conducive to playing cards. The shape of the table is certainly something you need to consider. The importance of the table shape is evident when several seated players can easily be able to reach the middle, where the game play takes place and where the pot is usually located. The closer the players are to the center the easier it is to deal out cards, to see the community cards that are laid face up in the middle, and for players to reach the cards or chips located in the center of the table. If your game consists of 6-8 players, round or octagonal tables work the best as every sitting player will be able to reach the center of the poker table. If you plan to have 8-10 players, then an oval table is the better choice. Oval poker tables allow the players in the center to easily reach the edges to help push chips and cards in and out to the ends of the table making the home game run smoother.

The surface of the table should be slick enough to allow the cards to glide across the top easily, yet it should have enough grip that the cards do not slip off the other side. Normally, felt type material works the best such as baize, or the Teflon-coated fabric known as speed cloth which slides the cards easily across the table top. If the table top is wood, a lacquer finish is recommended so that the cards slide easily to their intended destination. Higher end poker tables have a padded and slightly raised edge, known as the rail where players can rest their arms. Occasionally, a wooden space between the rail and felt circles around the table. This flat surface is known as the race track and is often used for cup holders.

The most important detail in whatever table you choose is its sturdiness. Look for table legs that provide solid support to the poker table, especially because you need to expect players to lean on the table, rest their elbows on the table, and to place drinks and food on the table. The table needs to be sturdy enough to handle these things.

If you only plan to use the table occasionally, then having the legs fold inward for storage is important. For fold away tables, look for one that is lightweight so it can be easily moved and one that folds easily without pinching your fingers.