Famous Celebrities you just might find yourself sat next to round the Poker Table.

Poker has become one of the most popular card games to be found in casinos throughout the world and now dominates the online gaming industry. Thousands of people have watched the films which glamourize players who lay it all on the line to win big and become a poker champion. Many Hollywood celebrities may have starred in those films but even more can now be found around the green felt of a poker table no longer a celebrity just another competitor with a chip stack. For some it is just fun and a distraction while others really can cut it with the pros and are just as likely to take your chips while you are star struck and thinking about asking for an autograph.

Being a celebrity means nothing around a poker table, we all get dealt the same cards and that million dollar smile is not going to make it any easier in claiming a tournament victory or World Series of Poker bracelet. Here are a few Hollywood celebrities and sports stars that you might find yourself sitting next to when you find yourself in a casino or online.

Jennifer Tilly the Hollywood actress perhaps best known for her role in “The Fabulous Baker Boys” is a regular visitor to the poker tables and is not to be taken lightly by her fellow competitors having already claimed several titles along with earnings exceeding $650,000. She is currently dating the poker pro Phil Laak, a great coach who can only improve her game and presence around the poker table, which combined with her sexy, sassy demeanor makes Jenifer one formidable opponent.

Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Ben Affleck, famous for his roles in “Good Will Hunting” and “Pearl Harbour” is known to be an avid poker player. Having played for many years entering local events Ben sort lessons from one of the best and found a real teacher in the poker pro Annie Duke. His greatest success came when he won the California State Poker Championship in 2004 before going on in the play Poker Tour final tournament. Don’t let Ben fool you, he knows his way around a poker table and if you are not careful he could just make you his next victim not on the silver screen but over the poker table.  

Matt Damon like his distant cousin Ben Affleck is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner appearing in numerous films from “Good Will Hunting” to “The Talented Mr Ripley” as well as the Jason Bourne films. Matt went on to star in the film “Rounders”  set around the poker tables of Las Vegas where a reformed gambler tries to win big and help his friend repay off an unsavoury loan shark. The actor later admitted he dropped $25, 000 at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) when researching the role of a poker hustler. That was not the only time Matt has found himself at the poker tables he has competed in several WSOP main events, 1998 most notably saw him bust out to poker legend Doyle Brunson. He may have many acting awards but he has yet to claim any poker titles that can be added to his award cabinet.

George Clooney one of the world’s most recognizable men and the heart throb for many of the world’s women has achieved notable success with his acting career being rewarded with Academy Awards and Golden Globe for numerous films. One of his most famous roles, Danny Ocean in the film “Oceans 11” brought George to Las Vegas along with Brad Pit, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle. One can only imagine the games of poker that were played between the A-list cast of this film while on the set of the film. It would seem that poker left its mark on each of the cast as they have all been known to appear in occasional charity games and tournaments. Don Cheadle later went on to found the charity “Ante UP for Africa” along with poker pro Annie Duke where players are encouraged to give up some for their earnings for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. Don Cheadle has played in numerous poker tournaments and can claim to have beaten Phil Ivey in heads up poker, quite the accomplished poker player!

Tobey Maguire is known among the elite Hollywood community as being a real card shark. It is alleged that Tobey regularly joined the rich and famous for high stakes no-limit holdem poker and went on to claim more than his fair share of the winnings. Phil Hellmuth has since claimed that Tobey won as much as $10,000,000 through his Hollywood games, a truly impressive bounty. Tobey has also entered numerous WSOP events after being tutored by the poker pro Daniel Negreanu and finished in the money numerous times, by all accounts a real shark.

The incredibly talented Robert Downey Jr is another known celebrity that has frequented the tables of Las Vegas and California although with limited success he enjoys the game and the buzz of trying. Another fellow attendee to the California State Poker Championships is Sharon Stone. Once famous for a few moves on a movie screen Sharon can now be seen around the card tables of a casino playing poker hoping her competitors concentrate more on her than their own cards.

Matthew Perry the Hollywood actor famous for appearing in the popular sitcom Friends is another keen poker player who can regularly be seen at tournaments and charity events. He has been known to enjoy visits to the home of gambling, Las Vegas where he plays in the most exclusive of games at casinos like the Bellagio.    

Shannon Elizabeth the idol of many a teen boy and man made famous by her roles in films such as “American Pie” and “Scary Movie” often describes poker as her “second career.” Seeking tutelage from Daniel Negreanu on the finer points of the game and she has gone on to become a great all round player winning a tournament, the Caesars Palace Celebrity Invitational as well as numerous cash finishes in the World Series of poker. She has logged some impressive wins of Barry Greenstein and Jeff Madsen in the Heads-Up Poker Championship also. Clearly a lady who knows how to drop a flush at the right time.

With 2 Emmy Award and numerous nominations it is a wonder that James Woods finds time for the game of poker, but the call of the cards must be strong. Representing the American Stroke Association charity, Woods is a regular fixture on the World Series of Poker and can also be found playing onine at the website Hollywood Poker. He someone who knows his way around a poker table just as well as the set of a film!

One of the kings of film comedy Chevy Chase star of “The National Lampoons” has long been an enthusiast for the game poker and has been found to play at various charitable tournaments and events. He has a long history of playing high stakes poker against his fellow Hollywood stars and as a member of the Hollywood Gourmet Poker Club founded by the late night comedian Jonny Carson he gets to dine and play poker with the likes of Steve Martin and Martin Short. While he may be good company around the poker table offering a few jokes and stories, it may very well be at the cost of your chips.

Sports stars are not immune from the call of the poker tables and American tennis ace Andy Roddick often leaves his racket at the door to a casino or card room. The Andy Roddick Foundation his own charitable organization hosts celebrity poker events to benefit those less fortunate with many of his friends like Alex Rodriguez, Paris Hilton and Mandy Moore helping to build the pot of donations.

Michel Phelps the all American swimming sensation and collector of Olympic swimming medals is another sports star that can be found playing poker both online and at the casino. Taught by one of the poker legends Doyle Brunson, Phelps has made it no secret that he would love to become a poker champion and if he is as good at poker as he is at making waves then we all better watch out in the World Series of Poker.

Here is just a sample of some of the more well known poker players from Hollywood and the sports arena, however I am sure there are a great many more who play the game but choose to do so behind the privacy of closed doors and away from prying eyes.

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Posted in: Andy Roddick,Ben Affleck,Cards,Celebrity Poker,Chevy Chase,Hold'em,Jennifer Tilly,Mandy Moore,Matt Damon,Online Poker,Paris Hilton,Shannon Elizabeth,Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem Dictionary of Terms: F

Face Card- A jack, Queen or King card of any suit.

Fade- Fade or fade outs is a poker term to describe when a player has to avoid many outs in order to win a poker hand.

Family Pot- A family pot is one in which many or all of the players are involved in the hand of poker therefore contributing to the pot.

Fast- Playing fast is poker slang for playing a particular hand of poker very aggressively, quite the opposite of slow play.

FFS- Is the acronym used around poker tables to avoid abusive language standing for “FOR F**** SAKE. Words that we have all mutter after a bad beat at the poker table.

Fill Up- A slang term used to describe when a player holding two pair before a card hits the poker table giving the player a full house.

Fish- Fish is the term giving to new or inexperienced players.

Float- Floating is when a poker player calls a bet with no hand in an attempt to bluff his way to winning the hand.

Floorman- Floorman is a card room employee responsible for managing the tables and enforcing the game rules.

Flop- The flop is the first three community cards to be laid down on the table.

Flop a Set- To flop a set is to make 3 of kind when the first three community cards are laid down.

Flush- A flush is a hand made up of 5 cards, all of the same suit. A great hand.

Fold Equity- Fold equity comes into to play when there is a short stack in a game. It is based on the probability that an opponent will fold if a player moves all in.

Forced Bet- Forced bets are the blinds and antes that players must contribute in order to continue playing the game.

Four of a Kind- A golden hand referring to when a player has hold all four cards of the same value. Eg 4,4,4,4.

Four to a Straight- Four to a flush refers to when a player has four connected cards requiring one more card to make a straight.

FPP- Referring to frequent player points which are awarded to players on Pokerstars for amount of time played or rake deposited.

Free Card- A free card is one that gets seen by all those players in the hand after everyone has checked and no betting has occurred.

Freeroll- Freeroll refers to a poker tournament that is free to enter requiring no stake.

Full Barn- Slang for the hand Full House.

Full House- A full house is one of the best hands in poker made up of one pair and a three of a kind.

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Posted in: Cards,Hobbies,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Dictionary,Poker Glossary,Poker Terms,Texas Holdem

Maiden Voyage to a Live Poker Event.

The first time you ever play poker at a live event a card room or casino can be a pretty intimidating place and the last thing you want to do is give off the scent of being a newbie as the poker sharks are bound to circle sensing an easy meal. Here are a few hints and tips to make your first experience all the more enjoyable.

 

The Brush:
The “brush” is the nickname given to the employee responsible for managing the seating list of the poker tables within a card room or casino. You can usually find them towards the front of the poker room next to the board of available games. The brush is the person to ask should you have any lingering questions that you need answered before being seated at a table. Unless your father is Donald Trump ask for a seat at one of the lower limit tables which is usually $1/$2 blinds so that you can gain your confidence and become comfortable with the flow of the game before you decide to make your bid for the poker millions. Learn to walk before you can run!

Starting Out:
You are going to need to buy your chips before you can take your seat at the table and this is done at the cage where you will find a cashier happy to help you out. The maximum buy-in for a no-limit cash game is usually 100 big blinds as a guide for when you make your purchase. A tip is always remember to lay your money down at the cage as the cashier will not take the money from you as all transactions need to be logged by the security cameras.

Finally you are ready to take your seat at the poker table, remember to organize your chips don’t leave them in the rack it’s not allowed and you will be advertising you’re a card room virgin. Now you are ready to play so decide if you want to post and join the game straight away or wait for the blinds to come round so you can watch a little action before you enter the battle. 

 

Betting Etiquette:
Chances are this is the first time that you will have handled real chips and made an actual bet instead of using your mouse and relying on the computer to do it for you. There is no need to rush and be cautious as how you handle your chips and bets will give your competitors the biggest indication that you are not quite the live poker veteran. Most card rooms and casinos will have their own rules regarding what constitutes a bet but if you follow these 3 rules you shouldn’t have a problem no matter where you play poker.

1)    Placing chips past the betting line.
The betting line is clearly marked circling the interior of the poker table where the pot and community cards are placed. Any chips that are placed past the betting line and released are acknowledged as a bet.

2)    Placing chips past your cards.
This rule is often in place when the poker table does not have a clear betting line. Any chips that are moved forward of your cards are once again identified as a bet, however if you are unsure then don’t be afraid to ask the dealer as rules can vary.

3)    Verbal declaration.
In poker all verbal declarations are binding so to avoid confusion and making mistakes announce your bets before moving your chips into play. Calls are straight forward, however to raise make sure you are clear as to the size of your total bet.

Betting Rules:
Each card room or casino will have its own set of rules clearly stated covering etiquette and betting procedures, it is best to familiarize yourself with the rules prior to playing so once again you don’t advertise that you are a new player. As a rule though all raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise. To give an example if the previous player makes a bet of $30, then the minimum raise would be $30 making your total bet $60.

Finally protect your cards and chips at all times so there can be no confusion or disagreements and if you are planning a long stint at the tables then it is useful to find out if mobile phones and other electronic items such as MP3 players are allowed before you start upsetting the other players.
So have fun as live poker is truly a completely different type of game from the world of online poker and most of all, good luck! Even better tell us how you got on and if you have any other tips to contribute.

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Posted in: Card Rooms,Cards,Casino,Free Poker,Hobbies,Interests,Money,Poker Etiquette,Poker Rules,Sport,Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem Dictionary of Terms: E

Early Position- Early position generally refers to the first 3 seating positions after the blinds who get to act first in the hand.

EPT- European Poker Tour.

Equity- Your expected value in a pot.

Even- Neither  winning or losing.

Extra Blind- This is an additional blind put into the pot by players because of entering or returning to a game.

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Posted in: Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Dictionary,Poker Lessons,Poker Terms,Texas Holdem

Poker, Knowing your Opponents and How to Beat Them!

Most players fall into one of four categories or styles of play and then try their best to disguise this to the best of their abilities. Once you know what to look for you will very quickly be able to place your opponents into one of these groups and begin to work out a strategy how best to beat them.

The 4 categories are:

1)    Tight-Passive
A tight-passive player is one that typically won’t raise or call unless they are confident they have a particularly strong hand. They are seen as weak players who can be pushed off most hands since they are risk averse. If you suddenly notice them bravely placing a bet or moving “all in” then chances are they have a great opening hand or have flopped a monster. In most cases you would be wise to stand aside and let them claim the occasional pot unless you are sure you have them clearly beat. This style of player is normally one of the easiest to spot and read so you can adapt your play and beat

2)    Loose-Passive
Loose-passive players are known as “calling stations” as they will call most hands and will very seldom fold once they have seen the flop if they have any sort of cards. Most amateurs known as “fish” will fall into this category as they have yet to learn the art of patience and are just happy to be in the game. They will often call and check with medium pairs and high cards in the hope of a lucky turn or river card, and annoyingly sometimes they do get lucky. In most instances it will prove difficult to bluff these players off a hand with a raise as they will just call the bet hoping for divine intervention.

Be prepared to raise with a decent hand but be careful of the bet size as too large will only scare off  your opponent. The use of continuation bets will enable you to build the pot throughout the hand as you look to take as many chips as you can.

3)    Tight-Aggressive
Tight-aggressive players tend to play very few hands, only the best will do. Beware should they have one they will bet aggressively and try and take a large proportion of your chip stack. This type of player will seldom bluff and chooses their hands carefully before playing. Instead of limping in they will play the percentages, betting and raising to stop competitors from seeing free cards and making a hand. If they make a good hand they will use large and aggressive bets on the turn and river to build up significant pots. This style of play is relatively easy to spot, so to avoid getting typed by your competitors you will need to mix up your play and throw in some bluffs as well as a few different opening hands.

4)    Loose-Aggressive
Many of the most famous poker players are classified as loose aggressive, always prepared to move “all in” the true high-rollers of the Texas Holdem poker world. Known as the  maniacs of the poker table these players will call and raise with little more than a 7,2 but they could just as well have a hand to really hurt you separating you from a large amount of your chips. This is what makes them the hardest style of player to read so you may well be biting your nails if you decide to go head to head. This style of play can be very effective but not without its weaknesses. I urge caution, look for tells and watch for a players betting patterns with other players before you decide to cast your hook and reel them in.  

The great players of this world are able to move between the four different categories or disguise themselves in such a way making others players believe they are playing one way when in fact they are playing another. Thus setting the trap.

Identifying Playing Styles and Building Leverage.

Learning to read and play against the different types of player takes time but is most commonly determined by observing your opponents and their actions. The two critical observations that you need to make are:

1)    How many hands a player typically plays

2)    The players betting patterns

A person who plays relatively few hands is said to be tight and risk averse this means they only tend to play premium hands in an attempt to win the pot. Loose players on the other hand will forever pay to see the flop in the hope of making a hand on the turn or river. Clearly the frequency of hands played between the two styles of play is very different allowing you to identify the different players.

Secondly players betting patterns are either known as passive, a person who often checks and calls when compared to those players who tend to bet and raise, the aggressive players of the poker world. Between the two observations you can make some fairly strong assumptions about your competitors and estimate the types of hand that they are likely to play. This should allow you to make more informed decisions about the hands before you decide to play and hopefully increase your chances of winning.

There is no winning formula to poker, just right and wrong decisions. The more information you have hopefully enables you to make a few less wrong decisions and a few more right ones.

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Posted in: Cards,Casino,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Lessons,Texas Holdem

Full Tilt Poker Signals a Tactical Withdraw from the US.

Full Tilt Poker last night dismissed the employees for its US operation, at this point it is not clear how many people have been affected. What it does signal is that Full Tilt Poker and a great many of the other Poker Sites are now going to have to dig in and prepare for a much longer war with the US government over the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, 2006 which prohibits these companies from accepting US citizens onto their sites.

Many would argue that this is blatant protectionism by the US government as many of the companies affected are located in Europe and other countries outside of the US this is merely an attempt to grab a little tax dollar. Some companies are still continuing to trading within the US, however when you look a little closer many of them would seem to operate from within the safety of American cities and conveniently adhere to US tax laws. The European Union has some of the strictest code of ethics and business practices and the online poker industry has been assessed to the highest of standards, I wonder if the US is worried about its citizen’s ability to make decisions on playing poker or more conscious of the millions of dollars these companies are making outside of its borders. If poker has become such a concern to the politicians, then surely Las Vegas, Nevada and its many casinos should worry if they are next on the hit list, although somehow I feel they will just be fine. Surely this is a story that has a long way to run with world trade organisations from Europe and around the world set to appeal America’s unfair trade practices. God bless America!

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Posted in: America,Business,Card Rooms,Europe,Law,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker rooms,Texas Holdem

Featured Player: Tow Dwan, the Baby Faced Assassin.

 

Born in 1986, Tom started his poker career at the age of 17 with the $50 given to him by his father for his birthday. Learning his trade at the $6 sit and go tournament tables Dwan progressed quickly to playing his preferred game high stakes heads up no-limit holdem poker.

According to HighStakesDB.com, a site responsible for tracking high stakes online poker action Tom earned $312,000 in 2007 before going on a rich vein of form banking winnings of $5,500,000 in 2008.

Nicknamed “Durrr”, Tom’s online poker career gives perhaps no better example of the highs and lows of no-limit heads up poker. Since 2009, Durrr has recoded some of the largest online wins reported earning $1,600,000 in as little as a couple of hours. In contrast he was on the wrong end of the largest winning run in history of online poker losing $5,000,000 to a Swedish player by the name of Isildur1. By the end of 2010 the ups and downs worked out in Toms favour allowing leaving him with a further $3,300,000.

While Durrr has numerous cash finishes in various tournaments from around the world he has yet to win one, he does however hold the current world record for the largest pot won in a live recorded game, a mere $1,100,000.

Tom is a Full Tilt Poker pro and while he is now a regular on the live poker circuit, his first passion online poker remains the place where he spends most of his time and earns the majority of his bounty.

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Posted in: Cards,Hobbies,Online Gambling,Online Poker,Poker Professionals,Texas Holdem,Tom Dwan