Many online poker players deposit $50 or the online poker room minimum to begin playing poker. Only after losing a bit at the poker table they realize they need to read up on managing their bankroll. After reading limit holdem bankroll management rules they realize they should only be playing the lowest of the limit holdem micro stakes.

Now playing poker at the micro stakes level you can lose just as much money as the high stakes poker but at a much slower rate. In micro stakes you come across bad players as such those that play every hand betting all the way down to the river or really good players slowly building their bankroll to leave micro stakes.

Its on you as a person and as a poker player that you need to decide at the very beginning if you just playing poker to have fun or playing to build a serious bankroll. If you going to take online poker serious then you will need to learn the basics on winning at limit holdem such as table selection, hand selection, position play, pre-flop, and post flop strategies.

Once you get the basics, there isn’t any reason you shouldn’t be able to grind your way out of the micro stakes. Of course it will take some time to build a serious bankroll to play anything outside of the micro stakes. However, the time and experience you will gain from playing in the limit holdem micro stakes will help you notice what you need to be doing at each stakes level.

Playing online poker is fun, exciting and can be very rewarding. When you’re playing poker for real money it’s important to keep your cool and it’s much different from ‘play money games’.

Nowadays there’s plenty of incentives to play online as poker rooms will pay you sign up bonuses to join their sites.
Once you’ve made your deposit you can choose from a variety of poker games including Texas Holdem, Stud, Razz and Omaha. You can then play cash games, or tournaments such as sit n gos and large multi table tournaments (MTTs).

There’s plenty of money to be made by playing online poker for real money. Lots of players are purely playing recreationally for fun so you’ll find plenty of bad players. This is good news for someone like you who takes the game more seriously and as you’ll see there’s plenty of poker sites out there with ‘dead money’ just ripe for the taking!

As well as sign up bonuses you can expect to pick up some very nice rewards just for playing online poker. Poker rooms usually offer points and levels of status you can earn which can then be exchanged for tournament entries, cash bonuses, electronics and all kinds of free gifts. It’s their way of rewarding you for staying loyal to their site.

Another way of making money from playing online poker is rakeback. Rake is the money takes from the poker game you’re playing, either a percentage of the pot (if you’re playing a cash game) or a fee (if you’re playing tournaments). Rakeback gives you a percentage of the rake/fees back which can be a very easy way to increase your winnings.

If you’re playing real money poker online, make sure you never play when you’ve been drinking or in a bad mood. You can easily wipe out all of your hard-earned bankroll by making silly mistakes or playing badly so it’s important to keep a clear head when playing.

If you’re serious about playing online poker it’s also important to put time and effort into studying and learning the game. This can be done by reinvesting that real money you’re earning into coaching, books, training sites and videos.
Above all, remember online poker is a game and you should enjoy playing it. It’s fun, challenging and playing real money poker can be very lucrative, indeed plenty of players are able to do so professionally.

Good luck at the tables!

Merge Gaming Network announced that they’ll be accepting new players from the USA again starting today. If you don’t have an account on the Merge Network one of the top poker rooms is RPM Poker. They’ve been in the industry awhile now and they have always remained loyal to their player base. RPM Poker has a few unique promotions and features that make them one of the top poker sites on the Merge Network and we highly recommend them.

5 Reasons to Join RPM Poker

• There are nearly 20 poker players on Team RPM and each pro has a biography listed on the site, which allows players to get to know the pros representing and playing at RPM Poker. One of the features I like is that you can contact the pros at RPM Poker to seek advice or coaching, which is something most poker rooms don’t offer.

• RPM Poker has the best Poker VIP program on the Merge Gaming Network, which is one of the best reasons to join RPM now that the network is accepting new US players again. You can earn up to 45% cashback from the poker room and they even have a $500 sign-up bonus when you use the sign-up code “MGVIP”.

• RPM Poker is by far the best poker room on the Merge Network right now for promotions. Everyday there is some sort of promotion running at RPM Poker where players will be able to earn cash, tournament tickets, accolades and much more. If you enjoy participating in promotions you’ll love RPM Poker and all of the challenges available.

• You can earn a spot on the RPM Poker Wall of Fame or Wall of Shame by participating in some of the challenges at RPM Poker including the Overdrive Club and King of the Road.Battlewith your friends to see who ends up on the Wall of Fame and the Wall of Shame at RPM Poker while earning tons of bonuses and prizes along the way.

• Another reason why RPM Poker stands out from the rest of their competition is because they’ve translated their site into multiple languages including English, Portuguese, Spanish, German and Russian. Having the ability to play in more than one language is a feature that many players will enjoy.

When you want to find out about online poker vs playing online lotto, you have to look at the two games separately. Online poker is a great way to socialise and meet new people, as well as win a lot of money if you either a) have luck or b) have a very good poker playing style. You can learn to play online poker in the many poker schools and by practising for fake chips or low stake games, you can hone your skills so that you can actually make a career out of playing poker.

Playing the online lotto is a game of chance. It runs of probability alone which might not be guaranteed but the return on investment is far greater than that of online poker. For just a few pounds, Euros or dollars, you can buy a couple of online lotto tickets and be in with the chance of winning millions if you play big games such as the EuroMillions. In many cases, this is a better way of making some money fast, but it can also mean that it could take a long time to make a return on your weekly investment.

With both games, though, the excitement and anticipation is worth the entrance fee. With online poker you can play against thousands of people in a tournament or against one other person in a head to head. Either way, you winning the final pot relies on whether you choose to play the hands your given. With the lotto, you choose the numbers which are your favourite or you can try and see if there’s a pattern to the numbers from previous games.

The Differences of Online Poker vs Online Lotto

Online poker vs online lotto shouldn’t be compared really, as they are completely different games. What they do have in common is that for very little start up costs, you can save yourself a trip to the shops or the casino and play quick fire games or buy lots of lottery tickets in one go. This type of investment can be even more results driven that throwing all of that money in a savings account and only making a couple of percent gain after a year.

With the lotto or poker, you can make huge percentage gains in a very short space of time. As with any investment there is a risk but there is with savings accounts too, especially if it’s linked to the stock market. With risk there is a potential for huge gains and that’s what makes the online lottos and online poker rooms so appealing.

When you’re thinking about investing or simply having fun online, few games can match that of poker and lotteries. When you ask what online poker vs online lotto is, then they are similar but very different at the same time. Poker is about learning a skill and relying on a little luck while lotteries pay out massively for very little investment but the chances are slimmer overall of winning money.

One of the main attractions of joining an online poker site is that fact that you will be eligible for online poker bonuses.  Bonuses are the online gambling world’s answer to traditional casino ‘perks’ offered at land-based establishments, and are usually in the form of free cash, which can be used by the player towards future gaming sessions.  So what are the benefits of an online poker bonus?

They’re Free

Somehow, that old adage that ‘the best things in life don’t come free’ doesn’t quite apply here.  Online poker bonuses are free cash that are offered to you, the player, as a way of saying thank you for joining the site, and for returning to get some more poker action like the best 888 Poker Bonus.  The most generous poker bonuses are usually given to new players, who have their first deposits matched by a certain percentage.  So, for example, if the poker site is offering a 100% match bonus up to $100, your initial deposit of $100 will see you start off your game session with $200 in your back pocket.

A Poker Bonus Extend your Bankroll

Having more money in your online poker account means that your bankroll is extended enough so that you can usually get double the amount of time out of a gaming session.  In addition, the longer you spend playing at the site, the higher your chances of winning eventually.  Poker is a game of skill and you will need a lot of practice in order to be considered a good player.  As such, the poker bonus gives you the chance to get in that precious practice time without spending too much of your own money.

A Poker Bonus Allow you to Try out New Poker Sites

There are plenty of online poker sites available in the market, and the majority of players don’t have the kind of bankrolls that allow them to try them all out.  By taking advantage of the free cash given away by the online poker, especially to new players, it becomes simpler to try out these sites and see if they are missing out on any hot poker action.

They Allow you to Meet other Poker Players from Around the World

Nothing quite beats the comradeship of players around a poker table, and this same level can be reached, even if you are sitting in your own home half way around the globe.  Online poker sites attract players from all over the world and poker bonuses allow you to spend more time at these sites, entering tournaments, chatting with other poker players and making new friends. Just remember to always read a poker room review before joining like the Carbon Poker Review.

After the last article that provided reasons NOT to bluff, I’d like to talk about good reasons TO bluff. Like all things in poker, bluffing has a right time and place. The last article talked about when you shouldn’t bluff, so it’s only natural to follow up with an article that talks about when you should bluff.

A strong bluffing strategy provides two major benefits to your overall poker game. First of all, bluffing helps you win pots that you shouldn’t win. Every pot that you win with a bluff is a pot that you would not have won by playing a straightforward game.

The second benefit to a strong bluffing game is that it makes you an unpredictable poker player. This makes it easier for you to get paid on your strong hands. This benefit is difficult to quantify, but it does have a major impact on your game. If you look at some of the top high stakes pros, one thing you will notice is that it is extremely difficult to put them on a hand.

When to Bluff #1 – Your opponent is scared

Scared opponents are the best opponents to bluff because they have a high fold percentage. Tight poker players who have read a little poker strategy are among the best targets for bluffing. These guys know they have to play tight poker, but they have not yet transitioned into fully aware poker players. You can spot these poker players by looking for people who play a straightforward game and wait for big hands.

Weak TAG players are prime targets for bluffing. These guys know how to play a tight preflop game, but they suffer from weak play after the flop. These players get scared by big bets on the turn and river because they have been burned by big hands in the past. If you pay attention, you can spot a weak TAG at almost every poker table.

When to Bluff #2 – You have shown strong hands recently

This is a pretty obvious poker tip. If you’ve shown a few strong hands recently, you are more likely to get away with bluffs. This one is all about table image. If you show a couple of big hands, the other players at the table will perceive you as a straight shooter. Any bluffs you make during this time are more likely to succeed.

When to Bluff #3 – You are in late position

Late position is one of the best times to bluff in poker. When you are in late position, you get a chance to see what all the other players have done before you make your move. People are skeptical of late position bets these days, but your opponents will still have a hard time standing up to a bluff when they have weak hands in early position.

The late position bluff works wonders on the flop and turn. Not only is it fairly cheap to place a bluff on the flop or turn, but it puts additional pressure on your opponent. Your bet on the flop or turn implies that there may be more action coming on the river. Unless your opponent has a legitimate hand, he’s going to find it easier to just fold the hand now and be done with it.

When to Bluff #4 – You look like you have a strong hand

Successful bluffing is all about telling a believable story. Your betting pattern from the beginning of the hand has to tell a story. For example, a preflop raise and a bet on the flop is a story that adds up. It implies that you started with a strong hand and are happy with that hand. This strategy is much more successful than randomly bluffing when you miss your draws.

When to Bluff #5 – You have a strong draw

Bluffing when you have a draw to a legitimate hand is also known as semi-bluffing. The advantage to bluffing when you have a real hand is that you have backup. If your bluff gets called, you still might hit your hand. If you’re lucky enough to hit that hand, you will win an even bigger pot than had you played it in a straightforward manner.

But take note: a strong draw alone is not a good reason to bluff. The primary purpose of semi-bluffing is to get your opponent to fold right now. You should still have a reason to believe your opponent is capable of folding. The draw is just a nice backup plan in case your bluff doesn’t work.

Victory Poker first launched 1 year ago on one of the smaller poker networks. This network is called the Everleaf Gaming Network. Victory Poker had a hard time growing on that network because of the one player account on the network rule. After spending millions of dollars on signing a large team of poker pros, including Antonio Esfandiari and marketing all over the world including the USA. Victory Poker then move to the cake poker network.

Rumors were flying around that Dan Fleyshman CEO of Victory Poker was going to move the online poker room once again. These rumors was confirmed by Dan Fleyshman via twitter. Dan Fleyshman had plan to move the online poker site to the CEREUS Network prior to the announced indictments against the CEREUS Network (Absolute Poker & UB.com).

3 days after the announcement of the indictments against Absolute Poker, Full Tilt Poker, and Pokerstars. Dan Fleyshman blocked all US players from playing on Victory Poker and transferred the US players to Cake Poker as well as blocked US players from signing up to Victory Poker.

After April 15th, 2011 Victory Poker CEO, Dan Fleyshman decided to pull out of the US market. Now he has decided to close the doors on Victory Poker, transfer all the international players to cake poker, and turn the online poker room into an affiliate marketing site for Cake Poker.

The young CEO said the following on his facebook page.

I’ve decided to transfer the Victory Poker international player base over to CAKE Poker to manage.

The brand will continue doing strategy, news, videos as an affiliate site.

I will be focusing much more on my upcoming charity, consulting other companies & helping with Victory marketing.

Moral of the Story: When situations knock you down,,, don’t sit on the floor & cry about it, get up!!!

Remember one thing, bluffing only works if you can get away with it. At a table of 9-10 people trust me that most of the table is looking for opportunities to bluff, and to catch a bluff. Maybe you spot them bluffing in a common situation or they spot you. Bluffing every time is recipe for disaster as you will get caught and lose money. Here are some times when you down right should not bluff in online poker.

When Not to Bluff #1- Expectations
Remember you are equipped with this knowledge and you should use it. Often knowing these things can show you who else knows their stuff (and to be careful with those people). I will say it again and again, but KNOW YOUR OPPONENTS! If they are good, they will expect you to bluff in certain situations and catch you on it (like a simple bluff like stealing the blinds). So be careful!

When Not to Bluff #2- Been Caught Recently
If you have already been caught (been called to a showdown on your bluff, and lost) you might want to ride low for a bit and let people forget that ever happened. Start to play straight up without bluffing for a bit, to shake that feeling off. This will also work to your advantage because if you are only playing when you have something, people may call you out thinking your bluffing when you’re not. (a good poker player can alternate between these identities.)

When Not to Bluff#3- See a Maniac?
Fish and especially Maniacs (Loose Aggressive) love to bluff, and they love to catch a bluff or try to out beat a good hand. Either way if you got a couple maniacs at your table, no way you’re going to get them all to fold with a bluff. It is much more profitable to play straight up in these situations, bluffing only works against a smart player who has some fear about the strength of their own hand.

When Not to Bluff#4- Losing Spree
If you have just had a lot of bad luck and you’re on tilt (or maybe your not, but people will think you are) try to refrain from bluffing, people will assume your pissed and try to grab your money assuming you are making a bad decision. Bluffing in this situation will not have your opponents fooled.

When Not to Bluff#5- Everyone is Still Here
If your goal is to win the pot with one single bluff, don’t do it when everyone is still in the hand. Chances are that someone has something that they want to play with. By bluffing in this situation, you just become meat for that player to eat up. Also from an odds perspective, this is never worth it you are always not in favor.

When Not to Bluff#6- Flop looks good…except you didn’t hit.
Let’s say we have pocket 8’s, and the flop comes it looks great if we had another hand, but we did not hit at all. The flop is K, Q, 9 we can be sure somebody hit a better hand that we have, and it is not worth to bluff because the chance of hitting a set is too low. Also if the flop has an Ace, chances are that someone has a pair of aces. Aces tend to make it beyond pre-flop especially with beginners (they love holding onto those aces).

Carbon Poker and Aced offers a daily $500 first time depositor freeroll for every new depositing poker player. When you make your first deposit, you will have 14 days entry into these first depositor freerolls. These freerolls have a low amount of players in them.

As long as you can stay focus and don’t go on tilt you will do fine and place in cash. These first time depositor freeroll tournaments can be real bankroll boosters before you even get started playing your favorite poker games.

If no limit texas holdem isn’t your favorite game, I recommend taking your time to build your chip stack and don’t do anything dumb in the tournament like donkey’s do. Now for those of you favorite poker game online is no limit texas holdem. Keep your eye on the prize, first place is one serious bankroll booster that just might give you enough to move up in stakes a lot faster.

Although, this is a freeroll and a lot of players may not take it serious. This will give you the chance to leverage their mistakes to build your chip stack and maybe put you in the running to be sitting at the final table where the big prize money is.