Perfect Poker Play

Poker is a broad term when considering how many variations are available. To most modern players, Poker probably means Texas Hold ‘em – an exciting and diverse game played with Community Cards and simple two card hands. In the past, Poker was probably more associated with Five Card Stud or Draw Poker. Poker.ladbrokes.com features a host of Poker variations.

A game like Draw Poker involves no community cards. Players would be dealt a complete five card hand and then make bets whilst trying to improve their hand by throwing away and taking new cards. The amount of cards a player gave away and the size of their bets would indicate to the other players what they may be thinking or the strength of their hand. This game probably coincides with many peoples’ image of Poker but it is not the most popular of games in the modern day; having been surpassed by games like Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha, as exhibited on poker.ladbrokes.com.

Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha are Community Card games where players are dealt incomplete hands of two cards (Texas), four cards (Omaha). The Community Cards are then laid out face up in the centre of the gambling table in three different stages – The Flop, Fourth Street and Fifth Street, or, The Flop, The Turn and The River depending on your terminology.

The object is still the same; to get the best 5 card hand you can, but with most of the play and changeability going on before everybody’s eyes, in the Community Card line up. Your two Hole Cards are still the foundation of your chances for that hand – but the fact that the game can change on the turn of a new card from the dealer makes it particularly fascinating.

To play a range of different Poker games and hone your skills on user friendly tables, visit ladbrokes.com.

What is a good starting bankroll for a 5/10 Hold’em game?

Answer 1:

It all depends on how well you expect to do in this game. If you figure to win 1 bb per hour than $2000 would be enough.

Answer 2:

$500 in a 5/10 game is hopelessly short. Even a very good poker player, making all the right moves could easily lose that in a couple hours. I’ll echo the recommendation of $2000. In fact I would feel more comfortable with $3000. Another option is to start with less but contributes a buy-in each month towards your bankroll. Those ways if you bust out this month you can start playing again next month with a fresh buy-in. If you are a successful player you will eventually amass enough to withstand any reasonable losses.

Answer 3:

Scarne’s rule of thumb is: 60 times the max bet. That would equal $ 600. I was in Vegas recently & asked the buy-in / bankroll question to a friend of a friend who is a high roller. The highest he ever placed in WSOP was 5th. His immediate / no hesitation response were 100 times the max bet. This would equal $ 1000. In general, I feel that Hold ‘em requires a slightly higher bankroll than stud. At a 5-10 Hold ‘em table, I would buy in for a rack of red cheque ($ 500). I would then be prepared to reload TWICE, each time with an additional rack of red cheque ($ 500). Anything above $ 1500 at a 5-10 table, I’d walk away.  Remember, this is ONLY 5-10 Hold ‘em.

Low-limit holdem game, I’ve got AKs with a flop of K37 rainbow. A known (to me anyways) fish and I cap the flop betting head’s up. Turn and river are seemingly junk cards, I bet and he calls on each round, and I turn up my AK. He throws his hand face down in the middle of the table, his cards mixing with the board cards. Is his hand dead? Here’s what happened…..The dealer fishes this guy’s cards from the board cards, returns them to the player and says “You need to turn them over, I can’t expose your cards for you.” Of course, he beats me with a 35o (5 on the river). I don’t think he even knew he had won, because I’ve played with this guy numerous times, and he would’ve raised me on the river when he made his two pair. I believe he thought he had lost, and was tossing his cards into the muck. Should I have protested?

Answer 1:

Technically because his hand did not touch the muck he legitimally won the hand. However, why did the dealer give him back his hand? When a player throws his cards away face down after being shown a hand it is because he does not want to reveal what he was playing and the dealer always just puts them in the muck. May be this player asked the dealer to turn his cards over or him and you didn’t hear? This is the only reason I can think for why the dealer acted this way, otherwise this dealer is an idiot and you should never tip him again.

Answer 2:

House rules prevail. *Usually* if surrendered face-down it’s all over for him but in some places it depends on whether they hit the muck pile (or in some cases the board cards) – the dealer’s touch is also usually considered “fatal”. Whether you should have protested depends on what kind of image you want to leave with a frequent opponent. Whenever this happens to me I try to insure that whichever hand won gets the pot. If I’m convinced that the proper cards are shown (or even seen by others) I will try to see to it that he gets the pot. Cards speak as far as I’m concerned and the kind of “rules are rules” mindset that punishes an honest mistake escapes me entirely. Technically you might get away with the pot by meticulous rule interpretation but you should have conscience trouble in the case described.

Answer 3:

General rule of thumb… When a player throws his cards face down in a forward motion, the dealer should immediately muck them (killing the hand)… Gray area… if they dealer thinks the player made an attempt to show the cards face up, and for some reason they landed face down, he should call the floor for a decision. If the floor thinks there is reasonable evidence, he might let the hand be turned over and play. In your case, it sounds like a dealer not paying attention… he should have mucked the hand.

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