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<![CDATA[DiceTalk - Casino Forum - All Forums]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/ Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:30:19 -0400 MyBB <![CDATA[I've just added DiceTalk - Community for Gamblers in 1001forums directory]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-I-ve-just-added-DiceTalk-Community-for-Gamblers-in-1001forums-directory Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:40:23 -0500 1001forums http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-I-ve-just-added-DiceTalk-Community-for-Gamblers-in-1001forums-directory
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I'm an editor of the 1001forums.com forum directory. I have just added
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I wish all the success to your forum, guys Smile

1001forums]]> <![CDATA[Free Rushmore Casino Bonus]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Free-Rushmore-Casino-Bonus Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:45 -0500 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Free-Rushmore-Casino-Bonus Rushmore Casino Review

Rushmore Casino has been online for many years servicing players from all over the world, and if you are a player from the US don’t worry, Rushmore Casino welcomes you and provides convenient deposit and withdrawal options for you as well. Rushmore Casino uses highly respectable Real Time Gaming software that provides superb gaming experience.

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Rushmore Casino has been online for many years servicing players from all over the world, and if you are a player from the US don’t worry, Rushmore Casino welcomes you and provides convenient deposit and withdrawal options for you as well. Rushmore Casino uses highly respectable Real Time Gaming software that provides superb gaming experience.

Rushmore Casino provides a large variety of games, stunning graphics and music, a number of progressive jackpots and an incredible welcome bonus of $888. And that’s not all, betting is also rewarded through a points system which can be redeemed for bonus chips or special gifts.
The overall casino payout at Rushmore casino is currently at 98.42%.
If you have any questions or problems their Customer Support is there for you 24/7 via toll free phone, fax, live chat or email with.
Depositing and withdrawing money is also very fast with large selection of payment options.

Rushmore Casino uses the latest and most sophisticated technology to ensure players’ privacy and that their information remains safe.
Fairness of the games provided by Rushmore Casino is assured by accredited testing facility, Technical Systems Testing (TST) whose esteemed client portfolio includes International Game Technology (IGT), Aristocrat, Mikohn and the Michigan, Massachusetts, DC and Ontario Lotteries.

Deposit methods:

Credit and debit cards:
Visa
MasterCard
Diners Club
American Express

Other options:
Click2Pay
NETeller
MoneyBookers
UseMyWallet
Eco
eWalletExpress

Available games:

Roulette
Blackjack
Baccarat
Classic 3-reel machines
Modern multi-payline video slots
Keno
Sic Bo
Craps
...and many others

Customer Support:

Availability: 24/7

How to get support:
Toll free telephone number for members in the US, UK and Canada (players in other parts of the world must dial the international number to get phone support)

Live Chat system is a good alternative to get support (free)

E-mail is the slowest method of getting support (1.5 hour for responding)

Wagering requirements: 15 times the combined value of your purchase and the bonus.

Click on the banner to go to the Rushmore Casino site and get the bonus:

Win and enjoy!]]> <![CDATA[How To Play Casino Craps]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-How-To-Play-Casino-Craps Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:54:04 -0500 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-How-To-Play-Casino-Craps The below information is just a 'getting started' tutorial for casino craps. I suggest taking a look at other craps related posts in order to get much more in depth into this elaborate subject.

The basic game

The basic game of craps is very simple. The most fundamental bet is the "pass line" wager, which almost everyone on a given game may make. On the first roll of the two dice (the come-out roll), the pass line bettors, or "right" bettors win by rolling either a 7 or 11 (a natural). If the shooter, or any other player, has a bet on the pass-line, he would win on the natural. Rolling craps (2, 3, or 12) loses immediately for the pass line bettor. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) is called the point. To win, the pass-line bettor must roll the point number again before rolling a 7. If a 7 comes up before the point number, the shooter has sevened-out and the dice fail to pass. The shooter relinquishes the right to shoot when he or she sevens out, and the player to the left shoots next, beginning a new come-out sequence.

On any come-out roll, the shooter or any other player may also choose to place a don't pass wager, betting against the dice. This method, called "betting wrong," is by no means morally inferior to "right betting." In fact, the don't pass offers a lower house edge than pass line betting, and features the same free odds bet after a point is established. The bet works exactly like the opposite of the pass line wager, with the don't-pass bettor losing on the come-out when a natural is rolled. The don't bettor wins when a craps is rolled on the come-out, except on the roll of a barred craps, where the bet is a stand-off or push. Usually casinos bar the 2 or 12 craps, but beware a house which bars the 3 craps, as this practice doubles the house edge on the don't pass wager. The barred number is where the house derives its advantage by not paying the designated craps roll. Converse to pass-line betting, the wrong bettor wins on 7-outs and loses when a point is made.

A casino craps table is run by four casino employees: a boxman who guards the chips, supervises the dealers and handles coloring out players; two dealers who stand to either side of the boxman and collect and pay bets; and a stickman who stands directly across the table from the boxman and announces the results of each roll and then collects the dice with an elongated wooden stick. He is also in charge of managing the bets made on the center of the table (hardways, yo, horn, etc). For clarity, the number 11 is referred to as "yo" so as not to be confused with the number 7.

A new shooter, who must bet the table minimum on either the pass line or the don't pass line to play, is given five dice by the stickman and picks two.

When the shooter rolls the dice, the dealers will usually insist that the dice be rolled with one hand and that they bounce off the wall surrounding the table. These requirements are meant to retard cheating attempts by switching the dice or making a "controlled shot." If a die leaves the table, the shooter will usually be asked to select another die from the remaining three but can request using the same die if it passes the boxman's inspection. This requirement is used in an effort to reduce cheating the game by substituting loaded dice for the regulation dice.

Types of craps bets

The fundamental bet in craps is the pass line bet, in which one bets that the dice will pass (that is, roll the point number before rolling a 7). The following discussion assumes that the shooter, as is usually the case, is betting on the pass line.

If a point is made, most casinos allow pass line bettors to take odds by placing from one to five times (and at some casinos, up to 100 times) the pass line bet behind the line. This additional bet pays at the true odds, 2-to-1 if 4 or 10 is the point, 3-to-2 if 5 or 9 is the point, and 6-to-5 if 6 or 8 is the point. While the house has a small (1.4%) advantage on pass line bets, the house has no advantage at all on odds bets. Therefore, taking the maximum odds (which vary by casino) can lower the house percentage for any given bet down to as low as 0.5%.

Odds bets in craps are one of the few bets offered at a casino that are completely free of any house advantage. Another such bet is the "double-up" option offered to the player in some forms of video poker after winning a hand.

Let's see why that is. There are 36 possible permutations (ways to roll a pair of 6-sided dice):

Code:

Permutations:

          1-1              = 1 way to make a 2

        1-2 2-1            = 2 ways to make a 3

      1-3 2-2 3-1          = 3 ways to make a 4, true odds pays 2-1

    1-4 2-3 3-2 4-1        = 4 ways to make a 5, true odds pays 3-2

  1-5 2-4 3-3 4-2 5-1      = 5 ways to make a 6, true odds pays 6-5

1-6 2-5 3-4 4-3 5-2 6-1    = 6 ways to make a 7

  2-6 3-5 4-4 5-3 6-2      = 5 ways to make an 8, true odds pays 6-5

    3-6 4-5 5-4 6-3        = 4 ways to make a 9, true odds pays 3-2

      4-6 5-5 6-4          = 3 ways to make a 10, true odds pays 2-1

        5-6 6-5            = 2 ways to make an 11

          6-6              = 1 way to make a 12

There are a total of 36 possible combinations. So on the come-out roll there are 8 ways to win, 4 ways to lose and (36-12=) 24 ways to start a point.
The odds of making the point are the ratio of the number of ways to make a 7 to the number of ways to make the point. For example, there are five ways to make a 6 or 8, so the odds of making a point of 6 or 8 are 6-5. Therefore an odds bet of $5 on 6 or 8 pays out $6.

Most experienced craps players only make pass line and odds bets since the odds are much more favorable to the player than any other bets in craps, and in fact most casino games.

The rules for the come wagers are the same as for the pass line except that they can only be made after the come-out roll. Effectively, they represent starting a new game using the same stream of numbers being generated by the existing (pass line) game.

Because of the come bet, if the shooter makes their point, a player can find themselves in the situation where they have a come bet with odds on it, and yet be rooting for the shooter to roll a 7 on their next come-out roll. Because of this, it is usual that odds bets on come wagers are presumed to be not working. That means that if the shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out roll, any players with active come bets lose their initial wager but will have their odds money returned to them, unless they tell the dealer that they want their odds working. Conversely, if the shooter rolls a number that matches an active come bet, the original bet is paid off at even money and the odds money is returned to the player (unless they told the dealer that they wanted their odds working, in which case they are paid at the true odds).

There is also a don't come box in which one can place bets that the dice will not pass on the next sequence starting with the immediate roll as a virtual come-out roll; even the shooter may bet that he or she will miss out. Don't pass and don't come bets are basically the opposite of pass and come bets; the player is betting that a 7 will be rolled before the point. On the come-out roll a 7 or an 11 is a loss, whereas a 3 and either a 2 or a 12 is a win. Casino craps layouts bar either 2 or 12 on the don't pass and don't come bets. This means that if 2 is barred and the shooter rolls a 2 on the come-out roll, the wager is a stand off and the player's money is returned.

When betting against the shooter, the bettor must put up the long side of the bet. Thus a don't pass bettor who bets $10 when the point is a 4 could place an odds bet of $20 behind the line. If the shooter rolls a 7 before achieving their point, the bettor would receive $10 for the don't pass bet plus $10 for their odds bet. Even though the house advantage on the don't pass and don't come bets are almost identical to the pass line and come bets, for most players the disadvantage of putting up the long side of the bet makes the don't pass line less desirable. Additionally, many craps players consider don't pass and don't come bets to be in poor taste, or even "taboo".

Other types of bets

One roll bets that the shooter will make an 11 (pays 15-1, actual odds 17-1); Bets that a shooter will make a hardway number such as 4-4 (before throwing a 7 or an 8 the easy way such as 6-2 or 5-3) (pays 9-1, actual odds 10-1). Indeed you can bet on any combination of the dice on the next roll, this is called a hop bet, example hard 8 on the hop pays 31-1 (actual odds 35-1).

Craps is a bet that the shooter will roll 2, 3 or 12 on the next roll. The true odds are 8-1 and the casino pays 7-1.

C & E is actually two bets. A player is betting one unit on craps and another unit on 11. One of the two bets will always lose, and the other will pay off as above.

Horn is a bet that involves betting on 1 unit each for 2, 3, 11 and 12 at the same time for the next roll. Most players do a "Horn High" bet which involves betting an additional $1 on one of the 4 choices, with the most frequent being a $5 "horn high yo" bet (which means $2 on the 11, $1 each on 2, 3 & 12).

The field bet is a wager that one of the numbers in the box (usually 2, 3, 4, 9,10,11,12) will be rolled on the next roll of the dice. This bet pays even money, but the true odds are 4-5. Often 2 and/or 12 will pay 2-1. Some casinos pay 3-1 on either the 2 or 12.

Most of the one roll bets, hard way bets, and other bets in the center of the layout are very costly/disadvantageous to the player, the house percentage on these bets can be 11.1% and up. The best advice for prospective craps players is to bet either on the pass line or don't pass line with full odds. More aggressive players can also bet on the Come/Don't Come with full odds which can make you or break you quickly, but in statistical terms is identical to the pass/don't pass bet.

Players can place or buy individual numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) by placing their wager in the come area and telling the dealer, for example, "place the 6" or "buy the 8". Both are bets that the number will be rolled before a 7. Place bets are paid at reduced odds. Buying the number results in a payoff at the true odds, but requires a 5% commission to be paid to the casino.

Code:

Number    Place Payoff  Buy Payoff

 ------     ------         ------

 6 or 8      7-6             6-5

 5 or 9      7-5             3-2

 4 or 10     9-5             2-1

Code:

Permutations:

          1-1              = 1 way to make a 2

        1-2 2-1            = 2 ways to make a 3

      1-3 2-2 3-1          = 3 ways to make a 4, true odds pays 2-1

    1-4 2-3 3-2 4-1        = 4 ways to make a 5, true odds pays 3-2

  1-5 2-4 3-3 4-2 5-1      = 5 ways to make a 6, true odds pays 6-5

1-6 2-5 3-4 4-3 5-2 6-1    = 6 ways to make a 7

  2-6 3-5 4-4 5-3 6-2      = 5 ways to make an 8, true odds pays 6-5

    3-6 4-5 5-4 6-3        = 4 ways to make a 9, true odds pays 3-2

      4-6 5-5 6-4          = 3 ways to make a 10, true odds pays 2-1

        5-6 6-5            = 2 ways to make an 11

          6-6              = 1 way to make a 12

Code:

Number    Place Payoff  Buy Payoff

 ------     ------         ------

 6 or 8      7-6             6-5

 5 or 9      7-5             3-2

 4 or 10     9-5             2-1

The Big 6 and Big 8 wagers are considered by craps players as sucker bets because they pay even money while a player can bet on the same proposition (a 6 will be rolled before a 7) by placing the 6 or the 8, which pays 7-6 (true odds are 6-5). No veteran craps player will ever touch those 2 bets.

Examples of basic play

o Example 1:
Let's say you put $10 on the pass line. On your come-out roll you get an 11, so you win $10. The game now starts over, with a new come-out roll. You roll a 9, which becomes the point. You decide to bet $10 on the come line before your next roll. On your next roll you get a 6, which is now the point you need to hit in order to win your $10 come bet. Your next roll is a 9, which is the point you needed to hit to win your pass line bet, meaning you just won another $10. You bet $10 on the pass line again, and your new come-out roll is a 7. You win $10 for your pass line bet, but lost the $10 you had previously bet on the come line.
o Example 2:
This time you decide to bet on the don't pass line. You roll a 4, which becomes the point. You bet $10 on the don't come line, and your next roll is a 7. You lose your don't come bet, and win your don't pass bet, so you just broke even. Since you just sevened-out, the player to your left becomes the new shooter.

Etiquette

Besides the rules of the actual game, certain unwritten rules of etiquette exist while playing craps and are expected to be followed. Many consider these guidelines as important as the actual rules themselves. New players should familiarize themselves with them before approaching a craps table.

Rules related to casino security

o Players are not supposed to handle the dice with more than one hand nor take the dice past the edge of the table.
o When throwing the dice, the player is expected to hit the farthest wall at the opposite end of the table. The dice may not be slid across the table, and must be tossed. They may not be thrown higher than the eye level of the dealers.
o The dice must not land in the boxmans bank or on any of the dealers working stacks of money.
o When either of the die land on chips or markers not in the boxmans bank or the dealers working stacks, the number that would be on top if the object the die is leaning on were removed, is the number that is used to make the call.
o If a die hits a player or dealer and rolls back onto the table, the roll counts as long as the person being hit did not interfere with the die.
o In most cases the shooter may "set" the dice to a particular configuration, but if they do, they must be quick about it so as not to delay the game. Some casinos have "no setting" rules, and the player must throw the dice as given to him.
o Do not try to place money in the dealer's hand or expect the dealers to hand you chips. Dealers are not allowed to touch the players at any time. Players are expected to cash on the layout and announce "change only" or a specific bet and amount. The dealer will then place chips on the layout or in front of the players.

Commonly observed etiquette

o When offered the dice to shoot, a player may pass the dice to the next player without fear of offending anyone; however, keep in mind that at least one player must always be a "shooter" betting on either the pass line or don't pass line for the game to continue.
o Players are expected to tip the dealers, especially if they are winning. Most of the dealer's income is generated from tips. The most common way to tip is simply to toss chips onto the table and say "for the boys". Another method is to place a bet next to your bet and call out "dealers". A "two-way" bet is one that is half and half for the players and dealers.
o After the come-out roll, it is considered extremely rude to say the word "seven", as that is considered bad luck. This is a guaranteed way of offending other players.
o It is considered bad luck to change dice in the middle of a roll.
o Center bets are made by tossing chips to the center of the table and calling out the intended bet; the stickman will then place the chips correctly for you.
o It is not considered rude to correct a dealer that you feel has made a error. Mistakes happen and disputes are often resolved to the player's benefit, mainly in the interest in keeping their business.
o It is considered rude to "late bet", or make wagers while the dice are no longer in the middle of the table. While entirely permissible, excessive late betting will generally garner a warning. ]]> <![CDATA[History of Dice & Dice Games]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-History-of-Dice-Dice-Games Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:07:03 -0500 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-History-of-Dice-Dice-Games Dice probably evolved from knucklebones, which are approximately tetrahedral. Even today, dice are sometimes referred to as "bones", as in "shake them bones". Ivory, bone, wood, metal, and stone materials have been commonly used, though the use of plastics is now nearly universal. It is almost impossible to trace clearly the development of dice as distinguished from knucklebones, on account of the confusing of the two games by the ancient writers. It is certain, however, that both were played in times before those of which we possess any written records.

The fact that dice have been used throughout the Orient from time immemorial, as has been proved by excavations from ancient tombs, seems to point clearly to an Asiatic origin. Dicing is mentioned as an Indian game in the Rig-veda, a Hindu religous document. In its primitive form knucklebones was essentially a game of skill played by women and children. In a derivative form of knucklebones, the four sides of the bones received different values and were counted as with modern dice. Gambling with three or sometimes two dice was a very popular form of amusement in Greece, especially with the upper classes, and was an almost invariable accompaniment to banquets and gatherings.

The Romans were passionate gamblers, especially in the luxurious days of the Roman Empire, and dicing was a favourite form, though it was forbidden except during the Saturnalia. Horace derided what he presented as a typical youth of the period, who wasted his time amid the dangers of dicing instead of taming his charger and giving himself up to the hardships of the chase. Throwing dice for money was the cause of many special laws in Rome. One of these stated that no suit could be brought by a person who allowed gambling in his house, even if he had been cheated or assaulted. Professional gamblers were common, and some of their loaded dice are preserved in museums. The common public-houses were the resorts of gamblers lke a modern day Las Vegas.

Tacitus states that the Germans were passionately fond of dicing, so much so, indeed, that, having lost everything, they would even stake their personal liberty. Centuries later, during the middle ages, dicing became the favourite pastime of the knights, and both dicing schools and guilds of dicers existed. After the downfall of feudalism the famous German mercenaries called landsknechts established a reputation as the most notorious dicing gamblers of their time. Many of the dice of the period were curiously carved in the images of men and beasts. In France both knights and ladies were given to dicing. This persisted through repeated legislation, including interdictions on the part of St. Louis in 1254 and 1256.

In Japan, China, Korea, India, and other Asiatic countries, dice have always been popular and are so still. The markings on Chinese dominoes evolved from the markings on dice, taken two at a time. ]]> Dice probably evolved from knucklebones, which are approximately tetrahedral. Even today, dice are sometimes referred to as "bones", as in "shake them bones". Ivory, bone, wood, metal, and stone materials have been commonly used, though the use of plastics is now nearly universal. It is almost impossible to trace clearly the development of dice as distinguished from knucklebones, on account of the confusing of the two games by the ancient writers. It is certain, however, that both were played in times before those of which we possess any written records.

The fact that dice have been used throughout the Orient from time immemorial, as has been proved by excavations from ancient tombs, seems to point clearly to an Asiatic origin. Dicing is mentioned as an Indian game in the Rig-veda, a Hindu religous document. In its primitive form knucklebones was essentially a game of skill played by women and children. In a derivative form of knucklebones, the four sides of the bones received different values and were counted as with modern dice. Gambling with three or sometimes two dice was a very popular form of amusement in Greece, especially with the upper classes, and was an almost invariable accompaniment to banquets and gatherings.

The Romans were passionate gamblers, especially in the luxurious days of the Roman Empire, and dicing was a favourite form, though it was forbidden except during the Saturnalia. Horace derided what he presented as a typical youth of the period, who wasted his time amid the dangers of dicing instead of taming his charger and giving himself up to the hardships of the chase. Throwing dice for money was the cause of many special laws in Rome. One of these stated that no suit could be brought by a person who allowed gambling in his house, even if he had been cheated or assaulted. Professional gamblers were common, and some of their loaded dice are preserved in museums. The common public-houses were the resorts of gamblers lke a modern day Las Vegas.

Tacitus states that the Germans were passionately fond of dicing, so much so, indeed, that, having lost everything, they would even stake their personal liberty. Centuries later, during the middle ages, dicing became the favourite pastime of the knights, and both dicing schools and guilds of dicers existed. After the downfall of feudalism the famous German mercenaries called landsknechts established a reputation as the most notorious dicing gamblers of their time. Many of the dice of the period were curiously carved in the images of men and beasts. In France both knights and ladies were given to dicing. This persisted through repeated legislation, including interdictions on the part of St. Louis in 1254 and 1256.

In Japan, China, Korea, India, and other Asiatic countries, dice have always been popular and are so still. The markings on Chinese dominoes evolved from the markings on dice, taken two at a time. ]]> <![CDATA[Bet the dogs!]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Bet-the-dogs Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:30:22 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Bet-the-dogs
The betting line is set up to even out action.

They thus need to get more people to bet the dogs.

So, they give more points to the dogs.

Thus there is a benefit to betting the dogs!

A home dog is best to bet and if you had bet home underdogs only, ignoring anything else, you would be slightly ahead, over time.

This week I have taken the "pick the dogs" and found a HUGE VALUE in a dog.

http://www.azduffman.com for details!]]>
The betting line is set up to even out action.

They thus need to get more people to bet the dogs.

So, they give more points to the dogs.

Thus there is a benefit to betting the dogs!

A home dog is best to bet and if you had bet home underdogs only, ignoring anything else, you would be slightly ahead, over time.

This week I have taken the "pick the dogs" and found a HUGE VALUE in a dog.

http://www.azduffman.com for details!]]> <![CDATA[hello]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-hello Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:15:22 -0400 heartofluck http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-hello <![CDATA[Bluffing Online]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Bluffing-Online Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:01:52 -0400 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Bluffing-Online WHAT IS BLUFFING?

In the card game of poker, to bluff is to bet or raise with a hand that will fold enough better hands to be profitable. This is useful because it can cause other players to believe the bluffing player has a dominant hand, so that they all fold; the bluffing player then wins the pot. By extension, the terms are often used outside the context of poker to describe the acts of pretending knowledge one does not have, or making threats one cannot execute.

PURE BLUFF

A pure bluff, or stone-cold bluff, is a bet or raise with an inferior hand that has little or no chance of improving. A player making a pure bluff believes he can win the pot only if all opponents fold. The pot odds for a bluff are the ratio of the size of the bluff to the pot. A pure bluff has a positive expectation (will be profitable in the long run) when the probability of being called by an opponent is lower than the pot odds for the bluff. For example, suppose that after all the cards are out, a player holding a busted drawing hand decides that the only way to win the pot is to make a pure bluff. If the player bets the size of the pot on a pure bluff, the bluff will have a positive expectation if the probability of being called is less than 50%. Note, however, that the opponent may also consider the pot odds when deciding whether to call. In this example, the opponent will be facing 2-to-1 pot odds for the call. The opponent will have a positive expectation for calling the bluff if the opponent believes the probability the player is bluffing is at least 33%.

SEMI-BLUFF

In games with multiple betting rounds, to bluff on one round with an inferior or drawing hand that might improve in a later round is called a semi-bluff. A player making a semi-bluff can win the pot two different ways: by all opponents folding immediately or by catching a card to improve the player's hand. In some cases a player may be on a draw but with odds strong enough that he is favored to win the hand. In this case his bet is not classified as a semi-bluff even though his bet may force opponents to fold hands with better current strength. For example, a player in a stud poker game with four spade-suited cards showing (but none among their downcards) on the penultimate round might raise, hoping that his opponents believe he already has a flush. If his bluff fails and he is called, he still might be dealt a spade on the final card and win the showdown (or he might be dealt another non-spade and try his bluff again, in which case it is a pure bluff on the final round rather than a semi-bluff).

WHY BLUFF?

There are two main reasons why to try bluffing. Bluffing can increase your profits by winning pots when you don’t necessarily have the best hand (or even anything at all). Bluffing also increases the likelihood that your opponents will call you in the future when you do actually have the best hand. But first, what you must realize is that bluffs don’t have the same advertising value on the internet as they do in a live game. This is an important point that many players trying online for the first time struggle to get to grips with. First of all, many players don’t pay as much attention to the game online as they do in a casino. They might be playing two tables, watching television, eating a pizza, or reading their email. Chances are they’ll be doing anything other watching you when you want them to pick up on your behavior. In addition, you rarely play with the same opponents very long on the Internet to take advantage of your “loose” image. You might try a bluff online and then 15 minutes later there are five new players sitting at your table, completely oblivious to the stunt you just pulled for effect. Of course, sometimes bluffing is needed in games where the players don’t move in and out of the game a lot or you are against regular opponents, but this is the exception rather than the rule on the Internet. The bottom line is that bluffs on the Internet generally only derive value from the particular hand you are playing. Since the advertising value of bluffs goes down, bluffing in general is less profitable on the Internet than in a live game.

INTERNET CHARACTERISTICS

You’ll probably find that bluffing tendencies are different in online games than in live games. Against good advice, players tend to bluff a little more readily online than they do in a live game. Why is this? Well, I believe that people’s propensity to bluff more online is the result of two characteristics that are pretty much unique to the Internet. Firstly, there’s that virtual wall of the web that makes many players play a little more deceptively than they would against a live opponent. You’ll see opponents who are normally very tight players in real-world card rooms gain a little more courage and confidence to try tricky plays since they don’t have to look you in the eye to do it. For those players who play the game for the thrill of making a successful bluff, this ‘virtual wall’ provides the perfect environment to seek their adrenaline rush. And secondly, the virtual environment also makes it easier to commit your chips to try a bluff. If you are contemplating a bluff, all it takes is one click of the mouse. Compare this to a live game where you have to physically move your chips into the center of the table while your opponents are watching you. Many players become careless with these ‘virtual’ chips.

IT WORKS BOTH WAYS

Since your opponents will tend to bluff more, you will need to keep your opponents honest a little more often online than you would in a live game. Don’t get carried away with this, but always look for those players who are trying to win every pot with a bluff. Since there is a lot of bluffing going on in Internet games, your opponents will also tend to call bluffs a little more often than they would if you were sat across the table from them. When contemplating a call, that quick click of the mouse is easily accessible for your opponents to see what you have. Your opponents have a tremendous curiosity to see what hand you hold; therefore, choose your bluffing opportunities a little more carefully online than you would in a live game. The truth is that in most low-limit games, profitable bluffing opportunities are far and few between, so proceed with caution. Internet games are very different than live play. Bluffing on the Internet doesn’t have the same advertising value online as it does in a live game. First, many players don’t pay as much attention to the game online as they do in a casino and won’t even notice your bluffs. When you’re playing against somebody on a site, you don’t know whether they’re paying attention to the game, the chat box, or something completely different. For instance, they might be playing two tables, watching television, or reading email. In addition, unless you take part in poker forums or play very high stakes games, you very rarely get to play with the same opponents for long on the Internet to give you a shot at taking advantage of your “loose” image. You might try a bluff online and then 15 minutes later there are four or five new players sitting at your table. Of course, sometimes bluffing is needed in games where the players don’t move in and out of the game a lot or you are against regular opponents, but this is the exception rather than the rule on the Internet.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom-line is that bluffs on the Internet generally only derive value from the particular hand you are playing. Since the advertising value of bluffs goes down, bluffing in general is less profitable on the internet than in a live game. In fact, in most low-limit games, profitable bluffing opportunities are far and few between. The best times to try your bluffing tactics are in the short-handed games and the tight high-limit games. Of course there are always times that you might be presented with a profitable bluffing opportunity - but just be sure that you evaluate the situation very carefully and don’t raise the pot to the roof with rag cards just because you can.

BLUFFING CIRCUMSTANCES

Bluffing may be more effective in some circumstances than others. Bluffs have a higher expectation when the probability of being called decreases.

Several game circumstances may decrease the probability of being called (and increase the profitability of the bluff):
•Fewer opponents who must fold to the bluff.
•The bluff provides less favorable pot odds to opponents for a call.
•A scare card comes that increases the number of superior hands that the player may be perceived to have.
•The player's betting pattern in the hand has been consistent with the superior hand they are representing with the bluff.
•The opponent's betting pattern suggests the opponent may have a marginal hand that is vulnerable to a greater number of potential superior hands.
•The opponent's betting pattern suggests the opponent may have a drawing hand and the bluff provides unfavorable pot odds to the opponent for chasing the draw.
•Opponents are not irrationally committed to the pot (see sunk cost fallacy).
•Opponents are sufficiently skilled and paying sufficient attention.
•The opponent's current state of mind should be taken into consideration when bluffing. Under certain circumstances external pressures or events can significantly impact an opponent's decision making skills.

OPTIMAL BLUFFING FREQUENCY

If a player bluffs too infrequently, observant opponents will recognize that the player is betting for value and will call with very strong hands or with drawing hands only when they are receiving favorable pot odds. If a player bluffs too frequently, observant opponents snap off his bluffs by calling or re-raising. Occasional bluffing disguises not just the hands a player is bluffing with, but also his legitimate hands that opponents may think he may be bluffing with. David Sklansky, in his book The Theory of Poker, states "Mathematically, the optimal bluffing strategy is to bluff in such a way that the chances against your bluffing are identical to the pot odds your opponent is getting."

Optimal bluffing also requires that the bluffs must be performed in such a manner that opponents cannot tell when a player is bluffing or not. To prevent bluffs from occurring in a predictable pattern, game theory suggests the use of a randomizing agent to determine whether to bluff. For example, a player might use the colors of his hidden cards, the second hand on his watch, or some other unpredictable mechanism to determine whether to bluff.]]> WHAT IS BLUFFING?

In the card game of poker, to bluff is to bet or raise with a hand that will fold enough better hands to be profitable. This is useful because it can cause other players to believe the bluffing player has a dominant hand, so that they all fold; the bluffing player then wins the pot. By extension, the terms are often used outside the context of poker to describe the acts of pretending knowledge one does not have, or making threats one cannot execute.

PURE BLUFF

A pure bluff, or stone-cold bluff, is a bet or raise with an inferior hand that has little or no chance of improving. A player making a pure bluff believes he can win the pot only if all opponents fold. The pot odds for a bluff are the ratio of the size of the bluff to the pot. A pure bluff has a positive expectation (will be profitable in the long run) when the probability of being called by an opponent is lower than the pot odds for the bluff. For example, suppose that after all the cards are out, a player holding a busted drawing hand decides that the only way to win the pot is to make a pure bluff. If the player bets the size of the pot on a pure bluff, the bluff will have a positive expectation if the probability of being called is less than 50%. Note, however, that the opponent may also consider the pot odds when deciding whether to call. In this example, the opponent will be facing 2-to-1 pot odds for the call. The opponent will have a positive expectation for calling the bluff if the opponent believes the probability the player is bluffing is at least 33%.

SEMI-BLUFF

In games with multiple betting rounds, to bluff on one round with an inferior or drawing hand that might improve in a later round is called a semi-bluff. A player making a semi-bluff can win the pot two different ways: by all opponents folding immediately or by catching a card to improve the player's hand. In some cases a player may be on a draw but with odds strong enough that he is favored to win the hand. In this case his bet is not classified as a semi-bluff even though his bet may force opponents to fold hands with better current strength. For example, a player in a stud poker game with four spade-suited cards showing (but none among their downcards) on the penultimate round might raise, hoping that his opponents believe he already has a flush. If his bluff fails and he is called, he still might be dealt a spade on the final card and win the showdown (or he might be dealt another non-spade and try his bluff again, in which case it is a pure bluff on the final round rather than a semi-bluff).

WHY BLUFF?

There are two main reasons why to try bluffing. Bluffing can increase your profits by winning pots when you don’t necessarily have the best hand (or even anything at all). Bluffing also increases the likelihood that your opponents will call you in the future when you do actually have the best hand. But first, what you must realize is that bluffs don’t have the same advertising value on the internet as they do in a live game. This is an important point that many players trying online for the first time struggle to get to grips with. First of all, many players don’t pay as much attention to the game online as they do in a casino. They might be playing two tables, watching television, eating a pizza, or reading their email. Chances are they’ll be doing anything other watching you when you want them to pick up on your behavior. In addition, you rarely play with the same opponents very long on the Internet to take advantage of your “loose” image. You might try a bluff online and then 15 minutes later there are five new players sitting at your table, completely oblivious to the stunt you just pulled for effect. Of course, sometimes bluffing is needed in games where the players don’t move in and out of the game a lot or you are against regular opponents, but this is the exception rather than the rule on the Internet. The bottom line is that bluffs on the Internet generally only derive value from the particular hand you are playing. Since the advertising value of bluffs goes down, bluffing in general is less profitable on the Internet than in a live game.

INTERNET CHARACTERISTICS

You’ll probably find that bluffing tendencies are different in online games than in live games. Against good advice, players tend to bluff a little more readily online than they do in a live game. Why is this? Well, I believe that people’s propensity to bluff more online is the result of two characteristics that are pretty much unique to the Internet. Firstly, there’s that virtual wall of the web that makes many players play a little more deceptively than they would against a live opponent. You’ll see opponents who are normally very tight players in real-world card rooms gain a little more courage and confidence to try tricky plays since they don’t have to look you in the eye to do it. For those players who play the game for the thrill of making a successful bluff, this ‘virtual wall’ provides the perfect environment to seek their adrenaline rush. And secondly, the virtual environment also makes it easier to commit your chips to try a bluff. If you are contemplating a bluff, all it takes is one click of the mouse. Compare this to a live game where you have to physically move your chips into the center of the table while your opponents are watching you. Many players become careless with these ‘virtual’ chips.

IT WORKS BOTH WAYS

Since your opponents will tend to bluff more, you will need to keep your opponents honest a little more often online than you would in a live game. Don’t get carried away with this, but always look for those players who are trying to win every pot with a bluff. Since there is a lot of bluffing going on in Internet games, your opponents will also tend to call bluffs a little more often than they would if you were sat across the table from them. When contemplating a call, that quick click of the mouse is easily accessible for your opponents to see what you have. Your opponents have a tremendous curiosity to see what hand you hold; therefore, choose your bluffing opportunities a little more carefully online than you would in a live game. The truth is that in most low-limit games, profitable bluffing opportunities are far and few between, so proceed with caution. Internet games are very different than live play. Bluffing on the Internet doesn’t have the same advertising value online as it does in a live game. First, many players don’t pay as much attention to the game online as they do in a casino and won’t even notice your bluffs. When you’re playing against somebody on a site, you don’t know whether they’re paying attention to the game, the chat box, or something completely different. For instance, they might be playing two tables, watching television, or reading email. In addition, unless you take part in poker forums or play very high stakes games, you very rarely get to play with the same opponents for long on the Internet to give you a shot at taking advantage of your “loose” image. You might try a bluff online and then 15 minutes later there are four or five new players sitting at your table. Of course, sometimes bluffing is needed in games where the players don’t move in and out of the game a lot or you are against regular opponents, but this is the exception rather than the rule on the Internet.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom-line is that bluffs on the Internet generally only derive value from the particular hand you are playing. Since the advertising value of bluffs goes down, bluffing in general is less profitable on the internet than in a live game. In fact, in most low-limit games, profitable bluffing opportunities are far and few between. The best times to try your bluffing tactics are in the short-handed games and the tight high-limit games. Of course there are always times that you might be presented with a profitable bluffing opportunity - but just be sure that you evaluate the situation very carefully and don’t raise the pot to the roof with rag cards just because you can.

BLUFFING CIRCUMSTANCES

Bluffing may be more effective in some circumstances than others. Bluffs have a higher expectation when the probability of being called decreases.

Several game circumstances may decrease the probability of being called (and increase the profitability of the bluff):
•Fewer opponents who must fold to the bluff.
•The bluff provides less favorable pot odds to opponents for a call.
•A scare card comes that increases the number of superior hands that the player may be perceived to have.
•The player's betting pattern in the hand has been consistent with the superior hand they are representing with the bluff.
•The opponent's betting pattern suggests the opponent may have a marginal hand that is vulnerable to a greater number of potential superior hands.
•The opponent's betting pattern suggests the opponent may have a drawing hand and the bluff provides unfavorable pot odds to the opponent for chasing the draw.
•Opponents are not irrationally committed to the pot (see sunk cost fallacy).
•Opponents are sufficiently skilled and paying sufficient attention.
•The opponent's current state of mind should be taken into consideration when bluffing. Under certain circumstances external pressures or events can significantly impact an opponent's decision making skills.

OPTIMAL BLUFFING FREQUENCY

If a player bluffs too infrequently, observant opponents will recognize that the player is betting for value and will call with very strong hands or with drawing hands only when they are receiving favorable pot odds. If a player bluffs too frequently, observant opponents snap off his bluffs by calling or re-raising. Occasional bluffing disguises not just the hands a player is bluffing with, but also his legitimate hands that opponents may think he may be bluffing with. David Sklansky, in his book The Theory of Poker, states "Mathematically, the optimal bluffing strategy is to bluff in such a way that the chances against your bluffing are identical to the pot odds your opponent is getting."

Optimal bluffing also requires that the bluffs must be performed in such a manner that opponents cannot tell when a player is bluffing or not. To prevent bluffs from occurring in a predictable pattern, game theory suggests the use of a randomizing agent to determine whether to bluff. For example, a player might use the colors of his hidden cards, the second hand on his watch, or some other unpredictable mechanism to determine whether to bluff.]]> <![CDATA[Minimizing house edge by hedging?]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Minimizing-house-edge-by-hedging Mon, 11 May 2009 13:37:06 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Minimizing-house-edge-by-hedging
I don't know craps the best, but what if you tried the following:

Bet the pass line and don't pass line together for the same amount on the come-out roll. Then take or lay odds, which doesn't matter as they are true-odds with no house edge either way, as you normally would.

This would put the house edge to a bare minimum the way I see it. Consider that the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come out. Your "Don't Pass" loses and your "Pass" wins, a wash. The shooter rolls a 2 or 3, then "Don't Pass" wins, "Pass" loses and it is a wash. Shooter rolls a 12 and "Pass" loses and "Don't Pass" pushes for a loss of just half a unit.

So point becomes 4,5,6,8,9, or 10. Then you take or lay odds with NO HOUSE EDGE! Normally say you go "Pass" and take them, well, the risk was always in that 2,3,or 12 coming up. With the "insurance" of the Don't Pass bet you have cut down the house edge and get the true odds for FREE, except for the push if it is a 12.

Am I missing anything here? I realize this is like betting a coin-flip getting paid .49 for a win. But maybe throw in a little dice-control?]]>
I don't know craps the best, but what if you tried the following:

Bet the pass line and don't pass line together for the same amount on the come-out roll. Then take or lay odds, which doesn't matter as they are true-odds with no house edge either way, as you normally would.

This would put the house edge to a bare minimum the way I see it. Consider that the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come out. Your "Don't Pass" loses and your "Pass" wins, a wash. The shooter rolls a 2 or 3, then "Don't Pass" wins, "Pass" loses and it is a wash. Shooter rolls a 12 and "Pass" loses and "Don't Pass" pushes for a loss of just half a unit.

So point becomes 4,5,6,8,9, or 10. Then you take or lay odds with NO HOUSE EDGE! Normally say you go "Pass" and take them, well, the risk was always in that 2,3,or 12 coming up. With the "insurance" of the Don't Pass bet you have cut down the house edge and get the true odds for FREE, except for the push if it is a 12.

Am I missing anything here? I realize this is like betting a coin-flip getting paid .49 for a win. But maybe throw in a little dice-control?]]> <![CDATA[Online Gambling Legalization Bill!]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Online-Gambling-Legalization-Bill Wed, 06 May 2009 13:02:31 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Online-Gambling-Legalization-Bill http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/.../comments/

Maybe if this passes it will be bonus time in online casinos again!]]> http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/.../comments/

Maybe if this passes it will be bonus time in online casinos again!]]> <![CDATA[Hold em player here!]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Hold-em-player-here Fri, 01 May 2009 00:16:57 -0400 Dulce http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Hold-em-player-here
I still need to up game though so i hope to keep giving and receiving feedback!]]>
I still need to up game though so i hope to keep giving and receiving feedback!]]> <![CDATA[Nonstandard Blinds Increase at Home Games]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Nonstandard-Blinds-Increase-at-Home-Games Fri, 01 May 2009 00:12:44 -0400 Dulce http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Nonstandard-Blinds-Increase-at-Home-Games
I say this because I just returned from a pretty large friendly tournament with $40 buy ins.

It came down to me and one other player and I had a slight chip lead. I felt like I was getting a winning streak in hands with my opponent folding and I was pulling the blinds. I thought ok, maybe bleed him dry a little bit. Yet just at the tipping point in this winning streak we arbitrarily set to double the blinds. I knew what was going to happen here after winning maybe 8 of the last 10 hands (mostly garbage pots though): those odds were going to reverse and he would start pulling better hands.

Sure enough they did and I start pulling garbage. I fold a few times, and took a decent hand to try push it a bit. Bam lost, and now the opponent had the chip lead. Ended up bleeding me dry on the high blinds which finally I went all in and lost it on the river.

I felt kind of cheated since the opponent brought up doubling the blinds since he said the game was taking forever. Duh, it was taking forever because he could tell I had a streak going and sat out every hand. Lost a few blinds, then a few turns later brings up doubling it when he thinks it will turn around.

I should say, that we were doubling usually every time someone was knocked out, so the last increase was a pretty significant number that would close the game pretty quickly.

I probably could of played a little better, I admit. But I think this doubling the blinds just as the momentum shifted put me at a disadvantage.

What do you think?]]>
I say this because I just returned from a pretty large friendly tournament with $40 buy ins.

It came down to me and one other player and I had a slight chip lead. I felt like I was getting a winning streak in hands with my opponent folding and I was pulling the blinds. I thought ok, maybe bleed him dry a little bit. Yet just at the tipping point in this winning streak we arbitrarily set to double the blinds. I knew what was going to happen here after winning maybe 8 of the last 10 hands (mostly garbage pots though): those odds were going to reverse and he would start pulling better hands.

Sure enough they did and I start pulling garbage. I fold a few times, and took a decent hand to try push it a bit. Bam lost, and now the opponent had the chip lead. Ended up bleeding me dry on the high blinds which finally I went all in and lost it on the river.

I felt kind of cheated since the opponent brought up doubling the blinds since he said the game was taking forever. Duh, it was taking forever because he could tell I had a streak going and sat out every hand. Lost a few blinds, then a few turns later brings up doubling it when he thinks it will turn around.

I should say, that we were doubling usually every time someone was knocked out, so the last increase was a pretty significant number that would close the game pretty quickly.

I probably could of played a little better, I admit. But I think this doubling the blinds just as the momentum shifted put me at a disadvantage.

What do you think?]]> <![CDATA[What your bookie won't tell you part 3]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-3 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:15:03 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-3
Here is how it works. Say you find one book with Steelers -2.5 over Dallas. Then you find another giving Dallas +3.5 on the same game.

You bet a unit on the Steelers giving the 2.5 and another on Dallas, taking the 3.5. Here are possible results. (I'm using a sample score here for simplicity, it is the difference between the scores that coutns, not the actual finan score.)

Assume you are betting a "dime" ($1,000) as a unit.

Steelers 14
Dallas 10

So you win $900 (after juice) on the Steelers and lose $1,000 on the cowboys, net loss $100.

Steelers 12
Dallas 10

Here you lose $1,000 on the Steelers but win $900 on Dallas. Net loss $100.

Steelers 13
Dallas 10

NOW IT GETS INTERESTING!

You win $900 because the Steelers covered the 2.5, but you also win $900 because you "took" 3.5 points on Dallas! You won $1800!!!

OK, so you are probably saying, "Nice, AZ, but how often will this happen??"

The answer is about 1 in 7 NFL games end at *exactly* a 3 point difference!

So if you did this perfectly you would lose $100 six times for $600. But you would win $1800 one time in that 7, up $1,200!!!!!

A few pointers are in order here:

1. Every bookie knows people try this and situations are rare. You might have to take this as a partial-hedge when you see a line move. "The Wizard of Odds" says, "NEVER HEDGE" but I say it is not a real hedge but a planned play.

2. Remember, you will come out on the wrong end of this six of seven times, so don't spend the cash before it comes in. Also remember if you are playing with a "street" bookie they expect payment Tuesday and do not pay out until Thursday as a common practice. If that happens you better have the cash or a bookie who will let you skate. Better to just play at the window at Bellagio.

3. Also remember, this is a complex, "delta neutral" play. Just like covering options/stocks. You need to make a "risk graph" of what happens, or else you can turn a guaranteed "winner middle" into a guaranteed "loser middle" if you place the order wrong.

4. The "half point" is very, very key in this play. A spread of 2.5/3.5 is great for this play. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS A PUSHABLE PLAY! If one side pushes and the other loses, you lose! I can't stress enough to do a risk graph, no matter how much of a nerd it makes you feel like.

It is a mixed bag. With the internet online books can be compared in seconds. But you may only have seconds to get a play down because every bookie knows people want to try this. To be a pro gambler even part time is work like any other job. So keep your eyes peeled.

Good Luck!]]>
Here is how it works. Say you find one book with Steelers -2.5 over Dallas. Then you find another giving Dallas +3.5 on the same game.

You bet a unit on the Steelers giving the 2.5 and another on Dallas, taking the 3.5. Here are possible results. (I'm using a sample score here for simplicity, it is the difference between the scores that coutns, not the actual finan score.)

Assume you are betting a "dime" ($1,000) as a unit.

Steelers 14
Dallas 10

So you win $900 (after juice) on the Steelers and lose $1,000 on the cowboys, net loss $100.

Steelers 12
Dallas 10

Here you lose $1,000 on the Steelers but win $900 on Dallas. Net loss $100.

Steelers 13
Dallas 10

NOW IT GETS INTERESTING!

You win $900 because the Steelers covered the 2.5, but you also win $900 because you "took" 3.5 points on Dallas! You won $1800!!!

OK, so you are probably saying, "Nice, AZ, but how often will this happen??"

The answer is about 1 in 7 NFL games end at *exactly* a 3 point difference!

So if you did this perfectly you would lose $100 six times for $600. But you would win $1800 one time in that 7, up $1,200!!!!!

A few pointers are in order here:

1. Every bookie knows people try this and situations are rare. You might have to take this as a partial-hedge when you see a line move. "The Wizard of Odds" says, "NEVER HEDGE" but I say it is not a real hedge but a planned play.

2. Remember, you will come out on the wrong end of this six of seven times, so don't spend the cash before it comes in. Also remember if you are playing with a "street" bookie they expect payment Tuesday and do not pay out until Thursday as a common practice. If that happens you better have the cash or a bookie who will let you skate. Better to just play at the window at Bellagio.

3. Also remember, this is a complex, "delta neutral" play. Just like covering options/stocks. You need to make a "risk graph" of what happens, or else you can turn a guaranteed "winner middle" into a guaranteed "loser middle" if you place the order wrong.

4. The "half point" is very, very key in this play. A spread of 2.5/3.5 is great for this play. THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS A PUSHABLE PLAY! If one side pushes and the other loses, you lose! I can't stress enough to do a risk graph, no matter how much of a nerd it makes you feel like.

It is a mixed bag. With the internet online books can be compared in seconds. But you may only have seconds to get a play down because every bookie knows people want to try this. To be a pro gambler even part time is work like any other job. So keep your eyes peeled.

Good Luck!]]> <![CDATA[What your bookie won't tell you, part 2]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-2 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:35:37 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-2
Ever wonder how people become bookies? It is not as if you put "bookie" as career ambition in the yearbook. OK, some folks willdo that. Still, it is not a career path you will get into by answering an ad on careerbuilder. (Craigslist, maybe :-) )

Bookies seem to start out one of two ways. They might migrate out of a wire room, or start as "runners" or "campus bookies."

First, you must realize that building a successful bookie career is little different than building a successful career as a lawyer or stockbroker. Step one is get an education. In the legit world you go to college. Then get an "entry level" job in a firm.

As a bookie, well, no need for college. But you will have to know someone to get to square one. You will need to get someone to "vouch" for you with an established bookie/room. This is not to take lightly as when you are vouched for, your screw-ups become THEIR screwups. Reputation is everything in this world. So if you do get someone to vouch for you and you screw up, expect them to take it out on you on some level. Might be never talking to you again, or even a beating if it is a really tough person you let down.

But lets assume the best. You got vouched for on some level. Now where they need you is key. If they are a decent sized operation, they will have a "wire room." This is where they will take calls for bets. it could be behind a bar, in someone's apartment, or anything else. Don't expect it to be "Class A" office space since they may have to fold it up in minutes.

Even in a wire room you need training. How do they talk in "code" so you know who is making the bets. They might have a code last name for the bookie of "Burns" for example. And a player might use a code first name of "Jim." So he would say, "Jim Burns calling, I need $100 on Buffalo over Miami." Thus the player "Jim" (we don't know the real name) makes a play and "Burns" the bookie (we don't know his real name) gets the credit for the action. If anyone has the phone tapped, "Jim Burns" by itself is useless.

The purpose of the wire room is to take as much action as possible. They will need clerks as even bookies have an outside life, or the need to sleep, or can only take so many calls at once. So bookies guys run the room, man the phones, and clerks answer as well plus post a chalkboard so they can adjust the line if needed or whatever.

Think of the clerk like a "ticket runner" at a stock brokerage. He is a young kid who literally "runs" an order to a person placing it on the floor. The pay is low, but the idea is to learn and work your way up. the kid "works his way up" by cold calling potential clients and "building a book." (HEY, does this sound like similar terminology??!!)

The bookie shop is no different. If an aspiring bookie wants to make enough scratch to make a potential pinch worthwhile, he needs to bring in players. They all do since players go broke or drop off over time. Like any business, new customers are the lifeblood.

Now you get to the "runner" or "campus bookie" depending on the surroundings. So our hero has worked the wire room a few months. He decides to make some real cash. So at the bar he works at, he lets it drop to the bartender he can take some action if anyone is looking. Or he may be in college and take action for campus buddies.

At first, the runner will work directly under an established bookie, for less money or maybe just free bets. He must build his business. Pay is based on a % of action and losses. No different than the stockbroker.

Here is another way it is the same as the broker. Say a new player signs up and refuses to pay his loss. Guess who is responsible? Yup--the bookie is responsible just like a broker must work off a loss if a client renegs. This is why a new bettor will have a limit at first. Bookies don't use FICO Scores--they must size you up on their own.

After that, it is building the business while you watch for both the cops and the mob. You also have the same collection problems as the legit guy running a lawn mowing business. So as sexy as it sounds, I think I'll be a player instead.

What your bookie won't tell you, Part 1]]>
Ever wonder how people become bookies? It is not as if you put "bookie" as career ambition in the yearbook. OK, some folks willdo that. Still, it is not a career path you will get into by answering an ad on careerbuilder. (Craigslist, maybe :-) )

Bookies seem to start out one of two ways. They might migrate out of a wire room, or start as "runners" or "campus bookies."

First, you must realize that building a successful bookie career is little different than building a successful career as a lawyer or stockbroker. Step one is get an education. In the legit world you go to college. Then get an "entry level" job in a firm.

As a bookie, well, no need for college. But you will have to know someone to get to square one. You will need to get someone to "vouch" for you with an established bookie/room. This is not to take lightly as when you are vouched for, your screw-ups become THEIR screwups. Reputation is everything in this world. So if you do get someone to vouch for you and you screw up, expect them to take it out on you on some level. Might be never talking to you again, or even a beating if it is a really tough person you let down.

But lets assume the best. You got vouched for on some level. Now where they need you is key. If they are a decent sized operation, they will have a "wire room." This is where they will take calls for bets. it could be behind a bar, in someone's apartment, or anything else. Don't expect it to be "Class A" office space since they may have to fold it up in minutes.

Even in a wire room you need training. How do they talk in "code" so you know who is making the bets. They might have a code last name for the bookie of "Burns" for example. And a player might use a code first name of "Jim." So he would say, "Jim Burns calling, I need $100 on Buffalo over Miami." Thus the player "Jim" (we don't know the real name) makes a play and "Burns" the bookie (we don't know his real name) gets the credit for the action. If anyone has the phone tapped, "Jim Burns" by itself is useless.

The purpose of the wire room is to take as much action as possible. They will need clerks as even bookies have an outside life, or the need to sleep, or can only take so many calls at once. So bookies guys run the room, man the phones, and clerks answer as well plus post a chalkboard so they can adjust the line if needed or whatever.

Think of the clerk like a "ticket runner" at a stock brokerage. He is a young kid who literally "runs" an order to a person placing it on the floor. The pay is low, but the idea is to learn and work your way up. the kid "works his way up" by cold calling potential clients and "building a book." (HEY, does this sound like similar terminology??!!)

The bookie shop is no different. If an aspiring bookie wants to make enough scratch to make a potential pinch worthwhile, he needs to bring in players. They all do since players go broke or drop off over time. Like any business, new customers are the lifeblood.

Now you get to the "runner" or "campus bookie" depending on the surroundings. So our hero has worked the wire room a few months. He decides to make some real cash. So at the bar he works at, he lets it drop to the bartender he can take some action if anyone is looking. Or he may be in college and take action for campus buddies.

At first, the runner will work directly under an established bookie, for less money or maybe just free bets. He must build his business. Pay is based on a % of action and losses. No different than the stockbroker.

Here is another way it is the same as the broker. Say a new player signs up and refuses to pay his loss. Guess who is responsible? Yup--the bookie is responsible just like a broker must work off a loss if a client renegs. This is why a new bettor will have a limit at first. Bookies don't use FICO Scores--they must size you up on their own.

After that, it is building the business while you watch for both the cops and the mob. You also have the same collection problems as the legit guy running a lawn mowing business. So as sexy as it sounds, I think I'll be a player instead.

What your bookie won't tell you, Part 1]]> <![CDATA[No Limit Hold'em - Starting Hands]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-No-Limit-Hold-em-Starting-Hands Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:37:20 -0400 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-No-Limit-Hold-em-Starting-Hands
• Pairs – often called pocket pairs. One pair is composed of two cards of the same rank. The strength of pairs is pretty obvious. With a pair, you already have a made hand that can possibly win without the help of the community cards to follow.

• Suited Hands – these are hole cards of same suit (color), e.g. AK both diamond. Suited cards also add strength. They are more valuable than unsuited cards because they give you a better chance of making a flush.
Many of the playable hands are “connected”. E.g., a queen and a jack. They are close together in their value. Cards that are suited and connected give you more ways to win. Ace King suited is one of the best hands in poker, as you have outs to making big pairs, the best straight and the best flush.

• Unsuited Hands – these are hole cards with different starting value and color, e.g. K of diamond and 8 of hearts.

[Image: Starting Hands_NL.JPG]

This starting hand chart is actually very loose by most standards. It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all to cross off some of the lesser hands if you're just starting out. The better the hands you start with, the more aggressively you can play them.

Both of these charts deal with “position”.]]> <![CDATA[What your bookie won't tell you, part 1]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-1 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:50:02 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-What-your-bookie-won-t-tell-you-part-1
But in the meantime, if you think you know everything about how a wire room works, think again! Today's subject: balancing the action.

If you have looked at betting sports more than five minutes, you have seen "the line." Say you hear, "Steelers favored by 7 over Cleveland." So you think, "WOW, they should win by a touchdown since Vegas thinks they are that much better!"

WRONG!

The point of the spread is to "even the action" on both sides. You bet $110 to win $100. The $10 is "juice" so if a bookie balances perfectly on $10,000 in action he just counts his $1,000 in profit.

Now, a spread will resemble reality as pros who handicap would eat the bookie alive if it didn't. Home field advantage is 3 points of the line as an unwritten rule. But a line could have more to it than that. Lets look at the last Superbowl.

Now, even if you are not a Steelers Fan you have to admit there are more Steeler Fans than Cardinal Fans out there. Even with Vegas relatively close to Phoenix (I've driven it three times!) there will still be more Steeler bets as many people will bet "their team." So in addition to the "handicaping" spread you could expect the books to add a point or two for the Cardinals just to entice a little action.

As a sidenote here, the Cardinals WERE getting action at the points they were offering. So much that one online book made you bet $130 to win $100 but only $90 to win $100 for the Steelers! This was a smart move as the Steelers didn't cover and they made 20 points of juice assuming perfect balance!

BUT, they won't always "balance" and here is why!

Ever been in an office football pool? Even without point spreads, it is tough! Virtually no one goes .600 or better for the season. But no one goes .400 either. Assume it stays that way for point spread games.

So the book has 16 games on a full NFL weekend. 6 are "balanced" but 10 are out of balance. There is a 50/50 chance the bookie will be out of balance in his favor! More if you consider how often the public is wrong!

So, instead of paying juice to a layoff bookie, he will take a risk. To be wrong on even 6 of 10 is unlikely. Save that 10% the layoff guy will take. Save even the 5% "professional" discount he may let you have! Any decent bookie will have enough cash to cover a few bad weeks. Or be able to float a loan from somewhere on the street. (OK, from a line of credit if your bookie is Caesars Palace!)

If a line is not moving on a busy week, this could be why!

Not betting advice and I'm not encouraging you to start a wire room. But fun info at least I think.

What your bookie won't tell you, Part 2]]>
But in the meantime, if you think you know everything about how a wire room works, think again! Today's subject: balancing the action.

If you have looked at betting sports more than five minutes, you have seen "the line." Say you hear, "Steelers favored by 7 over Cleveland." So you think, "WOW, they should win by a touchdown since Vegas thinks they are that much better!"

WRONG!

The point of the spread is to "even the action" on both sides. You bet $110 to win $100. The $10 is "juice" so if a bookie balances perfectly on $10,000 in action he just counts his $1,000 in profit.

Now, a spread will resemble reality as pros who handicap would eat the bookie alive if it didn't. Home field advantage is 3 points of the line as an unwritten rule. But a line could have more to it than that. Lets look at the last Superbowl.

Now, even if you are not a Steelers Fan you have to admit there are more Steeler Fans than Cardinal Fans out there. Even with Vegas relatively close to Phoenix (I've driven it three times!) there will still be more Steeler bets as many people will bet "their team." So in addition to the "handicaping" spread you could expect the books to add a point or two for the Cardinals just to entice a little action.

As a sidenote here, the Cardinals WERE getting action at the points they were offering. So much that one online book made you bet $130 to win $100 but only $90 to win $100 for the Steelers! This was a smart move as the Steelers didn't cover and they made 20 points of juice assuming perfect balance!

BUT, they won't always "balance" and here is why!

Ever been in an office football pool? Even without point spreads, it is tough! Virtually no one goes .600 or better for the season. But no one goes .400 either. Assume it stays that way for point spread games.

So the book has 16 games on a full NFL weekend. 6 are "balanced" but 10 are out of balance. There is a 50/50 chance the bookie will be out of balance in his favor! More if you consider how often the public is wrong!

So, instead of paying juice to a layoff bookie, he will take a risk. To be wrong on even 6 of 10 is unlikely. Save that 10% the layoff guy will take. Save even the 5% "professional" discount he may let you have! Any decent bookie will have enough cash to cover a few bad weeks. Or be able to float a loan from somewhere on the street. (OK, from a line of credit if your bookie is Caesars Palace!)

If a line is not moving on a busy week, this could be why!

Not betting advice and I'm not encouraging you to start a wire room. But fun info at least I think.

What your bookie won't tell you, Part 2]]> <![CDATA[POKER IN THE NEWS--IT IS A GAME OF SKILL!]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-POKER-IN-THE-NEWS-IT-IS-A-GAME-OF-SKILL Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:47:22 -0400 AZDuffman http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-POKER-IN-THE-NEWS-IT-IS-A-GAME-OF-SKILL http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?i...357&page=1]]> http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?i...357&page=1]]> <![CDATA[Poker Face]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Poker-Face Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:19:28 -0400 Carrera http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Poker-Face
The highlight of the video for me was the smug Harvard grad turned pro online poker player living in an expensive NY apartment and having paid off his law school loans from poker winnings. He lost a mere $70,000 to the online cheater.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4639016n3r]]>
The highlight of the video for me was the smug Harvard grad turned pro online poker player living in an expensive NY apartment and having paid off his law school loans from poker winnings. He lost a mere $70,000 to the online cheater.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4639016n3r]]> <![CDATA[Paper or Plastic?]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Paper-or-Plastic Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:44:48 -0400 Carrera http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Paper-or-Plastic <![CDATA[Position in Poker]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Position-in-Poker Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:02:15 -0400 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Position-in-Poker
The primary advantage held by a player in late position is that he will have more information with which to make better decisions than players in early position, who will have to act first, without the benefit of this extra information. Also, as earlier opponents fold, the probability of a hand being the best goes up as the number of opponents goes down.
The blinds are the least desirable position because you're forced to contribute to the pot and you must act first on all betting rounds after the flop. Although the big blind has a big advantage on the first round of betting, it is on average the biggest money losing position.

[Image: Example_of_position-poker.jpg]

The two Late Positions – Button (BU) and Cut Off (CO)
The dealer and the player to his right are in Late Position. The dealer position is also referred to as the button (BU), and the player to his right as the cut-off (CU).

The three Middle Positions – Middle Position 1 (MP1), 2 (MP2) and 3 (MP3)
The three players to the right of the CU are in Middle Position. They are referred to as MP1, MP2 and MP3.

The three Early Positions – Under The Gun 1 (UTG1), 2 (UTG2) and 3 (UTG3)
The three players to the left of the BB are in Early Position, They are said to be "under the gun" and are referred to as UTG1, UTG2, and UTG3.

The Blind Positions – Small Blind (SB) and Big Blind (BB)
The Small Blind (smaller forced bet) is seated on the dealer's left, the Big Blind (large forced bet) on the Small Blind's left. The positions are named accordingly.

Less than 10 players

Sometimes you will find yourself at a table with fewer than 10 players. At a table with 9 seats, there are only two EPs. At a table with 8 players there is only one EP. With 7 players or less there is no EP at all.
The fewer players at the table, the fewer the number of positions. The EPs are eliminated first, followed by MP, LP etc.]]> <![CDATA[Types of Players in Poker]]> http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Types-of-Players-in-Poker Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:51:51 -0400 KillJoy http://www.dicetalk.com/Thread-Types-of-Players-in-Poker TIGHT-AGGRESSIVE: This is generally considered the best way to play, especially if you’re just starting out. This type of player does not play too many hands but plays his hands aggressively when in the pot. Beware when this player raises he could end up taking a huge chunk out of your stack.

Positive: Generally, this type of player does not waste money on trash hands. A tight-aggressive also tends to maximize his or her wins when holding a powerful hand.

Negative: This type of player is sometimes too predictable. A tight-aggressive also needs to sometimes loosen up and play more hands if the situation presents itself.

LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE (AKA MANIAC): This player plays a lot of hands and plays them aggressively. This player will bet and raise until he runs out of money.

Positive: The advantage of this style of play is that it is unpredictable and is able to steal a lot of pots.

Negative: This type of player will often be found throwing away tons of money on pointless bluffs and bets with inferior hands. This style of player works okay against tight-passives, provided the tight passives don’t wise up and start calling the maniac down! This style works best in no limit hold’em.

TIGHT-PASSIVE (AKA NIT): This type of player does not play many hands. When a tight-passive player enters pot, he or she is not aggressive and mainly just calls or folds.

Positive: This player does not tend to lose much money on any given hand.

Negative: However, this type of player ends up being bluffed out of many pots. A tight-passive also does not win as much money as he or she could when holding a winning hand.

LOOSE-PASSIVE (AKA CALLING STATION): This type of player plays a lot of hands but does not tend to play them very aggressively. The favorite word in the English language for this player is “call.”

Positive: The only advantage of this style of play is that it is difficult to bluff this sort of player out of the pot. A maniac will quite often end up losing a lot of their money to a calling station.

Negative: In most cases this player almost always ends up a losing player. This is because calling stations simply throw away too much money on losing hands. Be very wary of playing loose-passive.]]> TIGHT-AGGRESSIVE: This is generally considered the best way to play, especially if you’re just starting out. This type of player does not play too many hands but plays his hands aggressively when in the pot. Beware when this player raises he could end up taking a huge chunk out of your stack.

Positive: Generally, this type of player does not waste money on trash hands. A tight-aggressive also tends to maximize his or her wins when holding a powerful hand.

Negative: This type of player is sometimes too predictable. A tight-aggressive also needs to sometimes loosen up and play more hands if the situation presents itself.

LOOSE-AGGRESSIVE (AKA MANIAC): This player plays a lot of hands and plays them aggressively. This player will bet and raise until he runs out of money.

Positive: The advantage of this style of play is that it is unpredictable and is able to steal a lot of pots.

Negative: This type of player will often be found throwing away tons of money on pointless bluffs and bets with inferior hands. This style of player works okay against tight-passives, provided the tight passives don’t wise up and start calling the maniac down! This style works best in no limit hold’em.

TIGHT-PASSIVE (AKA NIT): This type of player does not play many hands. When a tight-passive player enters pot, he or she is not aggressive and mainly just calls or folds.

Positive: This player does not tend to lose much money on any given hand.

Negative: However, this type of player ends up being bluffed out of many pots. A tight-passive also does not win as much money as he or she could when holding a winning hand.

LOOSE-PASSIVE (AKA CALLING STATION): This type of player plays a lot of hands but does not tend to play them very aggressively. The favorite word in the English language for this player is “call.”

Positive: The only advantage of this style of play is that it is difficult to bluff this sort of player out of the pot. A maniac will quite often end up losing a lot of their money to a calling station.

Negative: In most cases this player almost always ends up a losing player. This is because calling stations simply throw away too much money on losing hands. Be very wary of playing loose-passive.]]>