the discrepancy between playing online poker and real-life poker. Also, is online poker safe?

A lot of questions have been asked whether or not players receive the full benefits of playing poker by playing online. Does getting accustomed to playing online affect real life poker? Does it make you worse or better?



Although some of the premier Texas Hold'em pros today are actually players who began a career in playing online poker,
most people generally lose money online and fail to reap the same benefits that go along with playing in real life. Playing online tends to have a faster game play, replacing general cues and tells, like a players facial expression and movement, with the click of a button. Playing online also requires players to play generally higher stakes and to put forth a substantially higher rake per game.

Not only do gambling addicts get suckered into paying higher to fulfill their addiction, but they also find it extremely difficult to draw the line and stop gambling. Therefore, playing online is risky business; it's dangerous to everybody involved, and allows for all kinds of technical contingencies that can be costly. According to an episode of 60 minutes, playing online poker is highly dangerous and risky. The actual card generators are located outside of the United States. Also, former World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Ramer was caught stealing tens of millions of dollars online from other players. His punishment: a slap on the wrist in exchange for information in how he did it. Playing online poker has been extremely costly for many people.



It's important to remember that for all the money that somebody makes, somebody else has to lose it. At the very least, playing in real-life discourages under age players from attempting to play. Also, playing in person also allows for a greater amount of talent, including facial reading, cues, instincts, and just overall good old poker. Playing online is basically the fast food industry of poker. It is convenient, quick, and is available to just about everyone.

According to an article techdirt.com titled "Online Poker Cheating Scam Unraveled", "Ultimate-bet.com has been fined 1.5 million dollars as part of an ongoing investigation into what appears to be a rather massive scheme to defraud online poker players by giving some insiders the ability to see all the cards other players held". The insider itself, as mentioned above, is allegedly former World Series of Poker Main Event winner Greg Ramer. In the episode of 60 minutes, investigators try to contact Mr. Ramer but he avoids any contact with anybody in regards to the allegations.

Overall, the cons of online poker outweigh the pros. Playing online offers little to no protection of gamers and is a monumental risk to all of those that play. I strongly recommend players to avoid becoming addicted to playing online, as I have personal experience in that regard.



Sources:

http://www.cardplayerbrasil.com/site/imagens/Tom_Dwan_Large_.JPG

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081001/0309502425.shtml

http://www.aintluck.com/images/reviewpics/full-tilt-table.jpg

Factors to consider when going "ALL IN"

A common question in Texas Hold'em poker is when to raise ALL-IN and commit all of one's chips in a hand. Poker is a situational game: it's not easy to explain exactly when somebody should automatically go all in. There are a number of factors to consider before pushing all of your chips into the middle. Are there any obvious tells to consider? Are your opponent's hands shaking or quivering? Does he look intimidated or scared? What does the board look like? Is there an ace to trump your kings, a straight draw on the board to supersede your trips, or a possibility of trips trumping your high pair? It's important to look at all of the possibilities before making a decision.

Often times, you can better read your opponent's hand by examining his betting pattern. Is he confidently betting nearly half the pot? Does he slow down and check? Is he trying to trap you here or is he simply just throwing up a white flag? This all depends on your opponents. The pros tend to trap to maximize their benefits, while the amateurs often times over-bet the pot and leave no margin for error.



Going all in on a bluff is strongly ill-advised. If you get your bluff caught, as you so often will, you will look like an idiot and will be thought of as a reckless player. An important factor of poker that often times doesn't get considered is that playing is so much easier when you have the respect of your opponents. If your opponents consider you one of the best at the table, they will undoubtedly throw away better hands in order to avoid damage from a player they consider a threat.

Pocket Aces or Kings should always raise pre-flop. This avoids bad hands from getting involved in the hand. Amateurs tend to go all-in on hands like pocket aces or kings, but these hands can often be trumped. Obviously, if you look down and see pocket aces and somebody goes all in, you call with confidence because of your overwhelming lead on your opponent's hand.

Going all in in poker can be extremely exciting. But overly excited players are the ones that usually make the first exits. Play smart, play effective, and use your better judgment to lead you towards the right direction. According to Marius McLaughlin, you should go all in when "you are convinced you have the best hand and actually want to be called". Take a look at this video of Phil Ivey, who is considered the greatest poker player in the world, pushing all in when he was convinced he had the best hand.



Sources:

http://ezinearticles.com/?When-to-Go-All-In-in-Texas-Hold-Em&id=1378779

http://www.brandon-hopkins.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/poker-bluff.png

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSScICr78nfS_2IKjV9ikDqufleUOB4iBYjDyotWu3Uu8gn4wXjhYksl_H3iqNAFCevfb3M2Qh48INeHgnZhq5qlhtMKKDiTXGneEr30-JmkYlQeV6-AR9ayOWviODjjUBm8Hjy9BAuF1/s400/ivey_jackson_bluff_all_in.jpg