Robert Tedone

Over the last four years, the popularity of poker has exploded as evidenced by the many crowded brick and mortar poker rooms world-wide, the numerous online poker rooms, the free poker, and the frequently televised WSOP tournaments.

Although a number of poker games–Holdem Poker, Omaha Poker, and 7-Card Stud Poker to name just a few–are available to play in WSOP tournaments, Holdem Poker has emerged as the most popular poker game. Therefore WSOP players must hone their Holdem Poker skills.

The popularity of Holdem Poker is partly due to its simple basic rules. And therin lies the paradox: On the surface, Holdem Poker appears simplistic; but below the surface, Holdem Poker is rife with subtleties, probabilities, and decisions.

WSOP Holdem Poker players must first decide which starting hands to play. That decision is crucial, because if they err, it is a mistake that will only worsen exponentially as the hand progresses.

WSOP Holdem Poker players must predicate their decision on which starting hands to play on their starting position before the flop.

Seats 1, 2, and 3 are Early Position. In Early Position, WSOP Holdem Poker players will play only superior starting hands: AA-77; AK-AT, suited and unsuited; KQ-KT, suited, KQ-KJ, unsuited; QJ-QT, suited and unsuited; JT-J9, suited; T9, suited.

Seats 4, 5, and 6 are Middle Position.

In Middle Position, WSOP Holdem Poker players will play all of the Early Position starting hands and these additional hands: 66-55; A9-A6, suited; K9, suited; KT, unsuited; Q9, suited; J9, suited; JT, unsuited; T8, suited; 98, suited.

Seats 7 and 8 (button) are Late Position. In Late Position, WSOP Holdem Poker players will play all Early Position starting hands, Middle Position starting hands, and these additional hands: 44-22; A5-A2, suited; K8-K2, suited; K9, unsuited; Q8, suited; Q9, unsuited; J8, suited; J9, unsuited; T9-T8, unsuited; 98-97, unsuited; 87, suited and unsuited; 86, suited; 76, suited; 75, suited; 65, suited.

Seat 9 is the Small Blind. In the Small Blind, WSOP Holdem Poker players will call a half-bet with Late Position starting hands or better.

Seat 10 is the Big Blind. In the Big Blind, WSOP Holdem Poker players will check as they have already placed a bet in the pot before the start of the hand.

WSOP Holdem Poker players should now have a general understanding of the proper starting hand selection.

When to raise or reraise before the flop and other advanced strategies will be covered in subsequent articles.

WSOP

kitsolutions@comcast.net

Playing online poker is fast becoming the most popular form of Internet gambling. You can play Texas holdem online, and match your gambling skills against players from all over the world, playing live poker games, with real people, right on your computer.

Texas holdem is by far the most popular online poker game today. This means that every poker room will have a good selection of Texas holdem games available. You can even enter texas holdem poker tournaments, and win a seat at the WSOP (World Series of Poker).

If you think its a stretch that you could be playing in the World Series of Poker just by playing poker on your computer, consider this; Hundreds of people qualified for the 2004 World Series of Poker just from playing in texas holdem tournaments on their computers.

Online poker, if you haven’t tried it yet, can be an awful lot of fun. It’s not as intimidating as a private game, much less intimidating than playing in a Casino, and there are many free tables you can sit at until you are comfortable enough to play for real money. The software does all the work for you, and will tell you when it’s your turn, and how much you can bet. Games are available any time of day or night, so you can choose when you care to play.

You can play poker on line, and chat with people from all over the world, while enjoying the comfort of playing in your own home, in an atmosphere you are comfortable with.

With over 2,000 online casino, and poker rooms to choose from, trying to pick one that is trustworthy, reliable, gives you the best odds, and that you feel comfortable with, is challenging. Many sites offer advise about playing and betting online, and information about selecting a poker room. You should however, visit one of the sites that offer Casino reviews, to find out what some of the independent experts say about the most popular online poker rooms, before you join. Remember that while online poker is safe, and is a lot of fun, there are some things you need to know before putting down your hard earned cash.

Since it is not possible to know the track record of each and every online casino today, it is my recommendation to stick with the older more established, and well known ones.

See my (Top 12 Best Poker Rooms List). Most of them use software that is leased from the larger gambling software companies such as, Microgaming, Work Gaming, Boss Media, and Playtech, and have a reputation of being reliable, and trustworthy.

Most poker rooms offer instructions on how to play poker. For the beginner, Paradise Poker has created one of the best FREE poker instruction available, enabling you to learn how to play poker, at your own pace, while sitting at your computer. This is the most simplified, easy to learn, 10-minute poker instructional tool available.

If your new to poker, or would like to brush up on the game, invest 10 minutes of your time watching this very well done video.
Poker room.com have another excellent free Poker School. If you know a little about poker, and would like some help improving your game, you should visit this site, where you can try out a few lessons that should help improve your poker game. The intention is not to turn you into a pro, (to do that requires a lot of study and massive experience), but rather to give you the confidence to play low limit poker for real money, and enjoy the excitement of it.
Many very good books about how to play poker have become very popular recently, and I have compiled a list of some of the best available, at very reasonable prices, from Amazon.com. Gaining a little knowledge about the game and its many strategies can be a useful and wise investment of your time.

You will find my lists of the 12 Best Poker Rooms, and Poker Books from Amazon.com along with links to the all the places mentioned in this article at http://www.budsbestcasinos.com

Have fun playing poker online, and good luck.

1. $500 No-Limit Hold’em Casino Employee - Chris Gros
2. $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em - Brandon Cantu
3. $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em - Rafe Furst
4. $1,500 Limit Hold’em - Kianoush Abolfathi
5. $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Short Handed 6/Table - Russ Boyd (Dutch Boyd)
6. $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Mark Vos
7. $3,000 Limit Hold’em - William Chen
8. $2,000 Omaha High-Low 8/OB - Jack Zwerner
9. $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Jeff Cabanillas
10. $1,500 Seven Card Stud - David Williams
11. $5,000 Omaha High-Low 8/OB - Sam Farha
12. $1,500 Limit Hold’em - Bob Chalmers
13. $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em - Max Pescatori
14. $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em w/ Rebuys - Allen Cunningham
15. $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em - Mary Jones
16. $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha - Lee Watkinson
17. $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Jon Friedberg
18. $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em - Eric Kesselman
19. $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Seniors - Clare Miller
20. $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. - David Reese (Chip Reese)
21. $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Short Handed 6/Table - William Chen
22. $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Jeff Madsen
23. $3,000 Limit Hold’em - Ian Johns
24. $3,000 Omaha High-Low 8/OB - Scott Clements
25. $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout - David Pham
26. $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys - Eric Froehlich
27. $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha - Rafael Perry
28. $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em - Mats Rahmn
29. $5,000 Seven Card Stud - Benjamin Lin
30. $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em - John Gale
31. $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Short Handed 6/Table - Jeff Madsen
32. $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Justin Scott
33. $1,500 Seven Card Razz - James Richburg
34. $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em - Jason Lester
35. $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em - Phil Hellmuth Jr.
36. $1,000 Seven Card Stud High-Low 8/OB - Patrick Poels
37. $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball - Daniel Alaei

This list is from 2 hole cards