Lucky Dog Poker from Creators Syndicate

Iowa Player Wonders About ‘Secret' to Winning Poker Tournaments for 04/17/2012

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

An Iowa reader this week discusses a tournament-winning experience, and a player in Texas gets down to hold 'em basics.

Q: After a long dry spell playing hold 'em tournaments, tonight I actually won! The thing is, I really didn't play any differently than I have been. The cards were just there for once. Is that the secret? — Bob R. in Davenport, Iowa.

A: Yes and no, Bob.

...

Updated: Tue Apr 17, 2012

Don't Have $1 Million to Enter ‘The Big One'? How About a Measly $65? for 04/10/2012

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

You say your bankroll can't quite handle the million-dollar entry fee for the biggest card game of all time this July at the World Series of Poker?

Well, how would you feel about winning your way into the event for as little as $65?

Parlaying a relatively paltry sum into a chance to win up to $16 million won't be easy. But it happens regularly in poker — albeit on a smaller ...

Updated: Tue Apr 10, 2012

Got Poker Opponents Who Bug You? Here's What You Should Do for 04/03/2012

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

A reader in Illinois asks today about dealing with different types of characters at the table. Let's try to help.

Q: It seems like there's always one player at the table who throws me off my game with table-talk, wild betting or some other weird activity. Why can't I find games with normal players? — Mark S. in Rock Island, Ill.

A: You're asking the wrong question, Mark.

...

Updated: Tue Apr 03, 2012

‘All In: The Poker Movie': Mainstream Bid for Game's Acceptance? for 03/27/2012

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Can a new movie accomplish what poker proponents have been struggling for years to achieve — specifically, the game's favorable acceptance and regulated online poker in the U.S.?

Probably not.

But "All In: The Poker Movie," which opened Friday in Los Angeles and New York and gains wider release this week, aims to raise understanding about poker's roots and its memo ...

Updated: Tue Mar 27, 2012

Not a Math Whiz? OK, Just Memorize These Common Poker Odds for 03/20/2012

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Are you good at math? Hmm, thought so. Neither am I.

For many poker players, doing math calculations is the last thing on their mind when they sit down at the felt. They're there to play and have fun!

Still, poker is more fun when you win, and it helps to know the winning potential of starting cards. Remember, there's a reason for the saying, "Never draw to an inside straight ...

Updated: Tue Mar 20, 2012

Does "Poker After Dark's" Return to TV Signal More Shows to Come? for 03/13/2012

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

The return of a popular televised poker show and the frustration of seeing an opponent's crazy playing style pay off are on readers' minds this week.

Q: I heard that "Poker After Dark" on NBC was returning this month, but I don't see it on the program listings. It was a favorite of mine. Where can I find it? — Steve B. of Moline, Ill.

A: "Poker After Dark,&quo ...

Updated: Tue Mar 13, 2012

Geography Is First Hurdle in Playing Subscription Online Poker for 03/06/2012

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Many online poker players starved for full-fledged legal games keep looking for a path to safely get back into action. In many cases, their success depends squarely on where they live.

Q: I'm intrigued by the ClubWPT online poker concept, but I live in the state of Georgia. Why am I not able to sign up from Georgia, and what are the prospects for doing so in the future? — Bob B. in ...

Updated: Tue Mar 06, 2012

Just One Hand Can Reveal How Well You Execute a Planned Strategy for 02/28/2012

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Sometimes, how you play a single hand says a lot about your ability to follow through on a plan.

Such a hand came recently for Bob R. of Davenport, Iowa, during a local tournament with 44 players. Losing the hand knocked him out in eighth place, three spots shy of the money, continuing a frustrating trend for 2012.

"I could have sat back and hoped to make the money, but I wan ...

Updated: Tue Feb 28, 2012

Illinois Player Asks: Is It Safe to Play Real-Money Poker Online? for 02/21/2012

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Having grown tired of the free poker games on the Internet, an Illinois player this week asks about switching to real money action on the computer.

Q: Can you tell me if it's OK to play Bovada Poker for real money online? Is it safe? — John P. in Moline, Ill.

A: That's the $64 question, isn't it, John?

When the U.S. Department of Justice indicted the top three poker s ...

Updated: Tue Feb 21, 2012

Players Reveal What Poker Has Taught Them About Themselves, Life for 02/14/2012

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Many poker players apply math and people-reading skills at the table. The better they do at both, the greater chance they have to beat the game.

But what, in return, has poker given them?

At a recent charity hold 'em tournament, I asked 10 players this question: "What have you learned about yourself, and about life, from being a poker player?"

Here's what they sai ...

Updated: Tue Feb 14, 2012

WSOP Eyes More Records With Added Events and Tables for 2012 for 02/07/2012

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Raise your hand if you were surprised last year when the World Series of Poker broke the overall record with 75,672 entries.

Yeah, me, too.

The 2011 total prize pool was a staggering $191,999,010 — also the largest ever and no doubt a shocker for even die-hard WSOP fans.

For one thing, online poker evaporated in the U.S. after the Department of Justice indictments on ...

Updated: Tue Feb 07, 2012

To Win $10,000 WSOP Seat, Inexperienced Players Need a Plan for 01/31/2012

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The range of poker skills at this weekend's charity tournament in Rock Island, Ill., will be as wide as you can imagine.

Consider this email from Tom S., a local amateur player:

"The tournament you wrote about last week seems too good to pass up, even though I play very little poker. You didn't offer much strategy, however, and I could use more help!"

So, here are ...

Updated: Tue Jan 31, 2012

$10,000 World Series Seat up for Grabs at Quad-Cities Poker Fundraiser for 01/24/2012

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The biggest Quad-Cities poker event since casino boats with card rooms floated into town 20 years ago is just a few days away.

Unofficially, the Texas hold 'em fundraising tournament on Feb. 4 at the Jumers Casino Event Center in Rock Island, Ill., will:

— Attract the largest local tournament field ever — 400 players — if it maxes out the tables for two qualifyin ...

Updated: Tue Jan 24, 2012

Angelo's ‘Rubber Band Story' Wraps Great Poker Tips in Eloquent Writing for 01/17/2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Tell a beginning poker player to fold more hands for better results, and you'll likely get a return stare that screams, "I want to play, not watch!"

Now consider how poker coach and author Tommy Angelo conveys that same message to players in his 2011 book, "A Rubber Band Story and Other Poker Tales."

"I played poker for 10 years before I discovered folding ...

Updated: Tue Jan 17, 2012

Despite WSOP Fame, Darvin Moon Stands Out As a Regular Guy for 01/10/2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Darvin Moon is a throwback.

In today's frantic poker world — where youthful aggressors dominate, where the game's icons become villains — Darvin Moon stands out as something else: a down-to-earth guy comfortable playing the smallest game in the room.

That's what happened Friday night when Moon and two buddies — en route to north-central Iowa to hunt white-tailed ...

Updated: Tue Jan 10, 2012

Will 2012 Mark Your First Card Room Visit? Here's What to Know for 01/03/2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

It's here, 2012 — the year you've resolved to finally play poker in a real card room!

Sure, you've played for pocket change on the kitchen table or tried online games, but now you're ready for "real poker" with professional dealers, top-quality tables and strangers who want to win your money.

First, you need a plan and a little strategy advice updated from LuckyDog ...

Updated: Tue Jan 03, 2012

Poker Pros' Playing Tips Join Holiday Gifts This Season for 12/27/2011

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

'Tis the holiday season, so some gift-giving seems in order. How about a few tips from pros?

This collection of can't-miss suggestions to make you a better player is updated from LuckyDog Poker archives, based on interviews with some top players:

— From Greg Raymer, World Series of Poker main event champ in 2004:

You need to practice, and you need to learn more. To pr ...

Updated: Tue Dec 27, 2011

Poker Survey Seeks to Define Who Players Are, What They Want for 12/20/2011

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Poker players are hard to pigeonhole.

We come in all ages, shapes and backgrounds. We play our favorite game for a variety of reasons. We are blue collar, white collar and no collar.

We're night owls, parents, students, competitors, gamblers, conservatives, risk-takers and a 60-70 million block of citizens whose beliefs, in the aggregate, encompass every side of every political, s ...

Updated: Tue Dec 20, 2011

$1 Million Buy-in Tourney Now Official WSOP Bracelet Event for 12/13/2011

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Twenty years passed before the World Series of Poker main event awarded $1 million for first place (1991). Online poker's first million-dollar top prize happened just nine months ago.

Can you say "chicken feed"?

Coming in early July at the 2012 WSOP is a no-limit hold 'em event that costs $1 million — just to enter! That's a record for poker.

As of last week ...

Updated: Tue Dec 13, 2011

Sizing Up Recent Poker Headlines: Are They Good News or Bad? for 12/06/2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Recent poker headlines left players wondering: Was that good news or bad news for the game? Let's see how they score.

— Headline: "U.S. Rep. Barney Frank won't seek re-election in 2012."

My first reaction was that losing the longtime Massachusetts Democrat — poker's staunchest and most active ally in Congress — had to be bad.

After all, from 2007 ...

Updated: Tue Dec 06, 2011