Where to Play in a Poker Tournament

Poker has become immensely popular in recent years, particularly the phenomenon of poker tournaments. As a poker player you may be wondering: How can I get involved in the poker tournament scene?

There are three main places to play in a poker tournament: At home, online, or at a casino. They each have their own advantages.

1. At Home.

This includes any poker game that is informally organized, either by you, someone you know, or a friend of a friend. As long as the rules are clearly outlined beforehand, you don't need any fancy dealers or tournament directors to play a poker tournament. All you really need are cards and chips. What's nice about a home poker game is that the financial stake can be strictly regulated. If your friends are comfortable risking twenty dollars, that can be the buy in for your tournament. If two dollars or two hundred are more their speed, that's fine too. There's no restriction on how many chips you can distribute, as long as everyone starts with the same amount (and you have enough chips). Even if everyone is only kicking in five dollars, you can all start with 10,000 in chips in front of you, just like the entrants to the World Series of Poker!

When setting up your own home poker tournament, a few things need to be established. First up is the prize payout structure. If your tournament only has about ten people, some people like to give about half the prize pool to the winner, 30 percent to the second place player and 20 percent to whoever comes in third. If you have more people, you might want to spread it out so that more get paid. Important note: Holding back a percentage of the prize pool for yourself as the organizer is illegal in a home poker game in many states, even if you're just using the money to pay for drinks. Be sure you know local laws before you withhold any prize money.

Then you have to establish how many chips everyone starts with. More chips usually equals more fun, but keep in mind if you have too many chips on the table, the tournament may go on much longer than people are comfortable with, especially the people who get knocked out early.

Finally, you need to know the blind structure. The way tournaments (at least Hold`em tournaments, which are probably what you will be playing), progress towards a winner is with forced blinds that players have to put into the pot each round, amounts that rise incrementally as the tournament goes on. You want to start with smallish blinds, so that people have time to show off their poker skills before the blinds get too big. A small blind of 5 and a big blind of 15 is not a bad way to start, nor is a 25-50 start if you want to get things moving a little faster. After a pre-determined period of time (15 to 40 minutes is a good range; err towards the shorter amount to keep the game moving), double the blinds, so you move from 25-50, to 50-100, to 100-200. This should give your tournament a fun pace.

One last thing to keep in mind for home tournaments: The players who get knocked out need something to do. All but two people are not going to be playing in the tournament for some amount of time; the guy who gets knocked out first is going to be waiting a long time. Have another table available for a side game and keep a TV or snacks on hand to amuse your less fortunate guests while they're waiting for the next game to start up.

2. Online

Online tournaments are a great place to start, especially if you are inexperienced or don't have a casino in your area. Download the software for one of the many poker sites on the internet (some of the most popular include PartyPoker, PokerStars, ParadisePoker and PacificPoker), load some money into your account and you're ready to go! Online menus will direct you quickly and easily to the tournament of your choice. The most popular tournament online is called the "Sit and Go," meaning that as soon as enough people sit, you're ready to go! Sit and Gos are generally single table tournaments, so if you beat everyone at your table, you win. You will typically face nine opponents, although there are tables that offer six handed tournaments and some sites even allow four handed and heads-up tournament play. The buy-in is up to you; SnGs are offered from as low as $6 to enter to as high as hundreds of dollars to start, whatever suits your needs.

You can also play multi-table tournaments, with three or four tables' worth of people, or even larger tournaments, with hundreds of entrants. The payouts are generally a measure of how many people play, so a six handed Sit and Go might pay only two players, whereas a big tournament might pay over a hundred. All of these types of tournaments have a range of buy-ins; you will certainly be able to find one you are comfortable with.

3. Casino

Unless you live in Las Vegas, California, Atlantic City, or within striking distance of a Riverboat or Indian Reservation, it's hard to get to Casino tournaments on a regular basis, but they can be a very rewarding experience. The advantage the online tournaments have over the casino ones is that the casino tournament is on a much stricter schedule. You have to show up around the time the tournament is scheduled to start or you are out of luck. Casinos don't have the room or resources to be running all sorts of tournaments 24 hours a day, although many have at least one daily and one nightly tournament and sometimes run single table satellites, where you can earn tournament entry fees, continuously. People enjoy casino tournaments because they feel they get the full poker experience. You are literally surrounded by poker, the sounds of riffling chips, the appearances of the various players, the feel of the felt, these are all things you can only get in an actual (referred to as "brick and mortar" or "B&M") casino.

If staring down your opponent or picking up subtle tells is your game, you need to be at the casino. If you want to sit down next to a pro or celebrity you've seen on T.V., the only place that's going to happen is the casino. In addition to the full poker experience, players also don't have to worry about bad internet connections timing them out when they're trying to move all-in with their pocket aces, or about frustrating software crashes. Of course, you can't play a casino poker tournament in your underwear (although I'd guess some have tried) and you can't just hop into bed after a grueling twelve hour tournament; you still have to drive home. Still, for some, the casino tournament is the only way to go.

All three of these options provide great poker tournament experiences, you should try as many as you can and see which one suits you the best.

Tom Shannahan has been playing poker since he was 16. He grew up watching his father play with friends once a week. He currently writes part time for Pokerlistings.com where you can find more great information about Poker and Poker Rules.

Where The Best Free Poker Game Tips Are Found

?Experience is the master of education, however, even experience can be a cruel way to learn. Some poker pro's will argue that the only real way to learn how to play poker is by actually playing. Nevertheless, with a little perseverance, you can discover a lot of the best free poker game tips without risking your entire poker bankroll.

Although the Internet is a great place to pick up free poker game tips, the Poker World online is full of misinformation. Poker forums, personal blogs and sales oriented material all proclaim to know all the secrets to winning at poker online. However, much of this information is tainted by personal opinion, inaccurate math and just downright nonsense. You should cautiously approach any poker tips or information with a dose of reality and ensure that what you are reading is verifiable and holds true in the actual application.

For example, I recall reading a free poker games tips website that clearly stated different percentages for making certain hands. The author insisted that if you hold two suited cards, you have a 35% chance of making a flush. This misinformation is not entirely accurate. In reality you have a 0.84% (1 in 118) chance of flopping a flush, a 19.1% chance of making the flush on the turn if two of your flush cards are on the flop, and a 19.1% chance on the river if two of your suit are already on the board.

The confusion comes from the fact that many people will just assume that they have a 38% chance of hitting their flush pre-flop, when holding two suited cards. However that first REQUIRES you to HIT two more suited cards on the flop in order to have the 38% shot BY the river.

When looking for reliable and honest free poker game tips, you must ensure that you are able to verify and prove that the information you are getting is true and accurate. Look for the facts and prove it works to yourself, before you venture into a game and use inaccurate or ill-advised poker strategies. Do not just assume that anything anybody says is the correct poker strategy or the right information to improve your game.

Discover for yourself all the free poker game tips and then take notes of those tips to use later.

Once you gather plenty of free poker game tips and taken notes of them, begin to apply them to your actual poker tournament or cash game. This will help you gain the valuable experience you need to become a winning poker player.

Paul Westin is a professional poker player on several online poker sites and a former software engineer for a gaming company.

His latest research on poker code algorithms reveals the inner workings of the online poker sites and how the software programs used on the pokersites affect the outcome of your play.

Visit http://www.caligonia.com/poker/ for more information on beating online poker sites.
Get poker advice, coaching or free poker game tips, join the free Poker Club Newsletter sponsored by http://howtowinatpoker.info/

Where to Play Online Poker Games

If you are trying to figure out where to play online poker games, do an Internet search for online poker rooms and take a look at some of the online poker-related sites that have detailed poker site reviews and ratings on their pages.

Nowadays there are over 250 poker rooms online, and the largest online poker room has more than 40,000 people playing at the same time during peak playing hours. You can play poker for real money against poker players from all over the world.

Step 1: Check out online poker rooms reviews.

There are a number of reputable online poker sites that are now catering to thousands of players every day. Search for the well-reputed poker rooms which run on reliable software and manage their payments well. Among the large number of available poker rooms, the choice usually comes down to a number of practical details, such as the game variety, the sign-up bonus offered, and how many players are there.

If you want to play Texas Holdem poker, you're cool, as this the one game that all poker rooms online offer. If you're looking for other games, things may get a little more complicated. Omaha is also very common, as well as seven card stud, but for other games you may have to pick a certain poker room to get your desired game.

Step 2: Look for Sign-Up Bonus Offers.

Found a room to play online poker games? Check out what kind of bonuses the room offers when you sign up.

Every site offers a sign-up bonus on a player's first deposit ranging from 20 percent up to 100 percent. These poker deposit bonuses are usually tied to a requirement to play a predetermined amount of raked hands. You can move from site to site collecting these poker sign-up bonuses, which can be a good way to increase your profit per hour of a poker play.

Make sure you have read the terms and conditions of every poker room so you know exactly what you must do to receive the bonus. All new players are advised to get some practice before putting their money at risk in a live game.

Step 3: Download the Software.

Download and install the software or use the Flash software, and start playing poker for real money at the best online poker sites. If you are sitting on a modem and don't want to download any software, some online poker rooms offer a no-download version. Because of the software used online, nobody can act out of turn. Some sites have buttons or boxes you can check so you can choose to fold, call or raise as soon as you see your cards, but the action will not take place until it is your turn to act.

Poker is a lifelong game where players never stop learning, and the Internet is just another study aid. If you're like most poker players, you shouldn't have a hard time getting acclimated with the transition from 'live' poker games to playing all your favorites at poker rooms. Playing online poker games can be a very fun and profitable way to learn. Grasp the advantages the poker offers you.

Alex Mate provides poker players with a step by step guide of what they need to do to play online poker games, how to pick a site that offers money games, and where to play poker real money.

The Ultimate Poker House Party and Where to Get Those Poker Supplies

The Ultimate House Poker Party is as much about the atmosphere as is is about the Poker Game Going on. As a host planning an event you must take into account all of the major pieces of the event. Below is a breakout of each of these areas and what items you must plan for. The areas of the Ultimate Poker Party are Who to invite, Poker Room Atmosphere, Food & Drink, Poker Supplies, and Poker Game & Rules.

Who to Invite - Who to invite to a poker game is one of the biggest decisions you have as a poker host. This decision is based on the type of game that you are looking to have. If you want to have a great poker game with allot of action and tense moments you shouldn't invite the novice players that will kill the atmosphere. At the same time if you are looking to have a friendly but Educational game with family and friends you should consider not inviting the want a be professional who will add stress to the environment.







Poker Room Atmosphere - The atmosphere of your designated poker area can be a key contributor to the experience people take away with them. The Poker Table is the starting area. If you are playing on a Poker type table people will be more impressed than if you are playing on your kitchen table or a Fold up table. Lighting is another concern, the best lighting setup is if you can have it where the poker table / tables have direct lighting overhead and the rest of the room has more area lighting. Keep the poker room area for players only (If possible). Set up a losers lounge where people out of the game can hang out and discuss their faults. Try to keep kids out of the area.


Food and Drink - Food and Drink are important choices for the poker game. If you choose to have a meal make it something that the people can eat either at the poker game or while socializing with the other players. Drinks are always an interesting issue to deal with. You as a host want to take care of your guest but you also have to be prepared for people that cant handle their alcohol. You don't want any alcohol issues at your party.
Poker Supplies -

Poker Game & Rules - The Rules of the Poker Game you choose need to be based on the invite list you invite. A poker pro want a be doesn't want to bend the rules for a newbie. At the same time a novice doesn't want to be harassed by a poker expert. You Should set your rules based upon a standard or based on your invite list. Good Luck on having your Ultimate Poker Party!

For more information on Poker Supplies or Poker Parties please visit the following site Poker Shopping.com

For Poker Tips you can visit my Blog at Poker Player and his Tips

Thanks

Donald Martin

Best Online Poker Rooms- Where Should You be Playing?

Poker is one of the fastest growing sports in America today. It is getting so popular, in fact, that it is spilling over onto the World Wide Web. However, we all know the dangers of putting personal information on the internet for all to see and poker generally involves money of some sort. The following information will help to direct you to the best online poker rooms on the web.

One of the best online poker rooms on the internet is Paradise Poker. This site is popular, due in part, because there are constantly tournaments going on and a player will always find some high stakes game to enter. People have mentioned that this game has the most pleasing graphics and yet it is not crowded with all sorts of unnecessary icons. For those players worried about the security of their money, Paradise Poker has shuffle card reviews from a highly recommended company, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Second, with all of Party Poker's efforts to get their name out there, they have certainly been rewarded by all of the players they have brought to their tables. Although they do have quite a large amount of customers, their customer service is nothing to brag about. Party is presented by the same people that brought you CardPlayer Cruises, including Mike Sexton. Every year Party Poker hosts a rather large tournament called the Party Poker Million.

Poker Stars has never had a time where there was not a large tournament going on that anyone could enter. This site is popular with most of the free roll players; the site offers some amusing aspects to the programming. Although the interface can appear rather chaotic with the extensive graphics people can use for their icons.

Most of the time, Ladbrokes has encounters worth watching, and for added reliability they are connected with the Hilton Group. Sponsoring a huge tournament in Europe where they don't accept US players is an annual competition known as the Ladbrokes Poker Tournament. Although their software is not extraordinary, it can still provide one with hours of poker entertainment.

Poker Room offers a variety of options. Which include multi-table tournaments, as well as Texas Hold'em, Hold'em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud and a number of casino games. For those players worried about viruses, no download is needed in order to play on Poker Room. In addition to a good links section, players can play a free roll with play money, including tournaments.

Prima Poker is more of a group of poker sites rather than a single room and boasts a minimum wait time before the start of a game. With twenty-one sites to gather players from, it doesn't matter what site in the group you connected from, you will be able to play a game of poker.

Full Tilt ranks further down this list, although the graphics may appear slightly childish, the site can really be a lot of fun, especially if the cards aren't flopping your way. With the addition of Team Full Tilt, the site has some of the best players in the game and has earned its bragging rights.

Relatively new to the online poker scene is Hollywood Poker. Unlike any other site, Hollywood Poker allows players to play against some of their favorite actors including James Woods, the official spokesman. The graphics aren't anything special but they offer a cornucopia of options allowing players to maximize their experience.

For online poker room reviews, Party Poker bonus codes, and Paradise Poker bonus codes, visit http://www.poker-reviews-online.com/ today.

Internet Poker Rooms - Where Should You Play At?

There are quite a number of internet poker rooms available for poker enthusiasts who want to experience what it is like to play poker online. Choosing which internet poker rooms to enter can be a puzzling experience for first time poker internet players. Internet poker rooms showcase a number of the quite famous casino games like black jack and video poker. Even though it is somewhat impossible to win all the time over these games, the entertainment worth is quite priceless. There means to help you decided on which virtual room to enter, the good thing is for each room you will be provided with information on how these rooms operate to be able to give you an insight as to how to spend each cent of your gambling money. After learning the rules of online poker and experiencing what it us like to play at least small time, you may now begin your search for the best internet poker rooms that suits your ultimate poker needs.

Poker Stars who made infamous World Series of Poker Main Event Champions like Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, offers real time money games since the year 2001. There are thousands of cash game and tournament players registered with it thereby making it one of the largest and the leading internet poker rooms at present. In the earlier years of Poker Stars, it had a reputation that its players are very tough but as the number of players increases the level of competition decreases to average as far as other poker rooms are concerned. A 24 hour customer support is available for the players through email only. Titan poker opened in 2005 and to date is utilizing Playtech Software, a trend that is quite popular among the immensely expanding number of online poker rooms.

Compared to Poker Stars, Titan poker has a fewer number of players. But since it is affiliated with other poker rooms online like Noble poker, its players are allowed to play against the allied rooms players. The level of competition is rather standard. It also offers prizes and bonuses for new and previous players. The quality of support offered for Titan poker's customers are high and issues are answered very quickly. Live chat, email and telephone support, including a toll free number for players based in the United Kingdom, is available for it players. Party poker was once the leader in the online poker industry which used to house to over five million registered players. To date, Poker stars has outdone the Party poker's population of only 10, 000 cash game players and 60,000 tournament players. Most of the players are beginners and casual players but the level of competition gets tougher as the money involve increases. An email support is available and the reply is faster than the standard 24 hour response and a toll free telephone is available to many countries twenty four hours a day.

After choosing which, of the many internet poker rooms to enter apply what you have learned and start winning your lot. Of course you may experience some losses too, but every game must always be a learning experience that makes you tougher as your kind of poker game requires you to be.

Internet Poker Rooms are easy to beat if you have a system that allows you to win $45 an hour or more playing Sit-N-Go's. Come get your FREE eCourse packed with tips on how to crush poker games online. Go to http://www.SitNGoGenius.com now!

Where Should You Play Poker?

Often overlooked, this fundamental question must be answered before you can pursue your dream of becoming a long-term successful poker player.

A poker players' decision as to where he/she is going to play poker is perhaps the most important decision affecting the players' enjoyment of the game and his/her bankroll. Generally speaking, a player has four possible venues to choose from, they are:

1) Online poker sites

2) Casinos/Local Poker Rooms

3) Home games with family & friends

4) Local Charity/Fund-raising tournaments

Each of these four venues has their own unique 'pros and cons' to be considered. One venue may be best for Player 'A', but not necessarily a good choice for Player 'B'. The correct venue is relative to your personality, bankroll, and skill level.

Lets' take a look at each of the four venues more closely, and discuss the characteristics of each. I will be speaking in broad generalities which are consistent wherever where you live, but you should realize geography plays an important role in venue selection. Gambling laws vary from one locale to another, so please research the laws in your area and play within those laws. With that caveat in place, lets' examine online poker first.

Online Poker

Without a doubt, online pokers' popularity has exploded in recent years; so much so, the Federal government has placed limits on the ability of US players to move money to and from the poker sites. These restraints pose a real problem for poker players, and several player associations are trying to fight these restrictions. The future of online poker laws is uncertain at this time. A full discussion of the legalities of online poker is beyond the scope of this article, but I encourage all poker players to do their research before you jump into online play.

Pros of Online Poker:

- The best thing about playing poker online is the ability to play from the comfort of your own home any time you wish. Sites such as Poker Stars, Full-Tilt, Ultimate Bet, etc. will literally have tens of thousands of eager players online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever you are ready to play, you will have no problem finding an available game.

- Online play allows the player to play a wide variety of games. If you would like to take a break from Texas Hold'em and have the urge to play Omaha, Stud, Razz, Horse, or virtually any other game you can think of, the online sites will accommodate you.

- Another benefit to playing online is that you can play any stakes you are comfortable with. If you are conservative, or just starting out, you can play for as little as a few pennies a hand. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, you can play for as much as several thousands of dollars. The sites will offer a wide variety stakes in between these two extremes as well.

- Finally, because the online sites keep the games moving quickly, you can improve your game by playing a high volume of hands in a relatively short period of time. More experienced players may play multiple games at the same time. These players are seeing an extraordinary number of hands per hour.

Cons of Online Poker:

- Online poker can quickly become addictive. Online poker addiction can have severe negative consequences for the players' physical, emotional, professional, and financial well-being. An addicted player will often start staying up all night playing while ignoring his need for sleep. This may lead to emotional problems and ultimately lead to a strain on the players' home and professional life. A player must be vigilant to remember poker is not as important as family, friends, or your career away from poker.

- The online player may also become a victim of cheating while playing online. The poker sites try to catch cheaters through the use of sophisticated software that monitors play and looks for irregularities, and I believe they are partially successful in these efforts; however, it cannot be denied some cheating goes on without be caught. The problem for the individual poker player is that he can never be certain he is not being cheated. The poker world was a buzz last year when the media reported the scandal involving Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker. Some cheating occurs between the players themselves when two or more players gang up on an unsuspecting player through the use of telephone communication while the hands are being played out. If your opponent has more information about the hole cards than you do, you are at a significant disadvantage.

- Because poker is played quickly online, the less skillful player will likely lose more of his bankroll online than if he played elsewhere. If a losing player plays more, he will naturally lose more over the long run.

Casino Poker

For this discussion, I will consider full service casinos (which you are likely to encounter in Las Vegas or Atlantic City) and local Poker Rooms (commonly found at Kennel Clubs, Horse Racetracks, or other Pari-Mutual facilities) to be one in the same. The size and degree of sophistication may be greater at a full service casino, but Poker Rooms have come far in recent years and can offer similar services to a poker player. Each facility provides the tables, chips, dealers, and pit bosses to manage play, and each provides a comfortable atmosphere for the players to enjoy. In exchange for providing these services, the 'house' will rake the pots or charge you an hourly fee to play (more on this later).

Pros of Casino Poker:

- Casinos/Poker Rooms typically do a good job at offering the player a comfortable environment to play. As more and more card rooms spring up, they realize they must compete for your business; therefore, you are likely to be treated well because the casino would like you to become a regular player at their facility.

- A player can be relatively confident the games will be run by professionals. The entire staff from the dealers to drink servers know their jobs (and their tips) depend on providing the players with excellent service.

- Casinos and card rooms are generally conveniently located within a community, and they are open 12 or more hours a day seven days a week. On short notice, a player can head off to the casino and expect to find plenty of action. Texas Hold'em is king at casinos, but other games are offered when enough players are available to fill a table.

Cons of Casino Poker

- Playing at a casino can be an expensive experience. A casino has considerable expenses, and must recoup these expenses through a 'rake'. Some card rooms charge an hourly fee to play, say $10-12 per hour per seat. Others will take a percentage of each pot, or a percentage of the total tournament entry fees. A house rake of 10-20% is not unusual and must be overcome to be a long-term winner. A player must also be mindful that good etiquette dictates the player should tip the dealers and servers for the service they provide. These tips will add to the cost of playing at a casino.

- Another pitfall to playing at a poker room is that you may be the victim of a couple of 'regulars' who team up to soak the new fish that sits down at their table. Players can communicate their holdings through subtle hand signals which puts the unsuspecting player at a disadvantage.

Home Poker Games

Every night in America there are thousands of home poker games underway between families and friends. Poker requires very few supplies to host a game, and these items are readily available through many internet sites. You can start playing at the kitchen table and eventually move up to a true poker table complete with drink holders, padded rails, and a felt playing surface. The next thing you will need is a good case of poker chips, a 500 count set of 11.5 gram (or higher) chips will be adequate for up to 9 players. The final and most important item you need for the home poker game is a setup (two decks) of 100% plastic playing cards. Expect to invest between $15-25 per setup for quality cards.

Pros of Home Poker Games

- The one big advantage home poker has over venues of play is that you can pick and choose the players you play with. Typically, a group of 3 or 4 hard core players will decide to start a home game and they will invite their friends and family to play. This selection process nearly assures a group of players that get along well with each other. Chances of a loud or obnoxious player being invited to the game are minimal. The more harmonious the game is, the more you will enjoy playing there.

- A home game fosters social networking which may lead to new professional relationships as well. You may make a helpful contact with a lawyer, accountant, contractor, etc. through poker.

- Home games are great opportunities for husbands and wives, fathers and sons, etc. to share some quality time while playing poker.

- Generally speaking, little (if any) 'rake' is taken from a home game which means the money stays where it belongs, with the players!

Cons of Home Poker Games

- Do not fool yourself, organizing and hosting a home game can be a lot of work. If you are the host, you must be prepared to make calls, provide a place to park and play, provide the snacks and drinks, as well as the cleanup afterwords.

- A potential problem with home game poker is that in some localities, it may be against the law to wager money while playing. You must research and abide by the laws in your community.

- In a worst case scenario, a disagreement make break out in the card game which ultimately leads to a dissolved friendship or hurt feelings. All the players must be respectful of each other and sensitive to each others needs.

Charity/Fund Raising Poker

- In these turbulent economic times, some well known charitable organizations have turned to hosting poker tournaments to bring in much needed funds. Some private schools are even hosting poker games to supplement their scholarship funds. A poker player can give back to his community by supporting these events.

Pros of Charity/Fund Raising Poker

- Charity tournaments can be great social events which bring together large number of poker layers to support the cause. Somehow, it is more palatable to pay an 'entry fee' than it is to write a donation check!

- The skill level of the players that show up to these events is poor. Playing good poker is secondary in the minds of many players to having a good time while supporting a good cause. This mentality presents an opportunity for the skillful player to "clean up' at the expense of the social players. Depending on the size of the tournaments, the payouts can be significant. You may be able to parlay a $60 entry fee into a $1,000 pay day for winning.

Cons of Charity/Fund raising Poker

- The biggest problem with these type of poker games is the lack of professional management by the event organizers. A serious player can quickly become irritated when a tournament starts a half hour late, or he gets seated at a table with an inexperienced dealer, etc. Violations of the rules and etiquette of the game are commonplace at fund raisers.

- The 'rake' can be quite high at these events. Remember, the primary reason the charity organization hosting the game in the first place is their desire to raise money. A rake of 25-40% is not unusual at these games which is unacceptably high to a player trying to boost his bankroll.

- A word of caution regarding the legality of these games, the charities often believe they are immune from compliance with local laws regarding gambling, but the sheriff does not always agree! Do your homework before deciding to play in fund raisers so you can make an informed decision.

Summary

Let me restate my original premise that deciding where to play poker is perhaps the most critical decision a player must make and will have the greatest impact on the players' bankroll. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, you must decide which venue is best for your situation. In my opinion, the player that plays only occasionally and just wants to have a good time should probably head over to a casino and enjoy the atmosphere and service. However, if you want to build your bankroll, I recommend finding a few good home games with little or no rake. These games will provide you with the best opportunities to make money in the long run.

Now go play some poker!

For the widest selection of quality playing cards and accessories, please visit http://www.PlayingCardsAndMore.com