Archive for June, 2009

Online casino reviews

There are many websites, that compare online casinos. Most of them provide reviews written by site editors, which are in most cases very biased. Casino-Poll.com is an independent online casino guide, which means that there are no site editors who write reviews. Instead gamblers, who want to express their opinion on online casinos, may review any casino they have played at. Players are not only given the choice to review online casinos – there is also a set of rating criteria attached to each review written. Casino-Poll uses these player ratings to determine, which is the best online casino according to the player community. Most casinos listed on Casino-Poll belong to the most trusted and oldest companies in the industry. For instance, players will be able to find Party Casino reviews on Casino-Poll.

Poker Ride from Microgaming

If you like the ever popular casino game, ‘Let it Ride’, then you’ll probably love Poker Ride, Microgaming’s variation on the said game. When Let it Ride first appeared on the net, it was an instant hit. In fact, it was such a big hit that other Casinos Reviews, both online and offline, copied it, and even gave it their own twists.

So, of course, you can expect that Microgaming, one of the net’s leading casino software developers, has its own version. Not only that, Microgaming’s version is progressive, meaning that it upped the game’s excitement factor by a large deal by increasing the stakes.

The Jackpot

According to statistics, this game gives a jackpot every eight days. But that does not mean that there is always someone who wins on the eighth day. On the contrary, jackpot winnings are totally random.
Sometimes, there are winnings for four consecutive days, and sometimes nobody wins in a month. The jackpots usually amount to more than a hundred thousand dollars, which is already quite a considerable amount. It’s a really exciting game, and you’ll find yourself holding your breath in hopeful anticipation.

The Basics

Like almost every other poker variation out there, the objective you’ll want to reach in this game is to get the best five-card combination possible. You’ll have to make an initial ante and place your bets right after the first and second round. And, if you want to qualify for the Progressive Jackpot Slots, then you’ll have to place a constant bet before each hand you play. T

his part is optional, but then again, if you’re playing for the large jackpot, then I suggest you place a bet. It’s only one credit, anyway. The difference that Poker Ride, and also Let it Ride, from all the other poker variations is that you won’t be playing against other players. Instead, you’ll be playing against the house.

The house shuffles, and you will have to place your ante and your side bet, if you decide to give one, that is. When you click on Deal, the house will give you three cards, all turned up, while it will keep two, still turned down. Then, you will be asked whether you want to call or raise. If you raise, then you’ll have to give an additional wager. If you call, then you won’t have to increase the amount. Once you decide, the fourth card will be turned over. Again, you will be asked whether to raise or to call. Decide again, and the fifth card is turned over.

If you got a winning hand, then you win some money. Of course, the amount will depend on how good your cards are. A Royal Flush would instantly net you the jackpot, while a straight flush will give you 10% of it. All in all, winning in this game requires a combination of luck and skills. Play at PokerTime.

World Series of Poker

Poker is one of the most accepted casino games, and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is one of the most popular and largest tournaments of poker held every year in Las Vegas. In 2007 WSOP, there were 55 different events which were arranged.

The winner of this event is awarded with a bracelet (WSOP gold bracelet) and cash prize based on the sale of tickets. Most of the poker variants are featured, and in recent years, almost half of the events are variants of Texas Hold’EM. WSOP concludes with $10,000 no limit hold’ em, which catches the attention of the visitors to this series; furthermore winner gets the cash prize of $1,000,000 and a beautiful Gold Plated Bracelet. Since 2005, the key sponsor of WSOP is Harrah’s Entertainment.

Format:

Since 1971, the winner of this poker event received the cash prize along with gold bracelet. In 1973, a new poker game commenced in WSOP which was named “Card Stud” and since then, many new games of poker were launched and removed. However, almost 45 events were held in 2005 WSOP tournament that covered almost every variant of poker. Like all other series and tournaments, the sponsoring casino takes an entry fee, certain percentage of which is taken as buy-in price, whereas the rest of the money is distributed among the winners. In 2005 WSOP, total 52,818,610 was given to the players and the champion got $7.5 million.

Highlights:

Every year the number of participants in this extravagant event increases, and in the last two or three tournaments, the participants were simply in thousands. Although the buy-in price is now 10 times more than that of the 90s, but the interest of the people is increasing day by day in this tournament and they are gradually showing an urge to participate in this tournament. From the year 2000, the players all around the world come to participate in this mega event while before this there were only USA participants. Statistics show that in 2005, there were more than 5,000 players participating in this tournament and in 2006, almost 800 players took part in a single event; and there were more than 45 events which were arranged. So you may realize the astounding increase in the number of participants. Phil Heellmuth was one of the players who won most WSOP bracelets and 11 times runner up, while Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan also won 10 bracelets each. Doyle and his son also won a bracelet in WSOP and became the only pair of father and son who won a bracelet in WSOP. Following four players won the WSOP tournament more than one time

Johnny Moss (1971 and 1974)

Doyle Brunson (1976 and 1977)

Stu Ungar (1980, 1981 and 1997)

Johnny Chan (1987 and 1988).

Razz Poker Guide

Razz poker is a fun and exciting version of poker that provides a break away from the ordinary for poker enthusiasts.  Razz poker is also known as seven card stud low, and has gained a considerable amount of popularity since it was featured in the 2004 World Series of Poker tournaments.  Unlike traditional poker games, the object of razz poker is to make the worst possible traditional poker hand to win the pot.  Razz, although exciting, can be very frustrating until you learn the ropes of the game. Razz is also included in numerous mixed poker games such as H.O.R.S.E Poker.  Let’s look at Razz poker a little more closely.  

Razz poker is an ante game where every player around the table must put in a forced ante bet before being dealt any cards.  Once the cards are dealt, Razz poker is played very similarly to traditional seven card stud, with a few important differences that should be noted.   Let’s look at Razz poker a little more closely.

Razz Poker Rules

As mentioned earlier, Razz plays out much like seven card stud.  However, the highest card that is in the upward facing position on Third Street must make a forced bet called “the bring in” bet to begin round action.  On succeeding rounds, the lowest hand, instead of the highest hand will act.  Should there be a tie for lowest hand (based on showing porch cards), the player who is seated clockwise from the dealer will begin the round’s action, which is different from the traditional seven card play.  Additionally, in razz poker, players who pair their door card have no option for double betting as in seven card.  The lowest traditional hand in poker wins the razz poker pot during the showdown.  Aces are counted as ones and straights and flushes are simply ignored. This makes the best possible five card Razz poker hand an ace – two – three – four and five. 

Easy Way to Figure Razz Poker Hand Weakness

To figure the lowest hand in razz poker, it is simple to convert the hand into a numeric value.  For example, a hand with eight- six – five – four and three (86543) would beat a hand with eight – seven – five – four and three (87543) because it is lower in numeric value.  This method makes determining the winner in Razz poker a breeze. 

Razz Poker Tips

General tips for winning big at razz poker include:

·         Be patient.  Play a tight yet well-timed game. 

·         Know good razz starting hands.  For example, if you have three cards that have a face value under five, you can be assured that you have an optimal razz starting hand. 

·         Watch your opponents’ upward facing cards. By being ever-observant of the cards on the table, you will not only get a feel for the strength or weakness of your opponent’s hands, but you’ll also have greater insight to whether or not the card you need is still out there. 

·         Watch for live cards and dead cards in razz poker. You want to see dead cards, in fact, more so than in any other game of poker.  Why? The answer is simple – if you see pair cards to some of the cards that you are holding in your hand, you do not have to worry about drawing a pair and ruining your razz hand.  This means that the more dead cards you discover, the stronger your razz hand in most cases.

·         Have an exit strategy in razz poker.  You should have a plan for folding your hand if you have a less than stellar hand. So many razz players fall into the habit of chasing after cards that simply aren’t likely to fall into their hands.  Even those hands that started out “good” can go downhill quickly in razz – so why bother holding on to them if they are likely to cost you chips? Know when to fold.

5 Five Card Draw Tips

Five card draw is one of the most played and best loved poker games ever.  And no wonder. Five card draw is easy to learn and easy to play, and can become quite addictive!  Upping your five card draw game may be as simple as following some of the below pointers from some of the most profitable professional poker players around the world. Let’s look at how these top notch players bring home a consistent bankroll when playing five card draw.

Five Card Draw Tip Number One

Know how to open betting appropriately in five card draw.  To have a good hand for betting in five card draw, you should have (at minimum) four to a flush or straight, or a very high pair or trips (three of a kind).  Although there are instances in which you may want to stay around for the next betting round, such as when betting is light and you have a medium or high pair.  To be considered a high pair in five card draw, your pair must be at least Jacks or better.  Medium pairs are from sevens through tens.  Pairs of six or less are weak, small pairs that are only forceful if you have two pair. Check out this 5 card draw rules article for more information.

Five Card Draw Tip Number Two

If you are looking for improvement in your hand by drawing in the drawing rounds, you need something that you can draw to. For example, if you are holding a pair of Jacks keep those two cards and draw three more cards.  Doing so gives you a one in four chance of improving your hand.  You also have a better chance of improvement on a pair of Jacks or some other pair (even low pairs can become a powerful three of a kind) than you do at drawing to a straight or flush. Thus a hand that contains the cards seven – eight – nine – jack – and jack should not see the player breaking up the pair of jacks in hopes of getting a straight.  The chances of drawing to a straight, is very, very slim (although it does happen).  The smart player will keep the jacks and try to improve upon them. This is an important five card draw strategy to learn.

Five Card Draw Tip Number Three

Read your other players and the hands that they are holding without looking at their cards.  One way to do this is to observe the betting patterns of those around you.  In opening rounds of betting, if you are holding less than a pair but betting is high, you can assume that at least one of your opponents has a high pair or better (even if there are many players in the game).  A player betting heavy during the opening round of betting is a sure indicator of strength around the table.  Your chances of drawing to beat a hand that is strong from the opening round are minimal – but a well-orchestrated bluff might pay off well (or at least better than chasing the cards).

Five Card Draw Tip Number Four

Look for classic poker “tells” during your game of five card draw.  Do any of your opponents seem a bit more eager than others to get their bets made? Was there a visible and noticeable reaction on the faces of any of the other players when they got their new cards during the draw? Do any of the other players seem to squirm around, fidget, or tap their fingers as if they are anxious? These are all “tells” which are simply tell-tale signs that they either have a good hand or think that they do.  The more you play five card draw, or any poker game for that matter, the better you will be able to match these poker “tells” to the actual hands that are played.

Five Card Draw Tip Number Five

Practice your game.  The best tip that any player can receive is to continually practice their game in order to learn the different strategies that work well for them, and which fall short. If you don’t have a regular group to play with, get on the Internet and join an online poker room – there’s lots of competition and much to learn in these rooms. 

US Blackjack Review & Bonus Code

US Blackjack is the top online casino and blackjack room for players from the United States. They offer a huge selection of blackjack variations and casino games. Their 3 tier VIP program is extremely rewarding and outshines most other loyalty programs. The ease of making deposits and withdraws at US Blackjack is probably the main thing that attracts players there. Check out our detailed US Blackjack review for more info.

US Blackjack Bonus Code

US Blackjack offers a very unique deposit bonus promotion. Instead of giving you an initial deposit bonus like most online casinos US Blackjack gives you 5! You will receive a 100% match up to $100 on your first 5 deposits. These bonuses are very easy to clear when compared to other casinos. To receive these bonuses you must use the US Blackjack bonus code BJBONUS when you signup.

Free $20 At US Blackjack

The first 10 players who signup using the US Blackjack bonus code BJBONUS will receive $20 free. There are no strings attached to this bonus and you do not need a credit card. Please visit one of the links on in this post to learn how to claim the $20 free bonus. The best aspect of this bonus is that you get to play with it right away.

US Blackjack Overview

As the internet’s leading casino and blackjack room for US players this casino is extremely reputable. There are a lot of rogue casinos on the internet but not this one. US-Blackjack is backed by some of the biggest names in the online gambling industry. The feedback provided by players has been very positive and support is available 24 hours a day. US Blackjack also offers several jackpots that range from $25,000 to a couple hundred thousand. Their software is first class and they spare no expense when it comes to rewarding players with high quality promotions.

Revealed – Romanian Online Poker Fan’s Favorite Sites

Romanian poker fans now have a wider choice of online poker sites than ever before -with the major sites offering Romanian language versions. The growing player base in this country can now enjoy cash games, tournaments and sit n goes online at some of the leading worldwide poker venues. This post lists 3 of the most popular choices among Romanian poker fans – and provides links to further information, reviews and bonus codes.

1) Pokerstars: With a Romanian language version and one of the best selection of cash games and tournaments online, it is no wonder that Pokerstars make the top 3 easily. This site are famed for the Sunday Million, and looking after their regular players really well with the best VIP loyalty scheme anywhere online. Click now to check out the latest Romanian Pokerstars information including the best Cod de marketing PokerStars.

2) Party Poker: Once the world’s largest poker site and still huge, despite not allowing US players, Party Poker are where the ‘fun players’ go to play online poker. In turn this makes Party a great destination for those players looking to make a regular profit from the extra-weak games here. New software has recently brought Party Poker up to date and made this a must-see destination once again. Click for the latest Romanian information on Party Poker including the very best Cod de bonus PartyPoker.

3) Red Kings Poker: OnGame are a group of poker sites who pool together their players, Red Kings Poker is one of the very best rooms on this network – offering fantastic software which is compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows computers, and even comes in a mobile version. For the very latest information on Red Kings in Romanian, including the latest Cod de bonus RedKings, click now!

USA Online Gambling

Online Gambling is growing and is starting to threaten the land based casinos, especially in the United States. The US government has tried to stop online gambling in the US by passing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006. The UIGEA does not make USA Online Gambling illegal, instead it tried to punish the financial intuitions that are processing gambling transactions. The UIGEA has failed, but it did slow the growth of online gambling in the United States.

With the online poker boom of 2004, poker has seen the biggest increase in players and US poker rooms. There are plenty of poker rooms that are allow US players. PokerStars is the largest online poker room and often advertises on television, especially during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) which is on ESPN.

After the UIGEA in 2006 many online casinos stopped accepting U.S. players just to be safe. However in 2009 there are plenty of reputable USA online casinos that are available. Be sure to read the casino reviews before you decide to deposit at an online casino. Most online casinos are licensed in the country that their businesses are located, which helps make them safe and secure. USA gamblers usually find a favorite online site to do all their gambling. Most gambling sites like Bodog, Players Only, and BetUS offer poker, casino and sportsbook all in one.

Revealed – Poland’s Most Popular Online Poker Tournament Sites

International popularity of online poker continues to increase – with new countries catching the online poker bug each month. Polish players can now enjoy online poker tournaments at a variety of sites in their native language. Here we list three of the most popular Polish-language poker sites, and provide links to further quality information on each.

1) Pokerstars: The world’s biggest poker site has a presence around the world – and Poland is no exception. With more games, more traffic and a better VIP loyalty scheme than any other site online – it is no wonder that Pokerstars is the number one choice for so many people. Click now for Polish-language information, including the latest Kod marketingowy Poker Stars.

2) Red Kings Poker: This site are part of the acclaimed OnGame network, a group of sites which pool together their players. With fantastic software which works on Mac, Windows, Linux and Mobile devices – Red Kings are considered to be one of the premier online poker tournament sites. Click now for information on this leading site in Polish including exclusive Kod bonusa Red Kings Poker Information.

3) Titan Poker: Considered to host some of the easiest poker games anywhere online, Titan are the largest site in a group of rooms who pool their players known as the ‘iPoker Network’. With the famous ECOOP, Jackpot SNGs and a great tournament schedule for all buy-in levels it is easy to see why this site are so popular, both in Poland and around the world. Click now for great information on this leading site including the latest Kod bonusowy Titan Poker.

Selecting Poker Bonuses

There are many online poker rooms that provide poker bonuses to new players which makes it hard to select a poker bonus. Some of these sign up bonuses are given to new players after they make a deposit while others are given after registering an account at the poker site. Since the last five years this has become the most important promotional tool to attract new costumers to the poker site. For most players these sign up bonuses are a good opportunity to increase their bankroll easily. It is suggested, especially for beginning players, to take advantage of this free cash offers. Online poker bonuses with a massive amount look attracting but are usually very hard to complete. Before selecting a poker bonus the player need to know a couple of factors of the poker bonus.

There are 5 factors to look at when evaluating which poker bonus a person should select.

First, there is the sign up bonus amount. Online poker bonuses often range up to one hundred percent and more of the new players deposit. Huge poker bonuses are certainly the best but also more difficult to clear. The amount differs greatly at each poker site since some online poker rooms offer just $75 while others offer poker bonuses more than $500.

The sign up bonus match is another important aspect. The sign up bonus match is a percentage of the players deposit. For example, a $150 sign up bonus such as the Mansion Poker Bonus or the
Bodog Poker Bonus with a 25% match means that if the player deposits $600 the player will receive the total $150 bonus – (25% of $600 being $150). This amount is usually credited to the players bonus account.

Another important factor are the sign up bonus requirements. The amount of raked hands that are required for each $1 in bonus money. These numbers can be found in the sign up bonus terms and conditions. For example, a $300 bonus with 8 raked hands per $1 means that 2400 raked hands are required to be accumulated before the bonus is credited to the players account. When it comes to raked hands it is also important for the player to know how tough these raked hands are accumulated at the players’ limits. Raked hands usually count when a hand is raked more than $0.50 which depends on the poker site. In general, this means that the pot has to be more than $4 in order to accumulate a raked hand.

Finally, it is important for the player to know if a sign up bonus is contributed or non-contributed. Contributed sign up bonuses are certainly more difficult to clear than non-contributed poker bonuses. Pay close attention to this sign up bonus aspect, which can be found in the sign up bonus terms and conditions, since the differences between these two types are large.