TTT HHH EEE OOO NNN LLL IIINNN EEE PPP OOO KKK EEE RRR SSS TTT AAA RRR TTT IIINNN GGG GGG UUU IIIDDDEEE

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLAYING POKER ONLINE

By Frank Miller

Copyright 2004-2005 Frank Miller

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TTAABBLLEE OOFF CCOONNTTEENNTTSS TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................... 2 ABOUT THE AUTHOR .................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER 1 – GETTING STARTED............................................................................... 6

setting up the software .................................................................................................... 6 choosing a Screen Name................................................................................................. 8

CHAPTER 2 – THE LOBBY............................................................................................. 9 working the lobby ........................................................................................................... 9 table info ....................................................................................................................... 10

CHAPTER 3 – PLAYING................................................................................................ 11 play money games......................................................................................................... 11 play money tournaments ............................................................................................... 11 loosing your play money............................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER 4 – THE TABLE WINDOW ......................................................................... 12 realtime stats ................................................................................................................. 12 player notes ................................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER 5 – REAL MONEY GAMES ........................................................................ 13 transfering funds ........................................................................................................... 13 playing........................................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER 6 – ONLINE POKER VS B&m POKER ...................................................... 14 game speed.................................................................................................................... 14 low rake – no tokes ....................................................................................................... 14 playing 2 tables ............................................................................................................. 14 human memory and shuffling ....................................................................................... 15

CHAPTER 7 – ONLINE POKER TIPS ........................................................................... 17 playing multiple sites .................................................................................................... 17 taking quality notes ....................................................................................................... 17 hand histories ................................................................................................................ 17 taking advantage of promotions.................................................................................... 18 bankroll considerations ................................................................................................. 19 online tells..................................................................................................................... 20

CHAPTER 8 – ONLINE ETIQUETTE............................................................................ 21 acting quickly................................................................................................................ 21 the chat box ................................................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 9 – SECURITY.............................................................................................. 22 CHAPTER 10 – CHEATING........................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 11 – AVAILABLE TOOLS........................................................................... 24

tracker software............................................................................................................. 24 stimulation software...................................................................................................... 24 discussion forums.......................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER 12 – SOME FINAL THOUGHTS................................................................. 25 APPENDIX A – USEFUL LINKS................................................................................... 26

online cardrooms........................................................................................................... 26 info/strategy sites .......................................................................................................... 26

poker tours / series ........................................................................................................ 27 miscalleneous................................................................................................................ 27

APPENDIX B – POKER BOOKS ................................................................................... 28 APPENDIX C – GLOSSARY.......................................................................................... 32

AABBOOUUTT TTHHEE AAUUTTHHOORR I have been a professional poker player for the past 3 years. Over the course of these years, I have earned more than $100,000 playing poker on the internet. I was once an amateur player like you. Using the available tools you can find on the Internet, most of them free, I became one of the toughest players online, and currently earn several hundred dollars an hour playing online. This ebook is meant to show you the steps to play poker online. Although you will find bits of good advice, it is by no means a formula to becoming an expert poker player. You’ll need to study the game, read the books, analyze your play, discuss strategy with other players and really play a lot to become an expert. But it can be done; five years ago, I was just like you.

IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN Poker is a wonderful game. It is a mix of courage, psychology, science and luck: every ingredient needed to make it a great challenge. What differentiates poker from other great strategy games such as Chess, Backgammon or Bridge is it’s simplicity to learn. Once you get that an ace beats a king, and that a flush beats a straight, you’ve got pretty much everything covered. There are some other rules, of course, but they are not going to prevent you from sitting down at a poker table and having some fun. And fun is what it’s all about! Poker, however, behind that smoke screen, is a very complex game, which needs years of playing to master. The object of this text if to give you a complete tour of what is available and what should be done to play poker online. I will walk you through a registration process and even make you play for fun a little. I will also include valuable information on online poker, what tools are available, which are the best and where you should go on the web to improve your playing skills. When you are through with this eBook, you will be ready to play and ready to use the web to make you a better poker player. Even if you are a seasoned online player, you should find a couple of valuable tips here and there. Also provided in this ebook are a whole bunch of bonuses and promotions that could earn you several hundred dollars in extra cash in your online player’s account. They are really worth it. So, on that note…let’s shuffle up and deal!

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 11 –– GGEETTTTIINNGG SSTTAARRTTEEDD The transition from a regular Brick and Mortar Casino to an Online Cardroom can be made easily, assuming you are somewhat computer literate. Really, all you need is a computer and an internet connection. Depending on the site, you can open an account without giving away any personal information. In the following minutes, you will be playing at one if the finest online cardroom on the Net. I will guide you during the software installation, account setup and play. The software we will be using does not require any personal information. It’s really easy and you will be able to play in a matter of minutes. SSEETTTTIINNGG UUPP TTHHEE SSOOFFTTWWAARREE The first thing you will need to do is to download the free client software from your favorite cardroom. For you to really understand how to setup an online poker account, let’s download one of these softwares and actually go through the setup. It’s really easy, you’ll see. I’ll walk you through it. Most online pokerroom are designed the same way, but we’ll use PartyPoker’s software for the sake of this demonstration. It’s a quick setup, without any elaborate steps. Just click here to get to their web page and then click on “Download” or “Play Now”. You will be taken to a download page and the process should start immediately. A File Download window should appear asking you to either open the file or save it on your computer. You can click on “Open” or “Run” or save the file on your computer. If you choose to save it, just note the location of the folder you are saving the file in. If the window doesn’t appear, then click on the link provided on that page. If you clicked “Open” or “Run” the installation process will start on its own. If you saved the installer on your computer, simply double-click it and it should start installing. Then simply follow the instructions. Depending on the speed of your computer, the whole process should only take about 60 seconds. When you are done, a new icon should appear on your desktop. Click on the icon to get to the lobby of the online Cardroom. Alternatively, you can go to >All Programs>PartyPoker>PartyPoker and start the program. When the program starts, you will be prompted to login (if you are not, then go to My Account and then Login). Since you are a new player, click on the lower button, where it says “Sign up – Open Account”.

At this time, you do not need to give any personal information other than an email address. If you really wish to remain anonymous, you could go to a free email provider such as Hotmail or Yahoo and open a new email account. Then simply enter that new email address.

Fill in the required fields. When you get to the Signup Bonus Code box, you might want to enter the code “Guide”. As a unique offer to readers of this ebook, you’ll be getting a 20% bonus up to $100 on your first real money deposit. That’s a free $100 to get you started. Even if you don’t intend to play for real cash later on, it won’t do you any harm to enter the code now. You never know, a free $100 might go a long way.

Guide

CCHHOOOOSSIINNGG AA SSCCRREEEENN NNAAMMEE Choosing your screen name is somewhat important. Basically, it’s the only public information available for your opponents aside from your location. So you might want to consider how they will portray you given your screen name. For example, if you choose to call yourself “Mary” or “Lisa”, some of the more male macho players might give you more action simply because they believe they are playing against a woman. Also, names like “I’m the best” or “Poker Pro” should probably be avoided, since you really do not want to appear like a great player and get less action. Note that most players will ignore these names but some of them won’t and every bit of extra edge you can have is always good. Also, choose your name carefully since you can’t change it after. This is done so the players can remember their opponents and their trades of they choose to. Before submitting your information, you will have to accept the terms and conditions of use. Please take the time to read them carefully. Most players don’t. But make sure you agree with the rules so you don’t end up playing where you don’t want. Once you submit your information, some cardrooms will send you an email confirming your inscription. At PartyPoker, you can start playing right away. The email will contain a welcome message as well as your personal validation/activation code. This is just to make sure you gave a valid email address. If you open an account at one of these sites, then in the lobby under My Account, go to Change/Validate E-mail. Enter the validation code in the appropriate box and hit the Validate button. You should then be all set to play. But at PartyPoker, there is no need to do that.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 22 –– TTHHEE LLOOBBBBYY WWOORRKKIINNGG TTHHEE LLOOBBBBYY When you open an account at a new cardroom, the first thing you should do is to familiarize yourself with the lobby. The lobby is the central nervous system of the cardroom. This is where you can view news, change game settings, view your personal info, view your real money account and more importantly view the list of tables and check the tournament schedules. Depending on the online cardroom you will find a variety of tabs, usually Hold’em, Stud, Omaha, Omaha High/Low and Tournaments. For example, under the Hold’em tab you will find Limit games, Pot-limit games and No-limit games. Some cardrooms offer other games such as Pineapple, Draw Poker and Chinese Poker. Here is a quick guide to the Party Poker lobby:

Most Cardroom will also let you set a variety of video and audio options such as selecting the color of the deck, animations, sound, show bet amounts, have characters or not and many others.

Menu

Game Tabs

Game Info

Cashier

SeatedPlayers

News & Messages

Waiting List

One great option to select in my opinion is the four color deck. I still do not understand why we are not seeing this great idea in live casinos. In a four color deck, Diamonds are blue and Clubs are green. Spades and Hearts stay the same (black and red). This makes it a lot easier to spot possible flushes on the board. I always use the four color deck. All of these options can usually be set from the lobby under the Options menu. You will also find an Account/Banking menu. This is where, should you choose to play for real money, you’ll be able to view your account and update your personal info. Finally, you should see a help menu. Should you have any inquiries, this is where you should go. Some cardrooms provide a 24h live help and others you will have to email them. But be sure to check out their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) first, as the answer to your question is probably there. TTAABBLLEE IINNFFOO Most cardrooms will provide you with useful information on each available table. You will find the stakes, the number of players seated, the number of players waiting for that table and the average pot. Some cardrooms also provide the average number of players on the flop and the number of hands dealt per hour. This is gold. You should always check these statistics to see how loose the table is playing and how aggressive the players are; how big the pots are. And you can choose to display the tables according to the info provided. For example, if you click on “Stakes”, the tables will appear from the biggest limits to the smallest or vice-versa. If you click on “Avg Pot” you will see which tables have the biggest pots.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 33 –– PPLLAAYYIINNGG PPLLAAYY MMOONNEEYY GGAAMMEESS A great thing about online poker is the Play Money games. Depending on the cardroom, the games will either be under the Games tab (Hold’em, Stud, Omaha, etc.) or under a separate Play Money tab. Play money games are a great way to start out and familiarize yourself with the software. You will be provided with a starting amount of play money chips, usually $1000. These can not be traded for real cash. Usually, play money tables start with Play or Fun. PartyPoker has their play money games under a separate tab under tournaments. When you select “PlayMoney”, you will have to choose which game you wish to play. Select a game and then a table. You will see that even play money has a choice of limits and games. To sit at a table, simply double-click on the table name and another window should appear. PPLLAAYY MMOONNEEYY TTOOUURRNNAAMMEENNTTSS If you wish to play a tournament, you can select between 2 types of tournaments: a Single-table tournament (Sit & Go) or a Multi-table tournament. Single-table tournaments have 9 or 10 players, and pay the top 3. These one table tournaments run all day. As soon as the table is full, it starts. Depending on the cardroom, you can get a tournament running in only a couple of minutes. Multi-table tournaments have an unlimited number of players and will pay according to the number of entrants. Each cardroom has its own payout structure. You should consult the tournament tab to see the schedule. Usually, you will find several tournaments during the day with different buy-ins. And make sure you note the time the registration ends so you are not shut out of the tournament. You can enter freerolls if you have not deposited any funds in your account. LLOOOOSSIINNGG YYOOUURR PPLLAAYY MMOONNEEYY If you lose your entire play money, you can request a rebuy immediately. Usually, you can get the same number of chips you originally got. Play money is for fun, and you are never shut out of a game.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 44 –– TTHHEE TTAABBLLEE WWIINNDDOOWW Once the table window is opened, you will see at the top of the window the table name, the game and the stakes. In the center of the table, there is a chip rack. If you click on it, you will be able to select table settings and rebuy if you need to. You will also find a dealer and chat window. Depending on how you set the dealer, you will get detailed information on the hand such as the action, the cards, the winner of the hand, the winning hand and the pot size. Also, if you wish to chat you can simply type in your comment and press enter on your keyboard. Your comment will then appear in the window for everyone to see. If a player annoys you when he chats, either double-click or right-click on his name and you will be able to disable his chat and play in peace. To sit down at the table, select an empty seat by clicking on it. You will then be prompted and asked how much money you wish to sit with. Enter the amount and click “ok”. There you are, ready to play! RREEAALLTTIIMMEE SSTTAATTSS Some cardrooms offer statistics on your play while you are playing. You will find the total number of hands played, the pots won, the percentage of hands won, the percentage of hands played and more. Most sites offer these. They are very helpful. PPLLAAYYEERR NNOOTTEESS Most cardroom will also give you the opportunity to take notes on your opponents while you play. Unlike the realtime stats, these notes are stored on your computer and are available the next time you log on and play against that opponent. Usually, some kind of image will appear once you have a note on a player, such as a small yellow post-it or a small “n”. Simply said, this is a must for any serious player. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that player X always makes big bluffs on the river? Well, maybe you’ll play against him in a year and would never remember this. But wait! You made a note of it! Later, I will tell you how I use this feature.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 55 –– RREEAALL MMOONNEEYY GGAAMMEESS Once you are accustomed with the interface, maybe you’d like to get started and make some real cash. Most of your set up is already made, your account, email etc. All you need is to transfer real money to your player account. TTRRAANNSSFFEERRIINNGG FFUUNNDDSS You can transfer funds in many ways but some take more time than others. The quickest way is to use your credit card. However, many credit card companies have blocked transactions to gambling sites and you won’t be able to process a payment. There are many other ways like sending a check or money order or using a third party. The most used third party is Neteller. When you open an account with them, they basically act as a bank. You can transfer funds from your credit card or personal bank account to your Neteller account and then to the gambling site. Once you have transferred funds to an online cardroom, they remain under the custody of the cardroom until you decide you wish to get paid. They hold your money until you want it. If you stop playing today and come back tomorrow, the money will be there for you. And if you win some money in your poker session, the money will be left in your player’s account. When you request a cash-out, the cardroom will usually first reimburse you the amount you originally transferred. For example, if you bought in for $200 on your credit card, your first $200 will be credited back to your credit card. Any extra winnings can be cashed out in many ways like a check, a wire transfer or a transfer to a third party (like Neteller). If you cash out via Neteller, you can then have them leave the cash in your account, have them send a check or deposit the funds directly in your bank account. Having a Neteller account is a great way to transfer funds from a cardroom to the next, if you decide to play at multiple sites. PPLLAAYYIINNGG Sitting down in real money game or a tournament is done the exact same way you would in a play money game. However, if you lose all the money in your account, you will have to rebuy using any of the above methods.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 66 –– OONNLLIINNEE PPOOKKEERR VVSS BB&&MM PPOOKKEERR GGAAMMEE SSPPEEEEDD Online poker being run by fast servers and programs is probably the biggest difference with brick & mortar poker. In a live game, you probably can expect to receive 30-35 hands per hour. Online, you’ll get dealt twice the hands. That’s a big difference! There’s no shuffling and gathering the cards. There’s no lengthy split of the pot and no changing of dealers. It also means that a winning player can make a lot more money per hour than in a live game. It also means that a loosing player will lose faster. But it’s also more fun! Ever had those long nights where you can’t seem to catch a hand? Well, online, these nights go by quicker, since you get dealt more hands in the same amount of time. Swings are a part of the game, some nights you win, some you lose. If you are mathematically inclined, maybe you calculated your Standard Deviation for live play. Well, fasten your seat belt because swings from online play are incredibly bigger. It’s quite normal, since you are playing more hands. It also means that your needed bankroll should be a lot bigger and that you can expect to lose a lot more in a single session in an online game than in a live one. LLOOWW RRAAKKEE –– NNOO TTOOKKEESS Online cardroom usually will have lower rakes than your live cardroom. Also, there’s no dealer to tip which means also that your hourly wage should go up. PPLLAAYYIINNGG 22 TTAABBLLEESS A great advantage to online poker is you can play more than one table at once. This is simply great. Before you start playing 2 tables, you need to consider the pros and cons. On the good side, you will be getting twice the hands. This means that if you are a winning player, you will earn more. You can almost double your profits. Say you make $20/hour playing one table. Playing a second table will probably make you win more. You likely will not be making twice the hourly wage since you can’t be as efficient as when you are sitting at only one table. But you can probably make more. What you probably need to do is to play more straightforward and not vary too much your game plan. You’re going to be paying less attention to your opponents so simply play solid poker. Some players are making over 4 big bets per hour playing 2 tables. It can be done.

If you plan on playing 2 tables there a couple of tips you should know. The first and more important is to split your tables on your monitor. This will avoid you hitting raise on a table and having the second table popping up and raising with 72o. Here’s how you do it:

1. On your desktop, right-click and go to “Properties”. 2. Hit the “Settings” tab. 3. Move your Screen Resolution to more than 800x600 pixels. 1024x768

pixels works great. If you can’t get more than 800x600, it’s because your video card can’t support it. Buy a new video card if you wish, just make sure your computer will support it.

4. When you run the client software of your cardroom, open 2 tables. 5. Drag one table to one corner and the second table to the opposite corner.

Like this:

This way, the action buttons will not overlap and you won’t end up folding aces on your second table.

However, realize that this is not for everyone. Some players have a hard time handling the speed of the games and having to deal with quick decisions. It can be pretty hard to decide in a second what actions to take when your have a great hand on both tables. But for many players it is worth it. And you’ll get better at it the more you play. HHUUMMAANN MMEEMMOORRYY AANNDD SSHHUUFFFFLLIINNGG There has been A LOT of discussions on possible rigged poker sites. Many players believe that some online cardroom manipulate the cards to ensure more action, thus maximizing their rake. I will tell you this: I think it’s all crap.

Now I don’t know for sure, I’m not associated with any online pokerroom. But when you think about it, even if the dealing was rigged, then it would also be rigged for everyone, and it would all even out for us in the long run. Humans are easily biased. It’s far easier to remember when so and so hit his 2 outer to beat you than when you did it yourself. Incredible beats happen every day in brick and mortar games, but you don’t hear about them because many live players don’t play online and aren’t as familiar with the Internet. And it’s a lot easier to go rant on a discussion forum seconds after you took the beat, than when you come home from the casino and have to power up your computer. I’ve seen top set get beaten by an underpair hitting perfect perfect to make quads in a big live tournament yet you probably didn’t hear about it. It happens all the time. But it’s normal that it happens more often in online games; they are dealing twice the hands! And, if you play 2 tables at once, you can lose pretty fast. The majority of poker players do not note their results. It’s quite possible that a player has been loosing for 20 years in live games yet he thinks he’s a winning poker player. In fact, this is probably true of a good portion of poker players. Then, he plays online, where the swings are huge since you are playing 4 times faster than in a live game (playing 2 tables), and he loses his shirt in a week. Let me tell you, it’s probably not the site, it’s probably the player. And from a business point, rigging the shuffling would be suicidal. I mean, they make a lot of money simply taking their rake as is; I can’t see why they would risk being discovered for the a little more profit. Employees change jobs and sooner of later, this kind of stuff usually comes out. Some sites were dishonest in the past and they are no longer with us. Players who whine on the discussion forums are probably inexperienced and not as knowledgeable as they should. It’s easy to get side tracked and think you got screwed when you probably should take a closer look at yourself.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 77 –– OONNLLIINNEE PPOOKKEERR TTIIPPSS PPLLAAYYIINNGG MMUULLTTIIPPLLEE SSIITTEESS One of the really cool things that you can do as an internet poker player is to play multiple sites. It’s like living in Las Vegas and getting to choose your casino every day. Whether you play two tables or more or just one, every site has its pros and cons and you should tend to play in sites that offer the best games in your field of expertise. TTAAKKIINNGG QQUUAALLIITTYY NNOOTTEESS One of the great improvements over the past years has certainly been the ability to take notes on your opponents. Almost every cardroom has added that feature since PokerStars introduced it when they launched. It’s an awesome tool and you should use it; your opponents are using it. When you play against an opponent, your notes are stored on your computer. No one except you can see them. Having good quality notes on your opponent can make a big difference in your hourly wage. Say you sit down, get dealt AQ and a player open-raise. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how he plays? Is he tight or loose? Is he aggressive or passive? Well, maybe you played against him 3 months ago and had you noted his game style you would have known that this player is a solid rock. Suddenly, your AQ doesn’t look so good. Or maybe you would have noted that he often raises with crap and therefore you should probably three-bet him with your AQ. What a difference a simple note can make! Plus, taking notes will make you pay more attention which can never hurt. Here’s a quick tip. When you spot something out of the ordinary, make a note of it. Note the game (Hold’em 10-20), and your overall impressions (tight-passive). Then, you can note some precise things like: he open-raised with K9o when UTG. Don’t note that he raised from middle position with aces, everyone does that. HHAANNDD HHIISSTTOORRIIEESS One of the major differences between Brick & Mortar and Online poker is the ability to request hand histories. Every 100 hands you play, simply request them and they will be sent to your email address. Some pokerrooms also let you request them per time played (ex: for the last 3 hours). But double-check with them what is the maximum amount of hands they will send. Some sites have a maximum of hand histories they will send even if you have been playing for 4

hours and request your hand histories for the last day. In any case, most sites will send you your complete hand histories if you make a request to their support. Your hand histories in hand, you can analyze them to find if you made a mistake in a hand. And it makes it easier to ask for a comment if you decide to post your hand on one of the discussion forums. If you are going to post your hand history on a forum, however, it is better etiquette to remove the names of the players and replace them by “player 1-10”. In the software section, there will be a discussion of two softwares that use hand histories to help you improve your poker. TTAAKKIINNGG AADDVVAANNTTAAGGEE OOFF PPRROOMMOOTTIIOONNSS Most online cardrooms have multiple promotions you should take advantage of. Some offer first time players a bonus of $25 when you sign-up. Others will offer a percentage (usually 20%) of your first buy-in. Why not make some quick cash simply by depositing? You can make some easy money this way. Usually, there are some restrictions, such as playing a minimum number of hands before you get your bonus. But it’s certainly worth the time and effort. Some of the online cardrooms offer daily bonuses to their players. For example, at Ultimate Bet, the highest hand of the hour receives a cash prize. And at Party Poker, they have a high hand jackpot that could make you thousands simply by playing at their sites. Available to you here in the Online Poker Starting Guide are the following promotions: Party Poker (Largest Online Poker Room)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $100) using code Guide. • Get a $25 bonus using code PY25Free. • Get a free entry into a Party Poker Million (World Poker Tour event)

Qualifier using code Free2004. Empire Poker (More than 50,000 players)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $100) using code CHIPS531. Ultimate Bet (Endorsed by Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $100) using code UB20Free.

PokerStars (Where Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker won entries to the WSOP)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $100) using this Unique PokerStars link. ParadisePoker (Play against Caprice)

• Get a 25% bonus (max $50) using this Unique ParadisePoker link. PokerRoom (Play Poker no download)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $100) using this Unique PokerRoom link.

Gaming Club Poker (Part of Prima Network)

• Get a 20% bonus (max $200) using this Unique Gaming Club link.

Pacific Poker (Runned by Casino-On-Net)

• Get a 25% bonus (max $100) using this Unique Pacific Poker link. Finally, when a key milestone hand, like the 100 millionth hand is due to be dealt, there will usually be a huge prize for the winner and the players dealt in the hand. Make sure you are playing at that site when it happens. Luck could strike. BBAANNKKRROOLLLL CCOONNSSIIDDEERRAATTIIOONNSS When you are playing in a live game, you can always go back to the ATM should you lose the money you are carrying. Online, it’s a bit more complicated as you have to process a new transaction in order to get funds in your player’s account. When you get used to it, it’s really no big deal and it just takes seconds. But it’s something you might want to consider if you’d prefer not rebuying. For example, for a 5-10 game, you usually sit down with $200. If you’d like to be sure you won’t need to rebuy then you should calculate your standard deviation to figure out how much you should have. However, a safe number would probably be around $4000. It’s more than in live games since you are getting dealt more hands and so the swings are bigger. And this is for one table. Of course, if you don’t mind rebuying, then you really don’t need as much.

OONNLLIINNEE TTEELLLLSS Online tells do exist but they are not as obvious as some of the live play tells. Sometimes, it’s the time spent to act that’s a giveaway. Some players will press the raise-any button to appear to be strong when they are actually weak. Others will sometimes wait a good 20 seconds before raising, usually a sign of a strong hand. However, you must be cautious. Due to internet connections, it is very possible these delays happen simply because sometimes our connections are low. But against some players they are reliable, just make sure you notice them a couple of times (and make a note of it) before you act on them.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 88 –– OONNLLIINNEE EETTIIQQUUEETTTTEE AACCTTIINNGG QQUUIICCKKLLYY Online poker can let you choose your action in advance by selecting one of the “in-turn” buttons. Whenever, you can, you should use them. If you know you are going to fold no matter what, then select “fold”. There is no reason why you shouldn’t do this. It speeds up the game and so it makes you more money. If you have to think, then do it. It’s part of poker to have to think before acting. You are usually allowed 15 seconds if you need them, then use them. But try as often as possible to act fast. One of the draw backs of playing more than one table is exactly this. If you can’t handle the pace of 2 tables, then only play one. TTHHEE CCHHAATT BBOOXX Since online poker is played in front of a computer screen instead of eye to eye, some players feel the urge to badger their opponents when they are angry. A good winning player knows better. Try not to lose your calm and start cursing your opponents. We all take beats and we all give them. It’s a lots easier to type “you moron” in a small box than to say it in person. It certainly doesn’t mean it’s nicer. And if a bad player gives you a beat, try not to curse at him, you will only make him leave. Chances are he’ll be replaced by a better player. There’s also a new kind of badgering that’s very annoying: pan-handling. Every day at the upper limits some one comes and begs for a buck. “I just took a beat and I need a buck for a tourney, will pay next week”. These are simply annoying and when you play the higher limits, you are hit with them every single day. I think online sites should discourage this. Finally, here’s a quick guide to chat words:

♦ nh = nice hand ♦ gh = good hand ♦ vnh = very nice hand ♦ lol = laughing out loud ♦ lmao = laughing my a** off ♦ rotfl = rolling on the floor laughing ♦ wtf? = what the f**k?

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 99 –– SSEECCUURRIITTYY This could very well apply to your whole internet settings, and not just when you decide to play poker. Certainly not everyone out there is trying to hack your computer but my motto is it’s usually better be safe than sorry. And so you should try to understand that a little basic understanding of online security can go a long way. The first thing you should do is set up a firewall. A firewall is a software that acts as a shield and blocks intruders from your computer. As far as I know, the best firewall out there is Zone Alarm. The great thing about their firewall is that their free version, available here, is better than many of the professional versions! So you don’t even have to pay to get a good, reliable firewall. Download their software, follow the instructions and your firewall will be setup in a matter of minutes.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 1100 –– CCHHEEAATTIINNGG Unfortunately, when money is involved, someone always finds a way to wrongfully make some. This also happens in poker, both in online and in live play. But the good news is that the games are very beatable, cheating or not, even at the highest limits. Cheaters are usually not smart enough to beat the game on their own and so the single fact that you are sitting at the same table with them should make you some money if you are good. Sure, two (2) players could talk on the phone and share hole cards. So what? Maybe, they can win an extra buck or two here and there. Many online poker players make more than $100 000 a year playing at the highest levels of online poker. If the games weren’t beatable because of cheaters, no one would play. I’m not saying it’s not a serious offence, it is. But rather that it shouldn’t prevent you from playing if you want to. And if you are a low-limit player, chances are you won’t be facing cheaters very often. If you suspect something is funny, simply report it to the support staff of the cardroom you are playing at. They have all the logs, and can look into the players very accurately. They can see their IP addresses, their home towns and if they play together more than average. Now don’t report every one you play against if you are taking beats, be smart, it’s probably just a bad luck streak.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 1111 –– AAVVAAIILLAABBLLEE TTOOOOLLSS

One of the big benefits of playing poker online is that you can use some very cool tools that are not available to the live game player. TTRRAACCKKEERR SSOOFFTTWWAARREE At this time, there are two great softwares you can try out that will really help you improve your skills: PokerTracker and PokerStat. You can use these softwares to analyze your hand histories and really make some adjustments to your strategy. For example, you might find out that playing KTs in early position is a losing proposition in your game, or for example that you are defending your blinds too much. These are great tools to have in your arsenal. SSTTIIMMUULLAATTIIOONN SSOOFFTTWWAARREE One of the best ways to improve your game is to do some simulations. Wouldn’t you like to know how often a hand wins over another? I highly recommend PokerStove. It’s easy to use, and you can simulate not only one hand versus another hand, but also against a range of hands. Let’s say you have 77, and you think your opponent might have AK, AQ, AA, KK or QQ. PokerStove will tell you who the favorite is. DDIISSCCUUSSSSIIOONN FFOORRUUMMSS Discussing poker strategy on the Internet is a wonderful way to improve your game. There are forums in which professional players will contribute and actually give you advice. The more popular forums are Rec.Gambling.Poker, which can be viewed at RGP. Rec.Gambling.Poker is a usenet newsgroup, which means it’s not censored. This means unfortunately that you will find offensive posts here and there, but you’ll also find great discussions on how to improve your skills and hos to beat your opponents. There are also moderated forums, like Two Plus Two Forums and The United Poker Forum. These are great to discuss strategy with other players just like you. Frankly, I don’t believe you can develop yourself as quickly and as solidly if you do not visit these forums. If you want to become a great poker player, you have to go through these.

CCHHAAPPTTEERR 1122 –– SSOOMMEE FFIINNAALL TTHHOOUUGGHHTTSS Whether you are a kitchen amateur or a pro, playing online poker can be really fun. It’s easy, fast and can be profitable. It’s really the best way to improve your playing skills. Back in the 70s, players had to play 40 hours a week during 2 months to play 10,000 hands. If you play more than one table, you can achieve this in 1-2 weeks. Think about how you can really become a better player faster simply because you get to play more hands. The recent 2004 and 2003 winners of the World Series of Poker, Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker qualified online, for a small fraction of the buy-in amount. If you do your homework, you too can become a world champion one day. Good luck!

AAPPPPEENNDDIIXX AA –– UUSSEEFFUULL LLIINNKKSS OONNLLIINNEE CCAARRDDRROOOOMMSS

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PokerPages The most comprehensive website devoted to poker, including an international directory of poker rooms, wsop, wpt, tournament schedules, tips and strategies for beginners or professional players, poker articles.

CardPlayer Your #1 Poker Source for the latest news, tournament results, pro tips, in depth articles, Texas Holdem odds, free online poker, and poker chips and other merchandise. CardPlayer.com - The Poker Authority.

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PPOOKKEERR TTOOUURRSS // SSEERRIIEESS

World Poker Tour The official website of the World Poker Tour.

WPT Insider Your unofficial guide to the world poker tour, event schedule, results, season leaderboards, poker strategy, player stats, bios and much more.

WPT Fan The (unofficial) World Poker Tour fan site. Andy Bloch's fan site, filled with great poker discussions.

European Poker Tour PokerStars.tv-European Poker Tour is a new series of major poker tournaments being conducted and televised throughout Europe.

Travel Channel WPT The Travel Channel World Poker Tour fan site.

Harrah’s WSOP The official website of the World Series of Poker.

MMIISSCCAALLLLEENNEEOOUUSS

Links2Poker Links 2 Poker is a complete directory to all the poker sites out there. You’ll find hundreds of links to poker portals and more.

Poker Pulse Get accurate reports on how many players are playing on several internet sites.

AAPPPPEENNDDIIXX BB –– PPOOKKEERR BBOOOOKKSS

Poker for Dummies - Lou Krieger & Richard D. Harroch

Poker is America's national card game, and its popularity continues to grow. Nationwide, you can find a game in progress everywhere. If you want to play, you can find poker games on replicas of 19th century riverboats or on Native American tribal lands. You can play poker at home with the family or... Read more

The Fundamentals of poker - Mason Malmuth, Lynne Loomis & Clare Tattersall Discusses seven card stud, Texas hold’em, Omaha, razz, and lowball. Covers strategy considerations necessary for basic survival. An excellent guide for beginners. Read more

The Theory of poker - David Sklansky

David Sklansky is generally considered the number one authority on gambling in the world today. Besides his ten books on the subject, David also has produced two videos and numerous writings for various gaming publications. His occasional poker seminars always receive an enthusiastic reception,...Read more

Super System - Doyle Brunson

The classic on every major no-limit game played today. Chapters written by experts such as Sklansky, Caro, Reese, Baldwin, and Brunson himself. Considered to be one of the best books on poker ever. Read more

Hold'em Poker - David Sklansky

Must reading for anyone planning to play in Nevada, California or a home game. The text is designed for someone relatively new to the game, but it still contains much sophisticated material. Recently updated to today’s double blind structure. Contains the most up-to-date Sklansky hand rankings. Read more

Winning low-limit Hold'em - Lee jones

This is the acclaimed, bestselling book for hold’em novices and low-limit veterans alike. It doesn’t overwhelm you with tables or statistics, and doesn’t spend a lot of time on sophisticated plays. It simply gives you good solid strategies and tactics that will consistently beat low-limit games anywhere. Read more

Pot-limit & No-limit Poker - Bob Ciaffone & Stewart Reuben

Geared to experienced players this book is devoted to pot-limit and no-limit betting. It starts with a discussion of general theory, and how to apply the theory to the main forms of poker. Read more

Middle limit Holdem Poker - Bob Ciaffone & Jim Brier

Primarily aimed at the $10-$20 to $40-$80 player, many of the ideas can be applied to lower and higher stakes games as well. Ciaffone and Brier are both well-known pros, and their book stresses the practical application of hold’em ideas. Read more

Omaha Hold'em Poker - Bob Ciaffone

Considered by many to b the best book on Omaha available. Read more

Improve your Poker - Bob Ciaffone

This is a general work on poker aimed at the player who already knows the game and is looking to improve. Loaded with information about how the top players think when they are playing, and the techniques they use. Read more

Play poker like the Pros - Phil Hellmuth Jr.

The perfect introduction to the world of Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Razz no matter what level of player you are. Includes basic and advanced strategies, when to play, when to bluff, when to raise, and when to fold. Read more

Inside the Poker Mind - John Feeney

To become an expert poker player you have to master skills such as hand selection, position, proper image projection, and reading hands. Yet many players know the concepts, but do poorly anyway. Knowing the concepts is one thing, putting it all together is another. Read more

The psychology of poker - Alan N. Schoonmaker

Have you ever wondered why some players seem extremely aggressive while others are passive? Why some are tight and others loose? Why some tactics seem to come naturally to you while others don’t? This book is concerned with the way that psychological factors affect your own and your opponents’ ability to play properly. This text will help explain why you and your opponents play the way you do. Read more

Book of Tells - Mike Caro

Features photos of poker players in action and Caro's own accompanying explanations about when players are bluffing, when they're not and why. Read more

Advanced Series Books:

Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players - David Sklansky & Mason Malmuth

The definitive work on this very difficult game. This book corrects inaccuracies and clarifies misconceptions about hold’em. This new edition adds over 100 pages of new material, including extensive sections on loose games, and shorthanded play. Read more

Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players - David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth & Ray Zee

The definitive work on this extremely complex game. With the writing of this book, a major gap in the poker literature has been closed. This new edition adds over 100 pages of new material including an extensive section on loose games. Read more

Omaha Poker for Advanced Players - Ray Zee

The definitive work on the eight or better high-low split versions of omaha and seven card stud. Read more

Tournament Poker for Advanced Players - David Sklansky

Some people excel at tournament poker. This is not luck. From a distance a poker tournament may look like a typical poker game, but there are many factors that can lead to proper strategy that is very different than what most players are familiar with. Read more

Championship Series Books:

Championship No-limit & Pot-limit Hold'em - T.J. Cloutier & Tom McEvoy

The definitive guide to winning at two of the most exciting poker games. It tells you how to get inside your opponents’ heads and learn how to beat them at their own game, how much to bet, raise, and reraise, when you can bluff, how to “set up” your opponents, and the best strategies to use in tournament play. Read more

Championship Omaha - T.J. Cloutier

Covers Omaha high-low, pot-limit Omaha, and limit (high) Omaha. TJ is the only player ever to win World Series bracelets in all 3 games, and McEvoy has a bracelet for Limit Omaha. Read more

Other Poker related books:

Positively Fifth Street : Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker - James McManus

Jim McManus, a novelist reporting for Harpers went to Las Vegas to cover the Ted Binion murder trial and to write a story about the WSOP. Read more

Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People : The Memoirs of the Greatest Gambler Who Ever Lived - Amarillo Slim Preston & Greg Dinkin

Amarillo Slim Preston with Greg Dinkin. In this book Slim describes some of his greatest gambling exploits. Read more

The Biggest game in town - A. Alvarez

A sought after classic that is finally back in print. Delves into the world of high-stakes poker in Las Vegas and in particular the World Series of Poker, where “the next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing.” Read more

Poker Nation : a High Stakes, Low-Life Adventure in the Heart of a Gambling Country - Andy Bellin

On any given Friday night, hundreds of thousands of Americans—men and women alike — pile into kitchens, garages, and backrooms to play their weekly poker game. Read more

Big Deal : One Year as a Professional Poker Player - Anthony Holden

The best-selling account of a year spent in the tough world of the professional poker player. Read more

AAPPPPEENNDDIIXX CC –– GGLLOOSSSSAARRYY

ACTION

A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of cards you are taking at draw.

AGGRESSIVE ACTION

A wager that could enable a player to win a pot without a showdown; a bet or raise.

ALL-IN When you have put all of your playable money and chips into the pot during the course of a hand, you are said to be all-in.

ANTE A prescribed amount posted before the start of a hand by all players.

BET The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot.

BIG BLIND The largest regular blind in a game.

BLIND A required bet made before any cards are dealt.

BLIND GAME A game which utilizes a blind.

BOARD (1) The board on which a waiting list is kept for players wanting seats in specific games. (2) Cards face-up on the table common to each of the hands.

BOARDCARD A community card in the center of the table, as in hold’em or Omaha.

BOXED CARD A card that appears face-up in the deck where all other cards are facedown.

BROKEN GAME A game no longer in action.

BURNCARD

After the initial round of cards is dealt, the first card off the deck in each round that is placed under a chip in the pot, for security purposes. To do so is to burn the card; the card itself is called the burncard.

BUTTON A player who is in the designated dealer position. See dealer button.

BUTTON GAMES Games in which a dealer button is used.

BUY-IN The minimum amount of money required to enter any game.

CALIFORNIA LOWBALL Ace-to-five lowball with a joker.

CAPPED Describes the situation in limit poker in which the maximum number of raises on the betting round have been reached.

CARDS SPEAK The face value of a hand in a showdown is the true value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement.

CHECK To waive the right to initiate the betting in a round, but to retain the right to act if another player initiates the betting.

CHECK-RAISE To waive the right to bet until a bet has been made by an opponent, and then to increase the bet by at least an equal amount when it is your turn to act.

COLLECTION The fee charged in a game (taken either out of the pot or from each player).

COLLECTION DROP A fee charged for each hand dealt.

COLOR CHANGE A request to change the chips from one denomination to another.

COMMON CARD A card dealt faceup to be used by all players at the showdown in the games of stud poker whenever there are insufficient cards left in the deck to deal each player a card individually.

COMMUNITY CARDS

The cards dealt faceup in the center of the table that can be used by all players to form their best hand in the games of hold’em and Omaha.

COMPLETE THE BET To increase an all-in bet or forced bet to a full bet in limit poker.

CUT To divide the deck into two sections in such a manner as to change the order of the cards.

CUT-CARD Another term for the bottom card.

DEAD CARD A card that is not legally playable.

DEAD COLLECTION

BLIND

A fee posted by the player having the dealer button, used in some games as an alternative method of seat rental.

DEAD HAND A hand that is not legally playable.

DEAD MONEY Chips that are taken into the center of the pot because they are not considered part of a particular player’s bet.

DEAL

To give each player cards, or put cards on the board. As used in these rules, each deal refers to the entire process from the shuffling and dealing of cards until the pot is awarded to the winner.

DEAL OFF To take all the blinds and the button before changing seats or leaving the table. That is, participate through all the blind positions and the dealer position.

DEAL TWICE When there is no more betting, agreeing to have the rest of the cards to come determine only half the pot, removing those cards, and dealing again for the other half of the pot.

DEALER BUTTON

A flat disk that indicates the player who would be in the dealing position for that hand (if there were not a house dealer). Normally just called “the button.”

DECK

A set of playing-cards. In these games, the deck consists of either (1) 52 cards in seven-card stud, hold’em, and Omaha. (2) 53 cards (including the joker), often used in ace-to-five lowball and draw high.

DISCARD(S) In a draw game, to throw cards out of your hand to make room for replacements, or the card(s) thrown away; the muck.

DOWNCARDS Cards that are dealt facedown in a stud game.

DRAW

(1) The poker form where players are given the opportunity to replace cards in the hand. In some places like California, the word “draw” is used referring to draw high, and draw low is called “lowball.” (2) The act of replacing cards in the hand. (3) The point in the deal where replacing is done is called “the draw.”

FACECARD A king, queen, or jack.

FIXED LIMIT In limit poker, any betting structure in which the amount of the bet on each particular round is pre-set.

FLASHED CARD A card that is partially exposed.

FLOORPERSON A casino employee who seats players and makes decisions.

FLOP In hold’em or Omaha, the three community cards that are turned simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete.

FLUSH A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

FOLD To throw a hand away and relinquish all interest in a pot.

FORCED BET A required wager to start the action on the first betting round (the

normal way action begins in a stud game).

FOULED HAND A dead hand.

FOURTH STREET

The second upcard in seven-card stud or the first boardcard after the flop in hold’em (also called the turn card).

FREEROLL A chance to win something at no risk or cost.

FULL BUY A buy-in of at least the minimum requirement of chips needed for a particular game.

FULL HOUSE A hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair.

HAND (1) All a player’s personal cards. (2) The five cards determining the poker ranking. (3) A single poker deal.

HEADS-UP PLAY Only two players involved in play.

HOLECARDS The cards dealt facedown to a player.

INSURANCE A side agreement when someone is all-in for a player in a pot to put up money that guarantees a payoff of a set amount in case the opponent wins the pot.

JOKER The joker is a “partially wild card” in high draw poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is used for aces, straights, and flushes. In lowball, the joker is the lowest unmatched rank in a hand.

KANSAS CITY LOWBALL

A form of draw poker low also known as deuce-to-seven, in which the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 and straights and flushes count against you.

KICKER The highest unpaired card that helps determine the value of a five-card poker hand.

KILL (OR KILL BLIND)

An oversize blind, usually twice the size of the big blind and doubling the limit. Sometimes a “half-kill” increasing the blind and limits by fifty percent is used. A kill can be either voluntary or mandatory. The most common requirements of a mandatory kill are for winning two pots in a row at lowball and other games, or for scooping a pot in high-low split.

KILL BUTTON A button used in a lowball game to indicate a player who has won two pots in a row and is required to kill the pot.

KILL POT A pot with a forced kill by the winner of the two previous pots, or the winner of an entire pot of sufficient size in a high-low split game. (Some pots can be voluntarily killed.)

LEG UP Being in a situation equivalent to having won the previous pot, and thus liable to have to kill the following pot if you win the current pot.

LIST The ordered roster of players waiting for a game.

LIVE BLIND A blind bet giving a player the option of raising if no one else has raised.

LOCK-UP A chip marker that holds a seat for a player.

LOWBALL A draw game where the lowest hand wins.

LOWCARD The lowest upcard at seven-card stud, which is required to bet.

MISCALL An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking of a hand.

MISDEAL A mistake on the dealing of a hand which causes the cards to be reshuffled and a new hand to be dealt.

MISSED BLIND A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so.

MUCK (1) The pile of discards gathered facedown in the center of the table by the dealer. (2) To discard a hand.

MUST-MOVE In order to protect the main game, a situation where the players of a second game must move into the first game as openings occur.

NO-LIMIT A betting structure where players are allowed to wager any or all of their chips in one bet.

OPENER The player who made the first voluntary bet.

OPENER BUTTON

A button used to indicate who opened a particular pot in a draw game.

OPENERS In jacks-or-better draw, the cards held by the player who opens the pot that show the hand qualifies to be opened. Example

OPTION The choice to raise a bet given to a player with a blind.

OVERBLIND Also called oversize blind. A blind used in some pots that is bigger than the regular big blind, and usually increases the stakes proportionally.

PASS

(1) Decline to bet. In a pass-and-out game, this differs from a check, because a player who passes must fold. (2) Decline to call a wager, at which point you must discard your hand and have no further interest in the pot.

PAT Not drawing any cards in a draw game.

PLAY BEHIND Have chips in play that are not in front of you (allowed only when waiting for chips that are already purchased). This differs from table stakes.

PLAY OVER To play in a seat when the occupant is absent.

PLAY THE BOARD Using all five community cards for your hand in hold’em.

PLAYOVER BOX

A clear plastic box used to cover and protect the chips of an absent player when someone plays over that seat.

POSITION (1) The relation of a player’s seat to the blinds or the button. (2) The order of acting on a betting round or deal.

POT-LIMIT The betting structure of a game in which you are allowed to bet up to the amount of the pot.

POTTING OUT Agreeing with another player to take money out of a pot, often to buy food, cigarettes, or drinks, or to make side bets.

PROPOSITION BETS

Side bets between players that are not related to the outcome of the hand.

PROTECTED HAND

A hand of cards that the player is physically holding, or has topped with a chip or some other object to prevent a fouled hand.

PUSH When a new dealer replaces an existing dealer at a particular table.

PUSHING BETS The situation in which two or more players make an agreement to return bets to each other when one of them wins a pot in which the other or others play. Also called saving bets.

RACK (1) A container in which chips are stored while being transported. (2) A tray in front of the dealer, used to hold chips and cards.

RAISE To increase the amount of a previous wager. This increase must meet certain specifications, depending on the game, to reopen the betting and count toward a limit on the number of raises allowed.

RERAISE To raise someone’s raise.

SAVING BETS Same as pushing bets.

SCOOP To win both the high and the low portions of a pot in a split-pot game.

SCRAMBLE A facedown mixing of the cards.

SETUP Two suited decks, each with different colored backs, to replace the current decks in a game.

SHORT BUY A buy-in that is less than the required minimum buy-in.

SHOWDOWN The final act of determining the winner of the pot after all betting has been completed.

SHUFFLE The act of mixing the cards before a hand.

SIDE POT A separate pot formed when one or more players are all in.

SMALL BLIND In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind.

SPLIT POT A pot that is divided among players, either because of a tie for the best hand or by agreement prior to the showdown.

SPLITTING BLINDS

When no one else has entered the pot, an agreement between the big blind and small blind to each take back their blind bets instead of playing the deal (chopping).

SPLITTING OPENERS

In high draw jacks-or-better poker, dividing openers in hopes of making a different type of hand. Example

STACK Chips in front of a player.

STRADDLE An additional blind bet placed after the forced blinds, usually double the big blind in size or in lowball, a multiple blind game.

STRAIGHT Five cards in consecutive rank.

STRAIGHT FLUSH Five cards in consecutive rank of the same suit.

STREET Cards dealt on a particular round in stud games. For instance, the fourth card in a player’s hand is often known as fourth street, the sixth card as sixth street, and so on.

STRING RAISE A bet made in more than one motion, without the declaration of a raise (not allowed).

STUB The portion of the deck which has not been dealt.

SUPERVISOR A cardroom employee qualified to make rulings, such as a floorperson, shift supervisor, or the cardroom manager.

TABLE STAKES

(1) The amount of money you have on the table. This is the maximum amount that you can lose or that anyone can win from you on any one hand. (2) The requirement that players can wager only the money in front of them at the start of a hand, and can only buy more chips between hands.

TIME An expression used to stop the action on a hand. Equivalent to “Hold it.”

TIME COLLECTION A fee for a seat rental, paid in advance.

TOURNAMENT A poker competition, normally with an entry fee and prizes.

TURNCARD The fourth street card in hold'em or Omaha.

UPCARDS Cards that are dealt faceup for opponents to see in stud games.

WAGER (1) To bet or raise. (2) The chips used for betting or raising.