BETTING – The language of Pacific Poker

As many poker and spela poker players will tell you, poker is not gambling; it’s a game in which you study the probabilities and make reasonable assumptions based on what’s in your hand and on your opponents’ cards and behavior, you can find many on the subject at Poker Forums. Nevertheless, betting is an integral aspect of poker game.

Betting is the language through which poker players convey to the table the strength of their hand. Of course, it is also used to deceive other players, a technique known as bluffing. While each poker game has its own nuances, there are several aspects common to all games. Before sitting down to play poker, make sure you have a firm knowledge of the basics of betting.

• Ante: This is the agreed-upon amount that all pacific poker players put into the pot before the hand is dealt. This insures that everyone has at least some stake in winning the hand.
• After the cards have been dealt, the opening poker player has two options: betting or checking. If he feels confident about his casino hand, he can start the betting by putting money into the pot. If the opening poker player is not so confident about his card, he can "check” the bet. Checking means the player is still in, but he is passing the opening bet to the player to his left.
• Once all the other players have made their move, the betting comes back around, and any poker player who has checked must either “call” or fold (you cannot check twice). (Note: In Omaha and Hold ‘em, a player cannot check in the first round of betting, not like in 5 cards draw.)
• After a player has made a bet, all other players must bet the same amount (also known as “seeing” or “calling”), raise, or fold (quit the hand). If a player raises the bet, he must announce how much he is raising the bet. To stay in, all poker players must see his raise or fold.

HERE’S HOW A ROUND OF BETTING MIGHT SOUND (IT NEVER HURTS TO KNOW THE POKER LINGO):

• PLAYER 1: Check.
• PLAYER 2: A dollar.
• PLAYER 3: I see your dollar.
• PLAYER 4: Too rich for my blood, I fold.
• PLAYER 5: I see your $1 and raise you $1.
• PLAYER 1: [He must now put in $2 to stay in the game.] I’m in.
• PLAYER 2: [He must now put in $1 to stay in.] I fold.
• PLAYER 3: I’m in.

TYPES OF PLAYERS – Know Thine Enemy; Know Thyself

The more poker you play, the better you will become at identifying certain types of players. Though it’s no guarantee of complete success, once you have an understanding of how a player approaches the game, you will have gained some much-needed knowledge that will help you read their cards and win some pots. While playing poker, observe your opponents’ style and betting patterns. Things to consider: Do they play slightly recklessly by staying in longer than they should? Are they too conservative and fold immediately if they think they have a bad hand? Do they have the guts to bluff? Keep these things in mind for your own playing poker as well. It’s good to vary your approach—you don’t want your opponents to get a handle on you.

• The loose player stays in round after round with less-than-perfect poker hands. In many cases, he is hoping that his hand will improve with new cards. Because he rarely folds, the loose poker player may win some pots, but by staying in too long, he also loses a lot of pots. After all, the word loose looks an awful lot like lose and loser, doesn’t it?

• The tight player plays poker and Casino conservatively and gets out early unless he thinks he can win. Tight players rarely chase cards, and they hold on to their money until the time is right and raise bets when confident. If you adopt this style, be careful—it is wise to mix it up just a little. By never straying from the “tight” style, other players will fold early when you bet, knowing that you only stay in with a good hand.

• The aggressive poker player, like the loose player, tends to stay in but is also likely to step up the betting with raises. However, this does not necessarily mean that he or she always has a good hand; the aggressive player may simply enjoy creating some action at the poker table, or the dealer could be bluffing. However, if he does have a good hand, look out— if you stay in, it can cost you some big bucks.

• Passive players are less skilled versions of tight players. They don’t take risks, fold early, are reluctant to raise, and rarely, if ever, bluff. These players may not feel fully confident of their poker and casino roulette playing skills, may have already lost some money, or may have simply not discovered the thrill of what gambling is all about.