BACKDOOR DRAW

A backdoor draw means after dealing the flop you have already three cards to make a straight or a flush. It is a kind of the runner-runner case (see the post below).

Backdoor flush is one of the situations at the poker table when you or your opponent hit a flush with the turn and the river card. This is one of the runner-runner situations where the best probabilities and odds to hit the winning hand exist. The probability is 1:24 after dealt flop. A runner-runner flush draw is about the equivalent of one "normal" out.

Backdoor straight is similar to backdoor flush. But the probabilities are not as high. It is also more complicated to calculate the outs and odds.

Altogether, I would say, to play backdoor draws is justified only if there is another draw that grows your chance of winning the hand.

DRAWING DEAD

Drawing dead refers to a situation at a poker table, when your opponent already holds a winning hand that will beat the highest hand you can possibly make.

Many times you believe your hand is the best, because the possibility of making a better hand is to small. For example you hit your quads of kings on the river but you are already on the turn drawing dead because your opponent hits his royal flush with the turned king of spades. It is rare but it happens. 

You are also drawing dead when you have only one out which brings your opponent a better hand. For example you have pocket Jh Js and your opponent Jd 10c and the board is 7c 8c 7s 9c. The other two sevens were folded by the players at the table (what you can't know) already pre flop. You have only one out to hit a full house, but this one card Jc will give your opponent a straight flush. In this case you are already drawing dead after the flop !

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DON’T TALK ABOUT THE HAND IN PROGRESS

It is one of the primary rules in a poker game. Talking at a poker table is allowed, you can talk about anything with everybody. But don’t talk about a hand in progress and especially if you are not involved. 

I have played many live or online tournaments. I rarely heard the poker manager, the floorman or even the dealer talk about this one rule. There are many beginners that are so excited by the game that they often talk about the folded cards or about the nuts when seeing the flop.

Once this occurs, the players involved in the current hand get more information about the opponent’s possible hole cards as they should have. 

I think it is not only about talking but also about gestures or emotional outbursts at the table. If, for example, you folded pocket threes and in the flop comes you possible set, you can’t stand up beating with your hands on the table and cry: “…why I didn’t play this hand!” or say to another player: “… I knew my set would come, damn!”

Whose fault is it, when the players don’t know the rule? Is it on the dealer, the floorman or the event manager? Or should the rules of the tournament, including this one, have to be written and shown to the players before the game begins?

Either way, think about this rule every time and that it is necessary to keep your poker face even if you are not involved in the current hand.

Source:http://learn.pokernews.com/news/2014/06/the-one-thing-you-can-t-talk-about-at-the-poker-table-4537.htm

TOP 4 HANDS WITH WHICH YOU CAN LOSE MANY CHIPS

Very often people, especially poker beginners, fall in love with these starting cards. But hand on heart how often do we all do the same?

1.      Suited high cards like K, Q with small kicker

It is also one of the common jokes at the poker table, when somebody loses this hand, it means: “…but they were suited!”

That’s right, but it isn’t a reason to call any raise or bet. You have only a minimal higher chance to make a flush on the river than your opponent with two off suit cards. It is only 6,4%.

2.      Baby ace

This is a thought of many online players: “I have an ace, I have to raise!”

But a baby ace means, your kicker is not high enough to win the hand by hitting an ace in the flop, on turn or river. If you raise pre flop and get a call, you can be almost sure there is an ace with a better kicker than yours.  

3.      Small pairs

It can be a great hand after flopping a set. But this possibility is one to eight. It is recommendable to think twice before calling a raise. Small raise or call may be more effective and if you lose, it costs you less.

4.      Small unconnected suited cards

Such cards like 8 6 or 6 4 are nice cards and you can see it often on TV when big PRO’s are playing these hands and win big pots. Be careful, not every time will you have the same luck and also the PRO’s are not right every time. On TV you see only a small part of a game and mostly only the interesting hands, like winning with small unconnected suited cards.

With these starting hands, if you play carefully, you can win big pots and earn many chips, but you can also risk your tournament. Here, the most common rule of all really applies: “Think twice before acting”.

Source of inspiration:http://learn.pokernews.com/poker-strategy-theory/top-4-hands-that-beginners-need-to-avoid-newbie-leaks-1013.htm

CHEATING IN POKER

I thought cheating in poker is a forgotten thing dated back to the time of “saloon” poker games, Wild West or earlier 20^th century. Recently, I found out it is a present matter also in big tournaments around the world.

I didn’t imagine how cheating can work at the poker table today. With the newest technology and an accomplice it happened lately in Europe for example. I saw an article about a German poker player who cheated, was discovered and went to court.  

He got three years and five months in prison and his accomplice had to pay a fine. 

In another case, the bloggers were the cheating helpers. In Germany they believe there is a ring of cheaters at the poker tables. They are trying to find out who else is involved in this case.

I am really surprised that this can happen today. I never would even think about cheating in a poker game. And what about you?

Read more:

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/07/germany-s-ali-tekintamgac-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison-for-18790.htm