Sunglasses, Hats, and Headphones

Have you ever watched a poker game and noticed that some payer were wearing sunglasses, hats, or headphones? Whether you're at a casino, playing at home, or watching poker on TV, some players do this - but have you ever wondered why?


It is because people display subconscious 'tells' when they see their cards, or the other cards on the table. Many of these signs are shown through their eyes. They don't want other players to read their tells, so they hide their eyes from the sight of the other players.

One benefit of wearing sunglasses while playing poker? You don’t want people to know when you’re checking out their eyes. Sunglasses allow you to look without being obvious. This makes it easier to try and read the other players at the table.

A negative aspect - Your sunglasses can reflect your hand. Be careful while choosing a pair. If you’re not careful your cool shades can expose your cards to careful observers with good vision. This is especially true of the mirrored kind.

Hats also help in keeping faces hidden and hiding tells. With the combination of a hat and a pair of sunglasses, you're pretty covered up out there!

They might be the most famous sunglasses in poker -- those green, lizard-eye specs that Greg Raymer bought at Disney World and wore right into winning $5 million and the World Series of Poker championship in 2004.

Funny thing is, they were just supposed to be a joke. A one-time thing at the 2002 main event. Put them on, people would laugh, the tension would break.

"But the first time I put them on,'' Raymer explains, "a guy kind of freaked out. 'What the hell's going on?' And he threw his hand away. I'd raised him, and while he was thinking, I put the glasses on. He jumped out of his chair when he saw them.

"At that point, I said there's a little something to these glasses other than a one-time joke. I continued to wear them when I played a hand. I've always found there are several opponents who are very uncomfortable. They don't want to play against you when you're wearing glasses.''

- from ESPN


Headphones are worn to help block all the additional noises and distractions around you. This can be especially helpful while playing poker at a loud, busy casino.


Do you wear sunglasses while you play poker? Do you consider it unfair?

Poker Night Snacks

Whether you do a poker night every weekend with friends, or ever month - odds are, it will be your turn to host sooner or later. We've got a good selection of snacks listed below - some are easy (store bought), and some involve a bit of work by you!

Let's start with a few quick and easy snack ideas:
- fruit or veggie trays from the grocery store
- chips, pretzels, popcorn, peanuts
- nacho chips and salsa


Going for a bit more of a meal? Why not grab a pizza, or wings from your favorite local restaurant!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

 Some snack ideas that require a bit of work, but are worth it:
- nachos - click here for a delicious recipe
- wings, meatballs, mozzarella sticks, or other frozen finger foods
- store made or homemade garlic bread
- chip dips - click here for a great Jalapeno Popper Dip (super easy!)
- maple glazed almonds - click here to see how to make them

If you are serving or allowing guests to bring alcohol, always make sure that there is food, water and other non-alcoholic beverages available at all times.

Make sure you have plenty of napkins to go around too, you don't want the cards to get marked or dirty!



Here's an awesome cupcake display if you're feeling adventurous too!

How often do you host poker nights? Do you provide snacks, or does everyone bring something?

World Poker Tour

Ever dreamed of playing in the World Poker Tour (WPT)? As a poker player of any skill level, who hasn't?

The World Poker Tour was started in 2002, with the total prize pool at $1,416,200.00. The 2013 WPT has a prize pool of $3,660,500.00

Each season, a Player of The Year (POY) is established, awarding the WPT Player of The Year, based on a points system. WPT Player of the Year points are awarded based on the total prizepool of the tournament. In the event of a tie in a given Season, the player who earns the most money in such Season will win WPT Player of the Year for such Season.

In many ways, the World Poker Tour is the Superbowl of the poker community.

So - what if you did want to enter the WPT? Here's what you need to know:

It is not necessary to be a poker professional, but candidates do need to be at least 21 years of ages in some of the locales. Players must also pay an entrance fee, which may vary by location. Because some of these fees coupled with the buy-in can be substantial, only serious players typically play at these events. Finally, players must first win a series of satellite tournaments in order to qualify for the main events. The entrance fee and buy-in for the satellite events are much less than the official tour games. Once at the table, the standard poker rules apply and players may be disqualified for infractions such as profanity, cheating and other inappropriate behaviors.

Let's talk winnings...

First, the winner will have their tournament entrance fee refunded. These fees are often in the hundreds of dollars, which does not include the buy-in for the tournament. They also typically have their hotel stay and related charges such as dining and airfare reimbursed as well. This applies to the main events and not the satellite tournaments. The prizes for the tournaments range from $100,000 to well over $4 million. Many of the individuals that play at this level are pros at the game and this is their singular source of income. Some of the higher level players also become sought after guest speakers and commentators at poker events around the world.



2013 World Poker Tour at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

Dates	May 19 - 26, 2012
Final Table Date	May 26, 2012
Buy-In	$25,000 + $500
Number of Entrants	152
Prize Pool	$3,660,500

 

Do you follow the World Poker Tour? If so, how long have you been following it for?

How Do You Play Poker, Anyways?

Do you feel like this when you get invited to play poker? Let us help you.

Here are a couple handy things to keep in mind when learning how to play:

- There's a big difference between playing poker in a casino and playing at a friend's home: There is virtually no joking around and the atmosphere can be intense while at a casino. When playing in a more casual setting, you can feel free to jest, tease and really let loose during the game.

-  Even if you have a good hand, you will need to weigh that against the chances that your opponent has a better hand.

- The more you are into the game, the easier it will be to learn the language of your opponents.

- Below, an example of poker hands and what they include:

- The best time to fold is when you see that your hand is a losing one and that those around you are exhibiting a confidence that you do not share.

- Not only is it possible to read the body language of others as you sit at the poker table, it is a key component of the game. For instance, if someone sits up very straight as they place their bets they likely have great confidence in their hand. The same is true if the player is chatting a lot during the game or smiling at the other players. On the other hand, players that roll their eyes or take deeps breaths are more likely to have fairly weak hands.

- The most common hand is a no-pair which is also referred to high-card. This means that there are no pairs, no flush and no other ‘playable’ sequence in the hand. Thus, all you are really left with is a hand with a high-card. This hand is dealt about 50% of the time.


These are some great tips to get you started in learning how to master the game of poker. For more tips, and greater detail, check out our website articles here.

Online Poker or Regular Poker?

Did you know that poker was one of the first games that was widely available online? About 10 million Americans play poker online each year via about 550 gaming sites. The top sites as of 2012 were: PokerStars, PartyPoker and iPoker

What's more difficult: online poker or regular poker? Many people find that online poker is much more difficult than the face-to-face game because players are not given the opportunity to read the body language of their competitors. Gathering these subtle cues are important to the game of poker and those that sit behind a computer as they play the game are at a clear disadvantage.

Can you make money playing online poker?
Like any other casino game, it is actually possible to make money via playing poker online. The secret is to be cautious about providing your financial information online while also know when to walk away from gaming prior to it being an addictive activity.
First, make sure that the casino site that you are using is reputable. One of the things that you can look for is overall popularity of the site. The ones that have a lot of continual traffic tend to be well-respected and legitimate. Also, make sure that you can start your gaming with only a small initial investment. You should check to see that the site is recognized by the Poker Players Alliance, which maintains a listing of trustworthy sites.
It is important to investigate whether online poker is legal in the area in which you live. Some jurisdictions have laws that forbid online poker and you may face stiff fines for participating in this activity.

The largest online poker prize of all time was just over $2 million. More typical prizes are in the range of a few hundred dollars.

Looking for an alternative to online and regular poker? Check out our electronic poker games on our website - perfect for the car, on the train, or anywhere else you can't get a poker game going or don't have an internet connection!


Have you ever played online poker? Do you like online or regular poker better?