The art of checking, plus Paypal sees the light with online gaming....
“CHECKING” OPPONENTS OUT Always keep your eyes peeled for players who fold when they might have checked. This action repeated a couple of times will reveal that they are almost certainly new players with very little knowledge of the mechanics of the game or that they are players impatient for an end to the game so they can get on and be dealt better hole cards next time. Either of these motives: Lack of knowledge or impatience betrays immature play and presents you with a chance to shoot a fish in a barrel.
CHECKING YOURSELF OUT It’s always worth remembering that even when you are pretty sure you can’t win a hand there’s no automatic need to fold if you still have the option to check. Checking is a bet with no cost. It’s a pure value play and if you fail to make it you are not leaving yourself open to some free good fortune.
GIVE LUCK A CHANCE Online you can quite often find yourself in loose games where the opportunity presents itself to check all the way down to the turn or the river with no extra expense. It’s not often these bargain basement excursions are going to win you the pot but you’d be amazed at how many times it can allow you steal one. As a percentage reward play you should always grab “the check game” when it’s on offer.
PAYPAL GOOD NEWS Paypal is one of the best processing giants on the web and until recently has for some reason lumped gaming sites in with porn sites and refused to process for them. They have now apparently seen the folly of that judgement and agreed to begin processing for selected poker sites, making it possible for punters to receive winnings direct into easy-to-open Paypal accounts. The fact that billions of pounds a year are processed by the likes of “Neteller” and “eWallet” has doubtless brought a measure of commercial clarity to any misplaced moral misgivings they may have been harbouring.
FREQUENTLY ASKED POKER QUESTIONS Q: I realise I can go all-in when I’m playing No-Limit Hold’em but what’s the score when it comes to Limit Hold’em? A: With Limit Hold’em you can only bet and raise by the fixed amount the table has agreed on at the outset. The only time you can effectively go all-in at Limit Hold’em is when you’re short stacked to the extent you stay within the game’s established limits. It’s worth noting that if you are playing the third variation of Texas Hold’em which is Pot-Limit Hold’em you are only permitted to bet up to the size of the current pot. Make sure you are fully aware of the differences between these game variations before you get started.
