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When the average Joe off the street thinks of poker,
the last thing to come to their mind is a game of
strategy, discipline and preparation. Instead images
of guys sitting around a kitchen table smoking
cigarettes drinking beer and calling out "give me
four cards" are common; a game where the ability to
bluff and call peoples bluffs makes you a winner.
Texas holdem would be grouped in with games
such as black jack, roulette and horse racing. Is
that true though? Is there a way to beat the game or
is it a crap shoot? Can a person make money playing
texas holdem or is it nothing more then a lottery?
The first thing you have to realize is that
texas holdem is not typical gambling or a "casino
game". You'll find it in many casinos but there is a
big distinction between the two games. In a game
such as black jack or roulette you are playing
against the house but in holdem you are playing
against the other players. The casino or house,
makes it money from the rake and it doesn't matter
who takes home the money.
They get paid as long as the game continues.
So what you are doing is just risking your money
against someone elses in a game of skill. As you
progress as a player you'll find that many people,
who play regularly even, still consider it a game of
luck (and that's great for you!).
What about luck though? No one knows how the
cards will fall. That is true, no one can predict
how the cards will be dealt. Texas holdem poker is a
game where all the information isn't available. It
is incomplete game unlike checkers, chess, or
reversi but that doesn't mean one can't play it with
a degree of certainty. Math governs all things and
in poker its influence is so strong that even if a
player can get lucky now and then, good old numbers
smacks them back to reality.
How much money can I make at holdem? That
question is too general to answer. Your skill and
the skill of your opponents governs how much you
will make. When you play low limit holdem and
actually know how to play, you can make way more
then that hourly rate. When you move up in the ranks
things become much harder because everyone you play
with knows the same information that you do, has the
same experience you do, and has read all the same
books you have. This is where their numbers are
about as accurate as you can get. In addition to
limit holdem, there is pot limit, no limit and
tournament play.
It's also harder to say how much a person can
make in these types of games but generally no limit
and pot limit are played at a higher rate money wise
then limit holdem so you can make more but you also
risk more. Tournaments can be played too that have a
nice return but be prepared to pay $10k for a buy-in
if you want a chance to win the two million dollars
The World Series of Poker gives for first place
prize!
Texas holdem poker and other games where one
plays other non-casino players can be beaten.
Remember that when everyone thinks holdem is
gambling, and that luck plays the biggest role in
whether they win or lose, you have found some great
people to sit down with. As you learn more about how
the game of texas holdem is played, you will see
there is big difference between a seasoned
professional and a new player.
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