A rake is a small maintenance fee that is taken from every pot played and ranges from as little as 5c to over $3. Players that contribute to the pot are therefore paying their share of the rake to us.

A rakeback refers to a percentage of the income the poker room gets that is derived from players rakes and paid back to them in the form of a bonus. Regular Poker players can play up to thousands of hands in a month and the rakes add up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rakeback Articles: nr1:Online Poker Accounts: Rakeback Explained

When you decide to give online poker a try, you might hear something about rakeback. What is this, and why should you care? Because rakeback puts money back into your pocket, you should take the time to understand this deal before you create an online-poker account.

Online poker sites, like brick-and-mortar casinos, charge a rake. When you buy in to a tournament, part of the entry fee goes to the house. And every time you win a pot in a cash game, part of the money – the rake – goes to the house.

Typically, the house collects a small percentage of the pot for the rake. You won’t often pay more than one or two percent of the pot. This does not seem like much money, especially when you consider that many card rooms cap the rake at a set dollar amount. (You cannot, in most card rooms, pay more than a few bucks per pot even if one of the pots is huge.)

However, if you win enough pots or enter enough tournaments, you will end up giving the house quite a bit of money. That’s how the card rooms stay in business, so they’re counting on the rake.

Rakeback simply puts part of the rake back into your hands. Rakeback sites have worked out deals with online-poker sites so that everybody can make some money. Here’s how rakeback works.

You sign up for an online-poker site through a rakeback affiliate. Typically, you will either enter a special code that the rakeback site gives you or follow the signup link that’s listed on their site.

Whenever you pay a rake, the poker site keeps part of the money. Another part of the rake goes to the rakeback affiliate. The rest – thirty-five percent or more, depending on the affiliate – goes into your account at the rakeback site.

Poker sites make deals with rakeback affiliates for money. Rakeback attracts players to that poker site, which means that more money is going to the site. “Pro-rakeback” sites make more by giving you, and the affiliate, some of the profit.

However, you should not expect to avoid paying anything at all in the way of a rake. The poker site will still collect part of your rake – and the rakeback affiliate gets a cut as well. Think of rakeback as a discount on what you owe the house when you win a pot.

Not all rakeback sites are equal, though, so you should do some research before you sign up. Find out which sites offer the best deals and have the best reputations. You don’t often get to add rakeback to your online-poker account after you sign up, so you need to make the right decision the first time.

Signing up for rakeback is a free, easy way to get a discount on the rake. A few minutes of research before you sign up for a poker account can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on the rake depending on how much you play.
Texas Hold’em Tips: Reading the Board

If you’re a serious Hold’em player, you probably want to improve your game as much as possible. One of the best ways to sharpen your skills is to learn how to read the board. When you’re able to quickly and easily read the community cards, you’ll have an edge over the casual players.

“Reading the board” simply means that you look at the community cards and figure out the best-possible hand. If you know which hands could exist, you know where yours stands. This helps you decide if you should bet, raise or fold when it’s your turn to act.

Example:

If you’re holding A-A before the flop, then you have the best-possible hand right now. No two hole cards are better than pocket aces, so you should bet or raise accordingly.

However, your situation could change on the flop. Let’s say, for example, that the first three community cards are:

A-3-9 (rainbow – no matching suits).

If this is the case, then you have a set of aces. Right now, you have the nuts (poker slang for the best hand). You know that nobody else’s hand beats yours right now, so you can act accordingly.

Let’s say that the turn card is a 7. Now the board looks like:

A-3-9-7.

If two of the cards are the same suit, then an opponent could be drawing to a flush. This hand would beat yours, but nobody has made a flush yet. You still have the nuts, so you can put in a large bet. This often chases away anybody who is drawing to a flush. However, people with two pairs could call or, better yet, re-raise.

Now, let’s say that the river card is a jack. The board reads:

A-3-9-7-J.

You still have a set of aces, as your hand has not improved. However, somebody else could have a straight. If another player is holding 10-8, then your set loses. And if three of the cards on the board are the same suit, your hand loses to the flush.

You can, however, try to get a read on anybody else who’s still in the pot. Trying to put an opponent on a hand (figure out what he or she is holding) can help you make the right decision about your own cards.

If you practice reading the board, you’ll soon be able to figure out the best-possible hands in just a couple of seconds. Having this skill in your poker arsenal will help you make better decisions at the table, which will lead to better sessions and more fun.

The Beginner's Guide to Texas Hold'em

With so many people all over the world taking up poker, you’re bound to be curious about some of the games. Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker game right now. This is the Main Event in the World Series of Poker; the game of choice on the World Poker Tour, and the game that you’re most likely to see on other televised tournaments.

You’re also very likely to see Hold’em in home games, which is a very good incentive to learn the basic rules of the game. Knowing how to play the current king of the poker games will give you something new and interesting to do with friends and family members. And if you work on your skills, you just might earn a solid reputation at the table.

Typically, you’ll play Hold’em with blinds instead of antes. Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the immediate left of the dealer button will put in blinds. The small blind is half the amount of the big blind, incidentally.

So, unless you’re in the big or small blind, you’ll see your first two cards for free. These two cards, dealt face down, are commonly known as your hole cards. Only you can use your hole cards to make a hand.

Your first betting round takes place after you see these two cards. There are three different Hold’em games: Fixed, Pot- and No-limit. If you’re playing fixed limit, you can bet or raise a set amount. In pot-limit games, you can bet or raise the size of the pot. And in no-limit situations, you can throw in every chip you have any time it’s your turn to act.

After your first betting round, the dealer will put out three community cards. These are, collectively, known as the flop. Every player at the table will use the community cards to make the best five-card hand. After the flop, you have a total of five cards that you can use to make your hand. You’ll see another betting round.

The next community card is called the turn. Everybody who’s still involved with the hand will go through another betting round.

The last card is called the river. You now have a total of seven cards that you can use to make a five-card hand. You do not have to use either of your hole cards, either.

After the river, you’ll see your last betting round. The best five-card hand wins – and the usual poker hand ranks apply. (A flush beats a straight, for example, just as three of a kind beats two pairs.)

You should also know that there are two ways to play poker: cash/ring games and tournaments. In cash games, you can get up and leave whenever you want. If you lose your chip stack, you can buy more.

In some tournaments, you can rebuy after you lose all of your poker chips, but only until a certain level of play. In freezeout tourneys, however, you go home when your last chip is gone.

Cash games and tourneys can both be lots of fun. You might be better at one than the other, so give both a try. Most casinos and other card rooms offer both cash games and tourneys. Online poker rooms have the same deal. One advantage to the online poker world is the fact that most sites offer play money. You pay nothing for these chips, so you can learn the basics of Hold’em for free.

Now you know enough to start playing Hold’em. There are, however, a few other simple things that you should learn while you’re getting comfortable with the cards.

• Handling your chips. Familiarize yourself with each chip’s denomination so that you don’t have to fumble around, or waste time, when it’s your turn to act. The dealer or the game’s host is usually happy to tell you what each chip is worth.

• Hand rankings. You can easily find hand rankings online. Many decks of playing cards also include a card that tells you which hands beat the others. Take a few moments to memorize this list. This doesn’t take long, but it’s important to know what beats your full house, straight, et cetera.

• Hide your hole cards. Some players aren’t very careful when they look at these cards. Be sure that you can get a clear look at yours – without showing the players on either side of you.

Texas Hold’em does not take long to learn. You will know what’s going on after just a few hands. But, as many poker players will tell you, this poker game takes a lifetime to master. You’ll learn the basics fairly quickly, but there are strategy tips and other information that you’ll gradually pick up as you continue playing and studying the game.

The Beginner's Guide to Omaha

If you’re an experienced Texas Hold’em player, you won’t need long to learn one of its variations: Omaha Hi. These two games are very similar so, once you master the differences, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a good, if not great, Omaha player.

Even if you’re new to poker in general, learning Omaha is fairly easy. Keep reading this guide to learn how to play one of the poker room’s most popular card games.

In Omaha, your goal is to create the best five-card hand from a total of nine cards: four in your hand and five community cards. The catch is that, unlike Hold’em, Omaha requires you to use exactly two of your hole cards. This means that you will take three of the five community cards to make your hand – and hope that what you end up holding is good enough to take the pot.

If you’re playing online or in a card room, there will be a dealer button that rotates clockwise after each hand. The two players to the left of the “dealer” must post the small blind and big blind (respectively) before the hand is dealt. Typically, the small blind is half the size of the big blind.

After these two players post the blinds, you’re dealt your hole cards. These are facedown, so only you know what you’re holding. Remember that you must use two of these cards to make your hand, so don’t get too excited if you’re dealt four Jacks.

Betting depends on which Omaha game you’re playing. Omaha can be fixed-, pot- or no-limit. Fixed-limit games have specific amounts for betting and raising. In pot-limit games, you can bet or raise up to the size of the pot. In no-limit Omaha, you can bet or raise every chip you have.

Omaha has four betting rounds. They come:

After your hole cards are dealt.

After the flop (first three community cards) are dealt.

After the turn (fourth community card) is dealt.

After the river (fifth community card) is dealt.

The standard hand rankings apply in Omaha. A set (three of a kind) beats two pairs, for example, and a full house (a set and a pair) beats a straight.

If you’re still in the hand after the final betting round, you’ll show down your hand to win the pot. You do, however, need to be careful when you’re reading your hand. Because you’re dealt four hole cards, but must use two, it’s easy to make mistakes. Here are some examples of common mistakes in Omaha.

Your hole cards:
A-A-3-4

The board cards:
K-Q-8-3-3

You might think that you have a full house – two Aces and a set of threes – but you don’t. Because you can use only two of your hole cards, you would take an Ace and the three from your hand to make a set of threes with the best-possible kicker, the Ace.

Your hole cards:
A-K-Q-J

The board cards:
Q-T-9-4-2

This might appear to be an Ace-high straight, but that is incorrect. To make an Ace-to-ten straight, you would have to use the Ace, King and Jack in your hand. This is not possible in Omaha.

However, you do have a King-high straight. Use the King and Jack from your hand and the Queen, ten and nine from the board to make this hand.

Because the extra two hole cards create more possible hands, you have to be careful with smaller hands. Two pairs might be a great hand in Hold’em, but they’re not quite as good in Omaha. You’re more likely to see sets and full houses, along with flushes, in Omaha because of the added combinations that the four hole cards make.

Your basic Hold’em skills will help you in Omaha, but keep the big difference – those extra cards – in mind. This is easy to remember once you’ve played the game for a while, though, so don’t let yourself become frustrated if you can’t keep things straight at first.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Omaha, you can start working on some advanced skills. These will help you collect more chips over the long term, which is always a plus as far as serious poker players are concerned. Learning how to read the board, put other players on specific hands and read their tells all make you a better player – regardless of which poker game you’re playing.

What Should I Look For in an Online Casino

Type in the words online casino and you will be dumbfounded by the amount of online casinos available. With all of the different choices it can be difficult to make up your mind. The difficult part is figuring out what to look for in an online casino. Once you know what to look for than you will have an easier time deciding what online casino you want to play at.

Not all online casinos allow customers from all states or countries. In fact, there are some U.S. states that can not gamble on the net and some online casinos have stopped accepting U.S. residents altogether. For this reason, one of the first things you must look into is the regional restrictions. Make sure that the casino will allow you to play. In addition, you may also want to make sure that online gambling is legal in your state.

In order to participate in an online casino you will need to have a compatible computer. Most online casinos have some sort of software they use in order to allow you to access their games. However, if you do not have the right computer and software you may not have access or the games might not work right on your computer. It is also important to find out if the online casino has technical support and how long their technical support is available.

Another important aspect of gambling is the deposit method. You have to add money to the casino before you can play. There are many methods of depositing money including, instant transfer, credit card, and online banks such as Netteller. However, not all casinos accept all methods. In addition, some credit card processors use different security measures which may prevent you from using your credit card even though it is valid and your information was correct. In order to deposit money you have to choose the online casino with the right deposit method.

Many online casinos offer incentives to get people to try their online casinos. This is usually in the form of bonuses given at the time of your first deposit and gifts given on birthdays and such. When looking for an online casino you may want to find one that offers such an incentive. However, you must also look at the fine print. Many bonuses have restrictions. For instance, some bonuses are only allowed for certain deposit methods. Other bonuses are only given when you deposit a certain amount.

Great Gifts for Poker Lovers

If your gift-giving list includes poker players, you might have a tough time picking the perfect presents. There is a massive selection of these types of items on the market, which can be confusing. Your favorite poker players are sure to love some, if not all, of the gifts on this list.

• Online players love to build their bankrolls. You can give your players just about any amount of money for their online accounts. Some sites let you buy gift certificates; others let you make deposits with credit cards or money orders. If those options fail, you always have cash.

• Padding the bankrolls for live games or tournaments is also a great gift. Even if players are doing very well – and, therefore, have plenty of money to continue playing – they appreciate bankroll contributions.

• Players who take their games seriously are studying and learning as much as they can – often from the pros. A gift card to an online bookstore like Amazon will let your players pick out poker-related books or DVDs. Better yet: see if your recipients have wish lists at this, or similar, sites. That way, you can give them exactly what they want – instead of inadvertently giving them duplicates.

• You really can’t have too many good decks of playing cards. Find out which brands and types the players prefer and add to their collections. You can find all sorts of playing cards online or at game shops.

• Similarly: A good set of chips is always appreciated. There are a few different types of chips on the market, and many designs. Talk to the players to see what sets are on their lists and buy accordingly.

• Some players like poker-related clothing; others don’t. Many Web sites and retail stores sell everything from caps to shirts. You’re sure to find clothing that fits the players’ personalities if you spend some time browsing.

• If you’re looking to spend big money on your favorite players, consider sending them to the World Series of Poker. This is the biggest event in all of poker: just about every player on the planet dreams of coming home with one of the bracelets that first-place finishers earn. Sending poker lovers to Las Vegas for the Series is one of the biggest, best gifts imaginable.

• Sending players to other poker events is also a nice idea. The World Series of Poker has circuit events in various places. The same is true of the World Poker Tour. And if you can’t afford those types of trips, you can fund trips to smaller events. Depending on where you live, there might even be a decent poker tourney right in your own city or town.

Ultimately, the best way to discover the perfect poker-related gift is to know the people on your gift list. Being familiar with their “poker personalities” will help you figure out exactly what they’ll love the most. Listening to them talk, checking out their wish lists, and starting casual conversations about poker will all help you narrow down the choices and find out exactly what they want.