The Image of Poker

How Poker's cool image draws in fresh players every day!

Anyone who tells you the image of poker isn't one of the reasons they decided to take up the game is probably not being upfront.

Adam Cole from Notting Hill plays on DailyStarPoker.com and wrote in to explain what got him started.

DEAD MAN'S HAND

"I was reading about the history of Dead Man's Hand. It's the story of the notorious gambler and crooked lawman James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok who sat down to a game of draw poker in the town of Deadwood, Dakota back in 1876. During the game in the Silver Dollar Saloon, "Wild Bill" took a bullet in the back from one Jack McCall, who's brother Hickok had gunned down on the steets of Abilene."

"Hickok fell to the floor, clutching black aces, black eights and the deuce of spades, forever after known as the "Dead Man's Hand!"

Cole insists it's the romantic history of the game, the Bond-like image of poker, the sense of a duel that drew his initial interest.

I happen to agree. Atmosphere is everything. Good sites have tried to create the right environment to surround your game. With the lights dimmed in your home or office a good site should create a feel that bad sites don't take the trouble to match. All of which makes a change from the view of gambling usually subscribed to and so memorably advanced by Michael Douglas in the movie Wall Street that "Greed is good!" So is fun and atmosphere and entertainment, Michael, but we'll accepta dose of greed for good measure.

Today's Tip

Most newcomers to Texas Hold 'Em make the mistake of playing too many hands. This is a quick way to reduce your chip stack to zero. If you play too few hands the blinds will nibble gently away at your bankroll with the same result. You have to get the balance just right.

Here's a good guide. If you're dealt Kings, Aces or Ace King of the same suit, you shoudl raise and in most cases re-raise prior to the flop. Even a pair of Jacks or Queens will probably install you as the top hand pre-flop. If there are no raises in front of you , raise and scare off the draw hands. This level of play should bring you out ahead. The important thing is to establish your tactic in your mind and then stick to it when the game kicks off. If you apply the same discipline to your stack you'll always enjoy your poker and it won't turn around and bite you in the backside. Know what you can afford to lose and never sit down with more than that amount.

All The Aces daily poker column: Wednesday July 13th 2005: The Image Of Poker 

Like the cool image of poker? Become a 'player' at: www.DailyStarPoker.com