The Modern Grinder

2009-07-02T19:43:00.002-06:00

"People would be surprised to know how much I learned about prayer from playing poker" – Mary Austin

My Poker System is Hard Work

2009-05-28T16:50:00.001-06:00

I’m often how I make money playing poker and if there is a "poker system" that I use to profit every time I play at the tables. My answer which inevitably disappoints is that "my system is hard work and decication." This is because they are looking for an easy way to make money not the hard work takes work to win at online poker.

If you find a poker system that promises you to win money at online poker without trying, they are either over-promising or flat out lying to you. It’s been said that “Poker is a hard way to make easy money.” No matter what you do in life, getting people to part with their money requires effort. You either have to trade your time in at work for money, sell something valuable or work hard to become better than your opponents at the poker tables. There are no shortcuts.

The effort required to learn poker is a different type of effort than what it takes to dig ditches or sit in a cubicle all day. You are learning to make a living playing a game after all. The freedom and sense of self determination that is shared by professional poker players and entrepreneurs alike more than makes up for the long hours and frustration that it takes to either build a business or a professional poker career. There will be times of drudgery when you will feel like giving up; but the satisfaction of building something out of nothing can’t be measured against anything in the nine to five straight world.

Think about how hard professional athletes work. They work as hard as anyone else in the world but do you think they hate that work? No way! It's freedom! Putting in that hard work is rewarding when you are the direct beneficiary of that hard work. That's what makes playing poker for money so rewarding. Yes, it can be hard work and yes, there will be ups and downs along the way but it's all done in the name of making your own way in the world.

Poker Resources

Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

2009-05-27T12:00:00.001-06:00

Over the next few weeks the Modern Grinder Staff will be reviewing and updating all of our 180+ articles. We are doing this for two reasons. First, as always the Modern Grinder strives to provide the absolute best poker content on the web and we want to make sure that every article is up to our standards. Second, we will are preparing for a future update that will make it even easier to find what you are looking for. What this means to those of you that have subscribed is that as articles get republished you may receive duplicate articles. This is temporary and will only happen as we do the updates so feel free to ignore them. But then again it never hurts to revisit useful information. As always we wish you the best of luck at the tables.

Poker Stars Review (Update)

2009-04-07T12:34:00.003-06:00

PokerStars has long been one of the Modern Grinder's favorite poker sites and continues to improve with new features and a solid track record of reliability and excellent customer service. If you are a tournament poker player who aspires to one day win a WSOP bracelet then Poker Stars is the place to play as the have the most and the best deep-stack tournaments with structures that closely mimic that of major big buy in poker events. In fact if you are a tournament player a PokerStars account offers the best return of investment in both the quality of practice and in potential profits.

If it's been awhile since you've played on PokerStars then you'll be pleasantly surprised by clean intuitive interface. It's very easy to find the exact game you are looking for in the lobby.

The game interface is much more attractive the old client and again it's intuitive and easy to use.

More reasons to play at PokerStars?

They are the world's largest poker site
They accept players from all over the world
Free to download and play
Award winning 24/7 support
Fully licensed and regulated
Some of the best software and game selection
Secure deposits, fast cashouts

For a more in depth review Click here to check our our oiginal Review, or go to PokerStars now and sign up free accout or Deposit $50, get $50 free! If you join now.

Controling Pot Size in Deep Stack Poker Tournaments

2009-03-25T21:22:00.001-06:00

An important strategy to surviving and thriving in deep stack tournaments is learning how to control the size of the pots you play. In other words play big pots when you have big hands and small pots when you don’t.

When you and your opponents have a lot in chips in proportion to the blinds in a tournament pay close attention to your opponents’ playing style and the texture of the flop before you enter the pot. Before you commit any chips to the pot, you want to identify the types of players who are likely to be in the hand with you. If you’re at a loose table where your opponents are playing a wide range of hands, you’re going to want to play smaller pots unless you’re sure that you’re way ahead or, preferably, holding the nuts.

Play tight against lose players and lose against tight players.

The other factor to consider when betting is the texture of the flop. Is the board suited or paired? Are there potential straight draws you need to consider? Even if you’re confident your hand is ahead after the flop, take a couple of seconds to study the board before you act. Think about what hands could possibly beat yours and then try to determine if any of your opponents could be holding cards that would give them reason to call your bet.

Don’t become too attached to a hand than can be easily dominated or is likely to be a dog in the long run.

Remember keep an eye on your opponents and the flops the next time you play. Time and experience will help you develop a feel for different situations and what whether you hold, fold check or raise will become second nature to you. Try your best to control the size of the pot and you’ll have more control over your tournament life.

Poker Resources
Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Poker Quotes

2009-03-20T23:03:00.001-06:00

"I must complain the cards are ill shuffled till I have a good hand." ~Jonathan Swift

Which Poker Room has the Fastest Cashouts?

2008-12-13T22:54:00.008-07:00

It's been a rough couple of years for US poker players, first Neteller pulls out of the US market and then ePassporte pulls out leaving us with fewer and fewer deposit options and the worry of not being able to withdraw our money again once we've made our deposits. The safety of your poker funds can be assured by dealing only with large, reputable and well established poker rooms (Such as those featured on this blog).

While your money is safe; gone forever are the days of instant access to your poker funds. Expect cashouts to take days not hours like they used to. And as always never deposit more than you can afford to be without and plan ahead.

Over the last few months I've been keeping track of the time it takes me to recieve my cash after requesting a payout from various poker rooms. Results have varied widely from remarkably fast to agonizingly slow.

Here is the short list of safe, secure poker rooms in the order of how quickly they get your cash into your hands.

PokerStars and UltimateBet tied for first place with checks arriving in my mailbox in about 5-7 days after approval.
Full Tilt Poker was 2nd with checks arriving in about ten days.
Absolute Poker took a respectable 10-14 days.
The absolute worst was Doyles Room once one of my favorite places to play was by far the slowest with a typical delivery time of 30 days or more! Doyles Room is still a great place to play and your money is safe with them just be patient when you need to cash out.

Other Poker Resources

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Poker Quotes

2008-12-13T21:48:00.005-07:00

The poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong; that the bumblebee can fly; that, perhaps, one should never trust an expert; that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by those with an academic bent. ~David Mamet

Keys to Poker Success: Game Flow and Concentration Part 1

2008-09-17T19:02:00.013-06:00

It may seem obvious but one of the great challenges in becoming a long term winner in poker is maintaining your concentration. You must keep your head in the game from hand to hand, hour after hour and day after day. If you lack concentration you start making more and more mistakes at the poker table and losing more than you should.

It's true that if you have a solid understanding of the game that most decisions are very easy to make and can be made even if you are distracted. The problem with lack of focus is that you miss out on all the little gems of information from other players. Missing these tells cost you opportunities to either save a few chips or win a few chips. Either of which can have a profound effect on your bottom line over the long term.

For example, a player is prone to bluffing on the flop and has a tendency to fold when reraised. You would only know this if you were into the flow of the game and paying attention. If you just played the cards you'd end up folding a lot to this aggressive player and lose a lot of chips instead of stealing a few pots from him and coming out ahead.

Or say that a player that has been tight all night suddenly raises 3 times the big blind. If hadn't been paying attention and didn't realize this was a tight player you might not realize the danger you'd be in by calling with anything but a very strong hand.

Saving or gaining a chip here and there may not seem like much but over the long haul it can mean the difference between being a winning poker player and going broke.

Maintaining concentration and staying in the flow of the game is critical to your long term success but is much easier said than done when boredom sets in. In part 2 of this this article I will discuss some techniques to help you maintain focus and keep your edge. Be sure to subscribe using the form in the upper right so that you don't miss out.

Poker Resources
Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Poker School Video, Become a Profitable Poker Player

2008-08-28T08:25:00.004-06:00

This morning I found a video that I just had to tell show you. Check it out if you are serious about playing professional online poker for a living.

Are you a poker player who's interested in learning the skills needed to becoming a winning poker player but not sure exactly where to start? Perhaps you don't have the time to even skim through hundreds of books and manuals that claim to reveal the insider secrets to playing poker?

You may have been trying to make a go of making a living online by playing poker and hit a few barriers along the way. The truth is that making a living from the comfort of your home by playing online poker is very difficult. DON'T get me wrong. Books and manuals telling you how to play poker are still essential learning tools but UNLESS you want to jumpstart and explode your Online Poker playing career in the fastest time possible, you're going to need more than that.

You have an opportunity to take charge and start making money today from the comfort of your own home. A savvy internet group of pro online poker players who usually lay low have opened up a poker training school filled with poker strategy to help you become a profitable poker player.

Click here to learn to play poker professionally

By watching a professional poker player take you through their thought process as they go through each street and each hand, you will get the knowledge it takes to become a successful poker player.

When I discussed the new site with Tim he was so excited about how much he is looking forward to help people become profitable poker players.

Very rarely do opportunities like this come along and there will be nothing left out.

Remember you don’t have to play poker for a living. If you just want to make extra money on the side this is fine! That’s the beauty of the internet and Online Poker. You can play as little or as much as you want!

Get over to Outstanding Poker School NOW.

Regards MG.

New Poker Training Center

2008-08-17T11:15:00.003-06:00

I have just found out about a new Poker Training School that's taking the poker market by storm! Tim, Errol and the rest of the team are the real deal.. They recently launched the "Outstanding Poker Training" Site.

Click Here To Check It Out...

Heck, you can even watch them put their strategies to work.

They have recorded their success on Video and now you can take a peek at every hand and understand why they pay the way they do. The only way to successfully learn how to make money off of playing poker online is by actually sitting down and watching videos of online professional poker players. Imagine if you can watch and listen to online poker pros while seeing their hole cards.

Act now and as a special Launch Bonus you will Get a FREE Full Length Training Video from an Outstanding Poker Pro.

Click the link below to see their stats...pretty impressive I'd say.

Check Out These Stats...

You owe it to yourself to take a look... Again, here's that link. Start making money today!

All the best, MG

Profiting from mistakes in poker.

2008-08-16T20:42:00.008-06:00

I'm sure you've heard that "poker is a game that takes minutes to learn but a lifetime to master." The rules are relatively simple and easily explained and most people become proficient at the basics fairly quickly. With basic strategy almost anyone can become a break even player fairly quickly.

Understanding the nuances of the game and being able to recognize opportunities to exploit your opponents weaknesses takes experience. Ten thousand hands would be a good start. It is this experience that gives you a the sense that your opponent will lay down a winning hand if you come over the top with a big reraise or tells you that your pocket aces just aren't good enough and to fold. The problem is that if you aren't careful experience can fool you.

Because there is an element of chance in all forms of poker much of the outcome of a decision is out of your hands. Some percentage of the time you will make the right decision and lose the hand. Suffer a bad beat in other words. Bad beats aren't necessarily a bad thing, because if you can keep from going on tilt, it means your opponent was putting his money in when he was an underdog. If your opponent do this consistently then over time they will make you very rich!

Sometimes you make a bad decision and benefit from it. In other words you make a play that over time is statistically a loser but win the hand anyway. Mistakes are part of being human and will happen no matter how good you become. Occasionally you will get lucky and not pay for your mistakes. The problem is when you either don't recognize the error or chose the believe that it was your superior skill instead of dumb luck that allowed you to win the hand. If you make a routine of this type of hubris you will develop habits and leaks in your game that will cause you to go broke no matter how developed your other skills are.

Remember to evaluate your decisions independent of the outcome. Going when your pocket aces trip up on the flop is rarely a bad decision. Calling an all in bet from a strong player with your middle pair is almost always a bad idea even if you catch a runner, runner straight and win the hand.

Getting lucky from time time is one of the greatest pleasures in poker, just don't make getting luck a key part of your strategy.

Poker Resources
Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Continuation Bets In No Limit Texas Hold'em

2008-08-13T11:19:00.001-06:00

When you raise pre-flop in a game of No-Limit Hold 'em and are called, you're faced with a decision when the flop hits the board. Should you put out a continuation bet on the flop or should you check and hope to see the turn for free? There are a variety of factors that will effect any decision in a hand of poker, but if I was the one who raised pre-flop, I'll put out a continuation bet on the flop most of the time.

Preflop, I normally raise to three times the big blind, then on the flop, I'll put out a bet of the same amount. When I bet these relatively small sums, I don't put a whole lot at risk. If I get check-raised on a flop that I missed, I can fold without having lost a whole lot of chips. Most of the time, however, my opponents will have missed the flop, so my small bet will win me the pot right there.

While I prefer to put out continuation bets on most flops, there are some situations where checking is the right play. For example, say I raised with K-J and was called by the big blind. The flop of A-T-5 gives me a gutshot straight draw. I know my opponent in the hand likes to check-raise on top pair. When he checks to me on the flop, I'm happy to check behind and have the free draw to the nuts. If my opponent hit something like two-pair, I could double up if the Queen comes on the turn.

I also tend to check the flop in hands where I'm either very far ahead or very behind. Say I raise pre-flop in late position with pocket Kings. The flop comes A-J-3. Here, my pair of Kings is either very far ahead (if he missed completely or has something like pocket 5s) or is very far behind (if he hit an Ace). In a spot like this, I don't want to get check-raised and I don't want to just give up, so I'll often check the flop and then call a bet on the turn. I can then try to get a read on my opponent if he bets the river. The worst thing I can do in this sort of situation is to put out a big bet on the flop and then call an all-in check-raise.

As with every aspect of poker, it's vital that your continuation bets don't become predictable. If you check every time you miss and bet every time you make top pair or better, then you're opponents will know exactly how to play against you. They'll be able to bet any pair with total confidence. So occasionally, you'll want to check when you hit top pair on the flop. Your hand will be disguised and you'll stand to win a big pot if you hit trips on the turn. Showing that you can sometimes check a good hand will keep your opponents off balance.

It's a good idea to put out frequent continuation bets, but also be sure to look for spots where a check may be to your advantage. If you've got a draw or hold a hand that will be difficult to play for a raise, a flop check may be your best play. Also be sure to mix up your play - being unpredictable is vital to playing winning poker.

Poker Resources
Featured Poker Rooms:
Absolute Poker
Full Tilt Poker
UltimateBet
Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro

Outstanding Poker

$50 to $50k The Best Way to Build Your Poker Bankroll

2008-06-20T13:31:00.006-06:00

How big of a bankroll do I need to quit my job and play poker for a living? And what is the best way to build a large poker bankroll when staring out with very little Cash?

(Note: Read to the end of this message to learn how to get a free copy of $50 to $50k bankroll building secrets)

First, your bankroll is the amount of money you've set aside to play poker with and is used for NO other purpose. You will cash out profits but you need to have a sufficient bank roll to keep income coming in. To keep from going broke in poker you need a bankroll large enough to get you through the inevitable losing streaks that all poker players face. Losing streaks happen to all poker players, even the best of us, so don’t be discouraged by them. Instead be prepared by having a bank roll large enough to get you through. For me that means having a bankroll 50 times the size of big blind for the level I'm playing in ring games or 100 times the buy-in for tournaments. For example; a $10,000 bank roll would allow me to play in a $25/$50 No Limit Holder ring game or a $100 buy in tournament. If my bankroll drops significantly below that amount I will drop down a level so I am never risking more than 1% of my bankroll at any given time. Other factors that determine the minimum size of your bankroll are thing like how aggressive you are at the poker table, if you play limit or no limit, your experience and skill level etc. If you have a regular full time job you don't need as large of a buffer as you would if poker was your sole source of income.

Ten thousand dollars sound like a lot of money to set aside to play poker with. It is and it isn’t the pros you see playing poker on TV have million dollar bankrolls. But like me many of them got started with very little. Personally I started with $50 and built that into a bankroll that allows me to earn a full time income playing poker online. It took a lot of time and I made a lot of mistakes but I eventually discovered that the best games for bank roll building when you have less that a $1,000 to play with is “Sit and Go” tournaments. If I were forced to start over and rebuild my bankroll from scratch I would start by playing single table "Sit n Go's" until I built my bankroll up to at least $1000 and only then would I branch out into multi-table tournaments and ring games.

There are many, many advantages to playing sit and go’s over ring games and large multi-table tournaments especially when starting with a small bankroll. However there are key differences in strategy that you MUST know to profit from them. It is these strategies that have allowed me to cash in on 4 out 5 sit and goes I play in. Unfortunately I don’t have the space here to go into detail about how to do this. Even I did and although I consider myself to be pretty good at both profiting from poker online and teaching others how to do it my friend Johnny ‘JR’ Rothman author of SIT-N-GO PRO is far better than I and is a true sit n go master. In fact when my students ask me how to profit from sit and go’s I direct them to his material. There is no equal.

If you are serious about building a huge bankroll do yourself a favor and check out SIT-N-GO PRO right now.

As always remember the point of playing poker for a living is to make a profit and have fun doing it. Until next time…MG

P.S. For a limited time and exclusively for Modern Grinder subscribers who sign up for one of our featured poker rooms through the links below and purchase SIT-N-GO PRO I am offering a free copy of my $50-50k bankroll building secrets (a $99 value). Remember this offer is only for subscribers who both purchase SIT-N-GO PRO AND sign up for one of our featured poker rooms through links on this page. Subscribe to The Modern Grinder using the form in the upper right of this page to receive details on how to qualify and claim your free eBook.

Poker Resources
Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Poker Quotes

2008-05-14T09:27:00.001-06:00

I believe in poker the way I believe in the American Dream. Poker is good for you. It enriches the soul, sharpens the intellect, heals the spirit, and - when played well, nourishes the wallet. ~Lou Krieger

Deal the Movie

2008-04-25T20:21:00.003-06:00

Set against the world of high stakes poker, DEAL follows the story of Alex Stillman (Bret Harrison), a cocky, hotshot, card-playing senior at Yale University. Alex dreams of becoming a professional Texas Hold’em poker player but does not yet have the skill to master the table. Fortunately for him, a chance encounter introduces Alex to retired poker legend, Tommy Vinson (Burt Reynolds). Tommy was at the top of his game twenty years ago but gave it all up in order to save his family. Upon meeting Alex, Tommy realizes he can regain his own self- confidence, pride and a poker championship title by turning Alex into his protégé. The two pair up and master every tournament they enter. The winning streak and friendship between the two is eventually thwarted by the interference of a Las Vegas call girl, Michelle (Shannon Elizabeth). The pair eventually part ways and separately prepare for the World Poker Tour. Only one will take home the championship title.

Featured Poker Rooms:

ePassporte stops processing online gambling transactions

2008-04-17T17:38:00.004-06:00

American Online poker players were dealt another blow this weekend when ePassporte stopped processing transactions with online poker and gambling sites.

ePassporte did not respond to the Modern Grinder's request for comment. But but online reports indicate that ePassporte was under pressure from the Department of Justice to cut ties with online poker sites.

"We have been advised that the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is conducting a widespread investigation of internet gambling, including poker," a letter sent to pit bull poker said. "All though (sic) we do not believe we have done anything illegal, we do not wish to be associated with anything that might be considered illegal by the United States government."

PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker have stopped offering ePassporte as payment options on its sites. And according to the twoplustwo forums, ePassporte is allowing players to withdraw money from their accounts. (ed: If you have a balance at ePassporte it is recommended that you withdraw those funds as soon as possible)

ePassporte originally rose to prominence when NETeller, Citadel and Click2Pay exited the North American market last year following the arrests of NETeller co-founders Stepehn Lawrence and John LeFebvre. Lawrence and LeFebvre eventually plead guilty to conspiracy charges.

With ePassporte no longer processing online gambling transactions, American players have very few deposit and withdrawal options. Instant eChecks and prepaid credit cards are currently the only safe and relatively convenient deposit options.

Instant eChecks and prepaid credit cards can't be used for withdrawals. And that's the biggest problem facing American players right now. Without ePassporte, the only way for most players to get their cash now is by check.

Although ePassporte is no longer processing transactions for American players ALL of the Modern Grinder Featured poker rooms have proven to be stable and very responsive to their customer's needs. Your money is safe with them keeping in mind that withdrawals will take a couple of extra days.

Featured Poker Rooms:

PVoW: Poker Stars do Impressions

2008-03-22T12:28:00.006-06:00

A humorous video where the stars of the poker world do impressions of one another.

Featured Poker Rooms:

Poker Quotes

2008-03-20T16:04:00.000-06:00

Whether he likes it or not, a man’s character is stripped at the poker table; if the other players read him better than he does, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do, flaws and all, he will be a loser in cards, as in life. ~Anthony Holden

Play Poker for Fun And Profit...Can You Do Both?

2008-03-12T15:28:00.001-06:00

For most people poker starts as purely a recreational activity. Whether you played in a casino card room, at a the kitchen table or online you probably started playing out of curiosity and only continued to play because you enjoyed the game for the games sake. A funny thing happens once you realize that you pretty good (real or imagined talent) and walk away with some extra spending cash. You start to take the game more seriously and you results become more consistent and you start to pocket more cash each time you play.

Some people start thinking about quitting there day job to become a professional poker player. What once was just a fun past time has now become serious business, literally, You start reading the books, keeping records and spend hours analyzing your results. “If a pushed harder after the flop he probably would have folded and never made that flush on the river, no he was clearly desperate and chasing I would just lost more money he would called anything, but what if I...” If you've ever laid awake in the we hours thinking thoughts like these then you know what I mean.

Eventually your time at the tables becomes as much of a drudgery as your day job. You might even start looking for excuses to play poker. It's not fun anymore. Many people find that when they stop having fun at the tables they also don't win as much or even start losing money. When that happens it becomes even less fun. But if you aren't having fun why play the game at all? “To make money” is a common answer to those questions but there are other ways to make money online and off.

Remember the idea was to make money doing something you enjoy and that poker is a game. Sure you have to take it seriously to make money playing poker but if you aren't having fun you just won't be able to play to your potential and you won't make much money anyway.

It's unrealistic to expect that every moment playing poker will be fun. You will suffer bad beats. Have to put up with obnoxious and annoying players. Sometimes a a bad run can last weeks or months. But if you keep things in perspective and get back in touch with what you once loved about the game in the first place.

In the coming weeks I will be writing posts on how to bring the fun back into playing poker so I suggest you subscribe so that you don't miss out.

P.S. Subscribers will be able to opt-in to a free email poker course on how to play poker online for fun and profit.

Featured Poker Rooms:

DOYLESROOM.COM IS BACK IN THE USA

2007-11-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

As of October 19th, 2007 US Players are once again welcome to play at Doyles Room.com. All USA players are allowed to re-access their existing account.

How To Manage Your Poker Schedule

2007-10-30T11:02:00.001-06:00

Many who take up the game of poker fall in love with it. They want to play as much as they can, but there are only so many hours in the day. One of the most lucrative ways to play is to enter a tournament, but because there are so many of them, it can be hard to choose just one. Some players want to take part in more than one, but they often find they overlap or that they can’t seem to keep track of where they are supposed to play. Many people think they are organized, but after a while, things always fall through the cracks. This is when a player has to become serious about keeping track of their poker tournament schedule.

Before a schedule can be built, it is a good idea for a player to be realistic about how many times a week they have time to play, and how long they can play. Many overestimate what they can do and they end up having to leave a tournament early or find they are missing them all together. Having a sensible idea of how much time someone has per month to play will help any player decide which tournaments they want to enter and which ones they should skip for the time being. At the same time, a player has to be realistic about how much bankroll they have at their disposal. The number of tournaments a player would like to enter might not be a reality when they look into their finances.

A simple calendar will do for some players. If they take into consideration where they want to play and when those places run their tournaments, they can write the information down on a calendar to keep track. However, there is a different option that many like to try. It is software that helps someone manage and keep track of their poker tournament schedule. This doesn’t have to be poker related, as any type of online calendar will do. Some of these alert someone when an event is starting so that they are not late for whatever that is. Many will send email reminders, and those are the best for the most forgetful.

Featured Poker Rooms:

About the Author: Itay Paz is the VP Marketing of B4playing Ltd. , a tool that treats every user as a VIP. It gives you the online gambling information you want, when you want it. It eliminates your need to search for any current information related to online gambling. Sign up for B4Playing Tool, and take the advantage of it today by visiting the website at http://www.b4playing.com Read more articles by: Itay Paz Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Important Notice Regarding Spam

2007-10-09T11:41:00.000-06:00

It has recently come to our attention that there has been several attempts by spammers to use the Modern Grinder domain to send spam. We have taken the appropriate action to prevent this in the future. We are also looking into the possibility of prosecuting the responsible parties. We hate spam as much as you do so please feel free to contact us at MG@ModernGrinder.com with any questions or to notify us of any further attempts to exploit the ModernGrinder domain.

Online vs. Live Play

2007-09-25T20:35:00.002-06:00

We won't even talk about old school poker here. You know the smoke filled back rooms that Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim and T.J. Cloutier got their start. Winning was one thing leaving with your winnings some something else.

Most modern poker rooms are well lit, comfortable, clean and have a courteous and professional dealers. The biggest advantage to live poker is you can see your opponent. You can stair him down until a tell reveals itself. The downside is your opponents can see you and your tells. Another advantage is you can order refreshments from attractive servers sometimes in revealing outfits.

For most the major disadvantage of live poker is proximity. For me it means a two hour drive to the nearest legal card room. Which would be fine but you can't always count on a decent game being available when you get there. For decent live poker I'd have to travel over 500 miles.

Online you can play from virtually anywhere in the world that you can find a computer and an internet connection. You don't have to worry about travel expenses or even parking for that matter. The rake (the amount the card room takes as a fee from each pot or as an hourly fee) is tough enough to beat without adding extra expenses to the equation. Live poker rooms have a one player to hand rule, this means that you can't ask for advice or whip out your strategy book (they do however allow small strategy/rules cards). Online you can have ten people in the room giving advice if you want to. Most poker sites offer things like player statistics to help you get an idea of how loose or tight you’re playing and how lucky you've been. Player notes allow you take notes on a player so that the next time you face him you'll know what to do (I don't recommend trying to take notes at live game, it will usually turn out badly for you). Hand histories help you review your play and refine your strategies. Online poker rooms also offer deposit bonuses, loyalty bonuses, special promotions and many other unique features.

Modern online poker is a fun, safe and stress free way to enjoy our favorite game. Good luck and have fun.

Poker Resources

Featured Poker Rooms:

Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way:

Sit N Go Pro
Outstanding Poker

Site Review: Poker Stars

2007-09-04T15:05:00.001-06:00

Poker Stars Overall Rating: 8.9/10

Review
Poker Stars has long been a leader in online poker and has grown to be the largest online poker community with around a 100,000 players online at any given time. In a way Poker Stars could be credited with starting the online poker craze because this is where Chris Moneymaker won his entry into the World Series of Poker and went on to win the 2003 main event. Poker Stars sends more people to the WSOP than any other site so if a WSOP bracelet is your goal Poker Stars would be a good place to start. Poker Stars is endorsed by the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein and of course Chris Moneymaker. Poker Stars also welcomes American players.

Overview and Ratings

Fast Payouts (almost instant in some cases never more than 24 hours)
Responsive 24/7 customer service.
Decent Software.
Ring Game Traffic: 10
Tournament Traffic: 9.5
Game Variety: 7
Rake: 8
Soft Competition: 8
Sign-Up Bonus: 7
Promotions & Bonuses: 8
Support: 9
Financial Security: 9.9
Deposit & Withdrawals Options: 8

Promotions

100% First-Time Deposit Bonus
Poker Reload Bonuses
Frequent Player Program
Frequent Cash Free-Rolls
Sunday Million Tournament

Traffic
Being the largest online poker room means traffic is never a problem at Poker Stars. I've never found it difficult to find a good game regardless of what game I'm in the mood for or time of day. At the time of this review (early afternoon, midweek) there are about 90,000 people on 14,000 tables online.

Limits and Game Variety
Poker Stars of course has Hold'em, Omaha and 7 Card Stud in limit, pot limit and no limit varieties. Additionally they have 5 Card Draw, 2-7 Triple Draw, HORSE and HOSE games. Ring game stakes range from $.01/$.02 all the way up to $200/400.

Tournaments

This is were Poker Stars really shines. If you are a tournament player then Poker Stars should definitely be one of your main sites. Buy-Ins range from $.50 on up. Their tournament structure is one of the best online favoring skilled patient play. The Poker Stars Sunday Million has one of the best tournament structures anywhere online and with 20,000 in starting chips it plays more like a major live tournament than an online "all-in" fest.

Customer Service
Poker Stars offers 24/7 customer service via email. My test inquiries were always answered very promptly usually within a few hours. The truth is that in over a year of play at Poker Stars I've never really needed customer service because Poker Stars just seems to work.

Play On-Line Poker at Poker Stars Now