Omaha Hold’em Poker – A Primer

Posted by: Thomas Kearns  /  Category: Poker

Omaha Hold’em is gaining in popularity undoubtedly due to the unique aspect of the game whereby four hole cards are dealt to each player at sometime in the game. Omaha Hold’em requires that players have extensive experience in order to grasp its complexities. The object of the game is not unique, the best five-card hand at showdown gets the pot. But in Omaha Hold’em the composition of this best hand must consist of an amalgamation of hole cards from their hands and any of five community cards. Limit Omaha and the more popular pot limit Omaha are the two betting structures usually found at the tables, but you may run across Omaha 8 as well.

The game got its start in America as the result of a brainstorming session of some veteran poker professionals who wished to come up with a mind bending poker variant. In a twist, pot limit Omaha has become wildly popular in Europe and is the most played variant of Omaha poker even having the edge over Hold’em in its popularity.

So, The Game is Played How?

The game uses a standard 52-card deck no different from the many other poker forms along with equally the similar concept of the same dealer throughout the game and the double blind format common today. Omaha Hold’em is special in that four cards face down are dealt to each player. Any two of these cards may be added to any three community cards to form the best hand. This is not the only oddity of play in Omaha Hold’em however.

The Three Community Card Requirement

If a player is holding one card that matches up to a two-pair board, he’s got himself a full house in Hold’em. Contrast this to Omaha where the player is required to use a minimum of three cards off the board. So, one is able to structure a full house with both hole cards and three appropriate community cards. If the board is showing three of a kind, of note, a full house can be put together if the player is holding a pair or four of a kind with a matching fourth card. Two suited cards are the rule to create a flush.

Once players have their hole card, the betting round ensues where in each player can call, raise or fold. With pot limit play, the player is allowed to raise up to the limit the rules allow. Betting goes on round after round until the flop. Here, the dealer shows three cards before the next betting round, followed by three more rounds of betting.

At the end of the final round, there will be four hole card in each player’s hand and five community cards. Not unusually, the nuts is composed of five cards created from three community cards and two hole cards. Pot limit games consist of players placing bets until the ultimate limit is reached, the limit being set by the house. Many tables can be found where only three re-raises per betting round can occur. If there are only two players left in the game at showdown, the limit is usually lifted. As previously stated, no different from other variants, the best five-card hand at showdown reaps all the rewards, the entire pot.

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A Look At Online Poker Room NioQ Poker

Posted by: David Patron  /  Category: Poker

At NoIQ Poker you will, in reality, need your smarts to play the sports book, the casino and all the games the poker room has to offer. Europe’s premier gaming company, Entraction, forms the spine of the network. NoIQ has forbidden several countries from partaking in the action, an unusual practice for sure. Such countries as the USA, American Samoa, the US Virgins, Northern Mariana Island, US minor outlying islands, Cuba, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Macau, Nigeria, South Korea and Turkey are all on the NoIQ list of banned countries. This policy requires the software to be constantly checked to ensure that all players are opening the software legally. The site has a twitter account where you can go for the latest policy information. The software lacks the flexibility of those sites with a greater scope.

The software at NoIQ Poker is also limited with its layout of just a few tabs and buttons. The application, therefore, downloads very quickly as it consists merely of a green background with game listings. The software does run on MAC and there are Java and browser based versions for those gamers on the go. Cash games and tournaments are what the site is all about, although it does have a nice filtering system, quick-acting buttons and the casino and sports book.

One of the high points at NoIQ is the diversity of cash games available. There are, of course, all the popular games of holdem at all limits, seven card stud, seven card stud hi-lo, Omaha, Omaha hi-lo, five card draw, and 2-7 triple draw. So as not to be taken for just another online poker site, NoIQ has thrown in such hard to find games as 32-card draw, Soko, Americana, and Telsina.

The betting stakes for cash games start at E.02/.04 and rise way up to E200/400. Do not overlook the terrific tournaments offered as you will find many a challenge to you and to the over 2,000 players assembled here so you can always expect action at NoIQ. One unusual tournament is the Double or Nothing (DON) where players can either double their buy-ins or leave with nada. The company is in partners with the European Masters of Poker so players can get their live tournament fix as well. NoIQ Poker gives players beaucoup freerolls and other guarantees so there is always a reward for players to look forward to reaping.

There is an awesome VIP program with huge cash rewards, so playing and paying rake at NoIQ can reap some very tidy rewards indeed. The VIP program is all embracing offering players a choice of several Vegas packages. Races are a big part of the sporting events here featuring endurance and cash races that reward the player who can play the best and the longest. So don’t leave either your wits or your running shoes at home. You will need them here.

There is a form based support system at NoIQ which is quite limited but will answer the most basic queries. Be patient though. You will have to wait for an answer. If you are searching for a unique and somewhat off the wall poker game, you will find it here.

For more poker room reviews like this one please check out reviews like our Cellsino Poker Review, Cake Poker Review, or any of the other poker room reviews at Rakeback Solution.

A Detailed Review Of Minted Poker

Posted by: David Patron  /  Category: Poker

Minted Poker is part of the Everleaf gaming network but the feel and the layout of the software more closely resembles Full Tilt Poker. The company partners with Send My Chips and is rapidly growing. The software is in tones of gold and invites you in with the charm of rake races among other strong features on the site. Come on in and see what you can find at Minted Poker.

There is nothing too different about the software at Minted Poker than on any other site which makes it very familiar and easy to navigate. The software does have some neat bells and whistles of its very own though. It boasts a moving ticker and sweet announcement area in the upper right hand corner to keep players abreast of all the latest Minted Poker news, free rolls and the many other contests and promotions that players can avail themselves of. The buddy list is a very popular feature and is among some of those attributes found only at this site. Players will enjoy gaming in this familiar environment with its many rewards.

This is a small site with only 100 tables and 500 players so it is a tight knit community of players, but they are all enjoying themselves immensely. The betting begins at $.05/.10 and goes to $40/80 so there is a level for everyone and with the right mix of players, games can be quite lucrative. The cash games offered are Hold Em, Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, and Seven Card Stud with other games waiting in the wings that will soon be available as well. Tournaments abound as do sit-n-gos and step tourneys. The tournament buy ins range from 10 cents and soar to a lofty $1,200. Everyone can find a tournament of choice here. Minted Poker treats its players with tender loving care and rich rewards that go beyond the freerolls and other very attractive features the site has to offer its community.

One incredible grab at the gold ring is Minted Poker’s million dollar ladder. The player with the right skill set and right amount of luck can try his hand at completing a particular number and type of tournament step levels to take his shot at earning the one million dollar cash prize. There is a smaller but similar tournament in the Grab A Grand contest. The poker points program is unusual here in that points earned can only go toward tournament buy ins, limited yes, but still very worthy. There are packages to the World Series of Poker among others and promotions that change with the seasons, so while Minted Poker is small, it is very much worth visiting again and again.

There is 24/7 support service by email via the contact button on the website where you will receive prompt resolution to all queries. Minted Poker is devoted to keeping gaming honest with a fraud control department so it’s players need never feel alone or insecure.

You should definitely add Minted Poker to your online poker site list as one to visit at every opportunity for that great, fulfilling poker experience.

For more poker room reviews like this one please check out reviews like our Virgin Poker Review, UniBet Review, or any of the other poker room reviews at Rakeback Solution.

An In Depth Look At Gutshot Poker

Posted by: David Patron  /  Category: Poker

Humble they aren’t. With the motto “the only real name in poker” it is easy to see that Gutshot Poker is no shrinking violet of a company. To further convince you, they have slogans like “chip leader since 1991,” “poker is what we do,” and “renowned online card room.” Apparently Gutshot is not after the shy players. Gutshot Poker runs on the Cake network, so visitors will find this poker room very familiar. Gutshot awards more than twenty million dollars in tournament guarantees every month and is licensed and regulated by the Government of Curacao, Dutch Antilles. So get ready to download the software with no fear.

As Gutshot is on the Cake network, players can expect to find all the nifty features that they have come to enjoy and expect. The software is button based and has a very direct, no nonsense, uncluttered interface making maneuvering about the site a breeze. Speaking of breeze, that’s the way the download works too and the software is smooth and speedy. There are historical hands on the site that a player can track and look at which is an outstanding feature. The hand histories are presented in both the online and server based modes and include a utility that enables the players to replay the hands they are viewing, which is a unique and enjoyable playing aid.

As you sit down at a table, do not fail to notice the color of each player’s nameplate. This color changing action is another fine feature of the software that designates a certain status of a hand by its color, hence a red nameplate is the sign of a folded hand. In concert with the software are some nifty linking devices like an odds calculator and a game locator under the features option on the homepage. All of this adds to up a large player base of satisfied seekers of both cash game and tournament play.

There are cash games always available at Gutshot Poker with such popular games as no limit, fixed limit, and pot limit holdem, Omaha, Omaha hi-lo, numerous stud games, and even more. Blinds begin at $.02/.04 and run up to the expert level of $500/1000. Should you not be in the mood for cash games, get yourself on over and sample the vast array of tournaments.

The site hosts tournaments in many variations and many types of limits to please every player. Players can buy in for as little as $.10 and as much as a whopping $5,000. The tournaments are distinctly set apart from each other with buttons pertaining to the tournament’s category so you can easily choose the one you want to enter. Anyone familiar with the Cake network is also familiar with its love of bandying the word “gold” about which aptly describes what you get from the promotions on Gutshot Poker.

The Gold card races and lottery is one of the most widespread promotions offered. The players play and pay rake to earn Gold cards which are then turned in for cash and tournament prizes. Not to be missed is the Gutshot Forum League which is just another way the company rewards its players with free tournaments and awesome prizes along with fun chats with all the other forum players.

Do not miss the University of Gutshot promotion which offers an interesting and unusual way for players to pick up sponsors. Gutshot has created a three-month course and assessment syllabus giving players simple and logical steps to graduate to become a professional player with the company. Talk about your customer appreciation, Gutshot goes above and beyond its competitors in this endeavor.

There is a ne system of support on the site that is served by email 24 hours a day seven days a week and the emails can be sent to whatever appropriate department to ensure the player of the most accurate resolution to his issue. There is also an unusual and useful feature in the maintenance area found under support on the homepage where you will find highlighted all the known issues that the site is currently experiencing. And there is more – loads of articles and news releases on the homepage which is actually set up to build a community of players and that community lovesthe pampering they get from Gutshot poker.

The message sent to the players then is “Come for the poker, stay for the community” and they do their utmost to live up to that message. With live web casts, youtube videos, blogs, fabulous game play and a short shot at a sponsorship are just a few of the offerings that attract an usual and distinguished group of players to Gutshot Poker.

For more poker room reviews like this one please check out reviews like our Power Poker Review, Poker Nordica Review, or any of the other poker room reviews at Rakeback Solution.

A Look At Online Poker Room Players Only

Posted by: David Patron  /  Category: Poker

“Unleash the Player in You” is the slogan at Players Only Poker letting you know that this online poker site cares about you and your game. This TLC is also apparent in what they have to offer their gaming community in the selection of sports book, horse races and a casino in addition to the usual poker games to assure their visitors of unlimited action. Gaming Ventures Limited of Antigua owns the corporation and works in tandem with the Antiguan government and Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC), supports the Antiguan Online Gaming Association’s Gaming Addiction Research and Education Fund all in order to ensure the security of the gaming environment for their players. The Cake network manages Players Only so the software will be familiar to a large percentage of online gamers.

True, the software is on the Cake network, but there are some important differences at Players Only that you will readily note when opening the software. The first thing that will strike your eye is a great feature peculiar to this site of a scrolling live sports betting odds. If you play the sports book sometimes along with your poker, you will really appreciate this feature as you can engage in both activities simultaneously.

Another feature you will notice immediately are the site names of the latest big money tournament winners. The application is basically button based and runs smoothly and fast with all things directly in front of you, even the sports book. You will find a news button at the upper right corner of the screen to fill you in on what’s happening while searching for a game. Pretty much all the rest functions similarly to the other Cake network sites that most are familiar with and enjoy.

Cash games at Players Only are Texas Holdem in the no limit, pot limit and fixed limit varieties, pot limit Omaha, Omaha hi-lo, seven card stud and seven card stud hi-lo. Since the Cake Network has Players Only’s back, you will find around 1,000 players at 8,000 tables any time you visit, so you know there is plenty of action and money going around.

Blinds start at $.02/.04 and go to $500/1000 for the big dogs in the six max and heads up games. If you are not in the mood for ring games at the moment, take advantage of one of the numerous tournaments on the site. There is a great diversity of tournaments at Players Only and buy ins are as low as one thin dime. You will also find some of the largest tournaments anywhere on this site with buy-ins reaching an astronomical $5,000. The Gold Chip tournaments are very big at Players Only and the rewards are plentiful.

Aussie Millions and Irish Open poker packages are just two examples of the nifty rewards that await you. You will also earn frequent player points to be traded for some sweet stuff at the player rewards store. Gold cards and gold chips can also be earned by playing which get you into the gold rush as well. Of course, the more gold you amass, the better your chances at cash and prizes. Special promotions are running continuously. No matter your game preference(s), you know you are in a safe, secure, enjoyable environment with the full support of Players Only Poker.

Players Only keeps its servers in Curacao and uses a state of the art 256-bit TwoFish encryption algorithm to insure the security of the gaming tables. The support consists of live chat and email and is available 24/7 so player’s queries are immediately attended to. For those who don’t wish to write even a short note, there is telephone support where you can contact and dialog with a genuine human being and get your problem solved on the spot. Players Only Poker has been issued a Preferential Seal by the Directorate of Offshore Gaming of Antigua and Barbuda and makes use of a Technical Systems Testing Certified platform giving the gaming and the players assurance of top level fairness and support.

So, whatever gaming opportunity you are after, horses, sports, blackjack or poker, Players Only Poker is the place to play and grow your gaming skills. Download the software now and find the inner winning child in you today.

For more poker room reviews like this one please check out reviews like our Titan Poker Review, Power Poker Review, or any of the other poker room reviews at Rakeback Solution.