Craps is a dice game played in a continuous series of rounds. Each round starts with a new “shooter” – one of the betting patrons who rolls the dice. The shooter is handed two dice by a casino employee known as the stickman and then throws the dice across the table, preferably bouncing them against the opposite wall. The first roll of the round is known as the “come-out” roll. During the come-out roll, only several different bets are usually made, the most common of which is the ass line (in fact, the shooter must either bet this or its opposite, the don’t pass line). Bets on the pass line pay 1 to 1 if the shooter rolls either a 7 or 11, but the wagers are lost if the come-out roll is either a 2, 3, or 12. The don’t pass line rewards players for the reverse, i.e. winning on 2 or 3 and losing on 7 or 11, and it is often considered poor taste to make this bet, as it is in opposition to the majority of players at the table despite carrying a slightly lower house edge.

If the roll is any number besides the ones listed above, that number becomes known as the ‘point.’ Once the point is established, bets on the pass line will pay 1 to 1 only if the point is rolled again; if a 7 is rolled, bets on the pass line are collected by the base dealers, and the role of shooter moves clockwise to the next player. In either situation, the round ends and another round begins with a come-out roll.

Another common bet is known as the come line, which can only be wagered on after the point has been established. The come line operates the same way as the pass line, paying the player 1 to 1 if a 7 or 11 is rolled and losing on a 2, 3, or 12. There is also a don’t come line, which functions like the don’t pass line. Beginners are recommended to stick to the four bets mentioned here; most people at the table will also be betting them, so you will be able to share in the excitement without being overwhelmed by making too many wagers. Additionally, they provide the player with good odds (even though not as good as poker does to a good player like Kathy Liebert), so you shouldn’t find yourself broke after only a few rounds.

FUNNY.

HOW TO BLUFF YOURSELF AAA’IGHT

While imitating other players is a fantastic tactic when you know how to do it right, when you are playing the game in the beginning, you do not want to come off as cocky right away.  You want the experience to back it up and that is something that you need to gain.

Remember – imitating other players is a great tactic, if it is done well and that comes with time.

For those are you that are just starting out in the poker field – I have to say that you are in for one heck of a ride.  Poker is not a game that you can just sit down and play with your buddies … unless you are not serious about it.  If you are serious about it, you truly need to make sure that your game is up to par before you enter into anything.

For example, do you know about Slowplaying?  This is actually a trick that many, many poker players bluff on.  In short, it is basically making the other poker players at your table think that you have a really weak hand, when in fact, you have a powerhouse hand.

That is what Slowplaying is and it is certainly something that you should consider getting into and developing.  It definitely comes in handy!

Collusion is the easiest form of online cheating — and catching a player doing this is well nigh impossible. At least two players collude and work together in secret, at the same table. Skills are not really needed to do this.

Sometimes one player distracts the others at the table. Online, of course, two players in collusion can easily let one another know what cards they have, making it easier to guess what the other players are holding.

Cheaters will also bet back and forth with one another, to either goad other players into betting more or into folding, thereby either allowing the cheaters to get the pot, or merely making the pot larger.

Sometimes, when the game is hot, when the cards are flaming, when every hand you get is in the nuts, it’s hard not to slow down. You want to keep up your winning streak — never realize that it could end during a foolish, overly confident bet, leaving you with nothing.

That’s why it is important to sort of … bankroll your poker games. You cannot bet money that isn’t there. There are several ways to properly bankroll, which we will discuss in the coming posts.

Naturally, the best hand in this game is going to be any variation of the 5 4 3 2 A hand. Neither flushes nor straights will count against your hand. However, there are some very precise rules involved in this game.

First of all, if you use a joker, then it will then become the lowest card that is not present in the hand. Unless otherwise noted, it is assumed the joker is in use.

When playing a limit game, the check-raise is not allowed unless the people playing are told otherwise.

Also in a limit game, an exposed card that is seven or under has to be taken before the draw. After the deal is finished, an exposed card over seven has to be replaced. That will be the burn card.

In a limit game, it is assumed that the Seven Rule is in play. So, if a seven or better is checked and it proves to be the best hand, any action occurring after the draw is null and void.

You cannot count cards.  Well, technically you can, but — well, no, you can’t.  I’m not talking to you math geniuses out there, so don’t come yelling about how you will prove how you can count cards and junk.  I’m saving, the average joe out there cannot count cards.  You cannot learn how to count cards by watching 21, either.  Your life is not a real life adaptation of the movie.

Know what else?  Just because you used to watch Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo all the time does not mean you are any kind of expert at Texas Hold ‘Em.  If you try to go to Vegas with that junk, you are going to get your butt handed to you, along with your empty wallet.

People have got to stop watching gambling movies and TV shows, and think to themselves, “OMG I can totally do that!”  While we’re on the subject, you will not be a cheerleader just because you watched Bring It On and even though you’ve watched ever dance flick ever, you cannot dance.