Launchpoker.com - everything you need to know about online poker. Begin to play and win with Launchpoker.comhttp://www.launchpoker.comFri, 16 May 2008 07:56:02 +0100en-usCopyright 2003-2007, Launchpoker.comhttp://www.launchpoker.com/hands-reviews/national-heads-up-champ/-nbc-national-heads-up-championship-orel-pitches-too-hard-/During a big game like NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship one would expect to find pro poker players, newly minted poker experts, and the occasional movie star, but not a baseball player.NBC National Heads-Up ChampionshipFri, 16 May 2008 09:45:56 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/hands-reviews/national-heads-up-champ/-nbc-national-heads-up-championship-better-kicker-means-more-chips-/When two poker players have the same hand, such as a pair of aces, how do you know who wins? Unless you are using some home game rules, it isn't by the suit, as many think, but rather who has the highest card after the pair.NBC National Heads-Up ChampionshipFri, 16 May 2008 09:23:58 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/poker_fun/poker-stories/-liv-boeree-takes-down-the-ladbrokes-european-ladies-championship-/There are countless articles in cyberspace and on the printed pages that while extolling the beauty of the complex subtleties in the game of Texas Holdem, also remind us that this isn't rocket science. Somebody probably forgot to mention this to Liv Boeree, who along with being the new Ladbrokes European Ladies Champion is also a University trained Astrophysicist. While having this sort of intellect isn't mandatory when it comes to the game of poker, an IQ big enough to have its own gravitational field probably isn't a bad thing either.Poker StoriesFri, 16 May 2008 08:57:31 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/texas-holdem/tips/-listen-to-the-short-stack-/It happens to all of us, somebody bets into you out of left field, or raises your bet. If you are holding a hand that you believe may only be the second best hand at the table, most players' natural inclination is to fold. Before you surrender the hand to your opponent take a good look at his stack. This will often be able to tell you more about whether or not they are bluffing than any facial tick or profuse sweating. If this is a cash game, and you see somebody with a small stack displaying this sudden flash of aggression, you can believe you are now facing a legit, formidable hand.TipsFri, 16 May 2008 08:36:21 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/poker_tips/-raise-a-glass-of-h2o-/According to most eggheads, discovery channel shows, and the cartoon "Dexter's Lab" the human body is seventy-five percent water. Considering how many cocktail waitresses are stalking the floors of casinos and dispensing free drinks one would think that the casino believed that people were made mostly of scotch. Of course from the standpoint of the people who run a gaming floor, sobriety and gambling don't go well together. Even at the poker tables, a place where the house has no vested interest in who wins, the drinks still flow freely.Poker TipsFri, 16 May 2008 08:23:23 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/hands-reviews/national-heads-up-champ/-nbc-national-heads-up-championship-that-good-or-that-bad-/Much of the game of poker is mental. In addition to knowing the right math and tactics to make the right decisions as often as possible, a poker player had to be able to read his opponent.NBC National Heads-Up ChampionshipThu, 15 May 2008 09:45:53 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/poker_fun/poker-stories/-going-pro-/During a conversation we recently had with Team PokerStars member Vanessa Rousso, we discussed her law degree and the probability that she will never see the inside of a courtroom on a professional basis. Very few people will get the option to either be a very good lawyer or an excellent professional poker player. We love Vanessa, but she is an absolute freak of nature: one of those annoying people who are good at whatever they do. For most people being able to choose between a conventional career and a life as a professional poker player is simply not a luxury available to us.Poker StoriesThu, 15 May 2008 09:21:32 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/texas-holdem/tips/-diminishing-returns-/Those who make it their business to be familiar with obscure, theoretical laws not only need to get out more and find a nice girl, but they will also be aware of the law of diminishing returns. Basically this concept supports the idea that there can be too much of a good thing and that eventually the whole thing will eventually blow up in your face. A lot of players who see a pair of Aces or two Kings show up as their hole cards immediately start slowplaying in order to keep as many people as possible in the hand in order to help the pot grow.TipsThu, 15 May 2008 08:54:27 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/poker_tips/-keeping-a-player-honest-/There is a certain logical absurdity about the trying to keep a poker player honest. The sport of poker has lying to your opponents built right into the culture of the game, so trying to keep someone honest is at best a futile act. So why do so many players waste money at the end of a hand trying to do just that? Let's say you are at the river and in a position where you are trying to decide whether or not to call someone's bet or raise. There is a percentage of players out there who know they are beat at that point, but will still make the call in order to force their opponent to show their hand.Poker TipsThu, 15 May 2008 08:25:02 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/hands-reviews/national-heads-up-champ/-nbc-national-heads-up-championship-more-aggressive-wins-/During the fourth season of the popular poker show on NBC, the National Heads-Up Championship, Doyle got a chance to play heads-up poker with one of the biggest high stakes players of the day, Frenchman David Benyamine.NBC National Heads-Up ChampionshipWed, 14 May 2008 10:27:45 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05162008/5653_poker-pros-offer-training.htmlMichael Binger and Roy Winston know a thing or two about playing poker: between them they have nearly $8 million in tournament earnings. Now they will offer their secrets to the people who take a course from Oracle Poker Consulting, the new company the two have founded. As soon as the World Series of Poker kicks off at the end of the month Oracle Poker Consulting will be up and running, offering players the chance to learn from those who have made it happen...Online poker news. Poker PlayersFri, 16 May 2008 07:56:02 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05162008/5652_high-stakes-poker-may-be-canceled.htmlThe poker blogs are abuzz with the rumor that the very popular cash poker TV show High Stakes Poker is on the way out. The show, airing on the GSN network, brings poker pros and personalities together for a cash game that routinely puts hundreds of thousands of dollars in the pot. Unlike a tournament game these are actual dollars coming out of the bankrolls of the players...Online poker news. Poker FunFri, 16 May 2008 07:45:49 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05162008/5651_washington-state-online-poker-still-illegal.htmlHopeful poker players had their hopes dashed on Thursday when a King County Superior Court judge ruled on a situation near and dear to their hearts: the legal status of playing poker online. The current law states that playing online poker is a Class C Felony, putting the lawbreaking poker players on par with sexual predators. Local attorney Lee Rousso tried to get the law overturned, but it was not to be...Online poker news. Poker and the LawFri, 16 May 2008 07:38:08 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05152008/5650_new-wsop-merchandise-dealer.htmlWith the World Series of Poker on the horizon, set to play this summer in Las Vegas, those who can are investigating ways to make money from the biggest poker event in the world, and not just from playing in it. A new deal with XP Events has been announced recently by the WSOP to distribute WSOP swag across various venues, including an online store, retail shops, and a new WSOP store in Vegas. The Denver, Colorado based XP Events is now the official brand merchandise provider for the World Series of Poker...Online poker news. WSOPThu, 15 May 2008 07:52:12 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05152008/5649_new-poker-magazine.htmlA quarterly poker magazine is on the horizon, to be published by Dennis Publishing and to service a very specific poker community: the members of online poker room PKR. PKR.com is a poker room unlike any other, with a computer or video game style experience, with 3D avatars that are controllable to an extent beyond any other poker room. Now an "international selection" of PKR customers will get the poker magazine free of charge...Online poker news. Online poker roomsThu, 15 May 2008 07:43:50 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05152008/5648_woman-poker-player-purchased.htmlThe magazine that appeals to women poker players, conveniently named Woman Poker Player magazine, was recently bought by the company that knows all about poker mags, Bluff Media. Bluff Media are the publishers of Bluff Magazine, one of the top poker magazines in the United States. Bluff Media made the move in recognition that women are one of poker's fastest growing market segments, and the vehicle to reach them would be Woman Poker Player magazine...Online poker news. Poker FunThu, 15 May 2008 07:26:04 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05142008/5647_online-poker-room-joins-ethoca.htmlOnline poker room Mansion Poker has joined the Ethoca, the company that is said to be an industry leader when it comes to "collaborate fraud management." The announcement came from Ethoca, stating that Mansion has joined their worldwide community of companies that focus on increasing income while decreasing fraud. Part of Ethoca's role in helping to reduce fraud and increase revenue involves helping their partner companies identify financial transactions that could be fraudulent - the online poker community has been the target of various groups and individuals trying to gain funds through fraudulent tactics. Related Articles: New online poker deal with CryptoLogic New Spanish language site for online poker. ...Online poker news. Online poker roomsWed, 14 May 2008 16:33:03 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05142008/5646_world-poker-tour-says-goodbye-to-layla.htmlThe latest World Poker Tour hostess is hitting the road. British commentator Layla Kayleigh was the fourth WPT girl in the spot, following Sabina Gadecki, Courtney Friel and of course the legendary Shana Hiatt, who started the WPT as hostess and was in that role for three years. Layla cited personal reasons for her decision to leave the WPT on her MySpace page...Online poker news. World Poker TourWed, 14 May 2008 16:04:57 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05142008/5645_couples-come-to-poker-after-dark.htmlThe hit late night poker TV show on NBC routinely holds themed week games, and the next on the list is the couples week. The clever name for the game is "Love at First Raise" and it depicts three poker pro power couples. Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly are in the game, along with Erica Schoenberg and David Benyamine, and Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman...Online poker news. Poker FunWed, 14 May 2008 15:54:10 +0100http://www.launchpoker.com/news/05132008/5644_2008-inaugural-conference-program-from-world-poker-association.htmlThe World Poker Association recently announced the launch of an educational event for its members, the first of its kind. Scheduled to take place during the WPA Inaugural Conference from May 28th to May 29th, the event will be headlined by the man they call the "Mad Genius of Poker", Mike Caro. There are three major functions during the Conference, including a teaching portion, a cocktail party and then a Mega Satellite poker game...Online poker news. Poker FunTue, 13 May 2008 08:22:05 +0100