Archive for February, 2010

Poker Chip Sets – Essential to The Poker Experience

Poker Chip Sets – The Poker Chip and Challenge to Counterfeiters

Poker is a popular card game across the world similar to slots and online slots machines with the excitement of gambling and potential for huge payoffs. Almost integral to the poker game are the poker chips, and indeed poker does not feel like poker without poker chip sets.

The chips are small discs of various colors representing different denominations, meant as substitutes for real money, which is instead stored in a more secure place. The use of money substitutes, or token money, can be traced back through the 13th to 17th centuries in Europe. Today poker chips are often made according to themes and formats that unite a particular set of chips. This is useful in avoiding counterfeiters, even for games at home or in private.

Casino chips use many different anti-counterfeiting measures, with the most basic being chip coloration and embossed or molded patterning. Holographic inlays, distinctive colored markings on the edges and ultraviolet markings on the inlays further deter potential counterfeiters. Lastly, Radio Frequency Identification or RFID tags are used by some establishments. The latter method can be quite costly, but the establishments that use them feel the cost is justified. Given the difficulty in counterfeiting chips, poker chip frauds in casinos are rare.

If you plan to play in private though, you should be careful of frauds, especially if you are using mass-produced chips. Another reason for these security measures is to identify which casinos they came from. This is usually not a problem, since casinos usually honor only their own chips and it is more of a matter of branding. In Nevada however, casinos are permitted to honor chips from other casinos, and these identifiers make returning chips to the casinos they belong to easier.

Poker Chip Sets – Composition and Coloration

Authentic casino poker chips are made of clay, though not pure clay which is too soft. Special composite mixtures have been made, using trade-secret techniques, the confidential nature of which is yet another speed bump on the counterfeiter’s path. Sometimes, special edition poker chip sets may be bought from casinos, though generally poker chips stay in the casinos. Poker chips made for home use on the other hand may or may not be of the same quality as their casino counterparts.

For home use poker chips, ceramic and ABS plastic are the most common materials. When ceramic is used, special compositions allow them to approximate the feel of real clay while maintaining a lower price profile. Ceramic chips are also used in some casinos. ABS plastic chips on the other hand may be molded with a metal disk or slug inside, to give them some heft. For those in Europe, poker chips may come in mother of pearl, which gives them an incomparable sheen and luster. Coloration is standard for different denominations in one set, but may differ across sets. For example, in some places there are standard coloration schemes for chips, while in others there are none. Of note is the US State of Nevada, where casinos are given free rein on their chip designs and colors.

Poker Chip Sets – Sets and Themes

Since poker games often involve large amounts of money, a large number of chips are needed. Standard sets have 300 pieces, while others can have 500 pieces, and yet others reaching a stunning 1000 pieces. Some casinos sell poker chips similar to those used on the floor but with a few differences for identification purposes. This is great for those who want to emulate the feel of their favorite places of gambling at home games. Limited edition sets can be highly collectible, and there is a thriving community of poker chip collectors.

Many of the poker chips are traded via eBay, and the most special ones can go for thousands of US dollars, regardless of face value. Whole sets of these special poker chips can cost even more than the individual pieces. What really ties the members of all poker chip sets together is the design of the chips. Poker chips in one set are often of identical sizes, of consistent coloration, and having similar inlays. Colors and inlays vary according to denomination, but the idea is that chips from one set are identifiably from the very same set.

The edges and rims may also be embossed with characteristic patterns and even have colored sections made via special multi stage molding techniques. The designs may be simple and straight forward, just simple chips with numbers. They could just as well be whimsical, like having humorous or otherwise interesting prints on the inlays. A set of poker chips will often be packaged in a poker chip case or some such container such as an acrylic poker chip carrier or humidor style wooden poker chip case, in the tradition followed in casinos worldwide. One would suppose that if you are going for the authentic feel, then there’s no point skimping on the little details.

Poker Chip Sets – Elements of Authenticity

Poker chips are essential to playing poker. One can “play” poker without them, but it will not feel like poker without the chips would it? It is the feel of these poker chips that gives a tactile sense of authenticity. The clink of these poker chips as they hit the table and trade hands adds to the ambiance. The nature of these poker chips ensures that no one can weasel out of the bet that they placed, so it ensures a fair game as far as bets are concerned. Speaking of amounts, the printed or inlaid values may vary depending on where you buy your poker chip sets.

It is even possible to find manufacturers that make poker chips that reflect your country’s currency and useful denominations, though generic chips are also available. With the popularity of televised poker and TV series set in casinos, the mystique of poker chip sets has increased, and many people feel that poker chips are the only way with which to play poker. If you are the kind of person who likes taking souvenirs, then chips from the casinos you have visited make fine reminders of good and bad times alike. Poker chips are definitely the elements of authenticity in poker games.

-

World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) 2008 London
Join the race for a bracelet at the second annual Europe Main Event. You could be part of the biggest poker series with the biggest single event prize pool on offer throughout Europe. And come home dripping with cash if you play your cards right. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/World_Series_of_Poker_Europe_2008.html

Win a seat at the 2009 ECPokerTour Salzburg
Titan Poker presents the year’s most prestigious new tournament, the ECPokerTour Salzburg 2009. The ECPokerTour poker championship will be staged in the lavish new Alpine Palace Card Casino between April 3rd and 5th 2009. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/2009_ECPokerTour_Salzburg.html

Series of Poker prize package from 888poker
888poker in Canada is offering its Canadian players the chance of a lifetime to make the transition to pro. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/Poker_Promotions/wsop_prize_package_888poker.html

Tags: , , , ,

Related posts

Texas Hold Em Poker Schools With No Deposit Poker Bonus

Interested in learning poker online for free? Then check out one of the best ways to learn poker: Free Texas hold Em Poker Schools. No matter if You are an absolute newbie or an advanced player, these poker schools will have the right poker lessons for You.

To get started You will have to open a free account at the poker school and You will get access to to the Beginners Learning Materials. Usually the schools offer a choice of articles, videos and coaching sessions to teach You poker. The Beginners Sections are usually aimed at teaching You a small stack cash game strategy.

Once You mastered the basics You can take a simple poker quiz at the free poker schools. If You pass the test You will be given a no deposit poker bonus. The Texas Hold Em Poker School will start Your poker bankroll for free. Up to $150 is given away to players by the poker schools. No Deposit Needed.
This way You can start to test Your new Texas Hold Em Poker Skills at real money tables without investing own money.

Should You make some of the typical beginners failures then it will not cost You any of Your money but just the bonus You got free. This also puts You in a situation without any presssure and helps You to develop Your best game this way.

As You continue to become a more advanced player the poker lessons the schools offer will become more complex and YOu will learn a big stack strategy then and also learn about the right tournament play. The Online Poker Schools have poker lessons available for every level. Their Poker Courses are aimed at helping You to improve Your game and a solid bankroll managment, to help You to climp up the limits You play at.

All the poker lessons are usually presented in different media. You can read articles to learn poker or watch a video that will tech You that lesson. In the bigger online poker schools these materials are available in different languages, so everyone will find the right way to learn poker for him.

Although these schools don’t charge You for their poker education they offer You live poker coaching sessions. The Coach is playing online and will discuss his concepts and strategy right as he plays, while You watch it live and can contact the coach via internet directly. It’s a great way to learn poker. You get Your questions answered instantly and can get back to coach in real time with everything You don’t fully understand.

Compared to Poker Books or Poker Lessons DVDs the Texas hold Em Poker Schools on the internet offer You more varieties of learning materials. They also put You in contact with many other players via their forums and communitites. You will always have someone at hand to help YOu if You should get stuck. I think You can learn much more much faster this way then at home with a book or Poker Lessons DVD. The hand discussion forums of the online poker schools alone are worth joing these sites.

And only the online poker schools will give You free money to play poker with. Remember that You will get a free poker bankroll for passing the beginners quiz. A Poker Book or DVD has to be paid for ( and unfortunatly the rather good ones aren’t cheap ) while the free online poker course pays You to learn poker. Can it get any better than this?

Hearing for Intrastate Online Poker in California
A hearing regarding intrastate online poker in California is scheduled to take place in February 2010. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_18122009_418.html

UltimateBet launches satellites for UBOC
UltimateBet today released the satellite poker tournament schedule for UBOC 2009, UltimateBet’s Online Championship series, and unleashed an impressive Main Event calendar that features 22 guaranteed events. Read the full story at http://www.classicasinos.com/PokerNews/ns_18092008_22.html

Tags:

Related posts

The Usage Of Poker Aides Online – A Double Edged Sword

An online type of poker training is the poker aides. These aides help you to get better in the online poker games. With the help of the online type of poker training, you can get to learn lots of lessons that are useful for improving your poker game online.

These poker aides online can not help you into transforming into a professional players at poker as for that you need a hell lot of experience and massive amount of studying. The poker aides online help give you the self-esteem and confidence which is required to start playing the low limit poker in exchange for real cash and also to enjoy an interesting online poker game.

Poker aides on the net can also be taken as poker schools. Most of the discussions are about mass hysteria the online poker can cause.

Lots of tips for playing and many types of poker strategies can be found in the online poker aides. It’s just like learning ABCs in school. So, go now and avail the online poker aides to get your online poker started.

As soon as you have finished that course, later, like a normal school, you jump of to the following level. The aides will later tell you about the various differences that are there between playing poker in real and playing poker online. You can also learn the possibilities of losses or winnings you are likely to get when you are playing online poker. The trick of bluffing also becomes different when playing online poker from when you’re playing real poker with actual people.

Actually, there aren’t many differences between playing poker online and playing poker in real. Many people do not realize that they are not just losing the small dollar sign symbols that are there on their monitors but they are also losing real money. Due to this a number of the poker rooms available on the net make some big bucks and will continue to make more big bucks.

So remember that when you’re playing online, it doesn’t mean it’s not real. It is so easy to withdraw money for playing at tables such that it makes you ask yourself whether playing poker in real world is less real than playing poker online.

To forget about bluffing is one of the things that the poker aide teaches you about. Bluffing is definitely one thing that should be struck out of your list of strategies. Speaking strategically, playing poker tournaments in real is more different than playing poker online.

Traditionally, online poker is being called a game of skill as you can call bluffs and also bluff your self. It requires a very high amount of skill to act as well as see bluffs and it is also necessary to learn and complete a lesson that needs a lot of courage. The skill of bluffing is very important when you are going to play a game of poker in real as you will be taking on real people with stamina and thinking, face to face.

Unlike that, it doesn’t make much of a difference with playing poker online. The poker aides also include teaching you how to perform a bluff before entering into a game of poker online. Don’t forget that, although bluffing is a low level act, you have no option but to use it at times.

But make sure you make only small buffs. With the fact that most of the bluffs you call are also small, there can be a huge chance of an opponent calling out your bluffs.

Not only do these poker aides teach you, they also help when you are stuck up with some really tough poker trouble.

You have a high probability of winning the jackpot as the last person standing in the games at casinos when there is an unsuited seven and two. Try to tighten up the game to its maximum. When you are playing with only suited picture cards and in a state at which a mistake committed doesn’t turn the tables of the game then you know the game is really tight.

Poker After Dark – Durr Does It Again (source: launchpoker.com)
The $100k buy in event featured the best players out there, such as Phil Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, Allen Cunningham, Guy Laliberte, Mike Baxter and David Peat. It was Baxter and Dwar who mixed it up before, and were destined to do it again in this particular han… (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS feeds and Feed widget on Feedzilla.com

2008 California State Poker Championship (source: launchpoker.com)
The 2008 California State Poker Championship is coming at the turn of the month, with some estimated $7 million in total prize pool for the series. Starting on September 2nd, 18 events will take place at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. Players can buy … (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS and News widget on Feedzilla.com

Poker After Dark – Hard to Read (source: launchpoker.com)
All the players at Poker After Dark’s the Cash Game show admitted one thing: Durr was hard to read. In the $100k buy in event Phil Hellmuth, Allen Cunningham, Guy Laliberte, Mike Baxter, and David Peat were playing with a crafty player better known for his… (source: launchpoker.com) – RSS and News widget on Feedzilla.com

Tags: , ,

Related posts