Let me begin by saying...GOOD FOR YOU! As a woman, a casino is the best place you can be playing. It allows you to both read people up close and personal (which is one our natural abilities) and use being a woman to your advantage! Read more...

Now, for the casino - it is ok to be nervous! Everyone is their first time.

Before you leave your house, make sure you have cash (ATMs at the casino are expensive). Bring a sweater or jacket because it can get cold inside a casino. If you play with glasses or a hat, of course, bring those. Also, set your financial limit before you get to the casino (know how much you're willing to lose).

The poker room in the casino is always easy to spot. It's a separate enclosed room from the rest of the casino--not on the main card floor by the Black Jack tables. If you're a smoker, know that poker rooms are the only place in the casino where you can't smoke.

Once you get inside, go to the check-in counter and tell the attendant what you want to play (the game, limit or no-limit, and the ante amount, such as "Hold'Em, $1/$3, no limit"). Your name will then go on a waiting list, unless the casino is deserted. When the attendant calls your name (or initials), they will tell you a table number. You can exchange your money for chips either before you get to the table or after you sit down. As you're waiting for your table, look around and see which way others are getting their chips.

Then just pick a seat and get in poker mode. Do as much observing as possible to allow yourself to warm up to the table. It's perfectly OK to play very tight when it's your first time. Remember that casino play is designed to be very quick. If you're used to playing online, it will be less of a shock. If you usually just play with your buddies around the kitchen table, you may not realize how fast the game is going until it runs you over.

You can slow the game down by always taking 10-20 seconds before making a decision to fold, call, or raise. Also, you can slow the game down for yourself by really hand-picking which rounds you want to get involved in. If you don't like the table, get up, take your chips with you, go back to the check-in counter, and ask for a new table. People do it all the time--so don't feel like you'll be a sore thumb. 

Finally, a few notes on common beginner mistakes:

• Be sure you always protect your hand until it is your turn, THEN you can throw it away.
• When you want to raise, put all your chips in at the same time. Don't put $10, then reach for another stack. This is called string betting. An easy trick to use is just say, "Raise," then count out the chips and put them all at once into the pot.
• Make sure the dealer can see your cards at all times, otherwise s/he may think you've folded and skip you on the next round of betting.
• No cell phone talk at the table. It's looked down upon.
• Don't tell other people what cards you have or show them to your neighbor.

Last but not least, unless you bust out, don't leave the table until right before it's your turn to be the big blind.

Good luck! 

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Like basically all of the poker girl books out there, Cat Hulbert’s book is full of first-person, anecdotal accounts. The book contains 114 personal tips from Cat, whose background is primarily in card-counting, poker coaching, blackjack, and seven card stud. She has been a professional gambler (not poker player, but “gambler“) for 30 years and was named one of the top seven-card stud players in the world by Card Player magazine.

What I liked most about the book was the section on online play (very detailed tips for getting started), the odds and probabilities charts in the back, and Tip #31, which discusses common male personas women are likely to encounter at the poker table.

What I liked least about the book was its extra effort to be “girly” and “cool.” Check out some of the chapter titles as examples:

• Getting to First Base on the First Date: What You Need to Know and Think About Before You Start to Play
• How to Wear Basic Black to Stay out of the Red: Laying an Indispensable Foundation for Safeguarding Your Bankroll
• Every Face Tells a Story (or How Botox Can Save You Money): Tells--The Body Language of Poker

Also, the author gets off the subject in her online poker section by discussing her personal battle with an online poker addiction.

Overall, this book has more to offer than comparative books, like The Badass Girl’s Guide to Poker. This book has twice as many pages and twice as much valuable content.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is just starting out. This book would be a good “first poker book.” If you are looking for an intermediate or advanced strategy book, you will be disappointed by this book’s lack of seriousness and lay-out.

        
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erxYAEoI7Kk

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If you are a beginner, this book could be a fun read...or if you are just looking for something entertaining to read.

While I feel this borders on blasphemy, I have to say this book is not for anyone looking to improve their game at all. That's not to say the entire book (which is short and brief) is worthless, because it isn't. There are two awesome verbatim interviews with Annie Duke and Cyndy Violette at the end of the book. There are some interesting quotes, great tips for your first visit to a casino, and tips for starting out playing online.

A decent portion of the book is devoted to unrelated "stuff." For example, there is a list of great poker movies; there are suggested poker song playlists; there is a chapter on meeting men at the poker table. The book is largely anecdotal, which is not to say the author doesn't know her way around a poker table. 

Here's what one Amazon.Com reviewer had this to say:

It's not that I'm not a badass, or that I don't 'get' it. It's that this book on poker was about 2 chapters of actual content, most of which was bare-bones mechanics of playing, and not that useful to actually calculating odds and winning the game. The rest was about how to attract a man at the poker table, how to dress for poker, basically, how to play into every tired stereotype of "a badass girl." When I read the gratuitous lists of suggested movies and songs, I knew I was reading a book in which the author had really been stretching to find something to say. Ms. Bochan: Doyle Brunsen can go on for a thousand pages about poker. If you have to come up with unimaginative song lists and interviews (interesting, but not especially helpful to learning how to 'beat the boys'), you're not quite ready to write a book." - Stephanie Bryant "Mortaine"

After reading all the Amazon reviews, it is clear the beginners loved the book, and the more advanced/intermediate players found it to be a bit condescending. I find it extremely difficult to criticize the work of another poker girl, but the book painfully "tries" to be cool. One Amazon review, for example, was entitled, "Play poker with unicorns in Barbie's Dream House!"

The book is currently available used on Amazon for $.01. For one cent plus shipping, I am, however, more than happy to have this book on my book shelf next to the "real poker books" because of what it represents. Is it wrong if my favorite part of the book is its title?

I might never play in a Ladies-Only tournament, but I will still support them for the basic reason that they are for poker girls.

If you want to add this book to your collection, follow the link below:



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Courtesy of PokerDoodle.Com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMLRibWyoYM&feature=related

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A "re-buy" is when, during a poker tournament, a busted out player can buy more chips and continue playing. Re-buys are usually allowed in the early part of a tournament only (if they are allowed at all). To decide if a re-buy is a good idea for you, consider these points:

• Why are you playing in the tournament?
• What is the status of your bank roll?
• Why do you think you busted out?

If you are playing in a tournament because you really want to qualify for something (a tour or another tournament), then a re-buy may be a matter of how bad you want it (and can you afford it). If you busted out on the third hand because you had the King-high flush and your opponent had the Ace-high flush, then you probably aren't playing poorly. If you bust out due to a BAD bad beat, re-buy with confidence, shrug it off, and move on.

If you're playing in a tournament for fun, re-buys should be based on finances. However, if you are playing just to transition your cash game play to tournament play, you can chalk it up as a learning experience and don't beat yourself up. If this is the case, consider buying extra chips up front (if possible).

As for the bankroll, you should decide before you ever get to the tournament if you are going to allow yourself a re-buy. You can always just leave the ATM card in the car if you think you'll be tempted. One negative side of making a pre-decision to allow yourself a re-buy is that you may play too loose early on because you'll know you have that "out."

If you have an unwritten, personal rule where you never re-buy, then I recommend sticking to it...unless there is some particularly conveying reason as to why this bust-out was different.

If you busted out because you were playing on tilt (or PMS or bad day or break up...) then go home. Do yourself a favor!

If you do re-buy, remember Toby Leah Bochan's six tournament tips (from The Badass Girls Guide to Poker):

1. Be aggressive!
2. Let the other players fight amongst themselves (and knock each other out)!
3. Draws are the kiss of death...be careful!
4. Watch the chip stacks--always know who's big and who's low.
5. Remember "all In" can equal "all out."
6. Adjust your play to the stages of the game--early tournament play tight, mid tournament play looser, final table play in your "zone."

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The wisdom of a decision to slow play a hand comes down to one concern--can you afford to give your opponent a free card? People frequently "misread" what it means to have the nuts in a particular hand. OK, you have top pair...maybe someone else has pockets and just tripled up...maybe someone just turned suited connectors into 2 pair. If, on the other hand, there is a potential full-house, 4 of a kind, straight, or flush on the board, and you have the highest pocket cards to make it happen--that is the nuts! 

Players get screwed by slow playing hands that are not strong enough--pure and simple. Every player who first discovers slow playing over-uses it a time or two until it comes back to haunt them. It only takes once to learn...hopefully!

An example of a good time to slow play a hand is when the flop is full of juicy, dangerous cards, such as:

• three of any of the same cards (i.e. 3 of clubs, 3 of hearts, 3 of diamonds) when you have the "magic" card, the 3 of spades.
• three cards of the same suit (i.e. 3, 7, and jack of diamonds) when you have the ace or king and another card of that suit to make the nut flush. (Notice I said the ace or king--not just any two diamonds.)
• a pair on the board when you have a high full house (i.e. board is 2, queen, 9, queen, 7 and you have queen, 9).

You must be careful when slow playing a straight--best to have the ace and king either in your pocket cards or on the board.

Like anything in poker, however, you must consider the big picture. Don't get tunnel vision. Get your bearings by asking yourself these questions before you slow play a hand:

• Is the amount of money you stand to win worth the risk of giving your opponent(s) one or two free cards?
• How many players are in the hand? The fewer, the better your chances of winning more with a strategic slow play.
• What is your chip stack looking like? Do your opponents have more or less? If you are playing a low pressure, sit-n-go cash game, then you should be slow playing less. If you are playing a cut-throat tournament, you might be better off taking the risk of slow playing (if the other factors check out).
• What is your read of your opponent's hand? Is your gut telling you your opponent is sitting on a monster? Is your gut telling you your opponent is trying to bully you because s/he thinks you're a calling station? As a woman poker player, you should NEVER discount your gut feelings! 

POKER ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ON SLOW-PLAYING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3vSWQMO32I

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Hosting a poker game at home is really easy. It can be a challenge for a first-timer though. But once you have a regular poker group and house rules established, it's a cinch.

First, you'll want to have 6-9 players. Any more than that and you'll need two tables. Any less and you won't have much of a game. Also, you'll need a set of poker chips. You can buy poker chips in the board game section at any drug store or department store (about $10). If you want to get fancy, you can buy "special" chips at PokerChipsGalaxy.Com. Most poker sets will come with at least 2 decks of cards.

Here are some of the things you'll need to work out so the game goes smoothly:

• If your poker chips don't have denominations printed on them, determine which chips are what (For tournament-style play, try: blues=$200, reds=$500, whites=$1000, greens $2000. For traditional cash-game play, try: whites=$1, reds=$5, blues=$10, reds=$25. You'll need a lot of the $1 chips for a low-limit game.)
• Will you be playing tournament-style or a sit-and-go cash game?
• If you're playing a tournament, what will the buy-in be? (Try $5 or $10.) Also, will the tournament winner take all, or will there be a 1st & 2nd place, etc? If you have more than 6-7 players, having at least a 1st and 2nd place is suggested. And, how often will the blinds go up...and by how much? (I suggest every 15 minutes in these increments: 200/400, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000...and so on.) 
• Ensure that at least one player knows the game well enough to deal correctly, enforce rules, keep track of side pots properly, etc.

To make sure everyone has a great time, try to have a few different games (time permitting, if playing tournament style). Also, provide some finger foods (bowl of Dorritos, buffalo wings, licorice, whatever). Have a movie going on the TV (Of course, I recommend Sex & the City on DVD!), so people who go broke or bust early have something to do.

My last suggestion is to abide by this rule in the case of any and all "disputes:" WE'RE PLAYING A FRIENDLY GAME! These are your friends after all, so you probably want to be able to talk to them again after the game. It's not worth screaming at a friend over a $50 pot.

Have fun!

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Unlike other competitive events, what you wear when playing poker can filter into how you play. So, the question is...dark glasses and a hat, casual, or cute? Choices! Choices! Ultimately, it comes down to what kind of player you are, how you like to present yourself, and what kind of mood you're in.

If you typically dress casual, then I recommend you dress casual when you play. If a hat and glasses are going to annoy or distract you, then don't bother with them. If something "cute" (i.e. binding) is out of the ordinary for you, then skip it. Of course, you don't want to go so casual that you feel like you're in your pajamas either. Studies have shown that people do better on job interviews when they are dressed up. If you look like a slob, you will carry yourself like a slob. If you are dressed for success (whatever that means to you), you will present yourself in accordance with that ensemble. 

  Casual and Cool: Annie Duke. Courtesy of http://www.poker.com/professionalplayers/duke.htm

If you are the kind of poker girl who likes to sit down at the table in pastel with cleavage showing, and then knock the competition out of the water after they've assumed you don't have a brain--more power to you. Compare these two different pictures of poker bombshell Shannon Elizabeth.

 Shannon Elizabeth. Courtesy of http://www.wiregirl.com/2007/01/11/shannon-elizabeth-plays-strip-poker
 Shannon Elizabeth. Courtesy of http://www.pokerlistings.com/player-photos_shannon-elizabeth_2199

In the first picture, Shannon looks like she's not sure how to play (aside from her holding her cards backwards). In the second picture, Shannon looks like she's all business. If you like to use your feminity to lure the boys into thinking you're a calling station or a mouse, do it! If this is your approach, I recommend only wearing light colors (pink, lavendar, white), wearing your hair down, nail polish, jewelry, and make-up.

If this isn't your style, no problem. If you'd rather be "one of the guys," you'll certainly have less side chat and flirting at the table, which allows you to focus on your game more. In this case, I recommend power colors (blues, black, dark gray or brown), jeans, and a casual shirt.

As for picking a hat, your options are fairly limited: baseball cap, cowboy hat, hood, or a fedora. Although a hat probably doesn't do much to disguise you from an opponent (they are at eye-level after all), you may feel like wearing a hat gets you into "serious poker mode." Maybe it's just part of your pre-play routine...it's your uniform so to speak. If so, then go with it!

 A pinstripe fedora. Intimidating AND feminine. Courtesy of http://www.tysvariety.com/cityhats/fedora2.html

In my opinion, dark glasses do a much better job of hiding your face and disguising you. If you have never played with dark glasses on, it can take a while to adjust to...so consider yourself warned.

In conclusion, it's your world. It is entirely possible to look both feminine and like a serious poker player at the same time. Again, check out Shannon Elizabeth here. The braids and pastel pink are very cute, while the hat and casual t-shirt suggest that she's not there to get a date for next weekend.

 Shannon Elizabeth. Courtesy of http://www.eog.com/news/full-article.aspx?id=18866

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