Internal Tells or Just Plain Tilt?

Bob Silverstein is a psychotherapist who also plays poker (or is that a poker player who also does therapy?) He's written, interestingly, on what he calls "internal tells" --- emotional states that compromise or interfere with decision making at the table.
It's a funny term and he lists a wide range of circumstances as marking an "internal tell".
These include high levels of tension when under pressure (tough hand, lot of money at stake), feelings of unease because of other events in one's life (family matters, business problems), individual differences in the ability to control and regulate emotions and, of course, Hellmuthian tantrums and Matusowian meltdowns.
Silverstein's onto something here and it's worth looking into.
First, I think he's mislabeled it
cheat poker It isn't an internal tell. In fact, it isn't a tell in anything like the classic sense of that term.
Tells are mannerisms or changes in demeanor or action that reveal information about the strength of your hand.
Tells are, hence the name, "telling" your opponents something that they can use to make more informed decisions. If you're in bankruptcy court it might make you feel less confident at the table but it won't necessarily have any outward effect on how you play K-8 off from the BB.
Silverstein notes that when he talked with professional players about this topic, in his words, they "initially had trouble relating to the idea."
And well they should.
Silverstein is really talking about tilt. If there's an 'internal tell' here it is one that is 'telling' the player that they are, indeed, tilting.

Tilt is the poker player's most formidable foe. It's been talked about and written about endlessly but still eludes a full unpacking of its nature. Of all those who have broached the topic, Tommy Angelo has made the most progress.
I've recommended his book Elements of Poker before so let me do so again. Angelo would likely resonate to Silverstein's approach, though I suspect he too would rename it.
Why are "internal tells" simply tilt? Because they are internal states that screw with decision making. Sometimes they are cognitive in nature, like when you're depressed or tired and have trouble thinking through the complexities of a hand. Sometimes they are emotional in that business troubles (or a shrinking playing bankroll) are creating gut-churning levels of anxiety, which is known to undermine confidence.
Sometimes they are motivational like those days where you've lost the calm, determined approach to the game, feel twitchy and unsure.
Each of these unhappy states causes tilt because when you're angry or depressed, anxious or unsure, confused or overwhelmed juice cards, you cannot make optimal decisions. Non-optimal decision making is the functional equivalent of tilt.
I'm going through this in detail because there is an important point. Tilt isn't just flinging cards or going on some nutty raise-reraise rampage. Tilt isn't normally as obvious and compelling as cussing out an opponent.
Tilt is any time, any, when circumstances conspire so that you are no longer playing at your best.
That's it.
So, if it's that simple, why all the fuss? Well, just because it is that simple --- and just because simple truths oft carry complex lessons with them.
The lesson here? Let's go back to Silverstein, because he's actually got the issue right, even if he mislabeled it.
He counsels listening to your inner voice, learning to take note of your emotional state, searching for calm spaces, ones where you feel at one with yourself and are in the moment.

Un-tiltable.

 

He relates a conversation he had with Jerry Yang (yeah, I know, none of you think much of him as a player but, hell, he did win the big enchilada). Jerry tells him that he learned that he cannot play good poker when he has other serious matters on his mind.
He says that when "I am calm, not agitated, nothing outside the table distracts me ... I feel almost invincible."
Humberto Brenes (I think we can all agree that his game is pretty good) tells Silverstein that when he is in the zone "I don't even see my cards, I just become my cards." And when he gets smacked hard he puts a favorite song on his iPod and sings to himself until he calms down again.
The keys here are two-fold. First, you have to learn to detect these tilt-generating states. This isn't always easy.
I often find that I'm feeling tense or annoyed or lacking patience and, once I notice this, I ask myself, "When did this start? How long have I been like this? How many non-optimal decisions have I already made?"
I've been playing this game for decades and I'm still working on spotting these internal states. It ain't easy.
Second, you need to learn how to make the mental adjustments to bring you back from tiltiness.
Brenes sings (sometimes out loud!). Yang shuts out uncomfortable thoughts. Angelo meditates and uses controlled breathing (go read the book). Reber, well, Reber still hasn't figured it out but, hell, it ain't easy.

Poker Mind Skills - Have Your Mindset Right

Thinking like a poker player may be a cliché but it is one that certainly hits the nail on the head. Poker requires a way of thinking which many beginners find difficult to comprehend.


It can be quite easy to get off-track during a game of poker, so this section is designed to help you eliminate distractions and learn to concentrate on the things that you must be concentrating on in order to be a winner – like the four key poker skills.
4 ESSENTIAL SKILLS
Frequently, professional poker players are considered to be either ‘tight’ or ‘aggressive’. Poker sharks play few hands, but when they play, they do so with a killer-like instinct. While these terms a good descriptions of poker professionals, novices simply will not understand them.
To address things in basic terms, the most important things a poker player can do is learn, practice and develop continually four critical skills: math, discipline, psychology, and risk versus reward. Here’s an outline of these critical concepts:
1. MATH
A good poker player should about know general percentages. These are any odds that can be memorized about the game of poker which will save you time when playing under pressure. For example, there is approximately a 1 in 8 chance of hitting a set when holding a pocket pair. The chance of completing a flush draw at the flow is around 33%. The more general percentages you know there more help you have when sitting at the poker table or playing online. Focus on critical numbers because it is impossible to remember all the many statistics available. However, the more you play, the more you’ll develop a memory for these facts.
Outs are un-dealt cards that will improve your hand and great poker players always know their outs. Keep track of how many cards can help your hand and think of them in terms of a percentage. To calculate the odds, count the number of outs, multiply by two, add two, and the answer will show the percentage change of hitting one of the outs to improve your hand. This formula is well worth committing to memory.
Pot odds are very important also and go hand-in-hand with outs. Unless outs are converted into intelligent betting that considers the financial return versus the risk of decisions, they don’t mean anything.
2. DISCIPLINE
Great poker players require an advantage. The difference between a winning player and a fish is that a fish doesn’t expect to win, while a skillful player does. A fish is just hoping luck will be on

marked cards lenses his or her side and will play other casino games. A skilled poker player doesn’t depend on luck; he does, however, hope that others do not get lucky.

Skilled poker players know that every game requires different levels of discipline. A disciplined no-limit player could be a very foolish limit player or visa versa. Most often, a disciplined limit poker player plays tight at the pre-flop stage. He doesn’t play too many hands. Instead, he selects those hands high winning potential.
On the flip side, a disciplined no-limit player is entirely different. This player is less concerned with playing too many blinds. Instead, he concentrates on not getting trapped. The main difference between a disciplined limit and a disciplined no-limit player is that the limit player avoids allowing his stack take repeated small hits. A disciplined no-limit player avoids losing his whole stack in one fell swoop. Because of this, a disciplined no-limit player can play a lot of hands. Pre-flop, he may play be as loose as anyone else. Yet, he also knows exactly when to fold hands that can get him in big trouble.
A truly disciplined poker player, as the song says, knows when to “hold’em and knows when to fold’em”. He or she recognizes when they’re on tilt and aware when the game is too lucrative to stop. This knowledge arrives only through playing experience; in the meantime simply follow your instincts. If you find you are playing more with emotion than with your brain, taking a break and reorganizing would be in your best interest.
Disciplined poker players know they are not perfect and that they will make mistakes but they use this mistakes to learn. They do not blame others for their errors nor do they whine or cry about them. Every mistake is a lesson from which a poker player can learn to become a more sophisticated player. So, when you make an error, learn from it and move on.

3. PSYCHOLOGY
A great deal of information about poker psychology is available, far too much to address in depth here. However, there is some sound advice you should know. Remember that the OTHER PLAYERS in any poker game are just as important as you. Often, people playing poker are off-guard because their thoughts are on themselves, their decisions, their strategy and approach and their cards. While these things are important, as addressed in the DISCIPLINE section above, you should still think about what is going on elsewhere at the poker table.
A good poker player is not a self-centered player. While he may be a real jerk and very self-centered when not at the poker table, when he IS playing poker, his philosophy should change. He should empathize with other players and attempt to place himself in their position. This helps him to understand the decisions they are considering.
It is very important for a good poker player to always try to answer three very important questions:
1. What cards does my opponent hold?
2. What cards does my opponent think I may hold?
3. What does my opponent believe that I think he is holding?
First, consider what you believe the answers to these three important questions are and then use that information to manipulate the situation to your advantage. You want to first know the answers to these questions and then know how to manipulate the answers to your advantage. If you have a pair of kings and your opponent has a pair of aces

trick cards, and you both know what the other has and you both know that each of you knows what the other has, why bother to play a game of poker? A poker professional will manipulate the scenario using various techniques in order to mislead the opponents. You’ll need to become accustomed to mixing things up and not being too easy to ‘read’. This is the best, and sometimes only, way to play a great poker game.

Import note: Good psychology is crucially important in a no-limit game, much more so than in a limit game. It is absolutely vital that you realize this important fact. Limit games frequently become math battles, but no-limit games involve a strong psychological element. Novice and beginners should be fully aware of what they are getting into before playing no-limit poker.
4. RISK vs. REWARD MGMT
Risk and reward management may seem obvious; after all, we use it in daily life as well as at the poker table. But gambling often brings out aspects of ourselves that we usually don’t encounter; we may, at times, play with more passion that reason. Always try to strike a balance between the two, and never allow things to get out of control. Good poker players are willing to take a big risk only if the reward is sufficiently large, and even then ONLY if the expected return is higher than the risk. Playing poker is a balancing act, and expert poker players are those able to balance things most effectively.
More importantly, understand that the risk-versus-reward nature of poker extends beyond the poker room. Always keep a budget of how much money you need for playing poker and how much you need for other living expenses. It is not our place to tell you which is more important, but it is a good idea to play within your allocated poker budget.
Fundamentally, good poker players are slightly averse to risks, which may come as a surprise to many. In terms of investment, a person is risk-neutral, risk-averse or risk-accepting, depending on how that person allocates available investment funds. You’ll find that, over time, the most successful poker players are not those who bet the whole wad on a risk-accepting long-shot, hoping to get lucky, or even the ones who bet their bank roll only on rare occasions (risk-neutral). The really successful poker players are actually those who take only calculated risks, and keep focused on the ‘big picture’.
Sticking to this kind of example is much better than striving for the whole pot all the time. Even though you may have some success with taking big risks, over time reckless strategies will result in much less success than playing more prudently.

Advantages of Online Casinos

For all players who enjoy gambling, online casinos have given them easier access to their favourite pastime. These online casinos have just about anything a land base casino would have. The games available for online gambling are even more varied than those in traditional casinos.  You can save the traveling costs just to enjoy gambling,  make yourself a good cup of coffee, sit down to your computer in your own home and just have fun trick cards.



Most Online casinos offer odds and payback percentages that are comparable to land-based casinos. Some online casinos claim higher payback percentages for slot machine games, and some publish payout percentage audits on their websites. Remmember, in a land-based casinos there is a building to maintain, maybe rental charges, the staff to pay, and many other aspects to consider , the online casinos can function with less expenses, and they are available 24/7.

Another online casinos advantage is the

marked cards lenses free games. Online casinos will offer you the opportunity to practice and  play all the games for free, and so in this way you can play all the games until you can hone your skills and indeed become an expert in the games that the casinos offer you.



The biggest advantages of the online casinos of online casinos is the signup bonus. This is something that only the online casinos give you. It means that when you make your first deposit, the online casinos give you a dollar for every one that you deposit, so you get more money for free, and so you can play a lot more games.

Can You Trust Online Casinos?

If you're thinking about beginning online gambling, it's a question you want answering. After all, gambling is risky by its very nature - you don't want to add to that risk by playing somewhere that's going to cheat you out of your winnings, or not allow you to win at all! 

But there are gamblers out there who will still tell you that all online casinos are rigged, that 'impossible' things happen too often for them to be truly random.

This is a misconception, but it's fairly common, and due I believe to a number of things:

Reason #1 - when you're gambling online, you can play many more games per hour than you can in a land-based casino. You're playing alone, so you don't have to wait for others to place their bets or be paid out marked cards lenses. There are no physical chips or cards or balls, so there's no 'clearing up' to be done between games. The cards are dealt quicker, the Roulette wheel takes less time to spin, the dice are always ready to be thrown.


Because of this, unusual things will occur much more often than in 'real' casinos. They'll not occur more frequently in terms of probability, but they will in terms of actual time.

For example, the chance of getting 6 consecutive blacks in Roulette is approximately 1 in 64. If it takes two minutes between spins of the Roulette wheel in a real casino, this event will only occur once every two hours. If you're playing 3 rounds a minute (possible in an online casino), it will occur every twenty minutes! In both cases, the probability is the same, but the impression is that an unusual event is happening far more often, which must be because the online casino is rigged!

Reason #2 - when you play online, you're playing alone. I touched on this above, explaining how this affects the speed of games, but there's an important psychological implication to this, too. If you play Blackjack in a real casino with four other players, even if you don't win for a few rounds, the likelihood is that someone at your table will.

You could easily go ten hands without winning, but because you see others winning and, therefore, see the casino losing, you believe that the casino is honest.

Online, you focus purely on your own trick cards results. Suddenly, because you don't see anyone else win or the casino lose, those ten losing hands seem to be against all probability. The reason? Clearly, the casino must be rigged!

Reason #3 - everyone involved in online casino gambling has to be honest about this: in the early days, some casinos cheated. It's an unfortunate fact, and for many years did nothing to improve players' confidence in the honesty of online casinos.

Fortunately, things have now changed. The online casino industry is one of the most regulated of all businesses. Those 'rogue' casinos have been run out of town - named and shamed and blacklisted by the numerous industry watchdogs.

These industry ombudsmen exist to uphold the image of fairness and reliability and will step in to investigate and resolve any player disputes. So long as you're playing at a regulated casino site, you'll be protected against any wrongdoing.

In the UK, things are even stricter. Since the Gambling Act was enforced last year, only regulated casinos are allowed to advertise or be promoted. In this case, regulated means licensed in an approved jurisdiction. This caused major headaches as many of the biggest casinos suddenly found themselves outside this so-called 'White List'. Most have now moved operations to places such as Malta, but some have resisted and are now unable to promote to UK and EU players.

In conclusion, online casinos don't cheat, they're not rigged and they are fair.

Before you start to gamble online, you'd be well advised to check out your options. Many thousands of so-called 'portal sites' exist whose job it is to compare and contrast online casinos and recommend the casino that will best suit your needs.

My advice to anyone contemplating online gambling is to visit one of these portals, safe in the knowledge that the casinos recommended there are licensed, regulated and - above all - honest!

US Gambling and Gaming Industry - Prospects for Gaming Equipments

Executive Summary

The global gambling and gaming sector continued to show a positive trend during recession while the growth rate was slow in 2008 and 2009, a minor change in growth has been seen in 2010. Travel and leisure sector are a major driving factors of the gambling and gaming industry in US, especially in Las Vegas. In recent years rrecession affected travel and leisure industries as well and number of tourist declined in US compared to pre recessionary period in result casino gross revenue growth rate declined easycards tricks. During 2009, the gaming equipment manufacturing sector generated significant revenues in US, also contributed in employment growth despite the slowdown in economy. 
US Gaming industry will show improvements in 2011 with a strong support from Las Vegas where tourist arrival expected to increase once again after declining for two consecutive years. On the other hand regional markets expected to struggle with the loss made in the past years.
Despite the improvements expected in 2011 the performance of the US gaming and gambling sector is forecasted to show slow growth during 2009 to 2012 compared to historical performance and expected to catch the speed from 2014 onwards which is in flow with GDP performance, with an anticipated CAGR of 2.69% for the period 2009-2015.
Commercial casino semgnet is expected to perform well in coming years driven by Las Vegas, a preffered tourist attraction while Illions, lowa and New Jersey casino markets expected to struggle till 2013.

Key Findings
•    For the period 2000–2009, the gambling industry recorded a CAGR of 5.66%. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.45%, 2009–2013. In 2008, global gambling and gaming revenues were up by only 3% while declined in 2009 by 2.4%, although the overall gambling and gaming industry continued to grow with a slower growth rate.
•    The US total gambling and gaming  sector grew with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.14% for the period spanning 2000-2009. The market was up by 1.0% in 2009 compared to 2008 results, where market showed a negative performance declining by (1.2%) compared to 2007 results.
•    In 2009, consumer spending on the commercial casinos showed a 5.5 percent drop from 2008, which was a 4.7 percent drop from 2007. Recession affected travel and leisure industries as well which is a major driving factor of the gambling and gaming industry.

•    Global lottery sales were up 5.7% in 2010, as compared to global lottery sales in 2009. Latin America recorded double digit growth and proved marked cards to be a strong driving factor for worldwide growth in lottery segment.
•    During 2009 when commercial casino industry fell in the second consecutive year, consumer spending in the racetrack casinos continued to grow with a rate of 5.0% over 2008.
•    In 2009, Canadian casinos and gaming sector generated total revenues of USD~ billion in 2009, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9% (2005-2009).
•    Global lottery sales were up 5.7% in 2010, as compared to global lottery sales in 2009. Latin America recorded double digit growth and proved to be a strong driving factor for worldwide growth in lottery segment.

Scope of the Report
•    The report gives a detailed analysis of the US Gambling and Gaming Industry with discussion of industries past performance, present analyses and future outlook of the industry.
•    We have discussed US commercial casino and gaming industry in detail, further segmented into racetrack casinos, lottery market, poker demand, internet gambling market and sports wagering.
•    Gaming Equipment sector will help the various manufacturers worldwide to assess the potential of the market in the region.
•    We have also included industry developments segment which talks about recent trends prevailing in the industry.
•    We have discusses industry players positioning, profiled major players and further scope for new and existing players.
•    This research report helps the domestic and international players looking for potential segment in the recruitment market with the help of future forecasting.
•    Present report may help temporary and permanent placement agencies to look for new prospects and formulate strategies.

Hit With Gambling Winnings Tax? Get A Casino Tax Rebate Now!

Have you won a gambling jackpot? Subsequently hit with the gambling winnings tax? US taxation laws allow for Canadians to reclaim part or all of their US gambling winnings tax.


Each year, thousands of Canadians hit a gambling jackpot in the United States. Immediately afterwards, these lucky gamblers are disappointed when they realize a flat withholding tax of 30% is applied to their gambling jackpot. For example, any slot machine gambling jackpot that is $1200 USD or over will immediately have 30% gambling winnings tax taken off cheat poker.


The US taxation laws are tricky, so gamblers need to be careful. For example, poker winnings are generally not taxed. However, poker tournament winnings are subject to the 30% gambling winnings tax. Most poker players will not have to worry about US taxation. But, poker tournament winners will have to apply for a casino tax rebate if tax was withheld on their poker winnings.
There is hope for gambling winners. The US-Canada taxation treaty allows for Canadians to have their gambling winnings deducted to their extent of their gambling losses. What this means is, if you have lost money at an American casino, you will get a refund of your gambling winnings tax. If you have lost as much money as your gambling jackpot marked card tricks, you will receive a full refund. If you have lost less money than your gambling jackpot, you will receive a partial refund. As long as you have gambling losses, you will receive some sort of refund. You can lose money at ANY type of gambling in the United States, and it will still count towards your casino tax rebate.

Unfortunately the US taxation laws are very complicated, and dealing with the IRS is anything but easy. Luckily, cross-border tax specialist firms like US Gambling Refund exist to provide an efficient, comprehensive and worry-free casino tax rebate.
The gambling winnings tax comes along with IRS form 1042-S.  Gambling jackpot winners who do not have their IRS form 1042-S can obtain a copy from the casino that initially issued it.  The casinos are required to have records of their issued 1042-S forms.

Gambling jackpot winners have three years from the time of their gambling jackpot to apply for a casino tax rebate.  The taxation laws are to be used. Your time may be running out.
For further information or to apply for a gambling tax refund, contact US Gambling Refund.

The Best Poker Cities in the World

Poker players will travel to the ends of the Earth to find a great game, and sometimes they will literally do just that - shipping off to far-off locales where the poker chips are real clay and the stakes are always high. To help you plan your next "poker vacation" we've compiled a list of some of the finest poker cities in the world - each one chosen because of the available action there - and a commitment to the greatest card game in the known universe.
The Top Cities for Poker Players
1. Las Vegas, Nevada. No surprises here. Las Vegas is, and likely always will sit atop the marked cards poker stratosphere. When you're home to the best players in the world, the best shopping for poker accessories, countless poker rooms that line the Las Vegas Strip...AND host the annual World Series of Poker you don't have to worry about relinquishing your number one spot for quite some time.
2. Atlantic City, New Jersey. A short drive from New York City, Atlantic City is home to some of the largest Casinos in the world. With names like Trump and Harrah's rising above the skyline, it's easy to see why the area draws millions of gamblers each year (despite the rundown nature of the city itself). The online poker boom inspired many of these casinos to build massive Texas Hold 'Em rooms - which even in tough economic times continue to be filled by East Coasters looking for some real action.
3. Los Angeles, California. Only a hop skip and jump from the glitter of Hollywood exists a series of the most well-respected poker rooms in the United States. That's right, poker has come to Los Angeles, and thanks to Larry Flint's Hustler Casino, The Hollywood Park Poker Rooms and the Commerce Casino (and several more) serious players will never fall short of places to play after they've hit the beach.
4. New York, New York. You won't find many glittering casinos and poker rooms in the Big Apple, however if it is rough-and-tumble back room games you're looking for, you have come to the right place. The most populated city in the world is also home to more poker games being held in the back of bodegas, record stores and bars than anywhere else in America. It is a throwback to the outlaw days of poker - and despite the Internet, Atlantic City and discount flights to Las Vegas, it has never quite left.
5. Dublin, Ireland. Dublin was recently named the top poker city in Europe by a panel of card-playing experts. In addition to being home to the Irish Open, one of the largest and most well-respected poker tournaments in Europe, it also has a rich community of poker players living there. These poker-playing families have passed the game on from generation to generation - ensuring that the game will continue to flourish here for years to come.
6. London, England. The United Kingdom takes a more laid-back approach to gambling than other countries, and with that permissiveness has come some of the finest luxury poker rooms in the world. London is a place to play high-stakes poker - without having to worry about the authorities knocking your door down.