Chris “Jesus” Ferguson earned that nickname legitimately – by wearing his long locks in a dated fashion statement and a blonde beard that has only worked to build up his image along with his trademark cowboy that draws attention to his sharp facial features…features that are hard to read and therefore defend, against an unstoppable force like Chris’s table attitude.

Chris, or rather Poker Harry as he known among his friends, is one of the most prominent faces in the world of professional poker today and both fans and friends acknowledge that he is a force to reckon with in the tournament gaming arena. However, Chris’s rise to fame has none of the typical struggle associated with other big players as his was an easy path.

This WSOP champ was born on April 11, 1963 in Los Angeles and was interested in playing poker from his boyhood days. However, it was only as late as 1994 that Chris Ferguson decided to seriously participate in tournaments and competition events to see where he stood amongst regulars. Things started looked up for him from day one and Chris’s educational background (he has a UCLA degree in computer science and a strong love for math) helped him in understanding and exploring various theoretical ideas about game strategies and calculating pot odds besides observing other players keenly.

These inherent interests and skills helped Chris develop into an excellent player because poker is a game of skills as much as it is about sharp observation, good memory and loads of right attitude. Chris displayed all these necessary factors from the beginning of his poker career by taking in information about other players early into the game so he could strategically work his way into extracting money from them and build a solid bankroll easily enough.

However, there have been many twists and turns in Chris’s poker though he never got bogged down by the lows, which only goes to prove that sticking it out in changing dynamics of pro poker can really tip the odds in one’s favor, provided one approaches it with the determination and courage to hide his true emotions behind a somber façade. This is his strength in defeating many poker players with varying skills at different levels of the game.

Chris won his first WSOP contest in 1995 but it was in 2000 that he got lucky big time and raked in more than one million dollars in tournament prize money when he beat Thomas Cloutier in his next WSOP win. His defeat of Andy Block in the 2008 WSOP has helped set standards for poker games everywhere and Chris acknowledges that playing to win is the only approach that works for him. With 5 WSOP bracelets, one wouldn’t question that outlook anyway!

Till date, his financial portfolio has in excess seven million dollars in poker tournament prize money – a figure that is pretty commendable for a young pro poker player like Chris. Chris has also contributed to the launch of many online poker sites and helped popularize poker to millions of people around the world, though his most noteworthy contribution to online poker rooms is undoubtedly Full Tilt Poker, the big daddy of all virtual poker sites today!

Chris also makes frequent television appearances and is a regular at large gaming events where thousands of fan flock to him in the hope that some of his magic at the poker tables will rub onto them.

Over the last couple of years FullTilt has grown into one of the main poker sites online and the tournament schedule competes with the best of them. They still provide their popular jackpot sit and go tournaments which feature a progressive jackpot in addition to a top prize of $50,000. The regular schedule features a $250,000 guaranteed as well as various re-buys and satellites. As a special Titan Poker Bonus, new players will receive 30 days of New Player Freerolls and once you start earning your comp points you will begin to receive invites to the weekly VIP games. As mentioned earlier Titan Poker is one of the more well known European poker sites, which is why you will find various promotions geared towards the Euro events such as the Grosvenor Poker Tour, Irish Open and EPT among others. These events can be entered with a direct buy-in or qualify your way in by playing in Titan Poker’s stage tournaments.

The Titan Poker ring games provide a wide variety with Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, Poker Cranium, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi Lo and 5 Card Draw. You will find the Stud and Draw games to receive less attention than the other variants and unless you are playing during peak hours, the action is next to near nonexistent. Holdem and Omaha attract the majority of the 20,000+ players, and with stakes starting at $0.01/$0.02 up to $50/$100; you won’t have any problems finding a game within your bankroll. TitanPoker provides full ring, shorthanded and heads up tables. Players should note which games they are sitting in as the tables are split between DP (disconnection) and No DP (no disconnection protection) tables. The competition for the most part is relatively easy in the low limits right up to $5/$10, with the viewed flop percentage typically in the mid 50’s. Titan Poker takes a rake from each real money hand at a rate of 5% capped at $3. TitanPoker does support the no flop no drop rule. In order to qualify for the $500, you must use the Titan Poker Bonus Code – VPP105 – when you make your first deposit.

The FullTilt software was created by Playtech and is using the iPoker Network. The software itself performs well and provides optimal speed around the clock. You will have access to various options within the main menu including live support, your account details and custom features. The lobby provides an easy to use drop down game menu. The game menu is categorized based on variation and stake which will allow you to quickly select your limits. FullTilt tables are available in full view mode with simple avatars and provide you with your own game statistics. One of the features we do like is the tournament stats which are provide at the tables. This feature goes above the standard stats and provides you with information as to the chip stack of other opponents, your position while in the tournament and your chip stack in relation to the others. The data is continuously updated and it pops out, so you will always have this information on hand. FullTilt supports multi-table play with as many as four games at once. They do feature resizing tools as well as a 4 x 4 grid. Other features supported include; preferred seating, note taking, find a friend, and hand histories.

Poker Stars has always provided an excellent support team. They are fast in response times and very efficient. Online Gambling Magazine awarded them the “Best Customer Service” award for the last three years, which is voted on by the players. Support can be reached through email, live chat or by using one of the toll free numbers located on the poker room website.

The payment options will vary from country to country with ISA, MasterCard, Citadel, NETeller, FirePay, MoneyBookers, UseMyBank, Wire Transfer, Bank Draft, Personal Check, InstaCash, InstaDebit, and EcoCard supported. Withdrawals are processed quickly and will be credited back to the original method you used.

This poker guide of sorts should help you correct amateurish habits and encourage better ones in the long term. If you’re going to play poker, you might as well play it correctly so that only the most skilled poker sharks can take advantage of you and your lack of experience. At any rate, poker variance is basically the measuring statistics that determine how your poker results will be dispersed and distributed. What’s more, “bankroll swings” make up just a portion of what poker variance entails. Winning with poker variance involves the continuous and unrelenting application and reapplication of benefits and gains in the long term; if you’re able to play poker with know-how, prudence, and skillfulness that are superior to other players’ capabilities to the point of winning over the rake, you should be able to triumph over most odds more often than not.

To put it simply, probability and poker variance shouldn’t be an issue for skilled players in the grand scheme of things. Poker variance is an ever-present factor in poker, to be sure, but for poker sharks out there, it should be the only thing that’s keeping them from winning every time thanks to their inherent savvy and years of playing experience. Then again, the unluckiness that oppresses and victimizes even the savviest and most adept of poker clue players—something that’s unavoidable when playing games of chance—can shatter their confidence so thoroughly that they’ll forget what “brought them to the dance” in the first place. After all, seeing the laws of probability screw you over even though you keep making the correct decision every time can be quite discouraging and confusing to any player, to say the least.

Bad Luck and Variance in Poker

When faced with bad luck, bad beats, and misfortune beyond your control, it’s best to grin and bear it while waiting for your losing streak to pass; like the Japanese says, it’s something that can’t be helped, so just bear with it. No matter how skilled you are, you can never be so skilled as to control the laws of probability. Random chance can and will screw you over when you least expect it to while on FullTilt Poker, which is essentially what poker variance is all about. Keep playing as you would normally as well. More to the point, a hand that prevails twenty-five to forty percent of the time is still quite useful against seven players even though bad luck will make you lose sixty to seventy-five percent of the time; you should just embrace the winning percentages you can get and wait patiently for the time lady luck smiles at you once more.

Do not let poker variance mess with your head the same way beginner’s luck would do the same to the burgeoning skills of a novice player. To be more specific, you shouldn’t abandon your traditional game play just because a series of bad beats have made you lose a couple of wagers. Doing so would be akin to an amateur depending more on luck instead of skill when playing poker; you’ll both end up as terrible players by letting the luck of the draw color your judgment. Keep in mind that poker variance will have a tendency to extend on a session-per-session or hour-per-hour basis. Always remember that skills such as calculating poker math in your head, bluffing, manipulating actions, and psyching out your opponent shouldn’t be discarded in favor of random chance.

The online Sit and Go (SNG) poker tournaments are becoming more and more popular thanks to the fact that they can be one of the easiest ways to make a stable income out of your online poker play. One of the main reasons why these online poker tournaments at PokerStar.net are very profitable is that the most you can lose the moment you will participate at such a tournament is the initial buy-in that you’ve paid to take part of the tournament and nothing more. By playing a SNG tournament it’s going to be easier for you to manage your bankroll and you can limit your loses very much.

Usually at a SNG tournament on Full Tilt Poker there will be only 9 players at the table and the top 3 players are going to take the money. Some online poker rooms are offering different types of SNG, which have only 6 seats available while some others have 10. The most common SNG tournament will have 9 seats and the prize pool will be divided like this:

- The 1st place will take 50% of the prize pool

- The 2nd place will take 30%

- The 3rd place will take only 20%

The moment you will start playing poker at a SNG tournament you must always have in mind that in case you will finish first you can win nearly the same amount of money as if you finish on the 3rd position 3 times in a row. While playing you should never be in the mindset of just trying to make some money and you should not be scared. In case you are going to play poker scared the other players will take advantage of this situation very fast.

The moment you will play an online poker tournament such as the WSOP, it’s going to be a lot more profitable than playing in a land based casino thanks to the fact that you can play at more than one table at the same time. This way in case you are a good player you will be able to win even more money at the same time. Right now there are many people that are earning an income of $100k+ per year out of SNG poker tournaments. These players are usually playing at around 5 online poker tournaments at the same time.

From time to time, everyone makes mistakes in poker stars tournaments. While everyone is prone to error, rookies and new poker players are often prone to making critical mistakes during poker tournaments. Here are some often-costly mistakes new poker players make:

Giving Opponents Pot Odds to Draw

New tournament players with the software often give opposition more than fair odds to continue drawing. As we know, the pricing in of players often results in being outdrawn cheaply. This often happens as new players wish not to scare off their opponents, as they want to be paid. Unfortunately, this rookie mistake often backfires, potentially costing your tournament life.

Calling Draws Without Proper Odds

Another rookie mistake often made is calling off chips with drawing hands despite not having proper odds in hopes of making a draw. By making costly calls, newer poker players pay more money that the likelihood of their draw hitting justifies. The result is many unprofitable plays that do not pan out, which is costly to the overall chip stack.

Misreading the Board

Many times, newer poker players fail to see straights or flushes on the board. Because of this oversight, far too often newer players pay off made straights and flushes with marginal top pair hands.

Racing at all the Wrong Times

New poker players on PokerStars love to race, but generally at the wrong time. A veteran poker player does not often call an all-in with a marginal hand if they risk going from average to short stack, whereas a novice poker player will take that chance. Additionally, newer poker players do not yet understand allowing the structure and chip stack dictate the hand range for racing. As a result, the newer poker player is more prone to implosion in the middle and later stages of a poker tournament.

Cutting the Short Stack a Break

You have witnessed it thousands of times. A pokerstar player is crippled, only to move all-in before the blinds hit. The short stack moves all-in from under the gun. The big blind, despite having a decent calling hand decides to conserve chips and fold, despite having sufficient odds to call. Thus, the short stack begins reacquiring chips. When a player is down for the count, it is imperative to finish him off when the opportunity arises. Many new players fear calling the short stack all-in, as they do not understand the win rate of marginal hands versus any logical short stacked shove.

By identifying common rookie mistakes, a new poker player can really advance his play to the next level. Learning how not to commit costly errors is a key concept for new poker players to grasp.

When a poker player refers to semi bluffing, they are referencing a push on a hand that is not yet made, but has a chance of becoming the best hand when the next card or cards fall. Unlike a bluff, which stands a shot at victory only by causing a fold, a semi bluff can improve to become best hand board willing.

When to run a Semi Bluff

A semi bluff can be run when you have a drawing hand, such as a suited ace high on a board of diamonds. In the event your diamond hits, you have the best hand. Additionally, a semi-bluff can be run when you have an open-ended straight draw with your hole cards being overcards to the board. In the event you complete your straight, and sometimes even if you catch one of those overs, you will have the best hand. Additionally, making a strong play in position preflop with a hand not likely to be the best hand at present would be an appropriate time to attempt a semi-bluff.

Another great time to semi bluff at poker star is when the board pairs, while you are in position holding ace high. You are betting to represent the paired board helping you. However, there is a chance that either your ace is good, or will be good if an ace hits on the river. Additionally, you may cause your opposition to fold, which gives you the pot uncontested.

How to Semi Bluff

To run a semi bluff, you simply make a strong stab at the pot with your draw. For example, you are first to act on a four flushed board. You bet out strong, representing a hand that is looking to push out the flush draw and take down the pot. Some of the times, all players will fold and you will take down the pot. Other times, players will call with the intentions of trying to knock you off the hand, in the event the flush hits. You will surprise them, coming over the top when you have hit!

Semi-bluffing is a profitable move in poker that is utilized when you might not yet have the best hand but could very well draw to it. Unlike a bluff when you have nothing, semi bluffing is used when your hand is not necessarily strong enough to win the pot at the time but has aspirations of improving to the best hand.

If you have played poker in a land based casino such as the MGM Grand and online then you’ll understand that there are some noticeable differences between the two games. There are lots of benefits about playing poker in a land based casino, but I personally feel they’re more benefits when playing online poker. We’re going to talk about some of the positives and negatives of playing live poker and online poker so that you can see the differences between the two of them.

Live Poker

* Playing poker in a land based casino allows you to actually see your opponent while you play which is a benefit for everyone. By actually seeing your opponent you can pick-up on numerous tells and flaws in your opponents game that you wouldn’t be able too notice when playing online poker.

* In a land based casino you also have the ability to communicate with the other players on your table and in most cases this can be a lot of fun. Some casinos also provide entertainment which you can see from the poker room while you’re not busy playing a hand.

* One of the negatives about playing poker in a land based casino is that you actually need to travel to the casino. If you live close to a casino then this isn’t a big deal, but if you don’t then this can become a problem. In some instances you might even need to stay a night in the casino hotel. The money it costs for gas, accommodations, food and entertainment all need to be considered when playing in a land based casino as they take away from your poker profits.

Online Poker

* When you play online poker at a site like PokerStar.net there are no costs associated with it except for your buy-in and internet connection. You don’t need to pay for travel, gas or anything like that plus you even get to play in the comfort of your own home. You can play in your bed while watching television or you can play in your living room while taking care of the kids. The possibilities are endless and this is a huge reason why online poker is so successful.

* Most online poker rooms nowadays offer impressive loyalty programs which far outweigh the comp programs offered by land based casinos. Some poker rooms also offer full tilt poker rakeback which is an amount of money that you earn back each month based on how much poker you play. I have never seen a land based casino offer a percentage of the rake you pay while playing in their casino.

* The amount of players that play in an online poker room is massive. Some poker rooms have anywhere from 10-100K players online playing poker at all times of the day which is incredible. You can choose to play in a wide range of cash games and tournaments plus you never need to wait to start playing.

* The only negatives about online poker is that some poker rooms take awhile to payout their players, but if you read our poker reviews you will never have a problem with that. Basically playing online poker is better then playing live poker in practically every single category.

If you still don’t have a PokerRockets.com account and you’re playing online poker then you’re missing out on some money. Rakeback has become huge the past couple years and basically everyone is playing with rakeback today. The only major poker room that doesn’t offer rakeback for their players is PokerStars, but that is because there in-house loyalty program is better then most rakeback deals on the market.

For those of you that don’t know rakeback is a percentage of your rake that you receive back from the poker room. Every time you play online poker you pay a rake or fee and this is how the poker rooms make money. With rakeback you can earn a piece of the rake back each month. Most online poker rooms will payout the rakeback on a monthly basis although there are some providers that offer weekly and daily payouts.

Rakeback can be calculated in two different ways and it’s important you find out which way your rakeback deal will be calculated before you start playing. When you’re playing in cash games your rakeback can be calculated using one of two methods. The first method for calculating rakeback is by dividing the amount of rake in the hand by the amount of players dealt cards. The other method for calculating the rakeback is by dividing the amount of rake in the hand by the amount of players that actually put money in the pot.

Most poker rooms use the dealt method which I find is the best because you’ll earn rakeback even if you don’t play in the hand. If you’re a tournament player then your rakeback is calculated by taking the fee and dividing it by the amount of rakeback you receive. With rakeback deals ranging from 25-30% on average the amount of money you can earn each month can really add up quickly if you play poker regularly.

If you’re trying to figure out how much money you can earn from ultimate bet rakeback you should also take into consideration any fees that the poker room charges. Some poker rooms have processing fees and bonus deductions which will be deducted from your rakeback every month. In most cases your rakeback money will be deposited into your poker account directly so that you can use the money to play poker with if you want.

Apart from being able to earn money each month with rakeback you’ll also be able to participate in other events. Most poker rooms and rakeback providers offer rake races and special rewards to entice players to play more. There is no doubt that rakeback is designed for the player and there is no reason why any online poker player wouldn’t have rakeback. You can earn rakeback will basically every poker room out there nowadays so you’re not limited in the choices you have.

Signing up for a rakeback account is completely free and it only takes a few minutes of your time. Once you’re signed up you just need to play poker and watch the money get deposited into your account. Even if you don’t play a lot of poker right now you should still sign-up for an account so that if you start playing more poker you’re already set to start earning rakeback.