Saturday, May 23, 2009

The World's Top Poker Players

Poker, one of the world's most favorite card game has been popular for more reasons than one. It is both an enjoyable and exciting game that people from all walks of life love it! Although poker is considered to be more appropriate for adult players, even the younger generations know how to play the game, even if it is plainly for recreation. But it is indeed from the younger people arise the best poker players today!

First off, let's enumerate the top three poker players since they are the top money earners worldwide are: Jaime Gold who bagged $12,165,973 in cold cash, followed by Joe Hachem who has $10 million and Daniel Negreaneu with $9 million. These poker players must have truly mastered their craft, as reflected by their huge winnings!

Jaime Gold was a former talent agent, this professional poker player from Malibu, California is now dubbed as the biggest winner in poker history after he won for himself the World Series of Poker (WSOP) title and took home the price pot totaling for more than $12 million. As mentioned, his career as a talent agent was his doorstep to being the famous poker player now. While he was in the talent industry, he was acquainted with then renewed poker player Johnny Chan who gave Gold a few tips about landing the professional poker business; and as the clich� goes, the rest was history. His composure and charm while in a match is renowned and admired by poker players and critics from all over, making him not only the biggest poker winner, but probably the most-loved as well.

The player to rank second is Lebanese Joseph Hachem, or simply Joe Hachem for most people, generally played online poker before landing the 2005 WSOP championship and defeating over 5 thousand players in the process. He tells that it was because of his idols Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker that he was able to win the series. He now lives in Melbourne, Australia, however there is still a big question regarding his 2005 winnings on whether he was taxed accordingly.

Daniel Negreaneu on the other hand landed third place as the world's biggest money winners today. In 1997, he had two first place finishes, three WSOP bracelets, two world poker titles and over thirty poker winnings internationally. He is also a member of Team Pokerstars and is engaged in sharing his talent in poker through an online poker tutorial with numerous articles regarding the sport.

These players are well-respected for the talent they possess and the victories that they have bagged. They are also looked up to by the younger generations, and who knows, these young poker players might just be the next Jaime Gold!

Poker Equipment


Poker Chips
Poker Cards
Poker Table
Other Accessories
Other amenities

The growing popularity of poker welcomes more new players everyday. But for novice poker players, knowing what equipment to use in a poker game is not any less important than perfectly memorizing the rules.

Poker Chips

Poker chips are quite diverse in terms of their weight and the materials from which they're made. Most casinos, however, use clay chips weighing 11.5 grams. Other, less expensive poker chips are available, made from clay composite, or non-clay materials.

If you're the poker host, you want to ensure that not a single player will be left chip-less. It would probably suffice to stock 50 chips per person, but it's best to be on the safe side and stock twice as much. Running a well-stocked poker game could help spread the rumor that you're serious about you poker gaming, and help bring in more players.

Also make sure your poker chips are varied in color to help poker players discern between different denominations.


Cards

Though poker chips are important, the cards are even more so. Make sure your cards are of the highest quality. The option of playing with poor quality cards should never cross your mind. How can you tell if cards are of a cheap, no name brand, or if they're a high quality deck? If the deck is small and thin, then there is a good chance that it is not the kind you want to purchase. Another indication of substandard cards is if they stick together when you try to shuffle them. To eliminate any doubt, you may want to visit one of your favorite casinos and take a few decks of used cards with you. If you insist on buying new packs, go for well-known brands, such as Bicycle, Bee or Hoyle.


Poker Table

Imagine for a moment that you have top quality cards, first class chips and a flimsy folding card table. Don't fall into this trap! At poker777.com, we advise you to invest in a felt-topped, padded poker table, complete with integrated chip racks, provided that your budget allows for this luxury. The felt is not just for style and elegance, but it makes it more comfortable to pick and deal cards. The material also provides the friction necessary to prevent chips from sliding, or rolling around the table.

Should any beer spilling accident occur, your high quality equipment will not let you down, provided that your felt table has been scotch-guarded and cards are laminated. Clay chips make for easy cleanup, as well. You can also minimize the chance for nasty spills by building in drink holders.


Other Accessories

The following items are not absolutely necessary to run a successful poker game, but including them in your game would undoubtedly enhance the quality of your home poker gaming.

Dealer Button: Handy in keeping track of who's next in line to be the dealer. It's a "must" if you're hosting Texas Hold'em tourneys.

Black Shoe: This item is designed to hold cards. Though mostly used for blackjack games, it makes dealing easier in almost every game, including poker.

Discard rack: This is a rack to hold already played cards. Whenever a player folds, or a dealer removes played cards from the table, they go into the Discard Rack.

Table Brush: Brushes aid in keeping your table felt in good condition. They are used to wipe off dust and remove crumbs.

Portable Chip Racks: A Portable chip rack is the best solution for storing winnings, especially if you have more than a single table of players.

Chip Case: If you're planning on leaving home with your chips, a chip case provides an easy and safe way to carry them.


Other amenities

A poker party just isn't a party without good food! But don't overdo it and avoid greasy stuff if you don't want to find grease all over your expensive equipment. And when it comes to drinks, don't skimp on quality. Avoid stocking your home bar with cheap beer or generic vodka and stick to top-of-the-line drinks.

The conclusion is crystal clear: though hosting guests for a poker evening may be expensive and exhausting, the enthusiastic reaction you're bound to get from your guests will make it well worth the effort.


Poker Spreads like 'Wild fire

Online poker is spreading like wildfire around the world, and it continues to gain popularity. New online poker operators are constantly emerging and, for now, it seems like there will be no end to the poker boom. Everyone from postmen and office cleaners to white-collar workers and executives have been lured into the poker web. There are no limits when it comes to who can play the game, anything goes!

While every average Joe seems to be playing poker, most interestingly, celebrities have also caught on to the trend. Ben Affleck is a perfect example of a Hollywood actor joining the poker bandwagon. This transformation from movie making to ?grinding it out? at the felt has created a stir and made Affleck even more popular than he was before, as he appeals to an even wider audience of fans. Today, it seems as of the public would rather hear about Affleck's poker tips and strategies than watch his movies.

One must take into consideration the fact that all types of poker, whether online or land-based, involve risk. It may be very easy to catch a winning streak and come into a lot of money. On the other hand, however, it is just as easy to lose your shirt. It is of utmost importance to play poker with your head and not your heart, and to know when to get up from the table.