Seasoned poker players would probably agree that the gravest mistake a poker player (of any level) can make is becoming overly confident. It is such over confidence that makes the most gifted of players go off guard. And, once you go off guard you become a sitting duck! Any player with at least a little bit of experience and astuteness can beat an over confident opponent. A successful poker player is a player who's always alert. It's alertness that will keep you floating almost in any situation...

Another important character seasoned poker players typically cherish is thrust for knowledge. There are always things that are new even for the most experienced of poker enthusiasts. Here goes a list of questions that advanced poker players should be able to answer:

Beginner Player Questions

Intermediate Player Questions

1. What does half-pot-limit mean?

A. In half-pot betting the maximum bet a player is allowed to make is half of the amount in the pot. In a heads-up game, half-pot pots and bets double with each additional raise or bet, so four raises or bets in increase the jackpot by sixteen times. Half-pot allows players to use position and timely bluffs to beat opponents even when holding marginal hands. Although Pot-limit games are great, half-pot ones tend to last longer.

2. What's the probability of being dealt AA (0.45%) or AK (1.2%) preflop?

A.: That is a question that requires players to employ certain mathematical skills. However, to make things easier, here goes the answer: it's 0.45% for AA and 1.2% for AK.

Interestingly enough, although players who dominate poker hand probabilities enjoy a great advantage over those who don't, there are lots of advanced poker players who are extremely weak in this area.

3. What's a straddle bet?

A.: The second of two mandatory blind bets, typically made by the player two positions to the left of the dealer button (the Small Blind). In the past, the two blind bets were were usually referred as blind and straddle. Some poker veterans claim that this definition is the only proper use of the word straddle. (Today, others exist as well. For instance, making an optional (third) blind in addition to the two forced blinds already placed in the pot).

4. What is Hi-Lo declare?

A.: A variation of a home poker in which the jackpot is split between two players holding the high and lowest qualifying hands. In games incorporating a declaration, the pot is split between the player with the highest hand who declares high and the player with the lowest hand who declares low. Being highly unusual in public gaming establishments, a 'declaration' is essentially a verbal showdown.

5. What is the online 'cash-out curse'?

A.: The 'cash-out curse' refers to a situation in which a player starts to lose badly after having cashed out winnings of a row of successful games. Some poker industry insiders believe that such situations indicate the online poker rooms are rigged. And, that a player's losing streak is an crooked attempt by poker room operators to prevent players from winning large amounts.

6. Is "checking it down" in a tournament regarded as implicit collusion?

A.: Not really, but it's a pretty common phenomenon. When three players (one all-in player and two stack holders) are engaged in a place-paying tournament, the two players naturally seek to eliminate the all-in player. Since both stack holders benefit if either one kicks their mutual foe (the all-in player) out of the pot, bluffing tends to lead to undesirable consequences. It's in this situation where the vast majority of players normally check it down.

7. What does the term 'rabbit' mean?

A.: In poker player jargon the term 'rabbit' is either a reference to a weak player or to a home poker game called 'follow the rabbit.' The game is a form of draw, typically lowball, in which a player is awarded a bonus from the other game participants for scooping two consecutive pots.

8. What famous online poker player holds the highest number of WSOP bracelets?

A.: Phil 'The Poker Brat' Hellmuth. Hellmuth just recently received his eleventh World Series of Poker bracelet and broke the previous record of ten bracelets shared with legendary poker pros Johny Chan and Doyle Brunson.

9. What's the standard game rake typically charged in online poker rooms?

A.: Typically, the rake collected by today's online poker rooms is 5% of the generated pot with a maximum limit of $3. Although these amounts are rather marginal for a single played game, they usually add up very quickly by the end of a playing session, especially considering the fact that online poker pros now have the ability to play at several tables at once.

As a gesture towards their loyal patrons, some well-established poker rooms also have rakeback programs which allow players to get some of the rake back.

10. How does the U.S. online poker prohibition affect the online gambling industry?

A.: Basically, the Unlawful Online Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) prohibits financial establishments based in the US to process any monetary transactions involving online gambling activities. After the enactment of the UIGEA last October the online gambling industry received a heavy financial blow. Currently, there are some online gambling websites offering gambling entertainment to U.S. residents despite the aforementioned money-related prohibition.