If you’re new to the poker domain, then you’re likely going to want to learn more about the game before you go all in. At Cool Hand Poker, you’ll get a taste of the very finest poker play. Remember there are no card sharks and no hustlers. But more importantly there are no professional poker players either.

A good poker player is one who knows the rules of the game, how to manage a bankroll and when to hold and fold. If you’re keen to learn more, then take a look at these top tips courtesy of the finest poker minds in the game. And when you’re good and ready why not sign up at CoolHand and receive a €200 bonus for your €20 deposit

For tournament players and cash game players

The other day I was surfing through a list of top-tier poker sites. Of course I settled on the name I know and trust, TitanPoker. A friend of mine – Jaclyn – was dazzled by Titan’s alluring offers being made available. Like many others, she couldn’t quite understand why poker rooms would pay players to sign up. To say that she was ensconced by the buzz would be an understatement.  I’d like to address several of the points she raised.

• YES it’s TRUE – you can earn whopping deposit bonuses from poker rooms. After you sign up, you are eligible for their advertised offers.
• YES it’s TRUE – you earn points from money collected in the poker rake. The more you play, the more reward points you earn and the more of your promised bonus is released to you.

Take Titan Poker for example, they’re offering all new poker pundits an offer whereby you earn 100% up to $500 in bonus cash. Remember though that you will be required to clear that bonus within a certain amount of time. Once you’re in though, you’re hot. Titan is offering entry into the APT Philippines 2010 in Manila with a grand prize package of some $5,500. They have even summer specials with $20k in monthly summer races Mon-Thurs with a grand total of $125k in cool prizes.

The golden rule is this: play as much poker as possible. And I’m not talking about going out to register on poker sites and making hefty deposits. I’m talking about playing at a wide range of free online poker rooms. Chalk up as much poker experience as you can before wagering for real money. And when you’re ready to start wagering, then shop around. There are so many poker rooms competing for your hard-earned cash that you should always get the best sign-up bonus offers.

Another important playing tip is this: know your poker hands. This can’t be stressed enough. If you don’t know what hand you’re holding, then you’re not going to know how to beat your opponents. Hand rankings are really important too. When you choose a poker room, make sure to choose only a reputable online poker gaming operator. There are many to choose from but only regulated and licensed operators should be played at.

I’ve seen lots of success with players using poker playing software. These types of programs are quick and easy to run and they can assist you in making better betting decisions. If you’re unsure of what cards to hold and what cards to fold, then these programs will certainly help you to formulate a better poker playing strategy. This brings me to the next point which is really important: bankroll management. I can’t stress it enough but managing your bankroll will be your saving grace in poker.

And yeah, don’t play every hand. You should use judgment in deciding which hands to stay in and when to fold. There’s no point throwing good money after bad cards – no matter how well you feel you can bluff.  And after it’s all said and done, remember the golden rule: play sober. Many poker fundis have lost massive bankrolls by making poor calls while under the influence. Take a peek at this video that’ll definitely lighten your mood.

Bryan Huang from Singapore was proudly a standout in the competition.  He was one of last three players in the No Limit Hold’em Greed Event which was the third side event of the Asian Poker Tour. The final three players ended five hours of playing by agreeing to share the HKD $149,477 ($28,000 SGD) prize pool between themselves.  Huang apparently took home the trophy and the slightly larger share of the prize pool.  Huang also claimed first place in the Charity Event earlier in July this year which benefited local social service agency Charitas Macau. Here’s an interview with him too and how poker has changed his life (even allowing him to pay his family’s mortgage and car loans!).

Huang interview at Macau Poker Cup 2009.

He was probably already one of the most successful and highest earning Singaporean poker players even before this Macau event.

It should be mentioned that South Korea generally dominated the festival and was even victorious in the Battle of the Nations event (unsurprising since their team included David ‘Chino’ Rheem and Steve Sung). They picked up a tidy HKD $406,060 (or $75,475 SGD) in prize money.