FALCON POINTS

5 tips for beginning poker players

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Since we are all on lockdown, many people have rediscovered online poker, specifically Texas Hold 'Em. While pay money sites are not legal, there are a lot of free card rooms and player-money exchange rooms where you can hone your game. We started a free poker club on Pokerstars.net with tournaments every night at 8 p.m. for no real money. We also do noon tournaments.

On Saturday, we will be doing an online charity tournament.

Maybe you are stuck with your family and want to get a game going to stay busy. This will work for you as well. This is just a basic introduction to get you started. There are a lot of good resources out there once you master the basics.

So if you are looking for something to do and have only a passing knowledge of the game, here are five tips that will get you on your way.

1) Learn the basic rules

It sounds silly, but knowing which hand beats what is important. This will give you a detailed look at the basics. If nothing else, learn the ranking of each hand. You can also observe tables once you join our poker club. Pay attention to what is happening with the other players and familiarize yourself with the software and how the game is played. Pay particular attention to the players who are winning the most chips.

2) Start with the free games

This is an excellent chance to get involved, learn and see what the game is like with no risk. Most of the people in the poker club are pretty good players, so you will get a chance to test your skills without losing any money. The game will change when you play for dollars, but when you are learning, this is a good way to start.

3) Limit your hands at the beginning

When first getting started, playing tight is the best way to learn. Unless you are in the blinds, stick to top starting 10 hands:

1. AA

2. KK

3. QQ

4. AK (same suit)

5. JJ

6. 10-10

7. AK (different suits)

8. AQ (suited)

9. 9-9

10. AJ (suited)

Or you can use this table, which ranks all the hands, although slightly different.

As you become more familiar with the game, you can begin to expand which hands you play.

4) Understand the importance of position

If you have the button, you will be last to act after the flop. This is a big advantage; the later position you are in, the more advantage you will have. Think of it as being the dealer in blackjack. You don't have to act until everyone else does. Again, knowing how to take advantage of this will come with more practice.

5) Find your personality

Eventually, your game will match your life. If you are a wild risk-taker, you will likely develop an aggressive game. If you are a passive person, you will likely be a tight player. But there are many ways to win. Early on, avoid too much bluffing. You will figure out the right times to do it as you learn more and become more accustomed to the game. But let your personality dictate how you play as your skills develop.

The bottom line

This is just a starting point if you have been interested and want to mess around a little and see if you can learn. Use losses as learning experiences; go back and evaluate what you did right and wrong. Sometimes you will just make a bad play. Sometimes you will get outplayed. Sometimes you are just unlucky. As Matt Dean used to say, "decisions, not outcomes." The more right decisions you make, the better off you will be in the long run.

Questions? Hit me up at faour975@gmail.com

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The Coogs play Miami on Friday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Number one seed University of Houston is favored by 7.5 points over No. 5 Miami, and No. 2 University of Texas is favored by 4 over No. 3 Xavier Friday night in the Midwest Regional semifinals in Kansas City.

Talk about opening acts. If both UH and UT win, they’ll meet Sunday in a good ol’ WWE-style Texas death match for a berth in the Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston. Thank you, Mr. Schedule Maker.

How much do you think Cougar fans would love for UH to get their hands on the Longhorns with so much at stake?

For one example, let’s go back to the future, Oct. 21, 2023, when Big 12 rivals UH and UT meet in football at TDECU Stadium on the Houston campus. The game already is a lock sellout with tickets in the upper deck commanding $141 per ticket on the secondary market. It will be UH’s first year in the big boy Big 12 and UT’s last go-around before heading to the SEC.

One last opportunity for lasting bragging rights.

That’s for a UH football game. At home. Where the Cougars typically have trouble packing half the house. For example, the Cougars will be hosting the Sam Houston Bearkats at TDECU Stadium a month earlier. Tickets for that game, the same exact seat going for $141 against UT, can be had right now … $17.

Yeah, there’s something special about UH getting the opportunity to face UT. In anything. Anywhere. And it’s been a long time since the two teams, once co-members of the Southwest Conference together, have met on the basketball court. A full decade, in fact. The last time they played was March 20, 2013 with the Cougars prevailing 73-72 in something called the College Basketball Invitational. The UH coach was James Dickey. UT was coached by Rick Barnes. Joe Young led the Cougars with 18 points. The Horns’ leading scorer was Julien Lewis with 28. UH finished that season with a 20-13 record. UT limped home at 16-18.

That was then, this is now. The UH-Miami game will air at 6:10 p.m. Friday on CBS with UH grad Jim Nantz calling the play-by-play. The game will alsO stream on Hulu +++. ESPN’s BPI (basketball power index) gives the Cougars a 90 percent chance of winning. We’ll take it.

The UT-Xavier game will follow at 8:45 p.m. on CBS. The Horns have a 70 percent chance of beating the Musketeers. If both chalks come through, they’ll meet Sunday afternoon with the game on CBS.

The Cougars have made six Final Four appearances: 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021. The Horns have made three Final Fours, the last time two decades ago.

Here’s the only sure bet if UH and UT meet Sunday - get to your sports bar early if you want a seat. This could be memorable.

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