Playing cards and gambling are both popular pastimes in South Asia. Women often form groups known as Kitty parties and play card games such as Teen Pathi (similar to 3 card Poker). Today, poker has become a favorite activity for many and is a great way to socialize, network, improve your analytical skills and even make some money. CitySaheli looked into the world of poker and provides you with the skills you need to ante up!

Poker is a great game to play and can be a lot of fun. Movies like Rounders (1998) and Run (1990) inspired a whole new generation of younger players, some of whom play exclusively online. Today, professional poker stars earn megabucks, and pull money and viewers to casinos across the world. It’s hard to imagine that when the Poker World Series began in 1970, there were fewer than 50 poker tables in all of Vegas and today millions of players are enjoying poker in the casinos and online.

For those of you who are interested in learning more about Texas Hold ‘Em we turned to professional player Blake Eastman, 24, Psych Professor and founder of SchoolofCards.com for advice. Eastman has been playing poker since the age of 8, and turned pro last year. Eastman biggest earnings in one game totaled over $60,000.

“Poker has given me so much,” Eastman told us. “I am an entrepreneur at heart and the game has given me the financial foundation to actively pursue several business ventures. Poker requires an incredible amount of thinking, and the game has made me significantly more analytical. Poker has also allowed me to meet some amazing people, especially through teaching at School of Cards.”

CitySaheli took a poker crash course with Eastman and went through the finer points of the game, from best table positions, to blinds to watching the pot. Some of the tips we learned from Eastman and while playing the game were:

- Always watch the pot (the money in the center of the table).

- Keep an eye on what the other players are doing. Don’t just focus on your own hand.

- Don’t play every hand. It’s ok to fold more.

- Don’t bluff just to bluff. Think about the situation and the people you are playing with when deciding whether to bluff your hand.

- Don’t be afraid to get out of a hand. Don’t feel you have to stay in it because you’ve already put a lot of money into the pot. Just because you’ve put in a lot doesn’t mean you’ll win – why put in more?

Blake Eastman recommends reading Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book for beginners and told us: “Read as much as you possibly can and make sure you develop a solid group of friends with whom you can discuss poker with and exchange ideas and strategies, and most importantly play, play, play.”

Schoolofcards.com

Poker Players Alliance

Fulltilt.com

Pokerstars.com