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How to Play Winning Poker
Published: 2006-04-29
 Poker madness! It's on TV, online, and all over dining room tables around town. Whether you are already a card-carrying member of the poker persuasion, or a newbie to the game, News 4 WOAI's Natalia Zea has four tips to make you a better, and smarter, player.
The sound of shuffling cards alone can give you a rush if you're a fan of Texas Hold 'em. But you might get nervous when you throw in your bets.
So if you want your chips to stack up, woai.com's expert poker columnist Dale Blasingame has four simple tips for you that have worked for him for years.
"The first thing I would always tell a beginner is only play good hands," says Blasingame.
Tip # 1: Play Only Good Hands
According to Dale, these top 10 hands give you the best odds of winning:
A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, 10-10, 9-9, 8-8, 7-7, A-K, A-Q.
Otherwise, at least to start, Dale says you should fold. "It gets boring, you have to have a lot of patience... But that is a way to guarantee you're going to have the maximum effort behind your chips."
Tip # 2: If Table's Loose, Play Tight
Dale's second and third tips teach you to notice what the other players are doing... and do the opposite. "If the table plays loose, play tight."
Playing loose means your opponents are clearly betting on anything, bad hands and all. So if you only play great hands, Dale says, "It allows you to steal a lot of money."
Tip # 3: If Table's Tight, Play Loose
The flipside works, too. If the rest of your table is folding a lot or hesitating to raise, loosen your play, and get risky.
"If you do know how to bluff, play loose and you'll steal your fair share of blinds or your fair share of small pots," adds Dale. "That's an easy way to build up your stack size when you're actually playing."
Tip # 4: Have Fun!
Dale's final tip: Have fun! You'll play better and with a clearer head. If you're grouchy and burnt out, you're probably also easier to beat.
So start shuffling those decks. And use your new poker tips to earn extra chips and bragging rights with your friends.
News 4 WOAI does not condone gambling. In case you didn't know, it is legal to play poker in Texas as long as it's in a private place. And the only people making or losing money on the game are the players.
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Poker bill short of a full House
Published: 2006-04-25
 By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
Capitol news bureau
Published: Apr 25, 2006
Legislation that would make it legal to hold the popular Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournaments fell two votes shy of clearing the House on Monday.
Rep. Warren Triche, D-Thibodaux, can bring House Bill 1149 back up for a vote.
However, Gov. Kathleen Blanco has made it clear that she is not in favor of the legislation.
Blanco told lawmakers at the beginning of the legislative session that she would veto bills that would expand gambling.
During a committee meeting, Triche blasted the governor for interfering with the legislative process before the bill reached her desk.
He was upset that the governor’s legal adviser testified against the bill.
HB1149 is aimed at clarifying whether bars and restaurants can hold the poker tournaments. Businesses have been hosting the tournaments to attract customers on slow nights.
Triche told lawmakers Monday that the tournaments are not gambling because the businesses do not get a cut of the wagers.
“The house gets nothing that’s why it’s not gambling,” he said.
State law enforcement have a different interpretation, reasoning that businesses do sell more drinks and food because of the tournaments. To them, that is profiting from gambling.
Triche’s bill would allow the businesses to hold poker tournaments once a week for people at least 21 years old as long as the owner doesn’t get a part of the proceeds and doesn’t charge an entrance fee. The bars and restaurants wouldn’t be able to operate the tournament, furnish supplies such as cards and poker chips, or advertise beyond their regular business signs.
The House amended the bill to exclude Orleans Parish from being able to have tournaments.
Rep. Jack Smith, D-Stephensville, asked if it would still be OK to have legislative poker games.
Triche said it would.
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