If you watch the successful poker players on television or in person, the ones that walk away from the tables with consistent wins and chips usually have one very important trait - PATIENCE. Here’s how they usually exhibit poker patience:

1. They don’t chase cards - even if they sometimes make you think that they’re card-chasing, really and truly that’s all for show so that the pot will be a lot fatter. Plain and simple, players who constantly chase typically go home broke.
2. They know when to raise - they always know the right times to make their move, especially based on the current feel of the table.
3. They make the least mistakes - ultimately, the player who walks away a winner versus the one who loses at the tables usually comes down to being the player that made the least mistakes. Patience lends itself to fewer mistakes being made.
4. They don’t make it personal - focus on “getting back” at the guy in front of you is usually a bad idea. A lot of silly mistakes are made because of pride and bravado, and the real good poker players typically don’t allow themselves to get caught up in this.
5. They don’t react emotionally - bad beats are inevitable. The good players are patient and don’t let their emotions pull them off their best game

The Nevada Gaming Commission has given the green light for a new type of Texas Hold’em poker which will soon be seen at the tables in Las Vegas. It’s called Royal Hold’em Poker and it follows much the same rules as Texas Hold’em, with the main and most significant difference being that Royal Hold’em is played with just 20 cards in the deck. Only cards of value 10 and above (face cards) are used for Royal Hold’em.

Since the 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace are the only cards used in the game, it promises to be quite exciting, as any hand that is dealt will have good potential. This game structure means that most hands are played to the flop, and there’s a much higher chance of getting a Royal Flush.

If you’re heading to Vegas in the near future, look out for this one, it promises a fast-paced and action-packed game.

As of June 1, 2008, the Meskwaki casino near Tama in Iowa will allow 18 to 20-year-olds to play poker games, such as Texas Hold ‘em. The casino’s Tribal Council approved the plan earlier this month, and although Iowa’s legal gambling age is 21, the Meskwaki casino is the only one in Iowa that is allowed to have gambling for younger players (ages 18 - 20). These players will however be required to wear a special security identification bracelet.

The age change allowance has been approved mainly because it’s the players, not the casino, that provide the game’s jackpot when they buy into the game.