So you have decided that you want to make a living playing poker. You have decided that you no longer need to be a 9-5 drone like the majority of the workforce and you are going to make your money playing a game that you love. My first words to you are Good Luck. My next words are Be Prepared. Deciding that you want to become a professional gambler is a big step that carries with it a tremendous amount of risk...

Johnny looks at the old saying, "Never draw to an inside straight." Is this good advice, or an old wives' tale?

The World Poker Tour has created an amazing obsession with big no-limit Hold'em tournaments. It seems that at every new event turnout records are being set. However, the setting that has seen the most growth has been the No-Limit Hold'em home game. Untold numbers of new poker players fueled with the exciting action they have seen on the World Poker Tour have started up there own Texas Hold'em home games....

If you are like me, then you might be fed up with limit hold'em. Too many people on every flop, and every single possible draw out there is gunning for you. Yes, you flopped top 2 pair, but when the flush draw, the gut-shot straight draw, and bottom pair is calling those relatively small bets, you will not win the majority of the time. You have to end up with the best hand. I don't play poker in which I have to end up with the best hand....

Aces can be some of the toughest cards in poker to play, especially for the less experienced player. I can't count the number of times I've seen a novice player push all-in preflop with pocket aces, only to see the table fold and the pick up $25 in chips; the blinds. Today Stephen comes to us to talk about playing Aces, in particular the difficult ace-rag hand.

I want to deal with an oft misunderstood concept in high limit poker. Although I often make a pure read based on a tell or just a feeling, most of my reads in poker are based on logic. Also, as this hand will illustrate, you don't have to use your read to make a huge fold. Especially in limit, you can use it to limit your losses or maximize your gain in a hand.

The important thing when drawing is to be the aggressor. Losing initiative leaves you vulnerable to being priced out of the pot, whether it's by a made hand or a bluff. If you want to see another card at the right price, your best bet is to be the bettor.

I play in some of the biggest cash games in the world. Usually, these games are loaded with pros - folks who know the intricacies and advanced strategies of pretty much every poker game. We normally play a mix of games that can include Hold ‘em, 7-Stud, Omaha, and one or more of the Hi/Lo variations. Most of the time, we play with a fixed-limit betting structure.

Daniel Negreanu has conquered the WPT, the WSOP and every other venue placed in front of him. "Beating Poker: Volume 1" owners get a look inside one of poker's greatest minds....

Accomplishments: Daniel Negreanu is one of the most influential poker authors and players around. He has earned 3 WSOP bracelets, is the reigning Player of the Year and is 4th all time on the earnings list.

I'm writing from Tunica, MS, where I've played in several World Series of Poker Circuit events at the Grand Hotel and Casino. A couple of days ago, I played in a $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament, and I saw some of my opponents make some pretty odd plays. For this tip, I decided to highlight a couple of these strange decisions and describe why you should avoid making similar plays.