Live the high life with Purple Lounge in October – we have a range of promotions with prizes over $60K available, plus the chance to play against Swedish Poker Star, and Purple Lounge sponsored player, Stefan Mattsson.

We will be running a free-to-enter multi table tournament, with the top 9 finishers progressing to a single table tournament with Stefan Mattsson taking the 10th seat. The winner of this tournament will win the amazing Omega watch, also there will be a bounty on Stefan Mattsson of a Quintessentially membership to anyone who knocks him out.

Terms and Conditions:

1. Players must achieve 100 raked hands from 00:00:00 GMT on the 1st October 2008 until 23:59:59 GMT on the 31st October 2008 in order to qualify for the first tournament. Please note that the poker client time is displayed in BST (GMT + 1).

Raked hands are the name of the game – with the top 50 players through the month receiving cash prizes, worth more than 36k and top place collecting a massive $8,000!

Terms and Conditions:

1. In regards to this promotion, the Top 50 runs from 00:00:00 GMT on the 1st October 2008 until 23:59:59 GMT on the 31st October 2008. Please note that the poker client time is displayed in BST (GMT + 1)
2. If you’re ranked in the top 50 you will be able to see your position when you log in to your account.
3. Usual Purple Lounge Terms and Conditions apply.
4. To view the payout structure, please click here.

We will be rewarding players who earn highest number of VIP points during the month – allowing both cash game and tournament players to compete for generous prizes and an impressive prize pool of more than $15k!!

Terms and Conditions:

1. In regards to this promotion, the Top 15 will run from 00:00:00 GMT on the 1st October 2008 until 23:59:59 GMT on the 31st October 2008. Please note that the poker client time is displayed in BST (GMT + 1)
2. If you’re ranked in the top 15 you will be able to see your position with all the other promotions when you log in to your account.
3. Usual Purple Lounge Terms and Conditions apply.
4. To view the payout structure, please click here.

We are offering all our players a membership to the luxury lifestyle group – Quintessentially. No racing is required, simply earn more than 4,000 VIP points over the combined weekends in October to earn your exclusive Q card.

Terms and Conditions:

1. In regards to this promotion, a weekend is defined as running from 00:00:00 GMT Saturday until 23:59:59 GMT on Sunday. Please note that the poker client time is displayed in BST (GMT + 1)
2. Quintessentially memberships will be given to any player who earns more than 4,000 VIP points combined from the following dates:
04/10/2008, 05/10/2008, 11/10/2008, 12/10/2008, 18/10/2008, 19/10/2008, 25/10/2008 and 26/10/2008
3) There is no Cash alternative to this Prize
4) Players are only entitled to one Q membership at any one time.

A short race – only 2 days of the month qualify – prizes will be given to the players who earn the most VIP points on the 14th and 28th of October combined.

In regards to this promotion, the qualifying period is defined as running from 00:00:00 GMT until 23:59:59 GMT on Friday 14th October and from 00:00:00 GMT until 23:59:59 GMT on Friday 28th October. Please note that the poker client time is displayed in BST (GMT + 1).

For the Payout Structure please click here

James Bond was always a fan of casinos, and we hope you are too as the more you wager the higher you will finish in our casino race.

Terms and Conditions:

In regards to this promotion, the casino race runs from 00:00:00 GMT on the 1st October 2008 until 23:59:59 GMT on the 31st October 2008.

Wagering in the download casino, Casino in Poker, and flash casino will all qualify.

The exchange rate used for the duration of the race will be £1=$1.8. Race reporting will be in $US

For the payout structure please http://www.purple-lounge.com/en/poker/promotions/showarticle.mth?articleid=208&section=promotions

These low limits are the time to hone your basic skills as a poker player, working on the art of playing the correct starting hands, working out the various probabilities and pot odds, and showing aggressive betting with your winning hands. These limits are not the time to be playing deep psychological mind games – your opponents will simply be too poor to even notice.

Bluffing at the low limit games is a pointless exercise as players with any hand or even sometimes no hand at all will stick with you to the end. Play tight, but when you have a good hand bet to take advantage of these calling stations and extract the most money possible – this is the way to beat the low limits, gradually building your bank roll and skills so you can move up levels.

100 Metres – A short sprint, play fast to earn the most number of poker VIP points in one day. The winners will receive the following:
• Gold - $2500
• Silver – $1000
• Bronze – $500

Relay – We are combining all VIP points earned playing poker during Saturdays in August to determine the winner of our Relay event. To qualify you must play every Saturday of the month.
• Gold - $2500
• Silver – $1000
• Bronze – $500

Marathon – Taking the place of Mad Dash for Cash, our Marathon runs for the entire month, with prizes for the top 50 poker players ranked by raked hands, and the most number of VIP points earned.
• Gold Raked Hands - $8000
• Gold VIP points - $3500
• Full prize structure on our website

High Jump – Jump up to take the prize at this event – it will be awarded to the player who moves up the most number of places in our monthly poker rankings.
• Gold - $2500
• Silver – $1000
• Bronze – $500

50KM Walk – Stamina will be needed here, as this event is run on the most number of games played in our casino.
• Gold - $6000
• Silver - $2000
• Bronze – $1000

Terms and Conditions:
1. In regards to this promotion, a ‘Day’ is considered to be 00:01GMT-23:59GMT
2. In order to win the top prize of $150,000, the player must win Gold in all events, including in the Marathon the top prize for VIP points and Raked Hands.
3. 100 Metres – prizes will be awarded to the players who earn the most VIP points in a single day as defined by term 1.
4. Relay – prizes will be awarded to the players who earned the most number of VIP points over combined Saturdays in August. In order to qualify for this event, players must play during every Saturday.
5. High Jump – prizes will be awarded to the players who move up the highest number of places in our monthly leader-board, based on number of raked hands played in August as compared to July. In relation to starting position, new players and those who finished July over position 1000 will be considered to start August from position 1000.
6. 50KM Walk – prizes will be awarded to players who play the highest combined amount of spins and hands in our casino during the month of August. Both download casino and casino in poker qualify for this event.
7. Players may not play from more than one PC, laptop or mobile computer at any given time for any of the races. Furthermore, each account must be used by the registered individual only. Full and complete fraud measures are in place to detect any breaches of these rules, which will result in disqualification from the promotion, and immediate account closure.
8. As stated in the standard terms and conditions, all personal details registered at Purple Lounge must be kept current and accurate. Prior to payment of any prizes, all details registered will be verified through the standard KYC procedure, including proof of name and address and formal ID. Any player unable to produce the relevant accurate documents may be disqualified from the race and may result in non-payment of any prize funds due.
9. Usual Purple Lounge Terms and Conditions apply.

Choosing your limit should be based on a calculation of your financial situation, your poker skill, and how averse to risk you are. Whether you are starting with a bankroll of pennies or thousands a new player should always start at the low limits. This is where you will learn the basic fundamentals of the game, whilst avoiding the professionals lurking at the higher limits looking to take your cash.

Once you believe your poker skills are up to scratch then it is time to look to moving up limits where your experience will be developed and the potential winnings will be more. When moving up limits you should try not to choose a limit that makes you scared to play, else you are sure to lose as your judgement will be swayed by the sums of money on the table. You should also be sure that your bankroll is sufficient for the limit you are aiming for – too many people decide to ‘have a go’ at a higher limit with a shortage of funds only to be hit by the swings and be wiped out.

Although the vast majority of poker players will be aiming to continually progress in the poker career, advancing up the limits as they go, it is important that you are always prepared to drop down limits if the need arises. A hit on the bankroll which needs replenishing, a feeling of being lesser skilled than the other players, or simply being scared of the sums of cash being played for are all legitimate reasons for dropping down a level. Don’t forget you can always move back up at a later date when you feel ready, but to stay at a level which is too high puts your entire bankroll at risk with the potential of disastrous consequences.

The Free Spins Freerolls take place on Saturday nights at 18:00BST and can be found in Scheduled Tournaments> Free Roll. This weeks tournament is for free spins on The Osbournes - a popular slot based on the crazy family. Register now for your (much-improved) chance of winning some free spins.

• Tight-passive. These players often make the move from fixed limit games where they survive quite well, but will struggle in no limit games as they miss value in their winning hands. Feel free to bluff at the flop against these players especially if you raised pre-flop, but if they stay with you then quickly clam down. They could quite easily be calling you down with the winning hand. If they show aggression by representing a good hand with decent size bets then feel free to fold – they are unlikely to be getting tricky with you and you are probably beat.
• Loose-passive. Similar to tight-passive players, make your money by betting into them when you have a good hand – they will often play weak hands with no intention of giving up on them, but it is not advisable to bluff against them – this is about the only time they will win chips.
• Maniac loose-aggressive. True gamblers, these players like to bet and raise to get the action going. They can be a bit unsettling especially as every now and again they will take down a massive pot against you, and you will often be folding to them even though you know they are unlikely to have a great hand. Don’t worry though, with good reads on them and some well timed play you can expect to make a tidy profit from these players.
• Strong loose-aggressive. These are dangerous players, even though they may seem like a maniac at first glance. They are more controlled, and even though they will suffer big losses at times, they will buy lots of pots and win huge ones.
• Tight-aggressive. This is the style that most thinking players strive for, although as it is so well known other players may easily get a read on, and the tight-aggressive can often be bluffed out of pots.

Whatever happens now Stefan will be guaranteed a cash prize, but we know his focus is solely on getting through the next 4 days and making the final table which will be fought out in November – we will of course keep you updated with how he gets on.

Things to look out for on these streets include:
• Players hitting their draws – has there been a passive player calling who now bets out or raises, why is he doing this? Check if he could have made a flush or straight draw, as well as any other hand that could beat you. Occasionally the opposition will make a hand that you can’t foresee, at this point just take into account the aggressiveness of the player to decide your action.
• Overcards to your holding. Especially if an Ace hits as many players will call your bets previously just holding an ace, or a weak pair with an ace. Don’t be afraid to get away from your hand in this situation – just accept that the opposition played badly and got lucky, just try not to pay him off.
• Slowplayers. Some players will always slowplay their hand on the flop looking to get more action on the later streets – keep an eye out for these players and beware of them.

If you are still drawing then you will have to re-evaluate the odds after the turn to see if it is worth you playing on to the river – if you have a good hand you believe is in the lead then bet and raise to get the value from your hand.

Once the river card has been turned then again you must think if the card has improved any of your opponents hands. If you have been drawing and missed then at this point you will lay you hand down, however with any made hand it is rarely correct to fold to a bet. The odds almost always dictate that you should call as the size of the pot to potentially be won compared to the cost of one bet is so good.

Stefan will now have a few days off while the other players compete in days 1b to 1d, before returning for day 2 on either Tuesday or Wednesday for the re-start. We wish him the best of luck, and will of course keep you all up to date with his progress.

• Top pair. The strength of this hand depends not only on the value of thepair made, but also your kicker. For instance AQ and a queen hits, this is a good hand. Bet out or raise any bets, to get both value from your hand and to protect yourself from any players with drawing hands.
• Middle pair. A tricky hand to play, a bet may be in order if you think you can win there and then, else look to fold to a bet.
• Bottom pair. In limit games these are often hands to run away from, especially at the low limits there will be too many players in the pot for you to have the best hand, and if you do someone is sure to stick around and catch a better pair later.
• Overpair. When you have a pair in your hand of a higher value than any cards on the table you can extract quite a bit of cash, but still be careful. If your opponent gets top pair, ace kicker you can bet and raise getting paid off quite well, but be wary of two pair, or sets.
• Two pairs. A good hand if using both your hole cards, as it can be difficult for your opponents to put you on this hand. Bet and raise to try and get drawing hands to fold whilst getting value from players with pairs. If there is a pair on board with a pair in your hand it’s not so good - watch out for players with a set.
• Set. Three of a kind with a pocket pair and one of the cards on the board. A great hand which should be bet and raised with unless the table is too tight and you think you may get more on the turn.
• Three of a kind with a pair on the board. Not such a good hand, be wary of other players with better kickers or possibly a full house. If you think it is safe then bet to drive out others hanging around on a draw.
• Straight. A great hand, made better if you hold two cards which make the top end of it. Whatever part of it you hold you should still be looking to make money on this hand, just be careful of others with either a better straight at this time, or making a better one later on.
• Flush. Normally a very strong hand, especially if you have the nut flush as players will stick around hoping for a fourth suited card to connect with their King or Queen – at this point you can really make some money. If your flush is vulnerable then don’t consider slow-playing, just get the money in the pot while you are ahead.
• Full House. You won’t normally flop one of these, but when you do you can often slowplay as you are only in danger from other people making either better full houses of four of a kinds.
• Drawing Hands. Drawing hands are hands that don’t currently have a chance to win, but will do if they improve, such as four to a flush or straight. In order to play them correctly you need to understand pot-odds. Drawing hands improve greatly with the more ways they can improve, and whilst mostly you will simply be calling bets, sometimes you will be making bets and raises to get money into the pot.