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Red Dead Redemption - Liars and Cheats

Red Dead Redemption is one of the hottest video games of 2010, transporting players into the American Wild West where they can play the part of gun slinging hero or villain. Basically think Grand Theft Auto (game developer Rockstar Games made both Red Dead Redemption and GTA), but with horses, stagecoaches, sheriffs, gangs of outlaws, and texas hold em in smoky saloons.

Poker player ears likely perked up with that last bit, and for good reason, as poker plays a big part Red Dead Redemption (and about to play an even bigger role with an upcoming expansion pack). You can find a poker game running in many of the towns in Red Dead Redemption, with a variety of stakes to play at. If you play your cards right, you'll end the night the big winner, with extra money in your pocket to buy guns, ammo, and other in-game items.

Online poker fans may be a bit disappointed, though, as you can only play for play money within the game and there's currently no support for multi-player poker. At the moment you can only mix it up with computer opponents -- and pretty bad computer opponents at that -- so you won't be able to check-raise your friends quite yet. But that should change very soon, as Rockstar Games is releasing the Liars and Cheats expansion pack on September 21st that will include support for multi-player versions of poker and Liars Dice.

As far as the poker action in the game, you'll be playing short-handed cash games versus computer opponents. You can pick different stakes by traveling to various towns (each of which has a different buy-in), and the game is basically winner take all, with your goal being to finish the night with all the chips. As your opponents bust out they leave, so you'll play fewer and fewer opponents as they bust out until it's heads-up with a singe opponent.

If you want to play at the highest stakes, you'll need to be prepared, as you can't just walk in and take your seat. You'll have to buy the proper attire (the Elegant Suit) before you're allowed to sit in the high stakes game. The Elegant Suit doesn't just look nice; it enables you to cheat when playing poker. If you can keep a meter balanced in the middle by using the controller, you'll be able to sneak a card into your sleeve when playing; keep the meter balanced later and you'll be able to sneak the card back out and exchange it for another in your hand.

Check out the post on how to acquire the Elegant Suit here: Liars and Cheats - How to beat poker in Red Dead Redemption

The poker action itself is pretty similar to what you'll find in other games and online sites, as you're playing No Limit Texas Hold'em with the usual options to fold, call, or raise. Your computer opponents aren't the best players in the world, so it's pretty easy to pick up on their betting patterns and tells after playing for a while. You'll still suffer the inevitable bad beats and suckouts (it's still online poker games) but it's not too difficult to get a good read on your opponents.

Hardcore online players may get bored with the poker in Red Dead Redemption pretty quickly but it's a decent enough distraction in the game and an easy way to generate a little extra spending money in the game. Now that Liars and Cheats expansion pack is out you'll be able to mix it up with friends at the felt in the multi-player mode as well, which should make the poker action a lot more interesting.