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Like-minded grinders gather on our portal. Here you can share your ups and downs and find a lot of useful info.

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🔓 How to get Password for the Wednesday Cardmates Freeroll by 20 May on 888poker? 👀

Hello mates 👋

Today at 19:00 GMT, our traditional free tournament with a $200 guaranteed prize pool takes place on 888poker - the Wednesday Cardmates Freeroll (UK Only).

To receive the password for the freeroll, simply write in private masseges *password to d19932808 - nice and easy

😉 Shortly after, you’ll be contacted via private message on Cardmates.co.uk by d19932808, who will send you the freeroll password.

If you experience any issues with the site, please send them via private message to: d19932808.

Please note: only registered users can receive messages on the website. If you’re not signed up yet, registration on Cardmates.co.uk is quick and straightforward.

Best of luck in the freeroll! Subscribe to our Telegram channel so you don’t miss updates on the site and upcoming draws - join our Telegram channel 👈

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#Poker
The 2026 WSOP Is Almost Here And One Massive Change Has Everyone Talking

It’s that time of the year again. The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule is officially live, with action kicking off next Tuesday, May 26, at the Paris and Horseshoe in Las Vegas. While everyone is eyeing the massive $550 Mini Mystery Millions opener, the real talking point isn't the buy-ins, it's how we are going to watch it.


The Big Change: Free Streams vs. The New Finale

For the past few years, poker fans have grown used to having major final tables locked behind paywalls. This year, the organizers are pivoting hard: free daily live streams are back on the menu.

But the move that has divided the community down the middle is the return of the delayed Main Event final table format. It’s a massive nod to the classic "November Nine" era, designed to build mainstream TV hype over weeks rather than days.


The Catch-22:

The Pro-Camp: It gives the final nine players time to get sponsorships, build a fanbase, and let the poker world analyze their play style. It turns the finale into a massive sporting event.

The Anti-Camp: It completely kills the organic momentum of the tournament. A player who is absolutely crushing and riding a wave of momentum is suddenly forced to hit the brakes for weeks.


What’s your take?

Does the delayed final table format bring back the classic magic of poker television, or does it completely ruin the natural flow of the world's biggest tournament? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, are you hyped for the free streams, or annoyed by the delay?


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#Betting
#Strategies
#Psychology
Welcome to the Garden: Knicks vs. Cavs

Eastern Conference Finals Game 1: Knicks vs. Cavaliers (01:00 BST)

After the Cleveland Cavaliers utterly dismantled the Pistons in their Game 7 masterpiece, they don't get a single second to celebrate. Tonight, they walk directly into a feral New York crowd to kick off the Eastern Conference Finals.

This series is pure mechanical friction. The Knicks rely on a brutal, slow-tempo, physical defensive grid designed to completely wear opponents down over 48 minutes. The Cavs are relying on the high-frequency momentum of Donovan Mitchell and a vintage James Harden.  

The Play: Cleveland is riding incredibly high, but the physical and emotional toll of a grueling 7-game war usually catches up to a team in a Game 1 on the road. I am backing the Knicks -5.5 to set a highly physical tone early inside the Garden and take full advantage of a tired, travel-weary Cavs rotation.


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#Poker
#Betting
#Strategies
#Lounge
Do you late register in some tournaments ?

Do you late register into some tournaments ?


Hi Cardmates 


I wanted to ask and hear your thoughts about late registrations and if you do or dont ?


Do you guys register late to tournaments willingly to have a strategic edge.


For example someone who isn’t a cash game player might late reg into deep stack tournaments so that when he/she starts off, stacks will be shallower.


It might also reduce the amount of decision making preflop as our opening range shrinks when stacks are shallower.


Also another good example of late registration during a long day 1 of a tournament, a player might want to register late so that he has to grind only 6 hours unlike others who need to grind 10-12 hours.


Do you think there is really a good strategy in registering late or not ?

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#Poker
#Bad Beats
From Pocket Aces To An Unbelievable Flush

I just watched a Poker tournament that gave me the chills.....

Honestly it's crazy how Poker turns out sometimes, there are days you'll feel like the world is just against you winning. This thought have came to my mind a lot of times when sessions gets crazy.

So these two players holds Pocket Aces, they both called all-in. The pressure reduced when they foud out they were holding the same hands, then something crazy happend. 

One of the player had A♠︎A♥︎

The other player had A♣︎A◆


The flop came with

7♣︎4♥︎9♥︎....

The flop looks ok, nothing to worry about.

Then the turn came with another

9♥︎....

Now we have three hearts on the table, the energy of the other player changed immediately. He became nervous, scared on what the river might come with.

Other players on the table were already assuming a heart wouldn't come at the river.

And then came the river with

K♥︎.....

Everyone was flustered, that was unbelievable. And just like that the other player was Flushed out of the game. He didn't expected it but it happened.


Always be sure to have it at the back of your mind when playing poker that anything can happen, don't fold too quickly or call aggressively.... you never know what your opponent might be holding or what the table might reveal.

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UK Gambling Portal

Stay ahead of the trends in the UK gambling industry with Cardmates. Here you can bump into the daily coverage of online poker and casino news, read expert reviews and crucial regulatory information. Learn to play different games, discover interesting strategies and get familiar with responsible play principles.

Oh, and never miss the latest promotions from top-rated poker rooms and casino sites. With every scroll or click, you’ll be hearing right from the source – years of experience under our belt accompany you here.

What You Can Find on Cardmates

We are a large and friendly community of casino and poker fans from around the globe. Therefore, on our website, there is plenty of information for everyone in one place. Cardmates is home to:

  • UK gambling

    Reviews of Gambling Sites

    Our team regularly adds and updates expert reviews of leading poker and casino platforms to play online. We provide comprehensive poker sites rating and a UKGC-licensed online casinos list so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Each platform is analysed and ranked based on adopted security measures, available games and bonuses, software quality, banking, payout speed, customer support, etc. Cardmates personally test every brand, its site and services.

  • UK gambling

    Massive Education Database

    On our website, one can independently complete all stages of learning poker from scratch (starting with basics like rules, combinations and odds and ending with tracking software). There is also a wealth of resources on professional poker strategies for various card games, such as Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Stud, Lawball, Mixed, etc.

We've also set you up with the ultimate casino guides to help you master the basics of gambling games. Learn how to play online slots , roulette, keno, craps, blackjack, baccarat and more. Our articles reveal specifics of each game, its winning odds and strategies, possible side bets and tips from Cardmates. All educational content is presented in a simple and straightforward way.

Poker Cheat Sheet Icon
Explore a comprehensive knowledge base dedicated to online casino games. Mechanics behind them, detailed rules with examples, winning odds, strategies and more.
Casino Guides
All Poker Hands Ranking Chart Icon
Discover specifics of game variations, card combinations, math probabilities & odds, poker cheat sheets. Study effective strategies and learn how to use specialised software.
Poker Guides
Slot Game Overviews and Demo Play
We provide comprehensive slot reviews and details of how to play each particular game. These are popular releases from top providers that have conquered the hearts of the British and global audiences. Each review contains an info table with the key characteristics of the slot: type, developer, layout, max bet, top win, etc. Our readers also stand the chance to test demo versions and check their bonus features, RTP and volatility.
Regularly Updated Bonus Offers
Our expert bees also look for the best casino bonuses with transparent and lenient T&C. During inspections of iGaming platforms, we review and analyse reward systems and how they treat new & existing customers. There is a separate section that stacks the juiciest bonus offers in one place. Our readers get collections with the most profitable no-deposit incentives, welcome deals and other promotional campaigns. Different filters help to sort out all options and narrow down the user's search. Each promo listed on our site comes with basic terms & conditions for your convenience. This unit is updated at regular intervals as new bonuses appear steadily.
Movie showcase Highly Valuable Information
We gladly share exclusive freerolls passwords to participate in free tournaments. By playing freerolls, one can check and improve the poker information they absorb while learning (completely for free). At the same time, there’s a chance for real prize money, which, in turn, allows newbies to build an initial bankroll without investing their own assets.
Bios of famous poker celebs Timely Gambling News and Insides
We post news related to the poker and casino worlds for your coffee breaks and not only. In our ‘News & Articles’ section, we keep our readers apprised of critical industry changes, UK legislation updates, and new product releases on the market. We also highlight approaching poker festivals, major victories and failures of global stars. So be sure to follow our news page to stay engaged in what’s happening on the international and UK gambling scene.

How We Rate and Review Gambling Sites

In short, our collective goal is to deliver expert and unbiased reviews that punters can rely on. For your ultimate experience, our team of professionals heedfully analyse each gambling site mentioned on Cardmates. We assign each brand that we review a rating out of five stars. The overall score is related to the following factors:

Software & Games Software & Games

Our reviewers personally download gaming clients to understand their quality and convenience. Game diversity counts as well.

Security Security

Before we recommend any site, we check its licensing, as well as the level of user data and money protection.

Bonuses & Offers Bonuses & Offers

While bonuses are always nice, our aces also make sure that the T&Cs around are adequate and fair.

Cashout Speed Cashout Speed

All players want their prize money ASAP, so payout tempo is among the crucial points we always check. Across all types of gaming platforms.

Customer Care Customer Care

We test how quickly customer support agents resolve issues and through what contact channels.

Player Reviews Player Reviews

Here we look at other players’ experiences with a certain site, either positive or negative.

We also apprise things like sign-up process, payment solutions, limits and mobile experience. Actually, the exact criteria differ between poker rooms and remote casinos. Therefore, we suggest you visit our How We Rate page for relevant details.

  • Who We Are and Why You Can Trust Us

    Cardmates is an information portal about legal poker games that has expanded its competence to include remote casinos. Each team member is a passionate enthusiast and an expert in various aspects of online gambling. We’re a match made in heaven thousands of years ago to fulfil an important mission – become a global meeting place for everyone who loves gambling. And, if this is our karmic debt, then we work off it with sky-high pleasure. Seriously though, we’ve been in business since 2012. Our staff have spent thousands of hours at online tables and reels to gain experience, which allows us to create top-quality informative content. Thanks t o the professional approach to work, Cardmates built up a reputation as a reliable and trusted gamblin g portal, where there is no place for lies and deceit.

  • Responsible Gambling

    Responsible Gambling

    Cardmates want to be sure you enjoy gambling as a form of entertainment and don’t wager with money you can’t afford to lose. Whatever of our suggested poker rooms or casinos you play at, you must do it responsibly and sensibly, at all times. Legit gambling sites from our list prepare multiple tools to help punters in this regard. For example, daily to monthly deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion schemes. If you notice any signs of compulsive gambling behaviour, feel free to seek out help and support. There are dedicated charities and agencies like Gamble Aware or GamCare – you can be moved to their websites directly from our footer. Plus, every country has certain regulations towards online gambling to help players control their habits. The United Kingdom, for instance, has the strictest watchdog – UKGC – which obliges all casinos and poker rooms to join the Gamstop list. This free service restricts the internet gambling activities of everyone who requests it. Visit our Responsible Gambling page to learn more.

FAQ

💡 What is Cardmates?

Cardmates is a premier destination for online gambling information. Our expert bees know the industry better than anyone else in this universe. You can find the latest news, hottest bonuses, educational articles and strategy tips on our website. Also, don’t forget to check out our ratings of the best poker and casino operators with licences and top security measures.

⚖️ Are online casinos and poker sites legal in the UK?

Totally! Every gambling operator that wants to serve UK players must be licensed by the local watchdog. That is, the Gambling Commission of Great Britain, which is known as the strictest regulator on this planet.

🔍 Why is it worth running a blog on Cardmates?

Blog section on Cardmates is a perfect place to share your gaming experience, as well as broaden it by learning from other community members. There, one can get a piece of advice or support from fellow players. Finally, it’s the main source of earning points and boosting Aura level for better rewards and extra benefits.

👀 Where to read the latest online gambling news?

There are many dedicated sites on the web. Just in case, Cardmates has been publishing online gambling news and more for over 10 years, every day. We exactly know what information will be interesting to remote gamblers, so navigate around our site. Maybe, we are your dream portal.