Stomp The Competition

A Complete Strategy Guide

To

Texas Holdem Poker

By Michael Vall

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Table of Contents Introduction How To Play Hand ranks Beginner Strategy

Beginner hands Playing the Flop Playing the Turn Playing the River Beginner Lesson

Intermediate Strategy

Intermediate hands Playing the Flop Playing the Turn Playing the River Intermediate Lesson

Advanced Strategy

Advanced hands Playing the Flop Playing the Turn Playing the River Advanced Lesson

Additional Strategies

Calculate outs Calculate pot odds Bluffing & Semi-Bluffing Stealing the Blinds Table Position Trapping Your Opponents Board Texture

Poker Terms Odds Charts

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Introduction (Yes, start here. The intro is important!)

My e-book, Stomp The Competition – A Complete Strategy Guide To Texas Holdem Poker, has been written to help you improve your Texas Holdem Poker game. Players at all levels can benefit from my e-book. In Stomp The Competition – A Complete Strategy Guide To Texas Holdem Poker, you will not just read about strategy, you will be guided on how to effectively use the strategies laid out in my e-book. Anyone can read about Texas Holdem Poker but in order to succeed you must practice what you read here. If you do that, the strategies learned here will become second nature to you. The most effective way to use this e-book is to obviously start out by reading it. It has been created so that you can easily read it on a computer monitor. Of course, you may prefer to print it out and read it the old fashioned way – on paper. That’s okay, it’s just a matter of personal preference. I bring this up because the e-book does contain some hyperlinks that are necessary in the Texas Holdem Poker strategy and suggested lesson at the end of each strategy chapter. If you decide to print it out and read the e-book on paper, when directed to go to the web, just be sure to use the url’s exactly as they are written. Everything is pretty much straightforward, so sit back relax and enjoy. Now let’s get started on your Texas Holdem Poker education.

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Chapter One How to Play Texas Hold 'Em Poker

Chapter one will introduce you the basics of playing Texas Holdem Poker. In this chapter you will learn the language of betting or how to bet. You will also be introduced to the different types of Texas Holdem Poker which is also referred to as the “betting structure” of Texas Holdem Poker and finally you will learn how to actually play Texas Holdem Poker. The Language of Betting: Before you can play the game you need to understand how to bet. It’s easy and you probably already know it. There are five actions that you can take when it is your turn to bet. You can:

Fold Call – matching the bet that is in front of you Check – pass the action to the next player without betting Bet Raise

The betting structure of Texas Hold Em Poker games is as follows: There are three types of Texas Holdem Poker games. Each type really just refers to the amount of money that you can bet. A Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game means that the size of the bet is fixed on each street. An example of this would be, in a $1/$2 Texas Holdem poker game, the bets are made in increments of $1 before and after the flop. On the turn and the river the bets increase to $2. If you are new to the game I highly recommend that you start by playing in a structured limit game. In a No Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game there is no limit to the amount that you can bet. But there is usually a minimum for each bet. No limit Texas Holdem Poker is the

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game that you see played on television. A Pot Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game is a combination of limit/No limit, in which you can make a maximum bet at any time up to the amount of money that is in the pot. The Shuffle, The Deal and The Blinds Now it’s time to learn how the actual game of Texas Holdem Poker is played! The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck. When playing in a casino, the dealer does not play. If you are playing with a group of friends then the dealer can and usually is a player. If you play in an online poker room then the dealer is also a player. A round disc -- known as a "dealer button" -- moves clockwise from player to player with each hand. The button marks which player would be the dealer if the deal were advanced from player to player as the game went along. The two players to the left of the dealer start by putting a predetermined amount of money into the pot before any cards are dealt, ensuring that there's something to play for on every hand. This is called "posting the blinds." Most often, the "small blind" -- the player to the left of the dealer -- puts up half the minimum bet, and the "big blind" puts up the full minimum bet. For example, in a $4/$8 game the "small blind" would be $2 and the "big blind" would be $4. Each player is then dealt two cards, face down. These first two cards are "hole cards." A round of betting then takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the two who posted the blinds. Players can call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet. The Flop After the first betting round, the dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is called burning the card. This is done to ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card, and

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to help prevent cheating. The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the table. These cards are called the "flop." After the flop, another round of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). During this and all future rounds of betting, players can check, call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet. Fourth Street The dealer burns another card and plays one more face up onto the table. This, the fourth community card, is called the "turn" or "Fourth Street." The player to the left of the dealer (the button) begins the third round of betting. The River The dealer burns another card before placing the final face-up card on the table. This card is called the "river"(or "Fifth Street"). Players can now use any combination of seven cards -- the five community cards and the two hole cards known only to them -- to form the best possible five-card Poker hand. The fourth and final round of betting starts with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). After the final betting round, all players who remain in the game reveal their hands. The player who made the initial bet or the player who made the last raise shows their hand first. The player with the best hand wins.

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Chapter Two Texas Holdem Poker Hand Rankings

One of the most confusing things for any new poker player is the order of hand rankings. The poker hands listed below are ranked from the Royal Flush (highest) to the High Card (lowest). Royal Flush

Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten all in the same suit. If two or more Royal Flushes exist at showdown, the pot is split. Straight Flush

Five cards in numerical sequence all in the same suit. Tied Hand: If two or more Straight Flush exist at showdown, the highest ranked card at the top of the sequence wins the pot. If two or more identical sequences exist, the pot is split. Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same rank with fifth card being the highest eligible card. Tied Hand: If two or more Four of a Kinds exist in a hand, the highest four of a kind wins. Games played with community cards where players have the same four of a kind, the highest fifth card by rank (kicker) wins. If the kicker is also of the same rank, the pot is split.

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Three cards of matching rank with two cards of different matching rank. Tied Hand: If two or more Full Houses exist at showdown, the highest three matching cards wins. Games played with community cards where players have the same three matching cards, the highest value of the two matching cards wins. If the hands are identical in rank, the pot is split. Flush

Five cards of matching suit. Tied Hand: If two or more Flushes exist in a hand, the player holding the Flush with the highest ranked card is the winner. When necessary, the second, third, fourth or fifth highest cards are used to break a tie. If two or more exactly ranked flush hands exist, the pot is split. Straight

Five cards in ranked sequence. Tied Hand: If two or more Straights exist at showdown, the player holding the Straight with the highest ranked card is the winner. If two or more exactly ranked straights exist, the pot is split.

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Three of a kind

Three cards of matching rank with two cards of different ranks. Tied Hand: If two or more Three of a Kinds exist at showdown, the highest Three of a Kind wins. Games played with community cards where players have the same three matching cards, the highest ranked fourth (or fifth when necessary) card wins. If the hands are identical in rank, the pot is split. Two Pair

Two cards of matching rank with two additional cards of a different matching rank. The fifth card is an unrelated rank. Tied Hand: If two or more players have Two Pairs at showdown, the highest pair wins. If the highest pair is the same rank, the highest second pair wins. If both pairs are identical, the highest fifth card by rank (kicker) wins. If the kicker is also of the same rank, the pot is split. One Pair

Two cards of matching rank with three additional cards of unrelated ranks. Tied Hand: If two or more players have One Pair at showdown, the highest pair by rank wins. If pairs of the same rank exist, the highest ranked unrelated card wins. The second and third highest ranked unrelated cards are used when necessary. If the hands are identical in rank, the pot is split.

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High Card

Five cards that are not of the same suit, are not ranked sequentially and uniquely ranked. Tied Hand: If two or more players have High Card at showdown, the highest ranked card wins. The second, third, fourth and fifth highest ranked cards are used when necessary. If the hands are identical in rank, the pot is split.

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Chapter Three Beginner Strategy

You will now learn the hands that a Texas Holdem Poker beginner should play. If you have never played Texas Holdem Poker, or if you have not had much success while playing Texas Holdem Poker I strongly suggest that you begin by following this beginner strategy. The best strategy for a beginner at Texas Holdem Poker is to play what is referred to as a tight game. This means that you should only be playing the very best starting hands. We’ll go over what these best Texas Holdem Poker starting hands are and the best way to play them before and after the flop. We will also get into playing the best starting hands on the turn and river. The main thing that you need to understand when playing the best Texas Holdem Poker hands is that you will need to be patient. You must resist the temptation to play hands outside of the best starting hands. If you are patient and stick to only these hands when first beginning to play you will be successful. It sounds easy but it is not. Why? Because most players can not resist the urge to play hands outside of the best starting hands. Playing only the best hands mean that you will be folding the majority of your starting Texas Holdem Poker hands. The goal is to have you win money. The best way to do that is to win as much as possible on the hands that you have a chance to win and to minimize your losses on hands where you have little or no chance to win. You will minimize your losses by folding the bad hands.

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Secondly, my Texas Holdem Poker beginning strategy will also teach you how to play the best starting hands aggressively. An aggressive Texas Holdem Poker player will usually be able to force other players to fold early. Limiting the number of players in a game of Texas Holdem Poker lessens the number of players that can draw a card that will beat your hand. That leads me to my next Texas Holdem Poker tip – win the game as quickly as possible. Don’t give your opponents unnecessary opportunities to draw cards to beat you. On to the best starting Texas Holdem Poker hands! What I am referring to here are the two cards that are dealt face down to you. These are commonly referred to as your ‘hole cards’. The hands that you should be playing as a beginning Texas Holdem Poker player are: A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, 10-10, 9-9, 8-8, A-Ks (the s means suited ex Ace of clubs and K of clubs), A-Qs, K-Qs. There you have it. These are my preferred starting hands in Texas Holdem Poker. Study them. Memorize them. Know them inside and out. Your hole cards are the only two cards that distinguish your hand from your opponents in Texas Holdem Poker. As I said previously, you will want to play Texas Holdem Poker aggressively. When you are dealt one of the best Texas Holdem Poker starting hands, you will want to bet into your opponents forcing those with weaker hands to fold. Betting and/or raising your opponents are amongst the best thing that you can do when it is your turn to act. Playing the Flop Once the first round of betting is complete, it is time for the flop. This you will recall is when the dealer lays the first three community cards face up in the middle of the table.

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When the flop hits you must quickly assess whether you have improved your hand or not. Is there a chance that you can still improve your hand? For example, if your starting hand was an Ace of hearts and King of hearts, did the flop come down 10 of clubs, 9 diamonds, and 5 of spades? If this or something similar to this has flopped, you have no pair and no chance at a straight or a flush. My recommendation is to fold. However, if the flop came down, A of clubs, King of spades, Ace of diamonds – you have a hand that is nearly impossible to beat. This is when you want to play aggressively and either bet (if you are the first to act) or raise (if someone has already bet). So far our Texas Holdem Poker strategy can be summed up in this manner:

If you do not have one of the best starting hands – FOLD If you do have one of the best starting hands – bet or raise After the flop if you have not improved your hand – FOLD After the flop if you have improved your hand – raise

If after the flop you have improved your hand, I recommend that you bet (if you are the first to act), or raise (if someone else has acted in front of you). A raise after the flop serves many purposes. Oftentimes an aggressive play like this can force someone with a better hand to fold. It also helps reveal what type of hands your opponents may have or may be drawing to. For example, if you have pocket tens (10-10) and the flop comes down Jack-8-6. You bet (or raise) and your opponent re-reraises you. Chances are they may have made a pair of jacks and have you beaten. This is why I would consider folding.

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Our opponents’ reaction to our raise was to re-raise. We have learned that we are probably beaten. Now if our opponents have only checked or called bets, then I would continue to play the hand because an opponent may not have made top pair – in this case a pair of jacks. Playing the Turn Card in Texas Holdem Poker – Remember that bets on the turn are now doubled. Suppose that you have pocket jacks (J-J) and the flop has come down A-10-6. After reading the board and your opponents actions you feel that you have the best hand. Then the turn card comes down an 8. Here you feel that you still have the best hand. Play it aggressively. Bet, raise or re-raise your opponents. You are trying to win the hand as quickly as possible and don’t want to give your opponents a chance to draw a card to beat you. For example, an opponent has pocket 5’s. If you simply check or call a bet your opponent may read this as a sign of weakness and remain in the hand. Then on the river a 5 comes down and he makes a three of a kind and beats your J-J. Playing aggressively will help you avoid these bad beats. Aggressive play also will sometimes force opponents who have strong hands to fold as well. Playing the River – If you’ve made it this far you will want to call at least one bet on the river. Of course if the river card comes down and is a bad card for you I would recommend folding. For example, you have pocket Aces and the board reads 10 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 4 of hearts, J of clubs and 6 of clubs, you’re opponent bets into you, you can assume that

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they have hit a flush and have beaten your pair. I would personally fold and save my money for the next playable hand. By being patient and limiting yourself to the best playable hands, being aggressive and knowing when to fold you will put yourself into position to be successful at Texas Holdem Poker. Beginner Texas Holdem Poker Lesson This next step might be the most important of all in your Texas Holdem Poker education. This is where we are going to put Texas Holdem Poker theory into reality. So how will we do that? We will do that by playing Texas Holdem Poker. But we will be doing that for free money – online and without risking any money. And we can be set up in less then two minutes. Just follow these exact steps.

First, sign on to your computer Then Click Here to Visit Full Tilt Poker Download the Free Poker Software Create a Free account (it takes about 30 seconds) Log In Choose the Free Poker Rooms and Start Playing

This is the most important thing that you can do. Play and Practice. You MUST play only the hands we laid out in our beginner strategy. Do not play any other hands. Keep in mind that these are the free rooms and many players play differently when playing for free than they do when playing for real money. However, we understand the importance of patience and consistency. When you feel you are ready for real money games, go for it! The nice thing about selecting Full Tilt Poker is that they will give you a 100% bonus when you make your first deposit. Plus they have some of the best players in the world giving free poker lessons. I find that playing solely in free money games allows Texas Holdem Poker players too much temptation in playing more than the best hands and doesn’t allow you to develop your Texas Holdem Poker game. Don’t be afraid to try a real money game.

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Chapter Four Intermediate Strategy

If you have been using the beginner strategy effectively and winning consistently when playing Texas Holdem Poker in online casinos it is time to move on to my Intermediate Texas Holdem Poker strategy. We will still be playing Texas Holdem Poker very tight. We will be investing in hands where we stand a greater chance to win and fold those where we have little or no chance to win. My intermediate Texas Holdem Poker strategy introduces additional powerful hands into your Texas Holdem Poker arsenal. We’ll go over the “second tier” of Texas Holdem Poker starting hands are and the best way to play them before and after the flop. We will also get into how to play the second tier Texas Holdem Poker starting hands on the turn and river. These additional starting hands will allow you to play more hands in Texas Holdem Poker. The main thing that you need to understand when playing these Texas Holdem Poker hands is that you will still need to be patient. You must resist the temptation to play starting hands outside of the best beginner and intermediate starting hands. My Texas Holdem Poker intermediate tips and strategy will also teach you how to play these starting hands aggressively just as we played the beginning Texas Holdem Poker hands. Recall that an aggressive Texas Holdem Poker player will usually be able to force other players to fold early. Limiting the number of players in a game of Texas Holdem Poker lessens the number of players that can draw a card that will beat your hand.

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This is especially important with these additional hands because they are not as strong as the beginner hands. The key is to play them correctly. Don’t forget one of my earlier Texas Holdem Poker tips – win the game as quickly as possible. Again, don’t give your opponents unnecessary opportunities to draw cards to beat you. On to our intermediate starting Texas Holdem Poker hands! The hands that we will be adding to our playable Texas Holdem Poker hands are: K-Js (the s means suited ex King of clubs and Jack of clubs), A-10s, A-Q, K-Q, 7-7, 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, 3-3, 2-2. These are my additional starting hands in Texas Holdem Poker. Study them. Memorize them. Know them inside and out. Your hole cards are the only two cards that distinguish your hand from your opponents in Texas Holdem Poker. As I said previously, you will want to play Texas Holdem Poker aggressively. When you are dealt one of the best Texas Holdem Poker starting hands, you will want to bet into your opponents forcing those with weaker hands to fold. Betting and/or raising your opponents are amongst the best thing that you can do when it is your turn to act. Playing the Flop Once the first round of betting is complete, it is time for the flop. This you will recall is when the dealer lays the first three community cards face up in the middle of the table. When the flop hits you must quickly assess whether you have improved your hand or not. Is there a chance that you can still improve your hand? For example, if your starting hand was an Ace of hearts and Queen of hearts, did the flop come down 10 of clubs, 9

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diamonds, and 5 of spades? If this or something similar to this has flopped, you have no pair and no chance at a straight or a flush. My recommendation is to fold. However, if the flop came down, A of clubs, Queen of spades, Ace of diamonds – you have a hand that is nearly impossible to beat. This is when you want to play aggressively and either bet (if you are the first to act) or raise (if someone has already bet). As with our beginning Texas Holdem Poker strategy our intermediate strategy can be summed up in this manner:

If you do not have one of the best starting hands – FOLD If you do have one of the best starting hands – bet or raise After the flop if you have not improved your hand – FOLD After the flop if you have improved your hand – raise

Some thoughts about play on/after the flop – An important Texas Holdem Poker strategy that you will learn are how to read your opponents and their hands. You will look for clues that will help you assess whether your opponents have a better hand. For example, your two hole cards are 7-7. After a round of betting two other opponents remain in the game with you. The flop comes down A-K-8. Your first opponent bets, your second opponent raises. I would read your opponents aggressiveness as a sign that one (or both) of your opponents may have made a pair of aces or kings, possibly a pair of aces and kings or three of a kind (aces or kings). I would personally fold. There are only two cards (both sevens) in the deck that will improve my hand. The odds are certainly not in my favor.

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These second tier hands will allow you to play additional hands. Usually you will need to improve your hand on the flop to continue playing a second tier hand. Keep a close eye on the cards on the board to see if one of your opponents can make a better pair than you. Playing the Turn Card in Texas Holdem Poker – Remember that bets on the turn are now doubled. Suppose that you have pocket sixes (6-6) and the flop has come down A-10-6. After reading the board and your opponents actions you feel that you have the best hand. Then the turn card comes down an 8. Here you feel that you still have the best hand. Play it aggressively. Bet, raise or re-raise your opponents. You are trying to win the hand as quickly as possible and don’t want to give your opponents a chance to draw a card to beat you. For example, an opponent has pocket 9’s. If you simply check or call a bet your opponent may read this as a sign of weakness and remain in the hand. Then on the river a 9 comes down and he makes a three of a kind (three 9’s) and beats your three of a kind (three 8’s). Playing aggressively will help you avoid these bad beats. Aggressive play also will sometimes force opponents who have strong hands to fold as well. Playing the River – If you’ve made it this far you will want to call at least one bet on the river. Of course if the river card comes down and is a bad card for you I would recommend folding. For example, you have pocket Nines (9-9) and the board reads 10 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 4 of hearts, J of clubs and 6 of clubs, you’re opponent bets into you, you can assume that they have hit a flush and have beaten your pair.

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I would personally fold and save my money for the next playable hand. By being patient and limiting yourself to the best playable hands, being aggressive and knowing when to fold you will put yourself into position to be successful at Texas Holdem Poker. Intermediate Texas Holdem Poker Lesson Just as in the beginner Texas Holdem Poker lesson this is a very important step in your Texas Holdem Poker education. Once again, this is where we are going to put Texas Holdem Poker theory into reality. Follow these steps only if you did not do them for the beginner strategy.

First, sign on to your computer Then Click Here to Visit Full Tilt Poker Download the Free Poker Software Create a Free account (it takes about 30 seconds) Log In Choose the Free Poker Rooms and Start Playing

If you do have a Full Tilt Poker account then log-in to your player account. Remember, playing and practicing is the most important thing that you can do in your poker education. This time you can now include the hands that we introduced in the intermediate strategy. If you have not yet played in a real money game now is the time to make the transition. Playing for real money changes the dynamics of the game for many players. Use your deposit bonus to transition to real money games. Playing in a real money game is part of taking the next step in improving your Texas Holdem Poker game.

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Chapter Five Advanced Strategy

The advanced strategy that I am going to discuss involves playing what is referred to as ”suited connectors”. These are cards such as 9 of hearts and 10 of hearts. The main thing with playing suited connectors is that you want to hit the flop. It is difficult to win with suited connectors. However, suited connectors do give you a chance at a straight, a flush, or even a straight flush. You should only move on to playing suited connecters after mastering the beginner and intermediate strategy. It will also be a big help if you have begun to develop a knack for reading your opponents. When playing suited connectors before the flop I am not usually aggressive, but prefer to call bets. I recommend calling two bets. Any more and I feel that I am putting too much money into the pot. Be careful that you don’t overplay your suited connectors – calling too many bets, which then causes you to play too many hands. Since you will be losing more than winning with suited connectors, you want to win big pots. The more players putting money into the pot can make playing suited connectors profitable in the long run. Some of the problems with suited connectors are if you’re cards are low (2 of hearts, 3 of hearts) a flush that you may hit can be easily beaten, the same goes for a straight or even a pair that you may make on the flop. If you do decide to play the low suited connectors read the board and your opponents and don’t be afraid to fold.

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I prefer to play the higher connectors such as 8 of clubs, 9 of clubs. That way I stand a better chance of winning with a flush or a straight. Just how well you have hit the flop will dictate whether you will fold or remain in the hand. For example, if your two hole cards are 8 of clubs, 9 of clubs and the flop comes down 7 of clubs, 10 of clubs and a Queen of hearts then you would certainly keep playing this hand. However if the flop came down 5 of hearts, Q of diamonds and Ace of spades – FOLD! Advanced Texas Holdem Poker Lesson Just as in the intermediate Texas Holdem Poker lesson this is a very important step in your Texas Holdem Poker education. Once again, this is where we are going to put Texas Holdem Poker theory into reality. Follow these steps only if you did not do them for the intermediate strategy.

First, sign on to your computer Then Click Here to Visit Full Tilt Poker Download the Free Poker Software Create a Free account (it takes about 30 seconds) Log In Choose the Free Poker Rooms and Start Playing

If you did sign up for a Full Tilt Poker account then log-in to your player account. Remember, playing and practicing is the most important thing that you can do in your poker education. This time you can now include the hands and strategies that we introduced in the advanced strategy section. If you have not yet played in a real money game now is the time to make the transition. Playing for real money changes the dynamics of the game for many players. Use your deposit bonus to transition to real money games.

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Chapter Six Additional Strategies

These additional strategies will help round out your poker game. Calculating outs Calculating outs (the number of cards that could improve your hand) and pot odds (ratio of the money in the pot versus the amount required to make your next call) is often used as a basis for a Texas Holdem Poker player on whether to draw and try to make their hand. However this in my opinion should not be the sole basis of your decision on whether you should draw for another card. You also have to decide on whether the hand that you are trying to hit will win you the pot or not. How to calculate pot odds: In this example, if the current pot contains $80, and the amount required at the next call is $20, the pot is laying you odds of $80 to $20 or 4 to 1. As long as your odds of making the best hand are 4 to 1 or better than making the call is the right move. A hand that is 4 to 1 means that you will hit once in every 5 tries. You will hit the draw 20 percent of the time. This next example takes into account calculating pot odds and outs. Assume that your hole cards are a six and a seven (for this example suits do not matter) and the flop came down 8-9-3. In order to complete your hand you need a 5 or 10. You have eight outs – 4-5’s and 4-10’s. Multiply your outs (8) by 4 and you get 32. You have a 32 percent chance of

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making your hand. If there was only one card left to draw you would multiply by two. A 32 percent chance of making your hand means you have a 68 percent chance of NOT making your hand. This is roughly 2 to 1 that you won’t make the hand. So, as long as the pot contains $2 for every $1 that you have to call, it is worth going after your straight. Doing these quick calculations and interpreting them can be very difficult and confusing for a beginner (and many advanced players as well!). But I would recommend that you at least be able to quickly calculate your outs to give you an idea of just how likely you are to make your hand. Then decide if that hand will win the pot for you or not. Bluffing & Semi-Bluffing If you were to spend a lot of time watching poker on TV you would believe that a bluff takes place just about every other hand. The truth is it just makes for good TV. In order for a bluff to work it should not be used against terrible players who call every bet. Bluffs work when you have been winning with good solid hands. Bluffs are also better used when you are up against one other opponent. They do not work well in low-limit games. A Semi-Bluff is when you bet or raise with a hand that is not the best hand in the game but has a chance to be. If your opponent folds then great, if not you still have a chance to make the best hand. Stealing the Blinds Another advanced strategy is Stealing the Blinds. In tight games many players will fold before the flop. If all the players before the button (dealer) fold, oftentimes the player on the button (dealer) will usually raise hoping that the small blind and the big blind will fold. If both the small and big blind do fold, then the player on the button will win the blinds. The player on the button is said to be in late position. This player is the last to act and

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has the advantage of watching what the other players do – who bets and how they each react to those bets. By acting last you get a better feel for how strong the other players’ hands are. Table Position Your transformation from novice to expert Texas Hold ‘em Poker player begins by making sound judgments using all the information that you have at your disposal. The acquiring of information begins even before your first two hole cards are even dealt to you. Before the first cards are even dealt you should begin by considering your position at the table. The table should be divided up as follows: Early Position 2-3 Players to left of the blinds Middle Position Players 4 through 7 Late Position Players 8-10 Small and Big Blind Early Position – When you are seated in early position you are making you’re betting decisions before getting a chance to see what the other players are going to do. You are making you’re decisions without information on what hands your opponents may have. You will not be acting from a position of strength. For this reason, if you do not have one of the better starting hands, you should consider folding. Middle Position – This position will allow you to play more hands than if you were seated in the early position since you will get to see what the other players in front of you are going to do. There are also not as many players who will act behind you so you are not as susceptible to a raise as you would be in an early position. For this reason, you can play the best starting hands aggressively. Raising and re-raising opponents would be a sound strategy. In middle position you can use a raise to help you determine the strength of your opponents’ hands – Do they fold, call or re-raise? How they react to your raise can tell you a lot about what they may be holding.

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Late Position – This is the most advantageous position at the table. You get to see what most of the other players in front of you are going to do. You get to act with the most information available to you. Being seated in late position allows you to play a wider selection of hands. Being “on the button” – the dealer - is the best position. This is because you will act last. You will have the advantage of seeing what all the others in front of you have done. Here again, raising and re-raising opponents would be a sound strategy. Being seated in late positions allows you to play a little looser. Small and Big Blinds – While these do act last before the flop, you are acting first in every round after the flop. This makes it one of the more difficult positions on the table. As a general rule of thumb, you should expect to play a tight game when you are seated in one of the early positions and looser when in late position. To Raise or Not To Raise You will put yourself on the winning path in limit hold ‘em by playing good hands and showing sound judgment on when to be aggressive.

There are some very good reasons to be aggressive and raise the pot, especially before the flop, such as:

You have one of the best starting hands and by raising, you get more money into the

pot.

You want to force opponents with weaker hands out of the game. There is no sense in letting someone hang around and give them the chance to hit the flop.

Others in front of you have folded. The likelihood that your hand is the best

increases as others fold.

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Of course there are also some good reasons to not raise:

Someone else has raised.

You don’t want to narrow the field. An example of this is when you are drawing for a flush or straight. You are risking less up front for a hand that you may or may not make. By keeping more players in the pot, you have the potential to win a larger pot if you do hit your hand.

You’re raises don’t work. This happens in very low limit games and/or games with

poor players. They all react to raises by raising and re-raising. The large pots tempt players to hang around with lower ranked hands and increase the possibility that one of them may hit a card on the turn or river that will beat your hand.

By studying and knowing your opponents you’ll know how they play hands and you’ll know when your raises will or will not work. Trapping Your Opponent Trapping is trick your opponent into thinking that you have a weak hand in hopes that they will raise you or call a bet when in fact you have a strong hand. This is a strategy that is typically used when you flop a big hand and allow your opponent to “catch up”. For example, you have a pair of Kings and the flop comes down K-K-10. You now have four Kings. Instead of raising you just call a bet on the turn and river hoping that your opponent improves their hand. This will allow you to win some more money from your opponent. However, trapping can be risky if you don’t have a hand that is nearly impossible to beat. Slowplaying or trapping works against aggressive players that will bluff to try and win pots. Tight players that only bet when they have good hands will be difficult to trap. Board Texture Board texture is the ability to evaluate the cards that are on the table. This is more than just looking at your hole cards and the flop to see what you have. What is most important is too assess your hand in relation to the other hands that your opponents may be holding.

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Imagine that you have a pair of Kings. The flop comes down 10 of clubs, 9 of hearts and 4 of clubs. Two of your opponents called your raises on the flop. When the turn card comes it is an Ace. Now you run the risk of one of your opponents having a pair of Aces. If one of your opponents has a 7 and an 8 they have chance to hit a straight. If they are holding two clubs they may also hit a flush. Reading the board and what your opponents may have in relation to your hand and being able to throw your hand away is very important at this juncture.

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Chapter Seven Common Poker Terms

Advertise: Making a move intended at falsely exposing oneself as a weak or bluffing player. Ante: A small forced bet sometimes placed by all players before each hand. Common in big tournaments to provoke aggressive play. Back door: Making a hand other than the one intended, for example drawing for a straight and hitting a runner-runner flush. Bad beat: A hand that is a huge favorite to win, but loses nonetheless. B&M: Abbreviation for a real life "Brick and Mortar" Poker Room or Casino. Bust: Losing your entire table stack or your entire bank roll. Calling station: A player who passively calls with a lot of hands and doesn't fold or raise very often. Cap: To max out the number of allowed raises, usually four, in a fixed limit poker game. Coin Toss: An all-in situation where both players have a close to equal chance of winning. Connectors: Pocket cards that connect in rank, for example 7-8 or Ace-King. Cracked: To have the best hold’em starting hand there is, two aces, beaten. Crap Shoot: A table where the players are aggressive and the action is wild and crazy. Crying Call: A call made by a player despite declaring that he is certain he will lose. Drawing dead: A draw hand that will lose even if it hits its draw. Draw hand: A hand that needs to improve on the turn or the river in order to win. Edge: In the long run luck evens out and only skill remains as a deciding factor between players. Edge is the slight advantage one player has over another through more skill,

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larger stack or better position. Freeroll: A multi-table tournament that is free to enter but still has a real money prize pool. Grinder: A player that consistently plays for hours on low limits with the intent of slowly and carefully building a larger bank roll. Heads up: A game or situation where players face each other one-on-one. Kicker: If a player makes a pair with one of his hole cards, the other is called the kicker. If another players holds the same pair, the highest kicker wins the pot. Nuts, the: The best possible hand a player can have at any given time. Outs: The total number of possibilities a player has to win a pot based on the current situation. If he holds 99 and needs another 9 to win, then he would have a total of two outs. On the Button: Being in the dealer's position and thus acting last. Over cards: Pocket cards that have a value higher than the highest card currently on the board. An ace and a king are over cards to a 57J flop. Over the top: Re-raising another player's raise with a substantial amount. Pot odds: A strategic comparison between the amount of money needed to call a bet, the total amount in the pot and the chance of actually winning the hand. Position: Where a player is seated in relation to the dealer, establishing that player's place in the betting order. Rags: Low community cards that ought to have no effect on the outcome of a hand. Read: The art of identifying another player's tells and analysing his play in order to determine his pocket cards. Re-buy: A tournament feature that, for a limited time only, allows players who bust out of a tournament to buy their way back in again. Runner-Runner: Improving your hand by hitting on both the turn card and the river

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card and thus winning the pot. Sandbagging: Playing a very strong hand passively in the hope of inducing more action and provoke costly bluffs. Satellite: A tournament where players can qualify for much bigger events. Scoop: To win both the high and the low pot in a hi/lo game. Shootout: A tournament format where players face each other in parallel ten-player tournaments and the winners of each then face off in another round of ten-player tournaments. Until only one winner remains. Streak: To be "in the zone" and win with whatever cards you are dealt. Suited: Starting hand in matching suit – hearts, clubs, spades or diamonds. Tell: A clue, hint or mannerism that reveals the true strength of a player's hand. In live games often detected through body language. Online, clues are discovered by observing a player's betting patterns. Tilt: Playing recklessly and badly due to frustration from having lost. Trap: To play a very strong hand weakly in order to induce costly raises from other players. Under the Gun: The position to the immediate left of the big blind.

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Hand Nicknames AA Pocket Rockets, Bullets, American Airlines

KK Cowboys, King Kong

QQ Double date, Canadian Aces, Siegfried and Roy

JJ

Fish hooks

99

German virgin

88

Snowmen

77

Sunset strip

66

Route 66

55

Speed limit

44

Magnum, Sail boat

33

Crabs

22

Ducks

AK Big slick

AQ Big chick

AJ

Black Jack, Jack-ass

KQ Royalty, Marriage

KJ

Kojak

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J5

Jackson five

Q3

Gay waiter

95

Dolly Parton

A8

Dead man’s hand (A player named Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1876 after winning with it!)

K9

Canine

J4

Flat tyre

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Odds of Being Dealt Specific Hands Before the Flop

The Probability of being Percentage… Odds Against it are…

Two Aces .45 220 to 1

Two Kings thru Two Jacks 1.36 72.7 to 1

Two Tens thru Two Sixes 2.26 43.2 to 1

Two Fives thru Two Twos 1.81 54.3 to 1

Ace – King suited .30 333 to 1

Ace – King offsuit .90 110 to 1

Ace – Queen or Ace - Jack .60 165 to 1

Ace – Queen or Ace - Jack 1.81 54.3 to 1

King – Queen suited .30 333 to 1

King – Queen offsuit .90 110 to 1

Ace with less than a Jack 2.71 35.8 to 1

Ace with less than a Jack 8.14 11.3 to 1

Any Pair 5.88 16 to 1

Any two cards suited connectors w/ max straight

2.11 3.25 to 1

Any two cards offsuit connectors w/ max straight

6.33 46.4 to 1

Any two cards suited 23.53 14.8 to 1

Any hand with a pair or an 20.36 3.91 to 1

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Basic Hold ‘em Data

The Probability That… Percentage Odds Against

You will hold a Pair before the Flop 5.88 16 to 1

You will hold suited cards before the Flop 23.53 3.25 to 1

You will hold 2 Kings or 2 Aces before the Flop .90 110 to 1

You will hold Ace-King before the Flop 1.21 81.9 to 1

You will hold at least 1 Ace before the Flop 14.93 5.70 to 1

If you have four parts of a Flush after the Flop, you will make it… 34.97 1.86 to1

If you have four parts of an Open-end Straight-Flush after the 8.42 10.9 to 1

If you have four parts of an Open-end Straight-Flush after the 54.12 .85 to 1

If you have Two-Pair after the Flop, you will make a Full House or 16.74 4.97 to 1

If you have Three-of-a-kind after the Flop, you will make a Full 33.40 1.99 to 1

If you have a Pair after the Flop at least one more of that kind will 8.42 10.9 to 1

If you hold a Pair, at least one more of that kind will Flop… 11.76 7.51

If you hold no Pair, you will pair at least one of your cards on the 32.43 2.08 to 1

If you hold two suited cards, two or more of that suit will Flop… 11.79 7.48 to 1

If you begin suited and stay through seven cards, three more of 5.77 16.3 to 1

If you begin paired and stay through seven cards, at least one 19.18 4.21 to 1

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