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Overview of the Book
This book will not turn a novice player into a great
player overnight, but using the skills developed here can help improve his or her game and transform him/her into a winning
player much of the time. Unlike many books on the market, this one is not
going to guarantee a player will win the next World Series of Poker (WSOP) or
a World Poker Tour (WPT)[1].
This book provides players with the skills needed to play and win at the
low-stakes limit and no-limit ring games and lower cost buy-in tournaments at
brick and mortar[2]
card rooms or generic online websites.
Throughout the book you will find small text
boxes with short quotes or “Pokerisms” relating to the
section where they are found. You will also find blocks of informatgion that
are actual hands played or situations personally observed by the author that
exemplify aspects found in that section. There are also blocks
for longer quotes or situations seen on television that have bearing on the concept
being covered.
Low-limit play at land-based card rooms is typically the $1-$2, $2-$4 or $3-$6 Texas Hold‘em; the $1-$3 or $2-$5 No-limit Hold‘em, and tables or tournaments with buy-ins up to $150. At online casinos, depending on the site, one can even find micro-limit games (blinds less than $.25/$.50) for as low as $.01-$.02 limit tables and $.05 buy-in multi-table tournaments. Most home games and the ever-popular home or bar tournaments normally fall into the category of the low-limit game. Developing the style of play detailed in this book can help turn a recreational player from a gambler into a profitable low-stakes poker player. The skill set needed for low-limit games is quite different than that needed for higher-limit games.
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Playing
in a tournament at The Bicycle Club in Bell
Gardens, I faced a tough decision. The opponent was
loose-aggressive and had moved in on my blinds several times. He bet five
times the big blind pre-flop, and I called when I saw the ace–king suited in
front of me. When the flop came with a rainbow ace–queen–nine, I raised
three-fourths of the pot. My opponent said, “Let’s Gamble,” and put me
all-in. I replied, “I don’t gamble, I play poker,” and called. He flipped
over queen–jack, which never improved. He doubled me up, crippled himself and
learned that not all poker is a gamble.
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"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves
the seriousness of a child at play.”
-Heraclitus
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Poker is a situational game, and each situation is unique and brings a
different result. 7–2 off-suit is
statistically the worst starting hand possible. But if the Flop comes 7d–7s–2h it still beats pocket aces over
90% of the time. Nothing learned from this book can guarantee a player will
win 100% of the time, but following the tenets set forth should significantly
improve profitability at the tables. Poker is also a game of extremes, both
financial and psychological. Emotions rise and fall on nearly every hand, as
does a player’s chip stack. Learning to play solid poker limits the effect of
the pendulum on bankrolls and psyches.
The Difference between What, How and Why
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"How long does it take to learn
poker?" "All your life."
- Pokerism
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This book goes beyond the simple “What” of playing poker and provide the
“How” and “Why” necessary to become a profitable low stakes player. This book
not only covers what the best plays, but also covers why some plays are
correct in some situations and incorrect in others. You will also see how to
bet and play these hands most profitably.
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"The biggest kind of revelation to me was that
poker is this game of skill. It’s not about luck.”
- Matt Damon
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Neophytes watching poker on TV often say Hold’em is mostly luck. It is
the medium of television, not the actual game, which instills this
misunderstanding. Bad beats and unlikely flops make the game exciting and, since
excitement is what sells, TV broadcasts are edited to include these events,
excluding the bare bones playing. Televised poker is also responsible for
turning poker into the most participated gaming activity in America with an
estimated 50 to 70 million Americans are currently playing the game at one
level or another. The vast majority of these players are low-limit.
Tournament games are played differently
than ring games. Higher stakes games are played differently than lower
stakes. This book covers both areas of play and clearly delineates the
differences. The play in a multi-day $10,000 buy-in for a World Poker Tour or
World Series of Poker tournament is different from the $150 buy-in tourney at
the local card room. Size does matter, and this book is for the low-stakes
players who are either new to the game, or want to play it more profitably.
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“I don’t think there is a more noble
art form than playing poker.”
- Harry Demetriou
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Long-term success at Texas Hold'em demands that you show patience and
discipline, play premium hands while paying close attention to position, and
continually gather knowledge on your opponents. With these qualities, a
player can put his/herself into the position to get lucky. Players do not
have to rely on the fickle Poker Gods to win. This book provides the
knowledge to gain the edge needed to turn an enjoyable hobby into a
profitable one.
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I
have met and talked with fellow Army Veteran and Host of the most popular poker
show on television, Mike Sexton several times at WSOP and WPT events, so it
is only fitting to end with his famous saying, “May all your cards be live
and your pots be monsters.”
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Poker by the
Numbers
In Chapter 1, I cover the basics of Texas
Hold’em including the rules and hand rankings. The different limits of poker
and the difference between ring games and tournaments are also covered.
In Chapter 2, I identify the types and styles
of players and levels of play, as well as how to play effectively against
them. I stress the importance of patience, discipline and control.
In Chapter 3, I cover which premium starting
hands to play and how to play them.
In Chapter 4, I discuss the importance of
table and seat position to the game.
In Chapter 5, I cover odds, probabilities and
statistics, a key aspect of poker that separates experienced and professional
players from the inexperienced and ineffective.
In Chapter 6, I talk about the psychology of
poker, including the use of deception, and how to take advantage of an
opponent’s tells.
In Chapters 7 and 8, I provide some basic
betting strategy in limit/no-limit games including numerous, detailed
possibilities from pre-flop, through various flops, the turn and the river.
In Chapter 9, I cover additional Texas Hold’em
strategies, emphasizing advanced betting techniques.
In Chapter 10, I discuss effectively playing
tournament poker.
In Chapter 11, I cover the basics of playing
online poker and include how it differs from brick-and-mortar poker.
In Chapter 12, I emphasize the importance of
money management and sufficient bankrolls.
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