The following principle is key to becoming a successful poker player.

Without the proper money management skills, the best players in the world would go broke. For all you skim-readers, here are the basic rules of bankroll management for Texas Hold'em. ! buyins for "# Hold'em. $!! big blinds for #imit Hold'em. %! buyins for &n' Tournaments.

What is bankroll management?

()ankroll management( *sometimes abbre+iated to ),-. is where you play at certain limits to a+oid losing all of your bankroll due to bad runs of cards, which any poker player must expect from time to time. This is called (playing within your bankroll(. &ubse/uently, if you play at higher limits where there is too great a chance of losing all of your poker money, you are (playing out of your bankroll(.

Why is bankroll management important?

The reason why you should choose your limits carefully in poker is due to the +ariance. 0ariance is a term used to describe the (ups and downs( of poker where you fluctuate from ha+ing bad runs of cards to good runs of cards, resulting in +arying profits and losses. 1f you play poker for long enough there are going to be periods of time where you will consistently lose money, not because you are playing badly, but because the cards are not falling your way. This means that if you do not ha+e enough money in your bankroll to absorb these big downswings, it is likely that you will lose it all. 2+ery player, irrespecti+e of ability, will experience +ariance in their game. )ankroll management is in place to deal with this +ariance and allow you to continue playing without going broke. Therefore e+ery time we sit down at the poker table, whether it be li+e or online, we want to gi+e oursel+es the best opportunity to win a maximum amount of profit whilst keeping the risk of going broke minimal. This is where the rules of bankroll management come into play.

So what limits should I be playing at?

Cash games.
Pot limit and no limit Hold'em. 1f you are playing pot limit or no limit poker, the safe recommended si3e of your bankroll is ! times the full buy-in of where you want to play. This means that if you want to ha+e the best

chance of making money at a 4564 game where the maximum buy-in is 4 !!, you should ha+e a bankroll of at least 4%!!!. 7nother way of applying bankroll management is by only putting a maximum 89 of your entire bankroll on the table at any one time, which works out the same as ha+ing ! times the buy-in for the game. Limit Hold'em. 1f you like to play limit Holdem howe+er, you should ha+e $!! )ig )ets as a minimum for the limit you wish to play at. Therefore to play 4564 limit Holdem, you should ha+e a bankroll of at least 4:!!.

Tournament games.
1t is recommended that you ha+e a bankroll that will gi+e you %! buy-ins to the le+el of tournaments that you wish to play at. Therefore if you want to play at the 45!;45 &it n 'o's you should ha+e a bankroll of 4%%!.

ankroll management table.

"# Holdem linds ankroll 8c65!c 4 !! 5!c6 !c 4%!! 8c68!c 45,!!! 4!.8!645 4 ,!!! 4564 4%,!!! 4 64% 4<,!!! 48645! 45:,!!! 45!64 ! 4%!,!!! 4 8648! 45!!,!!! 48!645!! 4 !!,!!! #imit Holdem linds ankroll 8c65!c 4$! 5!c6 !c 4:! 8c68!c 458! 4!.8!645 4$!! 4564 4:!! 4 64% 45, !! 48645! 4$,!!! 45!64 ! 4:,!!! 4 8648! 458,!!! 48!645!! 4$!,!!! &n' Tournaments linds ankroll 45 ; 4!.5 4%% 4 ; 4!. 4<< 48 ; 4!.8 4 ! 45! ;45 4%%! 4 ! ;4 4<<! 4$! ;4$ 45,$ ! 48! ;48 4 , !! 45!! ;45! 4%,%!! 4 !! ;4 ! 4<,<!! 48!! ;48! 4 ,!!!

Try the online bankroll calculator or the downloadable fergulator tool for recommendations on where to play based on the exact si3e of your bankroll. The guidelines noted abo+e are +ery general rules that should gi+e you the best opportunity to make money from playing Texas Holdem poker without going broke. Howe+er there are going to be some exceptions and alterations depending on how and where you play.

ankroll management !or pro players.

1f you intend on taking poker up as your main source of income, the bankroll you would re/uire will be substantially larger than ! full buy-ins for cash, or %! buy-ins for tournaments. This is because your li+ing expenses will constantly be taken out of your bankroll and so it has to ha+e the ability to withstand the +ariance along with the costs of e+eryday life. =rofessional players will re/uire a far bigger bankroll than the guidelines set out in this article. 1f you are constantly dipping into your bankroll to pay for bills and groceries, you may find that occassionally you will not be properly rolled for the limits you are playing at. Furthermore, there may well be times of emergency when you will need to take a big chunk out of your roll, and so it's good to ha+e a little extra money behind you >ust in case.

ankroll management at short"handed tables.

1f you play at shorthanded tables, you may notice that there is greater +ariance than at full ring games. The fact that you will be in+ol+ed in a greater number of pots per orbit and playing against your opponent's weaknesses more than to your cards strengths will result in greater fluctuations in wins and losses o+er short periods of time. This means that you may consider slightly increasing your bankroll up a few buy-ins if you want to withstand the +ariance of these games.

Style o! play and #arian$e.

?our playing style can also determine what limits you should play in relation to the si3e of your bankroll. 1f you are a tight player then you should expect to recei+e a slightly reduced +ariance to that of a loose player, therefore you may be able to afford to reduce the amount of buy-ins in your bankroll. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. This is because tight players will often only enter pots with strong hands and regularly go to showdowns with winnings hands, thus reducing the chances of seeing big losses. @onse/uently, if you are a loose player and play a large number of pots, you may want to increase the si3e of your bankroll to absorb the extra +ariance you may recei+e. #oose players who play a large percentage of hands will experience more +ariance than tight players who play a low percentage of hands.

%bsorbing losses and mo#ing on.

'ood bankroll management helps you deal with the psychological impact that losses can ha+e on your game. 1f you ha+e a bankroll of 5! full buy-ins for a cash game at the 4 !! "# game and lose % buy ins, your bankroll would deplete from 4 !!! to 45 !!. Thanks to your small initial

bankroll this looks like a big loss and may cause you to tighten up your game and play (scared poker( because you are afraid to lose more money. "ow if you had ! full buy-ins for the 4564 game, your bankroll would change from 4%!!! to 4$ !!. 1mmediately you can see that +isually this does not look as bad as the loss in the first instance. Therefore you will feel more comfortable that you ha+e the ability to win back the lost money without feeling the need to change your game.

&o#ing le#els and taking shots.

There will be times when you ha+e bad runs of cards and good runs of cards. 7t certain times your bankroll will be too small or too big for the limits you are playing at.

I! your bankroll drops below '( !ull buy"ins, then you should also drop down a le+el so that you are playing within your bankroll until you ha+e built it back up enough to play at the next le+el. I! you ha#e more than '( buy ins !or the limit abo#e, then it makes sense to mo+e up to that limit if you feel you can beat it. Aust be sure to drop back down to the lower limit if you experience significant losses.

7t some points in your poker career you may fancy mo+ing up a le+el >ust to test it out and to see how well you do. This is called Btaking a shotC. There is no harm in trying this as long as you stick to good bankroll management for most of the time you play poker. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. )e careful not to get carried away by big wins at the higher le+el because your bankroll may still be too small to support continued play there. 7 useful tactic that you can use when Btaking a shotC is to not buy in for the full amount at the next le+el up. This way you will not be risking too much of your bankroll in any one game and you are essentially still playing within your bankroll if you do not put more than 89 of it on the table. ?ou may be interested to read about how /uickly you can mo+e up the stakes in poker.

ankroll management e#aluation.

1f you intend to make money from playing poker, it is essential that you exercise good bankroll management skills. 1f you do not then you are setting yourself up for fre/uent losses that you will find hard to pre+ent, no matter how good you may be at poker. Fnce again, the safe bankroll re/uirements to remember areG "# Holdem @ashG ! buy-ins #imit Holdem @ashG $!! )ig )ets TournamentsG %! buy-ins

1t should be noted that if you are a losing poker player, bankroll management is not going to help you win money. The guidelines mentioned abo+e will only apply if you know that you are a winning poker player in the long run. =osition is a factor that is greatly underestimated by many beginner poker players. ?our poker table position can be the difference between winning or losing a hand and can ha+e a big influence on how much you win during your poker sessions. )efore playing a hand in Texas Hold'em you should always be aware of your table position relati+e to the button.

The seats nearest to the left of the button are called early position or 2= for short. The seats nearest to the right of the button are called late position or #= for short. The seats in between these will be called middle position or -=..

Poker table position diagram.

?ou win more money from later positions than you do in early positions in poker. The button is the most profitable seat in the game. The seats in ,ed are early position The seats in )lue are middle position

The seats in 'reen are late position

)arly position.
The red seats are less fa+ourable than any other seats at the table because on any gi+en round in the current hand, you are likely to be one of the first to act. This means that in early position you should be more selecti+e about the hands you play, because you will ha+e less information on your opponents at each stage of the hand because you are first to act. &o you will need to be playing your cards and not the man when in 2=.

&iddle position.
The blue seats ha+e positional ad+antage o+er the red, but the seats in green ha+e position o+er them. This means you can afford to play a few more hands in these positions as you do not ha+e as many people left to act behind you. Howe+er, if all of the players in the red seats folded, that will mean that you will be the first to act on each round. &o bear that in mind when deciding whether or not to play your hand.

Late position.
The green seats will pro+e to be one of the best seats in this particular hand. There is a high chance that you will be last to, or one of the last to act on each round. This is where you can loosen up your starting hands e+en further but not so much as to hinder your game. Aust remember, >ust because you ha+e position, does not mean that you should play poor starting hands.

The button.
The yellow seat is the best seat in the hand, because on e+ery round except for before the flop, you will be last to act no matter what. This is why you should look to play as many hands as possible *within reason. from the button, as you ha+e a big ad+antage in the hand when you are last to act.

How to use table position in poker.

1f you ha+e position o+er another player, it means that you are acting after them on each round. This means you can use the information they gi+e you by the way they check or the amount they bet to inform your decision on what to do. For exampleH if you ha+e position o+er your opponent and he checks, this could be a sign of weakness. &o you could use this information to bet out and take the pot because they ha+e shown weakness.

Poker table position e*ample.

#ets say there are a number of players in the pot, and you hold a mediocre hand like middle pair on the flop. 1f there is a lot of betting and raising before the action gets to you, you can be sure that you hand is not as strong as you hoped and so you can fold it comfortably without losing any chips. Fn the other hand, if you were in early position you may ha+e made a bet with a hand that you thought was good, only to find that there are much stronger hands out there that will re-raise you and force you to fold. Therefore you will ha+e lost chips due to this lack of information on your opponents from playing in early position.

The later you act in a hand, the more information you will ha+e a+ailable to you about your opponents. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

The $ut o!!.

The 'cut-off' is the position >ust before the button. This would be the second best place to be in a hold'em game because if the button decides not to play, then you will be the last to act on each hand. The button and cut-off are +ery useful positions for stealing the blinds as there are less players to act behind you, which makes it less likely that they are holding a good enough hand to call a raise with.

Positional awareness.
1n general, you want to play more hands in position than you do out of position. This doesn't mean that you force yourself to play any old hand when you ha+e good position, and fold awesome ones in bad position >ust to try and strike the right balance. 1nstead, it simply means that you should be more inclined to play slightly weaker hands than normal 1=, and more inclined to fold slightly stronger hands FF=. Take IAo for exampleG

In early position 1 would be reluctant to play IAo. 1t's on the low end of the (good hands(, and the fact that 1 ha+e poor position makes it an unattracti+e situation. The hand isn't strong enough to counteract my positional disad+antage. In late position 1 would raise this hand almost e+ery time if there were no raisers before me. 1 may also call raises with this hand if 1 ha+e position on the raiser. 1 ha+e an ad+antageous position combined with a decent starting hand, so the situation is good for me.

7s a beginner player it's tricky to get to grips with the hands that are okay to play in #=, but are not good to play in 2=. How are you supposed to learn the subtleties of which starting hands to play in which positionsE Trust me, you will pick it up as you go along. 1t will take time, but the more experience you get under your belt the more you'll start to understand it. 1f you're completely new to the game howe+er, there's no harm in sticking with the premium hands and entering pots with them irrespecti+e of position J that's okay. Aust be prepared to broaden your starting hand re/uirements based on position as you impro+e.

Positional awareness graph.

Following on from my last point about playing more hands in position, here's a graph that shows a winning player's 0=1= based on their position in :max cash games.

7 graph to show the positional 0=1= of a winning :max cash game poker player. =osition abbre+iations explained *KT', -=, )T" etc.. +PIP indi$ates the per$entage o! the time a player either raises or $alls pre!lop. &o essentially this chart shows the percentage of the time they (play a hand( from each position. "otice how this player is playing a lot more hands in late position than they are in early position. They do not play the same set of hands from all positions. They're not forcing these statistics either J they're >ust wisely taking in to account their table position and then selecting which starting hands to play with. 1f you asked any winning cash game player to show you their 0=1= by position, their stats and graphs would follow a similar trend to the one abo+e. ?ou can find out your own 0=1= stats *and also those of your opponents. by using the popular =oker Tracker $ software.

Poker table position e#aluation.

Table position is easily one of the most underestimated factors in playing a hand by many amateur poker players. =osition is so important that often hands can be won or lost based on your position alone, irrespecti+e of the strength of the cards that you and your opponent hold. The sooner you start paying attention to your position, the sooner you will start making more money. 7 useful article to read from here is starting hand selection, as it highlights how you should stick to playing only the strongest hands from early position due to the big disad+antage of ha+ing to act first on betting rounds. 7fter that, you may want to think about more ad+anced position

strategy with the article on relati+e position in Texas Hold'em. Howe+er, 1 would recommend that you get the importance of basic position nailed down before any further readingL 1n Texas Holdem, it is important to ha+e good starting hand sele$tion. This is important as it pre+ents you from entering pots with sub-standard hands, which could e+entually lead to you losing a lot of money in the process. (&tarting hand selection( is simply choosing the good hands o+er the bad, and thus folding the bad hands when you get them. 1t is true that any hand can win in Texas Holdem *or poker in general for that matter., but the fact of the matter is that some hands will win more than others. &o if we stick with the good hands, then we should see better results in the long run. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

asi$ starting hand sele$tion.

Top tier starting hands " top ', o! starting hands.
'ood Texas Holdem starting hands are typically hands like big pocket pairs and big connecting cards. &o some of the top starting hands would beG

77 II MM 7Is

The little 's' indicates that the cards are suited, which will increase the +alue of the cards because it makes it more likely that they will be able to make a flush compared to if the cards were not suited. This is ob+iously the top tier when it comes to starting hands, and if we were to only e+er be dealt these starting hands we would be making a lot of money. 1n fact, if we folded e+ery other hand that we were dealt and only played these hands, there is a fair chance that we would be winning money in the long run. )ut this would only work at the lower limits where other players probably wouldn't be aware that we only play premium hands.

Se$ond tier starting hands.

1f we only e+er played with this elite group of cards, we would be folding numerous hands along the way and missing out on other opportunities to win money. 2+en though these are the cream

of the crop when it comes to starting hands, there are still other great hands out there that can win us a lot of money in the long run if we play them. &uch hands areG

7I 7Ms 7As IMs AA TT

This gi+es us another : starting hands that we can play with, increasing the number of pots that we will be entering. 7lthough these are not as good as the first set of premium hands mentioned, they are still great starting hands that should help us to win money.

Top -( Te*as Hold'em starting hands.

"ow if we stick with this set of 5! starting hands we should definitely by on the right track to winning some money from poker. &o for any player new to the game you should try your best to stick to the following top 5! hands *also throwing in some of top ! hands if you ha+e good position.G 5. 7 7 . I I $. M M %. 7 I *suited. 8. 7 M *suited. :. A A N. I M *suited. <. 7 A *suited. O. 7 I 5!. T T Top ! starting hands.

7s your game impro+es, you can look to open up your starting hand re/uirements and include more marginal hands like suited connectors. Howe+er, if you're new to the game you are better off sticking with the big cards that hit bigger flops and make post-flop play a hell of a lot easier for you.

Starting hand sele$tion and table position.

?our table position should always play a big role in determining the range of hands that you choose to play with. ?ou should stick to playing much stronger hands from early position than you would from late position. This means that if you are in one of the early position seats, you should stick to playing the top two tiers of hands and a+oid lesser hands likeH 7Mo, 7As, 7T, IMs and so on. @on+ersely, if you are in late position and there has been little action before you, you can afford to play these sort of hands far more comfortably.

Why is table position important in starting hand sele$tion?

1f you are one of the first to act in a hand, you are going to be at a serious disad+antage to the rest of the players who are acting after you. Therefore, to a+oid making things worse, you do not want to be entering a pot with anything less than a premium hand. 7cting first means that you are going to ha+e little information on your opponents. 1f you are playing with a mediocre hand, it is likely that you are going to be in a spot where you ha+e no idea whether you ha+e the best hand or not. These situations are the ones that lose you the most money in poker, so a+oid falling into them by playing stronger hands from early position that will make it easier to determine whether or not you ha+e the best hand.

The importan$e o! starting hand sele$tion.

&tarting hand selection is key because it helps to sa+e us from sticky situations post flop, especially if we are new to the game.

Starting hand sele$tion e*ample.

&ay for example we are not exercising +ery good starting hand selection and we decide to call a raise with I T . The flop then comes I < gi+ing us top pair, which looks like a +ery strong hand. Fur opponent bets into us and we decide to call, because after all we do ha+e top pair. The turn comes a % , and our opponent bets once again. We ha+e top pair and we call seeing as we are still happy with the strength of our hand.

The ri+er comes a N , and our opponent bets into us one final time. We make the call with our top pair thinking we might still ha+e the best hand, but our opponent turns o+er I M . He also has a pair of Iings but he has the higher kicker, so he takes down the pot.

Starting hand sele$tion e*ample e#aluation.

This is an all too common problem for poker beginners, and it could ha+e been so easily a+oided by being a little stricter with our starting hand selection. Ha+ing top pair is great, but all so often an opponent can easily beat it with a better kicker. This is why it is important to ha+e two big cards instead of one, because the si3e of our kicker can play a +ital role in determining who the winner of the pot will be. ?ou are dealt two cards in Texas Hold'emH make sure that they are both good cards before you enter a pot. 7n ace with a low kicker is going to lose you more money than it wins. Don't be tempted to call raises or enter pots with hands like 7% *rag aces. or IN, because they will >ust get you into more trouble than they are worth. -ake sure that you are the one with the better kicker e+ery time and take the money from the players who are entering the pots with weaker hands than you. 1t is actually reasonable to bring down our starting hand re/uirements if we ha+e good position. =osition will gi+e us an ad+antage o+er our opponents if we are last to act, so we do not necessarily ha+e to ha+e such a strong hand to play with because will be obtaining information from the way our opponent plays because they will be acting first. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. This information and knowledge of our opponent's hand from the way they play will compensate for the fact that our starting hand is a little weaker than normal. Howe+er, we still ha+e to be prepared to fold as ha+ing position does not guarantee that we will win the hand, it simply gi+es an ad+antage. 1t is ad+ised that you only enter pots with weaker hands in position once you ha+e become a little more experienced.

Starting hand sele$tion e#aluation.

7s you continue to play poker and gain experience from the game, it is a good idea to start expanding your starting hand re/uirements and experimenting here and there. Howe+er, if you are new to the game it is strongly ad+ised that you stick to the big cards so that you gi+e yourself the best opportunity to win money from poker. 1f you are entering pots with a poor hand, you should be expecting to see poor results. Don't be tempted to enter a pot with any old hand because it looks good or it is suited, it will probably land you in trouble. &tick with the big hands and you won't be going too far wrong.

'ood poker table sele$tion is important if you want to maximi3e your profits from each poker session you play. 1t should be ob+ious that if you want to make money from your poker, you should play against opponents that are not as good as yourself. &o if the players at table 7 are more experienced than the players on table ), a wise poker player would choose table ) e+ery time. To win money from poker, you can either de+elop a better strategy than your opponents or play against worse players than you. Why not do bothE 1n )P- casinos you would usually ha+e +ery little or no choice about which table you sit at, so table selection is a little trickier when playing li+e poker. Howe+er, when playing online you ha+e the opportunity to choose from a long list of tables. ?ou should use this freedom of choice to your ad+antage. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

Table sele$tion lobby !igures.

Due to the outburst in popularity in online poker o+er recent years, there has been little shortage of tables for you to choose from online. &o how can you determine which tables may be more profitable than othersE Firstly, most poker rooms online will gi+e you figures in the lobby based on how the table is playing. The figures that we should be most interested in are the average pot sizes and average number of players per flop.

%#erage pot si.e.

The a+erage pot si3e figure should gi+e us an indication of how much action the players at the table are gi+ing. The higher this figure is, the greater the amount of money we can expect to win when we make a good hand. Therefore as a wise poker player, we should look for these tables with high a+erage pot si3e figures.

%#erage number o! players per !lop.

The a+erage number of players per flop figure tells us how loose the players at the table are playing. 1f this figure is high, then we can assume that the players ha+e low starting hand re/uirements and are probable poor poker players. Fn the other hand if the figure is low, we can assume that the players are tight, and will only see flops with a good starting hand. 7 high a+erage number of players per flop figure indicates that the players at the table ha+e poor starting hand re/uirements.

The a+erage number of players per flop figure should influence our table selection depending on our own style of play. 1f you are a tight player it may be more beneficial for you to choose the tables with a higher number of players per flop and pick up the occasional big pots, whereas if you are a loose player you may find it beneficial to play at the tables with low numbers of players per flop to pick up many of the small uncontested pots. )e sure to take into account the number of players at each table in relation to the number of players per flop, as the shorthanded tables will ha+e a lower number of players per flop than the full tables.

Table sele$tion e*ample.

7 screenshot of the =oker&tars lobby. 1t's a bit of an old screenshot, but it does the >ob. 7s you can see on the diagram, the table with the highest a+erage pot is @assiopea, and the table with the highest number of players per flop is 7thor 10. Howe+er, the best table to sit at out of the two would be @assiopea, because 7thor 10 has a low a+erage pot si3e despite ha+ing the higher number of players per flop.

Time o! play and table sele$tion.

7 second factor that can influence the profitability of the tables is the time at which you are play poker. -any online players will play poker for the entertainment factor, and will not be playing solely for the money. This means that if we time our play in con>unction with the time the casual players participate, then we can a+oid more of the sharks and sit down with the fish. The a+erage working timetable for a person that plays online poker is likely to be O7- to 8=on weekdays. Therefore if we want to maximi3e our chances of playing with these recreational players then we should sit down at the tables after :=- on weekdays, and at any time during the weekends. 1n addition people will often play poker after ha+ing a drink, which will alter their play for the worse. The time at which the drunk poker players are likely to be sitting down at the tables is during the e+enings.

1f you play more poker in the e+enings, there is a higher chance of running in to a few (worse for wear( players *drunk ones.. Fb+iously these theories best apply to the countries with the highest +olume of internet players, so if you li+e in the KI you may want to play poker during the times that correlate with the times mentioned abo+e for the K&7.

Player sear$h.
-any poker rooms offer you the ability to search for specific players. These means that you should use this feature to your ad+antage and take a note of e+ery bad player you come across, and search for him or her before you sit down at the tables. This way you can guarantee yourself to be playing against at least one bad player, instead of taking a chance on a table of unknowns.

Table sele$tion e#aluation.

T1pG @heck out my list of the softest online poker sites for a table of rankings of poker rooms based on the +olume of bad players. -any players will not acti+ely choose the tables that may gi+e them the greatest opportunities to make the most money out of their poker sessions. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. 1f you are going to sit down at a poker table for a decent period of time with your money, it is in your best interest to sit down at the tables that will gi+e you the greatest return on your in+estment in the long run. The ad+ice gi+en abo+e on good table selection is simple to employ, so it is worth spending a minute or two looking for a good table, especially if you intend to sit at the one table for a long period of time. Howe+er, if the table has changed significantly due to original players lea+ing and new players arri+ing, it may be a good idea to lea+e the table if you feel it is no longer profitable. There are literally thousands of other tables out there, and you are under no obligation to stay if the particular table no longer suits your style of play. Without the bluff, poker would not be pokerH it is the ultimate deception. Fne of the greatest feelings you can get from poker deri+es from taking down a huge pot that your opponent should ha+e won. lu!!ing in poker has been greatly glamori3ed by the media, tele+ising huge bluffs being put on other players and taking down huge pots in the W&F= and in mo+ies. &o let's find out how to bluff with these handy poker bluffing tips...

How o!ten should you blu!!?

1f you ask an amateur player or any person new to poker what the fundamental aspects of Texas Hold'em are, you can be +ery sure that they will describe how bluffing your opponents is key to beating the game. Howe+er, this is actually far from the truth. 1t is possible to beat poker games without e+er needing to bluff *although not recommendedL.. -any amateur players bluff far more often than necessary, which leads them to lose money o+er the long run. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. The aim of poker is to win money, simple as that. &o if you were to ne+er bluff, you could still make money. Think of it this wayH 1f you are sitting at a : seater table, each player has an e/ual chance on getting good or bad cards. 2ach player according to simple math should ha+e the best hand 5 in e+ery : hands, therefore if all the players were of the exact same standard, in the long run nobody would lose, and nobody would win. Howe+er, if one player was able to win more money from their opponents when they had the best hand than their opponents won from them when they had the best hand, that player would be making more money than their opponents in the long run. 1t stands to reason that if you play your cards better than the other players play their cards, you will end up a winner. ?ou should not enter a hand with the intention of bluffing. ?ou should only bluff if you are confident that you can win the pot based on the way your opponents ha+e been playing up to that point in the hand. For a more thorough answer to this /uestion, check out the how often should you bluffE article.

/oes this mean that players lose money trying to run blu!!s on one another?
"ot necessarily. 7n experienced player can pick their spots and take down a few pots that should ha+e been taken down by someone else, adding a little more to their stack. )ut it is not easy for a beginner or e+en intermediate players to pick the right spots, it takes a lot of experience of situations and knowledge of your opponent to know when a bluff will be successful. 1f you are unsure of whether you can take down a pot with a bluff, then you shouldn't attempt a bluff.

The e*tra ad#antages o! blu!!ing in poker.

7s you play more poker, you will ha+e a greater understanding of when you can bluff. Howe+er there are more ad+antages to bluffing than simply winning one pot.

0i#ing yoursel! a loose image.

1f you continually try to run bluffs against your opponents, they will try and catch you out when you bet into them because of your table image. They will start to o+erplay their mediocre hands when you bet and pay you off when you do ha+e a good hand.

Putting your opponents on tilt.

=layers do not like to be decei+ed out of their money. 1f you make a successful bluff against a player and show them, they may become frustrated and play worse in an attempt to get their money back. This is known as (playing on tilt(. Howe+er it is not ad+ised to do this often as your opponent and others at the table may be out to get you, which will make the game trickier to play. 7s you can see, poker bluffing has its extra benefits. The most important one mentioned abo+e is gi+ing yourself a loose table image, as you potentially can take a lot of money off your opponents because they will not belie+e you when you do ha+e a good hand.

Poker blu!!ing tips.

When you should you blu!!?
The answer is simple, but it's probably not /uite the answer that you were hoping for... ?ou should bluff when you think your opponent will fold. Inowing when your opponent will fold can only come through practice, and the more you practice the better you will become. ,eading poker books will also help you to understand the game, and where bluffs can be employed successfully. There are no hard and fast rules for bluffing, as e+ery hand in Texas Hold'em is different from the next. The best you can do is learn how to identify situations in which a bluff is likely to be successful based on the information you ha+e obtained by the way your opponents are playing.

0ood blu!!ing situations in poker.

When in last position. 1f you are in last position, you ha+e the ability the make more successful bluffs than anywhere else on the table. 1f you are last to act, and your opponents ha+e checked to you, it is a sign of weakness. This is a perfect opportunity to bet and win the pot. 1f you raised pre-flop. 1f you raise pre-flop and then missed on the flop, you can still win the pot. 1f you make a continuation bet, your opponent is unlikely to call unless they ha+e hit top pair or middle pair at least. 7gainst small stacks. 1f your opponent has a small stack, they are unlikely to call a raise unless they ha+e hit the flop hard. )ut you ha+e to be careful, as it will be rare for a short stack to simply call when bet into, they will either fold or push. 7gain this is where practice makes

perfect, and you will know when your opponent is more likely to fold than push based on their stack si3e. When on a draw. 1f you do not ha+e a made hand, but are on a draw such as a straight or a flush, you can launch what is called a semi-bluff. ?ou hope to take the pot down right there, but if you do get called you still ha+e a chance to win the hand if the next cards impro+e your hand. )ut if you get re-raised be prepared to let the hand go, unless you are recei+ing correct pot odds to call.

Poker blu!!ing e#aluation.

1t is important to remember that you do not need to bluff to win money at poker, especially if you are new to the game. 1t is far better to play your good hands well rather than try and make your opponents fold when you ha+e no idea whether or not they will call. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 7s you play more =oker you can expand your game and try new things in different situations and find out times when it is best to bluff. 1t could be said that bluffs are more beneficial for what they do for the future, rather than what they do for the present. 1n the present you will be taking down a small pot, but in the future you could be taking down a large pot because your opponent did not belie+e that you had the best hand when you bet. et si.ing is something that a lot of amateur poker players struggle with when they are first getting to grips with the game. 1f you are unable to make the correct si3ed bets at each stage of the hand, you will find that you will ha+e a +ery big leak in your game. )y being able to make the correct si3e bets, you will be able to maximi3e your wins and minimi3e your losses. ?ou will also be able to gi+e opponents bad odds to call when they ha+e drawing hands. 1t is important to remember that bet si3ing is a key skill in all forms of no limit =oker, whether you are playing Texas Hold'em, Fmaha, or if you're feeling particularly fruity and playing H.F.,.&.2 =oker. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

How should you si.e your bets?

The si3e of any bet you make should always be in relation to the current si3e of the pot.

Therefore before making any bet or raise, you should always keep in mind how much money is currently in the pot. This is because the amount you bet into the pot will determine what pot odds your opponents are getting, and so they will either be making a call with the correct odds, or making a call with the incorrect odds. 2+ery time our opponent makes a call with the incorrect odds, we are making a profit as they are making a fundamental mistake, so it is important that we make good si3e bets to make sure our opponents can these mistakes by calling. 2+ery time an opponent makes a call with bad odds, we are winning money.

1ui$k rule !or no limit bet si.ing.

1f you ha+e a good hand and feel that your opponent*s. ha+e a worse hand than you, you should be looking to bet around Q of the pot when you make a bet. For example, if you feel you ha+e the best hand in a no limit Holdem game and the pot is 4 !, you should be looking to bet around 45% to 45< each time. The si3e of optimum bet si3es definitely +aries around this area, but it's a good benchmark to aim for.

et si.ing diagram.

This should help highlight optimum, effecti+e and terrible bet si3es in Texas Hold'em.

Why bet so big?

1. 'i+es opponents incorrect pot odds to continue with drawing hands.

. We get lots of +alue *win more. when our opponents call with worse hands. There are +ery few instances in poker where 1 would make a bet that is less than half the si3e of the pot. )y making weak bets you will usually be losing +alue on your hands and gi+ing your opponents to right odds to call and outdraw you.

When to make small bets.

The +ast ma>ority of the time it isn't a good idea to bet small *half the pot or smaller.. Howe+er, there are always going to be exceptions. The only time 1 will bet small is if I know that I am not going to get outdrawn and that my opponent will only $all a smaller bet as opposed to a larger one. 2+en then, a lot of the time you'll be surprised to find that big bets are more profitable anyway. 2+en though there are rare instances where it can bet more profitable to bet small, you're almost always better off betting big *see +alue betting..

%d#antages o! big bets o#er small bets.

ig bets help to gi#e us in!ormation. We ne+er bet for the sole reason of trying to gather information, but it's often a handy bi product. For our opponent to call, they must feel they ha+e a decent or strong holding, or a +ery strong drawing hand. Therefore, this may help us to put them on a more precise range of hands. We get more #alue !rom big bets. 1f we feel we still ha+e the best hand then we should continue our betting to try and extract as much money as possible from our opponents by taking ad+antage of our pot e/uity.

% big mistake with bet si.ing.

The biggest mistake amateur players make with betting and raising is that they make minimum bets and raises when the action gets to them. 1f you are making a minimum raise before the flop, you will find that a large number of players will call you, as you are gi+ing them good odds to see a flop with any two cards. 7s a general rule, always a+oid minimum bets and raises. 2ither make a strong bet or don't bet at all. &imilarly, if you minimum raise a player that bets into you, you will often be gi+ing them the correct odds to outdraw you, e+en if you ha+e the best hand at the time. 1n addition to this, a minimum bet or raise tells you +ery little about your opponentCs hand, as they are almost always going to call regardless of what they might be holding.

2aising be!ore the !lop.

,aise $ times the )) ; 5 for each limper. 7s a general rule of thumb, if you are making a raise before the flop, you should be looking to raise around $ or % times the si3e of the big blind. Howe+er, if there ha+e been a few limpers before you and you still intend to make a raise, you should add an extra bet onto the $ *or % - this works well too. times the )) raise to help pre+ent other players from calling with good odds. &o if you are playing 4564 and there ha+e been two limpers in front of you, a good 45! or 45 raise would be sufficient. Fn the other hand, if you are raising an opponentCs bet, you should be looking to raise them around $ times the si3e of their original bet to again worsen the odds they are getting to call to see the next card.

Pre!lop raising table a$$ording to number o! limpers.

Here is a /uick table to show how much you should be raising preflop depending on how many players ha+e limped into the potG 3 o! limpers Pre!lop raise 4 ! 5 $ % 8 $ % 8 : N < s5 e.g. in 6-76' 8L 4: 4< 45! 45 45% 45:

Poker bet si.ing e#aluation.

&o, to summari3eG

)et around $6% the si3e of the pot after the flop. ,aise $ or % times the si3e of the big blind ; 5 for each limper before the flop.

Whene+er you decide that you want to make a bet or a raise, you should always take a look at the si3e of the pot before mo+ing that chip slider or before counting out the chips in your stack. 1t is important to reduce the odds your opponents are getting and to maximi3e the +alue from your hand by making good strong bets. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

)y making weak bets and by playing passi+ely, you are lea+ing yourself open to being run o+er by your opponents when they ha+e far weaker hands than you. &o make sure you stand your ground, and make healthy bets into the pot at e+ery opportunity to let your opponents know that you are not a player to be messed with. For further reading on betting in poker, take a look at the article on the importance of aggression. 1n addition, it will be handy to be aware of effecti+e stack si3es when it comes to si3ing your bets appropriately. ,easons To )et R )etting To Win Dead -oney These reasons for betting are fre/uently co+ered 1n The @oaching Tree series at Deuces @racked.

M. Why do we bet in pokerE 7. )ecause we expect those bets to be profitable o+er the long run. ThatCs the sole reason behind betting and raising in Texas Holdem. 1t really is that simple. Howe+er, knowing why a bet can be profitable is the tricky part. 1t turns out that there are main reasons for making bets. -. 9or #alue. '. %s a blu!!. 2+ery profitable bet or raise in poker falls in to either one of these categories. To be able to make successful bets, itCs imperati+e that you learn to identify which category your bet or raise falls in to. DonCt worry though, itCs not that hard really. There is actually a third reason for betting, which is betting to win dead money. #earn these first.

-5 etting !or #alue.

Why you bet for +alue.

?ou belie+e you ha#e the best hand and you think your opponent will call with a worse hand. :ou want your opponent to $all.

We ne+er actually know if we ha+e the best hand or not, but that doesnCt matter. 7ll that matters is that we ha+e a good reason to belie+e that we ha+e the best hand when we bet. Figuring out whether we likely ha+e the better hand or not takes some skill, and thatCs a skill that comes with time and practice *see assigning ranges.. Howe+er, the key point is that we make a profit e+ery time our opponent puts money in to the pot with a worse hand *or a hand with worse e/uity to be precise.. 1t doesnCt matter whether our opponent goes on to outdraw us later on in the hand. 7ll that matters is that when we made our bet, our opponent had worse e/uity and put more money in to the pot. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

)*ample o! betting !or #alue.

Fur handG 7 I FpponentCs handG I M )oardG I O $ Fur opponent has a hand with worse e/uity *5%9 compared to our <:9 e/uity.. 1f we bet we are betting for +alue because we are going to make money when a worse hand like IM calls us. We will ne+er really know that our opponent has exactly IM in this situation, but this is an example of why a bet on this flop is a bet for +alue because we ha+e good reason to belie+e that we ha+e the best hand and that a weaker hand will call. We want our opponent to $all here be$ause that will make us money. 1f they were to fold, they would be making a better play from their point of +iew because they would be sa+ing money. Hence we miss out on making more money.

'5 etting as a blu!!.

Why you bet as a bluff. ?ou belie+e you ha#e the worst hand but you think that you can get your opponent to fold a better hand. :ou want your opponent to !old.

For whate+er reason you strongly belie+e that e+en though you probably ha+e the worst hand, you can get your opponent to fold. 1f they go ahead and fold a hand that has more e/uity than ours, they are making a mistake and we are profiting from that mistake. )etting as a bluff takes more skill than betting for +alue because itCs harder to ha+e a good reason to belie+e that we can get an opponent to fold a better hand. "onetheless, itCs still a profitable bet to make when done properly.

)*ample o! betting as a blu!!.

Fur handG < N FpponentCs handG T O )oardG 7 T % I Fur opponent checked the flop and checked the turn. 1n this situation we are confident that we are unlikely to ha+e the best hand but can get our opponent to fold by betting this turn. Therefore when we bet we are betting as a blu!!. We want to see our opponent fold a better hand than ours *which is a pair in this instance.. We do not want to get called, ob+iously, so this is clearly a bluff.

2easons !or betting based on e;uity diagram.

Figure out how much e/uity you think you ha+e in the hand. Do that, and you'll know what type of bet you're making.

1f you think you ha+e more than 8!9 e/uity in the hand and you bet, you are betting for +alue. 1f you think you ha+e less than 8!9 e/uity in the hand and you bet, you are betting as a bluff.

"oteG This diagram assumes you are up against one player. The same sort of principal applies against multiple opponents in a hand, but the percentages get a little tricky for one diagram.

%lways know why you are betting.

7re you betting for +alue or are you betting as a bluffE 1f you canCt confidently answer that /uestion you should not be betting or raising in the first place. )lindly firing out bets and raises is bad play and will be a tremendous leak in your game until you fix it. -any beginner players lose money because they fire out bets and raises without knowing why they are making the bets in the first place.

)*ample o! not knowing why you are betting.

Fur handG FpponentCs handG unknown )oardG 7 % < I % 1tCs been checked back and forth through each betting round to the ri+er 1tCs checked to us once again on the ri+er and we decide to bet. )ut whyE What are we expecting to achie+e by betting hereE

Is it !or #alue? Do we expect a worse hand than ours to callE "o. Is it as a blu!!? Do we expect a better hand to foldE "o.

7s you can see, there is no $ompelling reason to bet here, so weCre far better off checking behind rather than risking getting called and losing more money to a better hand. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

)#aluation o! the reasons !or betting in 8L Te*as Hold<em.

1f you belie+e that a worse hand than yours will $all you the ma>ority of the time, you are betting !or #alue. 1f you belie+e that you can get a better hand than yours to !old the ma>ority of the time, you are betting as a blu!!.

)efore e+ery single bet and raise you make, try your hardest to identify which category your bet is falling in to. 1f you canCt figure out which, then reconsider making that bet or raise. Knderstanding the difference between the different goals when betting is easy. The hard part is using your head to figure out whether your bet is for +alue or if itCs a bluff. 1t getCs much easier with practice, so the sooner you start trying to figure it all out the better. 7s mentioned earlier in the article, there is a third reason for betting that usually occurs when making continuation bets on the flop. This is where you are betting to win dead money.

There is a +ery steep learning cur+e in =oker. 7t the start a little information will take you a long way, but as you impro+e, the new information you learn won't add as much to your game. &o if you are a beginner poker player reading this article, this is probably the most useful and money sa+ing information you will e+er read. 1f you absorb all of the beginner poker tips below, you may e+en turn from a losing player into a break-e+en or winning player. These beginner poker tips won't turn you into an expert player in ten minutes, but they will set you on the right track to becoming a winning poker player. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

-= /on't play too many hands.

7 +ery common mistake that amateur players make is not being selecti+e enough with their starting hands. Don't fall into the common trap of thinking that Bany hand can win'. 7lthough this is true, some hands are more likely to win than others and will help you win more money, whilst others will help you in losing more money. &o be selecti+e about which hands you play. Here's a handy article on starting hand selection for you. 'ood starting hand selection is the foundation of e+ery winning poker player's game. #earn itL

'= /on't blu!! too mu$h.

7nother common misconception about poker is that you need to bluff to win. ?ou may see spectacular bluffs on the W&F= shows, but these are edited to show the highlights of the tournaments and so gi+e the wrong impression of the fre/uency that top players bluff. )luffing in poker is not as essential as you think it is. 1f you are a beginner online poker player, it is better to play your cards well rather than trying to bluff your opponents out of hands. 1t is good to try occasional bluffs here and there, but the real art of knowing when to bluff comes from knowledge and practice. ?ou may also be interested in taking a look at the how often should 1 bluff in pokerE article.

>= Think about your opponent's $ards.

1t is +itally important in poker to think about the strength of your opponent's hand, and not >ust your own. 1t is nice to ha+e a big hand, but if you think that your opponent has a better hand than you, you should prepare to fold. For example a straight is a decent hand, but if there are four cards of the same suit on the board and your opponent pushes all in, do you still think you ha+e the best handE

Find out more about thinking on higher le+els in the article on multiple le+el thinking in poker. 1t's a bit of an ad+anced concept, but it is +ery interesting nonetheless.

?= Play against players worse than you.

This may seem ob+ious, but you will be surprised at the number of players who go against this simple principle. 1f you are better than the players who you are playing against, it makes sense that you will be a winner in the long run. 1f you were the 5!th best player in the world, it would not be profitable to sit at a table with the top O players in the world. @hoose your games and limits >ust as carefully as the cards you play with. 'ood table selection will help you to find those fishy poker tables in the lobby.

@= Think about your position.

Table position is a +ery important factor in poker, especially in Texas Holdem. The best positions to be in are when you are last to act on the hand, for example, when you are on the button. This means that you gain knowledge about what kind of hand they may ha+e before the action gets to you. Ha+ing good position in a hand can easily turn a losing hand into a winning one. =osition plays a much bigger role in no limit Texas Hold'em than you think. 1t can often be more important than the cards themsel+es, and make the difference between winning and losing a hand.

A= Pay attention to the game.

The best way to pick up tells is to watch your opponents and how they play in each pot. 2+en when you are not in the hand, you should still concentrate on the game to understand how your opponents play. Hopefully you will see what mo+es the players make when they don't ha+e the best hand, and what mo+es they make when they do ha+e the best hand. The more information you can get from your opponents, the better the opportunity you will ha+e to beat them.

B= /on't Cump in at the high limits.

There are two reasons why you shouldn't play for too much money as a beginner. Firstly, the players at the higher limits will be better than the players at the lower limits. There is less chance that you will be able to beat them and you will spend a lot of money trying to learn the game in the process.

&econdly, you only want to play at limits you can afford. ?ou should not play at limits where you are going to drop money that you cannot afford to lose. There is more information on this sub>ect in the bankroll management article. ?ou may also find the Fergulator tool useful too. Without bankroll management, you will ne+er be able to become a winning player, e+en if you use perfect strategy.

D= /on't pay too mu$h !or draws.

?ou will often find yourself holding half a hand that only needs one card to complete your flush or your straight. 7s a general rule, if you opponent is betting hea+ily, it is unlikely to be profitable to chase after these draws. Howe+er, if there is only a small amount of betting it may be wise to call in the hope of making your hand. 1f the amount your opponent bets seems too big to warrant a call to make your hand, then don't. ?ou can find detailed information on how much you should call for draws in the pot odds strategy guide. 7 free *and hopefully useful. tool for helping you to work out whether or not to call bets with draws is &=F@ *&imple =ot Fdds @alculator..

E= Suited $ards aren't that great.

The ultimate beginner mistake *that e+en some intermediate players make. is o+er-+aluing suited cards. Flushes are not as common as you think, and if you limp in with your two small suited cards, there is the chance that you will lose all your money to a higher flush if the flush does come. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. Aust because your cards are of the same suit, it only impro+es that hand by 9 compared to if your hand was not suited. This marginal impro+ement is too small to warrant calling pre-flop raises, so learn to fold the small suited cards. ?ou will be sa+ing yourself some money in the long run.

-(= Fnow the rules.

7s ob+ious as it seems, there is no substitute for knowing the rules of the game. ?ou don't want to find yourself calling a player all in, thinking that your straight beats his flush and losing all of your chips. There is no way you can be a winning poker player if you don't know the fundamental rules of the game. Furthermore, each card room and casino may ha+e its own uni/ue set of rules that you must abide by, so make sure you familiari3e yourself with them before >umping into any game.

&i$ro Limit Poker Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R -icro #imit &trategy ! Deuces @racked has ama3ing training +ideo series aimed at helping micro stakes players. R The @oaching Tree R ,eal #ifeG -icro "#-'rinder

The micro limits *or micro stakes, whate+er. on the 1nternet generally range from 5c6 c *4 "#. to 8c68!c *48!"#. cash games. Due to the small amount of money at stake, you will find the action is much looser than say, at the 4564 le+els. 1f you browse around forums, you will find many people claiming that the mi$ro limits are unbeatable. They claim that all the players rely too much on luck, and with so many players entering pots trying to hit their draws, the Bluck' they get is >ust too o+erwhelming for any decent player to be able to beat these limits. -icro limit poker is perfectly beatable, but only if you ha+e the correct strategy. #et me first state that this concept -- despite ha+ing a tiny element of truth -- is far from being correct. With so many players calling with bad pot odds for their draws and calling huge raises with half a hand, how can you not beat these le+elsE There are a few key mi$ro limit poker tips set out belowH be sure to familiari3e yourself with them before stepping into your next micro-limit game. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

-= /on't try and outplay your opponents.

When you sit down at the table, you can happily think that you are the best player at that table. )ut being cocky in the micro limits will lead to disaster. 1f you try and take pots away from your opponent representing that $ of a kind, and find that they call you down with bottom pair, you ha+e got nobody to blame but yourself.

,emember you are playing for money and not indi+idual pots, only get your money in with the best of it. When it comes to multiple le+els of thought in micro poker, these players are usually le+el 5 *or at best.. ?ou only need to be playing one le+el abo+e them to beat them.

Top mi$ro stakes poker rooms

5. =oker&tars - &tars has always been the original home of the micro stakes games. ?ou're not going to find a greater number of 4 "#, 48"# and 45!"# games anywhere else. 0isit =oker&tars. . Full Tilt - Fnce again, the sheer number of micro stakes tables and players is what makes Full Tilt a great micro limit room. #ess players than =oker&tars, but there is the added bonus of Full Tilt rakeback. 0isit Full Tilt. $. )et$:8 - The i=oker network is yet another high traffic room offering an abundance of micro stakes games. 7 uni/ue feature about the i=oker network is that they offer some of the lowest stakes heads-up games around. 0isit )et$:8.

'= &i$ro limit players lo#e to $hase.

?ou are expecting your opponents in the micro limits to ha+e a low understanding of the game. &o if you bet twice the si3e of your pot and your opponent calls, you cant rule out that they will ha+e a flush or straight draw, as they probably will not be familiar with pot odds. ,emember that if your opponent has bad odds and calls to try and make his draw, that's a good thing for you, because you will be winning more money in the long run. Aust be sure to bet a larger amount into the pot when against multiple opponents to gi+e each of them bad odds to call. 7lways make sure that you are gi+ing any players with potential draws bad odds to call when you bet.

>= uy in !or the ma*G but don't be a!raid to lose it.

Due to the loose action at the micros, you can be expecting players to be going and calling all-ins with all sorts of made hands and draws. 1f you are buying into the table with the maximum, you are gi+ing yourself the best opportunity to make the most money. -ake sure that when you're all in that you ha+e then best of it, that way you are going to come out on top. Aust remember its not often that you are a 5!!9 fa+orite to win on the flop, so you cant win them all. 1f you'+e got the best of it, don't be afraid to put your whole buy in on the line *if you ha+e got the bankroll..

?ou will win more hands than you lose if you get your money in the middle with the best of it, so buy in for the max to make sure that you are maximi3ing your wins.

?= /on't gi#e your opponents tips.

7fter you take a horrific bad beat from an e/ually bad player, the first thing you will want to do is critici3e their play and tell them how bad it was. )ut wait, it was so bad that you should be o+er the moon that they called. 1f you are that far ahead of them with your top set on the flop, you want them to go all in with their gutshot straight. 7fter all, you wouldn't be complaining if you won that particular hand. Ieep your ad+ice to yourself and let the player make the same bad play next time.

@= et your good handsG !old your bad hands.

1t is pretty much basic Texas Hold'em strategy, but this is what works best at the micro limits. There is no need to be tricky with your play, if you make a good hand bet, and if you don't, >ust fold. ?ou may be afraid to scare players out of the pot, but most of the time they will call you with absolutely any hand.

A= eware o! raising.
From my experience playing micro limit poker, players will not often raise pre flop unless they ha+e a solid hand. The game plan for most of the players at the table is to see as many flops as possible, hit a huge hand, then bet and take as much money as they can from it. ?our opponents won't gi+e a second thought to what you might holdH they are only playing to the strength of their own hand. This is why they call decent raises with bottom pair on the flopH because they'+e got a pair. &o if you see a player raising pre flop and on e+ery street then beware, they'+e probably got something good. -icro players are much happier calling than they are raising.

B= /on't blu!!.
This is similar to the first point, as bluffing is a way of trying to outplay your opponent. ,emember that a large number of players will be seeing the flop, and so a bluff of any kind is unlikely to work. =layers will be calling with any half decent hand, so >ust put your money in when you do make a hand, and when you don't, let it go.

Win your way out o! the mi$ro stakes games.

Tired of grinding 4 ", 48"# and 45!"# gamesE Want to mo+e up and win more money at more profitable stakes games onlineE

1f you thought that these tips were useful, you really need to check out Deuces @racked, which is the top poker training site !or mi$ro stakes players. There's no faster way to learn good poker. 1f you're serious about working your way out of the micro stakes games, you'll check out Deuces

@racked.

,ead the Deuces @racked re+iew. &ign up for a N day free trial

D= /on't be too $on$erned about your image.

1f you only play premium hands and bet with the best of it, don't be too worried that the other players are cottoning on to your game. =layers at the micros are far too concerned about the way they play opposed to the way that you play. &o don't feel pressured to change gears, as your opponents won't e+en notice. ?ou are better off focusing on playing solid 7)@ poker strategy than changing gears at the micro limits.

&i$ro limit poker strategy o#er#iew.

7s you can see, mi$ro limit poker is a slightly different breed of poker when compared to the other stakes. 7fter you learn the fundamentals of the game, these games should be easy to beat if you keep your cool. This makes it profitable to multi-table at least tables at a time because at such low stakes you are going to be less reliant on reading your opponents plays. 7s long as you play 7)@ poker *nothing fancy. and learn the tips abo+e, you should be on your way to beating the micros. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. "FT2G ?ou may be wondering, Bwhere is the truth in the statement about the players being too luckyE' * nd paragraph from top.. Well, there is a concept in poker known as Bschooling'. This is where if a player calls a bet with bad odds to make his draw, the call becomes Bless bad' as other players call the raise. For example, if you bet the si3e of the pot on the turn with a made hand, and your first opponent calls with a flush draw, he is making a bad play because he is calling a to 5 bet with % to 5 odds of making the flush. Howe+er if $ other players behind him call, this has changed the odds from G5 into 8G5, making his call profitable. This is why you should bet more against opponents with draws when more than one opponent is in the pot.

Changing 0ears In Poker

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R @hanging 'ears !

For those of you that dri+e a manual car, you will know how important it is to change gears depending on the type of road you are dri+ing along. 1f you were to simply stick with one gear for an entire >ourney, you will find that you will struggle along some roads. For example, if you decide to stay in 5st gear throughout a >ourney, you may be fine when you are first starting out, but as you start to get along and hit the faster stretches your car is not going to be performing as well. This is /uite similar to poker, as throughout your sessions, you should prepare to alter your play and (change gears(. ?our particular strategy at the start of the session may work well for a while, but at some point it is recommended that you change gearsH otherwise your performance will start to deteriorate. @hanging gears helps you to adapt the the changing dynamics of the game.

What is $hanging gears in poker?

Changing gears is basically where you de+iate from your standard playing style to make your game more unpredictable. 1f you are a tight player, you can change gears by opening up your starting hand re/uirements and start playing a more loose style of play. &imilarly, if you are a loose player you can change gears by tightening up your starting hand re/uirements and playing fewer hands. Howe+er, it should be pointed out that this does not necessarily mean going from super tight one minute to ultra loose the next. The time and manner in which you change gears should depend on the particular dynamics at the table. @hanging gears can simply in+ol+e mo+ing from a loose style of play to a tight one *and +ice +ersa..

Why should you $hange gears?

The are numerous reasons as to why you should change gears, but one of the most important reasons is because your opponents will be able to work out your particular playing style, and use it against you at your expense. 1f you continue to play a straightforward tight-aggressi+e playing style throughout a session with no sign of change, it will make it much easier for your opponents to put you on a hand. Howe+er, if you can change your play so that you are more unpredictable, you are effecti+ely taking away the edge that your opponents ha+e o+er you and placing it back onto your side. 1n general, the tight aggressi+e style of play is /uite like the $rd gear of a carH it may work okay throughout the ma>ority of a >ourney, but it is not going to perform best in certain situations. 1f you can change gears and utili3e the ability you ha+e to keep your opponents guessing, you will be maximi3ing your potential from e+ery session you play. $rd gear may be fine for some, but for those looking to win more money and de+elop, you need to be able to change gears in the right situations. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

)*amples o! when to $hange gears.

When stack si3es change *i.e. you become shortstacked or deepstacked.. When you reach the bubble in a tournament. When the dynamics of the table changes. When players lea+e the table or when new players >oin. ?our play has become static and predictable.

1n each of these situations abo+e, a certain +ariable at the table has changed. This means that it will ha+e an effect on the way people are playing against each other, and the way they are playing against you. Therefore you should adapt your approach to the game accordingly so that you can take ad+antage of the changes, or compensate for the way your opponents will now be playing against you.

When your sta$k si.e $hanges.

1f you start out a cash game with 5!!)), you can happily employ your fa+oured winning style of play. Howe+er, if you win a handful of all-in encounters and find yourself with a much larger stack si3e against opponents with e/ually deep stacks, you should be prepared to adapt your play. 1n this situation there will be much greater implied odds at stake, and so you can afford to pay that little extra to see flops with hands like pocket pairs and other drawing hands, whereas you may pre+iously folded because the pot odds and implied odds would not ha+e been in your fa+our.

When you rea$h the bubble in a tournament.

Typically in a tournament, people tighten up at the bubble in an attempt to hold on and make their way into the money. This is a prime opportunity to take ad+antage of this tight play, and pick up some loose uncontested pots to set yourself up with a strong stack to contend for first place. &ure, you can tighten up as well, and muddle your way into the money, but you are missing out on a prime opportunity to pick up loose pots and gi+e yourself a much better opportunity to take first place. )ig -TT tournaments are prime examples of where the ability to change gears as the tournament progresses is +ital to a winning strategy.

When the dynami$s o! the table $hanges

&ometimes in poker, the way the table is playing will start to change, as players gradually play tighter or become looser. 1f you can spot when the dynamics of the table is changing for whate+er reason, you can capitalise on it by adapting your game accordingly. Ff course you can carry on the same way you ha+e been playing throughout the session, but again you are missing out on a great opportunity to maximi3e your winnings by not taking note of the changes.

When players lea#e the table or when new players Coin.

&imilar to the point abo+e, if new players are >oining a table and old ones are lea+ing, the dynamics of the table will naturally be changing. 1f you play at a table for an hour or so and notice that many of the original players ha+e left, you can't expect the dynamics of the table to be the same as when you started. Therefore you should always be aware of potential changes especially as new players >oin.

:our play has be$ome stati$ and predi$table.

7s already mentioned, one of the most important reasons to change gears is to keep your play unpredictable. 1f your opponents can work out your style of play, it will make it a hell of a lot easier for them to read your hands. &o make sure that you do not shoot yourself in the foot by continually playing the same style of pokerH be prepared to mix it up a little when necessary. Howe+er, this does not mean playing bad cards for the sake of it if you are a tight player, it simply means opening up your range a little to incorporate hands that a slightly looser opponent might play. Aust because you are changing gears, it does not mean that you should play badly and lose money for the sake of changing gears. 1t is perfectly possible to adopt a winning loose style of play from your current tight style of play and +ice +ersa. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

Changing gears e#aluation.

1t is not terrible thing to continuously play your regular style of play throughout a session. 1n fact, it's always good to be consistent and make the plays that are the most profitable at e+ery opportunity. Howe+er, if you are not changing gears, then you are not allowing yourself to make the most profitable plays possible. 1f you confine yourself to one style of play alone, you are restricting yourself from getting your hands on the extra money that comes from di+ersifying your play. &ome players ha+e been brought up on the bread and butter style of 7)@ pokerH which is all well and good. )ut this kind of play isn't always going to cut it in certain situations. &o if you want to get the most from your sessions you should learn to change gears at the right moments, and keep your opponents on their toes *as well as to take ad+antage of the changing dynamics of the table.. 1t may be a little tricky to change gears at first, but after a little practice it will be like second nature. 9reeroll tournaments are +ery popular amongst online players who do not want to make a deposit into their poker accounts. 1f you play well, it is indeed +ery possible to start a successful poker bankroll through simply playing in freerolls 7ll you ha+e to do is place in a few of these freeroll tournaments, build up a small sum of money and head to the cash tables. 1f you in+est time and effort with good bankroll management skills, there is no reason why you cannot set yourself up with a decent online bankroll to play with. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

9reeroll tournaments $an be tri$ky.

Due to the popularity of freerolls, you will often find yourself sitting in a tournament with thousands of players hoping to get a slice of the pri3e pool to add to their own accounts. 7 large number of these players will be there to see how far they can ride their luckH pushing in on any random hands without e+en attempting to play some (real poker(. 1nitiating an online bankroll through freerolls can be a tedious affair, therefore 1 ha+e compiled these top @ tips !or winning money !rom online poker !reerolls.

9reeroll tournament tips.

-= e prepared to a$$ept losses.

7s negati+e as it sounds, you really ha+e to be prepared to lose when playing in freerolls. The best player in the world will ha+e trouble placing well in any of these freerolls because luck plays so much more of a factor than in any other tournament. 1f you focus too much on expecting to win, you will only be more disappointed and frustrated when you end up getting sucked out on for all your chips. The best formula for online freerolls is to play well, and get lucky. ?ou can't control luck, but you can impro+e your chances of winning by playing lots of freeroll tournaments.

'= Play a lot o! !reerolls and play them well.

7s mentioned abo+e, we cannot expect to place well in all of the freerolls that we play in. )y playing in more freerolls we are gi+ing oursel+es a better chance to finish in the money. ?ou can increase the number of freerolls a+ailable to you by signing up at a number of different poker rooms. 7lmost all rooms offer freerolls, and they are happy for you to sign up >ust to play in them. &o now not only do we ha+e to play well and be lucky, but we also ha+e to play often.

>= Sit tight at the start.

The start of an online freeroll is always a bit of a fren3y. The luck riders will be straight into action, pushing all their chips in the middle with any two cards hoping for the /uick double up at the start. This usually results in a rapid decrease in the number of players and you will find a few players sitting with monster stack si3es compared to the rest of the field. This is only natural, so don't think that you should ha+e a large stack si3e like theirs to stand a chance of winning. Aust sit tight wait for the good hands, and wait for your turn to double up. Do not be phased if you end up busting out early, >ust forget about it and head onto the next one, it's probably only around the corner.

?= Look out !or the players sitting out.

1f you look around the table at a freeroll, you should notice that some of the players are sitting out and not playing in any of the hands. This is because they ha+e signed up for the tournament, but ha+e not turned up to play in it. This means that their blinds will be up for grabs for anyone who decides to raise pre-flop and doesn't come up against an opponent that is actually playing in the tournament. Ieep your eye out for the players who are sitting out, so that you can raise and take their blinds when you feel that you will not come up against any resistance from an actual player. -ake sure that you pick your spots carefully, and try not to get into any hea+y contests with any of your opponents for these free blinds.

@= e aware o! when the dynami$s $hange.

7s already mentioned, the start of a freeroll will be a complete fren3y. =layers will be dropping out at a rapid rate and it seems like you will be in the money in no time. )ut you should reali3e that this pace will not be sustained throughout the tournament, and as the numbers decrease, the skill will increase. 'reat tournament players are able to /uickly identify and adapt to changes in the game. 7s the luck riders drop out you will be left with opponents that ha+e more of an idea of what they are doing, and they will now ha+e their eyes on the money positions. This means you can play more tactically, and use a few more plays that you couldn't ha+e used at the start, because these players will now actually be able to fold their hands. &o be aware of when the transition from luck to poker starts to take place, because it will be time to change gears. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

9reeroll tournament tips e#aluation.

These tips should pro+e useful for when you decide to play in your next freeroll. Fne key point that 1 feel 1 should highlight once more is the fact that you are going to lose far more of the freerolls you play in than win. Do not be disappointed if you ha+e a long run of losses and come close to winning but fall at the final hurdle. Try to ha+e as much fun as you can playing in these freerolls and one day you will end up walking away with that initial sum of money in your account. 7fter all, what ha+e you got to loseE

Hnline Poker Tells

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R Fnline Tells 5 ,elati+e to li+e poker, there are far fewer online poker tells that you can pick up on to find out whether or not your opponent is bluffing, especially in online Texas Holdem. This is for the ob+ious reason that you are unable to physically see who you are playing against. "e+ertheless, this can be positi+e for your game because you can focus on the tactical side of your game and learn how to play different situations with impro+ed skill. Howe+er, there are still a number of online poker tells that you can look out for that can gi+e away the strength of your opponent's hand. Fnline tells are ne+er going to be as solid as li+e tells, but they can still pro+e to be a little handy from time to time. Howe+er, 1 wouldn't recommend solely relying on them when making tough decisions.

Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

Top online poker tells.

#ong wait and check. #ong wait and bet6raise. @heck6call and then bet. 1nstant bet6check. =layer timing out.

Long wait and $he$k.

This shows that your opponent is weak, because he wants to make you think that he is considering to make a mo+e with his hand when really he wont be holding much at all. @onsider raising when in position, e+en if you donCt ha+e much of a hand yourself.

Long wait and bet7raise.

This is the opposite of what was mentioned abo+e. This action shows strength, as your opponent wants to make you think they are deliberating a check because they ha+e a weak hand, but in actual fact they are holding a strong hand. 1f you think about it, if you are holding a monster you will not want to bet /uickly and show confidence in your bet, which may scare your opponents out of the pot. &o be prepared to fold a decent hand in this situation.

Che$k7$all !lopG bet small on turn.

?ou are in position. ?our opponent checks the flop and you bet. ?our opponent calls your bet, and then bets out a relati+ely small amount when the turn comes. 1n this situation you can comfortably put your opponent on a certain basket of handsH a draw or a mediocre hand like middle pair. "e+er gi+e too much respect to a small bet. 7 weak bet is a weak bet, so treat it like one. What your opponent is trying to do is stop you making a large bet on the turn that he won't like to call *because they may ha+e a weak hand or a draw., and so is attempting to show a little strength by betting first and not ha+ing to call a bet from you. This is sometimes referred to as a 'stop bet' or a blocking bet, because your opponent is trying to stop you from putting in that big bet. &o try re-raising in these situations to pre+ent them from impro+ing their hand.

Instant bet7$he$k.
7lmost e+ery site will ha+e action tabs that you can select before the action gets to you. This means that you will act instantaneously when it is your turn. 1t is not a wise idea to use these buttons for the following reasonsG

When you see someone insta-check, it shows great weakness because they are so disinterested with the hand that they decide to check before the action gets to them. Therefore insta-betting6raising shows strength, as your opponent is happy to put more money into the pot before seeing what other players do and before the action reaches him or her.

Player timing out.

)ecause of how easy it is to play poker online *in ease of use terms., many players will not ha+e their full attention on the game. They may be in+ol+ed in other acti+ities such as talking on a messenger, browsing the net or e+en multi-tabling too many tables. This means that they occasionally will not realise it is their turn and time out, and then apologise for wasting time in the chat box. Due to their lack of focus, they will be playing basic poker J raising with good hands and checking6folding bad hands. ?ou can be confident that your opponent wonCt be pulling any mo+es on you to win the hand. &o if they bet, make sure you ha+e a good hand to call with, or fold. 1f they check, try raising to win the pot. 1f they do call when you bet, they may be on a draw.

Hnline poker tells e#aluation.

These are the most useful online poker tells that 1 ha+e been able to pick up on in my time of playing online poker. Fb+iously as you can see there is not a lot that you can go on apart from the time a player takes to act in deciding what kind of hand they ha+e. )ut remember that you should not >ust rely on little ticks and tells to find out if your opponent is bluffing. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. The more you play the more you will understand the logistics of the game and be able to read people by their betting patterns. This is by far the best way to pick up on the strength of your opponentCs hand. 7t the end of the day, there is no better tell than a playerCs betting pattern.

Poker Initiati#e

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R 1nitiati+e !

1nitiati+e and (taking the initiati+e( is a term that you will bump in to e+ery now and then in poker books, on forums and in training +ideos. )ut what exactly is initiati+e in poker, and how can it be used to your ad+antageE Aust to keep you excited, 1 would say that ha+ing the initiati+e during a hand is >ust as influential as your actual position at the table.

What is initiati#e?
The dictionary defines initiati+e asG (7n introductory act or stepH leading action.( That's all well and good, but what's that got to do with Texas Hold'em exactlyE #et's translate this in to more of a poker context that makes more sense... 1nitiati+e in poker is where a player has shown the most aggression in any gi+en betting round. This player is therefore representing the strongest hand at the table and (has the initiati+e in the hand(. 7s a result, a lot of the play on future betting rounds will be centered around the player with the (initiati+e(. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

How to take the initiati#e.

To take the initiati+e, you simply need to make the last aggressi#e play in the betting round, which in+ol+es either betting or raising. Here are a few examples in+ol+ing players 7 and ) *and sometimes @ for good measure. taking the initiati+e.

2xamples of taking the initiati+e. 7 bets and ) calls. - =layer 7 has the initiati+e. 7 bets, ) raises and 7 calls. - =layer ) has the initiati+e. 7 checks, ) bets, 7 check-raises and ) calls. - =layer 7 has the initiati+e. 7 bets, ) calls, @ raises, 7 calls and ) calls. - =layer @ has the initiati+e. 7 check and ) checks. - "either player has the initiati+e.

1t's all pretty straightforward. )ut basically, if you are calling or checking to close the action, you are not taking the initiati+e in the hand. This should ha+e helped illustrate what 1 mean when 1 say the player that shows the (most aggression( takes the initiati+e in the hand.

When $an you take the initiati#e?

The most common place that the initiati+e is taken is before the flop, as there is almost always a raiser followed by caller*s. before the flop is dealt. Howe+er, there is no reason why the initiati+e can't be taken on future betting rounds such as the flop, turn or ri+er. 1f there are >ust calls and no raises before the flop, then no player has the initiati+e. The player that shows the most aggression on the flop will then be taking the initiati+e. 1n addition, the initiati+e can change from one player to another on different betting rounds. The initiati+e does not stay with one player throughout the hand, as it can easily switch to play that shows the most aggression on future betting rounds.

2xample of the initiati+e changing hands. =reflopG 7 raises and ) calls. =layer 7 has the initiati+e. FlopG 7 bets, ) raises and 7 calls. =layer ) has the initiati+e.

%d#antages o! initiati#e.
Ha+e you e+er noticed that whene+er you call a raise before the flop, the action always seems to re+ol+e around the preflop raiserE 7ll of the other players want to see what the preflop raiser does on the flop before they make their mo+e, which of course has its ad+antages...

Taking the initiati+e puts you in the dri+ers seat in the hand. Fther players will wait for you to make the first mo+e by checking to you. )y betting and raising your hand has unlimited strength in the eyes of your opponents. )y taking the initiati+e, you are making it far more difficult for your opponent to assign you to a specific range of hands.

)eing aggressi+e forces other players to make tough decisions, which means that they ha+e less control o+er the hand and are more susceptible to making -20 plays.

1nitiati+e is the reason why continuation bets are so effecti+e and why relati+e position is such an important concept to be aware of at the Texas Hold'em tables. 1t also opens up a whole lot more opportunities to pick up uncontested pots that would normally fall in to another player's stack. Ha+ing the initiati+e is almost as important, if not e/ual to, your position at the table. Don't underestimate the influence that initiati+e can ha+e in the hands that you play.

How to use initiati#e in poker.

1 can't gi+e you a how-to guide to initiati+e in the sense thatH (here is where you should take the initiati+e( and (here is where you should not take the initiati+e(. This main focus of this article is to highlight how it is generally more profitable to be the aggressor by betting and raising as opposed to checking and calling. There's similar strategy for taking the initiati+e and aggression in the importance of aggression article.

Taking the initiati#e e*ampleI

)elow is an example hand history that highlights how taking the initiati+e before the flop allows us to win the hand on the flop. )enefit of taking the initiati+e example hand history. 1f we has >ust called before the flop, we would ha+e not taking the initiati+e in the hand. We would then likely be checking to our opponent who would then make a standard continuation bet, to which we would ha+e to fold *unless we had a +ery strong reason not to.. Aust by $-betting before the flop with our pocket Aacks, the whole hand has been turned on it's head and our opponent could well find themsel+es folding a hand like MM, II to our cbet on the flop. )y taking the initiati+e in the hand we put the power back in to our hands and take down a pot that could >ust as easily gone the other way. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

)#aluation o! initiati#e in poker.

Would you belie+e it, there's something else out there that is about as important as table position, and 'od knows how much strategy articles lo+e to go on about that. 7lthough you don't often hear much about strategy focused on the term (initiati+e(, it's all part and parcel of the whole (aggressi+e poker is winning poker( philosophy.

)y being aggressi+e and raising more often than calling, you are taking the initiati+e in the hand and gi+ing yourself that extra ad+antage for when you hit the flop. That's all there is to it. This does not mean that you should be betting and raising with e+ery hand you play, you still need to exercise common sense. "ow you >ust need to practice with it and see how much of an effect initiati+e has on the hands you play for yourself.

Poker %ggression
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R 7ggression !

Ha+ing the ability to play aggressi#ely is an important attribute to ha+e when it comes to poker, especially when playing in the game of Texas Holdem. )eing aggressi+e is the opposite of being passi+e, where you make bets and raises more fre/uently instead of >ust checking and calling at each point during hands. =oker aggression opens more doorways to success in poker than it does to take a passi+e approach the game, which is why many successful players are aggressi+e. 1t is +ital that you are able to exercise a strategic aggressi+e style of play, as being aggressi+e does not mean simply betting and raising at e+ery opportunity. =laying aggressi+e poker well in+ol+es betting and raising when you ha+e an ad+antage o+er your opponents. This can be when you ha+e better cards, better position, or e+en when you ha+e better poker ability than them. %ggression is only bene!i$ial when you keep a $ool headG and when you pi$k your spots wisely to make your bets and raises. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

Poker aggression e*ample.

#ets say you are in a hand holding 7 I and the flop comes I T N .

1n this spot you ha+e top pair top kicker, which is a great hand but it can be easily cracked by the turn, especially since the board is coordinated with two cards of the same suit. 1f your opponent bets into you, it is important to be aggressi+e and raise, because you want to protect your hand and you do not particularly want you opponent to see another card that could potentially impro+e their hand to make it better than yours. The board is /uite coordinated, and your opponent could easily be betting with a worse hand *such as a draw or a lower pair.. :our main obCe$ti#e is to be aggressi#e and bet enough to gi#e your opponent the wrong pot odds to $all to impro#e their hand, so that you can take the pot down on the flop. This is the much better play than being passi+e and calling, as you lea+e yourself open to being out-drawn on the turn. This is one of the greatest aspects of being aggressi+e, as it can sa+e you from getting into tricky situations in the middle of a hand. There are also a number of other ad+antages that an aggressi+e approach to the game can gi+e. =laying aggressi+ely helps you to win more money by gi+ing your opponents bad odds to call with draws and by also increasing your fold e/uity.

Jsing aggression to buy position.

()uying position( means that you force opponents out of the pot in the pre-flop betting round that would be acting after you later in the hand. For example, we are two seats away from the button in a cash game holding M A . 2+eryone has folded to us except for one player who limped in. 1f we raise it to %)) and the seat next to the button along with the button folds, we ha+e >ust (bought position( for the rest of the hand. This means that we will be the last to act for the rest of the hand, gi+ing us an ad+antage o+er any players who call after the button. Fnce again aggression triumphs o+er passi+e play, because if we had >ust limped in, it is more likely that the seat next to the button or button will ha+e limped in also, which means we would not ha+e position for the rest of the hand. The more players you can force out of the hand that are acting after you, the better your position will be in the hand.

Jsing aggression to earn !ree $ards.

1f we are playing aggressi+ely, we should be able to create an aggressi+e and possibly loose table image that our opponents will take note of when making their plays. )y playing aggressi+ely, our opponents are more likely to check to us, rather than betting themsel+es to see how we react to the hand before they respond with their play. This is because our opponents will be less inclined to bet mediocre hands for fear of being raised off of them, and they will sometimes check big hands to us in hopes of inducing a bluff.

This can work to our ad+antage greatly if we flop a flush or a straight draw. 1f our opponent checks to us because of our aggressive style hoping to induce a bluff, we ha+e then earned oursel+es a free card to try and complete our draw, where normally they would ha+e bet into us if we had not been playing aggressi+ely.

Jsing aggression to get paid o!!.

1f we are constantly playing aggressi+ely, our opponents will start to gi+e us less credit for our hands as the game progresses. Fur opponents will reali3e that we cannot constantly ha+e the best hand e+ery time we bet and raise, so they will start to call us down in the hopes of catching us out when bluffing. This works to our ad+antage when we then make a good hand, because our opponents may well still call us down as they no longer gi+e us credit for ha+ing a strong hand. Therefore, we will be making money each time an opponent calls because they do not belie+e us, instead of ha+ing opponents fold because they belie+e we ha+e a strong hand. 1t is important howe+er to try and be aware of times when our opponents may be trying to trap us, by calling with their own monster hands instead of raising and betting. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

Poker aggression e#aluation.

Hopefully you can see that being aggressi+e is the winning style of play when it comes to Texas Holdem. "o matter whether you are a tight or loose player, being aggressi+e trumps passi+e play in almost e+ery area. =laying passi+ely will rarely win you a decent amount of money from poker, so learn to play strong, aggressi+e poker. 1f you watch winning players on T0 or e+en in the online rooms, you will notice that they are exercising either a tight-aggressi+e or loose-aggressi+e style of play. 0ery rarely will you see a pro playing passi+ely, as aggressi+e play is key to becoming a winning poker player.

Poker Sta$k Si.es Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R &tack &i3es !

&tack si3e plays a +ery important role in the game of no limit Texas Hold'em. 7t any point during the game there is the possibility that all of your chips can be put on the line, so it is important that your are not only aware of your own stack si3e, but the si3e of your opponents' stacks also. The amount of chips in front of you and the amount in front of the players around you influence a number of aspects of play in Texas Hold'em, ranging from the psychological to the mathematical. This article aims to address the key points that you should remember with regards to understanding sta$k si.es in poker.

Poker sta$k si.es guide.

The si3e of a player's stack is always in relation to the blinds of that particular game. 7 4 !!! chip stack may sound like a lot on its own, but if they blinds are 45!!64 !! then this is a +ery small amount to be playing with in no limit Hold'em. The following table should gi+e you an idea of what is considered to be small, medium and big stack si3esG

&mallG %! big blinds or less. -ediumG %5 J O! big blinds. )igG O5 big blinds or more. DeepG !! big blinds or more.

7 diagram to show the general difference between small, medium, big and deep-si3ed stacks in "# Hold'em.

-ost online and li+e poker rooms ha+e limits on how much or how little you can bring to the table from the start. There is typically a 5!)) minimum and a 5!!)) maximum for the ma>ority of limits. This means that players ha+e the option of buying in as a small, medium or big stack from the off. 7s you can see there is also a (deep stack( condition if you ha+e !! big blinds or more. This is common in cash games if a player has bought in for the maximum amount *usually 5!!))s. and has either doubled up through an all-in confrontation against another player of e/ual stack si3e, or has managed to grind there way up into the realm of the (deep stack(. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

How sta$k si.es a!!e$t the way you play.

The size of your stack in poker affects the way that you actually play your cards. 1f you ha+e a short stack then it will be difficult or impossible to make elaborate bluffs or plays because of the simple fact that you don't ha+e enough chips to scare opponents away from their hands. Fn the other hand, if you ha+e a large amount of chips in front of you then it is possible to make more ad+anced plays because you ha+e more chips to work with to manipulate your opponent into thinking that you ha+e a better hand than them. Therefore it is more ad+antageous to play simple 7)@ poker with short stacksG betting your strong hands and folding your weak hands. 1f you are short stacked, you want to play big cards that ha+e the best chances of winning in an all-in situation early on in the hand.

The e!!e$t o! sta$k si.es on implied odds.

7nother important fact of stack si3es is the implied odds *and potential re+erse implied odds. that are made a+ailable by ha+ing a big stack. 1f you and your opponent ha+e a big stack, then your implied odds increase when you ha+e drawing hands. For example if you know that your opponent raises $.8))s with 77 and will be prepared to go all in on the flop with an o+erpair, it makes it a profitable decision to call with a hand like N< because of the amount you can expect to win when you hit the flop hard. 1t is for the same reason why it is profitable to call raises with small pocket pairs to try and hit a set, e+en though the chance of hitting a set is usually far less than the odds you are getting. &o if you are up against big stacks it can be profitable to open up your starting hand re/uirements to include suited connectors and so on, whereas if you are up against short stacks you should stick with the big starting hands.

Psy$hology and sta$k si.es.

=sychological aspects are also in+ol+ed with sta$k si.es in poker. 1f you ha+e a big stack and you are up against an opponent with an e/ually big stack, then there is the possibility that you could lose all your chips in this one particular hand. 7lternati+ely, if you are up against an opponent that has a small stack, it is not possible for you to lose more than the amount your opponent has in front of them. This means that players will ha+e a greater concern when playing against big stacks than when playing against small stacks. =oker players are more wary about how they play their hand when up against an e/ually big stack.

Sta$k si.e psy$hology e*ample.

#ets say there is a raise from player 7 in late position and player ) with M A calls on the button, e+eryone else folds. There are now two players going to a flop and they both ha+e big stacks of around 5!!))s each, and player 7's hand is unknown. The flop comes the pot. A N , gi+ing player ) top pair. =layer 7 is first to act and bets the si3e of

This actually puts player ) in a difficult situation because e+en though they hold top pair with a decent kicker, player 7 is showing a lot of strength. =layer ) decides to call because a re-raise will commit a large number of chips into the pot with only top pair. The turn comes 8 , which probably did not help either player. =layer 7 bets the si3e of the pot again, and player ) /uickly decides to fold because they are not prepared to commit so much money into the hand with a hand like top pair.

Sta$k si.es e*ample e#aluation.

=layer 7 in this example may ha+e had a better hand or he may ha+e been totally bluffing, but it is not the focus of this example. 1n this hand player 7 was showing a lot of strength and forcing player ) to make difficult decisions. These decisions were made e+en more difficult due to the fact that player 7 was making it aware that they were willing to put a large amount of chips on the line in this hand. Therefore player ) made the decision to fold the hand because there was too much of a risk of putting a big number of their chips into the pot with a marginal holding like top pair. Howe+er, if player 7 only had !))s or $!))s, then it is more likely that player 7 would ha+e called the raises or mo+ed player 7 all-in because there are less chips at stake. The point being made from this example is that it is easier to get big stacks off marginal hands because the prospect of ha+ing to call large bets and put more money on the line influences the way that an opponent will play their hand.

The bigger your stack, the less likely it is for an opponent to put up a fight with a marginal hand like top pair. This is especially true if you continue to bet strongly on the turn after betting the flop.

Poker sta$k si.e strategy e#aluation.

1t is fair to say that a large number of poker players do not factor in sta$k si.es *more specifically, effective stack si3es. when making decisions at the poker table. ?ou should always try and consider the future implications of any hand depending on the si3e of your stack and the si3e of your opponents stack. 7sk yourself if you really want to get into a big pot with a marginal holding against another big stack. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. ?ou should also consider whether it's worth calling the bet on the flop if you are fairly confident that you are going to fold when you opponent bets again on the turn. There are many sub-factors in+ol+ed in stack si3es that it re/uires some experience to fully understand the implications of each situation. 1t takes practice to get to grips with it, so get out there and play some handsL

Loose Table Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R #oose Table &trategy !

=laying poker at a loose table can be a +ery profitable experience. Howe+er without the correct ad>ustments to many areas of your strategy it can also be dangerous J introducing high +ariance into the game. This article looks at the different types of loose table in No-Limit Texas Holdem and discusses the important ad>ustments re/uired in order to win at these tables. We start by noting that not all loose tables are the same. The main distinctions are the playing styles, between loose 6 passi+e tables and loose 6 aggressi+e tables.

1 will show you how to /uickly distinguish each from the statistics a+ailable in the lobby of most online poker rooms. 7long with the ad>ustments in starting hand selection and the factors affecting pre-flop decisions are then co+ered. Finally 1 look at post flop play and the effect of your table image on your strategy for winning at loose tables. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

What is a loose poker table?

The term (loose( in poker refers to players who are willing to play a wide number of hands before the flop J the more hands played the (looser( the player. 1f se+eral loose players get together a table can form where most pots are played multi-way, at least in the early stages. Here is where we need to make a distinction based on the passi+e or aggressi+e nature of the players at the table. 7t a loose 6 passi+e table many players will call or limp with a wide range of holdings before the flop J creating small pots with many players still in+ol+ed. 7t a loose 6 aggressi+e table players are more likely to raise and re-raise before the flop, creating large pots with a moderate amount of players in+ol+ed. #oose aggressi+e tables can easily be the most profitable tables to play at if you use the correct strategy. These types of loose table re/uire different strategies in order to win. The important factor is knowing how to tell what kind of table you are >oining before sitting down.

Jsing lobby !igures to identi!y loose poker tables.

&tatistics a+ailable in poker site lobbies usually show two key numbers. These are the number of players seeing each flop, and the a+erage si3e of each pot. #oose tables will ha+e anywhere between %!9 and :!9 of players per flop. 7ggressi+e tables will ha+e a much larger a+erage pot si3e than the passi+e tables.

Strategy !or playing at loose poker tables.

&trategy for playing at loose poker tables can be split up in to two sections based on the type of loose players who you are up against. 5. =laying at a loose 6 passi+e table. . =laying at a loose 6 aggressi+e table.

Loose 7 passi#e table strategy.

&trategy ad>ustments for loose passi+e tables often depend on the willingness of indi+idual opponents to call large raises before the flop. There will usually be a gap between the hands that opponents are willing to limp and those that they will call a raise with. )y their +ery nature passi+e opponents are more likely to call raises than re-raise you J so the first point is to tread carefully when you are called. 7t a passi+e table the chances of being re-raised before the flop are smaller than at aggressi+e tables. This means it is possible to limp with more hands that ha+e high implied odds +alue such as small pairs and suited connectors. These types of hands play well in multi-way pots. 7fter you flop a monster hand be careful not to blow your passi+e opponents out of the pot with big raises. Knless the board is particularly draw-hea+y you should instead pick a bet si3e *see bet si3ing. that is likely to be called J building the pot gradually so as to be paid the maximum. The main problem with playing at passi+e tables is that it is slightly harder to build big pots. =laying premium pairs at a passi+e table should usually in+ol+e raising to thin the field. Too small a raise can easily induce se+eral of your loose opponents to enter the pot behind you with speculati+e holdings. This can be a disaster for a pair of aces if a dangerous flop comes. The ideal strategy to win at a loose 6 passi+e table is to become tight and aggressi+e J yet limp in with those hands with high implied-odds +alue as the situation warrants.

Loose 7 aggressi#e table strategy.

#oose 6 aggressi+e tables play completely differently. Here the only time you will be able to play small pair or suited connector type hands is when you close the betting J that is to say you are the last person to call a raise before the flop comes. 1n early position these hands should be folded as there is too much danger of a raise and a re-raise behind you. =remium pairs can be played strongly at a loose 6 aggressi+e table, though for different reasons compared to the loose 6 passi+e example. Here you are looking to get a large amount of money into the pot before the flop, preferably against a single opponent. The higher chance of a re-raise *or e+en a %th raise all-in. makes playing these hands positi+ely a profitable mo+e. ?our strategy after the flop will also depend on the aggressi+eness of your loose table. #oose passi+e players will often call with draws, sometimes as little as a gut-shot straight. )etting enough with a made hand to make their draws unprofitable by gi+ing them poor pot odds will win money o+er time. Fbser+ing that a loose 6 passi+e player only e+er bets out when they made their draw can win you e+en more J by allowing you to get away from a nd best hand as the situation re/uires. 7t a loose passi+e table you will get many free cards to make your own drawing hands, take them J a bet is often too likely to be called to function as a semi-bluff. With a drawing hand after the flop at a loose 6 aggressi+e table you will ha+e less chance to take a free card. Fpponents are likely to bet whether they hit the flop or not. Here a bet, particularly in

position may be your best strategy. 2+en an aggressi+e opponent is likely to check to you after the turn J in which case you can take a free ri+er card to try and complete your draw if re/uired.

Table image at loose tables.

Finally, your own table image and betting style will affect your strategy when playing at a loose table. 1f you ha+e been playing loose poker yourself then resist the temptation to suddenly check when you hit a monster hand. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. There are reasons for this, firstly obser+ant opponents may suspect something is amiss J since you did not bet when you usually do. &econdly, you ha+e missed a chance to get some more money into the pot, and so increase the si3e of bets on future betting rounds.

Loose table strategy e#aluation.

To summari3e, winning at a loose table in+ol+es ad>usting your strategy depending on whether the players are loose 6 passi+e or loose 6 aggressi+e. Hands are played differently both before and after the flop depending on the nature of your loose opponents. ?our position at the table and your table image are other factors that also affect your strategy in winning at loose tables.

Tight Table Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R #oose Table &trategy !

Tables featuring tight players can be a profitable +enue for the poker player who is able to properly ad>ust their strategy accordingly. 7d>ustments will need to be made in se+eral areas to a+oid tricky post flop situations. This article will look into some of the key poker strategy ad>ustments re/uired to help you win at tight tables today.

Firstly we will look at the nature of your tight opponents, the kind of starting hands that they are playing and their likely betting patterns before and after the flop. We then look at how ha+ing tight opponents affects your own starting hand selection and post-flop strategy in a +ariety of situations. Finally we co+er how your position at the table relati+e to certain types of tight opponent will further affect your strategy. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

What is a tight poker table?

Tight players can be defined as those playing few hands pre-flop J in some cases less than 5!9 of all starting hands. The characteristics of tight players mean that they will normally raise with the hands that they play J since these are generally strong. &ince they ha+e waited a long time for a /uality hand in many cases, some tight players are reluctant to let go of these strong hands unless they are sure that they are beaten. Tight players play +ery few hands, and tend to stick to premium hands when entering a pot. While not all tight opponents are e/ual, we can make some assumptions based on their reluctance to get in+ol+ed in a pot without solid +alues. Firstly, you will need a strong hand yourself to call a raise from a tight player *see the gap concept.. &econdly, we can expect a tight player to bet out on a +ariety of flops J but be less likely to call a big raise when a (scare card( *for example an ace when the tight player holds a pair of /ueens. hits the board.

Tight poker table strategy.

The strategy ad>ustments re/uired to beat these kind of opponents will affect many areas of your game. ?ou should be less willing to call a raise from a tight player J but more willing to open a pot for a raise yourself. ,aising has two key ad+antages. Tight players will often (tip you off( when they hold a monster by re-raising. 1mportantly, they will also fold regularly to any show of strength J enabling you to build you stack by picking up blinds and small pots where none of your opponents ha+e hit a strong hand. Tight players tend to be a little easier to read than loose players, but this does not necessarily mean that it is more profitable to play against them. =ost flop play against tight opponents in+ol+es making some assumptions about the likelihood of them hitting the flop based on the texture of the community cards.

Tight poker table hand e*ample.

7 good example is when $ low cards come on the board J or perhaps a small pair with a medium card. The nature of your opponents means they will be hea+ily fa+oring high cards. &ince there are more unpaired high card combinations than pairs *for example 7-I can be dealt 5: ways

while 7-7 or I-I only ha+e : ways each. the flop is likely to ha+e missed the ma>ority of their hands. Here a small bet will often take the pot uncontested from your tight opponents.

%nother tight poker table hand e*ample.

7 second example in+ol+es a flop with a number of draws J for example 8 : < . Here imagine that you called a bet from position before the flop and your tight opponent now bets into you on this board. )eing tight his most likely holding is an o+er-pair to the board, the bet designed to protect this hand from the numerous drawing hands. Here is a situation where calling this bet, then raising hea+ily should a $rd suited card or card that could ha+e made a straight arri+es on the turn. While this strategy is more risky it carries the benefit that opponents are unlikely to ha+e bet before the flop with a drawing hand themsel+es. 1n both examples the nature of the particular opponent should be taken into account. While many tight players will lay down their hands in the face of strength or a draw hea+y board J some will not. 1f you run into a tight 6 passi+e opponent who will call all the way with I-I on an ace high flop then add them to your Bbuddy listC immediately J this opponent is perfect for +alue betting those times that you make a strong hand and will often pay you off with their entire stack.

Position strategy at tight tables.

?our position at the table is another important factor in winning at tight tables. This includes both your position in relation to the dealer button and your position in relation to the pre-flop raiser. From the dealer button you can open up your starting hand re/uirements at a tight table, from any late position you are mathematically fa+ored to steal the blinds against opponents with small calling ranges. 7cting last after the flop will gi+e you more information at a tight table than at a loose one. 7t a loose table your opponent is likely to continuation bet as a matter of course J a raise and a reraise ahead of you at a tight table is more likely to reflect the true strength of your opponentCs hands, allowing you to exit the pot cheaply.

2elati#e position at a tight table.

@alling a raise from early position at a tight table can lea+e you +ulnerable to being sandwiched between the likely post-flop raiser and any opponents left in the hand. &ince opponents are likely to play strong starting hands this can potentially lead to difficult decisions after the flop J for example your top pair may be ahead of the original raiser but an opponent behind you may ha+e hit a monster. &itting immediately to the left of the preflop raiser can cause more problems than you might think. 7+oid these situations by ensuring that you will act last relati+e to the likely raiser after the flop. Take a look at the article on relati+e position for more information on this topic.

"ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

Tight table strategy e#aluation.

To summari3e, ad>usting to tight tables in+ol+es se+eral interlinking factors. )luffing, particularly on low or draw-hea+y flops goes up in +alue *howe+er you must gi+e up /uickly if calledL., +alue betting becomes opponent dependant and is +ery lucrati+e against a tight 6 passi+e opponent. The +alue of position, both absolute and relati+e, increases as post flop bets *or checks. are more likely to reflect the true strength of your opponentCs hands.

The 0ap Con$ept

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R 'ap @oncept 5

=rofessional =oker writer and player David klansky introduced the gap $on$ept to poker in his book Tournament !oker for "dvanced !layers.

What is the gap $on$ept?

The gap concept simply suggests that it takes a better hand to call a raise than it takes to make the first raise. The (gap( describes how big the distance is between the +alue of the raiserCs hand and the +alue of the potential callerCs hand. This (gap( increases when playing against a tight opponent and decreases when playing against a loose opponent. For what it's worth, the gap concept is not exclusi+e to Texas Hold'em. 1t can be played to almost all +ariants of poker where there is an initial round of betting, including +ariants like Fmaha and N @ard &tud =oker.

0ap $on$ept diagram.

The green and purple lines are the most important ones to think about. This is a simple diagram to highlight the gap between hands that players are prepared to bet with and hands that players are prepared to call with.

The green and purple lines increase in length for loose players with wide starting hand ranges. The green and purple lines decrease in length for tight players with strict starting hand ranges. The gap increases when looser players bet in to tight players. The gap decreases when tighter players bet in to loose players.

Don't forget that this is >ust a +ery basic diagram to illustrate the gap concept. 1t does not factor in other important stuff likeH the number of players at the table, player position, bet si3es and metagame conditions. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

0ap $on$ept e*ample.

7n example of where the gap concept can be used is when you are holding a hand like 7T in middle6late position. 1f there has been a raise before you, it is likely that your opponent will ha+e a stronger hand because they ha+e raised in an early position. 7 raise from early position usually shows more strength than a raise from late position, because the 2= raiser knows that a number of players will be acting after them and they will be one of the

first to act on following rounds if another player calls. Therefore we can put our opponent on a range of good hands like 7I, 7M, 7A, 77, II, MM, AA and so on. -ost of these hands that an early position player would usually raise with ha+e our hand dominatedH therefore we should fold the hand. 7 raise from early position shows far more strength than a raise from a player in late position. Howe+er, if there has been no raise before the action gets to us, it may be a good idea to raise because we may now ha+e the best hand. 1n addition, we would be using the gap concept to our ad+antage because any players acting after us will be concerned that we ha+e a strong hand if we raise *like the hands outlined abo+e., and they will ha+e to ha+e a good strong hand to call. Furthermore, by raising in late position we ha+e the opportunity to take down the pot because there are less people to act behind us.

How the gap $on$ept works.

The gap concept relies on players gi+ing the initial raiser a range of starting hands that they belie+e they would raise with. The tighter the table image of the raiser, the smaller the range of hands would be and therefore there would be a greater (gap( between the +alue of the raiserCs hand and the +alue of the hand that the player is contemplating to call with. &ubse/uently, the range increases and the gap decreases if the raising player is loose, as a loose player may well be raising with much weaker holecards. This means that stronger hands will be needed to call a tight playerCs raise than a raise from a loose player. This may seem a little confusing at first, but it simply incorporates the basic idea that you need a +ery good hand to call raises against tight players and that you do not always need a strong hand to call a raise from a loose player. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

0ap $on$ept e#aluation.

When you call a raise, it is indicating to your opponent and the rest of the table that you ha+e a strong hand. Howe+er, when a player raises, it does not necessarily mean that they ha+e a strong hand, as they could >ust be playing aggressi+e poker. Therefore this is where the gap concept is used to show how it takes a stronger hand to $all a raise than it does to make the raise in the !irst pla$e. The gap concept is used to help show you the ad+antages of aggressi+e play and how you must be selecti+e about the hands that you play with in the face of a raise.

Short Sta$k Poker Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R &hort &tack &trategy

For a guide to beating short stack poker players, check out the (@rushing &hortstackers( concept +ideo.

There are always going to be times in your poker career where you will find yourself as the short sta$k at the table and probably ha+ing a smaller stack than the rest of your opponents. 1t may be because you are in the middle of a tournament and had a bad run of cards, or because you simply en>oy to buy in to cash games with a short stack. )ut for whate+er reason you are playing with a relati+ely small amount of chips, it is good to be able to understand and employ a good short stack strategy.

What is a short sta$k in no limit Te*as Hold'em?

The typical short stack in any cash game or tournament will ha+e %! )ig )linds or less. Howe+er, there are +arying degrees of short stack poker as a 5!)) stack will re/uire a slightly different strategy than a %!)) stack, and it is important to be aware of these differences. ?ou may ha+e noticed that the term Bshort stackC is determined by the si3e of your stack relati+e to the blinds, and not relati+e to the stack si3es of your opponents. Therefore e+en if you ha+e $!)) and your opponents ha+e !)), you are still considered to ha+e a short stack, and so you should continue to utili3e a good short stack strategy. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

How to play with a short sta$k.

Ha+ing a short stack means that you ha+e less room to make plays at the poker table. )luffs and ad+anced mo+es *like float plays. are formed from being able to make educated checks, bets, calls and raises on each round of the hand, so ha#ing a short sta$k will redu$e and sometimes eliminate any room !or spe$ial manoeu#res by both you and your opponents. Furthermore, the general structure of a no limit Texas Holdem game is that the bigger bets will be made on the turn and ri+er, as the preflop and flop rounds are usually set-up rounds that build the pot and prepare the hand for action. The fact that we ha+e a short stack means that we will rarely be making it past the flop in terms of betting as we will not ha+ing enough chips to continue. With a short stack, most *or all. of the action will be taking place on the preflop and flop betting rounds.

Hands to play when short"sta$ked.

The fact that we ha+e little room for mo+ement and that our betting will cease at the flop means that we should be playing big hea+y hitting hands that will make strong hands at the flop, rather than smaller hands that ha+e BpotentialC. We should a+oid hands like suited connectors and small pocket pairs, as these hands are profitable when we ha+e a deep stack, as our implied odds are there to compensate for the likely e+ent that we miss the flop. 1n general we are best entering pots with are big suited cards that can make top pair or better at the flop, although we should exercise some flexibility in starting hand selection depending on the si3e of our short stack. )elow is a table of the hands we should be looking to play depending on our situationG

Starting hands $hart.

"oteG This starting hands chart is designed for tournament games where you are pressured to make more mo+es as the amount of chips left in your stack decreases. This table is not designed for short stack cash game strategy where you ha+e the option of reloading again and again. Hands Iey

%!)) or less. $!)) or less. !)) or less. 5!)) or less.

77 II MM

7Is 7Ms AA 7I 7M 7As 7A TT 7Ts IMs 7T IM IAs IA 7Ss 7S MAs MA

7s you can see, a lot of emphasis has been placed playing big cards that can make top pair or better, which will often be the best hand on the flop. 7s you should remember it is unlikely that we will make any more bets past the flop betting round, so we should be more than happy to be making a good pair and get our money in on the flop. ?ou may notice that hands that include aces ha+e been gi+en a lot of weight, especially if you are a +ery short stack. This is because of the fact that as a extremely short stack, it is more than likely that you will be pushing or calling an all in on the flop regardless if you ha+e caught a piece of it or not. Therefore if we are holding an ace, we will ha+e a better chance of winning with a high card against an opponent in the e+ent that they did not make a pair either.

How to play these hands.

When we are dealt any of the abo+e cards that are within our range depending on the effecti+e stack si3es, we should always be raising when entering the pot. 1t may seem like a good idea to limp and try and catch a good flop for cheap, but it is more profitable to raise and build the pot for when we hit our hand, which we are more likely to do if we are holding a strong starting hand. With a stack of 5!)) or more we should be looking to raise around $ or %)) if we are first to enter the pot. Howe+er, if we ha+e 5!)) or less, it will not be too bad of a play to push all-in straight away, as any call from a %)) raise will lea+e us completely pot-committed anyway. With 5!)) or less, you can think about using the stop and go play also. Fn the flop we are usually reduced to going all-in or folding as a short stack. The smaller the si3e of our stack, the more inclined we should be to calling or pushing all-in as we are more likely to be committed to the pot. The shorter the stack, the less the flop will matter to us. Howe+er, if we ha+e around $!6%!)), we can be a little more selecti+e because we will not be pot committed and ha+e the opportunity to wait for a better spot. The shorter your stack, the less post-flop action you are going to deal with. &o it's important to ha+e a strong hand that has a good chance of winning after all 8 community cards ha+e been dealt. "e+ertheless, if we are pot committed and will be mo+ing all-in regardless, it is always better to make the all-in bet rather than calling if possible. This is because by betting we are gi+ing our opponent the opportunity to fold the best hand or a potentially winning hand, which is something that is not a+ailable to us if we are calling the all-in bet.

&hort stack tips o+er+iew. =lay simple 7)@ poker. 7+oid attempting to bluff and >ust bet when you ha+e a strong hand. Fnly enter pots with premium hands. Fold small pocket pairs and suited connectors as you ha+e do not ha+e implied odds. -ake strong %)) raises before the flop. )e prepared to mo+e all of your stack in to the middle before or on the flop. #ea+e the table if you win a big pot *and intend on playing short-stacked..

Short sta$k strategy e#aluation.

'ood short stack strategy is all about pushing e+ery little edge that we ha+e. Aust because we ha+e a smaller stack, it does not mean that we ha+e less chance of winning any indi+idual hand, it >ust means we ha+e to adapt our play a little differently to each situation. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

"e+ertheless, we will be facing an up hill battle if we are in a tournament as each pot we enter is more likely to in+ol+e putting our tournament life on the line. 7t some poker sites *friend's website., the structure of the faster tournaments will mean that you will spend the ma>ority of the game as a short stack, which is a good way to learn how to play good short stack poker. We should always look for the most profitable situations and get our money in when we think we ha+e the best of it, and we should always prepare for luck to play its part in each outcome. =laying a good, sound short sta$k strategy does not guarantee to sa+e a tournament life or secure a double up, but it will impro+e your chances of coming out on top in the long run. 1n cash games, you cannot expect to win e+ery all-in, but you can still play a profitable game by picking the right situations and trying to get your money in with the best hand.

Hnline Poker &ulti Tabling

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R -ulti-Tabling !

Fne of the biggest ad+antages online poker has o+er li+e poker is that you are able to play at multiple tables at a time. -ost online poker rooms allow you to open up more than one table window and sit down and play poker at each table simultaneously. &ome online rooms such as )et$:8 =oker ha+e actually created a mini-mode +iew that allows players to shrink the table window down so that you can fit % tables onto one 5! %xN:< screen without o+erlap. -ulti-tabling has become increasingly popular amongst regular online players, who will happily play at , %, < or more tables. Howe+er, the ma>ority of players will stick to multi-tabling around to % tables at once. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

The ad#antage o! playing at multiple tables.

The main moti+e behind multi"tabling is to increase a playerCs win rate per hour. 1f you are a consistent winner at the 45!!"# table, imagine how much more you could potentially win per hour by playing tables at once instead of 5. How about opening up $ or % tables at onceE 1t all seems pretty simple, open up some more tables and you could be doubling, tripling or e+en /uadrupling the amount you are currently winning per hour. Howe+er, there is one important factor that we ha+e to take into consideration before assuming that things are this simple. We ha+e to take into account that fact that our play will deteriorate for e+ery extra table we sit down at.

How to win more money by playing multiple tables.

2+ery time we multi-table we can assume that the amount we expect to win e+ery hour from each indi+idual table will decrease. This is because our attention is now going to be di+ided between two or more separate tables, whereas we would be able to focus all of our concentration on one table if we were not multi-tabling. 1t will be more difficult to put players on hands because we will normally be too busy making our plays on one table to analyse the plays of our opponents on another. Howe+er, this is not necessarily such a bad thing, because there is still a good chance that we will be making more money o+erall. Here's an exampleG

=rofit per hour when multi-tabling. When we play 45!!"# 5 table at a time we win 4< per hour. When we play tables at a time we win 48 an hour on each of the indi+idual tables.

tables total profit T 45!.

Therefore o+erall we will be making 45! per hour multi-tabling instead of 4<, which means an extra profit of 4 per hour.

9inding the optimum number o! tables to play at.

The biggest problem with multi-tabling for extra profit is finding the optimum number of tables to gi+e us the biggest win rate per hour. 1f we play one table at a time we will win a smaller amount than if we multi-table, but if we play at too many tables at a time then our win rate per hour on each of the tables could decrease so much that we win less than if we were playing at one table at a time. When playing at multiple tables, you want to hit the sweet spot of playing as many tables as possible whilst keeping a good win rate per hour to produce maximum profit.

The sweet spot is where you ha+e the most tables open whilst still maintaining a high winrate, maximi3ing earnings. There is some middle ground here where the graph of our win rate per table meets the number of tables being played at to pro+ide us with an optimum win rate. This is usually between and % tables for the ma>ority of online players. When playing at multiple tables, you want to hit the sweet spot of playing as many tables as possible whilst keeping a good win rate per hour to produce maximum profit.

"ot much time for fancy plays here.

est multi"tabling strategy.

The best strategy for multi-tabling is to play standard 7)@ poker, where you bet your strong hands and fold your weak hands. 1t is difficult to find enough time whilst playing multiple tables to be able to make any tricky or ad+anced plays. The micro limit strategy article gi+es a rough o+er+iew of 7)@ poker. 1f you try too hard trying to analyses the playing styles of each of the players at the tables you will simply become too exhausted and your ability will deteriorate e+en further. Aust think of your opponents as robots and play a solid style of poker against them. ?ou are not going to be able to outsmart all of them all of the time, but if you play better than the ma>ority of them e+ery time you sit down at the table, then you will be a winner in the long run.

Playing at multiple tables $an impro#e your game.

7nother reason why people decide to play multiple tables at once is to reduce the boredom of ha+ing to wait been playing hands. =layers can become accustomed to the fast style of 1nternet play and so the wait been playing hands may become frustrating after a while. =laying at multiple tables takes a lot of the waiting out of the game, which is perfect for players who always like to be in the middle of the action. This frustration can sometimes lead to players loosening their starting hand re/uirements >ust to subdue the boredom, which is not a profitable way to play. &o in some cases it can be beneficial to play more than one table at a time to pre+ent yourself from entering too many pots and throwing away money on hands that you should ne+er ha+e played in the first place.

&ulti tabling e#aluation.

For further reading on this sub>ect, check out my friend's article on multi tabling o+er at his 1nternet =oker site. 1t co+ers more about the different +ariations of multi-tabling options along with a few more tips for you to get your teeth in to. -ulti-tabling is a great option for players looking to increase their win rate per hour or are looking to li+en things up with their online poker. 1t takes no special skill, nor is it as difficult as you may think to play at more than one table at a time. 1t is recommended howe+er that you ease yourself in by playing tables at first, and then increase the number of tables as you become more comfortable with playing at numerous tables. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. ?ou will also want to try and make sure that you set the tables up in an order across the screen that you feel comfortable with. 7 great room for multi-tabling is )et$:8 as you are able to +iew the tables in a mini-mode >ust like at $ ,ed, and tile them across the screen +ia a button in the options menu. 1 ha+e found this to be an incredibly handy feature. 7lways try and make the tables as +isible as possible on the screen so that you are able to glance o+er all of them to keep up with the action. )y following these tips and practicing you will soon be able to s/uee3e more from your time spent playing online poker.

Small lind Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R &mall )lind &trategy !

)lind leakage is an exceptional +ideo by Aames '&plit&uit' &weeney that co+ers e+erything you need to know about profitable blind play *both in the &) and )). in Texas Hold'em cash games.

The small blind is a +ery tricky position to play from in Texas Hold'em. 1f you were to track your performance in each position at the table using a program such as =oker Fffice, you will find that the small blind is a losing position o+erall. The best players in the world find it difficult to win money from the small blind, and that's >ust the way it is. When playing in the small blind our aim is to try and reduce the amount of money we will lose, so that we can increase our o+erall wins from the other seats at the table.

The problem with playing in the small blind.

The fundamental reason as to why the small blind is such a difficult and losing position in the hand is due to the fact that we are going to be first to act in e+ery round after the flop. )eing out of position means that our opponents will get to see how we act before they do, gi+ing them more information on the strength of our hand than we ha+e on theirs. This will put us at a big disad+antage throughout the hand, as any experienced player knows how important a role that position plays in poker, especially in Texas Holdem. Therefore we should know that when playing from the small blind, we are going to be on an uphill struggle throughout the hand. &o a good small blind strategy would to not embark on this struggle in the first place, and simply fold before the flop. 1f we do intend to get in+ol+ed when in the small blind, we will want to ha+e a +ery strong starting hand to compensate for the fact that we are going to be out of position for e+ery round after the flop. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

Jsing starting hand sele$tion to sa#e money in the small blind.

)y using solid starting hand selection we can increase our chances of winning the hand despite the fact that we are out of position. 2+en though the small blind may be a losing seat o+erall, it does not mean that we will lose money on e+ery indi+idual hand that we play from that particular position. &o donCt be afraid to enter a pot if you ha+e a strong enough hand to do so, but always remember to tighten your starting hand re/uirements when in the small blind.

% $ommon small blind strategy mistake.

7 big mistake when playing in the small blind is being under the notion that its worth seeing a flop for a little extra, as half of your blind is already in the pot. Howe+er, whilst ha+ing half of your blind in the pot does impro+e the pot odds you ha+e to call, there is the possibility that you are setting yourself up for bigger losses than you might expect. The extra half a bet that you ha+e to call to see a flop may look innocent, but in real fact it is a +ery dangerous play, especially for the less experienced players. The big losses do not lie in the extra half a bet lost on e+ery flop that we miss, but in the hands where we ha+e half a holding, and put more money in the pot than necessary to try and find out if we are ahead. "e+er feel committed to a pot simply because you ha+e paid your blind. 1t is not profitable to try and protect money you ha+e put in the pot through the blinds, so play the hand like any other.

Playing in the small blind e*ample.

#et say we are in the small blind and there ha+e been a few limpers before us. We look down and see that were are holding I N . This looks like a half decent hand and so we decide to call because itCs only half a blind more to see a flop. The flop comes down O T I gi+ing us top pair with a N kicker, not a bad hand. Ha+ing top pair we decide to bet out around Q of the pot to see how the other players react. 7 few players fold, but an opponent in one of the later positions raises us $ times our original bet, and the action is now back onto us. 1n this situation our opponent could ha+e a range of handsH they could ha+e a king with a worse kicker, or a king with a better kicker. They may ha+e two pair, a set, or e+en a straight or a flush draw. There are so many possibilities and we ha+e little information on which hand he could ha+e because we are out of position. )ut seeing as we ha+e a half decent hand we decide to call. The turn makes the board , which doesn't impro+e our hand and probably made little difference to our opponent's. )ecause we are a little unsure about the strength of our hand we decide to check, and our opponent then comes out with a pot-si3e bet. "ow we are still unsure if our opponent does ha+e a better hand, or whether he is >ust exploiting our weakness because we checked. Howe+er, by this time a pot-si3e bet is /uite large, so we decide to let the hand go and cut our losses.

Small blind e*ample e#aluation.

When reading through the hand abo+e you probably recogni3ed the situation all too well. Ha+ing a half decent hand but coming up against strength from another opponent and being out of position is all too common. These situations are difficult to play because we ha+e so little information on our opponents and we can ne+er be sure if we do ha+e the best hand. 1n the hand mentioned abo+e, this problem could ha+e easily been a+oided by folding pre-flop, sa+ing us a decent amount of money in the process. The poor position in this hand has caused us a lot of problems, and it always will when you are playing from the small blind. 7lthough I N looks like a reasonable hand, it >ust pro+es to be the type of hand that is going to cause us problems after the flop if we hit any part of it. &o if we are determined to enter a pot when calling from the small blind, we ha+e to play cards that ha+e potential to hit a +ery big hand. )y sticking with cards like suited connectors and pocket pairs, we will either hit a big hand or we wont, which sa+es us the trouble of deciding what to do after the flop. 7 marginal hand is the last thing we want to hit when out of position, so donCt try and put up a battle with them and be prepared to let them go when you come up against action.

Small blind strategy e#aluation.

The small blind is a +ery tricky position to play from, so we should try and a+oid entering too many pots from this position unless we ha+e a premium hand. @alling from the small blind will usually cause more problems than it is worth, so try and a+oid doing so unless you ha+e a hand that has some potential. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. The small blind is the worst position to be in, so donCt expect too much from the hand because you are always going to be at a disad+antage to the other players at the table that ha+e position on you. "e+er feel as if you are committed to the pot hand because half of your blind in already in the pot, you will be sa+ing yourself money in the long run if you folded e+ery marginal hand instead of calling.

Pot Committed
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R =ot @ommitted !

1Cm sure most of you like to think that you are familiar with the term Upot committedV. Howe+er, 1 can guarantee that too many of you are using it as an excuse to make reckless calls, and itCs costing you dearly. Fn the other hand, if youCre not familiar with being Ucommitted to the potV, thatCs cool. 1Cll explain it in >ust a moment. 1n this article 1 will gi+e a good *if 1 say so myself. explanation of what pot committed actually means. 1Cll also go on to highlight the mistakes that too many players make as they con+ince themsel+es that being Upot committedV is a good excuse to throw lashings of healthy money in to bad situations.

What does pot $ommitted mean?

?ou are pot committed when the pot odds for the remainder of your stack are greater than your odds of winning the hand. &o instead of comparing the pot si3e to an opponentCs bet, compare the pot si3e to the remainder of your stack.

1f your (stack odds( are greater than your chance of winning the pot by the end of the hand, you are pot committed.

1ui$k pot $ommitted e*ample.

#etCs say you and an opponent both started with 4 !! stacks. ?ou are on the turn and you ha+e built a 4$!! pot between the both of you, and so youCre both left with 48!. 1f you ha+e top pair at this point, you are +irtually pot committed and should not fold at any point, whether it be on the turn or the ri+er.

?our pot odds relati+e to the remainder of your stack are N - 5 *4$8! G 48!.. *DonCt forget to add your own stack to the pot to get the total pot si3e.. ?ou almost certainly ha+e a better than N - 5 *5 .89. chance of winning the hand, e+en if your opponent usually only bets or calls with strong hands.

1n this example, our pot odds are greater than our odds of winning the hand. Therefore we are pot committed and should call. WeCre not facing any bet, but if we look at our stack and pot si3e we can see that we are pretty much committed with a hand like top pair with N to 5 pot odds. 2+en though you really donCt feel as though youCre going to ha+e the best hand most of the time, the odds indicate that you would lose more money o+er the long run if you folded. 1n fact, you would ha+e to belie+e that you had less than 5 .89 chance of winning to make a profitable fold *on the turn or ri+er., which is highly unlikely in this situation.

=ot committed e+aluation. )eing Upot committedV is simply working out your pot odds relati+e to the remainder of your stack *as opposed to working them out using the bet that you are facing.. Working out whether or not you are Upot committedV >ust in+ol+es basic pot odds. The more of your stack that you in+est in the pot, the greater your pot odds and the chances of becoming pot committed will be. This is why players are naturally more reluctant to fold after in+esting a large amount of money. ?ou lose more money o+er the long run if you fold when pot committed as opposed to calling. 7lways call if you are pot committed.

Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

What being Kpot $ommittedL isn<t.

7n absolutely huge mistake that beginner players make is to throw good money after bad. The worst thing is that they use the term Upot committedV as an excuse to >ustify their play, and they fail realise >ust how abysmal their actions are.

HereCs a poor explanation of Upot committedV that 1 found at 7nswers.comG UWhen a player should call a bet because the ma>ority of their chips are already in+ested within the pot.V @an you see why thatCs so wrongE Aust because you ha+e put the ma>ority of your stack in the middle, it doesnCt make you Upot committedV. @ommitment to the pot is about the odds of winning too, not >ust about the Uma>ority of a stackV.

)*ample o! why you shouldn<t Cust look at how mu$h you<#e in#ested alone.
#etCs say that youCre on the ri+er and youC+e put 4OOO of a 45,!!! stack in to the pot. Aust before your opponent bets his final 45, he shows you that he has a ,oyal Flush, beating your full house. He then bets that last 45. &hould you callE Definitely not. ?ou probably would >ust for a laugh, but youCre making a 45 loss e+ery single time you call in that situation. There is a !9 chance of winning the 4 ,!!! pot, but a 5!!9 chance of losing 45. That lea+es you with an 20 of -45. Ha+ing put 4OOO in to the pot makes no difference. 1n fact, you could ha+e put 4OOO,OOO in the middle and it wouldnCt change the fact that calling that 45 is negati+e 20. ?ou ha+e to remember that the odds of winning help dictate whether or not you are pot committed, not >ust the amount of money you ha+e in+ested in the pot. ?our pot odds *relati+e to the si3e of your stack. must be greater than your chances of winning for you to be committed to the pot.

How to use this Kpot $ommittedL knowledge during play.

5. 7+oid building big pots with hands that youCre not prepared to go all in with. . DonCt assume that youCre pot committed >ust because youC+e put a wedge of your stack in to the pot. 1t may not be nice to fold, but itCs better than throwing more money away. $. ?ou donCt ha+e a sixth sense for knowing when youCre pot committed. -aths and odds are more reliable.
4. =utting your opponent on a range and ha+ing reads will help you to figure out your odds

of winning. 7 handy rule from !rofessional No-Limit Hold#em$ %olume & is to ne+er put 56$ of your stack in the middle and then fold. The theory is that if youCre putting that much money in to the middle and then folding, youCre in+esting too much money with weak hands.

"oteG Why 56$E )ecause if you ha+e put 56$ of your stack in the middle, it means that you or your opponent can make an all-in bet for the si3e of the pot or less. e.g. if youC+e put 4$% of a 45!! stack in the middle, the pot will be at least 4:< and you will ha+e 4:: left - and so should your opponent. &o the /uestion is, what do you do if youC+e put 56$ of your stack in the middleE Well, you ha+e two optionsG 5. DonCt fold. . DonCt put 56$ of your stack in the middle in the first place. 1f you ha+e a good enough hand, donCt fold. ?our odds of winning must be less than *$$9. to fold, so with a good hand you should be committed to the pot. to 5

1f you donCt ha+e a strong enough hand, youC+e made a mistake earlier on in the hand. ?ouC+e either made bets that were too big or called large bets when it was probably best to ha+e bet smaller, checked or folded. From the start of e+ery hand you play you need to ha+e a plan. ?ou need to ha+e an idea of how big you want *or dont want the pot to get.. 1f you donCt plan effecti+ely you will end up going past the 56$ of your stack mark without much of an idea of what you want to do. 1f that happens, youCll land in a sticky situation. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but this article is big enough already. )uy the book for a more thorough guide on the 56$ rule or check out this commitment threshold article.

%re you new to pot $ommitment or do you use it as an e*$use?

7s 1 read through this article it seems as though 1Cm gi+ing somewhat conflicting ad+ice. Fn one hand 1Cm telling you not to use pot $ommitment as an excuse to throw chips in to the middle, but on the other 1Cm saying that you should ne+er fold if youCre pot committed. To clear things up a little, 1Cm basically trying to help two groups of players hereG 5. 1f youCre new to pot odds and pot commitment, 1 want you to know that if you are indeed pot committed at any point, it is a mistake to fold. . 1f youCre familiar with pot commitment and youCre using it too liberally, be prepared to think a little harder and donCt always allow yourself to be con+inced that throwing the rest of your money in to the middle is the only option. Work out which group you fall in to and focus on the ad+ice in this article that applies to you. 1f youCre in neither group, 1 hope youCre en>oying the article so far.

"ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

Pot $ommitted $on$lusion.

1f you are pot committed, do not fold. Here are a few more pointers though for good measureG

?ou are pot committed is when you ha+e greater pot odds relati+e to the remainder of your stack than your odds of winning. DonCt use the term Upot committedV as a lame excuse to make bad bets and calls. Kse the odds to determine whether or not you are committed to the pot and go from there. DonCt put 56$ of your stack in the pot and then fold. 2ither donCt fold or donCt put that much money in the pot in the first place.

Honestly, although the 56$ of your stack rule is handy, 1 wouldnCt recommend spending too much time stressing about it. The most important lesson here is to plan your hands effecti+ely. 1f you learn how to bet and call appropriately according to the strength of your hand, the 56$ rule will take care of itself. Decisions that you make preflop and on the flop will affect what happens on the turn and ri+er. 1f you fail to realise this +ery important point, youCll end up in some +ery sticky situations and getting pot committed with cards that youCd ne+er dream of going all-in with at the start of the hand.

lind Stealing
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R )lind &tealing !

()lind stealing( is a term used in poker for when a player in late position raises pre-flop in an attempt to win the uncontested blinds.

This strategy is often effecti+e because the players in the blinds will ha+e any random two cards, meaning there is a small chance that they will ha+e a hand worth calling a raise with, allowing you to take their blinds. 1n addition to this, the players in the blinds will be first to act against you if they do call, so they should know that they need a better than mediocre hand to pay to see a flop. 1n terms of poker strategy for blind stealing, you will find yourself in two different positions during a game. 5. ?ou will ha+e the opportunity to steal other players' blinds. . Fther players will be trying to steal your blinds. How should you play in both of these situationsE The recommended plays are determined by whether you are playing in a tournament or a cash game. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

lind Stealing Strategy

Tournaments.
lind stealing is most e!!e$ti#e in tournaments *for exampleH sit n go's and multi table tournaments.. 1f you are in need of chips, you sometimes cannot afford to wait for a premium hand. Therefore blind stealing offers a great opportunity for you to accumulate chips. Howe+er, at the start of these tournaments where the blinds are +ery low in relation to your stack si3e, blind stealing becomes less beneficial. This is because the blinds are too small to be worth fighting for, and opponents are more likely to call raises because the blinds are so small in relation to their stack.

Cash games.
For a complete strategy +ideo guide to blind stealing in cash games, watch &plit&uit's tealing +ideo. 1n cash games the blinds are usually +ery small in relation to your stack. This means that from a purely money making point of +iew, blind stealing is not going to be +ery profitable. 1n general you want to stick to playing good hands and a+oid risking money with a weak hand. Howe+er, blind stealing in cash games should be based on whether you feel you can easily outplay your opponents on later betting rounds if they call, and take the extra money they put into the pot. This play is aided by the fact that you will be last to act on each round, gi+ing you a much better opportunity to win. )ut be sure not to use this play on e+ery orbit because the players in the blinds will become wise to your game.

1 would not recommend stealing blinds in cash games on a regular basis as a method of winning more money.

/e!ending against players trying to steal your blinds.

7s a general rule, you should not acti+ely attempt to protect your blinds on e+ery round. ?ou ha+e to remember that you are going to be first to act against anyone who tries to steal your blind because of your poor table position, so if you call and don't hit the flop hard, what are you going to doE

1f you check, are you going to re-raise their continuation bet *which is +ery likely. in an attempt to re-steal the potE 7re you going to bluff at the pot when first to actE

1n both situations you will ha+e no idea what your opponent has and you are risking a decent amount trying to take down a (nothing pot(. 1nformation is key and without knowing anything about your opponents' hands, protecting your blinds isn't going to be profitable in the long run. 1t's ne+er going to be as easy as you might hope to defend against a player stealing your blinds. 1t's better to let them go rather than dig yourself in to a deeper hole by fighting back. ?ou should remember that a!ter you ha#e posted your blindG it is no longer your money. The money now belongs to the pot and not to you. This is the reason why many players can lose a lot of money to raises when in the blinds, as they belie+e that the blind is still their money and that they ha+e to defend it. This is not the case 1n certain circumstances howe+er, you can effecti+ely deter your opponents from stealing your blinds on future betting rounds. 1f you feel a player is betting in late position in an attempt to steal, a decent re-raise on your part will make them think twice about trying to steal on future rounds. 2+en if your opponent does call your re-raise, the fact that you made the play you did shows that you ha+e the capability to re-raise anyone who tries to steal your blind from late position. This play is most effecti+e when the blinds are small in relation to your stack, as you are not risking as much of your stack and not forcing yourself to become committed to the pot.

Stealing blinds e#aluation.

)lind stealing is dependent on the si3e of the blinds in relation to the effecti+e stack si3es. 1t becomes less effecti+e trying to steal the blinds when they are small because you are potentially putting a lot of your stack at risk for a small pot. Fne of the worst things you can do in the face of a possible blind steal is call. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

This means that you are putting more money into the pot, which your opponent has a good chance of taking away from you. 1f you are e+er in doubt, simply play to the strength of your hand. Fold your weak hands and re-raise with your strong hands.

)!!e$ti#e Sta$k Si.es

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R &tack &i3es R 2ffecti+e !

The terms Ueffecti+e stack si3esV or Ueffecti+e stacksV are effortlessly thrown around on poker forums and in strategy articles. 1t sounds like a term that would be a little complex at least, but it's actually the easiest concept you'll e+er learn about in poker.

What are e!!e$ti#e sta$k si.es?

The effecti+e stack si3e is the si3e of the smallest stack when two players are in a pot. That's it. "o e/uations, no tricky theory. When two players are up against each other in a hand, the e!!e$ti#e sta$k si.es for those two players is the si3e of the smallest stack. )am.

)!!e$ti#e sta$k si.e e*amples.

This is one of the few situations in poker strategy where examples are actually o+erkill. )ut 1'+e got plenty of time on my hands, soW

=layer 7G 45!! =layer )G 4<! 2ffecti+e stack si3eG 4<!

=layer 7G 45! =layer )G 4 8 2ffecti+e stack si3eG 45! =layer 7G 48! =layer )G 48! 2ffecti+e stack si3eG 48! =layer 7G 45,!!!,!!! =layer )G 45!! 2ffecti+e stack si3eG 45!!

Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

What about e!!e$ti#e sta$ks and multiple players?

The effecti+e stack si3e is only a consideration for two players at a time. For example, if you had four players with these stack si3esG

=layer 7G 45!! =layer )G 4<! =layer @G 45 8 =layer DG 48!

?ou wouldn't say that the effecti+e stacks for all the players is 48!, >ust because the smallest stack out of this set of players is 48!. 1nstead, you'd say that the effecti+e stacks between !layer " and !layer ' are ()**, or the effecti+e stacks between ' and D are (+*. ?ou'll understand why in the following sectionW

What's the importan$e o! e!!e$ti#e sta$k si.es?

When two players are heads up in a pot, neither player will be able to bet more than the amount of money in the smallest stack. ?ou are playing 48!"#. ?ou ha+e a full stack of 48!, but the only other player in the hand with you has a 4 ! stack. 1n this situation, you effecti+ely may as well ha+e a 4 ! stack too. ?ou can't force the other player to put more than their 4 ! in the middle, and they're not going to be able to

make you put more than 4 ! of your 48! stack in the middle either. This isn't a dodgy poker mo+ie scene. 1n this situation, that extra 4$! you ha+e is essentially useless. Fr, keeping in with the theme of this concept -- (ineffecti+e(.

7 simple diagram to highlight the e!!e$ti#e part and the ine!!e$ti#e part of your stack when up against another player with a smaller stack than you. The colours turned out a lot more feminine than 1 planned. This is a +itally important concept, because the fact that you are now effecti+ely playing with a 4 ! stack should influence the way you bet and play your hand. 1f you're not sure why, 1'll explain in >ust a moment. "oteG The idea of Ueffecti+e stacksV is most suited to pot limit and no limit poker games. The chance of players getting their entire stacks in the middle in fixed limit games is incredibly slim, so it's hardly a concern. &o the next time you're chatting with a friend about a hand you'+e played, instead of saying U1 had 48! and she had 4 !V, you may as well say Uthe effecti+e stacks were 4 !V. -entioning the si3e of each indi+idual stack is pointless -- the Ueffecti+e stacksV is what matters. Furthermore, the fact you'll be using less words means that you'll conser+e extra energy for playing more poker.

)!!e$ti#e sta$k si.e $onsiderations.

1t's always important to take in to account the stack si3e of the player*s. you are up against. 1f you didn't already know that, you'+e got a bit of learning to do.

Here are a few /uick pointersG

-5 Implied odds.
1f the effecti+e stack si3es are small, you are not going to ha+e the opportunity to get paid off as much if you are drawing to a flush *or something like that.. Therefore, it makes it less profitable to chase draws or set mine if you or your opponent ha+e a small stack. @on+ersely, if the effecti+e stack si3es are huge, it makes it a lot more profitable to chase after strong draws.

'5 9old e;uity.

)luffs are harder to pull off when the effecti+e stack si3es are small because you will ha+e less fold e/uity. &maller stacks are less threatening than bigger stacks.

>5 Sta$k"to"pot ratios.

&tack-to-pot ratios *or U&=,V. is a topic that co+ers the strategical implications of the si3e of the pot on the flop compared to the si3e of the effecti+e stacks.

% note on short sta$kers.

&hort stackers *players that intentionally play with a short stack. take full ad+antage of the concept of effecti+e stacks. 1t allows them to cap the amount of money that can get put in to the pot against e+ery opponent they enter a hand with *assuming that their opponent does not ha+e an e+en smaller stack again.. )eing able to play short stack poker 5!!9 of the time means that they rarely get further than the flop before they are all-in. 7s a result, the number of decisions they ha+e to make is limited, and the decisions they do ha+e to make are far easier. This is why many beginner players en>oy playing short stack poker, and why they are disliked by competent full-stack players. 7pologies for the slight rant there, but it's a perfect example of how the effecti+e stacks concept is utilised and exploited by some players in the game. @heck out @rushing &hortstackers * !bb. and =laying 7gainst @appers *%!bb. for strategy on beating +arious types of opponents who force you to play with smaller effecti+e stack si3es. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

9inal thoughts on e!!e$ti#e sta$ks.

The effecti+e stack si3e is the si3e of the smallest stack between two players.

Aob done.

Way %head Way ehind Con$ept

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R Way 7head Way )ehind @oncept !

The way ahead 6 way behind concept *W7W) or W76W) concept depending on which forum you are coming from. is a fairly simple one that occurs /uite fre/uently in Texas Hold em. The way ahead 6 way behind concept addresses the fact that in some situations you will either be ahead in a hand with your opponent drawing slim or dead, or your opponent will be ahead in a hand and you will be drawing +ery slim or dead. ?ou can tell that you might be in a W76W) situation when you ha+e a strong hand, but the board and the plays being made indicate that you may be in some trouble. The best way to describe this concept is to gi+e you a nice example of a situation where you could either be way ahead or way behind. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

Way ahead way behind e*ample.

#ets say you are in middle position with 7 T and you make a %)) raise and get called by a player in late position, lea+ing you heads up going to the flop. The flop comes down 7 O O , gi+ing you top pair with a Ten kicker. The action is on you. This hand is a good example of you either being way ahead or way behind. This because your opponent will either ha+e a hand that has you beat by some margin * 7I, 7M, 7A or a O., or a hand that is easily beaten by yours * TT;, IM, IA, MA.. 1n each of these situations one of the players is unlikely to win the hand if they are behind. 1n wa6wb spots you either ha+e little chance of losing, or little chance of winning.

W%7W diagram.

1f this >ust confuses you more, then 1 apologise. 1 >ust hope it helps you to +isualise the wa6wb concept a little better.

How should you play in W%7W spots?

The problem with W%7W situations is that if you are aggressi+e, you will either be scaring your opponent away from the hand or digging yourself into a hole. 1f your opponent is behind, they will simply fold and sa+e their money. Howe+er, if you are the one that is behind, you are throwing money into a pot that you ha+e little hope of winning. Therefore the best approach in these situations is to play passi+ely, and allow your opponent to make the plays in such a way ahead 6 way behind situation. 1f your opponent has the worst hand, you are offering them the opportunity to make the mistake of betting with the worst hand. @on+ersely, by checking to them, you are minimi3ing your losses if you are indeed way behind in the hand. Way ahead way behind spots are one of the +ery few times that 1 will intentionally slowplay strong hands. The biggest problem with W76W) situations is that it is difficult to work out whether you are losing or if you are ahead. This is why the best approach in these situations is to play passi+ely, and check6call on betting rounds to reduce the amount of money you are losing if you are behind. &o essentially, you are going into damage limitation mode rather than all out all or nothing mode by playing aggressi+ely.

The key point is that you cannot bet for +alue, and so you want to induce a bad +alue bet or a bluff from your opponent. 7ny other play would be losing you money in the long run, so play it cool and make the optimum plays in these particular pots.

e sure o! W%7W situations.

7lways try and be sure of when you are in a W76W) situation before you decide to play passi+ely, otherwise it could ha+e unfortunate conse/uences. #ook out for hands that ha+eG

Two or more cards of the same suit on the board that can an opponent a flush or a flush draw. @onnecting cards that could gi+e an opponent a straight or a straight draw.

1n a hand where there are two cards of the same suit on board, it is less likely that you will be able to confidently place yourself in a way ahead 6 way behind situation, as the way your opponent is betting can easily be influenced by the fact that they might ha+e a flush draw. &o always consider this when you notice that there are two cards of the same suit on the board. &imilarly, if the board is straightening up and there is a possible straight draw a+ailable, it again makes it less likely that you could be in a W76W) situation. 1f you were to play passi+ely, there is a good chance that you will let your opponent catch up and take the hand away from you. &o essentially, there is a greater probability of the W76W) situation arising on a dry board than there is on a wet board. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

Way ahead way behind $on$ept e#aluation.

,ay ahead - way behind situations are /uite common in no limit Texas Holdem, but it should not be an excuse for you to play passi+ely if you are not sure where you stand. 1f you are confident that you are W76W), then passi+e play is the key, but if you are not then you are going to lose money through making weak plays and allowing your opponents to catch up. The best way to identify a W76W) situation is to consider how the rest of the hand could play out, and think about what you opponent could possibly be calling or betting with. Ha+ing a thorough think about each situation always helps to identify what is going on in the hand, and thus you are able to make the best plays. 7s a rule of thumb, if there are no possible drawing hands, then its a good idea to consider whether you might be way ahead or way behind, and play accordingly.

Poker Table %nalysis

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R Table 7nalysis

7s soon as you sit down at the poker table, you should already be e+aluating how each of your opponents play. The more information you ha+e on your opponents, the better the plays you can make against them. ?ou can obtain information about how your opponents play by watching the hands you are not in+ol+ed in. *&ee the article on putting poker players on a hand for more information.. )ut what information do you ha+e on other players at the table if you are in+ol+ed in the +ery first handE 1f this is the case there are a few things you can look for that will gi+e you an idea about what the players are likeG

Take a look at each player's stack si3e. ,ead their player username *not so great, but always an optionL.. Watch for players who do not wait for the big blind *again, not a great indicator.. #ook out for players calling the big blind and then calling a raise from another player *this is a good one..

Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

Sta$k si.e.
1n cash games, you can /uickly spot who the potential solid players and potential weak players are by looking at the si3e of their stack. 2ach cash game has a maximum buy-in that is typically 5!! times the big blind. Typically, the likely solid players will either be close to this maximum buy in or abo+e it. This rule ob+iously cannot apply to all players, as some of the weak players may ha+e had a good run of cards that allowed them to increase their stack abo+e the maximum buy-in. )ut this will usually be a decent indication of their ability.

1 tend to be more aware of the players with deep stacks, but 1 do not form a strong >udgment on their ability from this information alone. @on+ersely, the likely weak6poor players will ha+e a stack si3e significantly below the maximum buy in. This is because the recreational players are comfortable with letting their stack diminish as play progresses, whereas a winning player will want to reload to the maximum to gi+e themsel+es the best opportunities to make maximum profit on each hand.

Hnline player name7alias.

The alias or name of your online opponents can also be an indication of their personality and intentions from playing the game. -any of the (sensible( players will simply use their real name or possibly a poker related name as their alias. Fn the other hand, the (less sensible( and recreational players may opt for the rude and almost offensi+e names. 7sk /uestions and learn how to win more money at the new Texas Hold'em Forums. 7lthough this is far from being a solid indication of our opponentsC styles of play, it can be helpful when we ha+e little to go on in regards to what our opponents are like. We can infer that the players with BsensibleC names are more likely to be solid players whereas the players with Bless sensibleC names may be playing for fun as recreational players.

Players not waiting !or the big blind.

7s soon as you sit down at a cash table, you are not dealt a hand until you ha+e posted a big blind. The big blind can be posted at any time of the rotation but it is ad+ised that you wait for the actual big blind to come to you before playing a hand. This is to sa+e yourself from seeing flops in a bad position with a hand that could potentially lose you a lot of money. Therefore if you notice that other new players at the table are posting the big blind before the actual big blind gets too them, you can assume that they are anxious to get into the game and play, and may not be a solid player.

Players $alling the blindG then $alling a raise.

1f you see a player calling the initial big blind, and then calling again after a player behind them has raised, you can assume that they are not an experienced player. This is for the reason that if you ha+e a hand that is worth calling a raise with, it is far better to be the raiser rather than calling another player's raise. 1n addition, if a player limps in, you can assume that they ha+e a marginal hand or they are slowplaying a monster. Therefore as someone raises behind them, if they call you can assume that they are calling a raise with a marginal hand because a player with a monster starting hand will usually re-raise. This fact that they are calling to see flops with marginal hands is enough information to assume that the player is weak and inexperienced in playing winning poker.

Fn the other hand, they may still ha+e a strong starting hand e+en if they do call both the big blind and then the raise, but are >ust passi+e players. Howe+er, a solid player will not be this passi+e so you can safely assume again that they are not that great to be simply calling with strong starting hands. Knless a player holds a small pocket pair and is set mining, calling the blind then calling a raise is a poor play that you would not expect an experienced player to make.

Poker table analysis e#aluation.

1t should be stressed that the abo+e ad+ice on analy3ing your opponents style is not always going to be concrete e+idence about how your opponents play. ?ou may come across a player with an extremely childish name and not waiting for the big blind as he sits down, but at the same time is a +ery strong player. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. ?ou should not rely solely on these reads to gauge the strength of your opponents, but to simply help influence your decision on how they play when you ha+e little else to go by.

2ange alan$ing
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R ,ange )alancing 5

,ange balancing or (balancing your range( is a not an o+erly ad+anced concept by itself, but using it effecti+ely at the tables does re/uire some ad+anced skills. The idea of range balan$ing is only going to be effecti+e about good players that think on at least le+el *see multiple le+el thinking., so 1 probably wouldn't toy with the concept too much unless you're playing at 48!"# or higher.

What is range balan$ing?

,ange balancing is where you play the exact same way with a wide range of hands in certain situations. The most common example of range balancing is continuation betting. 1f you're continuation betting the flop <!9 of the time or more, you're likely to be betting with a wide +ariety of hands ranging from air to strong made hands. Therefore e+ery time you continuation bet, the range of hands that you could ha+e at that point from your opponent's perspecti+e is fairly well-(balanced(. For more information on hand ranges, see the range article from the ,2- process section.

alan$ed and unbalan$ed ranges.

1f you only play $ertain strength hands in one way in a specific situation, your range is (unbalan$ed( to that certain range of hands. 1f you play a #ariety o! strength hands in the same way in the same situation, your range will be (balan$ed( as your possible hand range is not weighted too far one way or the other.

7 balanced range makes it much more difficult for your opponent to take an educated guess at what you are likely to be holding. That pretty much explains e+erything so 1 won't go in to any further detail. )ut now the big /uestion is...

Why balan$e your range?

1f you ha+e a balanced range, your opponents are going to find it difficult to narrow your hand range down and play optimally against you. 1f we are making the same action with a +ariety of different hands, how can an opponent narrow down our range of possible handsE We benefit from the fact that our opponents can't narrow our range accurately based on our actions due to our (balanced range(.

The harder it is for our opponent to figure out what sort of hand we are holding the better. The less our opponent knows about our hand the more mistakes they will make when they play against us, which means that as a result we will be winning more money from them o+er the long run because they fail to play optimally. =oker is a big game of broken informationH the more information you can piece together the more profitable your decisions will be. 1f we can reduce the amount of information that our opponents can piece together by balancing our range, the less profitable their decisions will be. To put all this simplyG

Jnbalan$ed range - easy to play against. alan$ed range - hard to play against.

1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

)*ample o! why you should balan$e your range.

Fur handG < T )oardG 7 O N #et's say that e+ery time you flop a strong drawing hand like this out of position you check-raise your opponent on the flop. "ow, check-raising is not a bad play at all here, in fact it's a pretty good one. ?ou might think it's pretty decepti+e to play a drawing hand so strongly in this instance, but i! you're playing drawing hands e*a$tly the same way e#ery time then your play is no longer de$epti#e. 7s 2d -iller put it in his blog post on playing decepti+elyG UDeception applies not to indi+idual plays, but to entire strategies.V 7gainst a bad player that takes no real notice of how you play your hands, you could check-raise drawing hands in this spot all day and make a healthy profit from it. Howe+er, an obser+ant player will find out what you are doing sooner or later and start $-betting back at you with toppair hands, gi+ing you bad odds to play on and forcing you to fold.

alan$e your range to make it di!!i$ult !or your opponent to play against you.
&o as you can see, whilst you think the play itsel! might be pretty de$epti#eG it's a$tually not de$epti#e at all i! we're doing the e*a$t same thing e#ery time against a MthinkingM player. Fur opponent will spot that our range is +ery unbalanced and weighted toward drawing hands when we do this and so can play accordingly to exploit our actions. Therefore, if we included other strengths of hands such as strong top-pair or better hands and complete air *preferably with some e/uity., our range would be more balan$ed. 1f our

opponent is aware of how +aried our range is when we check-raise in this spot it makes it difficult for them to choose the most appropriate action to take against us. 7t the end of the day, if you're not check-raising with a genuinely strong hand in this situation e+ery now and then you are doing yourself an in>ustice by reducing the decepti+eness *and thus profitability. of your play.

How to balan$e your range.

There are two fundamental ways in which you can balance your rangeG 5. =lay different strength hands in the same way. . =lay the same strength hand in a different way. Howe+er, the tricky part to range balancing is not knowing the basics of (how( to balance your range, but more (when( to do so. 7fter all, it's not going to be enough to bluff once where you would normally bet for good +alue. )alancing your range is a skill that you perfect with practice and a sound knowledge of your opponents. &o 1 guess that means you'll >ust ha+e to think about this concept a little more during play and get out there and start practicing. )e sure to remember that against bad players you should ne+er concern yourself with range balancing. 1f some players are always folding to my semi-bluffs and bluffs when 1 check raise then 1'm >ust going to continue doing so and forget about check-raising with strong hands. 1f they don't care about my range, then neither do 1.

0uide to balan$ing your range.

7 thorough guide on how and when to balance your range is out of the scope of this introductory article, but 1 can gi+e you a /uick pointer to get you startedG 7lways be aware of the way you are playing your hand and how your opponent is reading in to your actions. 1s it blindingly ob+ious that you are playing your hand like a middle pair that cannot take much actionE @ould your opponent e+er put you on a strong made-hand when you're running that bluff on the ri+erE @an you possibly hold anything other than the nuts in some situationsE The key to understanding *and taking ad+antage of. range balancing is to look at your own plays and see how di+erse your range could possibly be in each hand. 1f you e+er feel that you range is too weighted to a certain set of hands in a particular situation you are probably making it easy for your opponents to play against you.

=laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

)#aluation o! range balan$ing.

1'+e pretty much co+ered all that 1 wanted to talk about when it comes to balancing your range in Texas Hold'em, although the guide to range balancing section at the end was a little thin. This has been more of an introduction to the concept than anything though. 7ll in all, range balancing is definitely something that you should think about more as you mo+e up the le+els and find yourself playing against opponents that are good at reading your hand based on the way you play. The less your opponent knows about your had, the more mistakes they will make and the more bb65!! we can add to our win rate at the end of the day.

Sta$k To Pot 2atio " SP2

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R &tack To =ot ,atio ! There's also a handy classroom section on &=, starting at :G : in &plit&uit's (=laying 77( +ideo.

The sta$k"to"pot ratio *or &=, for short. principle was coined by 2d -iller in the book !rofessional No-Limit Hold.em$ %olume &. 1n this article 1 aim to explain the basics of &=, in poker and show you how it can be used to make your post-flop decisions a lot easier in cash games. This article is merely a brief introduction and o+er+iew of &=,. 1 highly recommend you buy the book to feel the full force of N! pages worth of &=, euphoria.
1. What is &=,E

5. &=, e/uation.

2. What is the use of &=,E

5. )enefits of &=, example. 5. High &=, situation. . #ow &=, situation. $. &=, example e+aluation.
3. High, medium and low &=,s.

5. 'ood hands for low &=,s. . 'ood hands for medium &=,s. $. 'ood hands for high &=,s.
4. How to get good &=,s.

5. Tailoring your preflop raises. 5. 2xample of raising to $bb. . 2xample of raising to :bb. . "ot entering pots. 8. 2+aluation of stack to pot ratios in poker.

I5 What is SP2?
&=, is the effecti+e stack si3es di+ided by the si3e of the pot on the flop. #et's say you raise to 4: in -= before the flop in a 4564 "# cash game. Fne opponent calls on the button and both of the blinds fold. 1f both you and your opponent ha+e 45!! in your stack, the sta$k to pot ratio would beG

4O% G 458 &=, T 5!! 6 58 T :.$

To put it another way, in this example the remaining effecti+e stack si3es are :.$ times the si3e of the pot. 2asy stuff really. &=, can also be considered the ratio of risk G reward. 1n e+ery no limit hand, the pot is the reward and the si3e of the effecti+e stacks is the potential risk. Therefore the greater the &=,, the greater the risk G reward ratio.

%5 SP2 e;uation.

The &=, e/uation. 1t's straightforward, but it could still do with some explaining.

1mportant points about working out &=,. ?ou must use effecti+e stack si3es. 1f you ha+e 458! and your opponent only has 45!!, then the effecti+e stack si3es are 45!!, as you cannot win or lose more than 45!! against this player. &=, is worked out on the flop only. &tack to pot ratios are not going to be used for the turn or ri+er.

Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

II5 What is the use o! SP2?

)y taking control of &=, you can make post flop play a lot easier for yourself. Low SP2 situations are simple to play, as they greatly reduce the amount of post flop actions and decision that you are re/uired to make because there is so little room for manoeu+re due to the large pot si3e and small effecti+e stacks. ?ou're not going to be floating the flop and check raising all-in on the turn if the flop is 45! and you ha+e 4 ! left in your stack. High SP2 situations can be a lot trickier to play *depending on what sort of hand you ha+e on the flop. because there is a lot of money left in the stacks to be played with on the flop, turn and ri+er. Different strengths of hands can be more suited to either high or low &=,s. Therefore, if you know what sort of &=,s your hand plays well in, you can manipulate the pot si3es by the way you bet or raise preflop, or a+oid certain situations altogether *by folding. to land yourself in a good &=, situation for your particular hand.

%5 ene!its o! SP2 e*ample.

The best example of &=, is when you ha+e a top pair hand like 7 I on a flop of I T O . We ha+e top pair, but the board is highly coordinated and in all honesty we'd really prefer to bet and >ust take this pot down on the flop. i5 High SP2 situation.

1f the pot si3e is 45! and the effecti+e stacks are 4 !!, the &=, is !. 1f we bet this flop and get raised we are put in a +ery tricky situation, as we could well ha+e the best hand here but we're not really prepared to commit too much money with >ust top pair. 1f we do end up getting it all in on this flop or on the turn or ri+er the chances are that we do not hold the best hand. This makes playing top pair hands like this tricky if the &=, is mid-si3ed or high. ii5 Low SP2 situation. 1f the pot si3e is 45! and the effecti+e stacks are 4$!, the &=, is $. 1f we bet this flop and get raised we are in a much more comfortable position to call or raise all-in, as we do not fear further bets on the turn or ri+er. &ure, our opponent could still hold a better hand but the risk here is much lower. We are committed to the hand and so putting all our chips in the middle is a much easier decision. iii5 SP2 e*ample e#aluation. 1n the two different scenarios abo+e the strength of our hand did not change, yet the outcomes were +ery different due to the stack to pot ratio. With the low &=, of $ the risk is much lower relati+e to the reward, which makes it +ery easy for us to call all-in with our top pair hand.

III5 HighG medium and low SP2s.

#ow &=, T ! - : -edium &=, T N - 5: High &=, T 5N;

These &=, figures are +ery rough guidelines and their implications will +ary greatly depending on how loose or tight your opponents are. They also mean nothing unless we ha+e an idea of which hands play best depending on the stack to pot ratio.

%5 0ood hands !or low SP2s.

F+erpairs. Top pair. )ottom two pair.

These are the sorts of hands that we do not want to play big pots with, as the bigger the pots get the greater the chances are that we are behind. #ow &=,s reduce the number of decisions we need to make with these hands, which makes them a lot easier to play and thus more profitable situations o+er the long run.

With mediocre hands like these, you want to to a+oid becoming pot committed after starting with a full stack.

5 0ood hands !or medium SP2s.

Top two pair. &ets. 'ood drawing hands. Flushes and straights.

These are much stronger hands than the ones abo+e and will remain as the best hand when you're all-in often enough to keep them profitable when the &=, is between around N to 5:. The higher likely &=, also makes it profitable to play more speculati+e hands like small pocket pairs and suited connectors that infre/uently hit big flops, as there is a lot more money to potentially be won from the hand on later betting rounds.

C5 0ood hands !or high SP2s.

&ets. &trong drawing hands. )ig flushes and high-end straights.

These are the hands that are almost guaranteed to win you the pot. 1f the &=, is high, you want be be sure that you ha+e near enough the nuts or a draw to pretty much the nuts if there is a lot of action. The last thing you want to do in high &=, situations is get a lot of money in to the pot without a +ery good chance of winning.

I+5 How to get good SP2s.

Depending on the type of hand you hold before the flop, you should ha+e a rough idea of the ideal &=, for making your post flop play as easy and as profitable as possible. There are two things that you can do to get yourself in ideal situations in terms of &=,G 5. Tailor your preflop raises to set yourself up for the ideal &=,. . Do not enter the pot in the first place.

%5 Tailor your pre!lop raises.

?ou're not always going to ha+e the luxury of tailoring your preflop raises to get that perfect &=,, but when you do ha+e the opportunity you should take ad+antage of it. i5 )*ample o! raising to >bb.

?ou hold 7 I and you and an opponent ha+e 45!! effecti+e stacks in a 4564 :max "#H2 game. 1f you raise to $bb from -= and your opponent in the @F calls, you will ha+e an &=, of :.$ *4O% G 458. on the flop. This &=, may well be a little too high for you to >ustify putting all of your chips in the middle if you hit top pair on the flop, especially so if your opponent is tight as there is a greater likelihood that they are only going to be willing to get all their chips in the middle they will ha+e a better hand than T=TI. ii5 )*ample o! raising to Abb. Ksing the same example as abo+e where the effecti+e stacks are still 45!!, let's say we raise to :bb *45 . instead of $bb preflop. 1f our opponent again calls we will ha+e an &=, of $.$ *4<< G 4 N. on the flop. With this lower &=, we will feel a lot more comfortable putting all of our chips in the middle if needs be. 1n addition the chances are that all of the money will be in by the turn, which sa+es us from a potentially difficult ri+er decision.

5 8ot entering the pot.

1f you ha+e a small pocket pair like %% and the effecti+e stack si3es are fairly low, it is not going to be profitable to raise or call raises as the &=, is going to be low also. With low &=,s you are going to ha+e +ery little in the way of implied odds *or fold e/uity if you turn your hand in to a bluff later on down the line., which means that you are far better off folding hands like small pocket pairs and suited connectors if you anticipate the &=, will be low. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

+5 )#aluation o! sta$k to pot ratios in poker.

Fne of the key points that you should take from this article is that planning your hands from the start is +itally important for setting yourself up for profitable and easier-to-play situations later on in the hand. 7nother key point is >ust how much of an effect pot si3es on the flop can influence the way you play your cards. ?ou're not always going to be able to grab &=, by the horns and create flop pot si3es exactly how you want them, but nonetheless opportunities to tailor &=, will occur, so don't pass them up when they come around. Trust me when 1 say that post flop play gets so much easier when you plan your hands and use your knowledge of &=, effecti+ely. 7gain, this really is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to &=,. 1'd highly recommend you pick up a copy of !rofessional No-Limit Hold.em$ %olume & for more information on this topic. This is the book that also contains the in+aluable ,2- process framework.

7lternati+ely, this (concept of the week( article on &=, at ; is also pretty awesome.

2elati#e Position
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R ,elati+e =osition !

7ny experienced poker player will be able to tell you the importance of position in any hand, especially so in the game of Texas Hold em. 7cting last and being able to see how your opponents play before deciding on your action can gi+e you a tremendous ad+antage o+er the other players in the hand. Howe+er, there is another important factor that can increase or decrease the +alue of your actual position at the table. This factor is known as relati#e position.

What is relati#e position?

(,elati+e position( is your position in relation to the pre-flop raiser. There is often going to be a pre-flop raiser in the game of Texas Holdem, and your position at the table in relation to this raiser can be good or bad depending on where you are sat and how many players are left to act after you. 1n a nutshell, it is better to be to the immediate right of the preflop raiser than it is to be to the immediate left, e+en if your actual position at the table is better if you are sat to the left of the preflop raiser. FactG /elative position can sometimes play such an important factor in a hand, that your actual position can be rendered worthless e+en if you are on the button and are last to act. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

Why is relati#e position important?

Forgetting about preflop raisers for the moment, let's consider a certain betting situation on the flopG When a player makes a bet on the flop, it resets the cycle of actions between the players in+ol+ed in the hand. For example, lets say that we are on the button and there are two players acting before us. We will call them (=layer 7( and (=layer )(.

)*ample o! normal position.

When we're on the button in a normal situation , we will be the last to act in the hand, making the final action before we mo+e on to the turn. For example, the flop might play out like thisG

Flop actions when in (normal position( example 5. =layer 7G @hecks =layer )G @hecks HeroG @heck X- we close the action 2"D FF )2TT1"' ,FK"D

7lternati+ely, the flop could also play out like thisG

Flop actions when in (normal position( example . =layer 7G )ets =layer )G Folds HeroG @alls X- we close the action 2"D FF )2TT1"' ,FK"D

2ither way, we are last to act and get to see all the other players' actions before closing the action on the round. 1n these (normal position( situations, our position is beneficial *as it should be..

)*ample o! relati#e position.

What happens if =layer ) decides to betE We still ha+e the best (actual position(, but look who closes the action in the handG

Flop actions when in (relati+e position(. =layer 7G @hecks

=layer )G )ets X- cycle is reset HeroG @alls =layer 7G @alls X- =layer 7 now closes the action 2"D FF )2TT1"' ,FK"D

Thanks to =layer )'s bet, =layer 7 is forced to act again, which means that we no longer get to close the action in the hand. This will happen from time to time, but it's not always a big deal because we still get to see all the other players act before we decide what we are going to do. Howe+er, there is one uni/ue dynamic that in+ol+es continuation bets that makes relati+e position worth thinking aboutW

2elati#e position and $ontinuation bets.

7s already mentioned, there is usually going to be a preflop raiser in any gi+en hand in Texas Holdem. &imilarly, it is common to see this preflop raiser make a continuation bet on the flop if they are first to act or if the other players ha+e checked to them. "oteG The principle of relati+e position relies on the important fact that a preflop raiser will usually make a continuation bet on the flop. "ow because it is commonplace for a preflop raiser to make a continuation bet, the other players in the hand will expect this and fre/uently check to the preflop raiser if they are first to act, to gi+e the preflop raiser the opportunity to make the first mo+e. This means that if we are the player who is acting after the preflop raiser making the continuation bet, we ha+e been put in a tricky situation if there are players left to act behind us *thanks to the continuation bettor resetting the cycle of actions.. The players who checked to the raiser could ha+e any range of hands from a weak hand to a monster, and we ha+e now been effecti+ely sandwiched between playersG 5. The preflop raiser who could ha+e a potentially strong hand and is making the continuation bet . The player who checked to the raiser and could ha+e any range of hands.

)*ample o! relati#e position and $ontinuation bets.

We are on the button with M A . 7 player in the @F makes a standard $)) raise. We decide to cal because our cards are decent and we ha+e position. The small blind calls and the big blind folds, so $ players go the flop. The flop comes M N : , gi+ing us top pair with a good kicker. The small blind checks to the preflop raiser, who then makes a solid Q pot si3e bet.

"ow the problem here is that any play we make will not be closing off the action, as the player in the small blind now has the opportunity to act again. We ha+e been sandwiched between the player in the @F who has made a continuation bet with a potentially strong hand, and between another player who could ha+e a stronger hand than ours as their check did not necessarily indicate strength or weakness. Their check neither shows strength nor weakness because they are confident that the preflop raiser will make a continuation bet as standard, and so they may well be checking with the intention of calling6raising when the action gets back to them. Here is how the play looks and how we ha+e been sandwichedG

Flop actions when in (relati+e position(. &mall )indG @hecks @FG )ets X- cycle is reset HeroG EE X- sandwiched &mall )indG X- could >ust as easily fold, call or raise the @F's continuation bet. 2"D FF )2TT1"' ,FK"D

7 scruffy diagram that highlights the relati#e position problem on the !lop after the player in the @F makes a cbet. 7 call in this situation would not be bad, but we are lea+ing oursel+es open to losing chips to the player in the small blind if they decide to raise. Furthermore, if the small blind decides to call as well, we will go to the turn ready to be put in the same tricky situation as we were on the flop.

7s you can see we are now in a pot that could potentially lose us a significant number of chips because we ha+e a decent holding, but we're in a highly compromising position that we probably didn't expect when we first entered the hand. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

2elati#e position e#aluation.

Hopefully the abo+e example has helped to highlight how your position relati+e to the preflop raiser can ha+e a big impact on your actual position at the table.

The best relati+e position to ha+e is to be to the immediate right of the preflop raiser. This is because your action will close off the betting on that particular round if the raiser does indeed make an expected continuation bet. The worst relati+e position to ha+e is to be the the immediate left of the preflop raiser. This is because you will be the first to act if the preflop raiser makes a continuation bet. The player*s. now acting after you that initially checked to the preflop raiser could ha+e any hand ranging from total air to a monster.

?ou should always try and e+aluate your relati+e position in any hand along with your actual position, as it will ha+e a bigger impact than you may think. ?ou probably ne+er realised it before and will likely forget about it before it's too late the next few times it happens, but try your best to be aware of it. 1t will sink in after a while.

+alue etting " How To &a*imi.e +alue

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R 0alue )etting ! The Aack Wilcox cash games. - 0alue )etting strategy +ideo focuses entirely on +alue betting in "#

?ou want to extract as much money as possible from your opponents when you ha+e a winning hand. The more money you can win from your opponents, the higher your winrate will be. The process of s/uee3ing more money from your opponents is known as ma*imi.ing the #alue o! your hand, and there are a few steps that you can take to make this happen. The most important fact about increasing the amount you can win on each hand is that you ha+e to get your opponent to put money into the pot. 1f your opponent is not putting money into the pot, then you are not gaining any +alue on your hand, as the amount you will be winning after the hand is complete will remain the same throughout. To get your opponent to put as much money into the pot as possible, you ha+e to be betting and raising when it is your turn to act, which is something that a lot of players fail to do. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

% $ommon mistake when betting.

The most common mistake that no+ice players make is that they free3e up whene+er they hit a +ery strong hand, and start to check and call thinking that they are luring their opponent in and setting them up for a big fall. Howe+er in reality, all that is happening when you check and call is that you are missing opportunities to get more money into the pot for you to win. @hecking, calling and generally slowplaying at e+ery opportunity with a strong hand is counterproducti+e. ?ou want to win money rightE There are rarely going to be situations where you check and call throughout the hand, and then be able to get all of your opponent's chips in on the ri+er, it >ust doesn't happen. This is one reason why slowplaying is more often than not a bad option, as you are restricting yourself from maximi3ing the +alue on your hand, and thus reducing the amount of money you expect to win.

Common #alue betting mistake e*ample.

For example, say we are in late position holding $ $ and decide to call a raise from a player in middle position. The flop comes 7 O $ , a great flop for our hand as we now ha+e a set. Fur opponent now comes out with a Q pot si3e bet and the action is on us. The no+ice mistake here would be to slowplay, and simply call this bet. ?ou ha+e the perfect opportunity to get more money into the pot and increase the stakes throughout the rest of the hand, so why would you e+en consider throwing this chance to raise awayE &ure, you could check with the intentions of luring your opponent in, but if it turns out that they do ha+e an ace, you are missing a great opportunity to raise the stakes, and allowing for a potential scare card to come on the turn to slow the action down.

Don't miss out on great opportunities to get more money in to the pot by trying to be tricky. 7lternati+ely, you may be afraid of raising here because you do not want to scare your opponent out of the pot. )ut if you think about it logically, if your opponent is not going to call a raise on the flop, what makes you think you are going to get any money out of them on future betting roundsE

How to ma*imi.e #alue in poker.

The fact of the matter isH if you can't get any money out of your opponent when you ha+e a strong hand in a good spot, you were ne+er going to get much money from them anyway. This principle is key and should be remembered e+ery time you find yourself in this sort of situation. 7lways take the opportunity to raise and get more money into the pot if you think there is a good chance that your opponent has a decent hand, but don't be afraid that your opponent will fold, as you would not ha+e been able to extract much from them later in the hand anyway. 1 am ne+er frustrated when 1 raise with a monster hand and my opponent folds. 1 would rather take the chance of making lots of money on the hand by raising, rather than checking the hand through hoping for a bluff each time, and missing the opportunity to win big when my opponent does indeed catch a piece of the flop. Don't be afraid to bet when you ha+e the best hand. The only way you are going to win big pots with big hands is by betting and raising, so don't shy away from doing so.

+alue betting on the ri#er.

7 final point in the process of maximi3ing +alue is value betting on the river when you think you ha+e the best hand. 7 +ery common rookie mistake is to bet small on the ri+er to entice a call from your opponent when you know that you ha+e the best hand. -any amateur players will think (1 don't want to bet big here and make my opponent fold, so 1 will bet small and allow my opponent to call to get a little extra money(. #et me explain why this is wrong through the use of mathematicsG 1t is true that the bigger the bet, the less likely your opponent will be to call. )ut on the other hand, you will be winning /uite a substantial amount of money when your opponent does call. @on+ersely, your opponent will call the small bet more often, but you will be winning less when they do call.

+alue betting on the ri#er e*ampleI

&ay for instance that we are last to act on the ri+er with what we feel is the best hand. There is 45!! in the pot and it is up to us to decide how much we should bet.

7ssume that we know for a fact that if we bet 4 ! into this pot, our opponent will call N times out of 5!. Howe+er, if we bet 45!! into this pot, our opponent will call times out of 5!. Therefore if we took each scenario and repeated it 5! times, we would find thatG

We win 45%! in total by betting 4 !. We win 4 !! in total by betting 45!!.

7s you can see, we will be winning 4:! more by betting the si3e of the pot rather than betting a small amount to try and entice our opponent to call. &o e+en though we will be getting called less often, we will be winning more in the long run by betting a larger amount. ?ou win more money o+er the long run with bigger bets on the ri+er, e+en if they get called less often. This is also another key concept that we must take into account, as the +alue betting on the ri+er is based on the long term winnings, rather than >ust trying to get your opponent to call small bets e+ery time. The small +ictories are not the ones that are going to increase our profits at the end of the day. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

+alue betting e#aluation.

-aximi3ing the +alue of your hands is all about not being afraid to bet and raise to try and get your opponent to put more money into the pot. ?ou should always focus on the long term rather than playing to try and suck out the +alue on each indi+idual hand by being tricky and slowplaying e+ery time. 1t is far better to ha+e you opponents fold most of the time yet win big occasionally, rather than pick up small pots on e+ery big hand you get. 1f you ha+e the opportunity to raise and get more money into the pot then do so, poker is all about winning money and not pots. "e+er be too disappointed if you find that your opponent folds when you ha+e a monster handH monster hands are great, but they are only truly great if you can make a decent profit on them.

etting Into The Pre!lop 2aiser

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R )ettng 1nto The =reflop ,aiser !

)eing out of position in any hand of poker is not going to be make your decisions easy. Howe+er, this does not mean that we canCt use a few tricks to make it work to our ad+antage when we hit our strong hands. This article will discuss how you can work around the fact that you are out of position to your opponent and use it to your ad+antage to maximi3e your wins with a strong hand on the flop. Here's my /uick guide to betting into the pre!lop raiser.

etting into pre!lop raiser e*ample.

#ets say we are heads up in a Holdem game and out of position to an opponent after we called their preflop raise. 1deally, this isn't a situation that you would want to find yourself in, because it means that you would ha+e called a raise preflop knowing that you would be out of position for the rest of the hand. &o to be in this position in the first place, we probably ha+e a relati+ely strong hand with big cards, or a hand with a lot of potential like a small pocket pair.

Hn the !lop.
When we get to the flop, it is standard play for most players to check to the raiser regardless of whether we made a strong hand or not. &imilarly, it is the standard play for our opponent to make a continuation bet to take down the pot, regardless if they ha+e a strong hand or not. This is because players in our sort of position will want to see how our opponent will react after our check, and the ma>ority of the time our opponent will make a standard continuation bet in an attempt to capitalise on the weakness we ha+e shown from our check. 1f you play at a high enough le+el for long enough, you will see this take place time after time. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. We are ob+iously going to be folding our hand if we ha+e not connected with the flop after the continuation bet from our opponent. Howe+er, if we ha+e made a strong hand, then many players will be tempted check their hand to their opponent in anticipation that they will bet out, and then we can come o+er the top with a check-raise and trap them. This all sounds well and good, but

when you think about it logically, you are missing out on a prime opportunity to extract a nice amount of money from your opponent. 1f we make a check-raise play with our strong hand in this situation, one of two things are likely to happen. 5. Fur opponent will fold any weak or mediocre holding . Fur opponent will call and become +ery wary about our hand )ecause the check-raise is such a powerful play, we are basically telling our opponents that we ha+e the best hand. Therefore they are going to fold any weak or decent hand, and possibly call with their second best strong hand but be wary of continuing with the hand. The check raise gi+es away too much information about the strength of your hand, whereas a bet from first position doesn't gi+e much away. &ure we could be bluffing, but it would be a dangerous play, and so our opponent would not want to take the risk to find out if we are by calling or re-raising with a mediocre or e+en a strong hand. &o the ma>ority of the time we are going to be cutting off our action at the flop when we ha+e a strong hand, and not gi+ing oursel+es the opportunity to extract more money on future betting rounds.

Playing strong hands against the pre!lop raiser.

1n my opinion, a great way to play a strong hand in this situation on the flop is to simply bet out. )y betting out straight away on the flop, we are making it look as though we ha+e a mediocre hand and that we are trying to stand our ground and take the pot. ?ou will often find that any intermediate player that comes out with a bet on the flop is making a feeble attempt to win the pot with their half decent hand, and so a simple raise on our part when in position is often going to be enough to get them out of the pot. &o if we are betting out with our strong hand, we are making it look as though we are that feeble player hoping to sneak the pot away. "ow most intermediate to ad+anced players are aware of the fact that players make this kind of bet to try and win the pot, and so it is pretty likely that they are going to raise with any high pair, o+er-pair, draw or e+en on a bluff. &o at the end of the day, the likelihood that we are going to get raised is pretty high. Therefore we will ha+e already increased the amount we can expect to win from the hand, because we now ha+e our opponent putting $ or % times the amount into the pot than they would ha+e done if we attempted a check raise. Fn top of this, our hand is still disguised from our opponent and so we ha+e the potential to win more money on future betting rounds.

)*ample 4and ad#antages5 o! betting out !irst.

1f we make a call to see a flop with a hand like : : and the flop comes great position to make a killing. : A , we are in a

)y betting out, our opponent is likely to assume we ha+e a mediocre hand like a pair of >acks or sixes, and so they will re-raise us with any o+erpair or hand like IA or 7A because they will feel that they still ha+e the best hand. 1f we check-raise howe+er, our opponent will be wary of the strength of our hand and reconsider the strength of their >ack, and slow down with any o+erpair. &o betting out will set us up for that bigger win each time. There are far more ad+antages to betting out first as opposed to check raising, so there is no need to try and play tricky poker. From here on out we ha+e to make the decision on whether or not to call or re-raise this raise from our opponent. 1n general, we should look to call if the board looks safe and look to raise if the board appears to be dangerous with potential draws. 1t is likely that we can win more money on the turn and ri+er if we call, because as far as our opponent knows we could well be holding onto our mediocre hand hoping for the best. )ut then we donCt want to gi+e them the opportunity to draw out on us by calling. &o you ha+e to weigh up whether it is going to be more profitable in the long run to call and try and win more, or raise and take down the pot. )ut who knowsH if you raise, you may still get a call and win a pretty si3eable pot. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

etting into the pre!lop raiser e#aluation.

This kind of play assumes that we are out of position and heads up to an opponent that knows a bit about the game of poker. This is because we will be relying on the fact that they will see our bet out as a sign of weakness, and raise us in an attempt to stop the action and win the pot. &ure, sometimes our opponent will fold when we bet out, but a lot of the time we will be raised and be in a prime position to win a much bigger pot than if we had attempted a check raise. &o we will be winning more money in the long run by betting out and winning a huge pot e+ery now and then, rather than trying to be sneaky and fre/uently win small pots. &o try betting out when you hit a monster hand. ?ou will be surprised at how much more you will be winning o+erall.

The 2)& Pro$ess " 2angeG );uityG &a*imi.e

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R The ,2- =rocess

! ,2- =rocessG ,ange R 2/uity R -aximi3e

,ange, e/uity, maximi3e *,2-. is an incredibly effecti+e process for e+aluating situations and getting the most from e+ery hand you play. The 2)& pro$ess forms the groundwork of optimum play in no limit Texas Hold'em. The ,2- process was first introduced by Flynn, -ehta and -iller in the book !rofessional NoLimit Hold.em$ %olume & *the same book that introduces &=,.. This article will be split up in to $ sections, co+ering the basics of the ,2- process to make it as easy as possible for you to pick it up and incorporate it in to your game.

What is the 2)& pro$ess?

7s mentioned, ,2- stands for ,ange, 2/uity, -aximi3e.

,angeG 7ssign a range of hands to your opponent based on their play up to that point. 2/uityG Work out how much e/uity you ha+e in the hand against your opponent's range. -aximi3eG -ake the most ;20 possible play based on the information you ha+e gathered.

This is a $-step process for making the most ;20 play possible in each hand you are in+ol+ed with.

2ange " 0i#e your opponent a range o! hands.

7ssign a range of hands to your opponent based on their play up to that point and your knowledge of their playing style.

#et's get things straight. We're not going to be able to put our opponent on two exact cards >udging by the way they ha+e raised preflop and checked to us on the flop. 1n fact, it's exceptionally unlikely that e+en the best players in the world would be able to assign an exact hand to an opponent by the ri+er. 1t's >ust not possible to be that precise when it comes to hand reading. Howe+er, what is possible is to assign a certain range of hands to our opponent based on the way they ha+e played their hand up that point. There are two ways in which we can do thisG 5. Kse our knowledge of the opponent to help us form a range of hands. . Kse poker tracking software stats to gi+e us a more exact range of hands to assign to them.

%ssigning hand ranges without using so!tware.

1f you do not ha+e the luxury of being able to use tracking software, you are going to ha+e to draw your own conclusions based on your knowledge of your opponentH more specifically on their style of play and how they ha+e been playing their hand so far. Hand range e*ample. "oteG ,emember this example, as it will follow on through the rest of the article. 7 tight-aggressi+e player makes a $-bet against an early position raiser *who is an a+erage player. in a :max game before the flop.

7 $bet from early position is almost always a sign of great strength. We can assume that they won't be doing this with any old hand. )ased on our knowledge of our opponent and the situation, we can say that our opponent's range is like to be a high pair *Aacks or greater. or 7I. &o...

Hand range for a $-bet in middle position for our tight aggressi+e opponent. ,angeG AA;,7Is,7Io

This is a pretty safe assumption for this example, but assigning a hand range is not always going to be this easy. The less information we ha+e on our opponent, the wider the hand range should be.

%ssigning hand ranges using so!tware.

1f we are using a HKD with stats *like the ones that come with =oker Tracker $ and Holdem -anager. on our opponent, it makes assigning a range a whole lot easier and remo+es some guesswork from the process, which makes the range more accurate. #ets use the same example as abo+e with the early raiser and mid position $-bettor. Howe+er, the difference is we ha+e a good set of stats on the $-bettor and it turns out that they are a little looser than we thought. Fur HKD stats show that the $-bettor makes a $-bet preflop 89 of the time. Therefore, they are making a $-bet with the top 89 of hands they are dealt. 1f we check what the top 89 of hands looks like using =oker&to+eG

=oker&to+e isn't only useful for it's e/uity calculations y'know.

=reflop $-betting range of 89. ,angeG TT;,7Ms;,IMs,7Mo;

o

&o that's all pocket pairs of TT and higher, along with IMs and any 7I or 7M. 2asy.

This is ob+iously a rough example, but it >ust goes to show how much more accurate you can be when it comes to assigning hand ranges if you are using tracking software like Holdem-anager and =oker&to+e. ,ead more about assigning hand ranges and using =oker&to+e in the ,2- =rocess - ,ange article. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

);uity " 9ind out your e;uity.

Work out how much e/uity you ha+e in the hand against your opponent's range. )asically find out where we stand and assess the situation. What's our 9 e/uity in the hand compared to the range we ha+e >ust assigned to our opponentE This is where the =oker&to+e program comes in really handy. ?ou can figure out your e/uity in the hand without =oker&to+e, but it re/uires a bunch of mathematics and so 1'm not going to bother going down that route for now. =oker&to+e makes it easier for the both of us. &o what do we doE We put our hand and our opponent's range in to =oker&to+e and hit (e+aluate(. 1t's as easy as that. #et's say that we are actually the initial raiser holding 7 A and our opponent is the $ bettor with the range of TT;, 7Ms;, IMs ,7Mo;.

&ame $bet situation as before but with our hand and opponent's range added.

7hAh's e/uity against +illain's $betting range. 7s we can see, we ha+e $%9 e/uity in the hand against this range, which isn't great. This means that our opponent is a to 5 fa+ourite to win at this stage of the hand *see the con+ersion odds chart or use the ho,atio odds con+erter program if you're ha+ing trouble con+erting percentage odds in to ratio odds and +ice +ersa.. ,ead more about calculating e/uity and using =oker&to+e in the ,2- =rocess - 2/uity article.

&a*imi.e " make the best play possible.

-ake the most ;20 possible play based on the information you ha+e gathered. -aximi3e +alue. &o we ha+e a good idea of what our opponent's range of hands is and we know what our e/uity is in the hand. 7ll the hand ranges and e/uity calculations are going to be worthless unless we can maximi3e our +alue from the hand, so let's see what we can do... 1n the following two examples, 1 will carry on the example with the raise from 2= and $-bet from -= as outlined in the ,ange and 2/uity sections.

&a*imi.e e*ample -.

Fur handG 7 A - $%9 e/uity Fpponent's rangeG TT;, 7Ms;, IMs ,7Mo; - ::9 e/uity "oteG )oth players ha+e full stacks.

1n this example, we are playing 45!!"# and we both ha+e full stacks. We raised to 4N and our opponents $-bets to 4 %. &eeing as our opponent's hand range is much better than our's for the most part, the most (profitable( play for us is to fold. The best that we can hope for is to hit a Aack on the flop. 2+en then we might not e+en be in the best of shape, so the best plan of action is to fold as opposed to risking more money with such poor e/uity in the hand. The most influential reason behind folding here though is our opponent's superior hand range.

&a*imi.e e*ample '.

Fur handG 7 A - $%9 e/uity Fpponent's rangeG TT;, 7Ms;, IMs ,7Mo; - ::9 e/uity "oteG Fpponent has a !)) stack.

We are again playing 45!!"#, howe+er, our opponent only has 4 ! left in their stack. We raise to 4N and our opponent $-bets all-in to 4 !. We now ha+e to call 45$ to win a 4 <.8 pot *4 ! ; 4N ; the &) and ))., gi+ing us pot odds of . to 5. ,ight now we ha+e $$9 e/uity, which works out as to 5 odds. &eeing as our pot odds are greater than the odds of winning, it is marginally profitable for us to make this call. We do not ha+e to worry about playing the rest of the hand as our opponent is all in and we will not ha+e to face any more bets. 1n this situation, calling the all-in $-bet is the most profitable play based on our e/uity in the hand.

&a*imi.e o#er#iew.
,emember that this is >ust one example of an almost endless number of different situations you can find yourself in. -aximi3ing +alue takes a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. 1t is going to be something that you will find yourself working to impro+e throughout your poker career. ,ead more about maximi3ing +alue from your hands in the ,2- =rocess - -aximi3e article. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

)#aluation o! the 2)& pro$ess.

The ,2- process is undoubtedly the best possible framework for playing a hand in no limit Texas Hold'em. The hard part is de+eloping the skills to be able to read hands, /uickly work out e/uity and then make the best play possible based on that information. That's where all the other strategy on this site is going to come in handy. ?ou're not going to be able to calculate all the fine details in the middle of a hand, so don't expect yourself to be able to. What you can expect to do is familiarise yourself with the process and try your best to apply the steps to e+ery hand you play, albeit in a much tighter space of time. The more you work with the ,2- process the easier you will find it to fly through the ,ange 2/uity - -aximi3e steps before making your decision. The more proficient you get with it, the more bb65!! hands you will be adding to your win rate.

The 2)& Pro$ess " );uity

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R The ,2- =rocess R 2/uity 5

,2- =rocessG ,ange R 2/uity R -aximi3e

7fter your ha+e put your opponent on a range of hands, the second step in the ,2- process is to find your (e/uity( in the hand. The e/uity part mostly acts as a stepping stone for the following (maximi3e( step. Howe+er, as far as stepping stones go, this is a pretty tricky one that isn't o+erly easy to work out accurately. Fn a basic le+el though, it's something that we actually all do without e+en thinking about it.

What is e;uity?
2/uity is our (share( of the pot that we expect to win. 1t's pretty straightforward really, but if you want more of an o+er+iew of this term you should check out the basic poker e/uity article. When we work out our e/uity in a hand for the ,2- process, we compare our hand to our opponent's range of hands *remember the range we worked out in the first stepE.. Fnce we know our e/uity in the hand against this range, we can go on to make the appropriate play.

Working out e;uity on a basi$ le#el.

Fn an absolutely most-basic le+el, when we work out our e/uity we decide whether we ha+e one of the followingG

7 hand with the most e/uity - 7 strong hand that has the a strong chance of winning. 7 hand with poor e/uity - 7 weak hand that has a poor chance of winning. 7 hand with around e+ens e/uity - This could be a +ery strong draw, or a hand like 7I facing an all-in.

When we compare our hand to our opponent's possible range of hands, we >ust want to asses the situation and take an educated guess to figure out where we stand in the hand. That's all e/uity really is - a percentage representation of our strength in the hand. The main thing that we need to do to help us make the best play *maximi3e. is to figure out how strong our hand is based on our opponent's likely range of hands.

1t is possible to work out a rough numerical idea of your e/uity in your head, but in all fairness this is far from being an easy task, and when you ha+e programs like =oker&to+e to help you out when you are playing online it really makes it an unnecessary method to try and learn.

Cal$ulating e;uity with PokerSto#e.

=oker&to+e is a superb tool for accurately calculating your e/uity in a hand. 7ll you ha+e to do is input your hand against your opponent's range and let the program do the magic. "o need for working stuff out in your head. Here are a few examples of calculating your e/uity against ranges of hands in =oker&to+e.

);uity e*ample -.
We raise to 8))s preflop with 7 I and tight player sho+es all in with their short stack si3e of $!))s. We are confident that they will only be doing with with a pocket pair like AA; and 7I.

);uity e*ample '.

We ha+e I M on a flop of T A 8 . We bet and our opponent sho+es all-in. We belie+e that they would only be doing this with T=TI, top two-pair or a set. )asically any hand like the strongest top pair or better.

);uity e*ample >.

We are dealt 7 A before the flop. Fne player pushes all-in and it is folded around to us. The guy at the table is mo+ing all-in with e+ery single hand he plays, so he could ha+e absolutely anything.

%re you supposed to use PokerSto#e to work out e;uity in e#ery hand?

Ff course not - that would take ages and be really annoying. 1 use =oker&to+e to work out e/uity against hand ranges in two instancesG 5. For post-session analysis. . 1n the middle of a big hand when 1'm using the time bank. &o unless you are using =oker&to+e as more of a one-off in the middle of a big hand, 1 would use the program off the tables when 1'm analy3ing my play and >ust generally playing around with different scenarios. The more you play with it, the more you will familiarise yourself with the e/uity of specific hands against +arious ranges. This will greatly impro+e your basic e/uity calculations on the fly and help to set you up for the following (maximi3e( step. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

)#aluation o! Me;uityM in the 2)& pro$ess.

With the use of =oker&to+e, this step is really /uick and easy. Howe+er without using =oker&to+e, figuring out your e/uity in a hand can in+ol+e a lot of guesswork. This is why familiari3ing yourself with the +arious e/uity percentages in different situations can pro+e to be helpful when estimating e/uity on the spot. The ma>ority of the time, simply assessing the situation and using common sense is enough to lead you safely on to the (maximi3e( step. 7fter all, you don't need me *or =oker&to+e. to tell you that you ha+e bad e/uity in the hand when you hold on a flop of 7 M A . When it comes to bigger decisions, then it might be a good idea to plug some cards in to the calculator to find a more accurate e/uity percentage. Fther than that >ust use common sense, supplement that with some time playing around with =oker&to+e and you should be fine. "ext stop, The ,2- =rocess - -aximi3e.

The 2)& Pro$ess " 2ange

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R The ,2- =rocess R ,ange 5 ,2- =rocessG ,ange R 2/uity R -aximi3e

The first step of the ,2- process is to put your opponents on a range of hands. 1n this article, 1 am going to show you how to assign ranges of hands to your opponent using stats and reads. 1 am going to split this article up in to two hand reading sectionsG 5. =reflop hand ranges - the easy bit. . =ost flop hand ranges - the trickier bit. ,emember that your ob>ecti+e with hand reading is to put your opponent on a range of hands, not two exact cards.

Pre!lop hand ranges.

The best way to assign a hand range to your opponent is to use the immensely useful HKD stats from tracking programs like =oker Tracker $ and Holdem-anager. ?ou can estimate a fairly accurate range based on knowledge of your opponent alone without any stats, but to teach that ability is out of the scope of this article, and using stats makes things a hell of a lot easier. &o get Holdem-anager and make your life easier.

&tats are great for pin-pointing ranges.

Jsing the HJ/ stats.

Fn the right is a cropped screenshot of a =oker&tars table with stats 1 ha+e on a player using the HKD from Holdem -anager. There are a bunch of stats shown, but the two important ones that 1 am going to look at for now areG

0=1= *0=. - 0oluntarily =ut 4 1n =ot.

This is the total 9 of times the player will enter the pot preflop by calling or raising.

=F, - =reflop ,aise.

o

This is the 9 of times the player will enter a pot preflop by raising.

&o that's cool - for this particular player (aYplayer( we can see that their 0=1= is %9 and their =F, is 5:9. &o we can say that aYplayer...

=lays %9 of all hands that they are dealt. ,aises with 5:9 of all hands that they are dealt.

7gain, that's all well and good, but these are >ust figures. How can we turn these percentages in to ranges of handsE For that, we can take an educated guess at what %9 and 5:9 of starting hands looks like. Here is an excerpt from a legendary thread by =okey at ; on hand readingG

,ough guide to hand ranges based on HKD stats. 89 T (pairs NN;, 7I, 7Ms( or (pairs OO;, 7I, 7M.( 5!9 T (pairs ::;, 7I, 7M, suited aces, IMs, MAs( 589 T (any pair, 7I, 7M, IM, suited connectors 8%;, any suited ace( !9 T (any pair, any two broadway, any suited ace( 89 T (any pair, any suited broadway, any ace, any suited connectors 8%s;, IMo( $!9 T (any pair, any ace, any suited king, any suited broadway, any suited connectors 8%s;, ITo;, MAo( or (any pair, any ace, any suited king, any broadway( %!9 T (any pair, any ace, any king, any two broadway, any suited connectors $ s;( 8!9 T (any pair, any two suited cards, any ace, any two broadway, I8o;(

This is of course >ust a rough guide, but nonetheless it is definitely something that is worth familiari3ing yourself with. &o, if we compare our percentages with these rough hand ranges we can conclude that our friend (aYplayer(G

0=1=G %9 - 1s entering the pot with any pair, any suited broadway, any ace and any suited connectors. o ;,7 s;,ITs;,MTs;,ATs,TOs,O<s,<Ns,N:s,:8s,8%s,7 o;,IMo =F,G 5:9 - 1s raising before the flop with any pair, 7I, 7M, IM, suited connectors 8%; and any suited ace.
o

;,7 s;,IMs,MAs,ATs,TOs,O<s,<Ns,N:s,:8s,8%s,7Mo;,IMo

Thanks to these stats, we now ha+e a +ery good idea of the sort of hands that our opponent will enter a pot with and more specifically, what sort of hands they will be open raising with. 7s we play through a hand with them we can whittle this range down e+en further by analy3ing how our opponent plays the flop, turn and ri+er. These 0=1= and =F, stats are also co+ered in the Holdem -anager HKD tutorial and HKD "in>a +ideos.

What is my opponent has stats like +PIPI ?( 7 P92I >(?

Then so be it - they ha+e a wide range of hands that they will enter pots and raise with. Don't be phased by the fact you can't put them on a super-specific range before the flop. 1t >ust means that they are loose and you shouldn't gi+e them credit for premium holdings too often. &ure, we can't get a real specific range, but we still know what sort of hands we can include in their range, so don't be surprised when they turn up with a hand like $% offsuit at a showdown. 7d>ust your preflop play accordingly and use the flop, turn and ri+er betting rounds to try and best work out what sort of hand they might be holding.

Post !lop hand ranges.

This is where it gets trickier. Ksing our preflop hand range as a base, our aim is to now refine that range as much as possible. The more we *safely. reduce our opponent's range, the more information we will ha+e in the hand and the more ;20 our plays will be. Howe+er, whittling down our opponents hand range post flop isn't going to be /uite as easy as it was to look at a bunch of stats like we did before the flop. 1t would be great if 1 could tell you to (do this( and (do that( to figure out exactly what your opponent is holding, but that's >ust not how poker works 1'm afraid. Howe+er, 1 can gi+e you a few tips to help you reduce that range.

1uestion e#ery play and put yoursel! in your opponent's shoes.

That's right, pretend that you are playing your opponent's hand for him *or her.. What hands would (make sense( for the plays you are makingE 7sk yourself these /uestions...

Why would my opponent check on this flopE Why would my opponent bet on this flopE Why would my opponent raise on this flopE

"ow do that for e+ery betting round. The better you can answer those /uestions, the easier it will be to reduce your opponent's range and form a more complete picture of the hand. 1f you want to get really good at assigning hand ranges *why wouldn't youE., watch the ,here The 0uffalo /oam +ideo series at Deuces@racked. This is the absolute best way to learn this particular skill. Ff course, that's a lot easier said than done, but who said poker is easyE =oker is a thinking man's game, so put your brain to good use and always aim to try and figure out why your opponent is playing the way they are. 1f you can figure out why your opponent is making their plays, you can figure out what they are likely to be holding. 1t's a pretty non-specific strategy 1 know, but this is where practice comes in to play. 1 can't teach you how to read hands like a champ in one article *probably not e+en in 8 or : articles for that matter., so get out there and play some poker. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

)#aluation o! MrangeM in the 2)& pro$ess.

1'm sure that a lot of you were impressed with how easy it was to assign a hand range to your opponent's preflop, but then /uietly disappointed with the (use your head( approach for post flop hand ranges. Holdem-anager stats can help with post flop hand ranges, but then that would make this article longer than my manhood. The bulk of useful information is going to come from your experience and knowledge anyway when it comes to post flop hand ranges. 7 great follow on article from this is (putting players on a hand(, which is /uite long but is a great supplement to this hand reading and range article. "ext stop, The ,2- =rocess - 2/uity.

How To Put Players Hn % Hand

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R How To =ut =layers Fn 7 Hand 5

Putting a player on a hand is at the +ery heart of good poker play, yet often massi+ely misunderstood. -ost people assume that the goal is to put a player on two exact cards. This would be great, but the truth is it's rarely possible without ha+ing spent hours and hours at the table with a person. Fccasionally you may find someone so powerfully uncreati+e that you'll know exactly when they'+e got a huge hand and when they don't. 2n>oy it, because it's rare. )ut wait. 7ll those books you'+e read say you should play the player. How are you supposed to do that if you can't hope to accurately put someone on two exact cardsE 2asy. There are only a few actions you can take in pokerG 5. ?ou can raise. . ?ou can call. $. ?ou can fold. "o limit adds the added excitement of being able to bet +arying amounts *see bet si3ing for more information., but people tend to bet similar amounts whene+er they bet. &o with such a limited number of actions, people will tend to take the same actions with different hands. This is why it's so hard to put someone on two exact cards. The key to making sense of this situation is not to guess. 1t's to understand that while our information is limited, we do ha+e information. We'll call that information a range. 7 range is simply all of the hands that a player would take a particular action with. For example, when under the gun *utg. in a six-handed online 4 !!"# game, a solid player will raise utg with ;6ATs;6MTs;6ITs;67Ao6IMo. That's actually a fairly tight range, close to maybe only 5N9 of all hands dealt. 1n some ways, it's easy to deal with someone when they ha+e a narrow range. Fold your bad hands, reraise your good hands, and call with those sneaky implied odds hands that can flop huge. 2asy game. What gets much trickier is post-flop play. To illustrate, let me talk through a hand to demonstrate how thinking about a range happens from preflop to ri+er.

@heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

0i#ing opponents a range e*ample.

1'm dealt M M in the @F of a 4 !!"# game. Folds to me and 1 open for 4N. Folds to the )) who calls. The )) is a player 1'd call loose, but not stupid. He calls too much preflop, he isn't +ery aggressi+e postflop, and he'll tend to o+er+alue hands. He had 458O at the start of the hand, 458! as we go to the flop. 1 co+er. &o now a few things to note. 1'm in the @F and 1 raise a lot in the @F. 1 attempt to steal the blinds at a clip of about $89 when gi+en the chance. That's a lot of hands that aren't +ery good. &o my range is wide. #ikewise, the )) likes to call a lot and probably has some +ague notion that 1 like to raise a lot. )ad players see people raising and decide to stand up to them by calling a lot more. &o he probably thinks 1 ha+e a wide range of hands *if he's thinking about it at all., and 1 know that he has a wide range of hands.

The !lop.
We see a flop of T 8 $ . 7fter the rake, there's 458.8 in the middle. That's about as good a flop as you can see if you ha+e /ueens. Knless the )) has TT6886$$, 1'm ahead of his hand and he likely has fi+e outs or fewer to impro+e. The )) checks to me, and 1 bet 45!. 1 don't want to bet big here. The reason has to do with ranges. 1f 1 bet big, then he'll +ery often fold hands like NN or N:. He's of course ne+er folding a flopped set. He probably won't fold a ten for one big bet on the flop, but he might get ner+ous on the turn or ri+er and not put all his money in with his fi+e-out draw that will rarely get there. Fn this type of board. 1 want to get a lot of calls. He'll be making a big mistake by calling, so 1 don't mind betting a small amount. 1 make money here not by getting him to call big bets rarely, but by getting him to call small bets, often and incorrectly. &o, like 1 said, 45!. The )) checkraises to 4 N total. Well that's a surprise. Three things. First, weird raise si3e. This is a site with a ()et pot( button, and people lo+e to use it. The )) has intentionally not used it and instead made a small bet. 1'm pretty confused by this. He could definitely do this with a set, trying to build a bit of a pot and stack me on later streets.

)ut he could also think a pair of tens is good here. Hands like TOs, ITo, 7T, AT, etc. are exactly the types of hands that call out of the )) in this spot. 'ood players wouldn't ha+e hands like this, but the )) isn't a good player, so we can't eliminate them entirely. &o 1 decide to >ust call the 45N more. 7t this point, 1 think his range is TOs;6ATo;6TT6886$$. &ome people might say 1'm being generous here, but remember that this is a fundamentally weak player. 0s. a good player, 1'd probably call the 45N too, but 1'd call for an entirely different reason. -ore on that in a bit. With my call, the pot, minus rake, is 4:<. The effecti+e stacks are now 45 8.

The turn.
The turn is an offsuit : *making it T 8 $ : ., completing the rainbow board. The )) checks. Fk, that's weird. What could this meanE Well, he could be getting fancy, going for two checkraises in a row with a set. That's an odd play, but people who aren't good at poker tend to make odd plays. Two pair is entirely unlikely, because of what we'+e estimated his flop range to be. The six is a complete brick. 1f he had a pair of tens, he didn't impro+e. 1f he has a set, he doesn't need to impro+e. Fnline, you'll see this called way ahead6way behind, or >ust W76W). )ut let's not gi+e him too much credit. He might reali3e that he made a small flop raise, and so maybe thinks we're getting fancy with 7I. Fr maybe we ha+e a weak ten, like TO *which is dominated by the ma>ority of the ))s ten holdings.. We still ha+e him on the same range as the flop. We know he didn't impro+e. )ut we think he might call a turn bet not >ust with his sets, but a lot of his top pairs too. &o 1 bet 4%!. 7gain, this isn't a spot where 1 want to make a big bet. 1 want him to call often. 1f he has anything but a set, he's making a substantial mistake calling this bet, so 1'm going to make a lot of medium-ish to small bets, and look to get called +ery often. "ow is the moment of truth in the hand as well. 1f the )) c6r here, 1 will probably call, mostly out of frustration, partly out of fear that he's simply o+erplaying a ten. 1f he pushes in his remaining 4<8, 1 don't expect to be a fa+ourite to win that money, but there's another 45%! in the pot on top of that 4<8, so 1 simply can't gi+e away my e/uity in that money. 1nstead, the )) >ust calls. 1'm /uite confident now he has a ten and is going down with the ship. 1'm not sure what his kicker is, but 1'm positi+e he has a ten in his hand.

The ri#er.
The ri+er is a nine, which only impro+es TO, the )) checks, 1 bet enough to put him all in for another 4<8 and he calls getting .NG5 with 7To.

0i#ing an opponent a range analysis.

&eems like a simple hand. F+erpair wins $6%s of a buyin from a calling station with tptk. )ut let's think about how different this hand would be against a good player. 7fter the flop checkraise, 1'd be putting a good player on a range of something like 7Ts6<<TT6886$$6N:s6;some bluffs. 7 good player will be bluffing me a fair amount on a board like this, either with his gutshot or total air. 7 good player knows that 1 ha+e absolutely nothing a lot of the time. 2+en if 1 had a reasonably strong hand, like <<, 1'd ha+e trouble calling e+en a small checkraise in this spot, because it's +ery likely 1'll ha+e to call turn and ri+er bets with only a $G5 shot at impro+ing and no real way to know whether my hand is good or not without losing a stack. 7 good player is taking ad+antage of my weak range on this type of board with a completely different range of hands. 7nd it's a legitimately tough spot for /ueens. 1f 1 push, he doesn't call +ery often, but when he does call, 1'm a $G5 dog almost always. )ecause /ueens are at the +ery top of my range here *the only better hands 1 could ha+e are $$6886TT6776II., 1 really hate folding to him, because that lets him succeed with too many of his bluffs. &o against a good player, 1'm calling the small flop raise too. 7nd gi+en the stacks, 1'm prepared to push o+er a turn bet fairly often *unless it's some insane card like an ace or another T.. The turn is where it gets +ery different. When that brick rolls off on the turn *though that six isn't a total brick for someone bluffing w6a gutshot. and he checks, 1'm now in a really weird spot. The pot is 4:<. There is only 45 8 left to bet. ?et if 1 make a bet trying to get the rest of that 45 8 in the middle, 1'm going to fold out most of his bluffs *maybe he'll get stubborn with a rare ten or his gutshot;pair., and lose 45 8 to his monsters. &o against a good player, 1 would check this turn back. 7 check allows him to take gutshots or ace-high bluffs to the ri+er. )ut we're not really concerned about that much. Four-outers or three-outers are nothing to be afraid of. What we're more concerned about is that he'll still ha+e a reasonably wide range on the ri+er. &o if a brick like that deuce rolls off and the good player now bets 488 on the ri+er, we can snap-call and expect +ery often to see a bluff. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

Hne last thing to noti$e.

7gainst the bad player, 1 was able, and fairly /uickly, to put him on a hand that had a ten in it. He might ha+e shown up on the ri+er with a set, or he might ha+e c6f the turn with some weird bluff. )ut mainly, when he c6c the turn, 1 know he's got a ten. 1 don't know if it's TO or 7T, and 1'm not going to pretend to be smart enough to know. )ut 1 know pretty well where 1'm at, and 1 managed to win a 4$!!; pot because of it. )ut against the good player, 1'm genuinely in the dark. He might ha+e 7$. He might ha+e 88. He might ha+e 7Ts. )ecause 1 don't know, 1 ha+e to play a much smaller pot, and 1'll probably lose e+en that smaller pot more often. That isn't an accident. ?ou're going to find yourself in a lot tougher spots +s. good players. ?ou'd be insane to try to put them on exact hands. 1t would be dangerous to try. ?ou would ha+e stopped playing poker *making correct decisions based on the information you ha+e. and started playing a guessing game. Take the information you ha+e and make the best decisions you can. 7fter that, it's up to the cards.

Thin +alue
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R Thin 0alue ! Thin 0alue R 2xample

The term Uthin +alueV is used /uite a lot when discussing tricky decisions on the ri+er in Texas HoldCem. The ability to get thin #alue from marginal hands is often the difference between good players and great players, so itCs worth taking the time to learn about it.

Hopefully you already know the basics of getting +alue from hands already, but if not, read about +alue betting first.

What is thin #alue?

Thin +alue is where you +alue bet marginal hands on the ri+er and expect to make only a small profit from those +alue bets o+er the long run. ThatCs the basics of it, but to fully understand thin value betting weCre going to need to compare (standard +alue bets( to (thin +alue bets(. 7 slightly complicated diagram might help as well. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

Thin #alue e*plained.

With a strong hand you always want to bet and raise to get as much +alue from the hand as possible. ThatCs common sense. &o generally speaking, with a hand and a board like thisG ?our HandG A A )oardG A N % 7 ...you are going to betting and raising all day. There is so much +alue in betting here itCs ridiculous. @on+ersely, if the hand looked like thisG ?our HandG $ $ )oardG A N % 7 ...you are going to be checking until the cows come home, because you donCt expect any worse hand to call. Hence, there is no value in betting here. The art of getting thin +alue is when our hand is in the middle of these two extremes and itCs not /uite as easy to tell whether there is +alue in betting our hand or not.

Thin #alue diagram.

This diagram highlights the difference in profit there is to be made between standard +alue bets, thin +alue bets and when there is no +alue in betting based on the percentage likelihood of ha+ing the best hand when called. 1f we ha+e the best hand greater than 8!9 of the time, we make a profit. 1f we ha+e the best hand less than 8!9 of the time, we lose money because weCre risking more than we get back *a negati+e ,F1 if you will.. The smaller the likelihood o! ha#ing the best hand when $alledG the thinner the #alue. "oteG When making a +alue bet we actually want to get called because we expect to win money when we are called o+er the long run. 1f you donCt want to get called itCs not a +alue bet, itCs a bluff. &ee reasons for betting.

Thin #alue betting e*ample.

1C+e put the thin +alue betting example on a separate page. This article is long enough as it is.

ene!its o! thin #alue betting. Why bet !or thin #alue?

&o why exactly should you worry about thin +alueE Why not >ust check behind with marginal hands on the ri+erE Well, there are two reasonsG 5. ?ou win more money by making thin +alue bets. . ?ou become harder to play against if you make thin +alue bets.
o

*and if youCre harder to play against, you make more money again..

5. 2+ery time you ha+e the opportunity to get +alue from your hands, no matter how marginal it is, you should take it. The extra few ))s here and there will add to your winrate, so why would you ignore itE 1f you can learn how to bet for thin +alue you will increase your winrate, itCs as simple as that.

. 1f you bet for thin +alue, you will be balancing your range when youCre betting on the ri+er. With a balanced range you make it more difficult for your opponents to play against you, which means they will make more mistakes. The more mistakes they make, the more money you will be winning from them. 7s 1C+e already mentioned, thin +alue betting often distinguishes the good players from the great players. 1f you want to impro+e your game and your winrate, you will want to get to grips with the art of thin +alue betting in poker.

How to make good thin #alue bets.

There are two steps to making good thin +alue betsG
1. ?ou need to put your opponent on a range of hands.

. ?ou need to e+aluate how many hands in that range that you beat or ha+e you beat if you bet and get called.

-5 0i#ing your opponent a range.

1f you canCt work out a decent range for your opponent based on the way they ha+e played up until that point in the hand, your +alue bet will >ust be a shot in the dark. 1f you canCt figure our a good range then youCre better off checking *or thinking harder.. ?our opponent needs to ha+e an elastic calling range for you to be able to make a thin +alue bet.

'5 )#aluating the hands in that range that you beat and do not ha#e beat i! $alled.
1f there are lots of hands in your opponents range that can call a bet and you ha+e beat, then there is ob+iously +alue in betting. @on+ersely, if there are more hands that ha+e you beat, there is no +alue in betting. The smaller the di!!eren$e is between the two 4hands you beat and hands that ha#e you beat5G the thinner your #alue bet will be. The better you become at working out your opponents range, the easier you will find it to make thinner and thinner +alue bets. 1tCs easy enough to know how to make good thin value bets, but actually doing it is another thing. )ut as with all tough decisions in poker, it will get easier the more you practice. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

Thin #alue betting e#aluation.

Thin +alue betting is tricky but it makes you money, so donCt ignore it.

The key to +alue betting is being able to put your opponent on a range of hands. 1f you can do that, thin +alue bets will get a lot easier. 1f you canCt put your opponent on a range, you need to practice more or pay more attention to the way the hands play out as you go along. This is definitely a skill you should continually be trying to impro+e though anyway. The sooner you get out of the habit of Uplaying it safe and >ust checking behindV with your marginal hands, the sooner you will open up the opportunity to add to your winrate and make more money from your sessions through thin +alue betting. Try (putting players on hands( for an in depth look at assigning hand ranges to your opponents. 7lso, range merging is a prime example of getting thin +alue in certain situations.

>" etting N >" etting Light

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R $-)etting !

$-betting light is an ad+anced concept that adds an extra weapon to a game that has likely become repetiti+e and stagnant, e+en if that current game strategy is winning you money at the tables. >"betting will shake up a mid-stakes player's game about as much as the continuation bet did when you first found out about that when you were starting out. This concept is going to be most useful in mid-stakes games between 48!"# and 4 !!"#.

What is $-bettingE Why $-betE When and where to $-bet light. How to $-bet effecti+ely.

What is >"betting and >"betting light?

>"betting.
First of all, what is a 1-bet before the flopE 7 $-bet is when there has been a raise and then another raise after that. &imple enough, but let me gi+e you one /uick example to dri+e it homeG 7fter the &) and )) post the 45 and 4 blinds, lets say there is a raise to 4< from a player in -=. 1f another player in #= raises it again to 4 %, this is called a $-bet. For a /uick guide to good $bet si3ing, watch the $betting section starting at 5$G$O in this bet si3ing +ideo. 7s you can imagine, the guy *or girl. making the $-bet probably has a +ery good hand. ?ou would normally expect them to be holding something like MM; or 7I to make this second raise before the flop. ?ou might be wondering why it's called a $-bet if there has only been two raises. Well, the )) is actually considered to be a bet in itself, and so the first raise is the nd bet and the second raise is the $-bet.

>"betting light.
7s mentioned, you would expect the player making the $-bet to ha+e a +ery strong hand like MM; or 7I. Therefore, $-betting light is when you make a $-bet with a less than premium hand like :N, N< or any suited connector like that. $-betting light is where you make a $-bet with a less than premium hand before the flop. &eems cra3y and dangerous 1 know, but 1'm sure you thought the same thing when you first heard about continuation betting. $-betting light can be an incredibly ;20 mo+e when used correctly, so don't underestimate its strength. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

Why >"bet?
=layers these days will make preflop raises with a wide range of hands. 1f a player makes a raise before the flop in #=, they could ha+e almost any hand under the sun. That's how all decent T7's play. @alling these raises with a strong hand of our own *or e+en with a drawing hand like N<s. puts us at a disad+antage because our opponent will ha+e the initiati+e in the hand. When the flop comes, we are only really looking to fold unless we hit top pair or better. 2+en then, we are not going to feel great about our hand.

$-betting when in position will regularly put loose raisers in a position where it is -20 to call a $bet because of their wide opening range. "ot to mention taking away their initiati+e.

The ad#antages o! >"betting.

=layers open with a wide range of hands, which means calling $-bets is -20 for our opponents. $-betting can often be far more ;20 than >ust calling in some cases. =layers almost always fear 77 when they face a $-bet. This gi+es us tremendous le+erage for the flop *so cbetL.. ?ou take back the initiati+e in the hand. Fpponents will call you down with much weaker hands in future if they see you $-bet so lightly *metagame strategy..

&ure, making an extra reraise before the flop is going to be pretty damn scary, especially if you are $-betting light. Howe+er, if its going to be a ;20 play you need to show some balls and play in the way that is going to make you the most money. Don't get me wrong though, $-betting light isn't >ust to try and punish the loose raisers and hope that they fold. There will be times when we get called when we $-bet light, but that's not a problem. There are still ad+antages to $-betting light when we reach the flop.

When and where to >"bet light.

&o we'+e discussed the ad+antages of the simple $-bet, but when should you $-bet lightE

?ou want to $-bet light with mid connectors6suited connectors like :N, N< and <O, or 5 gap suited connectors like :< and NO. ?ou should $-bet light in position. =laying a $-bet pot out of position is tricky *although not impossible.. ?ou should mostly $-bet raisers from #=. ,aisers from 2= are more likely to turn up with a strong hand. ?ou should try $-betting light against T7' *Tight-7ggressi+e. and semi-T7' players.

7n optimum spot to $-bet light is when a T7' from #= makes a raise when you are on the button or in the @F.

How a good $bet will usually play out preflop. 7pologies for the 'od-awful diagram, but you should get the idea. These sort of players are likely to be raising with a wide range of hands in this position, and so are fully capable or folding when they come up against aggression. This is why $-betting gi+es us an edge. 7n important point to remember is that you do not want to $-bet light against players who are eitherG 5. &uper tight and are only going to raise with supreme hands. Hence our $-bet definitely gets called. 2. &uper loose and will call regardless. We lose all of our fold e/uity in the hand with these players. This is not the only e+er spot that you can $-bet, but if you keep these guidelines in mind you should be able to get a feel for when it's a ;20 spot to $-bet.

How to >"bet.
1n a nutshell, when you $-bet light you ideally want your opponent to fold. This gi+es you an instant and nicely-si3ed pot and will usually force your opponent to tighten up the hands they open with from late position. 1f we get called and miss the flop, we are almost always in the perfect situation to make a continuation bet and take down then pot. &o don't be afraid to make that cbet, it's a ;20 mo+e o+er the long run. That's the basics of it, but allow me to explain a little further.

Hands not to $-bet light with. What to do on the flop if you are called. $-betting light example.

Hands not to >"bet light with.

The type of hands that you do not want to $-bet light with are lower tier broadway hands likeH IM, IA MA and also weaker aces like 7A *definitely not rag aces either.. The problem is that if you are $-betting with these cards, the hands that your opponent is going to call with are going to ha+e you dominated *e.g. 7M;, AA;.. Howe+er, if you ha+e a lower suited connector like N<s, you still ha+e two (free( cards that you can do damage with. 1t also makes post-flop play easier as you are less likely to get tied in with a marginal hand where you hold something like top pair weak kicker. &tick to $-betting premiums *MM;, 7I. and lower suited connectors *8: - OT. only. ?ou are better off calling with less than premium broadway hands rather than $-betting with them preflop.

What to do on the !lop i! you are $alled.

1f you miss the flop, make a continuation bet of about 6$ the si3e of the pot. &imple as that. 7 pot si3e bet is unnecessarily large in a $-bet pot. 6$ does the >ob and sa+es us money for when it doesn't work out. The beauty of $-betting is that it gi+es you supreme power in the hand. ?our opponent is always going to ha+e the fear that you ha+e pocket 7ces or pocket Iings at the forefront of their mind, so take ad+antage of that fear. 1f on the odd occasion you get called, check6call on the turn and be done with the hand. The ma>ority of the time a good continuation bet will work wonders though. 1f on the other hand you catch a piece of the flop but nothing worth +alue-betting, checking and calling may be the best option. Howe+er, a lot of the time you are going to either ha+e a strong hand or nothing at all, and in both of these situations you will want to cbet.

>"betting light e*ample.

#et's say our opponent is :65< and raises fre/uently from late position. This is a simple exampleG $-betting light hand history Fur opponent here clearly made a poor call when we $-bet, as we represented a +ery strong hand like MM; or 7I, so the chances are that he called with a hand like 7A; and hoped for the best. 2+en if our opponent did hold a hand like MM or 7A, it is +ery difficult for them to call for the fear of us holding 7ces or Iings, which is why the continuation bet brings home so much money due to the $-bet before the flop.

=laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

)#aluation o! >"betting light.

This article is one of the longest 1 ha+e e+er written, yet 1 still feel that it could ha+e been a bit meatier. @ongratulations if you made it this far, and 1 hope most of it made sense and you can understand the theory behind $-betting lightly and how it can be profitable. Aust be sure not to abuse $-betting and you will be fine. $-betting and $-betting lightly can be +ery ;20 in the right spots, but they can do a lot of damage to your stack if you are not careful with them. 1'd recommend dropping down a le+el to experiment with $-betting and to find your feet with it. 1t's definitely a skill that is worth perfecting and adding to your game as a mid-stakes player *or for when you reach those le+els.. =&. Don't forget to cbet if you miss the flop.

The 2)& Pro$ess " &a*imi.e

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R The ,2- =rocess R -aximi3e ! ,2- =rocessG ,ange R 2/uity R -aximi3e

The final *and arguably most important. step in the ,2- process is (-aximi3e(. This in+ol+es making the optimum play to get the most +alue from your hand. Knfortunately, the art of maximi3ing your profits from e+ery hand you play is out of the scope of one article. Howe+er, what 1 will be able to do is gi+e you some groundwork for making optimum plays at the table.

&a*imi.ing #alue on a basi$ le#el.

Fn a basic le+el, optimum play is to get as much money in the middle with the best hand and sa+e your money when you do not.

When you ha+e the hand with the greatest e/uity you want to get as much money in to the pot as possible. When you don't ha+e good e/uity in the hand you want to see future cards as cheaply as possible, which generally in+ol+es checking and folding. ?ou want to play as closely as you can to the fundamental theorem of poker to help you maximi3e your winnings from each hand you play.

The !undamental theorem o! poker.

U2+ery time you play a hand differently from the way you would ha+e played it if you could see all your opponents' cards, they gainH and e+ery time you play your hand the same way you would ha+e played it if you could see all their cards, they lose.V &o if we knew what our opponent was holding at all times, we would be able to make the optimum play on e+ery single betting round. When maximi3ing +alue from our hands, we want to try and make the same play that we would make if we could see our opponent's holecards.

Hne problem.
That's all well and good, but there is a hell of a lot of middle ground where we will not know if we are ahead of behind in a hand. Therefore, we >ust ha+e to make the best play we can with the limited information we ha+e from the range and e/uity sections of the ,2- process.

etting and raising.

Whene+er you bet or raise, ask yourself this /uestionG Do 1 want my opponent to fold or do 1 want them to callE ,eally think about it.

1f you want them to call, you are betting for +alue. 1f you want them to fold, you are bluffing.

That's all there is to it. 1f you do not know whether you want your opponent to do either, you should not be betting. Far too many players make bets with no reasoning behind why they are making them. The chances are that if you do not know why you are betting, a large number of your bets are going to be -20.

etting !or #alue.

7 super-common example for you. We raise in the @F and the )) calls.

Fur handG 7 I FlopG 7 O N 7s we all should know, on this flop we should bet out. WhyE )ecause we ha+e good e/uity against our opponent's range, which is likely to be a weaker ace or lower pocket pair. We are betting for +alue in the hope that our opponent will call with a weaker ace or a flush draw because we ha+e greater e/uity in the hand *e+en if they may ha+e a better hand like pair or a set..

The e/uity of our 7dIc against +illain's range. Found using =oker&to+e. ?ep that's right, we actually want our opponent to call with a flush draw. 1f the pot is 45! and we bet 4<, they are getting terrible odds to chase their flush. Therefore, if they call they are making a mistake and we are gaining from this mistake. 1f they fold on the other hand, they are making the correct play and we gain nothing. ()etting to protect your hand( is +ery bad alternate terminology for (betting for +alue(. What are we protecting our hand fromE =layers calling with bad odds and worse handsE 7ccording to the fundamental theorem of poker we want our opponents to call with bad odds and worse hands, as we gain nothing otherwise. Try your best to get used to the idea of either betting for +alue or bluffing. (=rotecting your hand( is not the right way to explain your bets - (betting for +alue( is.

lu!!ing.
Fur handG 7 M FlopG T N #et's say we raised preflop in the @F and the button calls. Fur opponent then bets out $6% of the pot on this flop. With our o+ercards and nut flush draw, we reraise. Howe+er, is this reraise for +alue or as a bluffE 1n other words, do we want our opponent to call of to foldE Well, first things first, this all depends on our opponents range. 1f we figure that our opponent is the type of player to only e+er bet out on this sort of flop with top pair or better, our e/uity in the hand is as followsG

The e/uity of our 7sMs against +illain's range. Found using =oker&to+e. 7s you can see, we do not ha+e the dominant e/uity in the hand. &o in this situation, by raising we are hoping that our opponent will fold their better hand. Therefore we are bluffing. &imple as that. &ure, it's technically a semi-bluff because it's not all that bad if our opponent calls this raise, but based on the e/uity we ha+e right now our raise is a bluff. Hopefully this helps to illustrate the difference between bluffing and betting for +alue. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

)#aluation o! Mma*imi.eM in the 2)& pro$ess.

1 only really co+ered the north-facing side of the tip of the ice berg in this article. 1 was going to co+er more on maximi3ing +alue with checking and calling, but in all honesty 1 would ha+e >ust been rehashing some pretty basic strategy to reinforce the same point 1 put across in the betting and raising section. -aximi3ing +alue in poker is a skill that you will be perfecting for life. 7 lot of the strategy you read all boils down to making the best decisions possible and getting the most from your hands. 7s long as you always think about e+ery decision you make, you will continue to impro+e your game and make optimum plays more fre/uently. =oker will always be a game of broken information - one big >igsaw pu33le with a few pieces missing. We >ust ha+e to try to put it together and do the best we can with the information we ha+e at hand - and then make the best play we can.

2ange &erging
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R ,ange -erging 5 ?ou may find the article on thin +alue useful as a primer for this range merging article.

,ange merging or Umerging your rangeV is something that you will run in to e+ery now and then on poker forums and in training +ideos. 1t's /uite an ad+anced topic, so 1'm going to need your full attention for this one. 7s a word of warning, range merging was something that took me some time to fully get my head around. 2xplaining this principle is likely going to be harder for me than it is for you to understand it. &o prepare yourself to either learn e+erything there is to know about range merging or to sit back and watch my teaching skills fly out of the window.

What is range merging?

,ange merging is when you bet with a medium-strength hand on the ri+er, where the board makes your opponent belie+e that you can only be betting with either the nuts or bluffing with nothing at all *most likely bluffing.. Fpponents will often call with weak hands as they are confident that they will be able to catch you out on your bluff. These hands that opponents call with are therefore known as UbluffcatchersV. Howe+er, our medium-strength hand actually beats their weak bluffcatcher that they thought they were catching us out with, so we take the pot with that little extra +alue.

2ange merging diagram.

1 know, 1 know, it's impressi+ely confusing on first glance. Howe+er, 1'+e got a lot more explaining to do first so bare with me. 1 need to go in to some more detail about those bluffcatchers first... 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

What are blu!!$at$hers?

)luffatchers are hands that you wouldn't bet with because they are not strong enough, but you will more than happily call a bet with them if you ha+e the suspicion that your opponent is going for a bluff on the ri+er.

lu!!$at$her e*ample.
We are heads up against an opponent on the flop and first to act with O T . The flop comes 7 O N . We bet the si3e of the pot and our opponent calls. The turn is 7 . We check and our opponent checks behind us. The ri+er is A . We check and our opponent bets Z the si3e of the pot. The action is back on us. We call with our pair of Os. Fur opponent turns o+er I T for a busted flush draw and we win the pot.

lu!!$at$her e*ample e#aluation.

1n this situation we do not expect our opponent to bet with a hand like a pair of As, Os, or Ns. This is because they know that they only expect to get called by hands like a higher pair, 7x or better. Therefore it is the safer option for them to check and take down the pot rather than risking more money unnecessarily. 1t is +ery unlikely that our opponent would bet with a mediocre hand on the ri+er. Therefore, because our opponent is not betting with a mediocre hand, they are either betting with a +ery strong hand or they are bluffing with air *this is described as ha+ing a Upolari3edV range.. &eeing as our opponent didn't bet the turn or raise on the flop, we can safely assume that our opponent is more likely to be bluffing as opposed to betting with a strong hand like 7x or better. &o, whilst we do not ha+e a hand strong enough for us to want to bet out with, we are more than happy to call this strange looking bet to catch our opponent's bluff. Hence the term Ubluff catcherV. This article in+ol+es a lot of le+el $ thinking. &ee multiple le+el thinking for more information on that.

The aim of range merging is to take ad+antage of the logic behind what we >ust did.

)*planation o! range merging.

To get to grips with range merging, we're going to ha+e to turn the situation around and look at it from the opposite angle. #et's put oursel+es in the shoes of our opponent. Howe+er, this time we ha+e a better hand like M M . #et's forget about the weakly played turn and assume that we are on the ri+er in the same situation as before. Fur handG M M )oardG 7 O N 7 A -any players will be tempted to check and take down the pot on a board of 7 O N 7 A . 7fter all, the last thing we want is to get caught out by an opponent that holds an 7ce. Howe+er, this is a great board to merge our range and take ad+antage of the player that is willing to call with their bluffcatcher. )y merging our range *i.e. betting with hands in between the nuts and nothing at all., our opponent is +ery likely going to call with a weaker hand like a pair of Os, Ns or As in an attempt to catch us out on a bluff. We are get more +alue from the hand by merging our range, simply because we are confident that our mediocre hand beats theirs when they think we would only bet with the nuts or nothing at all. Fur opponent is only expecting us to bet out when we are bluffing. )etting with a mediocre hand doesn't seem to make too much sense to them. The added +alue of range merging is that our opponent is probably going to call +alue bets later on down the line when we ha+e the nuts. This is all going to be thanks to our range merging in pre+ious pots.

Hne thing to remember about range merging.

1f you merge your range fre/uently, opponents will get wise to your game and start slowplaying strong hands as they expect you to continue betting. Therefore, if the example hand abo+e was repeated, the second time around our opponent may well check with an 7ce because they will be expecting us to bet with a mediocre hand on the ri+er. This is more of a metagame problem more than anything, so 1'm not going to go in to the ins and outs of what your opponent thinks and how they are going to react to your plays. Aust be aware of how range merging will affect the way your opponents play against you. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

)#aluation o! range merging.

,ange merging is simply taking ad+antage of players who are trying to catch you out when they think you are bluffing. This article was /uite meaty, but 1 can split it up in to two main sections of learningG 5. Figuring out what a bluffcatcher is and when we use it. . #earning how to take ad+antage of players using bluffcatchers. 1f you think of it like that, it might be easier to break down the article and understand the strategy. 1f 1'm being honest, this principle took absolutely ages for me to get my head around, e+en after ha+ing it explained to me a handful of times. &o if you didn't get it on the first read through, try again today or come back and gi+e it a go tomorrow. This is the original range merging thread at ; as posted by the infamous ae>ones *remember the ae>ones theoremE.. Howe+er, it's not the easiest read in the world.

)lasti$ and Inelasti$ Calling 2anges

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R 'eneral R 2lastic and 1nelastic ,anges 5

What does elasticity ha+e to do with pokerE 1t sounds en>oyable. 7s usual, inelastic and elastic hands *more specifically ranges. are >ust the terms behind a concept that you'+e probably considered whilst in the middle of a session, or glossed o+er whilst reading other strategy articles. 1n this article, 1 will explain what these stretchy terms mean and how you can use an understanding of them to help you make more profitable bet si3es.

What are elasti$ and inelasti$ hands?

5. 7 player with an elasti$ hand will make their decision about whether or not to call based on the si3e of the bet. . 7 player with an inelasti$ hand will either be calling or folding to +irtually any si3ed bet. The si3e of the bet does not affect their decision on whether or not to call. The elasticity of a hand is determined by how much of an effect your bet si3e has on your opponent's decision to call. "oteG For the following examples, assume that we are heads up and the hand has been checked to the ri+er. 1n addition, our only options are to either call or fold.

-5 %n elasti$ hand.
Fur HandG M T )oardG 7 M < 8 =otG 45!

1f our opponent bets between 4$ and 48, we will call. 1f our opponent bets between 48 and 4<, we may call or fold. 1f our opponent bets between 4< and 45!, we will fold.

This is an elastic hand because whether or not we call is influenced by the si3e of our opponent's bet. Fur decision is flexible and it +aries, so it's an elastic hand.

7 rough diagram to highlight the calling fre/uency of an elastic hand depending on the si3e of the bet. e.g. holding MT on a 7M<8 board.

'5 %n inelasti$ hand.

Fur HandG T O )oardG T T < % % =otG 45!

1f our opponent bets between 4$ and 48, we will call. 1f our opponent bets between 48 and 4<, we will call. 1f our opponent bets between 4< and 45!, we will call.

7 rough diagram to highlight the calling fre/uency of an inelastic hand that is going to call regardless of the si3e of the bet. e.g. TO on a TT<%% board. @on+ersely, our decision would be the complete opposite if we ha+e a slightly different hand on the same board. Fur HandG 8 : )oardG T T < % % =otG 45!

1f our opponent bets between 4$ and 48, we will fold. 1f our opponent bets between 48 and 4<, we will fold. 1f our opponent bets between 4< and 45!, we will fold.

7 rough diagram to highlight the calling fre/uency of an inelastic hand that is going to call regardless of the si3e of the bet. e.g. 8: on a TT<%% board. These are inelastic hands because the si3e of our opponent's bet has no effect on our decision to call or fold. Fur decision isn't flexible and it doesn't +ary, so they are inelastic hands.

)lasti$ and inelasti$ ranges.

&o now we know what inelastic and elastic hands are, what about rangesE Well, a range is made up of lots of hands, so we can say thatG

1f a range mostly consists of elastic hands, it's an elastic range. 1f a range mostly consists of inelastic hands, it's an inelastic range.

How much do 1 mean when 1 say UmostlyVE 1f a range is made up of at least N89 elastic or inelastic hands, you can safely call it an elastic or inelastic range. We prefer to work with ranges because it's unlikely that you're going to be able to put your opponent on one specific hand. &o it's more useful to determine whether our opponent's range -as opposed to hand -- is elastic or inelastic. "oteG The degree of (elasticity( of a range will +ary. @ertain ranges can be more elastic or less elastic than others. 1n this article 1'm looking at the ranges on each end of this scale.

How to work out whether or not a range is elasti$ or inelasti$.

How do you know if a range consists of mostly one type of hand *e.g. N89; inelastic hands.E

The fastest way is through intuition. 1f you ha+e a lot of experience with putting opponents on ranges of hands it will be easy to say U1 think they ha+e an inelastic range in this spotV. 1t may not be perfectly accurate and it's not something e+ery player will be able to do, but it is the /uickest method. 7lternati+ely, you could be more accurate by splitting your opponents range *the one you'+e assigned to them. in to elastic hands and inelastic hands. Ksing hand combinations you could then work out the percentage of each type of hand in that range. 1f there are more than N89 elastic hands, then you could call it an elastic range. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

How to play against an inelasti$ range.

1f you ha+e a good hand, bet big. 1f you ha+e a weak hand and you think your opponent will fold, bet small.

=laying against an inelastic range is easy. 7ll you ha+e to remember is that your opponent already has a fixed decision in their mind, and your bet si3e is not going to ha+e any effect on that decision. ?ou can easily take ad+antage of an inelastic range by betting big with your strong hands *as your opponents will >ust as happily call a big bet as they would a small bet., and by betting small with your bluffs if you think your opponent will fold *as your opponents will >ust as happily fold to a small bet as they would to a big bet.. 7 perfect example of exploiting an inelastic range is [eebo's theorem. The theorem states that U"o player is capable of folding a full house on any betting round, regardless of the si3e of the bet.V &o if you're betting half-pot when your opponent could well ha+e a full-house in their range, you are se+erely missing out on +alue.

Playing against an inelasti$ ranges diagrams.

7 rough diagram to show good and poor bet si3es if your opponent has an inelastic range and you want them to fold.

1f your opponent has an inelastic range and you want them to fold, you should bet small. 1f you bet big your are risking more than you need to when a smaller bet will achie+e the same result. The smaller you can bet when you want your opponent to fold their inelastic range -- whilst still achie+ing a high fold fre/uency -- the better.

7 rough diagram to show good and poor bet si3es if your opponent has an inelastic range and you want them to call. 1f your opponent has an inelastic range and you want them to call, you should bet big. 1f you bet small you are missing out on +alue due to the fact that your opponent is >ust as likely to call a small bet as they are a big bet. The bigger you can bet when you want your opponent to call with their inelastic range -- whilst still achie+ing a high call fre/uency -- the better. "oteG "ot all inelastic ranges are going to either call or fold 5!!9 of the time for any bet si3e. 1'+e accounted for this with the grey areas at the extremes of each diagram abo+e.

Playing against an inelasti$ range e*ample.

Here's a basic and common exampleG we are in position against a half-decent opponent that doesn't know what floating is. We make a continuation bet on this flopG Fur HandG 7 I )oardG M N =otG 455 Fn this flop, our opponent's calling range is inelastic. WhyE )ecause our opponent's range is essentially polari3ed to two types of handsG 5. &trong hands that will call. )ig pairs *e.g. 7M., o+erpairs *II;., mid-pocket pairs *e.g. TT., sets, two pair, and middle pair hands *e.g. 7N.. . Weak hands that will fold. 2+erything else.

5. 1f our opponent has a strong hand like top pair or better, they are going to comfortably call any si3e bet on this flop. For the most part, they are going to be >ust as happy to call a pot-si3e bet as they would be to call a half-pot si3e bet. . 7ny other hand on this flop would be considered weak. 1f our opponent has any other hand like a pair of s or a low pocket pair *these are the at the top of their (weak range(., they cannot comfortably call a bet. They are e/ually as likely to fold to a half-pot bet as they would to a potsi3e bet. There are +irtually no hands in our opponent's range on this flop that will call a half-pot bet, but fold to a pot-si3e bet. 1f we plan on making a continuation bet bluff with a hand like 7I, we should bet small -- around 4:. 7 half-pot si3e bet will achie+e the same result as a pot-si3e bet, so we should bet small to minimi3e our losses when our opponent does ha+e a hand worth calling with.

How to play against an elasti$ range.

1f you ha+e a good hand, you should bet small enough so that worse hands than yours can call *for thin +alue.. 1f you ha+e a weak hand and you think your opponent will fold, you should bet >ust big enough so that stronger hands will fold.

1f you know that your opponent has an elastic range, you should +ary your bet si3es depending on what you want to achie+e. 1f you want to entice your opponent to call, you should lean toward betting a small amount. 1f you want your opponent to fold, you should look toward betting big. =laying against an elastic range is a lot more difficult than playing against an inelastic range. 7gainst an elastic range you need to tailor your bet si3es appropriately, which re/uires more skill than simply choosing either end of the scale *i.e. bet big or bet small. as you would against an inelastic range.

Playing against an elasti$ range diagram.

?ou ha+e to tailor your bet si3es when playing against an elastic range if you to get the most +alue. 1f you ha+e a decent hand and your opponent has an elastic calling range, you want to si3e your bet so that only worse hands will call.

1f you si3e your bet too big, you will only get calls from hands that are better than yours. 1f you si3e your bet too small, you will miss out on +alue from hands that are only slightly worse than yours.

Playing against an elasti$ range e*ample.

We in position against one other thoughtful player. We raise on the button and get called by the )). The flop isG Fur HandG 7 A )oardG A N =otG 45$ Fur opponent checks. We make a continuation bet of 4O and our opponent calls. The turn is as followsG )oardG A N =otG 4$5 8

Fur opponent's calling range on this turn is elastic. This is because their range will respond differently to different bet si3es. Here's a basic o+er+iew of what we could expect to get calls from with +arying bet si3esG

&mall bet *45:.G weak draws, strong draws, top pair; -edium bet *4 $.G strong draws, top pair; )ig bet *4$!.G top pair;

&eeing as we want to get +alue from weaker hands than ours, a big bet *4$!. isn't a great option. 1f we make a big bet on this turn we are forcing out hands that we would get +alue from, such has weaker Ax hands and most draws. Fur bet si3e is only attracti+e to the parts of our opponent's range that ha+e us beat, such as two-pair hands or better. @on+ersely, if we make a smallish bet *45< sounds good., we will bet getting calls from the parts of our opponent's range that we will get +alue from. -ore one-pair hands are more likely to call, and so are flush and straight draws -- which we ha+e good e/uity against. "oteG 1'm sure some of you will be screaming (but don't we want drawing hands to foldE( "ot really, because they are still getting bad pot odds with our 45< bet. They are getting .N to 5, when they ideally need >ust o+er % to 5. 1f they call with bad pot odds, we profit. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

)lasti$ and inelasti$ hands e#aluation.

The terms (inelastic( and (elastic( calling ranges describe something you were probably already familiar with, but didn't know much in-depth stuff about. The principles are simpleG

Inelasti$ rangesI 1f you ha+e a good hand,t, bet big. )lasti$ rangesI 1f you ha+e a decent hand, only bet enough so that worse hands will call.

Fr to put it e+en more simplyG

With inelasti$ ranges, bet si3es do not matter. With elasti$ ranges, bet si3es matter.

1nelastic ranges are easy, because it's mostly about betting big and maximi3ing +alue when you ha+e a good hand. 2lastic ranges are trickier, because you ha+e to tailor your bet si3es to extract as much +alue as possible, whilst not betting so much that only better hands will call. 7s a beginner player, understanding and being able to take ad+antage of inelastic ranges is the most +aluable thing you could take from this article. 2xploiting elastic ranges is something that takes a lot of skill in an attempt to gain smaller profits, and is something that experienced players will want to work on refining.

Po$ket Fings Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R =ocket =airs R Iings !

=ocket kings are the second best starting hand in Texas Holdem. There is no other starting hand in hold'em except pocket aces that are stronger pre-flop. Howe+er, >ust like (pocket rockets(, the (cowboys( can also get you into trouble at the tables. =ocket Iings ha+e one fundamental flaw when compared to pocket acesG the possibility of an opponent making a higher pair. "onetheless, this /uick guide on how to play po$ket kings should help you make the most of them in any hand...

asi$ po$ket kings strategy.

?ou must be aware that II is a +ery +ulnerable hand as any ace that appears on the board could easily pair with an opponent's holecard to gi+e them the higher pair than you. 2+en if your opponents do not ha+e an ace in the hole, the mere presence of an ace on the board can be enough to scare you away from betting as hea+ily and extracting maximum profit from the hand. There is roughly a !9 chance that an ace will fall on any flop, which is more often than you would think. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. For these reasons it is important to bet or raise with pocket kings pre-flop. &imilarly to pocket aces, you do not want to be in a multi-way pot when seeing the flop, otherwise you will be gi+ing your opponents a greater opportunity to take the pot away from you, so you will want to be seeing a flop with a maximum opponents only. ?ou want to bet an amount that will help you determine the strength of your opponent's hands. 1t is important that you attempt to find out whether or not they could possibly holding an ace when they call so that you can make better >udgments when the flop comes down. This is a key point, as when raising with pocket kingsG ?ou want to raise enough to weed out the weaker hands, and enough to know that your opponents will ha+e at least an ace to call you. This means that you can gi+e yourself a greater ability to put your opponent on a hand, and gi+ing yourself a better opportunity to fold to significant signs of strength if the ace does hit the board.

Post"!lop play with po$ket kings $an be sub di#ided into two situations.
5. 7 flop without an ace . 7 flop with an ace

9lop without an a$e.

This situation is far more pleasant than the second, but it does not mean you are home and dry yet. 1f you do not make a set you still only ha+e that one pair, so we are in no position to be slowplaying our hand >ust yet. ?ou want to play this kind of flop in a similar way to the way you would play pocket aces on the flop, by betting and raising as much as possible to extract a decent amount of money from players who cannot let go of top pair. Furthermore, you want to continue to make sure that your opponents are not recei+ing the correct pot odds to chase after any flush or straight draws.

2+en if the flop looks pretty safe and doesn't offer up any ob+ious draws, 1 am still going to be betting and raising strongly to a+oid letting other players catch up and make two pair or better. 1n addition, you don't build a big pot by checking and calling, so grab the bull by the horns and start playing some aggressi+e poker. 1f your opponents immediately fold, it's no big loss, as it would ne+er ha+e de+eloped into a big pot at any stage of the hand anyway. Don't be afraid to bet with an o+erpair like pocket kings. ?ou don't win big pots by playing passi+ely.

9lop with an a$e.

This is ob+iously the less fa+ourable position on the flop, because if your opponent holds an ace then he has already got you beat. 7s already mentioned the presence of an ace on the board is enough to pre+ent you from obtaining any substantial amount from your opponent if you do hold the best hand because the ace will slow your betting down. This means that your main ob>ecti+e on this flop is to determine whether or not your opponent does indeed hold the ace. This can be done by betting in such a manner that will gi+e you as much information as possible depending on what action your opponent takes. Knfortunately there are no definiti+e plays to help determine your opponent's hand, so you will ha+e to rely on your knowledge about your opponent to influence what plays you think you should make. 7s a rule of thumb, 1 will generally make a continuation bet and go from there. 1f 1 get called, 1 e+aluate the situation to the best of my ability to try and figure out whether to fire again on the turn. 7t the end of the day though, an ace on the flop really does throw a spanner in the works when you hold pocket kings, and there is not a lot that you can do about it. Aust try your best to sal+age the situation. 7 continuation bet is always a good starting point. 7 continuation is always a good place to start when an ace falls on the flop when you hold pocket kings.

Po$ket kings strategy e#aluation.

-any beginner players find it hard to let go of pocket kings e+en with an ace on the board. The fact that they hold the second best starting hand clouds their mind to the fact that they are easily beaten, and continue to see the hand through and end up losing a decent amount of chips to their opponent that did indeed pair their ace. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. With aces and kings, it is best to remember that there are many hands that can beat you after the flop, because if you do not hit a set, you only ha+e one pair at the end of the day. Try to look more toward the ways in which you can lose, instead of the ways in which you can win, without obscuring your mind too much with negati+ity.

7s a general rule of thumb, bet strongly and a+oid slowplaying your hand. ?ou don't want to gi+e opponents the opportunity to catch up and take a big pot away from you.

Po$ket %$es Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R =ocket =airs R 7ces ! Watch &plit&uit's 77 +ideo for a definiti+e guide on playing pocket aces in Texas Hold'em.

#ooking down and seeing Bthe bullets' is one of the highlights of Texas Hold'em. =ocket aces is the \5 starting hand in Hold'emH howe+er, this is where people make the first mistake. =ocket aces are by no means in+incible, and if they are not played with caution you stand to lose a big pot. &o allow this /uick guide to help you learn how to play po$ket a$es pro!itably the next time you pick those bad boys up.

%lways look to make a bet or raise with po$ket a$es.

We ha+e to reali3e that pocket aces are not the type of hand we want to play against multiple opponents. The ideal situation is to be heads up on the flop. Therefore Blimping in' in early position is a dangerous tactic and you should a+oid doing so. 7fter all, if you do limp then you could be facing numerous opponents on the flop, at which point you ha+e to be prepared to fold your hand to any significant amount of action unless you hit your set. 7lways look to raise with pocket aces as opposed to limping in and trying to be tricky. The last thing you want to happen is to be facing multiple opponents on the flop. 7 second situation that could arise from limping in is being raised by another player. When facing this raise most people will re-raise once more and this will set alarm bells ringing in the heads of your opponents, because what kind of hand are you holding if you limp then re-raise the raiserE

Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. O times out of 5! the person making this mo+e has a monster starting hand. Therefore you should more often than not raise when holding pocket aces, it lets your opponents know that you ha+e a big hand but not how big, and it helps to define your opponents hands if they call.

Post"!lop po$ket a$es strategy.

Fn the flop you again will want to be betting and raising, after all this is the only way you are going to be able to get more money into the pot. 1f you are heads up against one opponent you may want to check and induce a bluff if he is an aggressi+e type of player when in first position. 1n general, you want to continue betting and raising to build the pot as much as possible with pocket aces. 1t is not ad+isable to continuously slowplay this sort of hand. ?ou make more money by betting. )e sure ne+er to slowplay if the board is coordinated and your opponent is drawing to a straight or a flushH you want to make him pay and gi+e him the wrong pot odds to draw to it. *"oteG When playing online make sure you lea+e a little time between betting into the pot on the flop. When people raise pre-flop and then bet a large amount into the pot immediately when it is their turn to act it is a big gi+eaway that they are holding the o+er-pair, so take a little timeL..

Tips !or playing po$ket a$es.

Do not slowplay. Try not to get too attached to the hand. The less opponents in the hand the better. ,emember that pocket 7ces are not indestructible.

1t must be stressed that aces are definitely not a hand to be slowplayed. -any amateurs fall into this bad habit because they are the \5 starting hand. )ut this is only before the flop. 7fter the flop it is a different matter, if you don't hit a set >ust remember... all you ha+e is one pair. ?ou should always be thinking, (Fkay, what could my opponent ha+e that would beat meE( and try to figure out whether he has that type of hand. 1f you try and slowplay your hand to the end, do you think your opponent is going to call a large bet or an all-in with ace high or a pairE )ecause those are the only hands you will be beating at the end. 1f your opponent does call, its goodbye to your stack as +ery few are going to call with anything less that two-pair.

Po$ket a$es strategy e#aluation.

7ces are not a hand to be slow played. The ideal situation is to be all in on the flop against your opponents. Howe+er this is not going to be likely, especially in a cash game. The second best situation is to use the tactics mentioned abo+e by minimi3ing the number of opponents and getting money into the pot by betting and e+en raising. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. )ut remember, with pocket 7ces you only ha+e one pair, so be prepared to let them go when facing a lot of action. The ability to lay down strong hands what makes the difference between good and great players.

How To Play Small Po$ket Pairs

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R =ocket =airs R &mall =ocket =airs 5 Watch &plit&uit's 0aby !airs +ideo for $$ minutes of strategy dedicated to playing small pocket pairs.

Small po$ket pairs range from to ::, where any other higher pair would be considered to be a medium or high pocket pair. These low pairs are decepti+ely strong, and will often land no+ice players in a lot of trouble if they are o+er-+alued. 7 small pocket pair is usually regarded as a pair between and ::.

7 small pocket pair is ahead of the ma>ority of other hands pre-flop as long as an opponent does not hold a higher pocket pair. Howe+er, post flop play can be incredibly tricky if our hand does not impro+e. &o lets find out how to play small pocket pairs...

The biggest problem with small po$ket pairs.

When holding a small pocket pair, there is a +ery high chance that the flop will bring o+er cards. This will then gi+e us an underpair to the board, and it is going to be +ery difficult to try and find out whether or not we are ahead. 1f we make a bet and get called, this gi+es us little information in whether or not our hand is ahead. Fur opponent may ha+e a higher pair, a drawing hand, a lower pair or any other possible hand. The simple bet and call does not tell us a lot about what our opponent is holding, and it will pro+e to be costly to try and find out if we are ahead by betting on the turn and ri+er. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

Small po$ket pairs and sets.

The true strength of a small pocket pair lies in when they impro+e to make a set on the flop. 7 set is when you make $-of-a-kind on the flop with a pocket pair, which is different to trips, where you make $-of-a-kind using one holecard and two cards from the board. % set is a #ery hidden and strong hand, and it is possible to make a lot of money from them when they hit because opponents will not often suspect them. Find out more about the different types of $-of-a-kind hands in my article on sets and trips in Texas Hold'em. &o instead of looking to play small pocket pair after the flop to try and find out if we are ahead, we should >ust be looking to hit a set or fold. 1t is not +ery profitable and it is +ery difficult to play a low pocket pair post-flop if it does not impro+e, so try to a+oid doing so. With small pocket pairs, the best strategy is to aim to make a set on the flop and play on, or fold if you do not hit a set.

Pot odds and mathemati$s o! hitting a set.

The odds of flopping a set with a pocket pair are N to 5, which means that we will hit a set 5 in e+ery < flops we see. These odds are not too great, and according to pot odds it means that we will rarely be getting good enough odds pre-flop to call to see a flop and try and make our set. The pot odds basically suggest that we will be paying too much for something that will not happen fre/uently enough to make it worth our while. )ut, there is something +ery important that we are lea+ing out of the pot odds e/uation, and that is the implied odds we ha+e from hitting a set. 1mplied odds make playing small pocket pairs worthwhile. The implied odds are how much we expect to win after we make our hand, and 1 can tell you now, the implied odds we ha+e for sets are HK'2. 1t is not uncommon for players to lose all

their money to sets if they catch a decent part of the flop, because they +ery rarely suspect that their opponent has one.

Set strategy and how to play small po$ket pairs.

There are two main re/uirements for playing small pocket pairsG 5. The opponents should ha+e relati+ely deep stacks. 7bout N!)); should do the trick. . 1 would a+oid calling raises o+er N))s to see a flop. -5 Play small po$ket pairs against deep sta$ked opponents. The deeper our opponent's stack the better. This is because we are not going to hit a set too often, but when we do we want to ha+e the opportunity to be paid off handsomely. 1f our opponent has a small stack, the reward for hitting our set and getting all-in will not >ustify calling raises when we are only going to hit a set 5 time in <. The deeper the stack, the greater the implied odds, the greater the potential reward and the more ;20 calling to hit a set becomes. ?ou can find out a little more information on this sort of topic in the article on stack to pot ratios. '5 e happy to $all up to B raises pre!lop.

The bigger the preflop raise, the worse the pot odds are and the less profitable calling to hit a set becomes o+er the long run. The standard preflop raise howe+er is about $ or % ))s, which is fine for calling in an attempt to hit a set. Howe+er, our implied odds after hitting a set are huge, so we can afford to pay a little more to see a flop. Therefore, as a general rule, 1 would recommend calling up to N)) raises before the flop, simply because we can expect to get paid off pretty handsomely when we hit our set. Don't be afraid to call up to N)) raises *or possibly a little more depending on the situation. with a small pocket pair. 1t may seem like a lot, but the returns are huge when you hit a set.

%d#an$ed small po$ket pair strategy.

1f you ha+e a strong post-flop game, it can work to your ad+antage to raise with pocket pairs before the flop. This will gi+e you the initiati+e in the hand and help you to take down a few extra uncontested pots along with the bigger ones when you hit your set. Howe+er, if you a beginner player >ust getting to grips with small pocket pairs, it will be easier to take the more passi+e route of >ust calling before the flop as opposed to raising. )oth methods are profitable, so go with what you feel most comfortable with. ,aising preflop with small pocket pairs will be more ;20, but that's only if you know what you're doing.

Implied odds and sets.

1'+e already co+ered this point, but 1 want to stress the importance of stack si3es one more time to really dri+e it home. 1f our opponent has a short stack, our implied odds will decrease greatly because there is going to be less for us to potentially win when we hit our set. &imilarly, if our opponents ha+e big stacks then we are getting terrific implied odds for hitting our set. The smaller our opponent's stack is, the lower our implied odds. The bigger our opponent's stack is, the greater our implied odds. This means we can gi+e oursel+es a little more room to work with when calling raises pre-flopH if our opponents ha+e short stacks we should a+oid calling raises and try to get in as cheaply as possible or not at all, whereas if our opponent has a big stack then we can afford to call a little extra more to try and hit our set because of the good implied odds.

How to play small po$ket pairs e#aluation.

7s you probably noticed, the strategy in+ol+ing playing small pocket pairs centres primarily around the concept of implied odds. The implied odds explain the reasoning behind the small pocket pair strategy, so you should try and familiarise yourself with them. The whole article basically elaborated on the basic strategy of seeing cheap flops with small pocket pairs, and then only continuing with the hand if you hit a set. 1f that is the only thing that you take away from reading this article, then donCt worry, as you ha+e probably helped sa+e6earn yourself a lot of money in the future from that alone. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. Don't be afraid to call big raises before the flop with small pocket pairs, but be prepared to let them go if you do not hit that set. 1t's a simple yet effecti+e strategy with any pair between and ::.

How To Play %$e Fing

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R 7ce Iing 5

7ce-Iing, especially when suited, is a +ery strong starting hand in "o-#imit Holdem =oker. Howe+er, unless you connect with the board you will ha+e only an ace-high hand to show down at the end. This makes playing a$e"king problematic in some circumstances. This article will look at some of the important no-limit Holdem strategy considerations when playing ace-king. These include your stack si3e, position at the table and the tendencies of opponents who are already in the pot, and those yet to act.

asi$ a$e"king strategy.

The worst possible outcome for ace-king is to be in a multi-way limped pot out of position and then to miss the flop. Knder these circumstances the hand should usually be folded to any serious betting action from opponents. 7ce-Iing is a hand that you definitely do not want to be playing against multiple opponents. 7ce-king is in fact a drawing hand J you will usually need to impro+e to win a showdown. 7t the same time this hand has a strong likelihood of impro+ing to become the best hand, any ace or king on the board will gi+e you top pair with top kicker. This makes ace-king a hand to play strongly and positi+ely until you encounter resistance, both before the flop and in later betting. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. The ideal situation with this hand is that you take control before the flop by playing aggressi+e and positi+e poker. ,aising, especially from position, will thin the field J ideally to a single opponent. 1f that opponent checks to you on the flop you will often be able to take the pot away from them with a continuation bet. When this gets called you ha+e the added ad+antage of being able to see the ri+er for free if your opponent checks to you after the turn.

Sta$k si.es and playing a$e king.

The stack si3e of both you and opponents in the hand are a critical factor in playing ace-king. 1f the effecti+e stacks *shortest stack in play. are small then your best mo+e is often to get all-in

before the flop with this hand. This is common in tournament situations and has two possible outcomes both of which are positi+e. 1f you are up against small stacks, you should try and get all-in before the flop with ace king. 2ither the pre-flop raiser *plus any caller. folds allowing you to take a good si3ed pot. Fr if you are called J for example by a pair lower than Iings J you get to see all 8 board cards to impro+e your hand. This means you are only a little under 8!9 to win the hand J your pot e/uity will also be increased when there is blind money or a $rd player who entered the pot then folded to your re-raise. When you ha+e a deep stack holding ace-king a pre-flop re-raise can gi+e you +aluable information on your opponent's hand. For example an opponent raises $ times the big blind from middle position and you re-raise a total of < or O blinds from the button. When you're opponent is holding the hands you really fear J pocket aces or kings J he is likely to put in a re-raise here. )e wary of $-bets when you are deep stacked after making a re-raise with ace-king. This could +ery well mean that your opponent holds aces or kings. Howe+er, pairs MM and below and other ace-high hands are more likely to call. "ot only ha+e you defined your opponents hand, you ha+e taken control of the hand before the flop J putting you in a position to take the pot away fairly often those times that you do miss the flop.

Player tenden$ies.
The tendencies of specific players, and indeed the table dynamic as a whole, will also affect the way that you play ace-king. )efore the flop you may raise to isolate a particularly weak player seated to your right. Howe+er when a 'rock' in the same seat has entered the pot a flat call may be the best strategy J as such an opponent is more likely to tell you whether they liked the flop with their post-flop betting patterns. 7nother opponent specific mo+e occurs at a 'wild table' here you can flat call a raise from early position in the hope that a wild player later in the betting will re-raise, you can then push all-in o+er the top representing aces or kings. When called you still ha+e +ery good e/uity against the wild player's range J in addition to the o+erlay of the dead money in the pot. &ince ace-king does not play well in a multi-way pot caution is re/uired with this mo+e J you need to be sure that an opponent will re-raise ahead most of the time. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. When the betting gets hea+y ahead of you a good rule of thumb for playing ace-king, especially when not too deep stacked, is to be the player making the all-in bet and not the one calling this. 7ce-king is almost 8!9 to win against pairs M-M and below and $!9 to win against pocket Iings. Howe+er, when you are the player making the last big bet you ha+e the added benefit of

fold-e/uity. The chance that you're opponent may fold increasing the profit from playing this hand considerably.

How to play a$e king e#aluation.

'ood no-limit Holdem play with ace-king in+ol+es all of the factors discussed abo+e J but also and awareness of how they work together. For example a re-raise from position to define your opponents hand is only useful against a reasonably competent opponent, from position and with a deep stack. 7gainst a weaker opponent or with a short stack *58 blinds or less. your best mo+e might be to push all-in immediately. The combination of 'fold e/uity' with your winning chances gi+ing this play a positi+e expectation.

Po$ket 1ueens Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R =ocket =airs R Mueens 5 7 pair of /ueens are almost certainly the best hand before the flop in "o-#imit Texas Hold em. Howe+er, there are two problems in playing this hand pre-flop. 1f you get into a Braising war' it is +ery likely you'll be up against the only hands you truly fear J aces or kings. Then after the flop, a high le+el of caution is re/uired as an o+er-card to your pair could be dangerous, and so you should be careful that you do not become Bmarried' to the hand and are able to fold if you feel that you are beat. This article will look at playing /ueens both before and after the flop in different situations. &ome of the factors that will influence your play are the tendencies and betting styles of your opponents, the stack si3es in relation to the blinds and your position at the table.

How po$ket 1ueens $ompare to other hands.

&tatistically, the chances that your pair of /ueens are up against either kings or aces is +ery low. Howe+er, if the betting gets +ery hea+y before the flop then you will need to assess the situation carefully based on the tendencies and possible ranges of your opponent. 1t is not easy to fold pocket Mueens pre-flop, but it is perfectly possible if you feel that the way your opponent'*s. betting is distincti+e of pocket Iings or 7ces. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. For example, you raise pre-flop and get re-raised. Here your read on your opponent should guide whether you call to see the flop or put in another re-raise before the flop. 1f your opponent is

super-tight and will only e+er re-raise with aces, kings or ace-king then you can work out the probability of each using card distribution. Here there are 5: possible ways of being dealt ace-king before the flop and : ways each of being dealt either pair. The probability of this opponent holding aces or kings is this approximately %$9 with 7ce-Iing at 8N9. Ff course you are either a small fa+orite or a big underdog in this situation J whether to see the flop will depend on the likelihood of your opponent folding those times when he has 7ce-Iing and neither of these cards appear. 7gainst a looser opponent there is a greater likelihood that your hand is the best before the flop, e+en when re-raised. 1n fact against a habitual re-raiser you may in a position where you ha+e a dominating hand J for example against 7ce-Mueen or a pair of Aacks.

Jsing position.
1n this case your position at the table and effecti+e stacks will ha+e a bigger influence on your strategy than card distribution. 1f the loose raiser is to your immediate right then a re-raise is usually appropriate. This will pre+ent additional callers and ensure that you are playing the pot heads-up in position. @alling a raise and then seeing or $ more people enter the pot can easily ruin the strength of your hand J if an ace falls on the flop it is +ery likely to ha+e hit someone who called the raise and you may ha+e to fold. 1f you re-raised in position an ace or king falling on the flop may not be a disaster for your hand. ?ou will ha+e an opportunity to see your opponent act before you do on the flop and a reasonable si3e continuation bet may well take the pot on the flop. 1n these circumstances a small bet from your *out of position. opponent can often indicate weakness, a probe to gather information about your hand. Here you should generally re-raise, planning to fold to an all-in check-raise or re-raise against all but the worst opponents.

Consider sta$k si.es.

&tack si3es will influence how you play any hand in no-limit Holdem, a pair of /ueens is a hand that is particularly sensiti+e to this. Facing re-raises with a deep stack has already been co+ered J howe+er you need to ad>ust for shallow stacked play often found in tournament situations. Fnce the blinds and antes reach 5!9 of your stack then raising and re-raising with /ueens becomes the optimal play. The reason is the comparati+ely larger ranges of your opponents in the shorter stacked situation. "ow a $ bet all in from a player in position is more likely to be an under-pair to your /ueens *statistically speaking. than the dreaded aces or kings. 1n this situation an all-in will gi+e you the added benefit of the blinds and antes to boost your stack.

% tri$ky spot.
7 difficult situation often arises when you are dealt a pair of /ueens in early position at a full table. Here a raise is the default play, yet a loose table could see , $ or e+en more callers before

the flop. 1n this case your >udgment of the meaning of the bets of your opponents becomes the critical factor J particularly as you will not close the betting action after the flop. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 7 raise and e+en a re-raise in this situation is the better play than checking and calling an opponent's bet when your /ueens are an o+er-pair to the board. The presence of draws on the board will also allow you to narrow your opponent's holdings. Fn a Bdry flop' such as -N-A any opponent who is willing to get all in needs to be assessed carefully J would this particular player only $-bet with a set or are they the kind of player who thinks that their ace->ack holding is good hereE

Po$ket ;ueens strategy e#aluation.

1n summary, the key to playing with a pair of /ueens is to use the combination of your hand strength before the flop, good position at the table and >udgment of the meaning of your opponent's bets and raises. The comparati+e looseness or tight playing styles from opponents who re-raise will gi+e you a lot of information on how to proceed with this strong yet tricky hand after the flop.

How To Play 2ag %$es

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R ,age 7ces 5

The definition of holding a 'rag ace' or an 'ace-rag' is being dealt an ace with another card lower than a ten. &o the following hands can be regarded as 'rag aces'G 7O 7< 7N 7: 78 7% 7$ 7 . 1t could be argued the range, in which the term rag ace incorporates, is smaller or greater than the one shown. For example some would say that a rag ace ranges from 7 to 7:, but in my opinion the best way to determine an ace rag is in the range 7 to 7O. 1n a nutshell, a rag ace is an ace with a low kicker.

How to play a$es with low ki$kers.

&o that's enough of the background information, now how should they be playedE 1t is typical for a beginner player to o+erestimate the strength of their hand >ust because they hold an ace, and this can lead them into trouble. This answer to the /uestion on how to play aces with low kickers is as follows... &ore o!ten than not you should be !olding rag a$es. This may come as no surprise to any intermediate and experienced players as they ha+e read this article or other articles like this, and learnt from mistakes they ha+e made at the table. ?ou should always look to fold rag aces, as they will rarely win big pots and are likely to lose you a fair amount of money if you are out-kicked. 1f you play rag aces, you are primarily looking for one thing to happenG making top pair with your kicker on the flop. This is because this gi+es you the best opportunity of ha+ing the best hand and to make money. 1f you pair your ace and get action from another player it is likely that they ha+e your ace out-kicked, especially if they raised before the flop. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. There may be a slight chance that your opponent is playing a rag ace worse than yours, but you can ne+er be sure of this and it is ne+er ideal to be putting money into a pot when you do not know where you stand.

Tips !or playing rag a$es.

5] 1f you pair your ace and bet out, your opponent will only be calling6raising with the better ace lea+ing you unsure of where you stand, or they will fold an ob+ious worse hand J winning a small pot. Furthermore if you were to hold 78 on a board of 7A<, any action you would get would either result in you losing the pot or calling to win half. 1n the best-case scenario of your opponent holding an ace-rag, it is likely to be a split pot by the ri+er. ] 1f you make top pair with your kicker you ha+e a better chance of making more money from another player that has hit top pair with a worse kicker. Howe+er this situation is unlikely and again with one pair you can only hope to be winning a small pot. $] ?ou make two pair on the flop against someone with an ace but with a better kicker. This will usually be a profitable situation for you. Howe+er it is not common and it would be a losing play attempting to make two-pair with a rag ace against an opponent with a better kicker. 1t simply won't happen enough to make the call profitable.

2ag a$es do not win big pots.

7s highlighted in bold, the key idea to remember with rag aces is that they are not designed to win big pots, and if you happen to make that two pair, it is actually going to be a losing play in the long run. Aust think about it. 1f a player raises you with his 7M and you call with you 7: to see a flop, who do you think will be coming out on top the ma>ority of the timeE Hopefully this has drilled into you that you should get away from rag aces as often as you can J sa+e yourself some money at the table.

When $an you play rag a$es?

1n spite of what has been mentioned abo+e, there are certain situations that warrant playing acerag in the hole *remember that no answers in poker are that straight forward.. When playing short-handed poker you can loosen up your starting hand re/uirements. When there are 8 people or less at the table it is acceptable to play any ace with good table position. ,ag aces can be played more profitably at short-handed tables, but you still ha+e to be careful. ,ag aces are generally best a+oided if you are still de+eloping a solid, winning strategy. The likelihood that your opponents will be holding any aces has diminished significantly enough to change rag aces from losers to winners. The rule that you may only win small pots still applies, but the si3e of these pots will be slightly increased short-handed, as players will ha+e a tendency to call bets with middle pairs. Furthermore, an ace also acts as a plan ) for clearing up uncontested pots with the high card. )ut be sure to let paired aces go if you come up against too much action after the flop.

lind play with rag a$es.

1n addition rag aces are better suited for blind play *play within the blinds and button. for the reasons mentioned abo+e, as once again there will only be a small number of players left in the hand. 1t is likely that you ha+e the best hand so the optimum play is to raise with any ace if it is folded around to you on the cut-off or on the button. 1f your opponent does call than you can e+aluate how to play the flop with greater accuracy as you ha+e position on your opponent. When in the small blind you should once again raise and hope to take the big blind. 1f your opponent does call then a continuation bet on the flop is likely to take the pot down. When on the big blind with an ace rag you should raise if you feel you can take the pot otherwise it is best to check, as you will be out of position for the hand. When you do play rag aces, you should keep in mind two key wordsG 1solate and Determine. ?ou should reali3e that rag aces are not the kind of hand that you want to be playing in a multiway pot. Therefore you will want to isolate any possible opponents by raising to keep the action heads-up if possible. 1f you do get the call off one opponent, you will then need to determine the strength of your opponent's hand and if they does indeed hold the better ace than you.

There are no tips or rules to know whether or not he doesH you simply ha+e to ha+e a good understanding of your opponent and the way they play.

2ag a$es e#aluation.

1f you are unsure of how to play rag aces, then you should fold them. 1f you are relati+ely new to poker then rag aces are either going to win you small pots or lose you big ones. This type of hand is simply not designed to win big pots and that does not help with the main aim of poker making money. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. This risk you are taking to win a small pot is outweighed by the risk you are taking of losing a big one. There are some situations in which you can profitably play ace-rags, but the profitability margin is not great enough to concern yourself with these sorts of plays, especially if you are unsure of what you are doing.

How To Play /rawing Hands

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R Drawing Hands !

1t is a +ery common situation to be in when playing in the game of Texas Holdem... ha+ing a potentially strong hand that needs another certain card to complete it. This is known as a BdrawingC hand, as you are drawing to a specific card or a specific type of card. These types of hands can be +ery difficult to play, especially if you are facing bets and raises and need to decide whether or not to call. Howe+er, by the end of this article you should be fully aware of how to play drawing hands, and know when to fold and when to call when facing a bet.

9lush draws and straight draws.

The most common drawing hands are !lush draws and straight draws. When playing a drawing hand we ha+e to e+aluate how likely it is that we will complete our hand by the next card. We can do this by looking at the number of BoutsC that we ha+e.

What are outs?

7n BoutC is a card that will complete our hand. For example we ha+e a diamond flush draw, an BoutC would be any diamond card. The more outs that we ha+e, the better the chances are that we will complete our hand on the turn of the next card. 7n out is simply a card left in the deck that will complete the hand that you are drawing to. With a typical diamond flush draw *or any flush draw. we will ha+e a total of O outs, as there will be diamonds in our hand along with another diamonds on the flop. There are a total of 5$ diamonds in the deck, which means that O will be left in the deck that we will be trying to hit. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. &imilarly, we can work out the number of outs and likelihood of completing our hand for straight draws. There are howe+er two different degrees of straight draw, the inside straight draw and the open-ended straight draw. 7n open ended straight draw is when we can hit either card on the ends of the straight to complete our hand.

)*ample o! di!!erent straight draws.

1f we are holding N < on a board of 7s 8 : , we can either hit a % or a O to make our draw. &imilarly, in an inside straight draw we are looking to hit one card in the middle of the straight to complete our hand. For example, if we again hold N <c but with a board of 7 8 % , we ha+e to catch a : to complete our straight. 7n open-ended straight draw has outs, whereas an inside straight draw has 5 out. This makes inside straight draws harder to complete. Therefore, with an open ended straight draw we ha+e < outs *fours %s and four Os., and with an inside straight draw we ha+e % outs *four :s., meaning that we are more likely to complete an open-ended straight draw on the turn of the next card rather than an inside straight draw.

How to work with the number o! 'outs'.

7s we already know, the more outs we ha+e the better, because it impro+es our chances of making our hand with the more outs we ha+e. The real +alue of these figures lies in when working out the specific odds of winning the hand. We can then use these odds to determine whether or not it is worth calling a certain si3e bet to try and complete our hand.

There will be a few numbers in+ol+ed in the next part of this article, but bear with me, its not as difficult as it might appear on first impressionL

Working out whether to $all or !old.

We can use the number of outs to work out the odds of winning the hand by comparing it to the number of cards we donCt want that are left in the deck. 1f we ha+e a flush draw on the flop, we ha+e O outs to try and make our flush by the turn. There will be %N cards left in the deck in total, of which O of these will make our hand, whilst the other $< will not.

8 minus our holecards and the flop cards *8 in total. T %N. o O cards of the same suit that we are chasing after.
o

$< are of a suit that will not complete our flush.

"ow if we put these figures into a ratio of cards we want against cards we do, we get $<GO. 1f we simplify this ratio using basic mathematics, we get a new easier to use ratio of roughly %G5. "ow this figure means that for e+ery % times we do not make our hand on the turn, 5 time we will, and that is all that we need to know for the time being. "ow we know that we know that the odds of making our hand *and thus winning the pot. are %G5, we can use these odds to determine whether or not to call a bet or raise. When facing a bet, we ha+e to compare the si3e of the bet to the si3e of the potH this will gi+e us our pot odds.

Jsing the odds when !a$ing a bet.

#ets say for example our opponent bets 4 ! making the pot 45!!. We now must call 4 ! to try and win 45!!, but should weE 1f we look at the ratio between the bet and the pot, we get 5!!G !, or put more simply 8G5. We are getting better odds from the pot *%G5. than we are from the cards, as we will be winning more for the number of times we make our hand. Therefore we should make the call. &o as a general rule, if the pot odds are better *or bigger. than the odds we are getting to make our hand, we should call, as this will be the profitable play in the long run. 1f the pot odds are bigger than the odds of completing your hand *based on the outs., you should call. These odds and probabilities are constantly changing depending on the type of draw we ha+e and the amount our opponent bets into the pot. 7lthough it may look a little tedious and difficult at first, it is not too hard to grasp, especially if you use the system fre/uently. 1t may seem like more effort than it is worth to learn about the odds, but it is a great feeling when you always know whether or not to call or fold for draws, as you will ne+er be unsure of what to do.

"ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. This article discussed the methods of playing draws passi+ely, to try and see the next card as cheaply as possible. ,ead my article on playing drawing hands aggressi+ely for alternati+e profitable methods of playing drawing hands.

Playing /rawing Hands %ggressi#ely

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Hands R Drawing Hands R 7ggressi+ely !

1n my pre+ious article on playing drawing hands, 1 discussed how to work out whether or not to call a bet or raise depending on the type of drawing hand we had along with the si3e of the bet or raise in relation to the si3e of the pot. The general idea throughout the article was to check and call to try and make our flush, straight or any other drawing hand as cheaply as possible. This alone is a profitable way to play poker if we use it correctly, howe+er, there are alternate methods of playing drawing hands that could potentially be more profitable...

Try using aggression when you are on a drawing hand.

We can play drawing hands aggressi+ely, by betting out or e+en raising instead of checking and calling. This may seem to contradict the strategy of trying to make our hands as cheaply as possible, but it does ha+e some +ery big ad+antages, which can lead to us making more money from or drawing hands. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised. This aggressi+e poker style approach is best suited to the ad+anced players, who are able to read their opponents and situations well, as putting money into a pot without a made hand can become +ery costly if you are unsure of what you are doing. Howe+er, if you feel that you would like to

experiment with the aggressi+e approach, stick to the drawing hands that will gi+e you the nuts on completion, such as an 7ce-high flush or top straight draw.

%d#antages o! aggression on drawing hands.

7s with many poker situations there are two ways to win a handW you can win by ha+ing the best hand, or by making your opponent fold. The aggressi+e style of play lends itself well to poker as it lea+es the doorway open to win pots when you do not ha+e the best hand. )etting with a draw works well as a semi bluff, because we may well take the pot down straight away without e+en needing to complete our hand. Howe+er, if we get a call from our opponents then we still ha+e the opportunity to catch the right cards to make our draw and win the pot. To further this point, the ad+antage of betting out instead of checking and calling with a draw is that it disguises our hand. )y making bets or raises, our opponent is more likely to belie+e that we already ha+e a made hand, and will find it harder to put us on a draw than if we had checked and called a bet from them. Fpponents are less likely to place you on a drawing hand if you are playing aggressi+ely, which can work to your ad+antage later on in the hand. )ecause our opponents will be less concerned that we ha+e a draw, when the next card comes such as the $rd card of the same suit, our opponents will be less scared and continue to bet6call because they wonCt be gi+ing us credit for the flush. 7nother ad+antage of betting with a draw is that it builds the pot, and can force opponents into gi+ing us the correct pot odds to call raises if they try and take control of the hand. 7s the si3e of the pot increases, we are more likely to be gi+en the correct odds to call if our opponent decides to bet and raise with a strong but +ulnerable holding.

)*ample o! using aggression on a !lush draw.

#ets say we are in a hand with 7 8 against one opponent, who is holding I A . The flop comes I M < gi+ing us the nut flush draw and our opponent top pair with Aack kicker. "ow we are first to act, and we decide to bet 4 ! into the 4%! pot. Fur opponent with top pair decides to raise, but because they are a little inexperienced yet want to protect their hand they minimum raise it to 4%!. There is now 45!! in the pot and we ha+e to call a further 4 ! to win 45!!, gi+ing us pot odds of 8G5. The odds of completing our flush by the next card are %G5, so we are gi+en the right odds to call to try and make our hand.

8G5 pot odds. %G5 odds of completing our flush.

This is an ideal situation that has arisen from a simple aggressi+e bet on the flop. 2+en though the semi-bluff did not work, we are still priced in to continue with the hand. 1f we did not make the bet on the flop and checked, our opponent may ha+e come out betting around 4 ! or more into the pot himself, which would ha+e gi+en us the wrong pot odds *$G5. to try and make our hand, forcing us to fold. 7lthough this looks like a perfect situation, it does appear /uite often in numerous circumstances where you can influence the amount your opponent will bet to keep the pot odds in your fa+our. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. 2+en if in the abo+e example we went on to check the turn if we didnCt make our flush, our opponent may well still be scared about the strength of our hand and bet a small amount into the pot, which would again gi+e us the correct odds to call. )ecause the pot is much larger, our opponent will be making a much bigger mistake by gi+ing us the correct odds, and thus we will be profiting more from the hand in the long run from their bad play.

Pot Hdds
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R =ot Fdds N =ot Fdds &tuffG =ot Fdds G The ,ule of % and G =ot Fdds 2xamples

#earning how to use pot odds puts an incredibly useful weapon in your poker arsenal. Inowledge of this basic concept is fundamental in determining whether or not you will become a winning or losing poker player. This guide aims to explain how pot odds work and how to effecti+ely incorporate them into your game. 1t shouldn't take more than 5! minutes to read this guide from start to finish, which is pretty good considering it could be sa+ing *and winning. you more money for the rest of your poker career.

What are pot odds?

=ot odds simply in+ol+es using the odds or likelihood of winning when on a drawing hand to decide whether or not to call a bet or a raise. Therefore when you are on a flush or straight draw, you will be able to work out whether or not to call or fold depending on the si3e of the bet you are facing by making use of pot odds. =retty handy really. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. 7 familiar situation you will find yourself in Texas Hold'em is holding cards of the same suit with another cards of that suit on the flop. 1n poker this is called a flush draw or sometimes referred to as a Bfour flushC. We will use this as an example in learning the use of pot odds.

Working out pot odds.

There are two ways that you can work out pot odds in Texas Hold'em. 5. ,atio method . =ercentage method. )oth of these methods pro+ide the same results, so the one you decide to use is simply a matter of preference. The ratio method is the most $ommonly used method !or working out pot odds, but 1 personally found the percentage method the easiest to get to grips with when 1 was calculating pot odds for the first time.

-5 2atio &ethod.
The ma>ority of books and forums will put pot odds in the ratio format, so it's definitely worth while getting used to this method of calculating and working with pot odds. ?ou HoldG

FlopG

"ow say there are two people left in the pot, you and your opponent. There is 4<! in the pot and your opponent bets 4 !. What should you doE

-= Cal$ulating the O$ard odds'.

First of all we need to find out how likely we are to catch another heart on the turn. This can be done in many ways, but the most popular way is to find the ratio of cards in the deck that we donCt want against cards that we do want.

There are 8 cards in this hand that we know, our holecards and the $ cards on the flop. This lea+es us with %N cards in the deck that we do not know. Fut of those %N, there are O cards that will make our flush and $< that will not. 1f we put this into a ratio it gi+es us $<GO, or roughly %G5.

'= Compare with pot odds.

"ow we know that the odds of hitting a heart on the next card are %G5. This means for e+ery % times we donCt catch a heart, 5 time we will. "ext we ha+e to calculate the same ratio of odds using the amount that is in the pot and the bet we are facing.

Fur opponent has bet 4 ! into an 4<! pot making it 45!!. This means we ha+e to call 4 ! to stand a chance of winning 45!!. This makes our odds 45!!G4 ! which works out to e/ual 8G5 pot odds.

&o... @ard FddsG %G5 =ot FddsG 8G5 This means that we should call as the odds we are getting from the pot are bigger than the odds that we will hit our flush on the next card. 1n the long run we will be winning more money than we are losing. ,ememberL ?ou should only call if the pot odds are greater than the 'card odds' *probability of completing your draw..

1f finding the card odds by working them out in your head is too time consuming *which most beginners will. . ?ou can find them more /uickly by using odds charts. These are handy if you print them out and stick them next to your computer and refer to them the next time you end up with a draw. Try &=F@ if you're >ust starting out. 1t's a +ery handy tool for helping you work out pot odds during play.

'5 Per$entage &ethod.

The percentage method was easier for me to get to grips with when 1 first starting learning pot odds. Knfortunately, it is not as widely used as the ratio method. For the percentage method 1 will use an example with a straight draw. ?ou HoldG

FlopG

This time your opponent bets 4$! making the pot 4O! in total. We will find out whether or not to call by finding out the pot odds in percentages.

-= 9inding the O$ard odds<.

To find the chance of making the straight on the next card we again need to find the number of outs *BoutsC are cards that will complete the hand we are trying to make, in this example we are trying to make a straight... There are % fi+es and % tens that will complete our straight gi+ing us a total of < outs. To find the percentage chance of making the straight on the next card we simply need to double the outs and add one.

Finding the percentage (card odds(.

Double the outsG < ^

T 5:

7dd oneG 5: ; 5 T 5N9 5N9 chance of making the straight

'= Compare with pot odds.

Fur opponent has bet 4$! making the pot 4O!. This means we ha+e to call 4$! to stand a chance of winning 45 !. 7s you can see we ha+e to add our own bet that we will call onto the si3e of the pot to find the total pot si3e. This part is +ery important, as finding the percentage of 4$! in a 4O! pot will gi+e a +ery different result that the percentage of 4$! in a 45 ! pot. Ksing basic mathematics we know that 4$! is 89 of the 45 !. &o... @ard FddsG 5N9 =ot FddsG 89 7s we ha+e already found out we ha+e 5N9 chance of making the straight on the next card, which means that we should only call 5N9 of what is in the pot. Therefore because we are being forced to call 89 to play on we should fold. We would be losing money in the long run if we called. ,ememberL ?ou should only call if the percentage chance of making your hand is greater than the percentage of the pot you ha+e to call. The percentage card odds can also be found in odds charts if you find it easier to use them instead of work them out. These are useful as a guide as you start incorporating pot odds into your game, or if you ha+e trouble working out the odds in the short space of time you are gi+en to make decisions whilst playing online. Try playing flush and straight draws for an alternati+e explanation of using pot odds in poker.

1uestionI Why are we working out the odds !or the ne*t $ard only i! there are two $ards to $ome?
'ood /uestion. 1f we are on the flop with a flush draw, our odds of making the best hand on the turn are roughly % to 5 or !9. Howe+er, seeing as we are on the flop there are indeed more cards to come *and not >ust the 5., shouldn't the (card odds( be more like to 5 or %!9E

The answer.

'enerally, no. This is one of the biggest mistakes players make when using pot odds.

The e*planation.
When you work out your pot odds, you are comparing the pot odds for the current si3e of the pot *and bet. to the chances of making your draw on the next card. 1f you work using the odds of making your draw o+er the next two cards, you need to factor in any extra money that you will ha+e to pay on the turn also. &eeing as it's incredibly unlikely that we're going to accurately guess how much more money we might ha+e to pay on the turn, it's far easier and infinitely more reliable to take it one card at a time. This way, you won't end up paying more money than you should for your drawing hands when on the flop. The only time that you should e+er use the odds for making the best hand o+er the next two cards combined *e.g. using to 5 odds instead of % to 5 odds for a flush draw. is when your only opponent in all-in on the flop. 1n this instance, you can guarantee that you won't face another bet on the turn, as your opponent has no more money to bet. 1 briefly mention this stuff on my percentage odds chart and my ratio odds chart. There is also an explanation in my article on the rule of % and for pot odds. 1t's ob+iously a +ery common mistakeL

Pot odds e#aluation.

7lthough upon first glance pot odds may appear difficult, it is one of the most basic applications of mathematics in the game of poker. 1f you base your drawing decisions on pot odds, then you will mathematically be a winner in the long run, regardless of whether or not you win the hand or not. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 1n addition to deciding whether or not to call, pot odds can be used to influence how much you should bet to (protect( your hand. 1f you belie+e your opponent is drawing to a flush then you should bet a large enough sum into the pot to gi+e your opponents the wrong odds to call if you think you ha+e the best hand. Fnce again, regardless of whether or not your opponent wins the particular hand, they will be losing and you will be winning in the long run. For another take on explaining pot odds, try this pot odds guide from FirstTime=oker=layer.com. There are some +ery handy tables and examples in this Texas Hold'em strategy section that should help to broaden your understanding of the basics of pot odds in poker. "oteG The pot odds examples used in this guide ha+e been in the situation where you ha+e seen the flop and are waiting to see the turn. The same mathematics can be applied for when you are on the turn waiting to see the ri+er, as both odds are almost exactly the same. Howe+er, you

should remember that there will be one less unknown card left in the deck when working out the odds because you now know what the turn card is.

Implied Hdds
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 1mplied Fdds 5 1 like to think that 1 explain implied odds a little better in the guide section. Try basic implied odds.

1mplied odds are an extension of pot odds that help you decide whether or not a drawing hand is worth calling in the face of a raise. 2ssentially, the implied odds of a hand tell you how much you expect to win after you make your draw.

1f you expect to win a lot more money from your opponent after you make your draw, you ha+e good implied odds. 1f you anticipate that you will not be able to get any more money out of your opponent on future rounds, then you ha+e little or no implied odds.

1mplied odds indicate the amount of money that you expect to win after completing your draw.

/i!!eren$es between implied odds and pot odds.

Knlike in pot odds, there are no simple mathematical rules or formulas to determine what your implied odds are in Texas Hold'em *although you can work out how much you need to win from the rest of the hand to make calling profitable, which is shown later in this article.. With implied odds you pretty much make an estimate of implied odds through an understanding of your opponent and the situation. For this reason it is easier to get an idea of your implied odds during a hand if you ha+e been playing the game for some time. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

The more you play, the more you will learn about implied odds in drawing hands and e+entually it will be easier to make an accurate estimation of your (implied odds(. Howe+er, if you are /uite new to the game and this is the first time you ha+e come across implied odds, here are two situations below that will help to illustrateG 5. The times when you ha+e good implied odds . The times when you ha+e little or no implied odds.

0ood implied odds situation.

?ouG

FlopG

1n this hand you ha+e an open ended straight draw. 1f your opponent bets into you, then you ha+e good implied odds because if you make your straight, it is likely that you will be able to extract more money from your opponent on later rounds of betting. This is because your opponent will not easily be able to estimate the strength of your hand.

Poor implied odds situation.

?ouG

FlopG

Fnce again you ha+e an open ended straight draw. Howe+er your implied odds are !ar worse in this situation because if you do make your straight when the 7ce or O comes, the board will be +ery scary for your opponent as the board could easily *and ob+iously. make somebody the straight. There is little chance that you will get much more money out of your opponents unless they ha+e the straight also. 1n general, the more disguised your hand is, the better your implied odds are.

How do implied odds a!!e$t your game?

The great thing about implied odds is that they ha+e a knock on effect against your pot odds. 1f you anticipate you will win more money from your opponent on later rounds of betting, you can afford to make calls when your opponent is not gi+ing you the correct pot odds to call. For example, if you ha+e the nut straight draw the odds that you will complete the draw on the next card are roughly 8 to 5. 1f your opponent bets 4 8 making the pot 45!!, they are gi+ing you % to 5 odds to call. "ow if we to base our decision purely on pot odds then we should not make the call. Howe+er, if we belie+e that we ha+e good implied odds, the call becomes >ustifiable. This is because we will be making more money when we make our draw, than if we folded. The fundamental rules of implied odds to remember areG

1f you ha+e good implied odds, you can afford to call without correct pot odds. 1f you ha+e little or no implied odds, you should stick to the pot odds.

Cal$ulating implied odds.

2+en though it is not possible to calculate how much you are going to win with your implied odds, it is possible to calculate how much you need to win to make calling profitable. This calculation is also +ery straight forward. &ubtract your pot odds from the odds of hitting your draw to work out your re/uired implied odds. This will then gi+e us a new ratio that we can compare with the amount we ha+e to call to figure out how much money we need to take from our opponent later on in the hand to make the call profitable *or break e+en..

Implied odds $al$ulation e*ample.

#et's say that we ha+e a flush draw and our opponent bets 45! in to a 45! pot, which means we ha+e to call 45! to win a 4 ! pot.

Fdds of completing our drawG %. G5 *see the ratio odds chart.. =ot oddsG G5. Draw odds - pot odds T . G5.

&o our re/uired implied odds ratio is . G5. 1f we multiply this . figure by the 45! bet we ha+e to call we get 4 . Therefore, to make calling the 45! bet with our flush draw a break-e+en play at worst, we need to extract 4 from our opponent during the remainder of the hand.

Implied odds e#aluation.

1mplied odds are useful for deciding whether to call a bet after you ha+e calculated the pot odds. 1f you do not ha+e the correct odds to call a bet and make your draw, then a call is >ustifiable if you ha+e good implied odds. Howe+er you should stick to the pot odds if you anticipate that you ha+e little or no implied odds. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 1t should be noted that you ha+e no implied odds if your opponent is all-in, because there will be no betting on further rounds if nobody else in the pot. )e sure to be careful when calling large raises, as the implied odds that you are getting may not co+er the amount you ha+e to call in order to make your draw. The best way to obtain a greater understanding of your pot odds and implied odds is to simply play more poker. For the next article on e+erything odds in poker, ha+e a read o+er re+erse implied odds.

Sklansky /ollars
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R &klansky Dollars 5 1maginary -oneyG &klansky Dollars G '-)ucks

&klansky dollars *or &klansky bucks. is a mathematical concept coined by the clearly +eryhumble Da+id &klansky. The origin of this concept is a bit of a mystery, although 1'm sure it's from one of &klansky's books. 2ither way, it's a +ery well-known concept that highlights how much money you expect to win on a+erage from calling all-ins in Texas Holdem.

What are MSklansky dollarsM?

(&klansky dollars( tells you how much money you expect to win from the pot based on your e/uity at that point in the hand. &klansky dollars are imaginary, but they are useful for e+aluating how much money you effecti+ely win from the hands you play. &klansky bucks are worked out as followsG

Sklansky dollars T _ *total pot si3e. ^ *e/uity. ] - last call amount.

&ounds a little complicated, but it's really not all that bad. The best way to explain this concept is through an example.

Sklansky dollars e*ample.

#et's say we're playing 45!!"# against an aggressi+e opponent. Fur handG 7 7 Fpponent's handG 7 I Fur opponent ends up pushing all-in before the flop and we make the call, accompanied by a fairly large fist pump. The board comesG )oardG I T N I

1f your monitor is still intact you will notice that you >ust lost your 45!!. Howe+er, as you can imagine you're going to win this pot a lot more often than you will lose it, so we both know that this was far from being a bad call.

&klansky dollars will show us how much money we expect to win from this call on a+erage and remind us that calling is indeed a profitable play o+er the long run.

Working out Sklansky dollars.

To work out our (&klansky dollars( we need toG
1. Find out our e/uity in the hand when all in the money went in to the middle.

. -ultiply our e/uity by the total si3e of the pot. $. &ubtract our final bet or call from the final pot si3e. &teps 5 and are the main components. &tep $ is >ust an additional one that gi+es us a number that can be worked with in other calculations. -5 9ind our e;uity in the hand when all the money went in to the middle. Ksing =oker&to+e we find that we ha+e <N.O9 e/uity in the hand with 7 7 against 7 I preflop. 2asy enough.

'5 &ultiply our e;uity by the si.e o! the pot. The final pot si3e was 4 !!, and our e/uity in the hand when all the money went in to the middle was <N.O9. !.<NO x 4 !! T 45N8.< &o, e+en though we missed out on winning that big 4 !! pot, on a+erage we will be winning a 45N8.< pot e+ery time we call all-in with 7 7 against 7 I before the flop. "oteG When 1 say (multiply our e/uity by the si3e of the pot( 1 mean find the percentage of the total pot si3e. ?ou ob+iously want to multiply 4 !! by !.<NO and not <N.O. >5 Subtra$t our !inal bet or $all !rom the !inal pot si.e. We'+e >ust lost 45!!, but how much will we be earning by making the call o+er the long runE Aust subtract our final call of 45!! from the final pot si3eG &klansky dollars T 45N8.< - 45!! T 4N8.< Therefore, we expect to win 4N8.< by calling all-in for 45!! with our 7 7 in this spot.

2eal money and Sklansky dollars.

1n the abo+e exampleG

We lost 45!! in real money. We won 4N8.< in &klansky dollars.

Aust remember that &klansky dollars are not real - it's >ust a 4 representation of how much money you expect to win from a pot on a+erage based on your e/uity in the hand at that point. ,eal dollars tell you how much money you ha+e won or lost in the present, whereas &klansky dollars tell you how much you ha+e won or lost in the grand scheme of things in poker.

Work out Sklansky dollars with Poker)+.

1f you use poker tracking software like =oker Tracker $ *which you really should be., you can run a really cool program called =oker20 on your database to work out your &klansky dollars for all of your all-in hands.

This tool will basically show you how (lucky( you ha+e been.

1f you ha+e been unlucky, your &klansky dollars will be greater than your real money earnings. 1f you ha+e been getting lucky in all-in situations, your &klansky dollars will be lower than your real dollar earnings.

What's the use o! Sklansky dollars?

klansky dollars is not something you'll consider using in the middle of a hand, unlike pot odds. Howe+er, &klansky dollars is closely linked with expected +alue, and both of these concepts are great for post-session analysis and working out whether or not the way you played a hand was optimal.

7nother friendly aspect of &klansky dollars is that it's great for a bit of reassurance. 2+en though you may ha+e lost a hand due to +ariance, your actions may well ha+e been profitable nonetheless. That's always nice to know. F+er a long enough period of time your &klansky dollar earnings will e/ual your real money earnings. ,eal money winnings are greatly affected by +ariance. 1n my opinion the most +aluable aspect of (&klansky dollars( is that it helps to pre+ent bad beats from getting to you and affecting your play. 7 bad player will see the abo+e example as a 45!! loss and nothing more. 7 good player will see the same hand as a great play that will win a lot of money o+er the long run, regardless of the short term results.

Sklansky dollars and the !undamental theorem.

&klansky dollars also tie in with the fundamental theorem of pokerG

2+ery time your opponent makes a mistake, you win &klansky dollars. 2+ery time you make a mistake, you lose &klansky dollars.

"othing really groundbreaking here, but it >ust goes to show that in a perfect game of poker with no +ariance, you would win money by making correct plays *as opposed to making mistakes. if you were able to see your opponent's cards.

Sklansky dollars e#aluation.

(&klansky dollars( >ust throws luck and +ariance out of the window and tells you how much money you expect to win on a+erage from your all-in hands. This article is longer than it really needs to be, as (&klansky dollars( *or &klansky bucks, whate+er you want to call it. is a really simple concept to be honest. 1 hope 1 didn't drag the life out of it for you - 1 >ust wanted to be thorough. 7nd if you didn't already notice, the method for working out &klansky )ucks is +ery similar to the method for calculating expected +alue -- they're closely related. Hopefully your newfound knowledge of this concept helps you to accept the fact that bad beats happen, and that you're going to be winning more money than you lose when you get your money in with the best of it.

Common &istakes Jsing Hdds

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R Fdds -istakes 5

7s a regular cash game or tournament player, it is important that you are familiar with the mathematics of poker. This in+ol+es working out the odds of each situation so that you can determine what the most profitable action will be. 7 good player will be able to take into account their pot odds, implied odds and e+en their re+erse-implied odds when calculating their next action. Howe+er, with all these calculations taking place, there are a few simple errors that can be made when trying to work out the correct odds in each situation. The top $ common mistakes 1 see areG 5. -iscalculating the odds of draws. . -iscalculating percentage odds. $. -isunderstanding the difference between ratios and probability. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

-5 &is$al$ulating the ratio odds o! draws.

The most common mistake that e+en the best players make is working out the in$orre$t odds they ha#e !or a draw. -any players will look up and remember the odds of completing such draws like flushes and straights by the final ri+er card. Whilst these figures may be correct, it will not be profitable to use these odds when you are calling a bet on the flop to try and complete your draw by the turn. 7s already mentioned, many odds charts will gi+e you the likelihood of completing a draw by the ri+er, for example the chance of completing a flush draw after the turn and ri+er ha+e been dealt is roughly G5. Howe+er, if we are only using these odds to compare whether we should call a bet on the flop to try and make our hand by the turn, we are neglecting the fact that we may well face another bet on the turn to see the ri+er. When looking up the odds on draws, use the odds for the next card only when on the flop. Do not use the odds for completing your draw by the final card.

7 bet on turn is not unlikely, and so our pot odds will be worsened by the fact that we will ha+e to ha+e called two si3eable bets instead of one on the flop. Therefore instead of using the odds to complete draws by the ri+er, we should be using the odds to complete draws by the next card instead. Typically for flush draws, the odds of completion by the next card will be %G5. &o when on the flopG

Fdds of completing a flush by the turnG %G5 Fdds of completing a flush by the ri+erG G5

2atio odds mis$al$ulation e*ample.

For example, if we are on the flop with a flush draw and our opponents bet 4%! making the pot 45 !, we are getting $G5 odds from the pot. Therefore this appears to make a call with G5 odds of completing our hand profitable. Howe+er, we donCt complete our hand on the turn and our opponent now bets 4<! into the 45:! pot, again gi+ing us $G5 odds. The fact that our opponent has bet again has reduced our pot odds so much that it has made our call on the flop unprofitable. This is because if we now call the bet on the turn, we would ha+e effecti+ely paid 45 ! into what became a 4 !! pot, which changes our pot odds to 5.NG5. Therefore by using the incorrect G5 odds on the flop we ha+e made an incorrect call, and we would be losing money in the long run by making this play. Howe+er, if we had used the correct odds of making our hand by the next card instead of the final card, which are %G5, we could ha+e folded knowing that we had the wrong odds to play on and sa+ed oursel+es some money.

'5 &is$al$ulating per$entage odds.

&ome players prefer to work out the percentage odds to determine whether or not to make a call instead of using the ratio method as abo+e. Howe+er, there is a +ery basic mistake that is fre/uently made using this method, especially if you are already used to working with the ratio method. The common mistake is not adding your own call into the total si3e of the pot when working out your percentage pot odds. With ratio odds it is something that you are not re/uired to do, but with the percentage odds it is important that you do not forget to do so. 7lways add your own call amount to the total si3e of the pot when working out percentage odds.

Per$entage odds mis$al$ulation e*ample.

1f your opponent bets 4%! into an 4<! pot, the total si3e of the pot after you ha+e added together your opponentCs bet and your call will be 45:!.

Therefore your 4%! call into the total pot of 45:! would be worth 89 of that pot, therefore you can then use this 89 figure along with the chance of completing your hand to determine whether or not to call. This is the correct way to work out the odds. The error is made when players do not add their own bet into the total pot si3e, so instead of coming out with a total 45:! pot, they will be working with a 45 ! pot, as they ha+e forgotten to add their own 4%! into it. Therefore they will then work out the percentage of 4%! out of 45 !, which works out to be $$9. This is /uite far off the 4%! out of 45:! being 89, and it could mean the difference between making a profitable or losing call to try and complete your draw.

>5 &isunderstanding the di!!eren$e between ratios and probability.

This mistake is far less of a problem, as you will rarely e+er be re/uired to mix odds and probabilities at the table when working out draws. Howe+er, it is useful to be aware of the differences in them. For example, ha+ing 5 in % odds of completing a draw is slightly different to ha+ing %G5 ratio odds of completing a draw. ,atio and probability figures in poker are different. 7 %G5 ratio is not the same as a 5 in % fraction.

P in : odds and PI: 4P to :5 ratios.

5 in %. For e+ery % times an e+ent takes place, you will ha+e the result you are after 5 time *out of those % trials.. % to 5. For e+ery 8 times an e+ent takes place, you will ha+e the result you are after 5 time and the unwanted result % times *so 8 trials in total..

The 5 in % odds takes place o+er % trials, where you will obtain the wanted outcome once and an unwanted outcome $ times. Whereas in the %G5 ratio odds, there are 8 trials, where you will obtain the expected outcome once, and an unwanted outcome % times. 7s you can see, you ha+e to add the ratio together to find the total number of trials, whereas the total number of trials is already gi+en to you in the fraction format. )elow is a simple table to help illustrate the differences between this particular set of odds. Wanted 5 5 Knwanted % $ \ Trials 8 %

% to 5 5 in %

Common odds mistakes e#aluation.

There are numerous ways in which a player can slip up when using mathematics in poker. 1t is not uncommon to e+en ha+e regular +eteran players make these simple mistakes, so donCt be too concerned if you make a small mistake e+ery now and then. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. This article was written to try and help make you aware of the most common mistakes so that you can a+oid them in the future. The more you play and work with odds, the better you will become at making precise and profitable decisions at the poker table, so get out there and playL

Poker )*pe$ted +alue

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 2xpected 0alue 5

2xpected %alue *20. is a term you will come across again and again in forums and in poker strategy articles. 1n this guide 1 will explain exactly what expected +alue is and why it is important when it comes to making decisions at the table. 7lthough somewhat similar, try not to get expected value confused with e/uity. 1f you are getting confused between the two, read the article on the difference between e/uity and 20.

What is e*pe$ted #alue?

2xpected +alue is the amount of money a certain play expects to win or lose on a+erage. 1n any gi+en situation in poker, a check, call, bet, raise and fold will ha+e certain expected +alues. &ome of these plays will win money, whereas others will lose you money. Fut of the actions that will win you money, some will win more money than others on a+erage. 7s you can guess, the aim is to make the play with the greatest e*pe$ted #alue. Here are two abbre+iations that you will want to familiarise yourself withG

Q)+ - This is a positi+e expectation play that will win money o+er the long run. ")+ - This is a negati+e expectation play that will lose money o+er the long run.

How to work out e*pe$ted #alue.

?ou multiply the results of the possible outcomes by their probability of happening, and then you add all of them together. Trust meH it's really not as difficult as 1 make it sound. -athematics always looks a lot harder before it's explained to you, so let me gi+e you some examples. 5. &imple coin flip example. 2. 7 basic example with a flush draw. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

-5 Simple $oin !lip e*ample.

7lmost e+ery good article or guide that attempts to explain expected +alue uses a straightforward coin-flipping example to start off with, so 1'm not going to be breaking any trends here. #et's get started...

7 friend offers to pay you 45.8! e+ery time she flips a coin and it lands on tails. Howe+er, e+ery time it lands on heads you ha+e to pay her 45.

What is the expected +alue of each and e+ery coin flipE How much do we expect to win or lose on each indi+idual flipE 1s it a profitable game for usE To work out our e*pe$ted #alue for this game, we need to look at the results of each possible outcome and their probability of happening.

=ossible results and their probabilities. Heads T lose 45

o

=robability of heads T !.8

Tails T win 45.8!

o

=robability of tails T !.8

1f it's a fair coin, the probability of it landing on heads is !.8, or ) in 3. 7ll we ha+e to do now is multiply these outcomes *the amount we win in each possible outcome. by their probability and add them together to find the 20 for each coin flip.

Working out 20 for each coin flip.

20 T Heads outcome ; Tails outcome T *-45 x !.8. ; *45.8! x !.8. T *-!.8. ; *!.N8. T 4!. 8 20

This means that e+ery time we flip a coin in this game we are winning 4!. 8 on a+erage. F+er flips we should win 45.8! once and lose 45 once, gi+en us a net profit of 4!.8 o+er flips. Therefore, o+er 5 flip this works out to earn us 4!. 8 on a+erage. 1t doesn't make a difference if we lose 5! flips in a row, because o+er the long run this will remain as a profitable game *unless our good lady friend has decided to cheat us in some way of course.. There will be +ariance, but o+er a big enough number of trials the amount we ha+e won should be +ery close to our expected +alue for those trials.

'5 % basi$ e*ample with a !lush draw.

1t's all well and good learning about the basics of expected +alue with coin flips, but how does expected +alue apply to pokerE 1t's pretty much the same thing, so let's look at a straightforward expected +alue example with a flush draw. Fur handG 7 )oardG M I $ N The pot is 45!! and our opponent mo+es all-in for 48!. &o we ha+e to call 48! for a chance of winning a total of 458!. 7ssuming that the only way for us to win the hand is by hitting our flush on the last card, what is the expected +alue of callingE 1n other words, is it profitable for us to callE We can work out if calling is profitable using pot odds, but with e*pe$ted #alue we're going to work out exactly how much we expect to win or lose on a+erage by making the call.

=ossible results and their probabilities. @all and hit our flush T win 458!
o

=robability of hitting our flush T !.

@all and miss our flush T lose 48!

o

=robability of missing our flush T !.<

The probability of hitting a flush on the ri+er is %.5 to 5, which is roughly !9 chance or !. . Therefore, the odds of not hitting a flush will be 5 - !. T !.<. 1 used the outs odds charts for these particular odds.

7lso, notice how we are looking to win 458! and only lose 48! in each outcome. We are only going to lose 48! because that is how much we are paying to try and hit our flush in this single decision. We are not factoring in money that we ha+e put in to the pot in pre+ious betting rounds. We >ust take the facts from this decision alone.

Working out 20 for calling. 20 T Hitting flush outcome ; -issing flush outcome T *458! x !. . ; *-48! x !.<. T *4$!. ; *-4%!. T -45! 20

This means that e#ery time we $all this bet to try and hit our !lushG we are losing 6-( on a#erage. Therefore this is a ")+ play and we should fold instead of call.

What is the use o! e*pe$ted #alue in poker?

2+ery single play you make in poker re+ol+es around the concept of maximi3ing your expected +alue. 1f you can always manage to make the play with the greatest expected +alue, then you will be able to win the most money possible from each and e+ery session you play. Fb+iously making the most ;20 plays in e+ery single situation is not going to be possible for most, but it is something that you should stri+e to achie+e e+en if you ne+er expect to reach this goal *as bleak as that sounds..

0ood poker strategy re#ol#es around making Q)+ de$isions.

There is a wealth of topics and guides when it comes to poker strategy *see the Texas Hold'em strategy section on this site for example.. 7t the core of each of these tips and strategies is the aim to help you make the most ;20 plays possible and help you to a+oid making -20 plays. That's basically what all poker strategy is about.

How do I use e*pe$ted #alue during play?

?ou don't to be honest. 2xpected +alue is not like pot odds in that you can use it on the fly to work out whether decisions are profitable or not. ?ou simply do not ha+e enough time to work out the 20 of e+ery possible play to help you find the most profitable action. 2xpected +alue is best used for post-game analysis where you try and work out whether or not you had made optimal plays in certain hands. 20 is also a +ery important concept that helps to explain why some plays are good and why some plays are bad.

Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

Poker e*pe$ted #alue e#aluation.

2xpected +alue in poker is the amount of money you expect to win or lose from each play you make. The more ;20 plays you make, the more money you will win. 1t's as simple as that. 2xpected +alue *or 20 as you will come to familiarise yourself with. isn't really a topic that is going to re+olutioni3e your game right now, but nonetheless it's definitely one of the most important mathematical concepts to learn about. Working out 20 in hands can get a lot more complicated than the ones abo+e, but the process for working out expected +alue is exactly the same. 1f you're familiar with the ,2- process, the maximi3e section is all about maximi3ing +alue from your hands, which is a key component to making money from poker.

9old );uity
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 2/uity R Fold 2/uity !

1n this article 1 will co+er the basics of !old e;uity and how it makes semi-bluffs profitable. 1t's a fairly simple concept though, so don't be too ner+ous about it. 1f you don't know what e/uity is >ust yet, read up on the poker e/uity article before reading this one.

What is !old e;uity?

Fold e/uity is the additional e/uity you gain in the hand when you belie+e that there is a chance that your opponent will fold to your bet. 2+ery time you bet, there is the chance that your opponent will fold their hand. 1f our opponent folds, we win the entire pot regardless of how strong our hand is.

This chance that our opponent will gi+e up their hand to our bet will increase our o+erall e/uity in the hand because we are gi+ing oursel+es an additional opportunity to win the pot as opposed to >ust showing down the best hand. &o e+ery time we bet when there is a chance that our opponent will fold we are adding that little extra e/uity to our hand. &o when you bet, think of your o+erall e/uity like thisG F+erall e/uity T current e/uity ; fold e/uity. The amount of !old e;uity that we can add to our current e/uity in the hand will +ary from one situation to another. Fn a basic le+el, fold e/uity can be summari3ed by the following simple statementsG

How much fold e/uity do we ha+eE 1f we think it is likely that our opponent will fold to our bet, we ha+e a lot of fold e/uity. 1f we think it is unlikely that our opponent will fold to our bet, we ha+e little fold e/uity. 1f we do not think our opponent will fold to our bet, we ha+e no fold e/uity.

How do you get !old e;uity?

To get fold e/uity you ha+e to bet or raise. 1f you are not betting or raising then you are not gi+ing your opponent the opportunity to fold, so you will ha+e no fold e/uity. 1 probably should ha+e clarified this point at the start, but 1'm sure the ma>ority of you will ha+e assumed that this was the case anyway. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

&athemati$s o! !old e;uity.

When you make a bet, you are basically absorbing some of your opponent's e/uity in the hand if there is a chance that they will fold. Fold e/uity can be expressed by a straightforward e/uationG Fold e/uity T *chance our opponent will fold. ^ *opponent's e/uity in the hand.. The 9 chance that your opponent will fold is based on your knowledge of your opponent. &o for example, using your experience you could say that there is a good chance that your opponent will fold N89 of the time when making a bet in a certain situation. ?our opponent's e/uity in the hand is pretty self explanatory. 1t's >ust the 9 of the pot they expect to win on a+erage by the ri+er. -ore specifically, it's the 9 e/uity their range has, but don't worry about that for now.

Total e;uity in the hand.

Total e/uity T our current e/uity ; fold e/uity. 7s you will remember, your total e/uity in the hand is your current e/uity plus your fold e/uity. Fold e/uity on it's own isn't all that useful, so we add it to our standard e/uity to gi+e us our o+erall e/uity in the hand.

9old e;uity e*ample.

#et's say we are on the flop and we know that our opponent is holding I A on the following flopG FlopG M I Fur handG O T - % .%9 e/uity. Fpponent's handG I A - 8N.:9 e/uity. 1 worked out the e/uity of each of these hands using =oker&to+e. 'et it already. Fur opponent is first to act and bets in to us. Howe+er, we are a little short stacked and belie+e that if we push all-in there is a 8!9 chance that our opponent will fold. Without e+en ha+ing to work this out we can already guess that this is going to be a profitable play o+er the long run, but lets do the math anyway.

Fold e/uity T *chance our opponent will fold. ^ *opponent's e/uity in the hand.. Fold e/uity T *!.8. ^ *8N.%.. 9old e;uity R 'D.D,.

"ow let's find our total e/uity in the hand.

Total e/uity T our current e/uity ; fold e/uity. Total e/uity T % .%9 ; <.<9. Total e;uity R B-.',.

&o e+ery time we sho+e all-in with our drawing hand we will ha+e N5. 9 e/uity in the hand on a+erage. Therefore, whereas calling to complete our draw would be unprofitable with our % .%9 e/uity, the addition of fold e/uity in the hand makes our sho+e a profitable play o+er the long run.

The bene!its o! !old e;uity.

Fold e/uity is the reason why semi-bluffs can be profitable.

Fold e/uity is the dri+ing force behind semi-bluffs. The +ast ma>ority of the time you will be using fold e/uity to your ad+antage when betting or raising with a flush or a straight draw. Fn their own, these draws will generally not ha+e enough e/uity to make it worth calling bets and raises. Howe+er, if you are the one betting and raising, the addition of fold e/uity can turn the o+erall e/uity in your fa+our. &o o+er the long run, well-played semi-bluffs with drawing hands will be profitable. ,ead the article on playing drawing hands aggressi+ely for further discussion on this topic.

Pure blu!!s and !old e;uity.

Whether a pure bluff is profitable or not almost completely depends on fold e/uity. This is because if you ha+e no e/uity in the hand based on the strength of your cards, you are relying on fold e/uity alone to make the bluff profitable. For exampleG )oardG M I <

Fur handG O T - !9 e/uity. Fpponent's handG I A - 5!!9 e/uity. Knless you belie+e that your opponent is folding at least 8!9 of the time, your bluff is not going to be profitable. ?our fold e/uity T total e/uity here *current e/uity T !9., so if it's less than 8!9 you will be losing more money than you win o+er the long run. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

9old e;uity e#aluation.

?ou're not expected to get out your calculator and work out your fold e/uity e+ery time you run a bluff or a semi-bluff. Howe+er, you can gauge a fairly accurate idea of your fold e/uity and use it to influence your decision when contemplating a semi-bluff. 1f you ha+e little or no fold e/uity, strongly reconsider making that semi-bluff. &o don't worry about the numbers in+ol+ed in fold e/uity during play, >ust familiarise yourself with it and go from there. ?our semi-bluffing skills should impro+e nicely o+er time.

Poker );uity 4Pot );uity5

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 2/uity

2/uity percentages in this article ha+e been calculated using the handy and free =oker&to+e.

=ot e/uity *or >ust (=oker e/uity(. is a mathematical application to poker that helps to explain why you should bet or check in certain situations.

What is e;uity in Poker?

?our e/uity is basically the amount of the pot that BbelongsC to you based on the odds you ha+e to win at a particular point in the hand. &o if there is :!9 chance that you are going to win, you ha+e :!9 e/uity in the hand. 1t's as simple as that.

Poker e;uity e*ample.

&ay for example we hold 7 I preflop and we know for a fact that our opponent holds A T , and there is 4$! in the pot. 1f we run these hands through an odds calculator it tells us that we ha+e a :89 chance of winning the hand, assuming that all the cards are dealt out and neither player folds. Therefore our current pot e/uity is :89 of 4$!, or put more simply, 45O.8. This e/uity will not stay the same throughout the hand, because as more cards are dealt the strength and potential of each hand will change, and thus each playerCs e/uity will change with it. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. 1f the flop comes A T , our e/uity will change dramatically as we no longer ha+e the hand that is most likely to win the pot. 1f we run our hands through an odds calculator once more, it shows that we now ha+e a 9 chance of winning, which gi+es us a 9 e/uity of the amount that is currently in the pot. Furthermore, if the turn comes the M gi+ing us a straight, the odds of us winning the hand by the ri+er will dramatically increase, and thus our e/uity will change once more. The odds

calculator now tells us that we ha+e a O59 chance of winning, whereas our opponent only has O9 chance of winning as they ha+e to catch a A or a T to make a full house and win the pot.

Where do these pot e;uity per$entages $ome !rom?

These percentage figures come from repeated computer simulations of the particular situations to help find an accurate estimate of each handCs chances of winning. &o when you put the particular hand combinations into an odds calculator, the calculator runs out the rest of the hand thousands of times and notes down how many times each hand wins to gi+e an accurate figure on the likelihood of the hand holding up. The likelihood of a hand winning in a certain situation is the same as the e/uity the hand has. 7 great example of a free *and +ery useful. e/uity calculator is =oker&to+e. Try it.

How to use e;uity in Poker.

1tCs good to know what our chances of winning are and how much e/uity we ha+e, but how should we incorporate this sort of information into our gameE The answer is that you will rarely know what your opponent is exactly holding, and so it is not really possible to work out your e/uity whilst at the table and use it to your ad+antage. Howe+er, the principle of e/uity and the e/uity you ha+e in each pot at each stage in the hand explains why you should bet your hands when you think that you ha+e the best of it. When you ha+e the best hand at the table, you are betting for +alue when you ha+e the ma>ority of the e/uity in the hand.

etting !or #alue be$ause o! pot e;uity.

For example, on the turn in the last example where we held 7 I against our opponents A T on a board of A T M , we had the nut straight and e/uity of O59. This means that for e+ery extra dollar that we can get into the pot, we will be winning O5 cents of it. Therefore it stands to reason that we should try to get as much money into the pot as possible, and thus we are betting for +alue and trying to maximi3e the amount of money we will be winning from the hand. 1f you ha+e more than 8!9 e/uity in the hand, you want to get as much money in the pot as possible. 1t may be the case that the ri+er brings another A or T gi+ing our opponent the better hand with a full house, but this fact is irrele+ant on the turn when we ha+e O59 e/uity. &o e+en though we are increasing the amount of money we can lose by putting more money into a pot where we could be outdrawn, we are also increasing the amount of money we can win.

)y putting more money in the pot with the best hand at this point *e+en though there is the chance that we may still lose., we will be winning more money in the long run. DonCt be afraid to put money into the pot when you feel that you ha+e the best of it. The principle of e;uity in poker also explains why you should raise with the best hand preflop. There are a number of reasons for raising preflop, such asH reducing the number of players in the pot, buying position, being the aggressor and so on. 2/uity howe+er is still an important principle that makes it profitable to raise preflop. "ot only is it because you may well be getting money in with the best hand and therefore betting for +alue, but because you are raising the stakes with your raise, and creating opportunities to get more money into the pot when you ha+e good e/uity in the pot later in the hand.

Poker e;uity e#aluation.

24uity in poker is a basic principle in+ol+ed with poker mathematics that helps to explain the strategy of betting when you ha+e the best of it. )y betting for +alue you can increase the amount of money you will be winning from each particular hand. &imilarly, by checking and folding with the worst of it in the right situations, you can help to reduce the amount of money that you will be losing. )etting for +alue increases the amount of money you will be winning from each hand. 7s already mentioned, it is often +ery difficult to exactly work out your e/uity in each situation, but it is good to take note of the fact that you want to try and get as much money into the pot when you are confident that you ha+e the best hand. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 1f you're into casino games, you should be aware of how e/uity is always in fa+our of the house, which is why you are only going to lose money o+er the long run *unlike in poker where it is possible to consistently win money.. Ha+e a look at my good friends' Fnline 'ambling sites website if you're interested in finding out more about casino games and gambling in general. )e careful not to waste to much money playing casino games though, because =oker is where the money is atL For further reading on e/uity, take a look at the article on poker e/uity and draws.

How To Cal$ulate )*pe$ted +alue " o*es &ethod

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 2xpected 0alue R How To @alculate *)oxes -ethod.

#earning how to $al$ulate e*pe$ted #alue in poker can seem like a daunting task. 1t's one of those topics that you put off learning, simply because it always seems a little too tricky to try and get your head around. )ut to be honest, when you see e/uations like thisW

20 T *45.:! x !.%. ; ` !.: x _ *4 .<! x !.!8. ; *-45. ! x !.O. ] a W1 don't blame you for walking away. That kind of stuff makes )ill @hen's The 5athematics of !oker look like The %ery Hungry 'aterpillar. &o, here's my attempt at helping you get your expected value calculations nailed down once and for all. 1'm going to try and make it easier for you to +isualise the process with my (boxes method(. "o more running away from math strategy articles and forum threads.

The three steps to $al$ulating e*pe$ted #alue.

1n poker, you calculate expected +alue for a specific action. For exampleH what is the 20 of callingE What is the 20 of foldingE What is the 20 of raisingE -- Those are specific actions. Fnce you'+e decided what action you want to calculate the 20 of, you >ust need to follow these $ simple stepsG 5. The $ steps to calculating 20 *with the boxes method.. . #ist all the possible outcomes of that action. *-ake the boxes.

$. Find the probability and the win6loss of each outcome. *Fill the boxes. %. =ut it all together in an e/uation and work it out. *&ol+e the boxes. #et's run through an actual example, and 1'll explain each step as we go along.

The e*ample hand situation.

We are playing 45!!"# against a useless short stack player. We raise to 4% with 7 I from -= and this short stack player in the &) is the only caller. FlopG I N % =otG 4O The short stack immediately mo+es all-in for 4: *yep, 4:.. 7fter doing so, they also turn o+er their hand to show us : 8 -- they ha+e a flush draw and a straight draw. &o the situation is as followsG HeroG 7 I 0illainG : 8 FlopG I N % =otG 458 We ha+e to call 4: to continue. What is the 20 of callingE Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

Step - " List all the possible out$omes. 4&ake the bo*es5
1f we call this 4: bet, what can happenE Well, two thingsG 5. We call and end up winning. . We call and end up losing. These are the only two possible things that can happen after we call. 2asy stuff. Howe+er, there are not always >ust two outcomes. There could be more or there could be less depending on the situation. 2ither way, it's a nice idea to think of each outcome as it's own separate UthingV -- or as 1 like to do, gi+e it an imaginary boxG

Step ' " 9ind the probability and win7loss o! ea$h out$ome. 49ill the bo*es5
Fkay, so we'+e got our two outcomes. "ow we >ust need to find the probability of each outcome happening, and the amount of money we win or lose when it does happen. #et's work these out for each of the two outcomes one at a time.

-5 We $all and we end up winning.

The probability. How do we work out the probability of winning in this situationE The easiest way is to >ust plug the cards in to =oker&to+e.

This shows us that our probability of winning when we call is %$9. The win7loss. 1f we call and win, we win the 458 in the pot. The 458 currently in the pot is our pri3e. We do not count our 4: call in this amount because it belongs to us, and we cannot win what we already own. "oteG 1t's important to make the distinction between money that is yours to lose and money that is in the pot. They are two separate things. Don't get hung up on any amount of money you may ha+e put in to the pot earlier on in the hand -- it doesn't matter.

'5 We $all and we end up losing.

The probability.

1f we look at the same =oker&to+e results as beforeG

We can see that the probability of losing when we call is 8N9. The win7loss. 1f we call and lose, we will lose our 4: call. The only amount of money we are losing is our 4: call. &ure, we'+e already put money in to the pot, but don't think of that as UbelongingV to us anymore. 1t now belongs to the pot, so it's not something we can lose.

Tidying up step '.

Futcome 5 - we call and we win. o =robability T %$9

o

Win6loss T ;458 - we call and we lose.

Futcome
o o

=robability T 8N9 Win6loss T -4:

,emember how we'+e already put these outcomes as separate boxesE Well, let's fill these boxes with this new information.

Step > " Put it all together in an e;uation and work it out. 4Sol#e the bo*es5

To form our 20 e/uation, all we need to do is multiply the probability by the win6loss in each of the boxes, then add all the boxes together. &o, still using these boxes, our e/uation looks like thisG

"ow >ust work out the answers for each boxG

Finally, add them all together and we get the answer to our 20 calculationG

&o the 20 of calling with 7I is ;4$.!$. 2+ery time we make this call, we win 4$.!$ on a+erage. Therefore, calling -- as opposed to folding *we make 4! by folding.-- is the correct play. This amount of money could also be referred to as 4$.!$ &klansky )ucks. 1t doesn't feel +ery mathematical using all those boxes though. How can we show it in a more (mathematical-looking( wayE 7nswerG Aust replace the boxes with brackets, like thisG

20 T *!.%$ x 458. ; *!.8N x -4:. 20 T *4:.%8. ; *-4$.% . 20 T ;4$.!$ "oteG "otice how we only had %$9 chance to win the hand *or %$9 (e/uity(., yet calling is still ;20E That's all thanks to the good pot odds we are getting when our opponent bets all-in for 4: in to a 4O pot on the flop. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

9inal thoughts.
1 hope that nobody feels patronised by my Ubox methodV for working out 20 in poker. 1t's >ust that e+er since 1 started thinking about expected +alue calculations in terms of UchunksV or UboxesV, it all became much easier. 1t may not be for e+eryone, but if this box method for calculating expected +alue works for you, then 1'm glad to ha+e shared it. This method is also easily extensible. 1f there is a situation where there are more than outcomes, >ust add more boxes. The boxes are >ust there to split e+erything up and make 20 calculations easier to digest. 1n all honesty, the only difficult thing about calculating expected +alue is the notation. The actual method is surprisingly straightforward, and my primary hope is that this article has helped to highlight that fact.

2e#erse Implied Hdds

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R ,e+erse 1mplied Fdds 5

,e+erse implied odds are the opposite of implied odds. With implied odds you estimate how much you expect to win after making a draw, but with re#erse implied odds you estimate how much you expect to lose if you complete your draw but your opponent still holds a better hand. ,e+erse implied odds are how much you could expect to lose after hitting your draw. 1f you find yourself on a draw, you can work out your pot odds to see whether or not a call would be a profitable play in the long run. 1f you do not ha+e the pot odds to call, you can estimate your implied odds to gauge whether or not a call would still be profitable. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. "ow if you belie+e you ha+e the implied odds to call a bet, you should also estimate your re+erse implied odds to weigh out whether or not you should still call to make your draw. 7lthough this may sound complicated, it really isn'tCt too difficult to understand and there are many situations in which you should be aware of your re+erse implied odds.

2e#erse implied odds e*ample.

#ets say you are facing a bet in a multi way pot holding : N and the flop comes 8 < T . ?ou are now in a situation where you should certainly be considering your re+erse implied odds. 1f the first player to act bets and another player has called, you must think about whether you will ha+e the best hand when you complete your draw.

1f a % or O comes, you will ha+e made your straight, but then this also makes a possible flush for another player. 1n addition, any O makes a higher straight a possibility, which will again beat your straight.

1n this situation we ha+e re#erse implied odds because if we make our draw, there is a possibility that one of our opponents will make a better hand than ours. Therefore if we make our straight and our opponent makes a hand like a flush, we will be losing money to them from calling down their bets with our second best hand.

1f we do not ha+e the pot odds to call the initial raiserCs bet, we should be folding our hand because the re+erse implied odds are outweighing any implied odds that we do ha+e. This will be sa+ing us from losing more money in the long run from chasing after draws that may well not end up being the best hand when they are completed.

Hther re#erse implied odds situations.

1f we ha+e weak flush draws then there is the potential that another player may be calling to hit a higher flush than ours. &o we should be wary when calling bets holding N < on a 8 I board because our flush draw is not +ery strong. The same applies to straight draws when we are drawing to the lower end of a straight. Furthermore, if we are on a flush or straight draw and the board has paired, there is the possibility that an opponent will make or already has made a full house. 1n a nutshell, the following hands are going to ha+e re+erse implied odds that make calling to complete your draw /uite dangerousG

Weak flush draws. #ow-end straight draws.

&athemati$s o! re#erse implied odds.

Knfortunately for the players who like to be mathematically accurate in drawing situations, re+erse implied odds are similar to implied odds in that we cannot put an exact figure on how much we can expect to win or lose. Fur re+erse implied odds increase when there is a greater chance that our hand will not be the best after completing our draw, and they decrease when there is a greater chance that our hand will be the best after completing our draw. 7s a basic rule, we can make calls with some re+erse implied odds if our pot odds are +ery good, but if we ha+e bad pot odds and re+erse implied odds, we should be looking to fold.

)#aluation.
,e+erse implied odds are not there to scare you out of calling bets to make draws, but more to make you aware that you stand to lose money if you are calling to complete a weak draw. 1f there are many players in a pot you should be especially sure that your draw is strong enough to hold up against other players in the pot that might also be calling to make their draws. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

&o if you are on a O high flush draw on the flop and there ha+e already been a number of callers in front of you, you ha+e to e+aluate whether you think this draw is worth calling for, as there is a good chance that another player is on a higher flush draw than you.

0 u$ks
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R '-)ucks ! 1maginary -oneyG &klansky Dollars G '-)ucks

U'-bucksV *'alfond Dollars, 'bucks, ' )ucks. is a +ery important concept that expands upon the concept of &klansky Dollars when e+aluating the expected +alue of tough decisions in no limit HoldCem. The term U'-bucksV was coined by =hil 'alfond *F-'@lay7iken. in his article on conceptuali3ing money matters. 1tCs a great article, but itCs also a +ery long-winded one. 1n this article 1 will attempt to condense the theory behind ' bucks in to an easier to digest morsel of delicious HoldCem strategy. Tasty stuff.

What are 0 bu$ks?

' )ucks tell you how much money you would ha+e won6lost when you compare the e/uity of one hand against a range of hands. ,emember &klansky dollarsE 1f not, &klansky dollars basically tell you how much money you win from a hand +s. another in the long run. &o e+en though you might lose 45! going all-in with 77 against II, you actually win 45:.% from that 4 ! pot on a+erage due to &klansky dollars. 'o read up on it. )oth &klansky dollars and ' bucks tell you how much money you would ha+e won in a certain spot. Howe+er, the difference is thatG

&klansky dollars J 5 hand against 5 hand.

' bucks J 5 hand against a range o! hands.

&o instead of comparing your hand and your opponentCs hand, with 0 bu$ks you $ompare your hand with your opponent<s range o! hands. )y doing this you can then go on to more effecti+ely work out how much money you will win or lose when calling in certain situations based on your opponentCs range.

Working out 0 bu$ks.

Working out ' bucks is actually really straightforward. 5. Work out an accurate range o! hands that your opponent $ould be holding as best as you can. 2. =lug your hand and your opponentCs range in to =oker&to+e to work out your e;uity in the hand. $. -ultiply the pot si3e by your 9 e/uity in the hand to work out how much money you expect to win on a+erage. The original article uses a more complicated method for working out the e/uities of a hand +ersus a range. Howe+er, when you ha+e e/uity calculators like =oker&to+e at your disposal there is no need to take the longer route to the same place, especially if youCre la3y. 7fter finding your e/uity against your range you >ust find the percentage e/uity of the pot that you expect to win, >ust like you did with &klansky dollars. The key *and most difficult. part of the whole process is putting your opponent on an accurate range. 7s 1 said, the concept and method for working out 6 bucks really isnCt that difficult at all. "onetheless thereCs no harm in dishing out a few examples to really dri+e the concept home.

0 bu$ks e*ample -.
?ouCre in a home cash game with a few friends, and as with any home game the ma>ority of them are pretty bad players and6or are fairly drunk. &tacks are 45!! with blinds 4!.8645. ?ouCre in the )) with 7Mo. ?our old friend -ike from -= pushes all in and it folds around to you. ?ou know that -ike for whate+er reason will always push all-in with any two broadway cards and any pocket pair. He likes to gamble. ?ou ha+e a think for a moment and finally decide to make the call, making the pot 4 !5 in total. #ow and behold, -ike turns o+er 77 as standard and the board brings no help at all, so you lose the 4 !5 pot. Was this a bad call gi+en -ikeCs rangeE &urely not.

1n real moneyG -45!! 1n &klansky bucksG -4O$ *worked out with 7Mo +s. 77 in =oker&to+e.

What about ' bucksE

1f we plug in the following in to =oker&to+eG

Hand ranges. Fur handG 7Mo -ikeCs rangeG 7ny pair, any two broadway. * ;,7Ts;,ITs;,MTs;,ATs,7To;,ITo;,MTo;,ATo.

We find that our e/uity with 7Mo against -ikeCs pushing range is 88.59, which ob+iously means that we ha+e the edge in the long run. &o according to ' bucks, we win 455!.N8 from the 4 !5 pot on a+erage when we call all-in with 7M against -ike when he pushes.

,eal moneyG -45!! &klansky bucksG -4O$ ' bucksG ;455!.N8

0 bu$ks e*ample '.

?ouCre playing 4 !!"# at Full Tilt and call an 4< raise from the @F with your 7 M on the button. ?ou know for a fact that 0illain is a tight-aggressi+e player that bets his draws and rarely slowplays. Howe+er, he is not a maniac and is generally a half-decent player. FlopG M : N - 0illain bets 45 in to the 45N pot and you call. TurnG $ - 0illain bets 4$8 in to the 4%5 pot and you call. ,i+erG $ - The pot is now 4555 and +illain sho+es in his remaining 45%8. What do you doE Well firstly, letCs gi+e our 0illain a range. )efore the flop his range is really wide due to the fact that he is an aggressi+e player raising from #=. Therefore his range is roughly any pair, any ace, any suited king, any suited broadway, and a bunch of suited connectors. *1 used the rough guidelines for a $!9 =F, in the range article.. FlopG 1tCs a standard cbet and we canCt really narrow his range down all that much. TurnG This is important. Fn this turn it is +ery likely that +illain would check any 5-pair hands for pot control. The fact that he double barrels this turn indicates that he either has a strong made hand like -pair or better or is semi-bluffing with a straight or 76I high flush draw.

,i+erG The final ri+er sho+e does little to modify our +illainCs range, so weCre left looking at either a busted draw or a strong made hand. &o on a board of M : N $ $ after +illain has bet on all three rounds, we can assume that +illainCs range consists of roughlyG

0illain's hand range. O<s,<8s,8%s,O<o,<8o,8%o J )usted straight draws. 7xh *except 7Mh, 7Nh, 7:h., Ixh *except IMh, INh, I:h. J )usted flush draws. MM;,NN-::,N:s,N:o J -ade hands.

7fter plugging this range in to =oker&to+e, we find that our e/uity against +illainCs range is : .:9. Therefore if we call the 45%8 bet to win a total of 4%!5, on a+erage we will walk away with 4 85.!$ ' bucks for a profit of ;45!:.!$ ' bucks *4 85.!$ - 45%8. each time. 7lthough the call seems real risky and we will lose 5 time out of $, if we are confident about +illainCs range we stand to make more money o+er the long run because of ' bucks. The result of this hand does not matter, as making the call is the correct play. "onetheless, if you like a happy ending then letCs say that +illain flipped o+er 7 A for a busted nut flush draw.

0 bu$ks e#aluation.
2+en though this may be the first time youC+e read about the term U' bucksV, the chances are that this particular concept has crossed your mind at some point whilst analy3ing hands from pre+ious sessions. The concept of ' bucks is more practical than &klansky dollars because you ne+er truly know the exact two cards that your opponent is holding before you make a call or a fold. Therefore ' bucks are a more accurate way of calculating how good or bad a call was *or will be. o+er the long run. 1f you ha+e read the original article on ' bucks by =hil 'alfond you will notice that 'alfond uses the opposite +iewpoint by gi+ing our hand a percei+ed range and our opponent a definite hand. 7s you can see 1 ha+e re+ersed this approach, but either way both methods work out perfectly well.

Poker );uity and /rawing Hands

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R 2/uity R Drawing Hands

1n my article on poker e/uity, 1 discussed how you should be betting for +alue to maximi3e your winnings when you feel you ha+e the best hand. "ormally, if you hold the best hand at one stage during the hand, it is typical that your hand stands the best chance of winning after all the cards ha+e been dealt. Howe+er, in some situations it is possible to hold an unmade hand like a draw, but still ha+e the best chance of winning. Therefore in these situations you will ha+e high e/uity in the pot, and it will make sense to bet for +alue e+en if your hand is not yet complete.

/rawing hand e;uity e*ample -.

?ou hold M A on a flop of T O % . 1f your opponent is betting hea+ily into you it is probable that do not hold the best hand, but nonetheless, you will ha#e the most e;uity almost regardless o! what you opponent holds. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. 2+en if you know that you opponent has a strong hand like two pair with O % , your e/uity in the pot will be 8 9 despite the fact your opponent is the one with the made hand. The only hand that would ha+e more e/uity in the pot than you at the time would be a set, but e+en in that particular situation you wouldn't be too far behind. 1t is perfectly possible for strong drawing hands to ha+e more e/uity than already made hands *like a pair.. )ecause you ha+e such a monstrous drawing hand, there are a wide +ariety of cards that could help you to make a better hand that your opponent, such as a flush or a straight. Therefore you should bet for +alue e+en with a drawing hand in this situation, and look to get as much money into the pot as possible at this point.

/rawing hand e;uity e*ample '.

"ow lets assume that in a similar hand where we hold M A on a flop of T O % , there are now two players in the pot instead of one. We know for a fact that opponent 7 holds O % , and a second opponent ) holds T T . 1f we run these hands through an odds calculator, it shows that we are no longer the fa+ourite to win the hand. The following is the e/uity each player has in the handG

Fur HandG M A - %89 Fpponent 7G O % - R59 Fpponent )G T T - 8%9

The calculator *=oker&to+e. now tells us that Fpponent ) with their set of Tens is currently in the lead, and is most likely to win the pot after the turn and ri+er cards ha+e been dealt. Therefore seeing as we are no longer fa+ourite to win, should we be inclined to check and fold to a+oid putting in money with the hand that has the worst potential to winE "ot necessarily, as the presence of the third player in the hand is making a big difference to our chances of making money from this hand in the long run. *This is where it gets a little mathsy.... 1f our opponents and oursel+es continue with the hand and continue to build the pot, each player will ha+e in+ested money to create 56$ of the final pot, or $$9. Howe+er, our e/uity in the pot is %89, so we would be in+esting $$9 to get on a+erage a return of %89 if we stick with our hand. Therefore as you can see, if all $ players mo+e all in at this point we will be getting a good return on our money. The fact that we are not fa+ourite to win the hand is irrele+ant, because our e/uity and odds from all $ players mo+ing in on the flop means that we will be winning money in the long run. 1f our percentage e/uity is greater than the percentage of the pot we ha+e in+ested money in, we will be making a profitable play. Which in essence, is the same principle as pot odds.

What happens to our e;uity i! one player !olds?

The only problem that could arise at this point in the hand is if opponent 7 holding O % folds their hand without putting any chips into the pot. This would result in us now in+esting closer to 8!9 to the pot with only %89 e/uity. Therefore it would be a slightly losing play to mo+e all in unless our opponent is gi+ing us the correct pot odds to continue with the hand to try and complete our draw.

/rawing hand e;uity e#aluation.

These two examples appear to be +ery confusing and mathematical, but you are not expected to be able to work out these figures and percentages whilst sitting down at the table. The abo+e examples are merely shown to highlight the fact that you do not always need the $urrent best hand to ha#e good e;uity in the pot.

=laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. 1f you e+er hold a monster of a draw like an open-ended straight and flush draw, it is likely that you will ha+e +ery good e/uity in the pot and should be looking to in+est as much as possible into it. )oth of these examples work +ery closely with pot odds to help determine whether or not you should call in certain situations. Therefore if you would like to know whether or not you should be folding, calling or raising in the abo+e examples, you should take a look at the article on pot odds. 7s a general rule, if you ha+e more e/uity in the pot than you are going to in+est in it, then you should be looking to bet and raise as much as possible.

Poker Hand Combinations " Combinatori$s

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R -athematics R Hand @ombinations N For a great training +ideo on poker combinatorics, check out this poker combos +ideo.

U@ombinatoricsV is a big word for something that isn't all that difficult to understand. 1n this article, 1 will go through the basics of working out hand $ombinations or UcombosV in poker and gi+e a few examples to help show you why it is useful. Fh, and as you'+e probably noticed, UcombinatoricsV, Uhand combinationsV and UcombosV refer to the same thing in poker. Don't get confused if they are used interchangeably.

What is poker $ombinatori$s?

=oker combinatorics in+ol+es working out how many different combinations of hands there are in certain situations.

For exampleG

How many ways can you be dealt 7IE How many ways can you be dealt ::E How combinations of TO are there on a flop of T$ E How many straight draw combinations are there on a flop of 7TNE

Ksing combinatorics, you will be able to /uickly work these numbers out and use them to help you make better decisions based on the probability certain hands appearing.

Poker starting hand $ombinations basi$s.

7ny two *e.g. 7I or T8. T -A $ombinations =airs *e.g. 77 or TT. T A $ombinations

1f you were take a hand like 7I and write down all the possible ways you could be dealt this hand from a deck of cards *e.g. 7 I , 7 I , 7 I etc.., you would find that there are 5: possible combinations. &ee all 5: 7I hand combinations. &imilarly, if you wrote down all the possible combinations of a pocket pair like AA *e.g. A A , A A , A A etc.., you would find that there are >ust : possible combinations. &ee all : AA pocket pair hand combinations. &o as you can see from these basic starting hand combinations in poker, you're almost $ times as likely to be dealt a non-paired hand like 7I than a paired hand. That's pretty interesting in itself, but you can do a lot more than thisW

8oteI two e*tra starting hand $ombinations.

FactG There are 5,$ : combinations of starting hands in Texas Hold'em in total.

Working out hand $ombinations using KknownL $ards.

#et's say we hold IM on a flop of IT% *suits do not matter.. How many possible combinations of 7I and TT are out there that our opponent could holdE

Jnpaired hands 4e.g. %F5.

How to work out the total number of hand combinations for an unpaired hand like 7I, AT, or M$. -ethodG -ultiply the numbers of a+ailable cards for each of the two cards. Word e/uationG *5st card a+ailable cards. x * nd card a+ailable cards. T total combinations 2xample /uestionG 1f we hold IM on a IT% flop, how many possible combinations of 7I are thereE 2xample answerG

There are % 7ces and in the deck. T%x T < 7I combinations

Iings *% minus the 5 on the flop and the 5 in our hand. a+ailable

Paired hands 4e.g. TT5.

How to work out the total number of hand combinations for an paired hand like 77, AA, or %%. -ethodG -ultiply the number of a+ailable cards by the number of a+ailable cards minus 5, then di+ide by two. Word e/uationG _*a+ailable cards. x *a+ailable cards - 5.] 6 T total combinations 2xample /uestionG How many combinations of TT are there on a IT% flopE 2xample answerG

There are $ Tens a+ailable in the deck. T _*$. x * .] 6 T $ TT combinations

Thoughts on working out hand $ombinations.

Working out the number of possible combinations of unpaired hands is easy enoughH >ust multiply the two numbers of a+ailable cards.

Working out the combinations for paired hands looks awkward at first, but it's not that tricky when you actually try it out. Aust find the number of a+ailable cards, take 5 away from that number, multiply those two numbers together then half it. "oteG ?ou'll also notice that this method works for working out the preflop starting hand combinations mentioned earlier on. For example, if you're working out the number of 7I combinations as a starting hand, there are % 7ces and % Iings a+ailable, so % x % T 5: 7I combinations.

Why is $ombinatori$s use!ul?

)ecause by working out hand combinations, you can find out more useful information about a player's range. For example, let's say that an opponents $betting range is roughly 9. This means that they are only e+er $betting 77, II and 7I. That's a +ery tight range indeed. "ow, >ust looking at this range of hands you might think that whene+er this player $bets, they are more likely to ha+e a big pocket pair. 7fter all, both 77 and II are in his range, compared to the single unpaired hand of 7I. &o without considering combinatorics for this 9 range, you might think that the probability break-up of each hand looks like thisG

77 T $$9 II T $$9 7I T $$9

Wwith the two big pairs making up the ma>ority of this 9 $betting range *roughly ::9 in total.. Howe+er, let's look at these hands by comparing the total combinations for each handG

77 T : combinations * 5.89. II T : combinations * 5.89. 7I T 5: combinations *8N9.

There are more 7I hands in a range of _77, II, 7I] than there are 77 and II hands combined. &o out of < possible combinations made up from 77, II and 7I, 5: of them come from 7I. This means that when our opponent $bets, the ma>ority of the time he is holding 7I and not a big pocket pair. "ow ob+iously if you're holding a hand like N8o this is hardly comforting. Howe+er, the point is that it's useful to realise that the probabilities of certain types of hands in a range will +ary. Aust because a player either has 77 or 7I, it doesn't mean that they're both e/ually probable holdings - they will actually be holding 7I more often than not. 7nalogyG 1f a fruit bowl contains 5!! oranges, 5 apple, 5 pear and 5 grape, there is a decent range of fruit *the (hands(.. Howe+er, the the fruits are hea+ily weighted toward oranges, so there is a greater chance of randomly selecting an orange from the bowl than any of the $ other possible fruits *(7I( in the example abo+e.. This same method applies when you're trying to work out the probabilities of a range of possible made hands on the flop by looking at the number of hand combinations. For example, if your opponent could ha+e either a straight draw or a set, which of the two is more likelyE

Poker $ombinatori$s e*ample hand.

?ou ha+e :: on a board of 7 A : < . The pot is 45 and you bet 45!. ?our opponent mo+es all in for 4:!, which means you ha+e to call 48! to win a pot of 4< . ?ou are confident that your opponent either has a set or two pair with an 7ce *i.e. 7A, 7<, 7: or 7 .. Don't worry about how you know this or why you're in this situation, you >ust are. 7ccording to pot odds, you need to ha+e at least a $<9 chance of ha+ing the best hand to call. ?ou can now use combinatorics 6 hand combinations here to help you decide whether or not to call.

Poker $ombinatori$s e*ample hand solution.

First of all, let's split our opponent's hands in to hands you beat and hands you don't beat, working out the number of hand combinations for each.

Hands you beat. 7A T $ x $ T O combinations 7< T $ x $ T O combinations 7: T $ x 5 T $ combinations 7 T $ x $ T O combinations T *$ x . 6 T $ combinations Hands you don't beat. 77 T *$ x . 6 AA T *$ x . 6 T $ combinations T $ combinations

<< T *$ x . 6 T $ combinations

7dding them all upG

Total combinations T % @ombinations you beat T $$ *NO9. @ombinations you don't beat T O * 59.

&eeing as you ha+e the best hand NO9 of the time *or NO9 (e/uity(. and the pot odds indicate that you only need to ha+e the best hand $<9 of the time, it makes it ;20 to call. &o whereas you might ha+e initially thought that the number of hands we beat compared to the number of hands we didn't beat was close to 8!68! *making it likely -20 to call., after looking at the hand combinations we can see that it is actually much closer to <!6 !, making calling a profitable play. )eing able to assign a range to your opponent is good, but understanding the different likelihoods of the hands within that range is better.

Poker $ombinatori$s $on$lusion.

Working out hand combinations in poker is simpleG

Knpaired handsG -ultiply the number of a+ailable cards. *e.g. 7I on an 7T flop T _$ x %] T 5 7I combinations..

=aired handsG Find the number of a+ailable cards. Take 5 away from that number, multiply those two numbers together and di+ide by . *e.g. TT on a 7T flop T _$ x ] 6 T $ TT combinations..

)y working out hand combinations you can gain a much better understanding about opponent's hand ranges. 1f you only e+er deal in ranges and ignore hand combinations, you are missing out on useful information. 1t's unrealistic to think that you're going to work out all these hand combinations on the fly whilst you're sat at the table. Howe+er, a lot of +alue comes from simply familiarising yourself with the +arying probabilities of different types of hands for future reference. For example, after a while you'll start to realise that straight draws are a lot more common than you think, and that flush draws are far less common than you think. 1nsights like these will help you when you're faced with similar decisions in the future. The next time you're doing some post session analysis, spend some time thinking about combinatorics and noting down what you find.

Poker $ombinatori$s !urther reading.

Hand combinations in poker all stem from statistics. &o if you're interested in finding out more about the math side of things, here are a few links that 1 found helpfulG

@ombinations +ideo - ?outube *all the stuff on this channel is awesome. =ermutations and @ombinations - -athForum.org

1f you're more interested in finding out more about combinations in poker only, here are a few interesting readsG

=oker @ombinatorics - -icro&tackesHoldem.com @FTWG Thinking 7bout @ombos - ;

7lso, 1'd highly recommend you check out the 5athematics of NL Hold.em 2p. and 2p. : by WiltFnTilt at Deuces@racked for some great +ideo tutorials *and examples. on using hand combinations in poker.

Poker Playing Styles

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R =laying &tyles 5

1f you ha+e read Texas Hold'em strategy articles or o+erheard discussions between poker players, you may ha+e come across certain combinations of words to describe how someone plays at the poker table. The typical playing styles attributed to players areG

Tight-7ggressi+e *T7'. #oose-7ggressi+e *#7'. Tight-=assi+e #oose-=assi+e

)ut what exactly does it mean to be Tight, #oose, 7ggressi+e or =assi+e in Texas Hold'emE 7nd whi$h playing style is the best? @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

Poker playing styles e*plained.

The !irst word " tight and loose.
The first word of each playing style describes how many hands a player is percei+ed to be playing, and they will either be describes as being (tight( or (loose(.

7 tight player will play +ery few hands, and only play premium hands that ha+e a good chance of winning. 7 loose player will play a wide +ariety of hands and enter numerous pots with both strong starting hands a few weaker ones.

The more hands a player enters pots with, the (looser( they are.

The se$ond word " aggressi#e and passi#e.

The second part of each playing style describes how the particular players bet on each betting round, and this is described as being either (aggressi+e( or (passi+e(.

7n aggressi#e player will fre/uently bet or raise and gi+e a lot of action by making strong bets. 7 passi#e player will be more inclined to check and call, and will rarely bet out or raise an opponent's bet.

&o as you can see, by combining these two sections together with the two descriptions in each, we can make % different playing styles to describe how many hands an opponent plays, and how they play their hands by the way they bet or check. This sort of information can be +ery useful when talking about strategy, as bluffing against a #oose-=assi+e player who plays lots of hands and calls fre/uently, is not going to be as profitable as making a bluff against a Tight-7ggressi+e player who only plays the best hands and will only bet or raise with a strong hand.

Playing styles table.

Here is a /uick table to show how you would normally describe a player combining each of the +arious loose, tight, passi+e and aggressi+e attributesG

@heck out the section starting at %G$ of the @ommon Full ,ing -istakes pt. 5 +ideo for an o+er+iew of how to beat each of these players types.

Whi$h out o! these ? playing styles is the best?

To play good poker you ha+e to be able to play aggressi+ely, as highlighted in the article on the importance of aggression. Therefore as you can expect, the best playing style is going to be a toss-up between playing Tight-7ggressi+e or #oose-7ggressi+e. =laying aggressi+ely is always better than playing passi+ely, no /uestion about it. -any winning players will say that Tight-7ggressi+e is the best way to play as you are always entering pots with great hands and you are playing them strongly to maximi3e your winnings. This is +ery true, and it is often the style of play that many de+eloping players aspire to use correctly.

1n spite of this howe+er, it is perfectly possible to play #oose-7ggressi+e >ust as profitably or e+en more profitably than the Tight-7ggressi+e style, but this is /uite difficult to master. The #oose aggressi+e style can be profitable, but it is dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. =laying #oose-7ggressi+e means that you are seeing a lot of flops and getting money into the pot when you are often not totally sure of how strong your hand is, so it is not something that is recommended for beginner players to try. Howe+er, the rewards can be high, as your opponents will often pay you off when you hit monster hands as they will not gi+e you credit for them because of the way you ha+e been playing up to that point.

Passi#e poker is ne#er pro!itable.

The passi+e style of play is often unprofitable, and so it is ad+ised that anyone looking to become a winning poker player should try to bet and raise more fre/uently rather than >ust checking and calling. The reason why passi+e play is often unprofitable is because you are remo+ing one of you options to win a hand. ?ou can either win by ha+ing the best hand, or by betting your opponent out of the pot. )y playing passi+ely, you are reduced to only e+er winning when you ha+e the best hand, which is what any old player can do. &o for the ma>ority of players learning the game, it is recommended that you try and adopt a Tight-7ggressi+e style because of the fact that it is profitable and safe to play. 1f after you gain experience in playing solid, profitable poker, there is no reason why you shouldn't try and +enture out into the realms of #oose-7ggressi+e play to see how it works out for you. 0eteran players like the #oose-7ggressi+e style because it allows them to get in+ol+ed in a lot of hands and see a lot of pots, which will sa+e them from the boredom of waiting for premium hands all the time before they see any action. Howe+er, it is far safer to stick with the trusted Tight-7ggressi+e play at first, rather than throwing yourself into the deep end with a complex playing style that you are unfamiliar with. For strategy and tips on how to beat each of these different playing styles *and a couple more., watch the !layer Types concept +ideo by &plit&uit.

Playing styles e#aluation.

1n general, the playing style you adopt should be the one that allows you to play most profitably. 1f you feel that playing Tight-7ggressi+e works better for you than any other style, then there is no reason why you should consider forcing yourself to change. &imilarly, if you are a recreational player and en>oy playing passi+ely rather than aggressi+ely, then that is perfectly fine and you should be comfortable with the way you play. Howe+er, you

should be aware that if you want to maximi3e your winnings, an aggressi+e style of play would allow you to do so rather than a passi+e style of play. 1f 1 had to rank the playing styles in order of how profitable they can be, 1 would rank them as followsG 5. Tight-7ggressi+e . #oose-7ggressi+e $. Tight-=assi+e %. #oose-=assi+e. The top two are interchangeable, as the loose-aggressi+e playing style can be +ery profitable for some. Howe+er, the T7' style is best for newer players to the game, as #7' can be a +ery dangerous style if you do not know what you are doing. For more information on playing styles, check out my friend's poker player types article on his online poker blog. 1t pro+ides more in-depth explanations of the % different player types outlined abo+e with some real-life examples.

How To Impro#e :our Poker 0ame

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R How To 1mpro+e ?our 'ame ! There are a number of things you can do to impro#e your poker game. 1t should be noted that the education in poker has a big learning cur+e, where at the start a little knowledge will go a long way. 7s your game de+elops, the impro+ements that you do make will become less dramatic relati+e to the amount you will be winning. )elow is a short list of the top ways for impro+ing your poker game and taking it to the next le+el.

,ead books. Muestion e+ery play you make. Watch training +ideos. Kse software. 0isit forums.

Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

2ead books.
This may seem +ery ob+ious and 1 am sure many of you reading this article will ha+e read a few poker books. This is the \5 way in which to expand your knowledge of poker as a new player, because you will be learning the strategy and theory of what a professional poker player has learnt in possibly !; years of playing the game all in a matter of hours. ?ou may think of it as a bit of an expense at first, but the knowledge you will gain from them will be so beneficial that they will ha+e paid for themsel+es after a few hours at the table *or e+en in one hand depending on the stakes you play.. =oker books would be my top recommendation for any new player looking to build a solid strategy for poker.

1uestion e#ery bet7play you make.

This is key to becoming a self-taught player, and after all, who are you going to learn from after the books canCt teach you any more *or so you think.E )efore and after you make any play in a game, ask yourself Bwhy did 1 make that mo+eEC Here are a few /uestions that you should contemplate asking yourself at the tableG

Why did 1 make that betE What do 1 want to happen after 1 make this betE What will my opponent*s. think of that betE What kind of hand does my opponent ha+e if he calls6raisesE

1n the /uestions abo+e 1 ha+e used the word (bet(, but this can be substituted for any play such as check6raise6call etc. 2+ery situation in poker is uni/ue and should be e+aluated based on the information you ha+e recei+ed up to that point. )y taking time and /uestioning each mo+e, you can make better plays in each situation and make more money in the long run. )y not thinking about the play your about to make you not only may be making a bad play, you will not be impro+ing your game either. How are you going to work out if you made the correct play or not if you don't analy3e e+ery decisionE 7 thinking poker player is a winning poker player. Trust me on that one.

Wat$h training #ideos.

=oker training sites ha+e become increasingly popular o+er recent years. These training sites cost a little bit of money to subscribe, but anyone will tell you that the /uality information you get from the +ideos is easily worth the subscription fee. 7 few of the most popular training +ideo sites areG

Deuces @racked =oker&a++y =lus @ard,unners

0isit the strategy +ideos for free +ideos, or the training sites section for pro training site re+iews. There is also an impressi+e free training site called =okerTrik3. This is a great place to start if you are a lower stakes player and >ust getting started with training +ideos. Tag=oker.co.uk also has a bunch of really good free HK&"' poker training +ideos aimed at lower stakes players too.

Jse poker so!tware.

When playing online poker, you can use Texas Hold'em software that will record each hand into a database and analy3e the way you play. The software can tell you a wealth of information about your game such as how much you ha+e won, which hands you lose money on, if you pay too much to make your draws and so on. ?ou will be surprised at how much these programs can tell you about your game and they are definitely worth in+esting in. The two ma>or programs on the market today are Holdem -anager and =oker Tracker. These are reputable programs and both offer free trial +ersions for you to test them out. 1 highly recommend that you try these programs and see for yourself the possibilities for impro+ement they ha+e to offer. 0ery few regular, winning online poker players go without using some sort of tracking software like Holdem -anager.

+isit !orums.
There are many forums on the 1nternet *including the Texas Hold'em forum on this site. with members that share the same passion for poker as you, therefore these are great places to ask /uestions and read other playersC opinions on the game. )ut be sure not to take e+erything you read as gospel, as many of the members will still be learning the game >ust like you and simply offering their interpretation of the way some situations should be played. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. There are no easy ways to becoming a better player, but it is +ery true that you get out what you put in. 1f you put a lot of effort into your game then this will be reflected in an increasing bankroll. )e sure to be humble in your ability as e+en the best players will learn something new from time to time, you may be surprised at >ust how much you can learn if you try.

Taking Player 8otes Tips

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R Taking =layer "otes ! Whene+er you play poker, it is always important to try and be aware of your opponents' actions, and what their particular style of play may be. 2specially so in the game of Texas Holdem, it is +ital that you are able to play your opponent and not >ust your own cards. Therefore you should always try and take into account how your opponent plays to help influence e+ery decision you make to help you choose the most profitable action possible. 7 simple yet effecti+e way of remembering an opponentCs style of play for key moments is taking notes on them from past experiences at the table. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

%d#antages o! taking player notes.

-ost online poker rooms will offer you the feature of being able to assign notes to indi+idual players at the table. &ome rooms will e+en allow you to tag players with different symbols or colours to help identify them from other players at the table. The Full-Tilt =oker room has a particularly good player notes feature, as it offers you the ability to tag a colour to your opponents as well as take notes. This particular feature is incredibly useful, and to be honest 1 donCt think 1 could see myself playing at any room that did not ha+e the note-taking option a+ailable. )y taking notes on your opponents you can /uickly find out information on players who you ha+e played against before, but ha+e since forgotten from the last time you were at the table with them. 1 do belie+e that it is important to try and keep your notes on your opponents as simple as possible, and to be frank, 1 donCt want to bring up the note box and ha+e to decipher lines of code e+ery time 1 want to find out some basic info on the other players at the table. Ieep your player notes simple and understandable. There's no need to write in a cryptic code. &o e+en though 1 want to be fully briefed on my opponents, 1 want to keep the notes simple and straightforward. )ut what exactly should you be taking notes of on your opponentsE

Fey poker player notes.

Style o! play.
1 feel a good place to start off is to try and determine what my opponentCs particular style of play is. 1 want to try and find out whether or not they areG

Tight-7ggressi+e. Tight-=assi+e. #oose-7ggressi+e. or #oose-=assi+e.

This can be done by watching they way they play their hands. This is because this information can be +ery important for where you might be forced into a difficult call or fold situation. For example, if 1 ha+e a decent hand and 1 am facing a large bet from my opponent, 1 am more likely to call if 1 know my opponent is #oose-7ggressi+e rather than Tight-7ggressi+e. Therefore 1 will usually shorten these tags down to T7, T=, #7 and #= and stick them at the top of the note box for /uick reference when 1 want some info on my opponents.

Hther key in!ormation.

7fter taking note of a particular playerCs style of play, 1 want to make a few little key notes on other aspects of their game. )elow is a list of a few of the most important things 1 am looking for when watching my opponents playG

Do they pay too much for drawsE Do they bet drawsE Do they make continuation betsE Do they make float playsE Do they o+er-+alue top pairE 7re they a calling stationE

These in my opinion are the most important and profitable factors of my opponentCs game that 1 want to be aware of. There are going to be numerous tidbits that 1 can pick up on and note down, but the 8 points abo+e are the ones that are going to help me the most. This is because knowing these points will help me in a multitude of common situations in the game. For example, if 1 know my opponent o+er-+alues top pair, 1 am going to bet like cra3y when 1 am holding a monster rather than try and slow play and sucker them in. Furthermore, 1f 1 know my opponent pays too much with drawing hands, 1 am going to bet big when they are drawing to make them pay dearly and help them make bigger and bigger mistakes by calling.

Player notes e*ample.

7s you can see, the notes are simple and effecti+e, as they allow me to /uickly see what my opponent is like without ha+ing to try and figure out different short-handed codes 1 ha+e for each player. 1 donCt often use the coloured tags for my opponents if they are a+ailable, as 1 feel that the ma>ority of key info will be kept within my notes. Howe+er, 1 will sometimes use colours like green and red to help signify a +ery weak player and a +ery strong player. Kse the colour tags to your ad+antage, but don't feel obliged to ha+e to use all the different colours a+ailable. Ieep it simple.

Taking player notes e#aluation.

The style of note taking as described abo+e is the one that works best for me, so you may find that an alternati+e method may work better for you. Howe+er, 1 like to think that the abo+e method is a good foundation for note taking and should help you take down key info on your opponents if you are new to using the note-taking feature. )ut you should remember that notes should build up from a few hours of play with your opponents, as it is not easy to build up an accurate picture from a mere few minutes or hands at the table. Howe+er, when you do take player notes, >ust stick with something simple and easy to understand.

Poker Winrates
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R =oker Winrates The amount of money you win o+er a set period of time or hands is known as your (winrate( or (win rate( *1'm not sure if there is meant to be a gap.. 1n poker, winrate is a +ery interesting topic for a lot of players as the higher your winrate the more money you win. 1n this article 1 will talk about the basics of winrates as well as a few other topics to do with winrates in poker.

Win rate basi$s.

=oker winrates are most commonly expressed in the % following waysG

bb7-(( T The number of big blinds you win per 5!! hands. bb7hour T The number of big blinds you win per hour. 67-(( T The amount of money you win per 5!! hands. 67hour T The amount of money you win per hour.

The most $ommonly used winrate in tra$king programs and on !orums !or no limit Hold<em these days is bb7-((. =okerTracker still uses ))65!!, which is twice as much as bb65!!, but 1'll explain that in a moment. &o if you ha+e a winrate of 8 bb65!! in 4564 "#, you are winning 45! *8 x 4 . for e+ery 5!! hands you play.

% !ew other win rates.

The following winrates are less common, but >ust be careful not to get them confused with the ones abo+e.

7-(( T )ig )ets per 5!! hands. 7 big bet is x the big blind. ptbb7-(( T =oker Tracker )ig )linds per 5!! hands. This is the same as ))65!!.

&o, if you ha+e a winrate of $ ))65!! or $ ptbb65!! in a 4!.8645 "# game, you would be winning : bb65!! or 4: per 5!! hands. The reason why ))65!! and ptbb65!! exist is because of limit HoldCem. U)ig betsV are double the big blind and are used on the later streets in limit HoldCem. When =okerTracker first came out it measured winrates using double the big blind for both limit and no limit games, so to sa+e confusion the notation (ptbb65!!( was used. 1f you're a &"' player and want to find out about (winrates( for tournament games, read my article on poker ,F1. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

What is a good winrate?

This is easily the most fre/uently asked /uestion when it comes to win rates, and the answer is always the sameW 7ny winrate abo+e ! is good.

7 winrate abo+e ! means that you are a winning player and you should be happy about that. &omething cra3y like O89 of all online poker players lose money, so be thankful that youCre good enough to be in this elite group. Howe+er, 1 know that youCre not going to be satisfied with a +ery general answer like that. ?ou want some figures donCt youE

,ough ballpark figures for good and great winrates. 5 J % bb65!! T 'reat. 7 solid winrate if you can sustain it. 8 J O bb65!! T 7ma3ing. This is a +ery high winrate at any le+el. @onsider mo+ing up. 5!; bb65!! T 1mmense. 0ery, +ery few ha+e a winrate like this. ?ou probably ha+e a small sample si3e though.

Fnce again, these are rough guidelines for good and ridiculously good winrates. 1f yours is much higher, then congratulations to you and 1 hope it remains high. 7t the end of the day though as anyone will tell youW youCre doing a good >ob if your winrate is abo+e !bb65!!, so be happy with what you'+e got.

Winrate distribution graph.

7 graph to show the winrate distribution of online poker players that ha+e played 5,!!!; hands in !5!. 1mage sourceG =okerTable,atings.com The graph of the distribution of player winrates abo+e highlights a few important factsG

The +ast ma>ority of poker players are losing poker players. -ost winning players ha+e a winrate of less than %bb65!!.

Whilst winrates of %bb65!!; are attainable, +ery few winning players achie+e this kind of winrate compared to those that ha+e a winrate of less than %bb65!!. &o once again, e+en though you might ha+e shook your head when 1 said that any winrate abo+e !bb65!! is good, this graph shows >ust how happy you should be to fall in to that category.

How $an I work out my winrate?

The +ast ma>ority of players work out their winrate by looking at their stats in Holdem-anager or =okerTracker. These programs will tell work out your winrate for you. 1f youCre not using either one of these programs, you are missing out. 1f you donCt use either of these programs, then you will ha+e a bit of trouble figuring out your winrate. Howe+er, if you do happen to ha+e your total amount won and total number of hands played, di+ide each side by a number that will turn your \ of hands played in to 5!! and you will get your bb65!! winrate. &eriously though, >ust get =oker Tracker $ or Holdem -anager. &ee the software page for more information.

When $an I work out my winrate?

Fr to put it another way, when will your win rate become accurate and con+erge toward your actual long-term win rateE The short answer is it takes 7 #FT of hands to form anywhere near an accurate winrate. There is a lot of +ariance in poker, so one month you might ha+e a winrate or Obb65!! and the next it might be 5bb65!!. 7s far as numbers of hands go, working out a win rate with anything less than 5!!k hands is prone to a lot of +ariance. 1n fact, some would say your winrate wouldnCt be close to accurate unless you hit the 5 million hands mark. 2ither way, you shouldnCt put too much stock in to your current winrate unless you ha+e a ridiculous number of hands to work with. 1f youC+e only clocked up 5!k hands, expect to see a lot of change. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

Working out hourlyG dailyG weekly et$. win rates.

&o far weC+e >ust worked with bb65!!, which ob+iously isnCt going to be half as interesting as figuring out your hourly UwageV from poker.

To work out winrates in terms of time, we need to ha+e a rough idea of how many hands we play in an hour. The rough figures for cash games are as followsG

7+erage hands per hour for cash games. :! hands6hour for full ring games. <8 hands6hour for short-handed games.

&o to work out our 67hour, weG

Turn our bb65!! in to a 465!! winrate by multiplying our winrate by the big blind. -ultiply this by the number of tables you play at a time *if you multi-table.. -ultiply our 46S hands by !.<8 or !.:! *this turns 46S hands in to 46hour. depending on which game we play. Wand we will be left with our hourly winrate. 2asy.

To get your daily, weekly, monthly win rate and so on, you >ust multiply your hourly winrate by the hours you expect to play in a day, week, month and so on. We could both do with a few examples though couldnCt weW

Hourly winrate e*ample.

?ou play % tables of :-max 5!c6 8c "# HoldCem and ha+e a winrate of : bb65!! hands. What is your hourly winrateE

: bb65!! T 45.8! *: x 8c. per 5!! hands at each table. 45.8! per 5!! hands x % tables T 4: per %!! hands. 4: x !.<8 T 48.5! an hour.
o

*We play <8 hands an hour on a+erage in short-handed games, so we multiply 4: by !.<8 to get our hourly winrate.

46hour T 48.5!

/aily winrate e*ample.

?ou play 5 table of full ring 4564 "# HoldCem and ha+e a win rate of an a+erage of $ hours a day. What is your daily win rateE

bb65!! hands. ?ou play

bb65!! T 4% per 5!! hands. 4% per 5!! hands x 5 table T 4% *ob+iously.. 4% x !.:! T 4 .%! an hour.

*We play :! hands an hour on a+erage in full ring games.

4 .%! x $ hours a day T 4N. ! a day. 46day T 4N. !

&onthly winrate e*ample.

?ou play tables of short handed 4 64% "# HoldCem and ha+e a win rate of $ bb65!! hands. ?ou play an a+erage of 8 hours a day and play 8 days a week. What is your monthly winrateE

$ bb65!! T 45 per 5!! hands at each table. 45 x tables T 4 % per !! hands. 4 % x !.<8 T 4 !.%! an hour. 4 !.%! x 8 hours a day T 45! a day. 45! a day x b ! days a month T 4 ,!%! a month. 46month T 4 ,!%!

For more on potential earnings, read the article on how much money you can win from online poker.

)#aluation o! win rates in poker.

7side from being able to work out hourly winrates and so on, there are two main things that 1 would like for you to take from this article. 5. 7 winrate greater than ! is good. )e genuinely happy about it. . Focus on impro+ing your game, not your win rate. DonCt e+er fall in to the trap of trying to chase after a certain winrate. There are so many +ariables in+ol+ed that it might not e+en be attainable for you, but donCt worry about it. 1f you focus on playing the best possible game you can, your winrate will be as good as it needs to be. "oteG When playing from the blinds, it's actually perfectly standard to ha+e a negative winrate. 7s outlined in this +ideo on blind play, it's expected to be making a loss from playing in the small blind and big blind. Winrates in poker are fun to look at *if youCre winning of course, theyCre not so much fun if youCre losing., but always aim for perfect play, not a specific winrate.

Poker Counter!eiting

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R @ounterfeit !

'ounterfeiting in poker is not exactly a strategical concept, but it's something that you should be aware of and be prepared to deal with whene+er it crops up. 2+en if you'+e only played poker for a week, you ha+e more than likely been counterfeited at least once or twice -- you >ust didn't know there was a name for it. &o here's an explanation *with examples. of $ounter!eiting in Te*as Hold'em with a /uick guide on what to do if and when it happens.

What is $ounter!eiting in Te*as Hold'em?

?ou are UcounterfeitedV when a card comes on the board that makes one or more of your holecards redundant *no longer as useful., without the basic +alue of your o+erall hand changing. "oteG Despite the exciting name and my little image at the top, there's nothing illegal about counterfeiting in poker. 1t's a perfectly legal *albeit annoying. occurrence. 1t doesn't ha+e much to do with dodgy money either. )eing counterfeited in poker is ne+er a good thing. 2+en though the basic +alue of your hand hasn't changed, it usually means that you're either going to end up losing money or not winning as much money as you could ha+e done if you hadn't been counterfeited.

)*amples o! $ounter!eiting in Te*as Hold'em.

7s awesome as that definition was, there's ne+er any substitute for a good set of examples when trying to explain a specific concept. Here are *and a bit. common ones that you'll most fre/uently run in to.

-5 Two pair $ounter!eiting.

?ou ha+e bottom two pair on this turn. "ot the strongest hand in the world, but you will usually be able to get decent +alue from opponents' top-pair type hands. Howe+er, lo and behold, the ri+er brings the following cardG

?our pair of %s has been made completely redundant thanks to the o+erpair on the board. The T on the ri+er has $ounter!eited your pair of %s.

?our best hand before the ri+erG %%-88-7 ?our best hand after the ri+erG 88-TT-7

?our hand still has the same basic +alue as before *two pair., but nonetheless your expectation for the hand has decreased because of your counterfeited pair of %s. Why is it bad? ?ou are forced to use the pair of Ts on the board to make a two-pair hand of Ts and 8s, replacing your original two-pair of 8s and %s. ?ou still ha+e that pair of %s, but it's effecti+ely useless because there is no such thing as three-pair in Texas Hold'em. ?ou'+e lost the ad+antage that using both of your holecards to make that original two-pair ga+e you. 1f your opponent had a pair of 7s on the turn, they will now ha+e a better two-pair hand than you *7s and Ts.. 1n addition, if your opponent has a pocket pair of ::; they will again ha+e >ust made a better two-pair hand than you on the ri+er.

&o whereas if you hadn't been counterfeited *the board not pairing. on this ri+er you could ha+e won a decent amount of money from an opponent with top pair only, you could now easily end up losing money to a new and better two-pair hand. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

'5 Straight $ounter!eiting.

What a perfect flopH you'+e >ust flopped the nut straight. 1n this sort of situation you can usually >ust sit back and think about how you're going to maximi3e +alue from the hand. Howe+er, the turn is the followingG

That's pretty annoying, because now any other player at the table with any random 7ce will ha+e a straight too, plus you're less likely to get much more action from one-pair or two-pair hands because the board looks so scary. 7gain, you still ha+e the nut straight *so your hand +alue hasn't changed., but you expect to make less money from the hand than if the A didn't show up on the turn. )ut wait, it can still get worseW

Wso now e+ery single player left in the hand has the nut straight. ?our original straight has been completely counterfeited, as both the 7ce and Aack in your hand ha+e been rendered useless. Why is it bad? 1'+e pretty much explained the negati+es in this hand as we went along. 1n a nutshell though, the cards in your hand ga+e you less of an ad+antage as you proceeded to be partially counterfeited on the turn, and then fully counterfeited on the ri+er. ?ou will now get no +alue from pairs and sets that your opponents might ha+e held, which could ha+e resulted in winning a pretty big pot for yourself. 1nstead, you will >ust split the pot with the remaining players in the hand.

>5 Hther $ounter!eiting e*amples.

The two-pair and straight counterfeiting examples abo+e are the most common and ob+ious counterfeiting situations you will run in to. Howe+er, here are a few more for good measure. "oteG 1 won't go in to too much detail with these, as 1'm sure that you'll be able to see what's going on and understand why the Ucounterfeit cardsV are not good for our o+erall expectation.

i5 9ull house $ounter!eiting.

7ny player with a card higher than a $ will beat your hand due to them ha+ing %-of-a-kind with a better kicker.

ii5 9lush $ounter!eiting.

5. Fn the turn, any player with a heart *the suit, not the organ. will now beat your $-high flush. . Fn the ri+er, any player with a heart still beats your flush, but you now split the pot with players that do not e+en ha+e a heart.

Why is it good to know about $ounter!eiting in Te*as Hold'em?

&o now you know all about counterfeiting, what use is itE 1t's not like you can pre+ent it or do anything about it once it has happened. The key thing with counterfeiting is to realise and accept what has happened, and to not let it frustrate you. -any amateur players get attached to their hands and fail *or intentionally ignore. the fact that their hand has been counterfeited. They will continue to put more money in to the pot as if they hadn't been counterfeited, which is ob+iously a terrible, illogical and unprofitable thing to do. )eing counterfeited is annoying and it can e+en seem unfair, but you ha+e to remember that it happens to e+eryone from time to time. Aust learn to accept it. ?ou either decide to deal with it or you don't, and if you don't, prepare to lose money. Take the current strength of your hand for what it is and go from there. 1f you can keep focused when you are counterfeited you will sa+e yourself money, and that's the best possible outcome in these ine+itable situations. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

)#aluation on $ounter!eiting in Te*as Hold'em.

@ounterfeiting happens in all +ariants of poker where community cards are dealt, most notably Fmaha Hi #o thanks to the two holecards that players are forced to use. 1n this article 1 ha+e focused on $ounter!eiting spe$i!i$ally in Te*as Hold'em. There aren't many in-depth articles out there explaining counterfeiting in poker, but as usual, the wikipedia article on this sub>ect has a decent explanation with a few examples.

1n conclusion, being counterfeited isn't something you can control or pre+ent, but you can control the way you play afterwards *which is the important part.. @ounterfeiting situations are a lot like bad beats, so you should learn to deal with them in the same way.

Poker +arian$e
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R =oker 0ariance

1n this article 1 am going to talk about the basics of #arian$e in poker and how it affects your game. There can be a lot of mathematics in+ol+ed with +ariance. Howe+er, this is largely going to be a non-mathsy article about +ariance, which 1Cm sure will be +ery welcomed by a large number of you reading this.

What is #arian$e?
0ariance is the downswings and upswings in+ol+ed with playing poker. 1tCs /uite possibly the least technical definition for a term 1 ha+e e+er written, but the Uups and downsV of poker when it comes to winning and losing money sums it up rather well. +arian$e is the di!!eren$e between how mu$h money you e*pe$t to win on a#erage o#er the long run and the results you are seeing in the short term. &o for example, if according to your win rate you expect to win 48!! in a month on a+erage but end up losing 45,!!! instead, this is attributed to +ariance. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

)*amples o! #arian$e in poker.

0oing all"in with po$ket a$es.

#etCs say that you are playing heads up against a total maniac that mo+es all-in on e+ery hand. Furthermore, by a pure stroke of luck and through the magic of me being able to make examples up, you are dealt pocket aces 8 times in a row. Fb+iously, you decide to call all-in 8 times before the flop too.

2/uity of aces against a random hand from =okersto+e. 7gainst any random hand, 77 has an <89 chance of winning. Therefore we expect to win roughly % out of these 8 all-ins, although we would ideally like to win them all. Howe+er, you actually end up losing all 8 all-ins against your opponentCs 8 random hands. 1t was ama3ingly unlikely, but the fact is that it is possible and it did happen. Fn a+erage you expected to win % out of these 8 all-ins, but thanks to +ariance you ended up winning ! out of 8. 7s you can see, +ariance is the difference between the expected long term results and actual short term results, in this case it is % buy-ins worth of #arian$e.

+arian$e in graphs.

1mage creditG =oker !! 7s you can see from this graph the rate at which this player wins money is far from linear. &ure, his stats may show a winrate of 5.!: ))65!!, but there are times where he loses more than he expects and wins more than he expects. +arian$e $ompared to an e*pe$ted winrate. Howe+er, now letCs say that this player had a winrate of 5.8 ))65!! *$ bb65!!. o+er his last 5 million hands prior to this current time period. 1f we plot this expected winrate on the graph, we

get to see how much +ariance is taking place compared to what this player expects to be winning in a perfect world. @lick To 2nlarge

F+er a long enough period of time his actual results will meet up with his expected results, but in the short term the amount that he wins or loses in the hands of our good friend +ariance. For more information on stuff like ))65!! and bb65!!, see the article on win rates in poker.

What $auses #arian$e?

The element of luck causes +ariance. 7s we know there is an element of skill in+ol+ed in poker, but there is also a lot of luck. We ha+e no control o+er the hands that we are dealt or the cards that are dealt on the board, so this uncertainty or UluckV is the cause of +ariance o+er the short term. We all ha+e to deal with it and itCs to be expected, so get used to it. ,egardless of how good you are, those 8, 5! and e+en !; buy in downswings will hit us at +arious points in our poker careers.

What in!luen$es #arian$e?

There are a few factors that can increase or decrease the amount of +ariance that you encounterG
1. ?our playing style. 1f you play a +ery loose-aggressi+e style of play then you will be

in+ol+ed in a lot more pots and will be conse/uently risking more money than your a+erage tight player. The looser you are and the more risks you take, the greater your +ariance will be. . The poker game. Fmaha has less +ariance than HoldCem because the hands in Fmaha generally ha+e less of an edge against one another when players mo+e all-in *odds of each hand winning are closer to :!6%! as opposed to something like N86 8.. Therefore the smaller the edges, the less the +ariance.

$. The betting type. "o limit has greater +ariance than limit poker, where the amount of money that players can put in to the pot is much smaller in relation to the blinds in limit games than it is in no limit games. The more money you can risk, the greater the +ariance. %. The game type. #arge -TTs will ha+e much more +ariance than &"'s because you expect to win far less often. Howe+er, when you do win an -TT you recei+e sudden large payouts, which ob+iously results in higher le+els of +ariance. There are definitely a lot more factors that can affect the +ariance that you come up against in your poker career, but these are the most ob+ious ones and the ones that will ha+e the greatest influence on the si3e of your Uups and downsV.

%nti$ipate your swings with a #arian$e simulator.

To get a really good idea of how much your winnings can +ary o+er a set number of hands, try using this poker +ariance simulator from e+;;. Aust enter your winrate and standard de+iation *which can be found in both Holdem -anager and =okerTracker. and see how differently the outcomes can be.

7n example of a +ariance simulator graph taken o+er 5!!,!!! hands from e+pluplus.com. 7nsky=oker.com also has a cool downloadable excel +ariance simulator too, but it's not as /uick and easy to use as the online simulator at e+;;. ?ou may be surprised at the si3e of the possible swings and >ust how different your results can be o+er large sample si3es. 1t's a real eye opener if you think your recent 8 buy-in downswing was bad.

-ore information on standard de+iation and +ariance can be found in the Holdem -anager guide +ideo starting at :G5:. 1t also gi+es you a /uick example of how to use the e+;; +ariance simulator.

How #arian$e a!!e$ts the game.

5. 1t makes it hard to tell if youCre playing well or not. . 0ariance can be mentally draining for e+en the best players. $. Fn a positi+e note, +ariance is the reason why the bad players keep playing. 5. Thanks to +ariance, you can ne+er truly rely on your short-term results as an indication of how well you are currently playing. ?ou might be playing out-of-your-skin poker but still lose money, which makes it frustratingly difficult to analyse what you might be doing right and what you might be doing wrong. ?ou ha+e to trust that you are making good plays and feel genuinely comfortable about how you are playing, regardless of what current results attempt to indicate. @onfidence in your ability at the poker table is a +ery important /uality to posses during a downswing. ?ou >ust ha+e to keep learning and trust that itCs paying off. . The fact that you can lose money e+en when you are playing well is horrible. Howe+er, you ha+e to get used to it if you want to win money from poker o+er the long run. =laying well when youCre winning is easyH playing well when youCre losing is a different kettle of fish. #earn to play youCre B7 gameC at all times or +ariance will get the better of you. We all encounter bad doses of +ariance, but not all players can handle it. $. Fn the other side of the coin, the fact that players *specifically bad ones. can win money e+en when they are playing terribly is actually a good thing. 1f these bad players ne+er won any money, half of them would >ust /uit playing. )e thankful that bad beats exist so that these bad players can slowly but surely hand their money to you. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

)#aluation o! #arian$e in poker.

0ariance happens. &ometimes it sends us on ridiculously good upswings, sometimes it sends on horrendously frustrating downswings. 2ither way, at the end of the day you ha+e to accept the fact that +ariance plays a big part in e+ery poker playerCs game. 1f you expect +ariance to kick the shit out of you once in a while, it will be much easier for you to deal with it. For further reading, you may find the articles on expected +alue and &klansky bucks interesting too.

This particular article has only co+ered the general stuff about +ariance in poker. For a more math-orientated look at this topic, try the article on calculating +ariance at 7int#uck.com.

Playing Poker /runk

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R =laying Drunk !

The situation.
?ou'+e been on a night out with a couple of friendsH had a good time and a (couple( of drinks, and now you're back home thinking about what you can do to wind down the night. ?ou notice your computer in the corner and remember that you'+e still got a bit of money left in your Full Tilt account. ?ou'+e had a little bit more to drink than you expected but no matter, you're in a pretty good frame of mind to outplay some fish and add a little padding to your bankroll to gi+e yourself a nice surprise for when you log into your account in the morning. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

The ne*t mistake.

?ou sit down at one of the :-max tables with the least players sitting at it, this way you can get some more direct action with the donks so that you can outplay them more effecti+ely and pull off a couple of nice ad+anced plays against them. The first 5! minutes or so go pretty well, you ha+en't lost or won anything substantial yet but it's still early days. 7 few minutes on things are getting pretty dull so you try a few special mo+es to get things going and start some action. The next thing you know you are re-raising your opponents' bets with air, and before long you're all-in hoping for that magical < to fall with a gut-shot straight draw against an opponent who has flopped top two-pair.

?ou are far more susceptible to tilt when playing poker drunk. #oose inhibitions ; tilt ne+er work out well. &ound +aguely familiarE -aybe the last time you played drunk wasn't exactly the sameH maybe you bombed out pretty /uickly or maybe you managed to get lucky and double up and win a couple of pots. 2ither way there are a whole load of players who ha+e sat down at the poker table a little inebriated, it e+en happens to the best of us ^cough^

The problem with playing poker drunk.

The fact of the matter is, alcohol has the fantastic ability to gi+e you the feeling of indestructibility along with increased le+els of confidence, which are best left at the door when it comes to playing poker. 2+ery time 1 ha+e sat down at the poker table after ha+ing a couple of drinks, 1 ha+e sat down with the intention of playing out of my skin, playing the best poker of my life and making incredible reads to pick up some big pots to line my bankroll. )ut after a couple of hands my play starts to deteriorate, and 1 start to make plays for the sake of making plays without any regard for what the correct strategy should be. 1'm out to win pots rather than money, and e+ery drunken online session turns out to be pretty -20. 7fter admitting my own faults about playing drunken poker, it's going to be pretty hard to tell you to ne+er play poker drunk. )ut nonetheless, drinking al$ohol and playing poker is always going to be S)+, no matter how confident you are about your ability. =oker is a mentally demanding game, and you need to be on top form to analyse e+ery play and make the most profitable decisions in e+ery situation. ?our sober state is your peak, and e+ery drink you ha+e >ust brings your focus down below your peak, reducing your ability to play the more you drink. &o in general, to make the most out of e+ery session you play, you want to be at the top of your game J sober and focused.

The solution? % little sel! $ontrol 4or Cust prepare to lose5.

=laying poker under the influence may well be one of the biggest contributing factors to why you lose money playing online poker. There is no one that is going to stop you from playing whilst you are drunk, so >ust be prepared to lose rather than win. There ha+e been occasions when 1 ha+e won a bit of money whilst under the influence of alcohol, but the ma>ority of the time the drunken sessions are losing ones. 1'+e looked back at hand histories in the mornings and laughed at some of the plays that 1'+e made the night before. 1t's pretty ob+ious that it takes /uite a bit of li/uid confidence to check raise all in on the turn with middle pair against a tight player that has been betting hea+ily on the flop and turn.

1f you can't excercise a little self control, be prepared to lose money. 1t's as simple as that. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

Playing poker drunk e#aluation.

&o in a nutshell, if you really don't want to chip away at your bankroll e+ery Friday or &aturday night, watch some re-runs of high-stakes poker, ha+e some toast with a glass of water and lea+e the computer alone the next time you stumble home looking for a little late night entertainment. ?our bankroll will thank you in the morning.

Top &istakes &ade y 8ew Li#e Poker Players

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R #i+e =lay -istakes ! 7fter some stretch playing online, many players get to grips with the rules and basic strategy and decide to +enture out into live play and head down to their local casino or card room. #i+e play offers a greater poker experience where you can sit in front of other players and attempt to hold your ner+e as your opponents can stare you down looking for tells. This may sound +ery familiar to some of you reading this article, as large numbers of players are fre/uently making the switch from online to li+e to in+ol+e themsel+es in the real li+e poker experience. Fnline poker does a lot in the way of preparing you for li+e play, but there are some areas that online poker cannot recreate, which will lea+e you ill-e/uipped in a few sections of li+e play. To help sa+e yourself from making errors in your first few li+e sessions, 1 ha+e gathered the top mistakes that new online to li+e players fre/uently make when they sit down at the li+e poker tables for the first time.

String betting.
U&tring bettingV is when a player makes a bet and mo+es back and forth from their chip stack to the pot to complete the bet. For example, if you intend to make a 4$! bet and mo+e three 45! stacks into the pot one at a time, then this is considered to be a string bet.

This can cause problems during li+e play because a player that acts after you may think that when you mo+e you 45! stack into the pot, that it is the only bet that you are making. Then, thinking that you ha+e completing your action, that player may go to make his play unaware that you are continuing to make your bet. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. &tring betting is frowned upon in li+e play, so to a+oid any confusion you should announce the si3e of your bet before mo+ing your chips, or mo+e your chips into the centre in one motion. &tring betting is an easy mistake to make, so keep an eye on your betting in your first few sessions at the casino.

2ea$ting to $ards.
When you are sat behind your computer screen, there is no one to see you smile when you are dealt pocket aces or see you shake your head when you miss your draw. Howe+er, in li+e play your emotions are open for e+eryone at the table to see, so try to remain calm when looking at the cards as they come out. For example, if you start to show disinterest in a hand then you lea+e yourself open to bluffs from other players when you may ha+e had the best hand at the time. 7 good tip to a+oid gi+ing information away through your emotions is to look at your opponents as the flop is dealt and not at the cards. This way you can see how your opponent reacts and you can steady yourself before looking down at what has come out.

%$ting out o! turn.

Fnline poker software makes it impossible for you to act of turn whilst playing online, so this slip-up catches many new li+e players out in their first few sessions. 1f you act of turn, it can influence the decisions of players who were meant to act before you or after you. ?ou should always try and pay attention to when it is your turn to act and only make your play when the action reaches you. 1t is common for players with strong hands to act out of turn because they eager to make their mo+e, so try to keep your composure when you are dealt a good hand.

Taking $ards o!! the table.

When you are dealt a hand, you should always keep your cards on the table and not lift them up and take them into your lap. The cards should be left on the table because it eliminates the possibility of you being able to switch the cards during the hand.

2+en if you genuinely make the mistake of taking the cards back to your lap, other players may become a little wary and ask that your cards be folded >ust to be sure that you were not cheating. Ieep your cards on the table. There is no real need to pick them up anyway *unless you are turning them o+er at the showdown..

8ot keeping tra$k o! pot si.e.

1n online poker, the software will display the si3e of the pot and the bets at e+ery stage of each hand. This feature is not a+ailable in li+e play, and it is up to you to keep your eye on the si3e of the pot. ?ou can ask the dealer to add up the chips in the pot, but you should ask to do this in key situations only as fre/uently asking the dealer to count up the chips is time consuming and will slow down play. "onetheless, you should try you best to keep an eye on the pot si3e so that you are able to /uickly work out pot odds when necessary. The less time you spend trying to figure out your odds, the more time you ha+e to make the best decision possible when it is your turn to act.

8ot tipping the dealer.

-any dealers rely on tips to make a decent wage. There is no set fre/uency or amount that you should tip the dealers, but is generally good practice that you do. &ome people prefer to tip dealers at the end of their sessions, whereas others tip the dealer after e+ery decent pot they win. 1n addition, some people are +ery generous when tipping, and some others less so. 1f you unsure of how much you should tip, ha+e a look at how much other players at the table are tipping on a+erage and follow their lead. 1f you are still unsure, a +ery general way to tip is about 9 of e+ery large pot you win. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

Li#e play mistakes e#aluation.

Hopefully this article has gi+en you an insight into what you should look out for when you start to play poker in casinos and card rooms. 1t may also be in your interest to take a look at poker eti/uette to see what is acceptable at the poker tables. ?ou may find that a few of the abo+e mistakes are from players not familiari3ing themsel+es with the rules of the game and good poker eti/uette. ?ouCre not going to get shot for making any mistakes at the poker table, but it is good to ha+e a knowledge about eti/uette and how to play to keep the other players and dealers happy.

Li#e poker !urther reading.

1f you play a lot of poker in )P- casinos, you should check out my friend Aonathan's li+e poker website. He co+ers a lot more than 1 do on li+e poker eti/uette *and how to act at a li+e poker table in general.. There are also an impressi+e strategy section that contains articles with high /uality tips and ad+ice.

Hnline Poker %nd )*$hange 2ates

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Fther R 2xchange ,ates ! 7fter the K1'27 gambling legislation passed in !!:, there are now far fewer numbers of online poker players playing in the K&. The K& online players were always in the ma>ority when compared to the number of players outside of the K&, but now the ratio has significantly changed. )ecause so many players were from the K&, the ma>ority of big name poker rooms designed their software so that bets would be made in K&D*4.. This means that if you li+e outside of the K& and decided to play at these big name sites that only offer play in K&D, the money you deposit will be con+erted from your home currency into K&D. &o this is where the e*$hange rates come into play... @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

How your money gets e*$hanged into /ollars.

2+ery time money is con+erted from one currency to another, it has to pass through an exchange rate so that you get an e/ual +alue of the currency you are con+erting to. For example, if the exchange rate for )ritish =ounds into 7merican Dollars is !.8, you will need c!.8 for 45 *which works out as 4 for e+ery c5.. This ensures that you get the correct amount for all of your con+erted currency, as it will be of the same monetary +alue. Furthermore, when you wish to con+ert back into your original currency, an in+erse exchange rate will be used so that you should ha+e the money con+erted back across a similar rate. Howe+er, there is one factor that has not been included so far, which is the fact that exchange rates are constantly changing from day to day. 2xchange rates are affected by the economical health of a country, which is influenced by factors such as employment and number of exports.

How are e*$hange rates worked out?

The stronger the economical health of a country, the greater the +alue of its currency will become and +ice +ersa. 1t is for these reasons that people can make a li+ing from trading money from one currency to another, if they predict that one currency will increase in +alue o+er a certain period of time.

How do e*$hange rates a!!e$t the non"JS poker players?

)ecause players outside of the K& do not work with K&D, all of their money that they use for online poker has to pass through these exchange rates so that it can be con+erted into K&D to be used to play online poker. "ow if there is a player that deposits money into a room and does not withdraw it for a substantial period of time, it gi+es rise to the possibility that the exchange rate will ha+e changed significantly. Therefore the money in the online room could now be worth more or less depending on how the exchange rate has changed. Therefore this should influence when money should be withdrawn from online rooms if we intend to maximi3e our profits. "ormally, the exchange rate will change so slightly that it will ha+e an insignificant effect when depositing or withdrawing money. Furthermore, the smaller the amount of money that is taken out, the less effect the exchange rate will ha+e in relation to the o+erall bankrolls. )ut if large sums of money are being withdrawn o+er extended periods of time, it is in a poker playerCs interest to keep an eye on the fluctuating exchange rates at times of deposit and withdrawal.

Hnline poker and e*$hange rates e*ample.

2xchange rates diagram between !ct '!: and Feb '!N. *Muite old, but does the trick anyway..

7n example can be drawn from the graph of the ')=6K&D exchange rate between Fct '!: and Feb '!N taken from x-rates *see diagram abo+e.. &o lets say that a )ritish player deposits c5!!! into an online poker room that con+erts their money into K&D. 1f this player deposited on Fct 5!th !: where the rate was highest, that person would ha+e been gi+en a bankroll of 45<8%.<!. Then if that player broke e+en for months and withdrew the 45<8%.<! on Aan $rd !N where the exchange rate was lowest, they would recei+e cO$%.88 back into their home bank account.

Home c5!!! R cO$%.88

2xchange ,ate !.8$O5% R X !.8!$<8%

Fnline 45<8%.<! X 45<8%.<!

7s you can see, that particular player has lost >ust o+er c:8 *45$!. through the fluctuation in exchange rates *assuming they also went on to a+oid the (cash out curse( too, of course.. )ut if he6she had waited until the exchange rate had increased in their fa+or, they could ha+e sa+ed themsel+es a little more money. &o when we are con+erting our money, we will want to be con+erting to K&D when the exchange rate from our currency is low, and withdrawing when the exchange rate from our currency is high. 1t is not easy to estimate how these rates will change o+er time unless you are experienced in the exchange business, but it is worth keeping an eye on these rates and be aware that your bankroll will be losing +alue as the exchange rates decrease. 1t is more important to keep track of exchange rates after a big win, as the exchange rate will ha+e a greater effect on the amount you will be withdrawing. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

Hnline poker and e*$hange rates e#aluation.

1t would be wrong to suggest that it is in an online poker playerCs main interest to study exchange rates in any great depth, as the amount of money that you will be losing or gaining will not be significantly affecting the si3e of your bankroll. Howe+er, it may be beneficial in keeping an eye on the exchange rates when determining whether or not it is a good time to make a large withdrawal of money if it is not +itally important, because there is a good possibility that you will be able to sa+e yourself a decent sum of money by waiting for a time with good exchange rates. 1 use the x-rates site to keep an eye on the exchange rates between different currencies through their +ery handy graphs and calculators.

Poker Continuation et
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The @ontinuation )et 5 @betting 7rticlesG The @ontinuation )et G -ore @betting Tips G When To @)et *2xamples. G Double )arrelling

The (continuation bet( *or cbet. is becoming an increasingly popular mo+e at the no limit Holdem tables. The popularity of the mo+e stems from its simplicity and effecti+eness, which means that it is easy to learn and be used appropriately on a basic le+el by players new to the game. 1t is hard to play any session at any le+el without seeing a $ontinuation bet being utili3ed, and you are putting yourself at a great disad+antage if you are not aware of it.

What is a $ontinuation bet?

7 continuation bet is simply a bet that is made on the flop if you were the pre-flop raiser, e+en if you did not impro+e your hand on the flop. &o if you raised pre-flop with 7 I and the flop came % O M , you can gi+e yourself a chance of winning the pot by making a bet, despite the fact you ha+e not made a pair or better. This play is often successful because of the fact that make a pair on the flop. times out of $ your opponent will not

Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. This means that if your opponent folded their hand each time you made a continuation bet and they did not connect with the flop, you will be winning more pots on the flop than if you simply checked. This is the most basic principle behind the play, but there are numerous other factors that influence its' success.

How to make a good $ontinuation bet.

7 good continuation bet is 6$ to $6% the si3e of the pot. Take in to consideration reads on your opponents.

Continuation bet si.ing.

7 good si3e of a continuation bet should be around 6$ to $6% the si3e of the pot. &o if the pot were 45!, a 4N bet would be an appropriate amount for a respectable continuation bet. 1f the bet is too low, it in+ites opponents to call because they ha+e good pot odds if they are on a draw or if they ha+e a half decent hand. 7 good continuation bet is between 6$ to $6% of the si3e of the pot. When we make this play we want to make it appear as if we ha+e a +ery strong hand like top pair or better scaring our opponents out of the pot, and betting between 6$ to $6% the si3e of the pot does this +ery effecti+ely. Howe+er, if we o+er bet the pot *for example 45% into a 45! pot., we are in+esting too much money into the hand and risking more than we need to when a smaller 4< bet will ha+e the same effect.

Take in to $onsideration reads on your opponents.

The strength of your opponent's ability should influence your decision on whether or not a continuation bet should be made. 7t the lowest le+els you will find that opponents are more willing to call bets with any sort of hand. 7+oid making continuation bets against calling stations. The reduced likelihood of opponents folding at the lower le+els means that it may not be profitable to make continuation bets because we are unable to scare off the mediocre hands that they will hold. 1n addition, the effecti+eness of a continuation bet decreases against more experienced opponents because the +ery good players are able to sense these type of plays and may raise or call knowing that you may be betting with the worst hand. This means that we should reduce the number of continuation bets we make, as they will be most successful against the a+erage players who are able to fold decent hands.

Jsing the !lop to determine whether or not to $ontinuation bet.

The success of a continuation bet can be impro+ed depending on what cards the flop brings.

Continuation bet e*ample.

?ou hold 7 M and the flop comes I : , it is difficult for your opponent to call a continuation bet unless they are holding at least a pair of kings. &o e+en though your opponent had a in $ chance of making a pair on the flop, if they make a pair with the six or the two, they are still likely to fold because your continuation bet makes it look a though you ha+e a pair higher than a six or better. 'ood flop for a continuation bet example hand history.

Howe+er, if you hold 7 M and the flop comes A I < , a continuation bet is more likely to get called because of the flush and straight draw possibilities. 7s you can see, the play is more likely to work when your opponent can only call if they ha+e a strong made hand with no draw. )ad flop for a continuation bet example hand history. 7lways consider the texture of the flop and how likely it is that your opponent will ha+e made a hand that they will be prepared to call a bet with. The wetter *more co-ordinated. the flop is, the more reluctant you should be to attempt a continuation bet when you ha+e not made a strong hand yourself.

9a$tors that in!luen$e $ontinuation betting.

5. The number of players in the pot. . ?our position in the hand.

8umber o! players in the pot.

The play is more successful against 5 opponent rather than or more because of the simple fact that there is a greater chance that an opponent has connected with the flop. 1t is recommended that you restrict the use of continuation bets to when you are up against one opponent, although it is possible to fire a successful bet against multiple opponents. The less players there are in the pot, the greater the chances of your continuation bet being successful. Try to only use continuation bets when you are heads up in a hand. ?ou should also remember that the more you use continuation bets, the less respect you will get for them as play goes on. )e aware of the fre/uency that you use them so that you don't end up being on the end of a re-raise or check-raise from a player who has figured you out.

Position in the hand.

=osition also helps because if you are last to act as you ha+e the opportunity to see your opponent act first and decide whether you belie+e a continuation bet will be successful. )ut beware of tricky players who may expect you to make a continuation bet and check-raise you. @ontinuation bets are more successful when you ha+e position o+er your opponent*s.. This is not uncommon so try and get as good a knowledge of your opponent as possible before making mo+es and be prepared to fold if you hold nothing. Don't feel as though you ha+e to call if you get raised because you are more than likely not pot-committed. Aust fold your cards and accept that the play didn't work out that time, sa+e your chips for when you do make the hand.

Continuation bet e#aluation.

@ontinuation bets are commonplace in today's Texas hold em poker game, so it is in your best interest to familiari3e yourself with them and start incorporating them into your play. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. There are no set rules to when these plays will work, but there are guidelines as mentioned abo+e that you can follow to help impro+e the effecti+eness of the play. The best way to learn how and when to use continuation bets is to go and sit down at a table and experiment a little. The good thing about continuation bets is that they are relati+ely inexpensi+e to use, so you won't be losing a whole load of money trying to learn how and when to use them.

The Semi lu!!

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The &emi )luff ! The &emi )luff R &emi )luffing 20 2xamples &emi-bluffing made simple at Deuces @racked co+ers e+erything you need to know about semi bluffing, and then some more. That +ideo is the perfect compliment to this semi bluffing strategy article.

Watching your bluff get called hurtsH it really does hurt a lot. "ot only that, but repeated poorly executed bluffs eat away at your bankroll causing you to lose more and more money from one session to the next. 1magine if there was a way to take the sting out of getting called when you bluff. )etter yet, what if you could take all your bluffs and almost instantly make them profitableE 7llow me to introduce... the semi blu!!. ^waits for a roar of applause and tears of gratitude and relief^

What is a semi blu!!?

7 semi-bluff is when you bluff, but you still ha+e a chance of impro+ing to make the best hand on future cards. For example, raising with 7 % on a flop of I M would be classed as a semi-bluff. 1tCs unlikely that you ha+e the best hand right now *making it a bluff., but a diamond on the turn or the ri+er would gi+e you a flush and the best hand *making it a semi-bluff.. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

What<s the di!!eren$e between a total blu!! and a semi blu!!?

Total blu!! T no *or +ery little. chance of winning the hand if called. Semi blu!! T some chance of winning the hand if called.

7 total bluff has absolutely no chance of winning the hand if called. Therefore, it has !9 e/uity in the pot. "oteG To be more precise, 1Cd go ahead and say that any hand with less than 5!9 e/uity can be classed a UtotalV bluff. &ometimes e+en the most clear-cut bluffs will ha+e some e/uity for whate+er reason. &emi bluffs ha+e a decent chance of winning the hand if called, so they ha+e at least some e/uity in the pot. 7s you can imagine, different semi bluffs will ha+e +arying chances of winning the hand, which means that some will ha+e more e/uity than others. For example, semi bluffing with a flush and straight draw hand will ha+e far more e/uity than semi bluffing with a gutshot straight draw. 1n general, more chance of impro+ing T more e/uity. &emi bluffs can also only be made when there are more cards to come *so on the flop or the turn., as those unknown cards are whatCs gi+ing you the opportunity to impro+e. &o no, you canCt semi bluff on the ri+er. Fn the ri+er, youCre either making a pure bluff *!9 e/uity. or youCre betting for +alue and want your opponent to call.

Semi blu!!ing diagram 4range o! semi blu!!s5.

7 diagram to highlight the types of bet based on your e/uity in the hand.

7 few important notes about this diagram. The less e/uity you ha+e in the hand the riskier your bluff becomes. 1f you ha+e little or no e/uity in the hand, your bet is +irtually a total bluff. 1f you ha+e more than 8!9 e/uity you should be betting for +alue and hoping to see your opponent to call instead of fold.

1f your bluff gets called, youCd much rather ha+e a $89 chance of making the best hand than a 5 9 chance. 1t makes mathematical sense for a semi bluffs with higher e/uity to be more profitable than semi bluffs with lower e/uity, because you end up winning more often with a higher e/uity percentage.

How important is semi blu!!ing?

1f youCre making a bluff, itCs far more profitable to make semi bluffs than pure bluffs. Try not to think of Utotal bluffsV as one thing and Usemi bluffsV as another. They are both bluffs at the end of the day. 1nstead, think of semi-bluffs as the better +ersion of (pure bluffs( or (total bluffs( - the good looking and wealthier older brother if you will.

The ad#antages o! semi blu!!ing.

When you semi bluff, you still ha+e the opportunity to win the hand. 7s a result, semi bluffs are inherently better than total bluffs. The fact that you ha+e more e/uity in the hand with semi bluffs means youCre sa+ing much more money o+er the long run. With total bluffs, you donCt ha+e that e/uity cushion to help you when your bluff gets called. For example, on a board of MT$ itCs far more ;20 to bluff with 7I than it is to bluff with N o.

With 7I your bet has fold e/uity ; actual e/uity *o+ercards ; gutshot.. With N o your bet has fold e/uity only.

The more e/uity you ha+e when youCre putting money in to the pot the better. 1n fact, in the example abo+e betting with 7I is almost certainly ;20, whereas betting with N o is likely to be -20. This is a prime example of how semi bluffs are better than total bluffs during play.

%dditional ad#antages o! semi blu!!ing.

1t gi+es you the initiati+e in the hand. 1f you bet out instead of checking, you gain the initiati+e. This means that itCs more likely that your opponent will check to you on future streets, making your decisions a lot easier. 1t can disguise your hand. &ome players will expect you to check and call with drawing hands, not bet and6or raise. Therefore, you may well win more when you hit your draw because your opponent is less likely to gi+e you credit for ha+ing it.

0ood hands to semi blu!!.

)ig flush draws. Fpen-ended straight draws. Flush draws ; open-ended straight draws.

7ll of these hands ha+e good amounts of e/uity against made hands like pairs, which is the exact reason why they are great hands for semi-bluffing.

ad hands to semi blu!!.

'utshot straight draws. Weak flush draws.

@are to take a wild guess as to why these arenCt great hands for semi bluffingE ?ep, thatCs rightW they donCt ha+e a lot of e/uity. 'utshot straight draws ha+e poor odds of hitting, which means less e/uity. Weak flushes ha+e a problems with re+erse implied odds *e+en if you hit, you could still lose money to a stronger flush., which means poor e/uity again. &till, these hands are better to bluff with than a hand with !9 e/uity *or close to it.. 1tCs >ust that theyCre not as good as the ones abo+e. @heck out the percentage odds chart or the ratio odds chart to compare the odds of completing different types of drawing hands in Texas Hold'em.

Semi blu!!ing e*amples.

,ead the full article on semi bluffing examples. This article is already long enough as it is. The examples in the article linked to abo+e also co+er the 20 of bluffing with different types of hands with +arying e/uity. Thrilling stuff.

When not to semi blu!!.

DonCt semi bluff if you know your opponent is going to call. 1f you know that itCs +ery likely that your opponent will call your bet, it defeats the ob>ect of bluffing. 1f your opponent isnCt going to fold your semi bluff loses its fold e/uity, so all you are left with is your actual e/uity in the pot. "ow, seeing as your actual e/uity isnCt that great because you ha+e a drawing hand, it doesnCt make sense to put more money in to the pot unnecessarily. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

)#aluation o! semi blu!!ing in poker.

The best types of bluffs are with hands that ha+e a fair chance of winning if called. Fr to put it another way, they ha+e a decent amount of e/uity in the pot although not being the best hand at the time. The more e/uity your hand has when running a semi bluff the better. Think of the e/uity behind you as a safety net. The more e/uity you ha+e the bigger the net is, and the more money you will sa+e when you fall *i.e. your bluff gets called.. This is not to say that pure bluffs donCt ha+e their place in poker. 1f you ne+er make pure bluffs it makes you easier to play against, but 1Cm not going to get in to that here. @heck out balanced ranges for more on that. )ut basically, if youCre not fluent in when and when not to bluff, youCre far better off making semi bluffs than pure bluffs. 1f youCre a beginner poker player, simply swapping pure bluffs for semi bluffs will increase your win rate *or lessen your loss-rate. significantly.

The Che$k 2aise

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The @heck ,aise !

The (check raise( is one of the strongest and arguably the most effecti+e mo+es in Texas Hold'em poker. ,egarded by some as a dishonest mo+e and e+en banned in certain card rooms, there is no doubt that the check-raise is an important weapon in any winning player's arsenal. 7 check-raise is made when you check when the action gets to you, with the intention of raising if your opponent bets, hence the name 'check-raise'. 7s you can imagine it is an interesting mo+e because at first you show weakness to your opponent by checking, and then coming o+er the top of them to show a great amount of strength. This is why it can be regarded as dishonest as it is such a decepti+e play, 'trapping' your opponent's bet into the pot.

So why should you use the $he$k raise?

The check raise is useful in both bluffing your opponents out of pots and getting more money into the pot when you ha+e a good hand. The check-raise also brings a dynamic element to your game by making you become more unpredictable to your opponents. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. 1t is rare to find an amateur player using this mo+e in a poker game, so if your opponents see you using this mo+e they can be fairly sure you know how to play good poker, and may think twice about bluffing you out of future pots. )elow are the two areas that describe how the check-raise can be used for bluffing, and getting more money into the pot with a strong hand.

Che$k raise e*ample.

@heck raise example hand history.

Che$k"raising as a blu!! and semi"blu!!.

The $he$k raise is arguably the strongest mo#e in poker, and so for this reason it is exceptionally useful when trying to pull off a bluff. This mo+e is most effecti+e against one

opponent and becomes less successful as you increase the number of opponents, which could really be said for any type of bluff. $ criteria should be met in order to make a good check raiseG To pull off a check-raise you ha+e to be in first position for the ob+ious reason that you ha+e to be checking into your opponent to make them bet. 1f your opponent does indeed bet, then if you raise your opponent you are showing such a high amount of strength that your opponent will fold any marginal hands. 7 check raise will only work when you are first to act, otherwise you will simply be raising *if you are last to act.. There are certain criteria you should follow in order for this to be successful.

?ou should be confident that you opponent holds a marginal hand. ?ou should re-raise at least twice the amount of your opponent's bet. The pot should be relati+ely small. 1t is ad+isable to ha+e some sort of drawing hand or marginal hand.

e $on!ident that your opponent has a hand they $an !old.

Firstly, if you belie+e that your opponent holds a monster, there is little to no chance that a check-raise will get them off the hand. 1f you know that your opponent regularly bets after a person checks to him with no hand or with small to middle pairs, there is a far greater chance that a check-raise in this situation will work.

&ake a strong raise.

&econdly, the re-raise made by you should be at least twice your opponent's bet. For example if your opponent bets 48 into a 45! pot, you should bet 458, re-raising another 45!. This is because a minimum re-raise is likely to ha+e little effect on your opponent, because they will only ha+e to call a small amount relati+e to the si3e of the pot in order to see the next card. Howe+er, if you are re-raising them at least twice the amount they bet, it will make them think a little bit harder about whether they want to pay as much to see the next card. 7im to make re raises at least twice the si3e of your opponent's bet. ?ou do not want to gi+e them good odds to call by minimum raising.

Che$k raises tend to be more e!!e$ti#e in small pots.

Thirdly, you are more likely to pull off a bluff when the pot is small. This will be because the amount your opponent must call to see the next card will be larger relati+e to the si3e of the pot, gi+ing them the wrong pot odds or to call to make a second pair or to make their draw. Therefore a check-raise will be more effecti+e on the first actual round of betting, such as on the flop in Hold'em. 1f there is no betting on the flop then a check-raise will still be as effecti+e on the turn

because the pot has remained the same si3e, because there will ha+e been no betting since the pre-flop betting round. Finally, you will sa+e yourself more money in the long run if you hold a drawing hand, due to the fact that your opponent will occasionally call your re-raise. 1f you ha+e no hand, you will ha+e to check and gi+e up your hand to any bets on future rounds, losing the full amount of money you used in the actual raise. Howe+er, if you ha+e a good draw when your opponent calls, you stand a chance of taking the whole pot when you make your draw. 1n addition to this, you are likely to get a free card after after-check raising on the flop, because your opponent will be afraid to bet into you on future rounds. 'i+ing you extra opportunities to make your draw.

Che$k raising !or e*tra money.

1f you hit a monster hand in poker, your main ob>ecti+e is to get as much money from your opponents as possible, and this is where a check-raise comes in handy. Knlike in the situation mentioned abo+e, you want to use the check raise a little more passi+ely to a+oid scaring your opponents out of the hand. 7s with using this mo+e to bluff opponents, there is another set of criteria that will make this play successful when followed correctly.

The check-raise for extra money is more effecti+e against multiple opponents. )e sure to be in first or early position. Do not check-raise too much.

1t is ad+isable to check raise for extra money when there is more than one opponent in the pot, otherwise the mo+e will do what is mentioned in the first part of the article, showing too much strength and making your opponent fold his marginal hand. 1n the ma>ority of situations, you are better off betting straight out as opposed to going for the check raise. Howe+er, it is a handy play to ha+e in your arsenal in the right spots. 1t is better to attempt a check raise when you are in one of the earliest positions in the hand, because if you are one of the last few to act, then you cannot be sure that any of the players behind you will bet to gi+e you the opportunity to raise. 7lthough you want to extract as much money form your opponents as possible, a large re-raise may scare them all out of the hand. )y minimum raising you are gi+ing you opponents a greater incenti+e to put more money into the pot, because it is not costing them as much to see the next card. )e sure when you do check-raise to extract extra money from your opponents, that your hand is +irtually unbeatable. ?ou do not want to be making minimum re-raise if the board is coordinated enough that your opponents hold hands that could possibly out-draw you.

Che$k raise e#aluation.

When used correctly, the check-raise can be used to your ad+antage when you do not hold a strong hand, and when you hold a +ery strong hand. 1t is well worth your time and effort learning the principles put forward in this article, as it will pro+e to be of a tremendous +alue to your poker game. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. This article co+ers the basics that you should know to help you understand how to effecti+ely use this mo+e. )e careful not to o+er-use this mo+e, as it will lose its credibility the more you use it against the same opponent. The check-raise also re/uires a certain amount of knowledge about your opponent, which cannot be thoroughly taught through articles. &o get out there and practiceL

The 9ree Card Play

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The Free @ard ! The !ree $ard is a term used in poker for when you or your opponent are able to see the next card without ha+ing to call a bet. For example, if you and your opponent are in a pot and you are first to act, by checking you are gi+ing your opponent the opportunity to see a (free card(. There are two main reasons for using the (free card( in your game. 5. To sa+e more money when on a draw . To extract more money from your opponents. The free card is a simple and effecti+e mo+e that incorporates the use of the semi-bluff and the check raise.

The !ree $ard play.

7 free card play can be made to pre+ent our opponent from betting in to us on the turn, which will sa+e us more money than if we were to call a bet on the flop and another bet on the turn to see the ri+er.

When to make a free card play. ?ou should ideally be heads-up against an opponent * or more opponents makes it trickier.. ?ou should be first to act. ?ou should ha+e a strong drawing hand.

?ou HoldG

FlopG

1n this example we ha+e the nut flush draw, and we are heads up with our opponent. We are also first to act. Free card plays can pro+e to be +ery successful if you hold a drawing hand *like a straight or flush draw.. This is the perfect situation in which we can make a free card play. This can be done by checking this flop when we are first to act. "ow one of two things will happenG 5. Fur opponent will bet. . Fur opponent will check behind us. The optimum play from our point of +iew would be for our opponent to check, as then we would be getting our free card on the flop. )ut if our opponent bets, when the action comes back to us we should re-raise. )y using the check-raise it disguises the strength of our hand and gi+es us a strong opportunity to take a free card on the turn if our opponent calls the re-raise. When the turn card comes, and you check once again, our opponent is less likely to bet because of our aggression on the flop. Howe+er if they re-raise once again on the flop we can be sure they ha+e a strong hand and we should only call the bet if we are getting correct pot odds for the draw. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. This should sa+e us money because if we called the bet on the flop, our opponent could easily put us on a drawing hand and o+ercharge us on the next round of betting to see the next card.

7d+antages of the free card play. 1t allows us to sa+e money on future betting rounds.

1t disguises the strength of our hand. 1t gi+es us the opportunity to take down the pot on the flop.

0i#ing a !ree $ard.

1n other situations we would want to allow our opponents to ha+e a free card. Howe+er, this would not be for the same reasons as abo+e. #et's take the following hand as an exampleG ?ou HoldG

FlopG

Here we ha+e a dream flopH we are currently holding the nuts and there are no straight or flush draws. Howe+er, if you were to bet this hand it is doubtful that any opponent would call. This is because it is unlikely our opponent would ha+e a Iing, and probably would not call a raise with a N or a . 1f we are last to act we can check and allow our opponent to see the turn for free. 1f you ha+e the deck crippled, it is +ery unlikely that you are going to get any money from your opponent on the flop. We are hoping that a card will come down to impro+e their hand and allow us to take money off of them on future betting rounds. 1n addition, by checking we are once again disguising the strength of our hand. Knlike in the pre+ious situation where we check raised to show strength when we did not ha+e a hand, in this situation we are trying to win extra money from the hand through deception. 2+en if the next card does not help our opponent, we are now gi+ing them the opportunity to bluff by showing weakness.

8ow a!ter we $he$kG what should we do on the ne*t betting round?

1f the turn comesW

Wthen we should definitely bet or re-raise when last to act. We still ha+e the nuts but we would now want to protect it from any potential flushes or straights. Don't forget to bet the turn. The only way to build the pot is by betting or raising, so don't be afraid to bet out. 1f your opponent folds, it's +ery doubtful that you would ha+e got any money from them on the ri+er anyway. 1n most situations you should bet on the turn to protect the hand you ha+e. This is because it is your last opportunity to extract money from your opponent if they are on a draw and gain an extra round of bets from them if they ha+e a half decent hand. 1f your opponent does fold then you ha+e to accept that you probably would not ha+e made much money from the hand no matter how you played it.

/e$iding whether or not to gi#e a !ree $ard.

1n some spots, it is not going to be a good idea to gi+e a free card to our opponent. 7sk yourself this /uestion when deciding whether or not to gi+e your opponent the free cardG (7m 1 going to make more money from my opponent by gi+ing them a free card, or am 1 going to lose more moneyE( 1f you feel that you are gi+ing your opponent the opportunity to catch up with you and make a better hand by gi+ing them a free card, then you definitely should not be allowing them to see the turn for free. 1f there is a chance that the turn could gi+e them the winning hand, you should be betting out and making them pay. Don't gi+e a free card to an opponent if that card could gi+e them a better hand than you. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. There is no room to try and get cle+er if your opponent has the opportunity to make a better hand than you, so lea+e the free card play for when your opponent is a long way behind in terms of hand strength.

The Stop %nd 0o Play

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The &top 7nd 'o =lay 5

The (stop and go( play is a tournament manoeu+re that takes place o+er the pre-flop and flop betting rounds. The play is typically used when a player is short-stacked in a tournament and has a hand that they are willing to go all-in with in an attempt to double up. The stop and go play is where you ha+e a hand that you intend on mo+ing all-in with. Howe+er, you call an opponent's bet before the flop instead of pushing, with the intention of pushing all-in on the flop instead.

The stop and go play situation.

1n a situation where you are short-stacked in a tournament with a decent hand, the standard play is to push all-in if an opponent has raised in front of you. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. Howe+er, if you are so short-stacked that your all-in push is not enough to make another decent full si3e bet on top of your opponentCs raise, the chances are that they are going to ha+e the odds to call your bet and see all fi+e community cards to try and make the best hand. Therefore in these situations where you probably do not ha+e enough chips to force your opponent to fold with your re-raise, you may consider making a stop and go play.

The stop and go play.

The stop and go play in+ol+es you calling your opponentCs preflop raise with the intention of mo+ing all in on the flop, rather than pushing all-in o+er the top when facing the preflop raise from your opponent. )y calling the bet on the flop, you ha+e the opportunity to make your opponent fold on the flop by pushing the remainder of your chips in then, because your opponent will now ha+e to call your flop bet to see two more cards instead of the opportunity to see fi+e by calling an all-in preflop. ?our opponent will ha+e a tougher time calling your push on the flop than they will calling a push pre-flop.

The stop and go play reduces the odds your opponent has to call, and so they will ha+e to think hard about whether they want to continue if they ha+enCt impro+ed their hand, and :!9 of the time they wonCt.

Stop and go play e*ample.

&ay we are in the middle of a tournament and we are short-stacked with 5 !! chips. The blinds are 5!!6 !! and we are holding 7 A on the big blind. 2+eryone folds to a player in late position who makes a standard raise to :!!, and lets say that we know for a fact that they are holding a pair of Tens. The rest of the players fold and now the action is on us. "ow in this situation we could happily mo+e all-in, but our opponent would definitely be calling our :!! re-raise and we would be facing a 8!68! all-in coin flip. 1nstead howe+er, we could impro+e our chances of winning by making a stop and go play. &o rather than coming o+er the top, we $all our opponents raise lea+ing us with :!! chips left in our stack. The flop comes M : and we mo+e all-in. Fur opponent is now faced with a tough decision, as they now ha+e to call :!! into a 5$!! pot with middle pair. Fur opponent has roughly G5 odds to call, and we may well ha+e made a pair of /ueens on the flop or be holding a higher pocket pair. Therefore if they fold, we take down a decent si3e pot with the worst hand, whereas we probably would ha+e been out of the tournament if we had pushed all-in preflop. &top and go play example hand history.

Why the stop and go play works.

)y putting our opponentCs to this tough decision on the flop, we are increasing our fold e/uity and thus impro+ing our chances of winning the hand. 2+en if our opponent has impro+ed on the flop and they decide to call, it would not make a difference if we played the hand alternately by pushing all-in preflop, as they still would ha+e impro+ed their hand either way. Fur fold e/uity increasing by pushing on the flop instead of pushing all in before the flop. Therefore the cards that come out on the flop will ha+e no influence on the way we play the hand, as our intention throughout the hand is to mo+e all of our chips into the middle at some point.

% $ouple o! tips !or making the stop and go play a su$$ess.

5. 7lways mo+e in if first to act, and be prepared to call if bet in to if acting after our opponent. . Fnly use the stop and go play when you are heads up.

%lways mo#e in when !irst to a$t.

1f we are first to act against our opponent when making a stop and go play, we should always be mo+ing the rest of our chips into the middle. 1f we check to our opponent, we are losing our fold e/uity in the hand. Therefore we should always bet out and put our opponent to a tough decision. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 1f we are acting after our opponents howe+er, we should always be prepared to call or raise any bet they make regardless of what we are holding. This is because we are more than likely going to be pot committed, and so it would be unprofitable to fold and lea+e oursel+es with a small stack when there is still a chance that we may win the hand and a decent si3ed pot.

Hnly use the stop and go heads up.

1t should be noted that the stop and go play should only be used when we are heads up against an opponent. 1f there is more than one player in the pot, it will increase the chances that one of our opponents will ha+e a good hand after the flop comes down. Therefore in any situation where you are short-stacked with a hand that you are prepared to go all in with, it is better to mo+e allin preflop rather than call in an attempt to make a stop and go play.

The lo$king et
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The )locking )et 5

The (blocking bet( *or blocker bet. is made when you are out of position and wish to see either a showdown or a ri+er card cheaply. 1f used effecti+ely it can pre+ent your opponent from making a big bet that you can not profitably call. 1f used incorrectly, or in the wrong circumstances, this blo$king bet is simply a waste of chips. This article will show you how and when to use the blocking bet.

What is the blo$king bet?

The blocking bet is simply where you make a smaller than a+erage si3ed bet when first to act in order to reduce the amount of money that you pay to see the next card. )y making a small bet, you anticipate that your opponent will >ust call and not raise. 7s a result, you will not ha+e to call what would ha+e been a larger bet from them *in comparison to your (blocker bet(. if you had checked.

lo$king bet o#er#iew.

We will start by explaining the basics of the blocking bet and why this mo+e can only work when you are out of position. "ext we will look at the different scenarios in which the blocking bet is used J when you ha+e a drawing hand during play and when you ha+e a +ulnerable made hand on the ri+er. Finally a common error in using the blocking bet and the importance of disguising this play are co+ered. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. The best way to understand the block bet is to look at what you are trying to achie+e. The idea is that you see the next card J or a showdown J as cheaply as possible when you expect your opponent to make a large bet when you check. The last point is the most important, if instead your opponent would ha+e checked behind then you are not betting to see a cheap card *for example. you are simply building the potL

lo$king bet e*ample.

#et's say you limp behind another pre-flop limper with A 5! and face a re-raise from the button *first limper folds.. The flop comes 7 N , gi+ing you a flush draw. ?ou check, and the button bets half the pot. ?ou belie+e that the effecti+e stack si3es are deep enough to gi+e you the correct implied odds for hitting your flush, so you make the call. "ow the turn comes and the board reads 7 N I .

?ou expect that if you check again your opponent will bet a large enough amount that you would be unable to continue with your flush draw. 7s an alternati+e you make a small bet of 56$rd of the pot. This is designed to pre+ent your opponent from making too big a bet J if he calls with his *+ery likely. top pair then you get to see the ri+er card for a relati+ely cheap price. )locking bet example hand history.

The ad#antages o! the blo$king bet.

There are two ad+antages to the blocking bet play. 5. 1f you complete your draw, you expect to get paid off well.

. 1t is only necessary when you are out of position. 5. 1f you make your flush on the ri+er then you are +ery likely to be paid off by any player with a pair or better. The blocking bet stopped your opponent from betting an amount that you would not ha+e been able to call J and also disguised your holding at the same time. 1f you miss the ri+er then a check and fold is probably optimal here against most opponents. . 1f the positions had been re+ersed J you were on the button rather than the out of position player J then a blocking bet would not ha+e been necessary here. ?our opponent would ha+e acted before you and could ha+e bet enough that you were unable to call. 1f J after seeing his flop bet called J the player checked on the turn you would ha+e been in a position to check behind to try and make your flush with a free card.

lo$king bet ad#antages o#er#iew.

)locking bets can also be used when all the cards are out. The ri+er blocking bet is for situations where your opponent is a habitual bluffer J that is to say that a big ri+er bet could either be a monster hand or a complete bluff. 1f you ha+e a medium strength hand such as top pair with a reasonable kicker then a blocking bet can sometimes allow you to get to showdown cheaply. The idea is to bet an amount that is large enough to pre+ent your opponent from bluffing, yet small enough so that those times your opponent does ha+e a +ery strong holding and comes o+er the top you can fold only ha+ing lost a few chips. Whether to block on the ri+er will depend on your assessment of the particular opponent, if capable of a big ri+er bluff then a blocking bet can be a +ery effecti+e weapon.

% $ommon mistake when using the blo$king bet.

The biggest single mistake players make with blocking bets in Texas Hold em is to only bet a small amount when they are attempting to block. 1f obser+ant opponents reali3e what your smaller bets mean then you will simply not be able to make this mo+e against them. The reason is that the blocking bet can be countered easily with a raise, either as a bluff or a semi bluff. The +ery nature of this mo+e means that you will be making it with hands which can not call a big bet. )et a sensible amount when making a blocking bet, otherwise your opponent will be more than happy to raise and make it +ery difficult *and unprofitable. for you to play on. 7 solution to this is to ensure that you mix in +alue bets where you do ha+e a +ery strong holding a good proportion of the time. 1f those same opponents are unable to tell whether your smaller bets are blocking bets or for +alue then their best response becomes unclear. ?ou ha+e then forced them into a position where they may make a mistake J resulting in profit for you.

lo$king bet e#aluation.

To summari3e, the blocking bet is made when out of position against an opponent who will most probably bet if you check. 1t is made with hands which do not want to call a big bet J such as draws during play and medium strength hands on the ri+er. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. )etting a small amount will often confuse your opponent into calling instead of raising, allowing you to see the next card *or showdown. relati+ely cheaply. 2nsure you mix up your blocking bets with +alue raises J once opponents get a read on your blocking bets they completely lose their effecti+eness.

et or Che$k 2aise?
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R )et or @heck ,aiseE 5

?ou are up against one opponent in a pot and you are confident that you ha+e the best hand. Knfortunately howe+er, you are not helped by the fact that you are first to act. ?ou want to get as much money into the middle, but you are not entirely sure of the best way to go about it. ?ou could bet out straight away and hope to see them call, or you could try checkraising them to help increase the amount of money that gets put into the pot. )ut what is the most profitable option o+er the long runE Firstly, lets outline a few pros and $ons o! betting #ersus $he$k"raising. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

Che$k raising.
)y check raising, you are opening up the opportunity to increase the amount of money that gets put in to the pot. This is because you will be raising your opponents bet, and so they will ha+e to put more money into the middle to see the next card. The more you can get them to put in the middle, the more we can win.

The downside to check raising is that there is always the possibility that our opponent will not bet, and we miss out on a prime opportunity to build the pot. 1n addition to this, the check-raise is a +ery powerful mo+e, and so by doing this we may well reduce our chances of being able to make our opponent put more money into the pot in future *and e+en in the current. betting rounds.

ProsI

7bility to get more money in to the pot.

ConsI

&hows a great deal of strength, and may force our opponent to fold. We will not ha+e the opportunity to check raise if our opponent checks behind us.

etting out !irst.

1f we bet out first as opposed to checking with the intention of raising, we are remo+ing the possibility of gi+ing our opponent a free card on the occasions that they would check behind us. 1n addition, although our bet shows strength, it does not show nearly as much strength as a check-raise, so we will still ha+e a slight air of mystery surrounding our hand *which can pro+e to be +ery profitable.. 7s you can guess, the fact that we bet out first means that we restrict the amount of money that we could possibly force our opponent to put in to the pot. This is where the check-raise has the ad+antage o+er betting out.

ProsI

Definite opportunity to get more money in to the pot. Fur hand is more disguised than if we check raise.

ConsI

-ay not be able to get as much money in to the pot.

Should you bet or $he$k raise when !irst to a$t?

The decision of whether or not to bet or check raise all depends on the situation, as these are two +iable options for building the pot. Howe+er, the +ast ma>ority of the time it is going to be better to bet out first, rather than to try and get tricky with a check raise. 1t may seem as though checkraising is the more extra+agant and sophisticated play, but when you are first to act the simple bet is going to be the best choice in most cases.

1f you feel that you ha+e the best hand, you should bet out. The reason for this is that by betting out, you eliminate the risk of gi+ing your opponent a free card whilst not gi+ing too much information away about the strength of your hand. These two 'plus points' far outweigh the potential of getting more money into the pot by attempting check raises o+er the long run, so learn to sa+e that check-raise for special occasions. 1n general, you are better off betting straight out in first position as opposed to going for the check raise. 1t is better to be consistently safe, rather than going for the risky big win from time to time.

When is it best to $he$k raise?

1n my opinion, the check raise is best used in bluffing and semi-bluffing situations rather than as a method for building the pot when you belie+e that you ha+e the best hand. The true +alue of the check raise is it's ability to display a great amount of strength about your hand, as opposed to the fact that you could potentially force your opponent to place more chips in the pot. 7gainst weaker players who are unaware of what the check-raise implies, it could well be effecti+e as a pot building manoeu+re. Howe+er, against the more experienced player you are going to be shooting yourself in the foot by letting them know that you ha+e a +ery strong hand. The check raise is most useful in bluffing and semi-bluffing situations, rather than as a method to get as much money in to the pot as possible when you ha+e the best hand. 7n example of a situation in which 1 will decide to use the check raise is when 1 am confident that my hand will not be outdrawn, and my opponent will not call any of my bets. Therefore 1 am offering them the opportunity to bet out and try to take the hand away from me, e+en though 1 know 1 ha+e the best hand. )ut then still, if they do decide to bet out, 1 will be more inclined to call and induce a bet on a further betting round rather than cut off the action by check-raising.

et or $he$k raise o#er#iew.

7s you should ha+e been able to infer from this article, the check raise should be used /uite sparsely, as there are often going to be more profitable plays a+ailable to you. There is no doubt that the check-raise can be effecti+e from time to time, but there is no need to try and get fancy with your plays when the straightforward option may well be the best *and the one that maximi3es +alue.. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. )eing out of position is ne+er going to help when it comes to building a pot, so you ha+e to do the best you can with the situation. )ut as a general rule... 1f in doubt, >ust bet right out.

/ouble arrelling
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R Double )arrelling ! @betting 7rticlesG The @ontinuation )et G -ore @betting Tips G When To @)et *2xamples. G Double )arrelling

&o you made a continuation bet on the flop, but annoyingly your opponent went ahead and called it. ?ouCre now stuck in an uncomfortable situation staring in to the eyes of an unwanted turn card desperately searching for a new plan of action. What do you doE K/ouble barrellingL or K!iring a se$ond barrelL is the tri$ky art o! making another $ontinuation bet on the turn. 1tCs difficult to master and forces you to risk more money than your pre+ious bet, so you really want to make sure that you make the right choice. 1n this article 1 will outline the basics of !iring a su$$ess!ul se$ond barrel on the turn.

9irstlyG Kmistake (L S poor $ontinuation bets.

7 lot of awkward situations on the turn are caused by poor continuation bets on the flop. 1f you donCt ha+e a game plan on the flop and you blindly fire out a c-bet hoping for the best, what do you expect to happen from time to timeE 'ood continuation bet strategy is out of the scope of this particular article, but itCs definitely worth building a strong flop c-betting strategy before >umping in to double barrelling strategy. Walk before you can run. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

asi$s o! double barrelling.

5. DonCt bother trying to barrel a calling station. . ,eads are important, as e+er. $. 7+oid barrelling unless you ha+e some e/uity. ?. arrel on turn $ards that s$are your opponent.

8. DonCt forget to barrel when you impro+e on the turn too. 5. )arrelling a calling station is fun if you want to throw money at someone, but otherwise remember the principle that trying to bluff players that rarely fold will rape your bankroll. . 1f you know that your opponent likes to float a lot of flops - that helps. 1f you know your opponent rarely continues past the flop without a premium hand J that helps. 1f you know your opponent likes to get to showdowns as fre/uently as possible J that helps. Do you see a pattern forming hereE There more you think and the more you know about your opponents, the easier it is to determine whether firing a second barrel is a good idea or not. $. 1f youCre firing a second barrel you are doing it as a bluff or a semi bluff to try and win the pot there and then. 7s with any bluff, itCs always a good idea to ha+e a hand with at least some e/uity *a hand that could still win the pot on a fortunate ri+er card. to soften the blow when your double barrel doesnCt work out. 'enerally speaking, you will most likely be c-betting the flop with two o+ercards *eg an 7 I style hand. a lot of the time, and so you should ha+e at least when o+ercard when you decide to fire that second barrel on the turn. Ha+ing >ust 5 o+ercard is the least amount of Ue/uityV you want to be barrelling with. Don't barrel the turn unless you ha+e some chance of winning the hand by the ri+er if called. The more e/uity you ha+e in the hand the better. This applies to most bluffing situations in poker. %. This is the key tip that this strategy article is going to focus upon. I! the turn $ard s$ares your opponentG it in$reases your $han$es o! pushing them o!! their hand by !iring a se$ond barrel. -ore on this in the upcoming section. 8. ?ou also want to bet on the turn when it actually impro+es your hand, not >ust when you are carrying on with a semi-bluff from your continuation bet. ?ou do this for balance. ?our strategy becomes exploitable if you only e+er fire a second barrel when you miss.

When to double barrel.

0ood turn $ards to double barrel.
The best kind o! turn to double barrel on is when the turn is an o#er$ard to the !lop.

FlopG M N -- TurnG I FlopG A 8 $ -- TurnG 7 FlopG T N % -- TurnG M These turns are perfect to double barrel because they hit your per$ei#ed range and are bad !or your opponent<s range. 1n other words, our opponent is likely to ha+e called our continuation bet with hands like top or middle pair, so the o+ercard on the turn makes them +ery uncomfortable. These o+ercards could ha+e +ery easily hit our range, beating the hand that they currently hold. For our opponent, calling a bet on the turn is a difficult thing to do without a premium hand after this scare card hits, as they will be much happier folding and sa+ing their chips to your barrel.

Poor turn $ards to double barrel.

ad turn $ards to barrel are the opposite to good turn $ards to barrel. These are low $ards or under$ards to the !lopG or worseG $ards that pair the board. FlopG M N -- TurnG 8 FlopG A 8 $ -- TurnG % FlopG T N % -- TurnG N These cards are likely to ha+e impro+ed or not significantly weakened the range of hands that our opponent would ha+e called with on the flop. Fur opponent may well ha+e called with a smaller pair or drawing hand, and all of these turn cards >ust make all those sort of hands better. 1f the turn card isnCt bad *or is actually good. for our opponent, theyCre going to happily call yet another bet on the turn. 1n general, a+oid barrelling low turn cards or cards that pair the board.

/e$ent turn $ards to double barrel.

/e$entG but not great turns to barrel are high $ards that are Cust below the highest $ard on the !lop. FlopG M : -- TurnG T FlopG I 8 $ -- TurnG A FlopG 7 O % -- TurnG M These cards are still slightly scary because they make it difficult for your opponent to continue with middle or bottom pair hands that they may ha+e called with on the flop. Fn the other hand, if your opponent called with top pair on the flop they may well stick around for the ride, which is why these turns are not ama3ing to barrel.

Firing a second barrel on these turns is not going to be /uite as successful or easy to do as the Ugood turn cardsV, which is why 1 would ad+ise to only barrel these turns with a +ery good read. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

/ouble barrelling e#aluation.

Double barreling in a nutshell. F+ercards to the flop are good to barrel. #ow cards or cards that pair the board are bad to barrel. High cards that are slightly lower than the hgihest card on the flop can be decent for barrelling.

There are so many +ariables and reads in+ol+ed with double barrelling that 1Cm ne+er going to be able to cram enough information in to one article to form a 5!!9 complete guide to it. Try and absorb as much as you can from what 1C+e thrown at you here and mix it with a bit of your own initiati+e *maybe not too much if youCre a new player. to form your own approach to firing that second barrel. )efore you go, 1 >ust want to remind you that e+en if your attempt at double barrelling fails, please do not feel compelled to sho+e it all in on the ri+er. ?ouCre better off folding than blindly pushing all in out of frustration in a +ain attempt to win your money back. 7s always, practice makes perfect with the double barrel. 1tCs definitely one of the scariest plays to master, but youCll get there e+entually. &tick to those scary o+ercards for barrelling at the start and you should do >ust fine.

The 9loat Play

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The Float =lay 5

The (float play( is an ad+anced bluffing techni/ue in Texas Hold em that is extended o+er two betting rounds. The principle role of the play is to make your opponent belie+e you ha+e a stronger hand than theirs +ia the flop and turn betting rounds, and thus closing down the action and winning the pot on the turn.

What is the !loat play?

The !loat play essentially in+ol+es calling an opponentCs bet on the flop *floating the flop., and then betting after being checked to on the turn to win the hand before seeing the ri+er card. 1t is possible to make a successful maneu+er like this with any two cards, which typically makes it a good bluffing play.

Why is the !loat play e!!e$ti#e?

The play works well because it is typical for an ad+anced player to make a continuation bet on the flop, regardless of whether or not they caught a piece of it. Therefore it is not uncommon that our opponents will be making a bet on the flop with air, hoping that you did not catch a piece of it either and that their continued aggression will gi+e them the pot. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. The fact that you then call this bet will set alarm bells ringing in their heads, as they may fear that you could well be slowplaying a +ery strong hand. The ma>ority of players will then shut down on the turn and check, which lea+es us open to capitali3e on their weakness by making a strong bet to win the pot. The float play turns out to be a great defense against the continuation bet. Howe+er, it should not solely be used to try and pick off bets that you suspect are continuation bets.

How to make a su$$ess!ul !loat play.

There are two criteria howe+er that ha+e to be met before being able to pull off a good float play. 5. ?ou should be acting after your opponent. . ?ou should be heads-up with your opponent. 1t is actually possible to make a float play out of position, but this is far more difficult and it is not often recommended that you try to do so as it can become costly. 1n position you ha+e the opportunity to spot any weakness on the turn from your opponent after calling their flop bet. 1f your opponent bets strongly again on the turn, you are able to comfortably fold knowing that they more than likely ha+e the best hand. 1f they check howe+er, you are in the perfect position to take down the pot.

7 second and e/ually important rule for a good float play is that you should be heads-up against your opponent. 1f there is more than one player in the pot, it makes it more difficult to pull off such a complex bluff, as it is more likely that at least one of the players has a decent hand. The float play works best heads-up and in position. 1n fact, 1 would rarely *if e+er. attempt a float play against more than one player. The float play relies on us trying to pick off a continuation bet from our opponents, and the addition of another player into the e/uation adds too many +ariables to make it successful, and often our attempted display of strength will go unnoticed. Therefore it is best to keep things simple, and stick to being in position against one opponent when attempting a float play.

9loat play e*ample.

#ets say we are on the button holding 7 M , and a player from middle position makes an 4< bet in a 4564 "# Holdem game. The action folds to us and we make the call, both players in the blinds fold. The flop comes < A 8 , which does not impro+e our hand. Fur opponent now bets 45: into the 45O pot. Typically we would fold this hand as we ha+e not connected with the flop at all, but instead we decide to make the call as we know our opponent regularly makes continuation bets with air. The turn comes the $ , but this time our opponent checks to us displaying some weakness. We now bet 4%! into the 485 pot, and our opponent folds, suspecting that we ha+e a stronger hand than them. Float play example hand history.

9loat play e*ample o#er#iew.

1n this particular hand, our opponent may well ha+e been making a standard continuation bet with a hand like 7I, 7M, IM, or a middle si3e pocket pair like OO or NN. Fur opponent was concerned about our call on the flop as it meant that we could be holding a wide range of hands that beat theirs such as 7A, IA, AA, << and so on. Therefore our strong Q pot si3e bet on the turn means that it is too expensi+e for our opponent to play on, and so they gi+e up the pot. 1t is important that we make a strong Q pot si3e bet, as it confirms to our opponents that we may well ha+e a strong hand and that we are not gi+ing them the correct pot odds to call to try and impro+e. 7 strong bet on the turn is key in making our opponent think twice about playing on with their hand. The float play can still work e+en if your opponent bets on the turn after you ha+e called their bet on the flop. &ome particularly aggressi+e players will fire a second barrel on the turn in an attempt to take down the pot with air once more.

Therefore by re-raising what you feel is a second barrel or a particularly weak bet, you can still pull off a successful float play. Howe+er, the re-raise on the turn as a float play is a +ery dangerous and ad+anced mo+e, which re/uires a +ery good understanding of your opponents. @onse/uently, you should be more inclined towards folding if you do not know your opponents well and they are making another bet on the turn.

Tips on making an e!!e$ti#e !loat play.

Ha+e a good read on your opponent. Fnly use the float play when necessary.

1t is central to note howe+er that we should ha+e a good read on our opponents to make a float play like this, as it is important to be sure that our opponent is the type of player that makes continuation bets, but will shut down and fold when they come up against any resistance. This means that float plays will work well against your typical tight-aggressi+e player, rather than calling stations that will call down bets regardless of what they think you might be representing. *&ee the article on putting players on a hand for hand reading.. 1t is also important to remember that !loat plays should not be used liberally as a regular de!ense against the $ontinuation bet. 1t is true that this play will snap off a few continuation bets from time to time, but you will find yourself in sticky situations and getting check-raised on the turn with real hands if you o+eruse this particular play. The float play is not usually something that you intend to use when you enter a pot before the flop, it is a more of a play that you can consider when faced with certain situations as they arise. Float play spots make themsel+es apparent as you playH you should not go acti+ely looking for them.

9loat play e#aluation.

Floating is an ad+anced play that usually takes place at the 45!!"# Holdem games and higher, although it does not mean it does not take place at some of the lower limits. The fact that the bluff extends o+er two betting rounds and in+ol+es a good knowledge of your opponents style of play means that it is /uite a sophisticated mo+e, but it is a +ery satisfying play to use when it works well. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. 1f you can learn to master the float play and understand situations where it can be successful, you will find that you will ha+e a +ery powerful tool in your poker arsenal. Howe+er, as it has been mentioned in some top "# Holdem books, don't become too cocky after pulling off a successful float. 1ts >ust another standard play in an e+eryday game of poker that we can call upon from time to time.

Small all Poker

(&mall )all( is an ad+anced style of play that was initially coined by Dan Harrington in his Harrington on Hold.em series of tournament strategy books. Howe+er, this term and style of play later gained more recognition through strategy articles and +ideos by Daniel "egreanu. ?ou can see a bunch of +ideos on how to play small ball on "egreanu's =oker0T training site. 1n fairness though, it's hard to gi+e either Harrington *or "egreanu. full credit for this style of play. 1t's likely that this style had been employed by many professional poker players before them, but they >ust hadn't named it.

What is small ball poker?

2ssentially, small ball poker in+ol+es playing a wider range of starting hands more aggressi+ely, but only using small bets and raises to sa+e you from losing too much money when certain plays do not work out. &mall ball poker is intended to primarily be used in -TTs as opposed to &"'s and cash games.

Small ball poker #ideo.

This +ideo gi+es a basic o+er+iew of the small ball playing style. 1t's impressi+ely cheesy with some comically bad acting thrown in to the mix, but all the essential information for basic small ball strategy is there. 7pparently, 8N suited is a hand good for flopping full houses. 7lso, 5G8% - 5G8< is fairly amusing.

Why $an small ball poker be e!!e$ti#e?

#oose table image. Fpponents will call more often with weaker hands. ?ou can exploit this when you hold a strong hand.

This style of play can be +ery effecti+e because you create a +ery loose table image for yourself. Therefore you should recei+e more action from opponents when you do ha+e a big hand because they will percei+e you as a loose aggressi+e player, and may feel that you are more likely to try and bluff them out of the pot. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised.

1f you play small ball poker correctly, in the long run the amount you win from opponents when they call you down with sub standard hands should outweigh the amount you lose from making consistent raises and bets without a strong hand. This is a reason why it is important to make small raises and bets instead of large, stronger bets. &mall ball poker benefits from players who call you down with mediocre hands because they do not gi+e you credit for holding a strong hand. The image you pro>ect onto the other players at the table is key to the success of the small ball concept. 7s already mentioned, the reason why this style of play is so effecti+e is because your opponents will be more willing to call you down with marginal hands because of the way you ha+e played in pre+ious hands. &o essentially, the small bets and raises that you may win or lose pots with in earlier hands are >ust setting you up for bigger hands later on in the session.

Hpponents must be aware o! your style o! play !or small ball poker to work.
1t is important to remember that you are relying on your opponents to be aware of the way you are playing for small ball poker to be successful. 1f your opponents are not thinking about how you are playing, then you are going to ha+e limited success. 1f other players at the table are loose and are going to call your bets regardless of what table image you pro>ect, then you are better off playing a tight-aggressi+e style rather than small ball poker.

How to play small ball poker.

&mall ball poker tips. =lay as many hands in position as you can. #earn how to play post-flop well. Kse good starting hand selection. When playing weaker starting hands, play hands that ha+e drawing potential *can make flushes or straights..

When playing small ball, you ha+e to try and take ad+antage of position as fre/uently as possible. 1t is not going to be an effecti+e style of playing if you are raising .8)) from under the gun or in any early position on a regular basis. The chances are that you are going to get a caller and be out of position in a pot with a hand that is probably marginal. &a+e the raises for when you are closer to the button and there are little to no players already in the pot. =laying small ball poker relies on you being able to play well post flop because you are entering so many pots and allowing other players to do so cheaply. 1t is going to be far easier to outplay your opponents if there are less of them in the hand and if you ha+e position.

?ou ha+e to be an experienced player to be able to profitably employ the small ball playing style.

Small ball poker starting hand sele$tion.

7nother key point to playing successful small ball poker is starting hand selection. 1f you are going to enter a pot by raising with a less than a premium hand, then it is important that the hand you raise with has some kind of potential. 7lthough we are raising with less than premium hands, it does not necessarily mean that are trying to take down the blinds alone on e+ery hand. There is a high chance that we are going to get a caller because our raises are relati+ely small, and so we are going to need a hand that we can work with after the flop. The type of hands we want to play when playing small ball are connecting cards and suited cards that ha+e some potential if6when we go to the flop. )y playing hands with potential it gi+es us some room to make plays and possibly make +ery strong hands on or after the flop. Howe+er, you should a+oid getting too in+ol+ed in hands when you hit middle or top pair. The chances are you will ha+e a weak kicker, and as a general rule these types of pots should ne+er become too big if you are going to win them.

Where is small ball poker most e!!e$ti#e?

&mall ball poker is going to be most effecti+e in situations where the blinds are small relati+e to the si3e of the stacks. Therefore, this will be at the start of -TTs and &"'s and in cash games. &mall ball would be most suited to cash games and the early stages of tournaments. Toward the end of tournaments the blinds will usually be too great in relation to the si3e of the stacks to play small ball, as there will be little room post flop plays. The last thing you want to be doing in a tournament is committing a /uarter or more of your stack into a pot with a marginal hand before the flop. &mall ball would therefore be most effecti+e at the start of tournaments. 1t would be fine to use in -TTs, but with &"'s there is a problem in that the structure is usually /uite fast, and the period to play effecti+e small ball will not last for long. 1n addition, the image you create will become almost worthless near the end of the &"' tournament because the blinds will become so great that opponents will be forced into folding or calling regardless of what your image might ha+e been at the start of the tournament. #ike the idea of getting coached by Daniel "egreanuE @heck out his =oker0T training site.

What do I think o! small ball poker?

&mall ball poker is basically playing #7' but making smaller bet amounts. ,aising small amounts from any position at the table with marginal hands in an attempt to recreate the (small ball( style of play is not going to be a successful strategy in my opinion. 1n spite of this, there are actually a few genuinely effecti+e elements to the small ball style though, such asG

Ksing your position to your ad+antage. )asically not >ust playing your cards but playing your position. =laying more aggressi+ely to help you (buy position(.

1 belie+e that amateur players who attempt to emulate small ball poker will get themsel+es in to tricky situations. ?ou definitely need a good post-flop game to be able to play small ball poker *or should 1 >ust say #7'E.. 7s your game impro+es you may de+elop in to more of a loose-aggressi+e style of play, but that will not necessarily be (small ball poker(. 1 belie+e that Daniel "egreanu may be trying a little too hard to coin a super-awesome new playing style that will take o+er the world of poker, but at the end of the day it's >ust a weak +ariation on an existing one.

Poker S;uee.e Play

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =lays R The &/uee3e =lay ! =refer training +ideosE &plit&uit has made an excellent all-in-one +ideo guide to using the s/uee3e play as a bluff in F, and :max cash games.

The (s/uee3e play( is an ad+anced *usually pre-flop. mo+e that can be used in both cash games and tournaments. The s/uee3e play can be +ery effecti+e, but has to be used with caution.

What is a s;uee.e play?

7 s/uee3e play is when you notice a loose player raising from early position and another player calling this raise before you. ?ou then make a big re-raise and take down the pot. &o basically you are taking ad+antage of the loose raiser and the player who thought they could get away with calling the loose raise with a weaker hand than they would normally call with.

The loose raiser can't call because they likely raised with a weak hand. The caller won't call because they were calling the first raise with a weak hand.

@an you see why this play worksE 1'll co+er why the s/uee3e play works in more detail a little later on.

How to make a su$$ess!ul s;uee.e play.

The implementation of the s;uee.e play in poker is determined by the situation, not the cards. ?ou ha+e to be able to read situations well when putting the play into practice, as it can otherwise pro+e to be costly. Therefore it is better to be able to understand how to use the play from the start, rather than taking a trial and impro+ement route.

S;uee.e play e*ample.

7 typical situation for a s/uee3e play will occur when a loose-aggressi+e player opens for a raise pre-flop. 7nother player will then call this raise and the action comes to you. 7t this point you make a reraise or mo+e all-in, causing both the initial raiser and caller to fold, allowing you to take down the pot. The basic layout isG =layer 7G ,aises =layer )G @alls =layer @G ,e-raises 7ll-in =layers 7;)G Fold =layer @G Wins There are other players at the table, but for the purposes of this example we will assume that they all folded before or after =layer 7 raised. &/uee3e play example hand history. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

S;uee.e plays in $ash games and when deep"sta$ked in tournaments.

When making a s/uee3e play in a cash game or in the early stages of a tournament you will likely be deep stacked, so going all in is not an option. Howe+er, it is still possible to make successful s/uee3e plays if you ha+e strong reads on your opponent. % times the si3e of the initial raise is a good rule of thumb for the si3e of your reraise when making a s/uee3e play. Aust be sure to be s/uee3ing with hands that ha+e potential *suited connectors and stuff like that. in case your s/uee3e gets called. 1f your post-flop game isn't up to scratch, 1 would ad+ise against s/uee3ing when playing cash games or if deep-stacked in a tournament.

Why the s;uee.e play works.

The effecti+eness of the s/uee3e play stems from =layer 7Cs table image. =layer ) knows that 7 has been raising a lot pre flop which means that it is less likely that he is holding a premium hand. Therefore ) decides that he can afford to call this raise with another mediocre hand because he may well be ahead and has position on =layer 7. The second player calls the initial raise because they are aware that the loose raiser is unlikely to ha+e a great hand. "ow when the action reaches =layer @, he is aware that it is unlikely that either of the players ha+e strong starting hands, so he goes all-in forcing both =layer 7 and ) into a decision for all their chips with mediocre hands. =layer 7 folds because he is only strong enough to raise and not call, and =layer ) folds because he only wanted to call the si3e of =layer 7Cs raise to see the flop. =layer 7 folds because they raised with a weak hand, and player ) folds because they called with another mediocre hand under the belief that player 7 was weaker than them. 7s you can see, the cards that =layer @ holds is irrele+ant to the outcome of the play. The mo+e was employed successfully because =layer @ was able to accurately read the situation and act upon it. "ow before you start thinking Uthat sounds simple enoughV, there are a few other factors that are in+ol+ed in making this play work.

Tips !or using the s;uee.e play.

2eads on the other players.
?our reads on the players left to act behind you are >ust as important as your reads on the players doing the raising and calling. ?ou ha+e to be fairly sure that you wonCt run into another player acting behind you that will call your all in, otherwise you will be in a +ery hairy situation.

This is why it is easier to make this play when in a later position as there is less of a chance of bumping into another player that does hold a premium hand. &o by keeping the number of players left to act behind you to a minimum, you are increasing the playCs rate of success.

Table image.
?our own table image plays a +ery important role. 1f you ha+e been in+ol+ed in a number of pots and ha+e been making a few plays, you are not in a good position to make a s/uee3e play in Texas Hold'em. The idea is to make your opponents think you ha+e a big hand, forcing them to fold. Therefore if your opponents ha+e noticed that you ha+e been making mo+es with marginal hands in the lead up to this play, it decreases the credibility of your raise and they are more likely to call. The play will ha+e a higher rate of success if you employ it only when you ha+e a tight table image.

The si.e o! your re"raise.

7nother important factor is the si3e of your re-raise. The re-raise must be large enough to be able to push both your opponents off their hand, which is why the re-raise is usually an all in. ?our re-raise is most effecti+e as an all-in *as long as you are not deep stacked.. 1f you are sitting with a short stack and the si3e of your all in is only going to be or $ times the si3e of the original raise, then it is +ery unlikely you are going to make either of them fold as you are gi+ing them odds to call with most hands. 7s a rule of thumb you want your all-in to be at least 8 times the si3e of the original raise for this play to be effecti+e.

Hne last point.

7 key note to point out is that the combined total of the blinds and raises should be worth fighting for. 1f you are in the early stages of an -TT then there is no point is making an all-in s/uee3e play because you will be risking your tournament life for a +ery small pot. &o the si3e of the pot must be big enough to fight for, but small enough so that your opponents wonCt be priced in to call your all-in. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

Poker s;uee.e play e#aluation.

The success of a s/uee3e play is determined by the accuracy of your reads on your opponents.

7ll you need to make the play work isH one loose raiser, one loose caller, and one strong all in. This play will be a +ery strong addition to your game, but it should be used sparingly to help keep its credibility intact.

Poker Table Image

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R Table 1mage 5

When sitting at the poker table, it is important to be aware of your own (table image( and the image of the players around you. Table image is essentially what one poker player percei+es another playerCs style to be, which is determined by the way they play poker. For example, if a player is not playing many hands and only entering pots with premium starting hands, the other players at the table may percei+e that player to be +ery tight, and thus they will ha+e a tight table image. @onse/uently, if a player is entering many pots and calling raises fre/uently, they may be percei+ed as being a loose player, and thus they will ha+e a loose table image.

What in!luen$es table image?

?our table image is constructed primarily from the way you play poker, but it also can be influenced by the way you conduct yourself whilst you are at the table. 1t is normal for players to build an image through their indi+idual style of play, whether that be tight or loose, but sometimes what you say or do at the table could potentially o+ershadow this and portray a different style of play to your opponents. ?our table image will be influenced by the way you play your cards the +ast ma>ority of the time. 1f you are loud and talkati+e at the table, your opponents may feel that you are ha+ing a good time and are likely to play a number of hands for the entertainment, and this will create a loose table image.

1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. @on+ersely, if you are /uiet and reser+ed then you may be able to ha+e the other players percei+e you as being a tight player. Howe+er, the more ad+anced and obser+ant players will look straight through what you say or do, and let the cards do the talking for when it comes to mentally assigning you a style of play.

The importan$e o! table image.

Table image is important is because it will influence the way your opponents play their hands against you. Fn a basic le+el...

Loose image
1f you ha+e a loose table image, you may find that opponents are more willing to get into pots with you because they will know that your starting hand re/uirements will be lower than that of a tight playerCs.

Tight image
1f you ha+e a tight table image, your opponents will be more reluctant to get into pots with you because they will fear that you will ha+e a big hand e+ery time you enter a pot. )oth of these styles of play ha+e their own uni/ue benefits.

The bene!it o! a tight image.

2ssentially, the tight table image is beneficial because you are always going to be entering pots with good hands, and therefore if you only play these premium starting hands, it makes sense that you will win more pots than you lose. 1n addition, your opponents will continually be concerned about the strength of your hand if you ha+e created a tight table image for yourself. Therefore you will be able to successfully bluff your opponents more fre/uently than if you had a loose image, and pick up the occasional extra pot with the worst hand. The main downfall with ha+ing a tight image is that you are less likely to get paid off on some of your big hands because your opponents will belie+e that you ha+e a good hand when you bet, so they will fold.

The bene!it o! a loose image.

Ha+ing a loose style of play also has its own set of benefits... Whereas if you are playing tight your opponents will fold when you ha+e big hands, you are more likely to get paid off with these big hands if you ha+e a loose table image. This is because

to create this loose image you will ha+e been betting and raising fre/uently on pre+ious hands, therefore your opponents will know that you cant ha+e a strong hand e+ery time and call you down in the hope that you are bluffing. 1t must be said howe+er that >ust because you are playing loosely, it does not mean that you will get paid off on all of your big hands. 1t simply means that you will get your opponents to call you down with a higher fre/uency than if you had a tight table image. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. The main downfall with this image is that you lea+e yourself open to losing a number of chips whilst trying to create this loose image. )y entering a number of pots with substandard hands, you can potentially find yourself in tricky situations with marginal hands and therefore losing chips in the process.

Poker table image e#aluation.

7s you can see, both the loose table image and the tight table image ha+e their pros and cons. Howe+er, it is hard to say which one out of the two of these would pro+e to be the most profitable in the long run. )oth of these images and styles of play can be used and employed profitably at the poker table if used correctly. "e+ertheless it is fair to say to say that you will experience a greater amount of +ariance playing the loose style and ha+ing a loose image than if you had a tight table image. )oth the loose and tight table images ha+e their benefits, but ha+ing a loose table image tends to reap greater rewards. ?ou should also be aware that table image is only useful if your opponents are acti+ely taking notice of the way you play. 1f your opponents are not concerned about the way you are playing, then you cannot create a table image. This is mainly true at the micro stakes where opponents are primarily interested in the way they are playing their own hands. Therefore the importance of table image increase as you mo+e up the stakes and play against more ad+anced players.

Tilting In Poker
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R Tilting 1n =oker 5

(Tilting( is a term used in poker to describe the way a player changes his or her game due to the effects of suffering a bad beat. 1f a player takes a bad beat, they can be described as (going on tilt( if they subse/uently play differently to the way they would usually play. 1n a nutshell, 'tilting' is simply a word to describe poor play due to frustration at the poker table. There are many things in poker, apart form bad beats, that will potentially set you on tilt. 1f you do not catch any good hands for a long period of time, you can easily become frustrated and start to play with any rag hand that comes your way. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. 1f you find yourself folding to your opponent's shown bluff, then once again you can become irritated and allow your game to de+iate from the norm. 1n addition, if you notice that you would ha+e flopped a monster but decided to fold pre-flop, this can also cause you to alter your game for the worse.

/egrees o! tilt in poker.

There are different degrees and +arieties of 'tilt'. &ome players ha+e the misconception that going on tilt means going all-in with any old hand pre-flop after taking a bad beat, >ust to +ent your frustration. 7lthough you may see this occasionally happen at the table, there are many more subtle forms of tilt that should not be ignored if you want to impro+e your game. Tilting is not always simply mo+ing all-in on a random hand due to frustartion from a bad beat. 2+ery time you enter a pot with an opponent because you are looking to e+en the score with them because of the way they pre+iously outplayed you or lucked out, you are going on tilt. ?ou may elect to play more pots with a certain person in an attempt to outplay them on following streets, possibly because they had taken some of your money in an earlier hand. 2+ery time you do this you are effecti+ely on tilt, because you ha+e to ask the /uestionG (Would 1 be playing so many hands against this person if 1 had no problem with themE( Furthermore, you are unnecessarily risking more of your money if you constantly try and outplay them with the worst hand. 7lways remember that in poker that you are looking to win money, and not pots.

% $ommon mistake whilst on tilt.

7 typical and possibly the most $ommon !orm o! tilt is to $hase draws. 1f you are faced with a decent si3e bet against your flush draw, yet you willingly call without the correct pot odds, you are on tilt. 7fter all, would you ha+e called the same bet if you were in a rational state of mindE "o matter how close the odds were to being in your fa+our, if you still call in an attempt to make your hand when you normally would fold, you are not playing you're 7-game. 1t is a common reaction for a player to chase after money that they ha+e lost when on an unlucky streakH therefore this emotion lends itself nicely to the structure of a drawing hand in poker.

Playing at higher stakes when tilting.

The reaction to chase money that has been lost can cause you to play higher stakes and play out of your bankroll and ignore +ery important bankroll management rules. This is especially dangerous as not only are you playing at stakes you cannot afford, but you may well be coupling it with the typical 'tilt plays' as mentioned abo+e. This magnifies the se+erity of your tilt as you put yourself in a position where you could potentially lose a great sum of money that took you a long time to earn. The +ision of being able to claw back all that you ha+e lost or possibly turn a profit at the higher stakes clouds your mind to rationality, and more often than not you will find yourself in an unhappy position in the end.

Poker tilting e#aluation.

&uccessful players ha+e the ability to offset the effects of tilt, which is why they are capable of being winning players at the end of the day. 'oing on tilt is especially dangerous in pot limit and no limit poker, because of the potential that most or all of your chips are at stake in any gi+en hand. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. ?ou can spend hours making money through good play, only to lose it all in one hand because you went on tilt. "e+er forget that money sa+ed is money earned. The more money you sa+e yourself from losing, the more you can add to your total winnings at the end of the day.

Poker /ownswings
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R =oker Downswings !

For more general information on downswings in "# Hold'em, see the article on +ariance in poker.

2+ery regular poker player knows that you can't come out of e+ery poker session with more money than you started with. There are always going to be sessions where you end up losing more than you win, and often there is +ery little that you could ha+e done to pre+ent it. 2+en though poker in+ol+es a certain amount of skill, luck is something that is always going to be a big influence on the outcome of each indi+idual session, and it always will be. 7ny poker player that plays regularly enough will find that luck gets the better of us sometimes for longer periods than we would like, and for some, this stretch can seem ne+er ending.

9a$ing a big downswing in poker.

7s a fre/uent player at the cash or tournament tables, we are prepared to lose or $ buy ins or not place in a number of tournaments from time to time, its >ust the way it goes. )ut occasionally, although it doesn't happen +ery often, a or $ buy in loss will >ust be the tip of the iceberg. We will come face to face with a seemingly ne+er-ending stretch of bad cards and busted draws. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. &o what goes wrongE 2+ery coin flip all-in goes the other way, none of the draws hit, and we manage to miss e+ery single flop that we see. 2+en our 7Is seem to get beat e+ery time by hands like 7M and 7A. U&urely it's >ust +arianceV you say to yourself and its not going to be long before you get back on track and your hands start holding up again like they should. )ut as soon as you start to regain some of your faith, another 7ce falls on the flop when holding II.

The e!!e$t o! a big poker downswing.

The problem with these huge downswings is that they are completely out of our control, and there is no amount of perfect play and good reads that can stop you from going down with the

swing. 7s the swing gets bigger, you start to /uestion your game and wonder if you ha+e lost the ability you once had to win money from poker. This can then lead to you altering your game to see if you can impro+e and win some of your money back, but the new style of play is usually worse and >ust ends up losing you more money than if you had >ust stuck with your normal game. =layers always want to know how to deal with big poker downswings, so the /uestions always end up beingG

Where am 1 going wrongE What can 1 do to stop the downswingE

The answers are pretty simpleW nowhere and nothing. 2+en though these are the honest answers to the /uestions, they probably didn't help and probably didn't put your mind too much at ease. 1f you are a solid player and continue to play your best game at all times, then you are doing nothing wrong. ?ou ha+e to remember that e+ery hits a big poker downswing from time to time, and it's simply a bad dose of +ariance slapping you about for a few sessions. The only thing that is going wrong is your ability to ha+e a bit of good luck once in a while, and there is nothing you can do to get that back on track. Therefore because you ha+e no control o+er your luck, there is nothing you can do about the downswing. Fnce again, these probably weren't the kind of kind of answers you wanted to hear.

How to get out o! a big downswing.

The best ad+ice anyone can gi+e to someone in the middle of endless losing sessions is to remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long it may seem sometimes. 2+entually the cards will right themsel+es and you will start to win some more of the coin flips and your bankroll will be on the road to reco+ery. Try to maintain a positi+e attitude and play the game you know best at all times. 1f your same style of play allows you to win money for months and months, it does not make it a losing style >ust because you ha+en't seen any wins for a few weeks. 1f the big blow to your bankroll is ha+ing an affect on your ability to play, the best ad+ice then is to take a break from the game and put poker at the back of your mind for a while. 7 week-long break is usually perfect for helping you to snap out of a negati+e frame of mind and get your game back on track. 'i+e it some time before you start playing again so that when you come back you can start afresh, the bad losing streak that you had will no longer be of any concern and you can carry playing the way you know how.

Poker downswings e#aluation.

=oker is a game of ups and downs, and unfortunately, the downs always feel a lot worse than the ups. There is nothing that you can do to stop the long losing sessions, you >ust ha+e to let the downswing take its course and ride it out as best as you can. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked. 7lways try and maintain focus e+en when you are at your lowest, because by playing your best game you will be minimi3ing any losses that you may ha+e. 2+ery poker player experiences +ery bad runs and bad beats, so >ust try your best to play through it until you are back on the up. ?ou ne+er know, the biggest upswing of your life might be >ust around the cornerW

How To H#er$ome ad eats

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R How To F+ercome )ad )eats 5

There is +ery little in poker that can throw you off of your game in such a dramatic way as a bad beat can. Dropping from the high of being all in on the flop with top set against two o+er cards, to the low of being outdrawn to a runner-runner flush is enough to make the biggest poker fan hate the game. Despite this howe+er, it is !ar more important than you think to deal with the !rustration be!ore playing your ne*t hand.

% $ommon mistake.
1ts not uncommon for a player to chase after the money they un>ustly lost for the rest of the session. =layers will try and pull huge bluffs and call for any draw whilst adopting the mentality of (1f they can win with rags, then so can 1(. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised. 1'm sure as you read this you can recall a time when you ha+e been in exactly the same position, trying your hardest to get back the money thatCs sitting in the lap of the luckiest player in the

world. )ut do you get it backE -ore often than not you are losing more money in this imprudent pursuit. This is probably one of the main reasons why you currently can't win money playing online poker.

How $an you get o#er a bad beat?

1t all seems so ob+ious now, >ust stop the tilting and sa+e yourself some money. )ut lets be honest, its ne+er going to be that easy. &ome beats are so bad that they can cloud your mind to all rationality and you fritter away your remaining chips on that ten-high flush draw. )ut there are things you can do to help stop such an ob+ious leak of chipsG

-5 Take a break.
Honestly, there is nothing better for sa+ing your hard earned money than taking a break from the game. Whether that be for a few moments or for a few days, it's the most effecti+e way of preser+ing your bankroll from tilt. Aust because you lea+e the game now, it doesn't mean you'+e lost the opportunity to win your money backH in fact itCs probably the opposite. #et yourself cool down and come back when you are in a rational frame of mind. There is always going to be a game of poker in the next ten minutes, the next week, and e+en next year. &a+e yourself for when you can play at the top of your game.

'5 Think in terms o! e*pe$tation.

&imply put, think of the money you expected to win on the particular hand that you lost with. This can be done with the use of freely a+ailable odds calculators *like =oker&to+e.. For example, if you are all in holding 77 against 7I pre-flop, you are roughly O!9 fa+orite to win the hand *also know as pot e/uity.. &o you can say you won O!9 of what was in that pot - FK## &TF=. The 5!9 chance of losing means that you expect to lose in this situation occasionally, and this time you >ust got caught up in that 5!9 chance. ?ou may end up losing that particular hand but in the long run you will be winning more. &ee the article on &klansky dollars for more information on this concept. 1t's a good read.

ad beats e#aluation.
)ad beats are an integral part of poker, so if you want to become a long term winner you are going to ha+e to get used to them. 1f there were no such things as bad beats, then most of us would ne+er ha+e a losing session. )ut on the positi+e side, bad beats are what keep the bad

players and soft competition coming back. 1t tricks them into thinking they made the right play, or that poker is always about luck. 7nd for that we should be thankful.

Poker Chat o* Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R @hat )ox &trategy 5 "oteG 7fter reading through this article as of &eptember !!<, 1 think that the ad+ice gi+en here is now a little outdated. 1 wouldn't ad+ise that you incorporate this ad+ice into your e+eryday strategy. "onetheless, 1 am going to keep this article here for anyone interestedL

7lmost e+ery online poker room today has a chat box feature. This feature allows you to communicate with the other players at the table like you can at li+e tables. The online poker chat box has spawned numerous abbre+iations o+er the years to sa+e time whilst typing. )elow is a list of the most commonly used abbre+iationsG "H - "ice Hand ") - "ice )et "@ - "ice @all '' - 'ood 'ame W= - Well =layed ),) - )e ,ight )ack @K - &ee ?ou WTF - What The F^^^ T? - Thank ?ou THS - Thanks

Li#e poker and tells.

=rofessional players will regularly talk to the other players at the table in li+e play *if it is permitted. to try and obtain extra information of their opponentCs hands and their ability to play poker. These professionals will not only be analy3ing what you say, but the manner in which you say it.

)y stimulating con+ersation, opponents will be trying to in+oke physical tells which they can then use to >udge the strength of your hand. The chat box will ne+er be able to completely emulate li+e discussionH therefore the amount of information you can gain through the chat box is greatly reduced. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games.

How to use the $hat bo* to our ad#antage.

Howe+er, if we are to use the chat box to our ad+antage, we ha+e to look at the feature from a different angle. 1nstead of trying to get information from our opponents, we should be trying to give information to our opponents. 1t is far easier to portray an image of yourself rather than extract information using the chat box feature. &o what are we trying to portray, and how are we going to portray itE The last thing we want to do is gi+e the impression that we are experienced poker players, so we donCt want to be talking about re+erse implied odds or the gap concept in the chat box. This will make our opponents wary of our raises, which wonCt help when trying to build monster pots. We want to make the other players think that we are recreational and6or poor players who canCt lay down mediocre hands, and that we think poker is purely a game of luck. )y doing this we are setting oursel+es up to win bigger pots, because our opponents will ha+e the impression that they will ha+e the better hand when we are calling their raises. &o now we are looking to make our opponents think that we are substandard players. We ha+e to approach this carefully so that our image is authenticH so unfortunately, typing (1'm s^^^( into the chat box >ust isn't going to cut it. The most con+incing way of portraying an inexperienced image is by gi+ing opinions on hands that ha+e >ust been played. The art comes in making what we say subtle yet con+incing. The following is a list of things that can be said at the table at certain times to help get you started on gi+ing e+eryone the impression that you are a poor playerG

("ot ha+ing as much luck today( - 7fter folding or losing a pot. (7ny two cards can win( - 7t any time (Inew 1 should ha+e called( - 7fter folding and seeing the next card when others carry on with the hand *despite whether or not the card would ha+e helped you.

1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training.

Chat bo* strategy o#er#iew.

This is >ust the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things you can say in the chat box to gi+e yourself the inexperienced image. 7nything that contradicts good poker strategy is good enough

to be typed into the chat box. Aust make sure that you do not go o+er the top, as o+er-use of the chat feature will lower the integrity of what you are saying. ?ou should also remember that this little trick wont ha+e monster pots falling at your feet, but it should help in stimulating a little extra action when opponents come to play hands against you.

&ultiple Le#el Thinking

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R -ultiple #e+el Thinking %

Whene+er you sit down at the poker table, you should always be trying to outsmart and out-think your opponents by keeping one step ahead of them at all times. 1t is for this reason that people with the ability to clearly think through situations and act upon them ha+e the ability to do well at the poker table. 1f you are unable to piece together different pieces of information to build a bigger picture of the way each hand is played out, you will find that you will struggle to make much money from poker. )eing able to work out why your opponent is playing in a certain way is an essential skill for any winning poker player. 1f you can figure out what your opponent may be holding, you can make the most profitable decisions in each situation depending on what information you ha+e managed to pick up.

The le#els o! thought in poker.

Working out what your opponent may be holding is not easy, and it relies on your ability to think on a number of different le+els. (-ultiple #e+el Thinking( is a concept that was brought forward by Da+id &klansky in his book NL Holdem Theory and !ractice, and defines the different le+els of thought that a poker player can occupyG

Le#el (I 1 know nothing Le#el -I What do 1 ha+eE

Le#el 'I What does my opponent ha+eE Le#el >I What does my opponent think 1 ha+eE Le#el ?I What does my opponent think that 1 think they ha+eE Le#el @I What does my opponent think that 1 think they think 1 ha+eE

1 think 1 should probably lea+e it there now because of the fact that it is unlikely that any players will be thinking abo+e this le+el, in addition to the fact that it is getting pretty difficult for me to e+en write down and comprehend at such a high le+el. )ut hopefully as you can see, you can think on different le+els whilst playing poker, with the most inexperienced players playing at le+el ! or 5 and the more ad+anced players of the game playing at % or abo+e.

H#er#iew o! the di!!erent le#els.

Le#el ( isn't really much of a le+el, but 1 ha+e thrown it in there to describe players who ha+e no idea about the rules of the game, or players who are playing poker drunk and ha+e no idea about what they are doing. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised. Le#el - is again pretty basic, and will mainly apply to players who ha+e >ust got to grips with the rules of the game and are >ust about aware of the different hand ranks that apply to the game of poker. Therefore they will spend the ma>ority of their time trying to figure out how strong their hand is, and thus if they ha+e much of an opportunity to win the hand. #e+el 5 players will ha+e difficulty bluffing, as their bluffs will be made regardless of what they think their opponent may be holding. Le#el ' is the category that most poker players will fall in to, as it encapsulates the players who ha+e had some experience in the game, but are probably not /uite yet winning players. These players will consider what their opponent will be holding, but probably do not /uite yet ha+e enough knowledge of the game to make plays based on mathematics or the correct strategy for each situation. Le#el > players will be winning players as they are always acti+ely thinking about the thoughts of the other poker players around them, and so they are more aware of optimum situations for bluffing and can make more accurate +alue bets. The difference between a le+el and $ player is the roughly difference between that of a losing player and a winning player. le#el ? is where things start to become a little tricky, but the more ad+anced players will be able to grasp hold of the thought processes at this le+el and use it to their ad+antage. Howe+er, e+en if a player is able to think at this le+el it is unlikely that they will e+er need to use this ability, as there are not many players who will able to think at the same le+el as them.

Le#el @ is where things start to get pretty ridiculous, and 1 don't think there is much use in me going through it. 1 had a hard enough time writing it down, so 1'm not sure how good my explanation would be if 1 tried. )ut if you e+er come across someone playing at this le+el, my ad+ice would be to lea+e the table as /uickly as possible.

What does multiple le#el thinking mean to you?

The main reason as to why it is important to know about the different le+els of thought is so that you can sa+e yourself from playing incorrectly against different types of players. There is no point playing at le+el $ if your opponent is playing at le+el !, because there is no need to consider what your opponent thinks you ha+e if they don't e+en ha+e any idea about what they are holding themsel+es. ?ou will >ust be Bo+er thinking' the situation and wasting you time and effort. Therefore to beat each type of player, you should always stick to thinking at one le+el abo+e your opponents only. 1f you find that a player is only concerned about what they are holding and playing at le+el 5, you will be able to beat them by thinking about what they might be holding and playing at le+el . To beat any type of poker player, you simply need to be playing 5 le+el abo+e them. "ot >ust 5. or $,

Therefore you should be able to bluff them successfully whereas they will not as they are not gi+ing any thought to the strength of your hand. There is no need to make extra+agant plays against a low le+el thinker because they will ha+e no idea about what is taking place, which will make it more likely that your Bad+anced' play will backfire. So !or e#ery opponent you play againstG simply play at the le#el abo#e him or her and you will be able to employ a su$$ess!ul winning poker playing style against them . The higher the le+el of thought you can use effecti+ely the better, but also be prepared to adapt depending on the le+el of your opponents. This applies to all le+els from ! and abo+e.

&ultiple le#el thinking e#aluation.

7s a general rule, you should stick to playing at one le+el abo+e your opponent in order to beat them. 1t is not easy to categori3e your opponents as they do not come with signs informing you of their le+el of thought, but you can make decent >udgments by analy3ing the way they play. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. To become a winning player you should be able to play at le+el $, but this does not mean that you should play at this le+el at all times. ?ou should be flexible and change your le+el of thought depending on your opponent, and you will find that you will be making more profitable plays in the long run.

Poker &etagame
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R =sychology R =oker -etagame 5

What is the metagame?

-etagame is often referred to as the Ugame within the gameV, where you make a play or decision that has been influenced by external knowledge rather than based on fundamental strategy alone. To put it another way, e+ery time you make a play that goes against *or ignores. basic mathematical strategy in poker, chances are that you are utili3ing meta game strategy. The poker metagame is the (game within the game(, which focuses on information other than cards, chips and bet si3es. The =oker meta game is not about the cards, the si3e of the bets or the stack si3es. The poker meta game is more of a Uthinking man's pokerV, where you consider the potential results of your actions and the general gameplay to help you make the most profitable decisions at the table.

&etagame diagram.

7wful diagram 1 know. )ut hopefully it helps to push the idea that the metagame is all the stuff that takes place in the minds of the players and away from the (physical( aspects of play. This all sounds well and good, but 1'm sure you are still a little confused, so allow me to elaborate with an example...

Poker metagame e*ample.

#ets say that you ha+e been playing at a table for a short period of time and you are playing a hand against an opponent who you know +ery little about. For whate+er the reason, you are at the ri+er with a mediocre hand facing a moderately si3ed bet. 2ither way, you are confident that o+er the long run, basic poker mathematics suggests that making the call would be an unprofitable play. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. Howe+er, try and think beyond the basic mathematics of this situation and consider other outcomes of calling this bet for a second. 2+en though we may well be making a slightly poor mathematical play o+er the long run, there are two uni/ue ad+antages of calling hereG

We get to see our opponent's cards. We gi+e oursel+es a loose table image.

)eing able to see our opponent's cards in this hand may well pro+e to be +ery handy for us, as it allows us to see what type of player our opponent is. We can then use this information on them to make better decisions in future hands because we ha+e a better knowledge of their style of play. 1n addition to this, by making /uite a weak play, we may well gi+e the impression that we are a poor player that calls down ri+er bets with marginal hands. This could pro+e to be beneficial in future hands as our opponent may decide to show less respect to our bets, allowing us to potentially take down bigger pots later on down the line. &o e#en though we made a play that was unpro!itable based purely on the mathemati$s o! the situationG the reper$ussions o! that parti$ular play may well make up !or this small loss through bigger wins in !uture hands. This may well ha+e been something that you ha+e thought about before, and it is essentially what the poker meta game is all about. 7n unprofitable play in one hand may well set you up for greater wins in a later hand due to the metagame.

% !ew important metagame points.

Don't use it as an excuse to make bad plays.

The =oker -etagame changes with time. -etagame plays are used more fre/uently against familiar players.

7lthough the abo+e example highlights how making a slightly Uless profitableV play could pay off in the future, it should not be used as an excuse to regularly make poor decisions when you're playing poker. "either should you look to go out of your way to intentionally make unprofitable plays with the loose hope of creating an image that will pay off on future hands. 2+ery now and then a metagame-style situation will crop up and make itself apparent, so don't fret about searching for it too much. The meta game in poker is always changing. For example, when Doyle )runson first wrote the book U&uper &ystemV, it contained top notch strategy for "# Holdem at the time it came out. Howe+er, o+er the years players ha+e become more aggressi+e, and so the general style of play ad+ocated in the book will not be as profitable as it once was.

Poker metagame e#aluation.

1n general, meta game plays are going to be more e!!e$ti#e against opponents that you ha#e played against regularly and ha#e a history with. This is because of the fact that you will ha+e an understanding of the way your opponent plays, and so you will know Uwhat makes them tickV and how to combat their style of play. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. 7lthough the meta game approach can be used against players you are unfamiliar with *for example, betting against players with mediocre to strong hands at lower limits because they tend to call more often with weak holdings., it is going to play a bigger role in your decisions against players who you ha+e sat down with at the tables before.

The 9undamental Theorem H! Poker

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Theorems R Fundamental Theorem Ff =oker !

The fundamental theory of poker was put forward by professional poker player Da+id &klansky in the popular poker strategy book The Theory of !oker. Muoting the theory directly from the book, it states thatG U2+ery time you play a hand differently from the way you would ha+e played it if you could see all your opponents' cards, they gainH and e+ery time you play your hand the same way you would ha+e played it if you could see all their cards, they lose.V U@on+ersely, e+ery time opponents play their hands differently from the way they would ha+e if they could see all your cards, you gainH and e+ery time they play their hands the same way they would ha+e played if they could see all your cards, you lose.V David klasnky7 The Theory of !oker This particular poker theorem is different to the other ones described on this site, because it is a big general theorem as opposed to a smaller theorem that tells you what to do in S situation. "onetheless, it is pretty straight forward, and it is a cornerstone of e+ery winning poker player's game.

Is the theorem still e!!e$ti#e?

"o doubt about itH the fundamental theorem of poker always has been and always will be a concrete theorem in the world of poker. &o there's no excuses for not learning this one.

)*planation o! the !undamental theorem o! poker.

1magine that the next time you play Texas Hold'em, all of your opponents' holecards will be turned up so that you can see them. 1f this is the case, you would always know the strength of your opponents' hands, and therefore you would always know whether to bet, check, raise, call and fold e+ery time the action gets to you. Therefore basically speakingG

1f you can see that you ha+e the best hand, you would bet. *Knless there is more +alue in deception. 1f you can see that you ha+e the worst hand, you would fold. *Knless you ha+e odds to draw.

This means that you would be playing the most profitable game of poker possible, as you are following the fundamental theorem of poker perfectly. Knfortunately howe+er, the whole point of poker is that you are ne+er 5!!9 sure of what your opponent holds, which means that you are going to drift away from this perfect line of poker by not knowing the exact cards that each player has. &o the key idea is to try and play poker as perfectly as possible e+en without being able to see other players' cards. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. 1n a nutshell, a winning poker player is a player that can play as closely to the way they would if they could see all of their opponents' cards. The more information that you can obtain from your opponent through reads and by analysing their betting patterns, the closer you will be able to play to this le+el and the more profitable your game will be.

)*ample o! the !undamental theorem o! poker.

7 4564 "# game and both players ha+e 4 !! stacks. Fur HandG A A Fpponent's HandG O < )oardG 7 A #et's say that we are last to act, and our opponent has bet 4 ! into a 4 ! pot on the flop. We can also see what cards our opponent is holding. "ow, according to the fundamental theorem of poker, what should we doE Well, we ha+e $ possible options. 5. Fold . @all $. ,aise Folding is out of the /uestion, because we can see that we ha+e the best hand. &o we're down to either calling or raising. The best action here is to call. We can see that our opponent is making a pure bluff at this pot, so if we were to raise with by far the best hand here there is +ery little chance that our opponent is going to call and put more money in the pot. Howe+er, by calling we are gi+ing our opponent the opportunity to put more money in on the turn by bluffing again. We stand to make more from the hand through deception, so calling has a greater expected +alue than raising. Howe+er, if we can see our opponent has a hand like 7 for two-pair, raising would definitely be far more ;20 than >ust calling. We can be +ery confident that our opponent will

call a raise, so we can get a lot more +alue from the hand by raising with our strong hand rather than attempting to induce a bluff like we did in the last example. 7s you can see, knowing the exact cards that our opponent is holding in each situation helps us to make the most profitable play possible.

What's the use o! the !undamental theorem?

The most important idea is >ust to be aware of the theorem and try your best to follow it as closely as possible by analysing your opponents' plays and reading them as best as you can. The better your hand reading skills get, the closer you will be able to play according to the fundamental theorem and the more money you will make. ?ou will not always be able to fill in all the gaps, but that is okay because neither will your opponents. )ut if you can build a greater understanding of the way they play and play more closely to the fundamental theorem of poker than they do, you will come out on top at the end of the day.

H#er#iew o! the !undamental theorem o! poker.

1 think 1 >ust about co+ered all of what 1 wanted to say about the theorem in this article. The fundamental theorem is not a small theorem that points out a small aspect of the game, it is a whole new way of thinking and a way to approach the game. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. 1f you can play poker with the intention of playing as closely as you can to the way you would play if you could see all of your opponents' cards, you will do well. Howe+er, poker is poker because you are ne+er fully aware of what the other player holds. 7ll of the strategy articles on Texas Hold'em and on any other poker +ariant basically tries to help you play as closely to the fundamental theorem of poker based on the limited information that you ha+e on your opponents. 1t's as simple as thatL

Teebo's Theorem
[eebo's theorem is /uite a simple one, and is likely to be the most profitable of all the popular poker theorems. [eebo's theorem states thatG U"o player is capable of folding a full house on any betting round, regardless of the si3e of the bet.V

"ice and straightforward ehE #et's look into it in more detailW

Is Teebo's theorem still e!!e$ti#e?

?es, and it's the most reliable theorem out of all the ones listed on this site. The theorem was put forward back in !!:, and has helped to make followers of this theorem a nice amount of money e+er since.

Why Teebo's theorem works.

[eebo's theorem works because of the following pointsG

7 full-house is a +ery strong hand. Full houses do not come around regularly. Therefore players will +ery, +ery rarely fold a full house.

1f you think about e+ery possible situation of where you hold a full house in Texas Hold'em, you will not be able to find one where you can comfortably fold the hand. 2+en if the bet is +ery large, the chances are that you and other players will call the bet when you hold a full house. 1n addition, e+en if your opponent holds a +ery weak full house, the fact that there is always the possibility that you could be bluffing means that they are going to force themsel+es to call anyway. They may not like making the call, but they are going to put that money in the middle when they ha+e a full house. ?ou may not ha+e thought about this idea too much before, but 1'm sure that you can understand that this particular theorem holds a lot of truth at the Texas Hold'em tables.

How to use Teebo's theorem to your ad#antage.

"ow that you are aware of [eebo's theorem, you need to do two things to start making money from the use of this particular theorem.

Do not try and bluff anyone that you suspect holds a full house. 'et as much money into the pot if you think your opponent has a full house and you hold a better hand.

=retty straightforward rightE 1f your opponent is ne+er going to let go of their full house regardless of how much money you put in the pot, you should get all your money in the middle when you ha+e the best of it and ne+er bluff if you are behind. 1f you can remember these two simple rules the next time you are confident that your opponent has a full house, you will be able to sa+e and win yourself a nice sum of money.

Teebo's theorem e*ample.

Aust a simple example for this one. )ut it should highlight how useful the theorem is pretty well. ?our HandG 7 A )oardG 7 7 M M Fpponent's HandG #et's say that we ha+e good reason to suspect that they ha+e a M. Fn this board, you should be looking to get as much money into the pot as possible. There should be no slowplaying here if you think that your opponent has a M, because they will ha+e a full house also and there is no getting away from the hand for them. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training. 2+en though they ha+e the worst full house, they will almost always con+ince themsel+es to call in case you might be bluffing. 7s much as they dislike it, they are going to call. 1f you put yourself in your opponent's position, 1'm sure that you can empathi3e and understand how you can exploit [eebo's theorem fully. [eebo's theorem example hand history.

%n e*$eption.
7lthough [eebo's theorem is good OO9 of the time, there's always that 59 of the time where a tight player folds a full house. Here's a prime example of that 59 in a H&= hand between Aohnny @han and =hil #aak. 1 think =hil #aak's fold here is warranted. @han is a +ery tight player and it's +ery unlikely that he's raising with anything that's beaten by NN. Ff course, that's easy for me to say as 1 know each player's holecards. The suspiciously impressi+e part though is #aak's insta-fold J e+en the +ery best players would want to take a moment to think about it. "onetheless, these instances are rare, and e+en when a situation like this pops up the ma>ority of players will call anyway. 2+en though #aak's fold looks like the right play, calling is far from horrific, and that's what most players will think as well *if they're good enough to think on that kind of le+el..

Who is Teebo?
[eebo, (capt[22bo( or to use his full online alias (@aptain [eebo( is a professional high stakes online poker player. @aptain [eebo's real name is 'reg #a+ery. 1 don't know much about the guy, but here is [eebo's blog *ob+iously doesn't get updated that much. and here is a really interesting documentary on @aptain [eebo's life as a professional

poker player by Deuces @racked. 1f you want to find out e+en more about capt[22bo, you can also check capt[22bo's ; member profile and search through all of his old posts and threads.

Teebo's theorem o#er#iew.

1f there is one poker theorem that you should learn and use at the tables, it should definitely be [eebo's theorem. 1t is pretty straightforward, and it will help to win more money. &imple as that. There is not much else 1 can really add to that, except for that you should try and make a conscious decision to think about when your opponent may ha+e a full house. Ftherwise the opportunity to take ad+antage of [eebo's theorem will >ust pass you by. Don't let this be an article that you read and forget 5! minutes later. Hit the tables and think about the theorem J it will get drilled into you this way.

The aluga Theorem

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Theorems R )aluga Theorem 5

This is another theorem from the !!: period. 7 poster at the ; forum named U)alugaWhaleV put forward this handy theorem that should help with a common yet tricky situation on the turn. The )aluga theorem re/uires a little more explanation *see the example below. than most poker theorems as it is a little more detailed, but it should be too hard to grasp. 1n a nutshell though, the )aluga theorem states thatG U?ou should strongly re-e+aluate the strength of one-pair hands in the face of a raise on the turn.V 0aluga,hale7 twoplustwo8com forums Here is an example of where the )aluga Whale theorem commonly comes into play to help explain what this theorem means.

aluga theorem e*ample.

?our HandG 7 I ?ou are one of the first to act before the flop, and with your hand you decide to make a %)) raise. There is >ust one caller in late position and you both go to the flop. The FlopG 7 O $ This is pretty much an ideal flop, so you bet <))s, which is around the si3e of the pot. The TurnG 7 O $ N The N is pretty much a harmless card, but it does bring along the flush and straight draw possibility, so a strong Q pot si3e bet is in order here to gi+e any drawing hands the wrong odds to call. Howe+er, our opponent raises this bet and the action is back on us. This has turned the hand on it's head and we are left in a tricky situation. Throughout the hand we ne+er really considered the fact that our opponent has us beat, as it has been all about getting the most from our top pair. @heck out my rankings of the top Texas Hold'em poker rooms for K& players. ?ou may be surprised. 7ccording the the )alugaWhale theorem, we should strongly reconsider the strength of our pair due to this turn raise, and we should be looking to fold the ma>ority of the time in this spot. )aluga theorem example hand history.

Why is the aluga theorem e!!e$ti#e?

1t is easy to see why the )aluga theorem is effecti+e by asking yourself the following /uestionG Would our opponent be raising this turn with anything less than top pairE The simple answer is no. 7ny turn raise is going to show a significant amount of strength, and a weak top pair or worse is not going to warrant this sort of display of strength. 1'm sure that you can feel how much of an awkward situation this is when you hold top pair top kicker, but we both know that folding is going to be the best mo+e here the ma>ority of the time. Fne of the biggest problems is that we are out of position, which means the information we ha+e on our opponent is limited. ?ou can try and con+ince yourself that the turn card was harmless and how might you like to think that your opponent is aggressi+ely playing a draw, but at the end of it all you can't get away from the fact that you are in an uncomfortable situation where calling is likely to be a losing play o+er the long run.

1f you decide to call on the turn, what are you going to do on the ri+erE ?our opponent is almost definitely going to be betting out as a bluff or betting with the best hand, so closing your eyes and calling the turn bet whilst hoping for the best on the ri+er isn't going to be a great strategy.

Is the aluga theorem still e!!e$ti#e today?

?es. 1 would say that the )aluga theorem is one of a small number of theorems that you should take note of and incorporate into your Texas Hold'em game.

Who is alugaWhale?
7ndrew ()alugaWhale( &eidman is a pretty well known name around the ; forums. 7ndrew is a professional high stakes poker player and currently coaches o+er at the Deuces @racked training site. He is actually a really awesome coach as well, which you should be able to tell from the sample +ideo in my Deuces @racked re+iew.

)alugaWhale highlights at Deuces@racked. The @oaching Tree =arallels

7ndrew semi-regularly blogs at )aluga)ay about general life stuff. ?ou can also read old posts and threads started by 7ndrew through his )alugaWhale ; forum member page. For what it's worth, yes, ()aluga( is a misspelling of ()eluga(. "ot sure if this misspelling was actually intentional, but that's the way it stands.

aluga Whale theorem o#er#iew.

1n my opinion, the )aluga whale theorem is one of the top three theorems *along with [eebo's theorem and @larkmeisters' theorem. to come out of forums o+er the last few years. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. 1'm sure that you ha+e been in this exact same situation many times before at the tables and had trouble making the best decision. 7t least now this theorem can lay your worries to rest as you make those folds with far less concern about whether or not you made the right play.

The Clarkmeister Theorem

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Theorems R @larkmeister Theorem !

This is another specific theorem like the )aluga Whale theorem, and similarly it is not too difficult to grasp. The thoerem was initially put forward for limit Texas Hold'em games, but it works perfectly well in the no limit Texas Hold'em en+ironment. The @larkmeister theorem states thatG U1f you are heads up and first to act on the ri+er, if the ri+er card is the %th card of a same suit you should betV. 1 can't find a reliable source for this theorem, but 1'm confident that it stems from the ; forums from a few years ago.

Why is the Clarkmeister theorem e!!e$ti#e?

The @larkmeister theorem works well because of the following reasonsG

The % cards of the same suit are going to scare many players. Therefore this creates a great opportunity to bluff on the ri+er. 7 strong bet will often force any player without a flush or e+en a weak flush to fold.

1f you put yourself in the shoes of a player that is facing a strong bet after that %-flush card hits on the ri+er, you can already feel yourself leaning toward folding anything less than a flush, along with weak flushes. Therefore you can see that this is a prime opportunity for a bluff for the player that is first to act, as you are going to fold the +ast ma>ority of your hands in this spot.

How to use Clarkmeister's theorem in Te*as Hold'em.

To ensure that you get the most from the @larkmeister theorem, make sure that you get the fundamentals sorted before attempting the bluff.

?ou should be first to act on the ri+er. ?ou should be heads up against your opponent. ?ou should make a strong bet J around Q the si3e of the pot at least.

1f you are not first to act, it makes your bet a lot less con+incing and so the bluff will be less effecti+e. 1f your opponent checks to you and you bet, it makes it more ob+ious that you are

trying to pull off a bluff. Therefore as the @larkmeister theorem states you should bet when you are first to act. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. The more players there are in the hand, the more likely it is that someone actually has a great hand. 1f you are heads up there is a greatly reduced risk of your opponent actually ha+ing a strong flush or better. )y making a strong bet, it puts your opponent to a +ery tough decision, and increases the chances that they are going to fold. 1f you make a weak bet, then you are pretty much gi+ing your opponent good odds to call, and so your bluff attempt it going to be pretty poor. &how no fear and make a decent bet if you really want the @larkmeister theorem to work.

Important point.
When you are using the 'larkmeister theorem, you are turning your hand into a bluff. Therefore you should not look to bet out if you want to try and extract as much money from the hand as you can, because with the @larkmeister theorem you are looking to get your opponent to fold. &imilarly, if you ha+e a hand like a weak flush at this stage in the hand, you will be best ser+ed check6calling as opposed to betting out. This is because you will only be forcing weaker hands to fold, which doesn't pro+ide you with any +alue. This would be referred to as a way ahead 6 way behind situation, and so check6calling is better than bluffing.

Is the Clarkmeister theorem still e!!e$ti#e?

?es. 1t is not bullet proof like [eebo's theorem, but 1 think it is on par with the )aluga theorem in terms of reliability.

Clarkmeister theorem o#er#iew.

Knlike the cra3y ae>ones theorem and outdated ?eti theorem, the @larkmeister theorem is a useful one that you should take note of. Knless you are coming up against experienced players who are aware of this theorem and can exploit other players who use it, you should find the @larkmeister theorem to be profitable o+er the long run. "ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before. This theorem should work brilliantly against the weaker players, which means that you will be able to steal your fair share of pots with it. )e sure to use your knowledge of your opponent and the information from pre+ious betting rounds to help you when deciding whether or not to make this play, as this will help with its o+erall success rate.

The :eti Theorem

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Theorems R ?eti Theorem !

The (?eti theorem( is /uite an old theorem in poker that was coined by a poster at the ; forums some time ago. The theorem essentially states thatG U7 $-bet on a dry flop *preferably paired. is almost always a bluff.V 9eti Theorem7 twoplustwo8com forums -- "ot the original thread, but good enough. This means that if the flop could not gi+e anyone a possible flush or straight draw, if you re-raise an opponent and they raise you back, the chances are that they are bluffing.

:eti theorem e*ample.

#et's say that you are heads up against an opponent and you are first to act. The flop has come < $ $ . 1t does not really matter what cards you are holding or what happened before the flop, so >ust take it as it is. Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money. We check to our opponent and they bet out J perfectly standard. We then check-raise them and the action is back on our opponent, as they ha+e to call our raise to see the next card. 1f our opponent once again raises this raise, then by using the ?eti theorem why can assume that they are almost always bluffing in this situation, and so we should be able to push all in and make them fold or call and show down the best hand.

How the :eti theorem works.

&o now we know the structure of the 9eti theorem, let's ha+e a think about the ideas behind the ?eti theorem. We'll assume that the flop is still < $ $ .

There are ' key ideas that dri#e the :eti theorem.
5. 1f our opponent had an <, they would not ha+e a strong enough hand to re-raise our check raise. . 1f our opponent had a $, they would be more likely to trap and call as opposed to raising us again. Take a few seconds to mull o+er these ideas J it's easy to read o+er them but not fully take e+erything in, so make sure you ha+e an idea of why these points make sense.

Hur opponent has an D.

1f our opponent has an <, their bet after we ha+e checked to them makes perfect sense. They may well ha+e the best hand and they will want to take the pot without gi+ing us the opportunity to catch up if we missed. "ow, if we check-raise it shows a great amount of strength, and it would easily appear as though we ha+e a $ or an o+er pair at least. "o Texas Hold'em player with any common sense is going to be confident enough to call this check-raise with >ust an <, let alone make another raise, which means that a $-bet here would be totally out of place.

Hur opponent has a >.

1f our opponent has a $, the chances are that they will be more inclined to slowplay the hand as opposed to come out raising and re-raising on the flop. The flop bet is not a bad play, but a number of players are likely to check here in an attempt to trap their opponent due to the flop being so dry. The most peculiar play according to the ?eti theorem would be the fact that they $-bet with their $-of-a-kind, because this would seem like too strong of a play, where calling and trapping would be the preferable option for the +ast ma>ority of players.

Is the :eti theorem still e!!e$ti#e?

1n my honest opinion, the ?eti theorem is old and does not hold as much weight as it used to. &o no, 1 wouldn't say that it is effecti+e anymore. There are two main problems with the ?eti theorem in Texas Hold'emG

=layers are far more aggressi+e these days, and $-bets with strong hands are not entirely rare. =layers are likely to $-bet dry flops like < $ $ with o+erpairs.

The fact of the matter is that players are always looking to out-le+el their opponent *see multiple le+el thinking.. Therefore if your opponent knows that you think that your opponent is always

bluffing when they $-bet dry flops, they are going to go ahead and $-bet dry flops when they ha+e a strong hand. Furthermore, players will be more than happy to $-bet with o+erpairs to the board in this spot. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. When the ?eti theorem first came about, the chances are that it worked pretty well for many people, but as time went by the game has de+eloped and e+ol+ed, and so they ?eti theorem is no longer as useful as it once was.

:eti theorem o#er#iew.

"ow, 1 hope that you're not too annoyed at the fact that you >ust read through an article on what appears to be an outdated and useless play, because there is still something to be learned from this theorem. 1n some instances the ?eti theorem will still work, but my ad+ice would be to not stick to the ?eti theorem as a rule of thumb, and use your own logic and thought processes when those $-bets come around. Hopefully this theorem has opened your eyes a little and helped you to think about $-betting situations, which is really the most +aluable aspect of this article. &o whilst it may not ha+e directly helped you by adding a new weapon to your arsenal, it will ha+e helped your general understanding of the game.

aeCones Theorem
Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Theorems R ae>ones Theorem !

7s with the ma>ority of theorems, the ae>ones theorem was name after a poster at the ; forums named Uae>onesV - surprise surprise. This theorem is actually pretty tongue-in-cheek, but 1'm going to discuss it anyway. The ae>ones theorem states thatG U"o one e+er has anything.V

ae:ones7 twoplustwo8com forums 7aron (ae>ones( Aones currently coaches at #eggo=oker. &ee ae>ones at #eggo =oker 7 pretty broad and straightforward statement 1 know, but let's ha+e a think about it anyway...

Is aeCones' theorem e!!e$ti#e?

1f you take it literally, no. The chances are that you didn't need me to tell you that, but it's good to make sure that e+eryone knows where they stand. 1f you use the ae>ones theorem during play, you will lose money. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. )ut still, that's not to say that we can't sal+age something useful from this theorem.

The idea behind the aeCones theorem.

The dri+ing force behind the ae>ones theorem is the followingG

=layers do not always ha+e as strong a hand as you think they do. )etting, raising and general aggression is often enough to make your opponent fold.

Whilst there is an element of truth in both of these points, if you go all out betting and raising as the theorem ad+ocates, you are not going to be winning much money. Ff course there will be times when you win pots due to your aggression forcing other players to fold, but this style of play is >ust going to land you in +ery unfortunate spots time and time again. Taken literally, the ae>ones theorem suggests that wild raises and calls are the order of the day at the Texas Hold'em poker tables, and we both know that isn't the case for any successful poker player.

What $an you learn !rom the aeCones theorem?

1f you take this theorem with an industrial si3e grain of salt, you might be able to walk away from this article with a slightly impro+ed outlook on the game. 1f you ignore the disorderliness of the basic theorem, 1 think that you can actually take two useful things from itG

?our opponent is not always going to ha+e the absolute nuts. =laying aggressi+e poker is much better than playing passi+ely.

First of all, understanding that your opponents will not always ha+e the absolute nuts when they are betting into you will ser+e you well when it comes to analy3ing plays and making decisions. )ecause we ne+er know the exact two cards our opponent holds, it's easy to fear the worst when

facing a bet, when the fact of the matter is that our opponent may be >ust as scared of what we are holding. The core of the ae>ones theorem is that players can often gi+e too much credit for what their opponent is holding. 1 am not suggesting that you should think that you can always force your opponents to fold with a reraise, but simply to remember that both players in a hand ha+e concerns about what their opponent holds. 1f you can sensibly take ad+antage of this mutual caution during play, you might be able to pick up a few extra pots. &econdly, as you should know, aggressi+e poker is winning poker. ?ou don't win pots big pots and make opponents fold by playing passi+ely, so always try and play poker with controlled aggression. Ha+e a browse o+er the article on the importance of aggression in poker for more information on this topic.

Who is aeCones?
7aron (ae>ones( Aones is a +ery high stakes professional poker player. 7aron currently records training +ideos for #eggo=oker, which is a popular online poker training site. ?ou can also read ae>ones' #eggo =oker blog, which is updated fairly regularly. 1f you're feeling a little stalker-ish and want to check up on ae>ones' past, you can read all of his pre+ious posts and threads at the ; forums through ae>ones' ; member account.

MaeCones theoremM o#er#iew.

Despite the fact that the ae>ones is +ery tongue-in-cheek, it does actually bring up a few subtle but useful points if you look hard enough. This article may or may not ha+e changed your outlook on the game, but either way the ae>ones theorem is one that 1 thought was worth discussing to try and extract some good from it, in addition to clearing up any confusion with what the theorem implies. 1f you're serious about taking your game to the next le+el you should take ad+antage of poker training. 7t the end of the day though, >ust be sure to not take this theorem literally, and certainly do not use it the next time you sit down at the tables.

asi$ Sit and 0o Tournament Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R )asic &"' &trategy

! S80 Player? @heck out my rankings of the best sit and go poker sites for !5 .

7 &it and 'o *&"'. is a small poker tournament, typically >ust a single table, with no officially scheduled start time J when enough players >oin the tournament will begin. &"' tournaments ha+e become extremely popular online and are a+ailable at a wide range of buy-in le+els from >ust a few dollars into the 5!!!Cs. This article will co+er the basi$s o! S80 strategy by going through the +arious stages of a onetable tournament and showing how strategy changes. We start by gi+ing an o+er+iew of the differences between &"' strategy and that for cash games. "ext the % main stages of a &"' tournament are discussed separately, co+ering early game, mid-game, bubble play and finally in the money play. We wrap up by looking at some common opponent errors.

/i!!eren$e between tournament and $ash game strategy.

There are key differences between &"' and cash game strategy.
1. The relationship between stack si3es and the increasing blind le+els in &"' tournaments.

. The way in which profits are made and the resulting relationship between chip +alue and e/uity. @ash game poker players typically play with Bdeep stacksC in relation to the blinds. This means that betting occurs throughout a hand, gi+ing you time to assess the strength of your opponentCs holdings. &it and 'o strategy starts with deep stacks but before long the stacks are shallow in relation to the blinds J often 5! times the blind or less. Ha+e you check out my +ideos section yetE There are a bunch of free strategy +ids there for "#H2 cash games. This means that instead of distinct hands, &"' play deals with ranges of hands J the optimal play is to take *often small. mathematical edges against the range of hands opponents will call or raise with. For players used to cash games, &"'s can seem like an unskilled +ersion of poker J howe+er those players who are adept at working with both ranges and pri3e pool e/uity ha+e a significant and profitable edge.

1n a cash game the chips in your stack are worth exactly the dollar +alue assigned to them. Through the +arious stages of a &"' tournament the chips you hold will actually change +alue. This is due to the fact that the player who e+entually wins all the chips will not win all of the pri3e money. Typically &"' tournaments pay 8!9 for 5st, $!9 for nd and !9 for $rd. 1f 5! players start a 45! &"' with 5,!!! chips then each chip is worth 5c at the start of the game. 7t the end the winner has all 5!,!!! chips J howe+er the pri3e pool distribution gi+es him 48!, meaning each chip is worth !.8c. 7wareness of the changing +alue of chips and mathematics of pri3e pool e/uity are most important at the bubble, when >ust 5 player must bust before the money.

The di!!erent stages o! S80 tournaments.

)arly stage.
The early stages of &"' tournaments are characteri3ed by solid and tight poker. 7t this stage the blinds will be small and stacks deep. The reason that tight play is optimal in the early stages is due to a mid-game and bubble play dynamic known as Bfold e/uityC. &ince the ability to get opponents to fold in the later stages when the blinds are relati+ely high is so important to the game, tight play early is the norm to ensure that you keep enough chips for the middle stages.

&iddle stage.
7s the blinds get higher and number of remaining opponents begins to drop &"' play becomes more aggressi+e. The middle stages are characteri3ed by stealing blinds, raises and re-raises. 1n a cash game defending your blind is not critical to success *though necessary sometimes., in a &"' tournament blind defence is critical J as is the ability to use the threat of elimination to steal chips from your opponents.

Late stage 4bubble5.

The bubble is the most strategic part of any &"' tournament. With >ust one player to go before the paying places these tournaments often become a battle of ner+es as one player pushes all in and the others fold. The key strategy consideration now is that you need a much better hand to call an all-in bet than you need to mo+e all-in yourself *see the gap concept.. The reason is the diminishing +alue of chips.

2xample of the diminishing +alue of chips in &"'s. 1f % players each ha+e 8!! chips at the bubble then their Bpri3e pool e/uityC is 4 8. Howe+er, when players get all in and one wins the pot, those 8!!! chips are not worth 48! *more like 4$8..
o

*This is because the double stack does not guarantee 5st place..

&o when calling an all in bet you are risking 4 8 worth of chips in an effort to win an additional 45!. Thus you need a hand that is proportionally better than the raisers range J a tall order without a premium holding.

Fnce the bubble has burst and the remaining $ players are in the money paying places strategy changes once again. &ince the blinds are now huge in relation to the stack si3es all-in bets are again the norm. Howe+er without the risk of elimination players both raise and call raises with much weaker holdings. 7d>usting to this is dependant on specific opponents. Howe+er newer &"' players need to be aware that any pair, most aces and any Bface cardsC become +ery strong at this stage. &ee the article on short stack strategy for more information on this topic. For a superb guide to playing the final stages of &"'s *or playing HK&"'s specifically., check out )rokerstar's free heads up poker strategy training site.

% $ommon early mistake.

@ommon errors to watch out for in &"' tournaments include o+erplaying easily dominated hands early J for example ace-S *ace rag. hands where the S is >ack or lower. Failing to defend your blinds during the tournament, and calling bets at the bubble without +ery strong holdings are also errors. The ability to accurately assess the range of hands which indi+iduals will raise and call raises with is a key skill in &"' tournaments and worth spending the time to learn.

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Did you find this basic &"' strategy usefulE Well, you ha+en't seen anything yet... &itn'o 'rinders is the top training site for &"' strategy. 1f you're serious about impro+ing your ,F1 in &"' tournaments, you should really be watching the training +ideos at &itn'o 'rinders. They're worth 5!x more than the small fee you pay to watch and learn from them. 1t's the fastest

way to learn how to win good money from &"'s.

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For more ad+anced &"' tournament strategy, try the what is 1@-E and how to use 1@- articles.

Sit and 0o strategy o#er#iew.

1n summary, &"' strategy is all about $ interacting factors. ?our ability to adapt to the changing game conditions *changing gears., an understanding of how pri3e pool e/uity changes the +alue of chips and the ability to accurately assess the calling and raising ranges of your opponents. These factors are at their most important during bubble play J this is where the ma>ority of a good &"' player profit is deri+ed from.

&ulti"Table Tournament Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R )asic -TT &trategy !

-ulti-table poker tournaments *also known as -TT's for short. of all field si3es and buy-in le+els can be found online % hours a day. This article will co+er basic multi-table tournament strategy at the +arious stages that a tournament will go through before the lucrati+e final table.

&TT pri.e pool stru$ture.

We will start by looking at the key factor of how the pri3e pool in a multi-table online poker tournament is distributed J and the big influence this needs to ha+e on your strategy in order to maximi3e your poker winnings o+er time. "ext we go through the early, middle *including the bubble. and later stages of a poker tournament showing what factors influence your strategy at each point. Tournament pri3e distribution is +ery Btop hea+yC. The players who reach the final table will split up to half of the total pri3es between them J while those who make it into the first paying spots only will often win less than twice their initial buy-in. 2+en at the final table the top $ paying places will gi+e a disproportionately larger payout than the other places. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

This has a large effect on tournament strategy for those players who are looking to maximi3e their long-term profits. 7ggressi+e, positi+e play is rewarded at all stages of the tournament - by a shot at reaching the final table. =assi+e play during the later stages may enable you to sneak into the money positions J howe+er this will not make up for >ust a few final table appearances when adding up profits at the end of the month or year.

Top &TT poker rooms.

5. =oker&tars - &tars has the most -TTs along with the softest players. The -TT structure is standard, but nonetheless =oker&tars remains as the top room for -TTs. 2asily the top choice for -TT players. 0isit =oker&tars. . Full Tilt - #ike &tars, Full Tilt has a shed load of -TTs running throughout the day. The -TT structure is better than at &tars in my opinion, but the competition isn't /uite as soft. 0isit Full Tilt. $. =arty =oker - =arty is another high traffic room, so there are plenty of -TTs a+ailable. =arty has the worst -TT structure out of the $ *although in general it's not all that bad., but the room makes up for this by playing host to some incredibly soft -TT players. 0isit =arty =oker.

)arly stage tournament strategy.

1n the +ery early stages of a poker tournament the game plays in a similar way to a cash game table. This is because the stack si3es are many times the si3e of the blinds, allowing betting on the flop, turn and ri+er for many hands. BDeep &tackedC play in+ol+es its own ad>ustments including fa+oring hands which can make hidden BmonstersC such as small pairs and suited connectors. Hands that are easily dominated such as 7ce-Ten and Iing-Aack should generally be a+oided at this stage. ?our strategy ob>ecti+e in the first few blind le+els should be to accumulate chips from the weaker opponents who will still be in the tournament at this stage. 7t the same time you should a+oid big BgamblesC for all of your chips if you feel that your skill ad+antage will ha+e time to show o+er a larger number of small pots. Fne saying for the early stages of multi-table tournaments is that Byou need to take the chips from the weak players before someone else doesC J after all they will be harder to take from a stronger opponent later down the line.

Transitioning !rom early to late stages.

7s the blinds and antes get higher when compared to the a+erage stacks your tournament strategy needs to ad>ust to new conditions. &ince you must in+est more chips to see a flop the +alue of the speculati+e hands played in the early stages goes down.

High cards howe+er go up in +alue when you are the first to enter the pot. &ince calling a raise in the middle stages re/uires in+esting a large proportion of your stack this should be a+oided where possible. ?our opponents are often in the same situation J meaning that youCre raising re/uirements can be BlighterC than before, especially from late position.

Playing on the bubble.

The bubble is the stage of the tournament where >ust a few players need to be eliminated in order to reach the money paying places. 7t this stage the single most important factor affecting your strategy are stack si3es J both your own and those of your opponents. Ha+ing a large stack at the bubble will allow you to pick up many pots uncontested J as players will be less likely to fight with a big stack when they risk busting out before the money. Fther big stacks and +ery short stacks should be a+oided here, as they are more likely to call you. 1f you ha+e a medium stack at the bubble then you can use the knowledge that bigger stacks are likely to steal pots to your ad+antage. 1f you are dealt a reasonably strong hand and expect the big stack to be Braising lightC you can ha+e a positi+e expectation situation for a re-raise. &ure you will get unlucky and bust out sometimes J but your strategy for the whole tournament is to reach the final table and doubling up could gi+e you a chance to do so, more than making up for losing the small Bin the moneyC payout. 7fter the bubble BburstsC players will often loosen up considerably in an effort to accumulate enough chips to reach the final table. 7t this stage you need to choose your spots carefully. 7s with all forms of poker it is better to be the raiser rather than the caller.

&TT !inal table strategy.

The final table brings in yet another factor into your poker strategy thinking. &tack si3es are still +ery important, but now the payout structure J and your opponentCs strategy in relation to this come to the fore. The presence of a +ery small stack is a good example of how this affects the dynamic of the final table. -edium stacks will see that one player is >ust 5 big blind away from busting and will tighten up to a+oid going out before this player. This can lead to some great opportunities to pick up chips without too much risk. 7ggressi+e and positi+e poker are again the key elements to success at this stage of the poker tournament. The top three places will pay proportionately more than the rest J aim high by picking fights with those opponents who look like they would like to mo+e up in the money. )ig stacks and small stacks should again be a+oided, the medium stacks are much more likely to fold to pressure at this stage.

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&TT strategy e#aluation.

1n summary, tournament strategy in+ol+es ad>usting to the +arious stages which a poker tournament will go through. 7t the same time your goal in e+ery tournament should be to reach the final table. )usting on the bubble ne+er feels good J howe+er if for each time you bubble you reach another final table then your long-term profits will be better than that of opponents who tighten up in order to make the money. This article is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to -TT strategy. For more information and a bunch of other articles about playing in multi-table tournaments, try the poker tournament strategy section at my friend's -oses)et.com website.

Sit and 0o Poker 2HI

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R ,F1 ! S80 Player? Find out which poker rooms ha+e the softest sit and go games in !5 .

1'm sure you'+e all bumped in to the term (,F1( before, and you're probably aware that it stands for ,eturn Fn 1n+estment. 1t sounds like one of those terms you'll hear thrown around inside a business meeting along with the word (synergy(. &o what's ,F1 got to to with poker tournaments exactlyE Well, allow me to explain in this guide to e+erything you need to know about 2HI in poker.

What is Sn0 2HI?

,F1 is your a+erage profit from sit and goCs. ?our ,F1 is shown as a percentage of your &"' buy-in ; entry fee. &o for example, if you ha+e a ,F1 of 5!9 in 45!;45 &"'s, you are making an a+erage profit of 45.5! from each of these games you play. "oteG ,F1 does take in to account the money paid in tournament fees. 1f you're a cash game player, check out my poker winrates article for info on the (,F1( of cash games.

How to work out your poker 2HI.

?ou work out your return on investment in poker >ust as you would work out ,F1 in any other field. Di+ide your profit by your total in+estment, then multiply that number by 5!! to get the ,F1 percentage.

2/uations always look more complicated than they really are. For example, if you entered a O-seater 45!;45 &"' at =oker&tars and won the first pri3e of 4%8, your ,F1 for that one game would beG

=rofit T 4%8 - 455 T 4$% 1n+estment T 455 ,F1 T *4$% 6 455. x 5!! T $!O9

This is ob+iously an extremely high ,F1, and itCs far from sustainable *in reality you would struggle to maintain an a+erage ,F1 of 89.. Howe+er, this is >ust an example to show how easy it is to work out ,F1. ,F1 is more commonly used when looking at your winnings o+er a much larger sample si3e.

What<s a good sit and go 2HI?

1tCs +ery hard to work out accurate *and attainable. ,F1s. Howe+er, from my experience these percentages should gi+e you a rough idea of what an impressi+e ,F1 would look like at each le+el of Os &"'sG Le#el less than 4: 4: 6 455 4 4$$ 488 45!O 4 58 2HI !9 589 5!9 N9 89 %9 $9

These numbers are the upper limit of the sort of ,F1 you could hope for in &"' tournaments, so donCt be at all disappointed if your ,F1 is lower. 1n all honesty, you should be proud of any ,F1 abo+e !9.

"ow you'+e got some strategy under your belt, use it against the terrible players at )odog =oker and win e+en more money than before.

How $an you !ind out your S80 2HI?

There are $ waysG
1. &harkscope - the simplest method, but not super accurate. 2. Tracking software *e.g. H2- or =T$. - the most accurate method, but you ha+e to buy

the software first. $. "otepad - if all else fails.

-5 Sharks$ope.

&harkscope is a website that tracks the results of online poker tournaments. Aust search for your username and it should *hopefully. gi+e you an indication of your a+erage ,F1 from the tournaments you ha+e played online. The stats are limited and theyCre not 5!!9 accurate, but itCs a +ery /uick and easy way to get an idea of your o+erall ,F1. 1t's also free, but only for up to 8 searches a day. 1f you want to perform more searches you ha+e to pay to subscribe.

'5 Tra$king so!tware.

Ksing tracking software like Holdem -anager or =oker Tracker $ is the most accurate way of recording your results and finding your ,F1 across the different le+els of &"'s you ha+e played. This poker software costs money to buy, but they offer far more features than >ust the ability to record your results and calculate ,F1. 1f youCre serious about playing &"'s and trying to win money, 1'd highly recommend you grab yourself a copy of Holdem -anager.

>5 8otepad.
"othing wrong with tracking results the old fashioned wayL 1t takes a little more effort than the other two options, but if you keep note of the number of games you'+e played and your winnings then you can easily work out your ,F1 for yourself.

S80 2HI and hourly rate.

Hourly rate is the amount of money you are making from &"'s on a+erage per hour. Inowing your ,F1 per game is nice, but for many the hourly rate is a more useful statistic. &o how do you figure out your hourly rateE &impleG Find out how many &"'s you play on a+erage in one hour, then multiply that number by your ,F1.

1ui$k e*ample o! 2HI and hourly rate.

#etCs say you ha+e an ,F1 of :9 in 455 &"'s. This means you are winning an a+erage of 4!.:: per game. Due to the fact that you multi-table fre/uently, you ha+e worked out that you play an a+erage of < &"'s an hour. ThereforeG

Hourly rate T ,F1 x &"'s per hour Hourly rate T 4!.:: x < Hourly rate T 48. <

&o with your current ,F1, youCre earning 48. < an hour from multi-tabling &"'s. "ot bad, but probably not worth /uitting your day >ob o+er. With this figure you could go on to work out how much you might earn on a+erage in a day, a week, a month or e+en a year - which is handy. @heck out my article on how much can you win from online pokerE for more calculations on this sort of stuff.

%#erage sit and go duration.

S80 /uration Os N! mins 5<s O8 mins Ns 55! mins %8s 5 8 mins These are +ery rough figures, and they can ob+iously +ary from one poker site to the next *depending on tournament structure.. "onetheless, hopefully you can use these numbers to gi+e you a rough idea of how many &"'s you might be able to s/uee3e in per hour on a+erage. 1f you ha+e tracking software like Holdem -anager on the other hand, it will work out your hourly rate for you.

How many S80s do you ha#e to play to get a reliable 2HI?

-G(((.
1f you want to get a rough *thereCs that word again. idea of what your ,F1 might be for sit and goCs, you want to ha+e at least 5,!!! &"'s under your belt. 2+en then, your ,F1 from ha+ing played this many &"' tournaments isnCt going to be set in stone either, as +ariance can ha+e a significant effect on your ,F1 o+er this sample si3e. Howe+er, 5,!!! &"'s is widely regarded as the number you want to aim for before drawing any conclusions from or putting any stock in to your ,F1. To get a good idea of what your real ,F1 is though, you want to aim for 8,!!! &"'s.

2HI reliability based on number o! games played.

8!! - a +ery rough idea. 5,!!! - a rough idea. 8,!!! - a good idea.

To pro+e this, watch this +ideo on ,F1 simulations on ?outube, or download and try the poker ,F1 simulator out for yourself. Here's a link to the original ,F1 simulator thread at ; *it also has a /uick guide to using the program.. For e+en more detailed information on the reliability of your ,F1 based on number of games played, feel free to wade through this article at ; on &"' =oker ,F1 confidence inter+als.

9a$tors that a!!e$t your 2HI and hourly rate.

?our ability. The better you are at play &"'s, the higher your ,F1 will be from each game. This is where Texas Hold'em strategy comes in useful. &"' le+el. The higher up the stakes you go, the better the players become. This will reduce your ,F1 *as shown abo+e in the UwhatCs a good ,F1EV section.. -ulti-tabling. -ulti-tabling may decrease your o+erall ,F1 per game, but if youCre playing a greater number of &"'s profitably per hour it will increase your hourly rate. Fees. The higher the entry fees are in the games you play, the lower your ,F1 will be. The fees are the reason why the 48;45 &"'s at =arty =oker back in the day were so difficult to beat. Type of &"'. The Turbo &"' and &uper Turbo &"' structures reduce the element of skill, which means that as a good player your ,F1 will suffer *blinds increase /uickly, which leads to fewer pots player with high &=,s.. Howe+er, these games do not last as long as standard &"'s, so you will be able to play many more of them in an hour. Whether or not Turbo &"'s are generally more profitable than standard &"'s though is up for debate.

Which room you play at. 1f you play at a big poker room like =oker&tars, the &"' tables are going to fill up /uickly, which means less time spent waiting for games to start. This will impro+e your hourly rate. @on+ersely, if you play at a smaller room *maybe because of softer competition., you will likely spend more time waiting for the tournament tables to fill up. Whilst playing at the smaller room with the weaker players may well impro+e your ,F1, it will ha+e a negati+e effect on your hourly rate. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

)#aluation o! sit and go 2HI.

,F1 stands for U,eturn Fn 1n+estmentV. 1t helps you to find how much profit youCre making from each &"' you play on a+erage. Hourly rate is how much money youCre making from playing &"'s an hour. 7n ,F1 greater than !9 is good. ?ou need to play at least 5,!!! &"'s to get a half-decent idea of what your long-term ,F1 might be. Download Holdem -anager to keep track of the tournaments you play and to help you win money from the &"gs you play.

Turbo Poker Tournament Strategy

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R Turbo Tournament &trategy 5

Turbo poker tournaments are becoming increasingly popular at online poker rooms. ?ou can usually get a nice mix of turbo, super turbo and occasionally extreme turbo poker tournaments at the ma>ority of the top online rooms. 7s you can guess, these turbo it and 6o tournaments do not last for long, and so they attract the players who are looking for some fast entertainment at the poker tables.

"ow, these particular tournaments with their uni/ue *and pretty speedy. blind structures can be tricky to play, and so re/uire a certain strategy that is /uite different to your standard &it and 'o tournament strategy.

asi$ turbo poker tournament strategy.

The turbo poker tournaments are not impossible to beat, but the fact that the pace is so fast means that they re/uire a little more luck than your standard &n' tournament. This is because you are essentially playing short stack poker a lot of the time in these games, which means that a lot of your plays are going to be reduced to all-in or fold decisions. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good. There is +ery little room for post flop play in these games, and after the first few rounds you will not be playing much poker after the flop, as you are likely to be all in by this point. &o in a nutshell, good turbo poker tournament strategy is going to in#ol#e good starting hand sele$tion and pi$king the right spots to mo#e in. 1t can be pretty frustrating ha+ing the risk all your chips so fre/uently, but it's the way these games are played and how to play them successfully. There is no doubt that you are going to experience a lot of +ariance in these games, so don't expect to see results after a handful of tournaments. ?ou really need to play a large amount of these games to be able to consistently win money, so get used to some pretty big swings if you decide that you want to regularly play in turbo tournaments. ?ou will need to play a larger number of turbo tournaments before you start to see honest results.

)arly stage strategy.

7+oid getting in+ol+ed with meaningless pots. &tick with strong hands that you would back up with your stack. Don't be surprised to come up against wild plays early on.

The early stage of these turbo tournaments is going to be your only opportunity to play 'proper poker', as the blinds are going to be small in relation to the si3e of the stacks. This will only last for or $ le+els depending on how /uickly the blinds mo+e, but up until the big blind becomes around 565!th the si3e of your starting stack, you can be prepared to play hands without ha+ing to resort to drastic mo+es. Howe+er, at the early stages of these tournaments, 1'm not going to look to try and steal blinds or pick up small pots, as they are going to ha+e +ery little effect on the outcome of the tournament. 1f 1'+e got a strong hand 1'm going to raise a big amount and hope to catch someone o+er playing a weak ace and try and force them to put as much in the middle as possible, but this is no time to try and pick up small pots with fancy plays.

The fact that these tournaments run so /uickly means that the players at the table will already be in a gambling frame of mind, and will be willing to risk a lot or all of their stack e+en when the blinds are so small. Therefore whene+er 1 am dealt a hand, 1 am always going to consider whether or not it is one that 1 would back up with my whole stack. 1f not, then the chances are that 1 am going to fold.

&iddle stage strategy.

"ot much room for mo+ement, so be prepared to risk your entire stack on a hand. 7+oid trying to get tricky with marginal holdings, >ust stick with the big hands. The stop and go play can be +ery effecti+e in certain situations at this stage.

7s with any stage of turbo tournaments, starting hand selection is going to play a huge role in the middle stages of a tournament. 1f the general stack si3e means that players ha+e between N and 5 big blinds, you are in the middle stage of the game. This will allow for a two raises before one player is going to be all-in, so there really is not much room to mo+e around. 1n general, if 1 am entering a pot, then 1 am entering with the intention of playing for my entire stack. 1f 1 am becoming low on chips, the blinds are likely to be +aluable enough to pick up, so a solid all-in push from late position may well be a good plan of action from time to time. Fther than this howe+er, 1 am going to stick to playing with premium hands, but widening my starting range up in late position. 7t this stage, you can effecti+ely start to use the stop and go play. This will help increase your chances of winning a hand if you are prepared to push your entire stack in the middle, but don't feel that it will push your opponent off the hand. 1t may be a good idea to call a raise and push it in on the flop, as a small all-in reraise preflop will often gi+e your opponent the right odds to call.

Late stage strategy.

=lay aggressi+ely and don't be afraid to bully opponents. Take ad+antage of players who tighten up. ?ou will miss out on the money a lot of the time, but don't let it get to you. &hoot for 5st.

When you ha+e : big blinds or less, you are going to be in all-in or fold mode. 1t is likely that there are +ery few players left in the game, and so you should be happy to push with a much wider range or starting hands. =laying poker and not using a training site is like planting crops and not using fertili3er. -aximi3e your results with poker training.

Don't be too afraid to stick it all in the middle because of the bubble, as you will be able to take ad+antage of the players who are going fold a number of good hands >ust so that they can try and sneak there way in to the money. =lay to win the tournament by taking 5st place, rather than playing it o+erly safe and trying to make it into the money. 1f you can show no fear of being bubbled, you will be able to pick up a large number of pots and set yourself up to be in a good position to win the tournament. There will be times when you >ust miss out on the money because of being so aggressi+e, but there will also be times where you win enough to take the tournament down, so show no fear. For help with those tough all-in decisions, try learning how to use the independent chip model. 1f you can get passed the fear and frustration of constantly risking your stack, you will be able to make optimum plays and get the better of the luck-hea+y turbo poker tournaments.

How To Jse The Independent Chip &odel 4IC&5.

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R 1@- R How To Kse 1@5 Try out my free 1@- calculator (@H1-=( to work out 1@- in &"'s. 1t's a really handy 1@- program. What is 1@-E R How to use 1@-

1n my pre+ious article that answered the /uestion (what is 1@- in =okerE( we found out that different chip stack si3es had +arying amounts of e/uity in the o+erall tournament pri3e pool. To echo the last article's chip stacks exampleG

=layer 7 - 8,!!! chips. =layer ) - ,8!! chips.

=layer @ - ,8!! chips.

2ach player had the following amount of 4 e/uity in the 45!! pri3e pool that paid 48! for 5st, 4$! for nd, and 4 ! for $rd.

=layer 7G *8,!!! chips. T 4$<.$$ e/uity. =layer )G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.<$ e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.<$ e/uity.

1n this article 1 will show you how you $an use these IC& e;uity numbers to work out whether or not to call all-ins from other players as we approach the money positions in Texas Holdem &it and 'o's.

$)+ and 6)+.

First things first, we need to understand the difference between $)+ *chip 20. and 6)+ *money 20. in &it and 'o tournaments. 7s you should *hopefully. already know, 20 standard for (2xpected 0alue(.

$)+ is the amount of tournament chips we expect to gain6lose from a play. 6)+ is the amount of tournament e/uity or money we expect to gain6lose from a play.

$)+.
@hip 20 is like standard 20 in cash games. For example, if your opponent pushes all in for 5,!!! chips with 7M and you call with 7I, you expect on a+erage to make %<! chips e+ery time you call this all in *1 worked this out with some basic 20 calculations.. @hip 20 is >ust as you would expect - it's simply how many tournament chips you expect to gain on a+erage from each play you make.

6)+
420 is like a slightly ad+anced +ersion of c20, as 420 indicates how much extra money you expect to gain in pri3e pool e/uity from the tournament from each play you make. For example, if you call an all-in with 7I against 7M like in the c20 example you may earn ;%<! chips, but now that you'+e added those extra %<! chips to your stack how much more e/uity do you ha+e in the o+erall pri3e poolE To put it another way, how much more likely are you to win money from the tournament with those extra %<! chipsE This is the difference between c20 and 420, where 420 is going to be a far more profitable way to look at expected +alue in tournaments. 420 is pretty much the whole basis of the article, so do not worry if you do understand what 1 mean by this term >ust yet. 1t will become clearer as we go along.

Deuces @racked is easily the top training site for cash game players. Watch +ideos and win more money.

Jsing IC& when !a$ed with tough de$isions.

When faced with a tough decision, we want to work out whether calling increases our o+erall pri3e pool e/uity. For example, if we ha+e 7To in the )) and the &) pushes all in with any random hand, we don't care about how many tournament chips we expect to win on a+erage by calling, we >ust want to know whether calling increases our pri3e pool e/uity. 7fter all, we're not going to want to risk our chances of finishing in the money by placing oursel+es in a situation that's only slightly better than a coin flip. &o this is where we use 1@- to work out whether making a big call near or on the bubble is profitable o+er the long run.

Jsing IC& e*ample.

#ets say we are playing in a standard 5! player, 45!;45 tournament at =oker&tars with a 45!! pri3e pool that paysH 48! for 5st, 4$! for nd, and 4 ! for $rd. Following on from the pre+ious example, there are % players left at the table and we are in the )) holding 7To. The blinds are 5!! 6 !! and the stack si3es are as followsG

*H2,F )). =layer 7 - ,!!! *&). =layer ) - ,!!! *)T". =layer @ - ,8!! *@F. =layer D - $,8!!

2+eryone folds to the &) who pushes all in for ,!!! chips. We know for a fact that this guy is stupidly aggressi+e and could well be pushing all-in with any two cards. &o should we call or should we foldE Well, we need to do $ thingsG 5. Work out our e/uity against our opponent's range. . Work out the changes in pri3e pool e/uity for the different outcomes *of calling and winning6losing or folding.. $. Work out if we increase our pri3e pool e/uity by calling.

-5 Work out our e;uity.

#et's start with the basics and work out the 9 chance of winning our 7To hand has against our opponent's any cards. 1f we input this in to =oker&to+e we find that our hand has : .N9 e/uity against his range.

&ee the articles on range and range e/uity for more information on this particular topic.

Therefore, we can say thatG

There is a : .N9 chance that we will increase our stack to %,!!! chips. There is a $N.$9 chance that we will lose all of our chips and lea+e the tournament with nothing.

@alling seems a little bit risky already, but let's mo+e on to the next step to see whether or not it's actually going to be profitable to make this call o+er the long run.

'5 Work out the di!!erent $hanges in pri.e pool e;uity.

To work this out we are going to re/uire the use of our trusty 1@- calculator. To work out the change in our pri3e pool e/uity and which action is most profitable, we will need to work out $ thingsG 5. Fur e/uity if we call and win. . Fur e/uity if we call and lose. $. Fur e/uity if we fold to the all-in. 1n the following /uick examples 1'm going to omit the blinds. 1 could include them, but it >ust makes following the example a lot easier for you if 1 lea+e them out for now. Hur e;uity i! we $all and win. 1f we call and win, our chip stack increases to %,!!! and =layer ) gets knocked out. Ksing the 1@- calculator the new pri3e pool e/uity between the $ players would beG

=layer 7G *%,!!! chips. T 4$8.%O e/uity. X- Fur pri3e pool e/uity if we call and win. =layer )G *! chips. T 4! e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.85 e/uity. =layer DG *$,8!! chips. T 4$% e/uity.

Hur e;uity i! we $all and lose. 1f we lose we are out of the tournament, so as you can guess our pri3e pool e/uity will be 4!. 1'll post the e/uity results anyway >ust to keep things consistent.

=layer 7G *! chips. T 4! e/uity. X- Fur pri3e pool e/uity if we call and lose. =layer )G *%,!!! chips. T 4$8.%O e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.85 e/uity. =layer DG *$,8!! chips. T 4$% e/uity.

Hur e;uity i! we !old. 1f we fold, our e/uity decreases a little because of the !! chips we had to put in for the big blind.

=layer 7G *5,<!! chips. T 4 !. O e/uity. X- Fur pri3e pool e/uity if we fold to the all-in. =layer )G * , !! chips. T 4 $.%< e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4 8.8! e/uity. =layer DG *$,8!! chips. T 4$!.N$ e/uity.

>5 Work out i! we in$rease our pri.e pool e;uity by $alling.

&o then, which action is more profitableE @alling or foldingE 1f we fold, our e/uity drops to 4 !. O. 1f we call, :$9 of the time we are going to mo+e our e/uity up to 4$8.%O and $N9 of the time our e/uity will drop to 4!. &o if we calculate our a+erage total pri3e pool e/uity from calling we getG Total pri3e pool e/uity T *!.:$ ^ $8.%O. ; *!.$N ^ !. T 4 &o, comparing the twoG

.$:.

Folding T 4 !. O. @alling T 4 .$:.

7s you can see, our o+erall pri3e pool e/uity increases by calling this all-in bet. Therefore, it is more profitable to call with 7To o+er the long run against any random hand than it is to fold and sa+e our chips. 2+en though on a+erage e+ery time we call we are only earning an extra 4 .!N, calling remains as the optimum play in this particular situation. 1f your total pri3e pool e/uity decreases by calling, you should fold. 1f your total pri3e pool e/uity increases by calling, you should call.

Jse the S80Wi. IC& tool to help you play optimum S80 poker.

&it"'o Wi3ard is the perfect tool for learning how to use the independent chip model for making the most profitable plays in the late stages of &"' tournaments. 'et the $! day trial of &"'Wi3 &"'Wi3 uses all the 1@- stuff we ha+e co+ered in this article to calculate pri3e pool e/uity when faced with tough decisions. The program works out whether you should push, fold or call all-in depending on the cards, opponent hand ranges and stack si3es *which is exactly what we ha+e >ust been working out.. &"'Wi3 is widely regarded as the best tool for 1@- calculations and for teaching you how to play the late stages of &"'s flawlessly. 1t's 4OO for the full +ersion, but it's a must-ha+e for any serious &"' player.

)#aluation o! using IC& in Sit and 0o tournaments.

"ow 1 know what you're all thinking... how the hell am 1 supposed to work all of this out in the middle of a tournamentE Well, in all honesty you can't, but this doesn't mean that learning about 1@- has no +alue. -aking decisions using the independent chip model and pri3e pool e/uity is useful for post-game analysis and helping you to gauge risk +s. reward situations near the bubble. 1@- is basically the theory behind the common concern of (is it worth risking all my chips in this spotE(. The more you familiarise yourself with this concept, the more adept you will be at making the correct play in tricky situations. 1 know that this has been a pretty long article, but trust me, if 1 could ha+e made it any shorter 1 would ha+e doneL 7ll 1@- decisions boil down to at the end of the day are the simple steps of working out your e/uity against your opponent's hand range, then working out whether your pri3e pool e/uity increases or decreases by calling. To reiterate the two important concluding points of using 1@-G 1f your total pri3e pool e/uity decreases by calling, you should fold. 1f your total pri3e pool e/uity increases by calling, you should call. 2asy, rightE

9urther reading on the independent $hip model 4IC&5.

1@- by tomfmason.com 1@- by Holdem,e+iew.com 1ntroduction to 1@- by &itand'o=lanet.com

This article is long enough, but if 1 didn't co+er e+erything or explain a few points too well, you may benefit reading up on the same topic from other talented writers. ?ou might find that you respond better to other writers' teaching methods, or that reading the same idea from a different perspecti+e helps to reinforce a few key points. 2ither way, 1 ha+e found the $ articles abo+e to be the most useful for learning about 1@-.

What Is The Independent Chip &odel 4IC&5?

Texas Hold'em R &trategy R Tournaments R 1@- R What 1s 1@-E ! What is 1@-E R How to use 1@-

2asy-to-understand guides for the independent $hip model *1@-. in poker are few and far between, so 1'm going to try hard to keep this article as concise and rele+ant to impro+ing your &it and 'o tournament game as possible. 1n this article 1 aim to answer the /uestion (what is the independent chip modelE( and also highlight how you can go about working it out. 1n the next article, 1 will explain how 1@- can be used in tournament poker to help you make profitable decisions near the bubble. #et's get started...

What is the independent $hip model?

The independent chip model assigns 4 +alue to your chip stack in a tournament.

How much are 5!! chips worth in a tournamentE How about 5!,!!! chipsE Well that all depends on a few thingsG

The amount of chips in play. The pri3e pool distribution.

The amount o! $hips in play.

1f there are only 5,!!! chips in play, then those 5!! chips are /uite +aluable. Howe+er, if there are 5!!,!!! chips in play, then 5!! chips isn't really going to be worth all that much at all.

The pri.e stru$ture.

#ets say you ha+e 5!! chips *out of 5,!!! left at the table., there are 8 players left and only 5st place pays. The 4 +alue of those 5!! chips is not really a lot, as your chances of walking away from the tournament with some money in your pocket is /uite slim. Howe+er, if there are 8 players left and there is an e/ual payout for 5st, nd, $rd and %th, the chance of you winning some money is not so bad, so your chips are worth a little more in terms of 4 o+erall. Think about it, would you rather take a player's 5!! chips when only 5st place pays or if % places pay e/ually *with 8 players left at the table.E ?ou're going to see a better ,F1 in the long run by taking the player's chips when % places pay as opposed to 5. 1n the following section 1 will use the 1@- idea of each chip being worth something in terms of 4 for working out our o+erall pri.e pool e;uity based on the si3e of our chip stack. 1f you're not playing at )odog right now *February !5 . you're losing out on money. 'et in while it's still good.

Jsing IC& to work out pri.e pool e;uity.

1f you ha+e 8,!!! chips and player ) and @ each ha+e ,8!! chips, how much is your 8,!!! going to win for you in the long runE 1n a tournament it's not like we can cash out our chips at any time for what we think they're worth. We ha+e to continue playing to see whether we take down 5st, nd or $rd pri3e in the tournament. Ff course, the more chips we ha+e compared to the other players the more likely it is we will win one of the top pri3es. To put it another way, using the 1@- we work out our pri.e pool e;uity, which is the amount of money we expect to win from the tournament on a+erage based onG

The current si3e of our stack.

The current si3e of the other players' stacks. The amount of money in the pri3e pool and how much you get for coming 5st, nd, $rd and so on *pri3e pool distribution..

asi$ pri.e pool e;uity e*ample.

7t the +ery beginning of a 4 ! tournament before any cards are dealt, each player has the same stack si3e and therefore will ha+e the exact same e/uity of 4 ! in the tournament. 2asy enough. To gi+e another similar example... There are % players left at the table in a 45!;45 &n' at =oker&tars. The total pri3e pool is 45!! with a standard 5st, nd and $rd payout of 48!, 4$! and 4 ! *but that's kinda irrele+ant for this example.. 1f all the players ha+e an e/ual amount of chips, their pri3e pool e/uity would be exactly the sameG

=layer 7G * ,8!! chips. T 4 8 e/uity. =layer )G * ,8!! chips. T 4 8 e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4 8 e/uity. =layer DG * ,8!! chips. T 4 8 e/uity.

This e/uity business ob+iously get's more complicated as each player's chip stack +aries, but 1 hope this gi+es you a basic idea of pri3e pool e/uity.

How to work out pri.e pool e;uity.

7s we ha+e >ust mentioned, we want to work out how much 4 e/uity we ha+e in the tournament based on the si3e of our stack and our opponents' stack si3es. When we work out our pri3e pool e/uity all we care about is the current si3e of the stacks. We then use that information to work out how much money each player is expected to win from the tournament on a+erage. The more chips you ha+e, the more money you are likely to win. 2ach indi+idual player's skill is not factored in to the e/uation. 1t's /uite basic, but the more chips you ha+e the higher the probability is that you're going to win one of the top pri3es. Furthermore, 1@- doesn't factor in any luck that will be in+ol+ed in the tournament. We're >ust looking at stack si3es for an indication of how much money each player will be winning on a+erage, nothing else.

Working out pri.e pool e;uity e*ample.

We're at the final stages of a 45!;45 &it and 'o tournament with $ other players *we are =layer 7.. The stack si3es and &n' payout's are as followsG

*H2,F. =layer 7 - 8,!!! =layer ) - ,8!! =layer @ - ,8!! 5st place - 48! nd place - 4$! $rd place - 4 !

7s you can guess, =layer 7 will ha+e the most pri3e pool e/uity and players ) and @ will ha+e an e/ual amount of pri3e pool e/uity. "ow, 1 could work the pri3e pool e/uity for each player out by hand by doing a bunch of mathematics, but 1'm not going to do this for $ reasonsG 5. 1t re/uires a hefty amount of mathematics and it's /uite possibly the least fun thing to work out in the world. . ?ou're ne+er going to want to work it out by yourself anyway. 1t >ust takes ages. $. 1@- calculators make working out pri3e pool e/uity super easy. 1'm going to input the numbers in to this awesome 1@- calculator and skip to the results. 1 might create a walkthrough to working out 1@- by hand in the future, but until then this 1@calculator is good enough for now. &o, 1 input the pri3e pool structure and the chip stacks and let the 1@- calculator do the magicG

2ach player's e/uity results. =layer 7G *8,!!! chips. T 4$<.$$ e/uity. =layer )G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.<$ e/uity. =layer @G * ,8!! chips. T 4$!.<$ e/uity.

Therefore, with 8,!!! chips =layer 7 expects to win 4$<.$$ from the tournament on a+erage. =layer ) expects to win 4$!.<$ on a+erage and so on. Try playing with the 1@- calculator yourself to see how much money you expect to win on a+erage from different payout structures based on how many chips you and your opponents ha+e. 1t's pretty cool. Did you think this article was usefulE Wait until you see the strategy +ideos at Deuces @racked.

)#aluation o! IC&.

&o that's a /uick o+er+iew of the independent chip model and 1@- for you. "othing groundbreaking, but the sole intention of this article was to gi+e you a basic understanding of the independent chip model and pri3e pool e/uity. Working out each player's e/uity in the tournament is cool and stuff, but this information isn't +ery practical >ust yet. 1n the next step 1'm going to use this information to work out whether or not you should risk chips by calling all-ins toward the end of a tournament. The how to use 1@- in tournaments article will essentially help you to answer the /uestion (is the risk worth the rewardE( when faced with tricky all-in decisions in &it and 'o tournaments.