Poker Strategies Teil 1 Author Selzer-McKenzie

Texas Hold’m Poker Secrets and Strategy
Author D.Selzer-McKenzie
Hold 'em poker is fast becoming one of the most populär poker games
in America. However, there is virtually nothing in print at this
writing that gives more than a cursory look at this game.21 intend to
remedy that with this book. This is not simply an elementary
introduction to the game. I believe that anyone who thoroughly
understands everything in this book can become a top notch hold 'em
player with a little experience. However, do not expect easy reading.
Most people will find that they will have to read certain sections
over two and three times before they can expect to fully widerstand
the concepts contained in them. At the same time I will assume the
reader has a prior knowledge of poker in general. Those readers who
haven't played any kind of poker at all would be wise to pick up a
book such as the Fundamentals of Poker by Mason Malmuth and Lynne
Loomis before continuing with this book..

Dealing a Few Hands
At the beginning of each hand of hold 'em, the dealer starting at
his left, deals around until each player has two cards face down. The
deal moves to the left after each hand. (In casino games there is a
house dealer so a rotating "button" is put in front of a player to
signify that he is the dealer for that hand, and thus gets cards last
and acts last in each betting round.) There is one round of betting on
these first two cards. The dealer now deals three consecutive cards
face up in the middle of the table. These cards are called the "flop."
They are Community cards used in common by every player still in the
hand. There is then a second round of betting. After that, a fourth
card is dealt face up and a third round of betting occurs. A fifth and
final card is then turned up and a last round of betting takes place.
If there is more than one player left in the game at the end, the
winner of the pot is the player with the best poker hand using the
best five out of seven cards (the two in his hand and the five in the
middle). Occasionally there is a split pot. Before defining the rules
of play more explicitly I will give some examples of possible hands:

Therefore in this example, Player D has the best hand with an ace
high flush. Notice he also has aces and sevens if he chooses to use a
different combination of five cards. But, of course, he wouldn't do
that and in this case he is lucky he made a flush on the


last card since Player A has aces and tens and Player C has a
straight. Here is another example:

Player A has Q Q J J K Player BhasQQQJJ Player ChasKKQQJ Player D has
A K Q J 10 - straight
In this case player B wins with a füll house. Notice that both hole
cards are not always used to make your best hand. It is possible to
have the best hand even if you are using only one of your hole cards

6 Part One: Getting Started
and your Opponent is using both of his. However, if neither card in
your hand is used that is called "playing the board" and in this case
the most you can hope for is a split pot (if your Opponent also plays
the board). One last example:

In this case Player B's two pair of kings and nines lose to Player
A's ace-high heart flush. However, Player C beats that with kings füll
only to be beaten by Player D's four nines, and Player E's straight
flush!
The reader should double check this last example. Figuring your
best hand is not always as easy as it may appear. While I won't give
any further examples, I urge the reader to deal out a few hundred
hands himself until he can instantly recognize his best hand.

The Best Possible Hand
Another related concept is figuring the best possible hand that can
be held, given the cards in the middle (also called the cards "on
board") The second best hand, third best, etc. can also be figured.
An Example:



In this case the best possible hand anyone could hold would be
three kings, followed by three queens, three eights, etc. The general
rule is that there cannot be a füll house or four-of-a-kind in the
game without a pair on board. Also, there cannot be a flush or
straight flush without at least three of a suit on board. Straights
must be figured individually. In this example if the Q^ was the J4
instead, someone holding a T9 would have a straight.
A second example: The cards on board are:



In order, the best hands are:
Four jacks if you held JJ.
Four eights if you held 88.
Aces füll if you held AA.
Jacks füll of Aces if you held AJ.
Jacks füll of eights if you held J-anything.

8 Part One: Getting Started
Eights füll of aces if you held A8.
Eights füll of jacks if you held 8-anything.
A flush if you held two diamonds.
AAJJK if you held AK.
AAJJQ if you held AQ.
AAJJT if you held AT.
AAJJ9 if you held A9.
AAJJ8 if you held A7, A6, A5, A4, A3, or A2.
Kings over jacks if you held KK.
Let us notice something: One of the points of this exercise is to
ascertain whether we, in fact, have the "nuts" (a lock). Sometimes,
when it appears that a certain hand could conceivably beat us, one of
our own cards might block this possibility. If the cards on board are
KKJJ4 and we are holding KJ — nothing can beat us since we are
blocking four-of-a-kind. If the board is 6V8V9VK4Q4 we have the nuts
with AV7V since we block the straight flush. A final example: The
cards on board are:



You can't be beaten if you hold JV9V or 9V6V. Your next best hole
cards are 8*84 followed by AA, TT, A8, T8, 87, 77, and then KV-
anything.
The reader should learn these concepts also by dealing out a few
hundred hands and determining the nuts, the second nuts, etc. This is
important because in hold 'em it is not that rare to get a hand that
can't possibly lose and obviously, it is important to know when you
have one.

Different Variations
Let us now löok at the different variations in the betting rules of
hold 'em poker. A well-known Variation is "no-limit" (actually "table
stakes"). This is the game that is played in the finals of the World
Series of Poker every year at Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas.
However, no beginner should even consider playing it. It is not a
friendly game. This book will concentrate on the "limit" variety of
this game.
In all ensuing problems 1 will assume that the reader is playing in
the $10-$20 hold 'em game at The Mirage in Las Vegas (unless otherwise
noted). This will be done to simplify and standardize the examples to
follow. These are the rules:
There is no ante. However the player to the left of the dealer button
must put in $5 and the player to his left must put in $10. These bets
are called the "small blind" and the "big blind." The next player must
either fold, call the $10 or raise to $20. From then on raises before
the flop are in increments of $10. There is usually a maximum of four
raises allowed. If no one raises the player who put in the big blind
he is given the opportunity to raise himself. This feature is called a
"live blind." The second round of betting (after the flop) is in units
of $10 starting from the small blind, if he is still in, proceeding to
the left. The player may check at this point, or bet $10. Check and
raise is allowed. The betting on "fourth street" and "fifth
street" (fourth and fifth cards on board) once again Starts to the
left of the button, this time in units of $20.
Make sure you widerstand all these rules in order to best follow
later examples.
Most limit games have the same general structure as The Mirage $10-
$20 game. In a few places check-and-raise is prohibited. Some games do
not have a blind. However, in every game I have seen

10 Part One: Getting Started
without a blind, it was mandatory to bet or get out on the first two
cards. Checking was not allowed on this round. In some games there is
a choice of how much to bet. None of these variations significantly
change playing strategy however.
There are two appealing characteristics of hold 'em that exist for
any Variation. One is that you can play with far more players than the
usual number of seven or eight, even up to twenty can play since the
cards do not run out! No one has to sit out of hands when ten people
come to your poker party if you play hold 'em. Secondly, since a
player's folding does not change the flop a player can see what hand
he would have made even if he is out of the hand. He thus has the
dubious opportunity to second guess himself.
Incidentally, some readers may have noticed that there appears to
be a big advantage for the dealer (and disadvantage for those in early
position) since he gets to act last on all four betting rounds. To
those of you that did notice, congratulations, you are already on the
way to becoming an expert hold 'em player.



Position Introduction
A player's position is more important in hold 'em than in any other
poker game. Only draw poker is close. In both draw and hold 'em the
dealer acts last and the man "under the gun" acts first on each
betting round. (In some forms of draw poker, the opener, rather than
the man under the gun, acts first after the draw, which somewhat
diminishes the dealer's advantage.) However, hold 'em hasfour betting
rounds as opposed to draw poker's two. This fact serves to compound
the advantages of late position and the disadvantages of early
position.


Some Considerations
Why are these considerations so important? Here is an analysis:
First, take the play before the flop. If you call in early position,
you are subjecting yourself to one or more raises behind you. The
earlier your position the more risk you are taking. If you wouldn't
have called if you knew there was a raise behind you, you have now
been forced to put $20 in before the flop with a hand that doesn't
justify it. If you fold without calling the raise, you have given up
$10 without seeing a card. Also some hands are only worth playing if
there are many other callers. In early position you are just guessing
about how many people will play.
Other considerations involve the fact that if you are in early
position or under the gun, you will remain there throughout the hand.
Assume now that it is sometime after the flop. Once again, if you are
in last position with only a fair-to-good hand, and the first player
bets, there can be no raise behind you. Those players in middle
position have no such comfort. If you have a "big hand" in this spot,
your advantage in being last is even greater. This is best seen by
comparing your Situation with being first with a big hand. If you were
first you might try to check and raise, but if it doesn't work you
have lost a few bets frorn those that would have called you, and given
a free card to those that wouldn't. Being last, you will always be
able to bet even if you don't get the opportunity to raise. If you are
in middle position with a big hand, you still have Problems. If no one
has yet bet and it is up to you, you must decide whether to risk
"sandbagging." Also, if someone has bet in front of you, a raise will
drive players out behind you. These extra bets lost really add up.
Even if the pot narrows down to two players, these positional
considerations still apply, maybe more so. Suppose you are last to act
and have a big hand. Once again if your Opponent bets you can raise.
If he doesn't bet, you do. If you are first with the same hand, you
can only make two bets if a check-raise works. If it doesn't, you
13

14 Part Two: Position
have cost yourself a bet. If instead you come right out betting with
this hand in first position, you lose a bet when a check raise would
have worked, but he now just calls. If your hand is only mediocre, it
is once again advantageous to be last. If you can't call a bet, you
still may get a free card (which could wind up beating him) if he
chose to check a hand which you know is better than yours. However, if
you are first with this same hand, it is unlikely that he will still
check after you check. Finally, even if your hand is somewhere in the
middle (good, but not great) it is better to be last. While it is true
that you will bet in either position, if he is first, and comes out
betting, you will simply call him. If you were first in this spot, you
would bet and he might raise. The importance of these extra bets that
may be saved or gained by being in late position cannot be
overemphasized. Never forget that in poker we are trying to win a lot
of money — not a lot of pots.
It is true as some sharp readers may have realized, that
occasionally it is an advantage to be in early position. Sometimes you
want to drive players out to make your hand stand up. Only raising in
early position will do this. Secondly, if you are first with "'a lock"
you may make three bets by betting and then reraising. However, these
exceptions do little to change the general principle that it is better
to be last. (This, of course, is even more true when the check and
raise feature is not allowed.)
How then do we make use of this information? Later on in the
Strategy chapter I will discuss situations after the flop where your
position determines your action. However, the main point of this
chapter is to show why you must take your position very much into
account when you are deciding whether to play a specific hand or not.
Any starting hand can become a winning hand when all the cards are
out. However, some hands do so more than others. For this reason, the
lesser hands can be played only in late position. Not simply because
you are in little danger of a raise behind you before the flop, but
also because of the bets that are gained (or saved) when you turn a
hand in this position. Conversely, the opposite considerations apply
in early position. Therefore. the earlier your


Position, the better your first two cards must be to play. But what
are good starting hands?





The First Two Cards Introduction
On the following page appears my list of the seventy-two top
starting hands in order from the best to the worst. It is rarely
correct to play a hand not on this list. I have separated these hands
into eight groups. While the rankings of the hands within each group
are subject to debate, there is little question that cards in a higher
ranked group are better than those in a lower group. To a large
degree, all hands in a particular group should be played the same way
before the flop. Thus, if in a certain Situation it is correct to
raise with AQ, it is correct to raise with KQ suited. If it is correct
to fold two eights "wired," it is correct to fold AJ offsuit. More on
this in the strategy chapter.
There are some points about these rankings that the reader should
widerstand before studying the list.
1.1 am assuming a füll game of eight to eleven players and moderately
tight play (an average of about four players staying for the flop).
Certain hands change value if there are very many (or very few)
opposing hands. Small pairs and straight flush cards go up in value
with many players. High cards and high pairs go down.
2. These rankings do not reflect how one hand will do head-up against
another. Two nines is ranked below AK, for instance, even though it is
a small favorite in "one on one" play. Rather these rankings reflect
which hands will win the most pots and more importantly the most money
over a period of time in a füll game.
18

The First Two Cards: Introduction 19
3. The list would have to be substantially altered for no limit games.
Two aces are the best hand, period. They are a little stronger with
only a few callers, but no hand will win more pots or more money no
matter how many people are in the pot.
An analysis of some of these hands follows:


Analysis of the Hand Groups
Any suited hand is ranked higher than the same unsuited cards for
obvious reasons. However, the difference is not as great as most
people think. A flush is only made 6 percent of the time with these
hands.3 Furthermore, even if you make your flush you may find yourself
losing a big pot to a higher flush. For this reason a hand like a king
and a smaller card of the same suit is ranked 53rd on the list.
Similarly KQ offsuit is ranked above KTs. It is true, however, that as
your cards get lower you are counting quite a bit on your flush
chances when you are suited. Thus J9s is ranked well above J9.
The same principle applies to straight cards. When you don't have
high cards, it is better that the ranks of the cards be right next to
each other. For example, 87 makes a straight with JT9, T96, 965, and
654. An 86 uses both cards to make a straight only with T97, 975, and
754. However, if the cards are not middle sized, the numbers of
straight combinations decreases and the aforementioned principles may
not hold. Thus AK makes a straight one way while KJ does it two ways.
Both 32 and 42 make straights two ways. The reader should reflect on
these principles so that he can immediately see the number of
combinations making straights using both cards for any hand. The
answer will always be between zero and four.
AKs is usually slightly better than TT because it will win more
money. TT can usually only win a big pot if a ten falls. If an ace or
a king (or Q or J) falls, the tens have no betting power and may even
have to get out (losing its opportunity to catch one of the two
remaining tens). If only small cards come, the tens will very possibly
either get no action or run into a hand that beats them.
^This figure assumes you stay in even when only one of your
suit flops. In actual play you will make a flush less than 5 percent
of the time since you will usually not stay to catch two "running"
cards.



However, if an ace or king flops, an AK can get action from an ace or
a king with a smaller kicker. The fact that TT will win many smaller
pots as well as a few big ones however does justify its inclusion in
the Group 2 category.
AQ is about as good as ATs because it is much better than AT
offsuit. First of all, if an ace flops, you have a better kicker. More
importantly, if a queen falls to an AQ, this is good unless a king
also falls. However, if a ten falls to AT there must be no king,
queen, or jack for the hand to be worth much. The chance of pairing
the lower card, yet still not having the best hand, makes quite a
difference in the two hands. This concept came up quite often in
formulating the rankings.
AT is a dangerous hand. I hesitated to rank it even as highly as I
did, especially for beginners. The reason for this is that you can get
into a lot of trouble with this hand. If you make two aces only, you
must know how to get away from it, if it doesn't figure to be the best
hand. You would rather the flop make you two tens (if it is the top
pair) than two aces. A straight would be best. However, you will make
the best hand with these cards often enough that, with experience, you
should usually play them — especially when they are suited.
Hands like JTs usually must make a straight, two pair, or possibly
a füll house to make any serious money. Even a flush with this hand is
in jeopardy of losing to a higher flush. If you flop top pair, you may
just get into more trouble especially if you lack experience in these
situations. Those writers who have called this the best hand, even in
füll games, are out of their minds!
Any pair below nines is really looking to flop three-of-a- kind.
Except for the occasional times when they make a straight, little
pairs cannot win any kind of decent pot without making "trips."
Therefore, this is the reason that all the very small pairs are ranked
near each other.
In general then, I used six interrelated criteria in formulating
these rankings:
1. What are the chances of making the best hand?


2. What are the chances of making a flush? (Are the cards
suited?)
3. What are the chances of making a straight. (Are the cards
close to each other and in the middle ranges?)
4. What are the chances of flopping top pair (or in the case
of a pair in the hole, what are the chances that no overcard
will fall)?
5. What are the chances of making a hand that figures to
win a big pot (because the players will tend to make second
best hands)?
6. What are the chances of making a hand that might well
just lose money since it will be second best?
This last criteria is very important. It is the reason that hands
like KJ and KT are ranked as low as they are even though they will
make the best hand more often than some of the hands ranked above
them. When they do make the best hand, they don't figure to get any
action. If Ihey do get action they are frequently beaten (if the game
is tough).
Likewise many hands in the lower groups are ranked there because of
the propensity to make hands that will only get you into trouble. The
exception is small pairs where you either make trips or get out.
All in all, what we are considering are which hands have the best
chance of flopping cards that will show the most profit. Which brings
us to the next section.

Part Four Flops You Want

Flops You \Vant Introduction
Hold 'em is a unique game inasmuch as you are not always hoping to
make your best possible hand. The reason for this is that you may not
get any action with these hands. If you hold AK you certainly are not
hoping for three aces to fall. Even stranger is the fact a lesser hand
may have a greater chance of being the best hand than a better one. A
typical example of this would be if you are holding AJ. In this case
J32 would be a better flop than A32. In the latter case you may easily
be beaten by AQ or AK, as well as a straight. In the former case you
beat anyone eise who has jacks and only have to worry about the small
chance that someone holds a higher pair in the hole. Also, when A32
flops, it is much more conceivable that someone has aces-up than that
someone has jacks-up in the first example. Besides having a better
chance of having the best hand when J32 flops to AJ, you would also
prefer this flop because it figures to be more profitable. In this
case you can expect action from KJ, QJ, or JT. When A32 flops, you can
expect action only from AT and you will be the one giving action to AQ
or AK.
you would prefer the flop to be

It is even possible that you would like to flop a lesser hand not
because it has a better chance of being the best hand but because it
has a better chance ofmaking the best hand. If you hold




than

even though there is a better chance that two aces is the best hand
with the second flop than two sevens is with the first flop. With the
two sevens you are about even money to make aces-up, three sevens, or
a nut flush. (You have two chances to catch any one of fourteen
cards.) Add to this the fact that two sevens might be the best hand,
and you now' have a Situation where you will wind up winning the pot
more often starting with a secondpair than with top pair. A similar
but even more clear-cut example would be where you have
and the flop comes
I leave it to the reader to examine the possibilities of this example
for himself.
This interesting aspect of hold 'em has led me to include a Special
chapter on the best flops for various hole cards. It is good
preparation for the strategy section. Following is a table broken down
into four columns. In the first column I list two hole cards. The
second column shows examples of the best type of flops for these
cards. The third column has examples of good flops. The fourth column
gives examples of only fair and sometimes unplayable flops. I have not
included every starting hand nor every example of the types of flops.
What I have done is give enough illustrative examples so that the
reader can discern the various criteria involved in making these
evaluations. These criteria will be enumerated at the end of the
chapter. I will also explain some of the more interesting entries in
the table immediately following it.

Two Quick Points
I have assumed a typical fairly tight game with four to six players
in the hand before the flop. With less players, you are more
interested in having the best hand than in having a hand that will get
action as you will get action anyway. For instance, if you flop a
flush against one player, he won't be as much afraid of the three-
flush on board against one Opponent, and will give plenty of action
with a top pair.
Secondly, I have assumed that you have little reason to believe
that a very high pair in the hole is out against you. If there were
some reason to believe this

A
*5 ?? «*?? V? twould be a better flop to


than

Jif
27

28 Part Two: Flops You Want
Similarly:
would become a better flop to two jacks in the hole than


(If you are up against two aces you're dead, and if you are not,
you'll get better action if the flop is J92 because kings or queens
won't be afraid of the ace.)
Noting the exceptions let us proceed:

Hole CardsExcellent FlopsGood FlopsFair FlopsAAKJ4 ATT
832K*J*4* AJ6 T33QQ3
9*7*6* KQJKKQ84 KTT 832 AK5Q±T*4*
K32 T33
T*8*7*QQ3
A85 9*7*6* J*T*9*AKA84 AK5 QJTA66 AQT KK6AQQ
T83 AV8V5VA*JWJV844* AJ5 KQTT*6*2* AQT JJ6AA6 AV7V6* KT9
Two Quick Points 29

Hole CardsExcellent FlopsGood FlopsFair FlopsK
¥8*4»KK7K77AJTQQ7TV843»Q84A*6*2»AQTKQ31>6*2VQV7*3¥
If you hold two aces, you generally do not want an ace to flop. It
will usually kill the action except in the unlikely case that

30 Part Four: Flops You Want
someone eise holds AK, AQ or AJ.4 The only exception is when a pair
also falls. Now you have aces füll while an Opponent may have trips,
which might even become a lower füll house. In general however, you
would like to see no pair flop to this hand; preferably with a high
card or two. However, if two of the flop cards are suited, it is not
quite as good. While it is true that you will now get action from a
four flush, it is also true that he will wind up beating you 35
percent of the time. (See the probability chapter.) In any case,

and

?4*.4**offsuited are about equal flops to two aces. You will win a
little more often when 832 flops but you will not get as much action
which counter balances it. On the other hand

ir?*?* 4This is really no longer true when playing in the newer
structure where pots get much bigger before the flop.

Two Quick Points 31
is a terrible flop to two aces — not simply because there is a good
chance you are or will be beaten, but also because most players will
not play a hand worse than yours when these (suited and straight)
cards show on board. This is an extremely important concept. If you
hold two kings similar considerations apply. The only difference is
that the hand loses much of its value if an ace falls on the flop. (If
it falls later, you have much less to worry about as I point out in
the reading hands chapter.)

AV
'(ÖS


is a better flop to

than

for two reasons. First of all, there is less chance of someone having
a six than a queen if he is playing good cards. Secondly, a hand like

Flops You Want

will give you action when A66 flops, whereas it probably will not when
AQQ falls being afraid of a queen itself.

A
- vis a better flop to





than

mainly because it is much less likely that someone flopped two pair.
(This of course is somewhat counterbalanced by the fact that you have
a straight draw as well as two aces.)

Two Quick Points 33
is a great flop to AK not only because you flopped the nuts, but also
because of the great possibility of having a second best hand out
against you.

A ¥A
*
? V* *is not such a great flop to

A VJeven though it has probably given you the best hand. It does not
figure to make you much money when it is the best hand, but it can
cost you a lot when it isn't. (This is less true in the newer double
blind structure.)


w
34 Part Four: Flops You Want
is in the excellent category for A4Ji. Whenever you flop top pair, and
a nut four flush, you have a great hand. Not only do you probably have
the best hand right now, you are even the favorite over two smaller
pair (8's and 4's in this example). You can catch an ace, jack,
diamond, or runningpair (like 66) to win. You are not even a big
underdog to someone who flopped a set of trips. Even more important,
is that with this flop you will get action from a smaller pair of
jacks or a smaller four flush and both of these hands almost can't
win! This is why I rank this flop higher than actually flopping a
flush.5 When this happens, there is very little action and even though
you now have almost a sure win, you will not average winning as much
money as you will with the first flop.
The A84 is not as good a flop to AJ as it is to AK because there is
a greater chance that you don't have the best hand when you hold AJ
(because someone eise might have AK or AQ).
With the exception of the Situation previously noted, where you
have good reason to believe there is a high pair in the hole against
you, it is always better that an overcard should fall if you flop a
set of trips to your wired pair. The slight extra chance of losing is
more than overcome by the increased action you can expect. Thus

A
?T

J

*?? Vf? ior even
5Again the bigger pots before the flop in the new double blind
structure makes this Statement less true.

Two Quick Points 35
is a better flop than

if you hold two jacks in the hole.
When you don't hold a wired pair, flopping two pair is always good.
It is usually the best hand and will frequently get action. The only
exception is if the flop has three cards of the same suit, as well as
your two pair. It is better if your two pair include the top pair. The
top two pair is best since you will have your opponents very possibly
"drawing dead" (plus you beat two smaller pair). If you hold second
and third pair, a player holding top pair has almost a 25 percent
chance to outdraw you. Even in this case however, your hand is still
very good.
Flopping a füll house is always very good (except when three-of-a-
kind flops and you have a small wired pair).
Flopping a straight is always better than flopping a flush because
the other players are more cautious when three of a suit falls than
when there is a possible straight, as they should be. The reader
should be able to pick out from my chart examples of the concepts I
have just explained.
In general, what determines what the best flops are for any
particular hole cards is simply which flops figure to eam the greatest
profit in the long run. There are three criteria, properly balanced
which are used to determine these results. They are:

36 Part Four: Flops You Want
1. What are your chances of winding up with the best hand?
2. How much action do you figure to get from second-best
hands?
3. How susceptible are you to having or making the
second-best hand yourself thereby costing you quite a bit of
money?
Furthermore, I have made three assumptions, two of which I've
already mentioned (a moderately tight game with four to six players in
before the flop, and no reason to suspect a high pair against you).
The third assumption is that there is not a very large amount of money
in the pot before the flop. If there were, it would be more important
lhat you flop the nuts than that you flop a hand which will get
action, since the later bets lose importance in comparison to the size
of the pot. With these concepts in mind, the reader should be able to
understand how I arrived at my various rankings. After some study, he
should be able to name good and bad flops for any starting hands.
I have purposely not mentioned what cards you would like to see on
board with various hole cards from fourth street on because the
betting has a lot to do with this. This will be explained further in
the strategy and reading hands chapters.
For now, understanding the values of various flops to various hands
is a major step in attaining füll conception of this game.

Part Five Strategy

Strategy Introduction
There is no way to discuss every possible Situation that can arise
in agame of hold 'em, especially after the flop. What I have done,
therefore, is break this chapter into subsections about general
principles or concepts. Some of these concepts have never been
discussed before in any other poker book. A few have never been
discussed at all prior to this time. Many are very difficult. However,
the persevering reader will find he has learned more about hold 'em
and poker in general than many pros know. Eventually he can turn this
knowledge into great Strategie play. This section should be learned
and used in conjunction with the following section on reading hands.
The only departure frorn the general forrnat of this section is the
first chapter on "Strategy Before the Flop." Here the number of
possibilities is small enough so they can be discussed individually. A
correct hold 'em strategy is unique. The reason behind this is that
the best hand holds up more often than in most other poker games. If
you have







and your Opponent has


Strategy: Introduction 39





and the flop is

you'll win unless a queen comes (with no king). If the board pairs,
this helps both of you. You still have the best hand. For this reason
there are much fewer checking and calling situations than there are in
other games where the pot odds frequently justify a call with the
worst hand, simply in the hopes of improving to the best hand. With
the exception of "come" hands, it isn't usually worth "chasing." If
you can ascertain that you have the worst hand, it is usually time to
fold. These factors lead to the general rule that a good player is
tight but aggressive. He will not play that many hands, but when he
does play a hand, he will try to take command. A habitual caller can't
win in this game.
While the plays that I recommend have a solid theoretical basis,
there are two important reasons not to follow them exactly. First the
correct play will frequently depend on the type of game you are in,
and the caliber of your opponents. I do try to indicate where an
adjustment is necessary. Secondly, a true expert may have to be played
differently in some situations in order to throw him off. In fact, it
is rarely correct to always play the same way in a particular
Situation when you are usually playing with the same players. Even the
best plays lose value when your opponents can pick up your pattern.
Therefore, you should occasionally play a hand incorrectly

Strategy
(technically), in order that you don't give a hand away now and in the
future.
Sometimes, more than one concept in this chapter can be applied to
a particular Situation, occasionally indicating opposing strategies.
When this happens, the reader must balance the concepts as far as what
is to be gained and lost before deciding on the right play. Only
experience can teach you to do this well.
Never forget that your goal in a poker game is to win money — as
much as possible (except in the case where you don't want to break up
the game). Your goal is not to win pots. It is not even to have as
high a winning percentage of sessions as possible. It is simply to
make the most money in the long run. You must consider all the
sessions as one big poker game. "Getting even," or "quitting winners,"
are fallacious concepts. You quit when the games becomes too tough, or
you have to leave for personal reasons. How you are doing should never
be a factor. This attitude is one of the most important prerequisites
for a successful poker player (or any kind of gambler). It is with
this attitude that this chapter was written.

Strategy Before the Flop
Whether and how you play your first two cards depends on three
considerations.
1. Your position (see Part Two).
2. The events that have thus fax transpired.
3. The kind of game it is.
These strategy tips are most applicable to a game with the same
structure as the $10-$20 Mirage game. Remember that the man under the
gun must bet $5 blind. (See Chapter One for the complete rules.)6 It
will be helpful if the reader keeps a bookmark on the Starting Hands
Chart in Part Three while reading this section.
In early position, you should play hands in Groups 1 through 4, if
no one has yet raised. In loose games you can also play hands in Group
5, as well as, any pair. In very tough games fold Group 4 hands (or
worse).
If a player has already raised to your right — only play hands in
Groups 1 and 2 if you are in early or middle position. Group 3 hands
can be played also if the game is loose, especially as your position
improves.
The proper raising hands in early position depend on whether other
players have already called. If there have already been some callers
in front of you, raise with all Group 1 and 2 hands. If no one has yet
called, raise with AA, KK, QQ, AK, and AQ. Just call with AKs, AQs,
AJs, and KQs, as you don't want to drive out players with these hands.
If, however, there is a raise to your left, reraise with AKs and
possibly AQs. AJs and KQs are only worth a reraise if you have many
opponents. As a general rule, it is never correct to slow-play two
wired aces. Always raise with this hand. (The one
6Most $10-$20 games, as do the games at The Mirage, now have
both a $5 and $10 blind. When this causes a change in recommended
strategy I will indicate in a footnote.
41

Strategy
exception is in a loose game where a raise will not drive out many
opponents and you can expect a raise behind you if you just call. Now
you should call with two aces in early position and reraise if you
can.)
If you have called in early position, and there is a raise behind
you, always call as long as there has been no double raise. (If there
was, you usually need a Group 1 or possibly a Group 2 hand to call.)
This is assuming however, that the raise is the same amount as the
original bet. If it is larger, you should fold some of the weaker
hands.
Let me pause at this point to State two very important principles.
The first one is that certain hands like KQ, KJ, or AJ (especially
nonsuited) go down in value when an Opponent raises. This is because
you are in danger of making a hand only to find it is second best.
While KQ is normally better than JT, I would rather have the latter
hand if someone raised behind me. In fact, KJ could actually be folded
if a tight player raised behind you. The reader must get a feel for
bis own game in order to make the best use of this concept.
The second principle is that certain hands change in value based on
the number of opponents. High cards and high pairs do best against
fewer opponents. Straight and/or flush cards as well as small pairs
prefer many players to insure action when they hit their hand. This
concept should be kept in mind when you have a close decision about
playing a hand. It is the reason that it is always correct to play any
pair when Ihere are many callers before the flop.
In middle position you can play a few more hands — all the way to
Group 6 in loose games — if there has been no raise. We have already
discussed which hands can be played if there was a raise in front of
you. If there was, you should reraise with AA, KK or AK and
occasionally other very good hands. In loose games it is okay to just
call with AK suited so as not to lose "customers."
If no one has yet called, and you are in middle position, it is now
correct to raise with hands in Groups 1, 2 or 3. However, if there are
already some callers, raising with a Group 3 hand may not be correct
(depending on the game). This serves to illustrate two more important
concepts:

Strategy Before the Flop 43
1. Any hand that can call a raise cold is strong enough to
raise with. This usually applies to after the flop also, and in
fact, to all poker games. One frequently sees a player call a
bet, not knowing the hand has been raised, and upon
learning this he simply calls the füll bet even though he
could have pulled his original bet back and folded. Well, he
almost certainly made a mistake. If his hand wasn't strong
enough to raise with, it probably was not good enough to
call a raise cold.
2. It is necessary to have a stronger hand to raise before the
flop if there have been some callers in front of you than if
there haven't been. In the latter case you also have some
chance to steal the blinds and thus a weaker hand will
suffice. This concept will be further explored in the
"?Semi-Bluffing" section to follow.
As you move toward the later positions you should raise with almost
any hand that is normally worth a call, if no one eise has yet called.
Besides having a chance to steal the blinds with this play, you also
gain valuable information about the hand of any Opponent who calls
cold behind you. If there are callers in front of you and you are in
late position raise with hands in Groups 1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4. It
is especially important to raise if you think that this raise will
fold everyone behind you. The acquisition of last position for the
succeeding rounds is worth some risks. Besides being in last position,
your raise had prodded your Opponent to "check to the raiser" on the
flop, thus giving you the valuable privilege of seeing the fourth card
for free, if you so desire. Thus, you don't need much of a hand to
raise in late or last position. In fact, I raise in this spot with
some hands that \fold in early position.
Even in later position, you must have a very good hand to call a
raise cold. It can be just a trifle bit worse however than those hands
necessary to call in middle positions, especially if you are in last
position or think you will be in last position from now on. Also if
there have already been many cold callers you can call a raise cold

Strategy
yourself with some of the hands that prefer play with many opponents
(such as T9s or 66).
Always reraise in late position with a Group 1 hand. Reraise with
Group 2 and possibly even Group 3 hands if you are last and the only
other player (the original raiser) is capable of pulling the
aforementioned semi-blind-steal play.
If you are dead last, at least call with almost anything, certainly
Groups 1-6. You should call with Group 8 hands and even worse if there
are many other players in.7 If no one has called, raise the blind or
blinds with anything half decent when you have the button. Strangely
enough if there have been callers you need a slightly better hand to
raise in dead-last position than in near-last position. This is
because you no longer gain the extra advantage of folding players
behind you by raising. You are already in last position.
(Considerations like this illustrate how advantageous it is to be to
the right of players who tend to show you by "teils" whether they will
play or not, before it comes to them.)
If you are the live blind you should raise (when no one eise has),
only with extremely good hands in general. You must mix up your play
to avoid being read, but in this position few hands are really worth a
raise since you have to act first on every round. Against one or two
aggressive opponents, almost never raise. You will be able to check
raise later. If you are the blind, and there was a raise behind you,
call with hands that you would have legitimately played in this
position. (If the raise was to your left you can call with some weaker
hands in the blind since you need not fear a reraise and you are in
good position to check raise after the flop.) Beware of hands like KJ
however. If there are many other players you can also call with a hand
like 33 or 76s. Reraise with AA, KK, and possibly AK.
Remember that these requirements assume a fairly tough game with a
small "ante." A larger "ante" naturally dictates looser starting
requirements. Similarly a very easy game justifies your playing more
7This is not true for the double blind structure since a call
costs too much. Stick to groups 1 thru 6 plus all pairs.

Strategy Before the Flop 45
hands with the expectation of unreasonable action after the flop.
Don't forget that you can occasionally deviate greatly from calling
strategies to throw your opponents off, as you are not giving up that
much mathematically. Any two cards can win.

Semi-Bluffing
There is an advanced technique used by expert poker players in many
games which is very profitable. I call this technique semi-bluffing.*
In general, this means betting a hand (while there are cards yet to
come), that is "hoping" for everyone eise to fold, yet still has a
chance to win even if it is called. (Blackjack players may notice the
similarities between semi-bluffing and soft doubling down. If you
double down with A3 against the dealer's 6 showing you are hoping he
busts, but you may win even if he does not bust.)
In a Situation where a pure bluff would not work often enough to be
profitable, a semi-bluff may still be correct. Suppose there is one
card to come, there is $60 in the pot and you assess that your hand
has a 30 percent chance to wind up winning in the Showdown (as in a
four-flush and a little pair) and a 20 percent chance to steal the pot
right here. Betting $20 in this Situation is the correct play.
Neglecting fifth street bets, if you both check on fourth street you
will win $1,800 afiter one hundred identical situations. If you bet,
you will win $60 twenty times, $80 twenty-four times (30 percent of
the 80 times he calls), and lose $20 fifty-six times for a net profit
of $2000 or $200 more than by checking. This averages out to $2 per
hand, not an insignificant amount when it is accumulated at the end of
many sessions.
Here then is a Situation where a pure bluff would be incorrect
(you're only getting 60-to-20 or 3-to-l and you're 4-to-l against
getting away with it), as would a bet for value (you're an underdog to
win), yet the combination of circumstances makes a bet mandatory.
^e subject matter of the remaining sections of this chapter are
covered in more detail in my book The Theory of Poker.

Semi-Bluffing 47
This play comes up most frequently in hold 'em when you have
flopped an inside straight draw or second or third pair with an
overcard kicker. If, for instance, you hold



and the flop comes





you have a good opportunity to semi-bluff, especially if you are in
early position. (Strangely enough when you are in last position it may
be correct not to semi-bluff//you are drawing to a cinch hand, since
by betting you now risk a check raise. By checking in last position
you have guaranteed yourself a free card.) Similarly if you hold

A V3 •
*
•to * • £and the flop comes

48 Part Five: Strategy

5 ?i *?? i? !it is correct to semi-bluff with your pair of threes if
you think there is any chance of winning the pot right there. A four-
flush or open-end straight with one card to come, especially with a
little pair, is usually a candidate for a semi-bluff. A good rule to
follow is this: Ifyour hand is worth a call or even almost worth a
call if you check, and someone eise bets, then it is better to
betyourself (semi-bluff) ifyou have little fear of a raise and there
is some chance you will win right then.
A secondary advantage to semi-bluffing is that when you are called,
and you do hit the card to make your hand, your Opponent will usually
misread your hand (because you bet a weak hand on the previous round),
thereby winning you a larger pot than you would have otherwise
expected.
A third advantage to this technique is this: Ifyou never bluff on
the flop or fourth street you are giving away too much information
when you do bet. It is therefore correct to bluff occasionally in this
Situation. Rather than try to guess when to bluff, it is much better
to . use your cards to randomize your play. This way you are still
bluffing only occasionally but you now have the extra advantage of
sometimes winning even when you are "caught."
Finally, ifyou have made this semi-bluff play on the flop, and
someone has called in front of you, you can now get a free card on
fourth street if he now checks, and you didn't hit the card you were
hoping for. (By betting on the flop, you may very well have caused his
fourth street check.)
I widerstand that these concepts are not simple. However, they are
extremely important so the reader should reread this section as many
times as necessary to make them clear. This is especially important
because many of the concepts in the succeeding sections are closely
related to those mentioned here.

The Free Card
(Giving One and Getting One)
The principle mentioned in the previous section of betting when you
have two ways to win (either right there or by having the best hand on
the end) is valid even when your hand is not an underdog. If there is
any kind of money in the pot it is usually preferable to win it
immediately, if possible. If an Opponent is getting 5-to-l odds on
your bet and you are only a 4-to-l favorite, you do better, in the
long run if he folds. Therefore, you should bet most of your
legitimate hands to give him a chance to drop. This includes most four-
flushes with two cards to come — a hand that cannot really be
considered a semi-blufBng hand, but should be played similarly. An
open-end straight draw should also be bet. Strangely enough these
"come" hands should be bet if there is a chance everyone will fold, or
if there will probably be two or more callers, since the odds are
about 2-to-l against making these hands. If you are pretty sure you
will get exactly one call, it may not be correct to bet.
Top pair or an overpair on the flop should usually be bet if it
figures to be the best hand. If someone raised behind you before the
flop, resist your inclination to check to him and come right out
betting. If you hold



n?Ü?
and the flop comes

49

50 Part Five: Strategy




ni
1

and the raiser has





if you check, you have given your Opponent a precious free card to
catch an ace or king to beat you. If he calls with AK in this spot you
have gained a bet when he doesn 't outdraw you. Of course, if you are
fairly sure the raiser has two aces or two kings in the hole, you
shouldn't bet here — but then, you also shouldn't have called bis
original raise with Q4J4. The play of automatically checking on the
flop to the raiser is a major mistake. You must bet if you think you
have a good chance to have the best hand. Since the pot is large, it
is more important than usual that no one get a free card. You are
risking a raise but the rewards (getting a player to fold who might
otherwise outdraw you) justifies the risk.
By this time, the reader should realize that checking and calling
is rarely correct hold 'em strategy. It is usually better to bet. When
you check you probably are planning to fold or raise. Checking and
calling is correct in only two situations:
1. You are slowplaying (see next section).
2. You are fairly sure your Opponent has a better hand and
will not fold if you bet, but the pot odds justifies your
calling in the hope that you do have the best hand or that
you outdraw him.
1.
The Free Card 51
Giving a free card is so dangerous that it might be incorrect to do
it even when you are a big favorite and would like some callers, yet
know that everyone will fold. This occasion arises when the next card
may be a miracle card that gives someone a better hand, but not likely
to be a card that gives someone a second best hand. When this happens,
you gain little by checking and may as well pick up the pot right
there. This is especially true if you are last since you know you will
not be able to check raise. Example: You have

and the flop comes

.