Poker for dummies

Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

Poker is America's national card game, and its popularity continues to grow. Nationwide, you can find a game in progress everywhere. If you want to play, you can find poker games on replicas of 19th century riverboats or on Native American tribal lands. You can play poker at home with the family or online with opponents from around the world. Like bowling and billiards before it, poker has moved out from under the seedier side of its roots and is flowering in the sunshine.

Maybe you've never played poker before and you don't even know what a full house is. Poker For Dummies covers the basics. Or perhaps you've played for years, but you just don't know how to win. This handy guide will help you walk away from the poker table with winnings, not lint, in your pockets. If you're a poker expert, you still can benefit - some of the suggestions may surprise you, and you can certainly learn from the anecdotes from professional players like T.J. Cloutier and Stu Unger.

Know what it takes to start winning hand after hand by exploring strategy; getting to know antes and betting structure; knowing your opponents, and understanding the odds. Poker For Dummies also covers the following topics and more:

Poker games such as Seven-Card Stud, Omaha, and Texas Hold'em Setting up a game at home Playing in a casino: Do's and don'ts Improving your play with Internet and video poker Deciphering poker sayings and slang Ten ways to read your opponent's body language Playing in poker tournaments Money management and recordkeeping Knowing when and how to bluff

Poker looks like such a simple game. Anyone, it seems, can play it well - but that's far from the truth. Learning the rules can be quick work, but becoming a winning player takes considerably longer. Still, anyone willing to make the effort can become a good player. You can succeed in poker the way you succeed in life: by facing it squarely, getting up earlier than the next person, and working harder and smarter than the competition.

Foreword by Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker Champion.

Author Notes

Richard Harroch is an attorney and avid poker player. Lou Krieger is the author of two guides to Texas Hold 'em, the most popular tournament poker game.

Foreword	p. xxvii
Introduction	p. 1
Why You Need This Book	p. 2
What We Assume about You	p. 2
How to Use This Book	p. 3
How This Book Is Organized	p. 3
Icons Used in This Book	p. 4
Where to Go from Here	p. 5
Part I How to Play the Games	p. 7
Chapter 1 Poker Basics	p. 9
Poker and the American Dream	p. 10
Where Did It All Come From?	p. 10
Poker is Good for You	p. 10
Before You Put on Your Poker Face	p. 11
Planning and discipline	p. 11
The object of the game	p. 12
Number of players	p. 12
The deck	p. 13
Poker chips	p. 13
The Basics of Play	p. 13
Hand Rankings	p. 15
Straight flush; royal flush	p. 15
Four-of-a-kind	p. 15
Full house	p. 15
Flush	p. 17
Straight	p. 17
Three-of-a-kind	p. 17
Two pair	p. 17
One pair	p. 17
No pair	p. 18
Low hands	p. 18
Betting	p. 18
Rules of the Road	p. 20
Going all-in	p. 20
The forbidden string-raise	p. 20
How to raise	p. 21
No splashing	p. 21
Protecting your hand; cards speak	p. 21
Table stakes	p. 21
Time out	p. 22
Decks and dealing	p. 22
The finer points: Etiquette	p. 22
What Will Your Opponents Be Like?	p. 23
Casual recreational players	p. 23
Cardroom regulars	p. 23
Professionals	p. 24
Proposition players	p. 24
Playing in a Casino	p. 24
How to get in a game	p. 26
Buying chips	p. 26
Shuffling and dealing	p. 26
How Casino Poker Differs from Home Games	p. 27
Tighter than home games	p. 27
Players are more selective	p. 27
Games are faster	p. 28
Chapter 2 Essential Strategic Considerations	p. 29
What Poker Is and Isn't	p. 30
We Were All Beginners Once	p. 31
Build a foundation first	p. 31
... Then you can improvise	p. 31
Basic Poker Concepts	p. 32
Understand blinds and antes	p. 32
Know your opponents	p. 32
Prepare to win	p. 34
A Little Probability	p. 35
A short-term simulation	p. 35
A long-term simulation	p. 35
How many bad players does it take to make a good game?	p. 36
Some Poker Perspective	p. 37
Why some tactics are important in poker and others aren't	p. 37
Frequent decisions	p. 37
Costly decisions	p. 38
Decisions and subsequent actions	p. 38
Poker's single most important decision	p. 39
Starting standards	p. 39
Hand selectivity	p. 39
Be aggressive, but be selective	p. 40
Patience	p. 41
Position	p. 41
Coping When All Goes Wrong	p. 42
Gear down	p. 42
Narrow the target	p. 43
Chapter 3 Seven-Card Stud	p. 45
If You've Never Played Seven-Card Stud Poker	p. 46
A sample hand	p. 47
Antes, the Deal, and the Betting Structure	p. 48
Betting	p. 48
Raising	p. 49
Double bets	p. 49
Showdown	p. 50
Spread-limit games	p. 50
Know When to Hold 'em and Know When to Fold 'em	p. 50
What Kind of Hands Are Likely To Win?	p. 50
The Importance of Lives Cards	p. 51
The first three cards are critical	p. 52
Position	p. 52
Subsequent betting rounds	p. 53
Seven-Card Stud in Depth	p. 53
Starting hands	p. 54
Starting with three-of-a-kind	p. 54
Big pairs	p. 55
Small or medium pairs	p. 56
Playing a draw	p. 56
Beyond third street	p. 57
When all the cards have been dealt	p. 58
Chapter 4 Texas Hold'em	p. 59
Basic Rules	p. 59
Blind Bets	p. 60
Hold'em in General	p. 60
Hold'em only looks like Stud; it plays differently	p. 60
The first two cards are critical	p. 61
Position, position, and position	p. 61
The flop should fit your hand	p. 62
Beyond the flop	p. 62
Hold'em in Depth	p. 63
Small gaps make more straights	p. 63
Gapped cards	p. 64
Acting last is a big advantage	p. 64
Starting Hands	p. 64
The Art of Raising	p. 67
You've been raised	p. 67
When someone's raised after you've called	p. 67
When should you raise?	p. 68
Playing the Flop	p. 68
Fit or fold	p. 69
Flops you're going to love, flops to fold on	p. 69
Overcards	p. 71
Flopping a draw	p. 71
Multiway possibilities	p. 72
Playing the Turn	p. 73
What to do when you improve on the turn	p. 74
What to do when you don't improve on the turn	p. 74
Should you continue with a draw?	p. 75
Should you checkraise or come out betting?	p. 75
Bluffing on the turn	p. 76
Playing the River	p. 77
Realized versus potential value	p. 77
What do I do when I make my draw?	p. 77
Top pair on the river	p. 78
When the Pot Gets Big	p. 79
Chapter 5 Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better, High-Low Split (Seven-Stud/8)	p. 81
If You've Never Played Seven-Stud/8 Before	p. 81
Antes, the Deal, and the Betting Structure	p. 83
Betting	p. 83
Betting order	p. 84
Raising	p. 84
Position	p. 84
Double bets	p. 84
Showdown	p. 85
Know When to Hold 'em and Know When to Fold 'em	p. 85
What Kind of Hands Are Likely To Win?	p. 85
The importance of live cards	p. 86
Starting Standards: The first three cards are critical	p. 86
Playable Hands	p. 87
Seven-Stud/8 in Depth	p. 90
Beyond third street	p. 91
When everyone has low cards showing	p. 91
Do big hands equal big profits? Not always	p. 92
Jamming the pot	p. 93
When you hold the only low hand	p. 93
How Seven-Stud/8 Differs From Seven-Card Stud	p. 94
Hidden Hands	p. 95
Driving and Braking	p. 96
When All the Cards Have Been Dealt	p. 98
Chapter 6 Omaha	p. 99
Playing Omaha/8 for the First Time	p. 100
Blind bets	p. 100
The deal and betting structure	p. 101
A sample hand	p. 102
Knowing When to Hold 'em and When to Fold 'em	p. 103
Position, position, and position	p. 104
The flop should fit your hand	p. 104
Omaha/8 in Depth	p. 104
Starting hands	p. 105
Getting good at hand selection	p. 107
Acting last is a big advantage	p. 107
Looking for a flop	p. 107
The unpleasant experience of being quartered	p. 108
Beyond the flop	p. 109
What to Do When You've Been Raised	p. 110
Flopping a draw	p. 110
Playing the Turn	p. 111
How do my opponents play?	p. 112
What in the world could my opponent be holding?	p. 112
Where do I sit in relation to the other bettors?	p. 112
How much will it cost to see the hand through to its conclusion?	p. 113
Playing the River	p. 113
When you make the best high hand	p. 113
When you have the best low hand	p. 114
Exploring Omaha High-Only	p. 115
Chapter 7 Home Poker Games	p. 117
Setting Up a Home Game	p. 117
Rules	p. 117
Dealer's choice	p. 118
Betting stakes	p. 119
Wild cards	p. 119
Time limit	p. 120
Food and drinks	p. 120
Paying up	p. 120
Game Options	p. 121
Seven-Card Stud	p. 121
Texas Hold'em	p. 121
Omaha High	p. 121
Omaha High-Low, 8-or-Better	p. 121
Pineapple	p. 122
Five-Card Draw	p. 122
Lowball	p. 122
Five-Card Stud	p. 123
Baseball	p. 123
Black Mariah	p. 123
Indian Poker	p. 124
Razz	p. 124
Crisscross (or Iron Cross)	p. 124
Poker Etiquette in Home Games	p. 124
Do...	p. 125
Don't...	p. 125
More Information on Home Games	p. 125
Part II Advanced Strategy	p. 127
Chapter 8 Bluffing	p. 129
What Is Bluffing, Anyway?	p. 129
Different Kinds Of Bluffs	p. 130
The Importance of Bluffing	p. 131
Keep 'em guessing	p. 132
The threat of bluffing	p. 132
The Bluffing Paradox	p. 133
Not All Bluffs Are Created Equal	p. 134
Bluffing on the end with a hopeless hand	p. 134
Bluffing with more cards to come	p. 135
Bluffing and Position	p. 136
Bluffing More Than One Opponent	p. 137
Bluffing Strategies	p. 139
Chapter 9 Money Management and Recordkeeping	p. 141
What Is Money Management Anyway?	p. 141
Does money management make sense?	p. 142
Should you quit while you're ahead?	p. 142
Should you quit when you reach a stop-loss limit?	p. 143
The Truth About Money Management	p. 143
Having a positive expectation	p. 143
Game selection and money management	p. 144
The Importance of Keeping Records	p. 145
What kind of records should I keep?	p. 145
How to keep records	p. 145
Keeping up with recordkeeping	p. 146
How to Figure Your Win Rate	p. 146
All averages are not created equal	p. 146
Standard deviation for the mathematically challenged	p. 147
How the standard deviation works	p. 148
Using standard deviation to analyze your poker results	p. 150
How to Reduce Fluctuations in a Poker Game	p. 151
How Big Should Your Poker Bankroll Be?	p. 152
A fool and his money...	p. 153
How professional players maintain their bankrolls	p. 154
Moving Up to Bigger Limits	p. 155
Part III Computers, Casinos, and Cardrooms	p. 157
Chapter 10 Poker Tournaments	p. 159
Why Play Poker Tournaments?	p. 159
The thrill of victory	p. 160
Learn new games inexpensively	p. 160
The game is "pure"	p. 160
Take on the champs	p. 161
Poker Tournament Basics	p. 161
Buy-ins and fees	p. 161
Betting structures	p. 161
The prize pool	p. 162
Satellite tournaments	p. 163
The Relationship Between Blinds and Betting Structure	p. 164
The escalating blinds	p. 165
The end game	p. 165
Be extremely selective; be very aggressive	p. 166
Key Mistakes Made in Poker Tournaments	p. 166
Trying to win too early	p. 167
Defending your blind too much	p. 167
Playing too tight	p. 167
Playing a marginal hand after the flop	p. 167
Being unaware of other players' chip stacks	p. 167
Tournament Tips from a World Champion	p. 168
Cutting a Deal at the Final Table	p. 170
The fairest way to cut a deal	p. 170
When the chip count is identical	p. 171
Issues with Payoff Structures	p. 171
The ethics of deal making	p. 172
Expanded payoff structures	p. 172
Where to Find Information about Tournaments	p. 173
Chapter 11 Video Poker	p. 175
The Basics of Video Poker	p. 176
Getting started	p. 176
Playing hands	p. 177
Video Poker versus Regular Poker	p. 178
Jacks-or-Better Video Poker	p. 180
Deuces Wild: The Best Game for Beginners	p. 182
Tips for Becoming a Better Video Poker Player	p. 185
Seven Mistakes to Avoid in Video Poker	p. 186
Further Readings	p. 187
Chapter 12 The World Series of Poker	p. 189
How It All Got Started	p. 189
1970: The First World Series of Poker	p. 190
High-Roller Tournaments Made Affordable	p. 191
No-Limit Texas Hold'em--the Cadillac of Card Games	p. 192
Let's Get Ready to Rumble: The Latest Battles at the World Series of Poker	p. 193
Stu Ungar: The Comeback Kid	p. 194
Scotty Nguyen: An American dreamer	p. 197
Chapter 13 The Computer: Your Shortcut to Poker Mastery	p. 203
Choosing the Right Computer for Poker Study	p. 204
Getting by with a used computer	p. 204
Using a Computer for Interactive Poker Practice	p. 205
An Interactive Self-Study Course	p. 206
Interactive Poker Software Programs	p. 207
Finding the best software	p. 208
Using the offerings from Wilson Software	p. 208
Chapter 14 Internet Poker	p. 213
Internet Play-Money Games	p. 213
But it isn't real poker, is it?	p. 214
What the games are like	p. 215
How these games help you to improve	p. 215
The Best Internet Play-Money Sites: Internet Poker Casinos	p. 216
Getting started	p. 217
Finding games	p. 217
Looking for serious play-money games	p. 218
Participating in the Future of Poker at rec.gambling.poker (RGP)	p. 218
Finding RGP	p. 219
Benefiting from RGP	p. 219
Virtual Poker for Real Money: Internet Cash Stakes Games	p. 220
But is it legal?	p. 221
Our advice to you	p. 221
Part IV More Poker Fun	p. 223
Chapter 15 What's Behind the Sayings, Terms, and Myths	p. 225
Poker Sayings	p. 225
Poker Slang	p. 227
Poker Myths	p. 231
Chapter 16 Learning More about Poker	p. 233
The Zen Poker Process	p. 233
A Learning Plan	p. 234
Read beginner-level books	p. 234
Read the magazines	p. 235
Use your computer	p. 235
Play poker	p. 236
Think about the game	p. 236
All Kinds of Poker Books	p. 236
Books for beginners	p. 237
Books for advanced players	p. 239
Other recommended books	p. 240
Beyond the Written Word	p. 240
Part V The Part of Tens	p. 245
Chapter 17 Ten Ways to Read Your Opponent	p. 247
Shaking Hand	p. 248
Jittering	p. 249
Shrugs and Sad Voices	p. 249
Changes in Breathing	p. 249
Misdirected Bets	p. 250
Extra Emphasis	p. 250
Looking Away	p. 250
Staring at You	p. 251
Reactions after Looking at Their Cards	p. 251
Reaching for Chips	p. 252
A Final Word	p. 252
Chapter 18 Ten Poker Legends	p. 253
Stu Ungar	p. 254
Johnny Moss	p. 254
Jack "Treetop" Straus	p. 255
Benny Binion	p. 255
"Amarillo Slim" Preston	p. 256
Doyle Brunson	p. 257
Johnny Chan	p. 257
Phil Hellmuth, Jr.	p. 258
Scotty Nguyen	p. 258
Huck Seed	p. 259
Honorable Mentions	p. 259
Chapter 19 Ten Keys to Success	p. 261
Be Aware of Your Strengths and Weaknesses	p. 261
Act Responsibly	p. 261
Think	p. 261
Have a Plan	p. 262
Set Deadlines	p. 262
Be Realistic	p. 262
Expect Difficulties	p. 262
Build on Small Accomplishments	p. 263
Persist	p. 263
Have Fun	p. 264
Chapter 20 (Almost) Ten Things to Consider Before Going Pro	p. 265
Poker Isn't Like Most Jobs	p. 265
Considering Your Own Results	p. 266
Playing When You're Not at Your Best	p. 266
Keeping Good Records	p. 266
Deciding Where to Play	p. 266
Using Statistics to Predict Your Expectations	p. 267
Assessing Your Risk Tolerance	p. 267
No Licensing Required	p. 268
Following Good Examples	p. 268
Asking the Right Questions	p. 269
Chapter 21 Ten Ways to Improve Your Poker Today	p. 271
Know Your Numbers	p. 271
Know Your Opponents	p. 272
Keep Your Ego Out of the Game	p. 272
Keep Records--Even When It Hurts	p. 272
Choose the Best Game	p. 273
Commit to Excellence	p. 273
Practice with Computerized Software	p. 273
Read the Newsgroup	p. 273
Analyze Your Game--and Your Opponents'	p. 274
Concentrate on Things That Matter	p. 274
Read All the Books	p. 275
Chapter 22 Ten Real-Life Poker Lessons	p. 277
Being Selective and Aggressive	p. 277
Safety at All Costs Can Be Costly	p. 277
Knowing Your Opponent	p. 278
Timing Can Be Everything	p. 278
Deciding If the Prize Is Worth the Game	p. 279
Reaching for Objectives	p. 279
Being Responsible	p. 280
Painting Yourself into a Corner	p. 280
Thinking Outside the Box	p. 281
Realizing When Discretion Is the Better Part of Valor	p. 282
Index	p. 283
Back of Book	p. 303

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