Texas Hold'em Pro Poker Course

By Ronald Hess

Learn to play like the pros. This course is designed to teach you how to play and improve your limit and no-limit Texas Hold'em poker game. Included in this course are guidelines, strategies and techniques to help you win more and lose less. Also included is a complimentary copy of Robert's Rules of Poker, to help teach proper poker rules, exercises to help improve your board reading ability, questions and answers to improve your over all game. We also include a list of major US casinos with card rooms so you know where to play. If you have ever lost $50 or $100 in a poker session this is well worth a few dollars. Win More! Lose Less! Information is everything in Texas Hold'em. This course will give you the information to be a winning poker player. Learn to read the other players, learn to read the board, learn the rules, learn solid poker play. This course will help with all of these aspects of poker play. The more information you have the more you will win and the less you will lose.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronald Hess
• Release date: Jul 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301923854

Ronald Hess

This Texas Hold'em course was written by two professional poker players whose goal was not for notoriety but to educate the new, up and coming Texas Hold'em players, as well as those players who want to improve, change, and enhance their game. One author is a former teacher and educator and is now a writer and professional poker player specializing in cash games. The co-author is a former accountant, business manager and owner and is also now a writer and professional poker player.

Book preview

TEXAS HOLD’EM

PRO POKER COURSE

GUIDELINES, STRATEGIES,

AND TECHNIQUES FOR

LIMIT AND NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM

A CONDENSED STRAIGHTFORWARD COURSE

FROM THE LAS VEGAS STRIP

LEARN FROM THE PROS

TO THE POINT!

WHAT TO DO! WHAT TO PLAY!

HOW TO WIN!

STOP THE LEAKS IN YOUR GAME!

PUBLISHED BY

THE NOR COLLECTION

Ronald L Hess and Cynthia B Hess Authors

AT SMASHWORDS

COPYRIGHT 2011, THE NOR COLLECTION

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED BY ANY METHOD WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF NOR POKER.COM. NO LIABILITY IS ASSUMED FOR THE USE OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS COURSE/BOOK NOR FOR DAMAGES RESULTING IN THE USE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS COURSE/BOOK. THE AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS OF THIS COURSE/BOOK ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. THIS COURSE IS OFFERED AS INFORMATION AND NOT AS AN INDUCEMENT TO GAMBLE.

PREFACE

This Texas Hold’em course was written by two professional poker players whose goal was not for notoriety but to educate the new, up and coming Texas Hold’em players, as well as those players who want to improve, change, and enhance their game. One author is a former teacher and educator and is now a writer and professional poker player specializing in cash games. The co-author is a former accountant, business manager and owner and is also now a writer and professional poker player.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A POKER PLAYER!

Do you have the time?

Do you want to take the time to learn to play Texas Hold’em?

How many hours are you willing to put in each week?

Do you have the time to be patient?

Do you have the bankroll?

What are your expectations?

Can you learn from your mistakes?

Can you treat every day as a learning experience?

Can you play each session long enough to learn and read your opponents?

Note: Playing an hour on the way to work or only an hour after work is not an option!

Which of the following sounds like you?

A. I watch it on television. It looks like fun! Everyone’s making money at it. It’s just cards. How hard can it be? Also, everyone likes me so no one is going to play that hard against me.

Or

B. Some players really don’t need to learn the basics. Maybe only what hands beat what! Just pound the table! Try to buy every pot! Have an attitude. Put your opponents on tilt. And most of all, wear a cool outfit with possibly a big hat so the world will know you are a pro. Plus, and the most important thing, make sure you have a drink holder for the alcohol! Thus, when you leave the table you can say I dominated that table. I irritated all my opponents. I was the only one not on tilt. And I only lost my money because they got lucky. They’re all really bad poker players. I wish I had the funds to go back to the ATM and teach those guys a lesson. I can’t believe they’re still playing.

Or

C. Maybe I’ll take the time to learn the game and put in the effort to be successful at it!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ENTER A NEW POKER ROOM.

Ask questions:

What Texas Hold’em games are you playing? Limit or no limit?

How much are the blinds?

What is the minimum buy-in?

What is the maximum buy-in?

Are there any promotions?

Aces cracked? How much? Hours of promotion?

Kings cracked? How much? Hours of promotion?

Is there a bonus for high hands?

Quads? How much? Hours of promotion?

Straight Flush? How much? Hours of promotion?

Royal Flush? How much? Hours of promotion?

Is there a bad beat promotion? What beats what?

What is the house rake and promotional rake? In other words, what does the casino take off the table each hand.

Are there any freeroll tournaments based on hours of play?

Do you give comps? How much per hour? What can you use your comps for and where can you use them?

Are there any special rules I should know about?

Look at the tables. How many seats are there at each table? How many seats are occupied now? In other words, are the tables full or are they playing shorthanded?

Do the players seem to be locals or tourists?

Are the players aggressive or passive? What seats are available? The types of players and their positions at the table will be covered later in this course.

How many chips are on the table? Are there any big stacks?

Decide if you want to play. Does the game meet your expectations and your bankroll needs?

If you decide to play, give the supervisor your casino player’s card.

Note:

I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I have seen a person sit down at a poker table and after 20 minutes say oh, I thought this was no-limit, when there are no red chips on the table; or they try to bet $30 in a 4 - 8 limit game; or they muck pocket aces when they lose the hand and it’s during aces cracked for $100. Some players are so anxious to take a seat that they forget why they’re playing--- to make a profit in a game they’re comfortable with.

WHERE TO SIT AT THE POKER TABLE

(IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE)

Look at the table. Watch the table.

Who has big stacks?

Who is aggressive? Who is passive?

Knowledge and information are everything.

Who is raising?

Who is a calling station and who checks a lot.

Sit to the right of passive players.

Players who are calling stations won’t raise too much or surprise you in their play.

Sit to the left of loose - aggressive players.

Remember, information is everything. Some players are maniacs with no regards for cards or position. When it’s your turn, you will know if they bet, raised or folded. You need to have every advantage possible.

WHAT BEATS WHAT?

RANKING OF HANDS

#1 Royal Flush…..

A Royal Flush is the highest possible hand you can have in poker. A Royal Flush consists of A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.

#2 Straight Flush…..

A Straight Flush is the second strongest hand in poker. A Straight Flush consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit (ex. 8, 9, 10, J, Q of spades).

#3 Four of a Kind…..

Four of a kind is a hand where you have four cards that are the same value (ex. 10, 10, 10, 10, 4).

#4 Full House…..

A Full House is when you have three cards that are the same value and two cards that are the same value (ex. 10, 10, 10, 8, 8).

#5 Flush…..

A Flush is a hand where all five cards are of the same suit

(ex. A, 4, 2, J, 6 in spades).

#6 Straight…..

A Straight is five cards in sequence but not of the same suit (ex. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

#7 Three of a Kind…..

Three of a kind is when you have three cards that are the same value (ex. 10, 10 , 10, 4, 2).

#8 Two Pair…..

Two pair is when you have two pairs of cards each with the same value (ex. 10, 10, 8, 8, 2).

#9 One Pair…..

One pair is when you have two cards with the same value

(ex. J, J, 8, 7, 5).

#10 High Card…..

When there are no other combination of cards, the player with the highest hole card wins the hand (ex. A, K, etc.).

#11 Board…..

When the 5 community cards have a higher ranking than any 5 card combination using the players’ hole cards, the pot is divided equally between all players in the hand.

Remember, the highest combination of 5 cards play in a hand. Any combination of your 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards may be used to form the best 5 card hand.

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ODDS AND PROBABILITIES

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PROBABILITY ANY PLAYER IS DEALT AN ACE

2 PLAYERS…18% 3 PLAYERS…40% 4 PLAYERS…50% 5 PLAYERS…59% 6 PLAYERS…66% 7 PLAYERS…73% 8 PLAYERS…78% 9 PLAYERS…83%

YOU HAVE AN ACE, PROBABILITY ANOTHER PLAYER DOES

2 PLAYERS…12% 3 PLAYERS…23% 4 PLAYERS…32% 5 PLAYERS…41% 6 PLAYERS…50% 7 PLAYERS…57% 8 PLAYERS…64% 9 PLAYERS…69%

YOU HAVE NO ACE, PROBABILITY ANOTHER PLAYER DOES

2 PLAYERS…16% 3 PLAYERS…29% 4 PLAYERS…41% 5 PLAYERS…51% 6 PLAYERS…60% 7 PLAYERS…68% 8 PLAYERS…74% 9 PLAYERS…80%

PROBABILITY OF BEING DEALT AN ACE IN ANY TEXAS HOLD’EM GAME IS 15%

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FREQUENCY OF NUMBER OF HIGH CARD HANDS DEALT TO 10 PLAYERS

Probabilities for a total of 1000 ten player hands dealt

0 HANDS…278 or 27.8% 1HAND…380 or 38% 2 HANDS…233 or 23.3% 3 HANDS…85 or 8.5% 4+ HANDS…24 or 2.4%

FREQUENCY OF NUMBER OF PAIRS DEALT TO 10 PLAYERS

Probabilities for a total of 1000 ten player hands dealt

0 PAIRS…545 or 54.5% 1 PAIR…347 or 34.7% 2 PAIRS…91 or 9.1% 3 PAIRS…14 or 1.4% 4+ PAIRS…3 or .3%

AFTER THE FLOP STRAIGHT DRAW

4 CARD OPEN ENDED, ONE OR TWO CARDS IN HAND

MAKE ON TURN, ODDS AGAINST 5/1

MAKE ON RIVER, ODDS AGAINST 5/1

MAKE ON EITHER, ODDS AGAINST 2/1

INSIDE STRAIGHT, ONE OR TWO CARDS IN HAND

MAKE ON TURN, ODDS AGAINST 11/1

MAKE ON RIVER, ODDS AGAINST 11/1

MAKE ON EITHER, ODDS AGAINST 5/1

AFTER THE FLOP FLUSH DRAW

FOUR CARD FLUSH, ONE OR TWO CARDS IN HAND

MAKE ON TURN, ODDS AGAINST 4/1

MAKE ON RIVER, ODDS AGAINST 4/1

MAKE ON EITHER, ODDS AGAINST 2/1

AFTER THE FLOP FULL HOUSE DRAW

THREE OF A KIND ONE OR TWO CARDS IN HAND

MAKE ON TURN, ODDS AGAINST 6/1

MAKE ON THE RIVER, ODDS AGAINST 4/1

MAKE ON EITHER, ODDS AGAINST 2/1

TWO PAIR, ONE OR TWO CARDS IN HAND

MAKE ON TURN, ODDS AGAINST 11/1

MAKE ON RIVER, ODDS AGAINST 11/1

MAKE ON EITHER, ODDS AGAINST 5/1

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POKER AND THE POKER TABLE

A typical poker table seats 9 or 10 players plus the dealer. The dealer is supplied by the casino or poker room but does not play. He simply shuffles the cards, deals the cards, and controls and oversees the action at the table. At the end of a hand he will point out the winner and push the pot to him.

When playing poker in a casino you are not playing against the house, you are playing against the other players at the table. The house takes what is known as a rake for it’s share of each pot. The rake is generally 10% up to $5 for each hand. The house may also take out a promo fee, usually $1 or $2, which goes towards paying special promotions. Some other casinos or poker rooms may charge a flat fee or a fee based on time played, particularly in the bigger cash games.

Limit Hold’em is when there is a specific betting limit on each round of play.

No-limit Hold’em is when there is no betting limit on any round of play.

The deck of cards used in both games is a standard 52 card deck.

The object of the game is to win as much money as you can in one sitting.

Hold’em uses a dealer button, a small disc, to indicate the dealer in each hand (though he is not the actual dealer). The button moves clockwise around the table after each hand and simply allows each player to have an equal opportunity to play each position (to be discussed in detail later).

The player to the left of the button is the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind is the big blind. The small and big blinds are required to post a certain amount depending on the game being played. The big blind is usually the game’s lower limit amount (for instance $4 in a 4-8 game) and the small blind is usually half or one third of the big blind (for instance $2 in a 4-8