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How to win at online poker. Packed full of hints and tips and includes examples of odds and scenarios that will help you to be a better player and win more games

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Page 1: Advanced Online Poker Strategy

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Page 2: Advanced Online Poker Strategy

Introduction:Thanks to the internet, the game of Texas Holdem has become one ofthe most popular poker games to date. Players from around the worldcan compete online in the comfort of their own homes and enjoy playingpoker 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But with the increasing numberof players comes an increasing amount of competition thus making itmore difficult to win on a consistent basis…until now. With theinformation provided here you can become a better online TexasHoldem poker player regardless of your experience. Beginners andveterans alike will benefit from the table tested techniques presented inthis document.Each section of this strategy guide eBook deals with a specific situation that can be encountered during any typical online Texas Holdem game.

First of all...

Familiarise yourself with the online range of poker sites. There are plenty of sites offering free and real money games.Free software downloads, more poker ebooks, free bonus bets, reviews and online calculator

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Page 3: Advanced Online Poker Strategy

Starting Hands:A good starting hand is the first and foremost key to winning at onlineTexas Holdem poker, period. The majority of the online pokercommunity tends to overlook this crucial element essential for winningconsistently. Sure, anyone will get lucky every now and then with a 7-2off suit, but to win consistently you must condition yourself to play onlyhole cards with the best possible winning percentages.So what is a good starting hand? Ace/Ace - Ace/King Suited -King/King? There are numerous books and resources on the internetthat will give you an ANTICIPATED good starting hand along with thewin percentages for each, but here is what they don't tell you:The strength of a good starting hand depends greatly on the number ofplayers left in the game AND the number of callers. If there are 10people seated at the table, then a good starting hand will be quitedifferent from a good starting hand with only 3 players sitting at thetable.David "Einstein" Sklansky was the first author to have both ranked every2-card starting hand and group them along with recommendations onhow to play them. The top 16 ranked starting hole cards arefundamental to solid play. They constitute about 7% of all hands youwill be dealt.Table 1 - Sklansky's Group 1 handsAA KK QQ JJ AKsAce/Ace and King/King are substantially more powerful than theQueen/Queen.Table 2 - Sklansky's Group 2 handsTT AQs AJs KQs AKThe overall power of Ace/King is actually slightly greater than that ofKing/Queens, so I would reverse the order of these two hands withinthis Group.Out of the 10 hands in these two groups your decision to raise shouldnot be treated equally based upon the following:• Raising Ace/Ace, King/King, Queen/Queen, and Ace/King shouldbe aggressive before the flop because these cards can lose theirvalue in large multi-way pots.• Raising Ace/King, Ace/Queen, Ace/Jack, and King/Queen shouldbe moderate because they do play well in multi-way pots.• Raising Jack/Jack should only be done on a tight tables in orderto run out hands such as Ace/Nine. This type of hand can alsolose value in multi-way pots.• Raising Ten/Ten is generally not recommended.Always consider the fact that your starting hand strength also dependson your table position, or how many people bet before and after you do.As a general rule, you should stick to the conventional best startinghand percentages when there are 8 to 10 players with 2 to 3 callers.

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When the field is narrowed down to 5 players or less, you should playyour starting hands more aggressively. For example, the Ace/Kingsuited is often considered to be the second best starting hand with a fulltable. If there are less than 5 players left, any Ace hole card with adecent kicker can give you the same winning percentages as theAce/King suited would have. The concept is very simple, you areplaying the mathematical odds implied via the 52 cards in the deckalong with the probability that fewer players will equal less chances thatsomeone will draw an Ace. In short, the fewer number of playersholding cards at a table, the greater your chances of winning are.If you are in a late position at a full table and have seen one playerwager a large bet, and there are one or two callers, most often you canbet at the very least ONE of them is holding a strong starting hand withhigh win percentages (such as an Ace with a high kicker, suitedsequence cards, or heavy pocket pairs, etc).If, at any given point of the game, you have five or more players seeingthe flop, then a good starting hand can often times change to smallsequence cards such as a five/six or a small suited pairs. Reason?When over half of the players at a table call a hand, the high cards suchas Aces, Kings, and Queens are usually tied up as hole cards thus notshowing up on the flop, turn or river. This is an excellent opportunity forsmall pairs, lower straights, or any flush draw to win a big pot.As a general rule, you should never bet the minimum when you have anexcellent starting hand unless you intend to "limp in" and get morecallers for the hand. There are times when limping in can win you somebig pots, but you shouldn't let slow playing become a dominant strategy.It is good to bet at least 3 to 4 times the minimum in order to run out anypossible draw hands or players who rely on luck and chance to win abig pot early in the tournament.Once you have mastered the basic concept of good starting hands forevery scenario, you will become a better Texas Holdem playerregardless of when, where, or who you play. Ready for some more?

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Pairs:Pairs are always good hole cards, but you should play them wisely.Everyone loves to see a pair in the hole. One of the most anticipatedpocket pairs are the pocket Aces which tend to cause amateurs to betthe whole farm thinking they cannot loose. If you do not comprehendanything else in this guide, comprehend this...pocket Aces are notALWAYS a winner. Yes, they are indeed the best starting hand you cantheoretically be dealt, but I have seen way too many players lose all oftheir chips with the "all-in" pocket Aces.Having said that, let's start with the idea of "slow playing" your pocketAces. There are a few things that you should consider before doing so.If you choose to slow play the Aces you should be at a table that hasplayers who are unlikely to call a pre-flop raise from an early position,very loose players, or one or more players who are frequently stealingthe blinds. Keep in mind that slow playing with any hand should notbecome a dominating strategy but rather a technique used sparingly.Now suppose that you come out strong with your betting and you getmultiple callers or even a raise. If it comes to the turn or river card andyou do not improve your hand you should typically lay down. Moreoften than not, you will lose a substantial amount of chips - especially ifthere is a possible straight or flush hand showing on the board.Remember, it is better to save your stack and live to play another handthan to foolishly take chances.Other pocket pairs such as the Deuce/Deuce is not as strong as manywould think at ANY point during the game. I would recommend neverholding this small pair (unless you are a blind and can check through tothe next card). All it takes is someone holding a single Three card andthen seeing another Three show up on the flop or turn to win the hand.In general, the Five to Nine pair are usually not good pocket pairs to beton - but can be a good hand to see the flop on if the betting is notbeyond your comfort level or if you are a blind and have the option tocheck. If you don't hit at least three of a kind on the flop, it is best not tohold these low pairs unless you can continue to check the hand. Thebest advice I can give for playing pocket pairs on the Internet is to watchwhich pairs have recently won, and which ones have recently lost.Keep a mental record of the “wins” verses “losses”. I say this for thesimple fact that if King/King in the hole has won three times during thetournament, odds become favorable that they will not win the fourth timeBEFORE at least one bad beat. This one observation alone can saveyou a lot of money - especially in large multiplayer tournaments. Manyonline casinos state that they use random number generators whendealing or determining cards (I’m not saying they don’t) but aftercountless hours of real game time, one will begin to wonder just how“random” anything can be.ALWAYS, ALWAYS be aware that when any pair is showing on the

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board, a full house is possible. A full house Threes full of Twos will beatAce/Ace or trip Aces every time. Whenever you see someone bettinghard on board pairs, you should at the very least be holding an Ace orKing with the pair, and it is recommended not to play against a highwager unless you already have trips with the possibility of hitting the fullboat yourself.

Sequence cards:Sequence cards can sometimes be better than pocket pairs as long asthey are Eight/Nine or better. I would recommend that you not play anylower straight unless you are a blind and have no choice - or unless youhave established yourself early in the game. Which brings me tomention, blinds usually end up winning big pots by playing low straights.Beware of a big or small blind betting on a possible straight flop. Moreoften that not, they actually have it. A Jack/Ten is one of the bestpossible straight hands to hold due to the odds of making the straight ona draw, as well as having a no loose straight hand if it hits. I usuallyplay open ended straights with a high probability to win more often thanI do pairs. Straights win more times than you would think when playingonline Texas Holdem!

Position:Many poker professionals state that the dealer position is the bestbetting position you will experience. This is true in most cases, but isnot always the case (you will understand why I say this later). Thedealer position is valuable due to the fact that you have the opportunityto see how many players are still in on the hand and how strongly theyfeel about their hand. Since Texas Holdem is played in a clockwisemanner, those to the right of the dealer have less information to basetheir decisions on thus having a perceived disadvantage. Early bettingpositions are always subject to being raised by other players after you.Any time you are in the dealer position with multiple callers AND youhave a good starting hand, then you can usually increase the minimumbet with a slight guarantee that everyone will call. This is a wonderfulway to increase the winning pot size.While I will not argue or try to belittle the dealer position, I will say thatmany online poker tournaments have been won by those who trulyunderstand how to make the most out of the "blind" positions. Considerthat you play a blind position 2-1 over the dealer position during atournament. The "blinds" are what you would call an "early" position.You have no feedback from the other players as to what type of handthe think they have, and how much they are willing to wager on theirhands. Unless you start out with strong hole cards, you need to be veryconservative and check your hand. If you do not have good startingcards, simply do not raise, do not call, do not fish, and do not take the

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chance, end of story. Often I see those in the big or small blind positiontake a gamble based upon the idea that they already have half of theante in the pot, so why not gamble and call the other half. Why not?Because it is still truly a gamble and foolish . Especially when the blindstakes are high. Those who can resist this temptation are those whoend up saving a good bit of chips for when they actually have a handand need to use them. Remember, good players win with a solid gameplan; they do not rely on luck or chance.While speaking of position, it is always a good time to introduce the artof bluffing. Believe me when I say this, bluffing is truly an art. Compareit to the abilities of a skilled artist whose brush dances around thecanvas as if it had a mind of it's own - a competent holdem player canbluff his way around the table just as easily. While you can always bluffone player easier than you can 9 players, position is a critical factor. Ifyou know many of the players at the table are tight players and you feelthe timing is right, then a blind position is the absolute best time to bluffa bad hand like no other. I say this for two reasons. One, there are nocards on the table, so even if an opponent has Ace/Ace in the hole, theyhave absolutely no idea if you have Ace/Ace also. When bluffing from ablind position before a flop the mindset should be "my cards are just asgood or better than yours and I'll prove it with my wager". But keep thisin mind; if you raise a substantial amount on the bluff, and you get morethan one caller, one of them will usually have a very strong hand theyare proud of. If this is the case, back off of your bet and fold. There isno harm done here, do not be a victim of playing your ego. Whenbluffing from the blind position you are really only concerned with"stealing the other blind" and nothing more.Now consider the post-flop bluff from a blind position assuming youhave one or more callers. If an ace (or any strong possible combinationsuch as 3 sequence cards etc.) shows on the board, you have theoption of slightly raising the bet again to see if your opponents areactually holding anything of value. If not, they will most likely fold theirhand fearing that their king or queen will not hold up to your "supposed"ace and so on. With callers on the table this is effectively the oppositeof "blind stealing" and a tactic used by many of the best online pokerplayers. Nothing is more powerful than bluffing the blind stealer. Iwould advise that you use this tactic with caution, and do not over playit. It is much more effective if you do not overplay it. The moreexperienced players will catch on to you if you abuse it.

Easy Online Tells:Obviously there are not as many tells when playing on the internet asthere are when playing in person. You cannot see the other player inorder to read his/her expressions and emotions. But believe it or not,there are times when you can pick up on the playing habits of anotherplayer online. For instance: Players that frequently push the check/fold

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button before their turn. This is very common among NOVICE oruneducated players. This is an easy tell, they have no hand worthplaying and only hope to see free cards - or fold if a raise is made. AGOOD player will take some time off of the clock even when they havenothing. This keeps the other players guessing at all times. Sometimesit will even frustrate an experienced or frequent player causing them tomake a hasty decision. If you see someone checking quickly hand afterhand, play them aggressively, unless of course you know the player andthey are using this as a method to fool their opponents.Some veteran players will try to use the clock as a "timing" tool to theiradvantage. For example, a player may take the full “time out” beforethey make their decision to check/fold/raise. If they use a large amountof time to simply check, odds are they have nothing. Slightly raise thestakes to keep them in check. If they come back with a large raise or anall-in raise – watch out! Unless you know this player very well it is wiseto be cautious and back down. Regardless of the outcome use it toyour advantage by taking mental note of the player’s style and use thisknowledge for the next showdown. A novice player will consistentlyplay their hand the same way every time.I’ll give you a good example. I once knew a player that went all-in everytime he would stay in a hand. It didn’t matter if it was on the flop, theturn, or the river, if he bet – it would be all-in. Believe it or not, he won alot of tournaments – until I (and eventually a few others) caught up tohim by carefully observing his playing style. He would only playAce/King, Ace/Ace, or any suited cards. Once this tell was out, it waseasy to know when to stay in a pot or when to fold. My point is this: Ifyou will carefully watch a player and take note of what cards they holdwhen they win AND loose, you can get a good feel of how they play andthus recognize their “tells”.

Winning on the flop:In the beginning of a tournament, watch the first 10 to 15 hands. If therehave been 2 of a kind, 3 of a kind, and full house wins, you can bet thata straight is sure to follow soon. If you get an open end straight at thispoint, you should bet stronger than usual. This also works in reverse,for example, if a straight has won, 2 of a kind, and 3 of a kind has wonnumerous times, bet on a full house showing very soon. You mustcarefully watch every hand that has been played and take note to thenumber of hands won that are shown to the table as well as "mucked"hands. Calculate these possibilities when predicting what will shownext.Early in a tournament, you should use pre-flop betting to get a feel forthe playing styles of the other players. Raising the bet by at least 3times the minimum wager on the flop will usually make tight players fold.Also, many novice players will not call any type of raise to their handbefore seeing the flop - even if they have a good starting hand. This

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type of betting can also slow down the blind stealer as well asaggressive players who play multiple hands while the blinds are low.

To Chat or not to Chat:Some players like to use chat very often. This is no different than thelounge player who likes to “trash” talk during the game and keep youdistracted. Sometimes they will remark only to anger you, trying to getyou to play to their hand. Other times they will befriend you, hoping thatyou become less aggressive in your betting towards them.If you are serious about winning online Texas Holdem, turn off the chat,don't even open yourself up to the distraction. If you really want to talkand have a good time getting to know people, visit a designated CHATroom and save your money. Remember, if you are focusing yourattention on the talk, your not focusing your attention on the players andthe cards they play.If you must chat (my wife can't help it - she loves to talk) then neverdisclose the truth about your previous hand. If someone asksyou...LIE. Whatever winning hand they had, you had one better. If youhad the nuts and couldn't be beat, then tell them you bluffed their socksoff! The point is this, if they are analyzing your style (and they will) youhave an opportunity to throw them off. Always keep them guessing.You do not want to be a predictable player.

Playing Back to Back Hands:If someone has just won on 3 of a kind, it is almost guaranteed that thenext hand will not win on 3 of a kind – this goes for any winningcombination. While a full house can be likely, most often somethingcompletely different will win such as a low pair, a straight, a flush, oreven a single high card. You must be constantly aware of the pokerodds against you. Be very selective when betting back to back hands.There are times when you may feel a sense of “domination” andbecome more aggressive in your betting - eventually losing a big pot.Never let your emotions dictate your strategy.The only exception to this rule would be if you were a substantial chipleader or established player and the other players were reluctant to callyour larger bets. Then you can use your chip stack along withmomentum to bully the table - although this is usually short lived.

Folding:Believe it or not, many poker players will tell you that folding is an artjust like bluffing is. This section will definitely raise a lot of eyebrows,but all I can say is don’t knock it until you try it. It is possible that if youfolded every hand and never played a flop (except for the forced blinds),you could finish in the top 1/2 of most internet tournaments. Yes, youread that right. Try it for yourself, play a money game with 9 other

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people with the intention to fold every hand, and often times you will endup in the top 1/2. How is that for an instant improvement in yourgame?I simply call it conservative play and if you haven't figured it out by now,it is one of the biggest secrets to winning consistently online.Remember when I said that you do not have as many physical tellswhen playing online? It is because of this that you must conditionyourself to play your cards more often than you play the other people atyour table. Believe me, I know how hard it is to lay down an Ace/Kingwith a big pot show - but when a tight player is betting heavy on theboard low straight - I save my chips and fold. It is human nature to wantto think a bluff is going down and nothing will beat MY good cards. But Ican't see him. I can't see the shift in his eyes, the nervous fingertapping, the smirk on his face. I can't hear the tone of his voice. Theonly thing I can do is bet on the value of my cards in relationship to thecards on the table.Most online casinos have a stat tracker showing you how many timesyou fold (and when), how many times you see the flop, how many timesyou win, etc. When your fold percentage is high, you will more oftenthan not get the cards you need to win that hand you have been waitingpatiently for. Remember the motto? Minimize loses. Fold when indoubt and never chase cards - especially when the stakes are high.Players who continually chase cards end up broke. Call this odds, callthis percentages, call it anything you want. I call it "knowing fromexperience that after I have folded 12-15 hands I usually get a goodstarting hand that almost never loses".

Could Haves:There are times when you fold, only to see a flop that would have givenyou a good betting hand. Watch this closely. First of all, this tells youthat you missed your opportunity to win a hand. Most importantly, yourodds of getting a good hand AFTER that are seemingly lowered due toperceived expectations. Always wait a few more hands before you betstrong again. Give yourself some time to get over the emotion of"missing out" so that you can get back to your game plan.The basic psychology behind this is simple: You feel that you havemissed an opportunity; you then try to create another opportunity tocompensate. More times than not, you loose your money trying tomake something happen out of nothing. Be patient, your time will comearound again and let the odds roll back in your favor. Never play out offrustration or with a sense of hopelessness. Keep your mind focusedand constantly remind yourself that you are a winner. Positive thinkingdoes wonders for your game (wonders for your life) and will revealopportunities you would have otherwise never noticed. This is a verypowerful concept that you can explore further by visiting this websiteMind Treasure! Like they say "Your life will never be the same". I can

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personally guarantee that!

Flush showing on flop:I included this section apart from the others for a good reason. Unlessyou have at least one suited HIGH card to go with the flush, simply donot wager high on this type of hand. Get out while you can if there isany heavy betting action.Keep in mind, loose players will often chase the flush if they are holdingonly one suited high card and they see 3 more on a flop. If you aregoing to chase cards, then this is the only time I would recommend it.Typically you should hold nothing less than a suited Ace, King, orQueen if there are 8 players or more, Queen to Ten when there are 5 orless. I have talked to a number of great players about the “bad beats”they have taken, and a flush draw is one of the favorites. As statedearlier, this is usually how the pocket Aces end up getting “shoved”.High card flush hands win some of the largest pots of every game.Period.

When the Blinds Have Been Raised:This is the best time to bet a slow hand early in any tournament. Mostplayers will fold due to the initial shock of the minimum bet being raised.Many who are "fishing" will not fish until a few hands have been playedwith the new minimum bets and their comfort level has resumed. Alsotake note that many players will tighten up every time the blinds areraised, and aggressive players will start to bluff even less.

Players Who Raise Often:This is one of two things, a very strong player who is confident andexperienced, or a very stupid player who plays only by the luck of thedraw. Watch this player carefully during the first 5 or so raises. If theylose more often than not, you probably have a sucker. Be as a tiger,patiently waiting in the bush to attack. Take his money when you havea strong hand or the nuts.Confident players will often change up their game strategy during play.A supposed loose player will become tight for a few rounds, and thenloose again. If you see a player that is playing too loose, occasionallybet big hands and slow them down. If you lose a big pot, you then havethe opportunity to set them up for an all-in. Make them believe that youare even looser! One good hand will take their entire chip stack. Bypurposely giving away a few small hands you can set them up for thebig pot winner and often times bring other players into the stack as well.

Bluff Less:It is harder to bluff on the internet than it is in person. Because of thelimited tells, more often than not, players will play their hand rather than

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the person they are playing. This is not to say that it is impossible tobluff an internet holdem game, but be very selective when you do.Many players will only bluff bad hands, but I want to introduce to you theart of bluffing a good hand (commonly know as slow playing). Let’s saythat you make a significant raise and you get a caller. Assuming thatyou have the nuts (a hand that cannot be beat) check or bet theminimum on the next card. Very often, this will provoke an even biggerraise than you would have gotten had you bet heavy again. In this wayyou are bluffing your opponent with a winning hand and - maximizingyour winnings.If you are attempting to bluff with a losing hand, it is wise to do so preflopand post-flop only. Continuing a bluff on the turn or river card isvery dangerous unless you see a weakness in the caller. If you haven’tbluffed them out by the turn card, chances are you’re not going to.I will say it again, conservative players win consistently when playingonline. Believe this and bluff less.

Tournament Play:As a general rule you should play very aggressive in the beginning of atournament. This is for two reasons. First, many beginners will hold andbet on nothing until they are eventually put out. Secondly, the blindsand minimum bets are very low allowing you to see more cards on theflop without loosing much of your stack. If you are going to chase cards(which you very seldom should), do it at the beginning of a tourney, butnever, NEVER at the end of a tourney.Be aware that other players will use this same tactic also. If you findyourself at a table where everyone seems to using this same strategy,play the opposite and take advantage of a loose table. The ability toconstantly change up your playing style during a game is whatseparates the champions from the wanna-be's.

Establish Yourself:After winning multiple hands, or one big hand, you become morepowerful and intimidating to many of the players early in the game. Thechip leader position will naturally demand respect from the rest of thetable. Your bluffing power is greater and you can run out the weakerplayers easier.If you have been playing on a poker internet site for a while and a fewpeople at the table recognize you as being a solid player, they willultimately respect every hand you play. Your name alone will give youan edge. It is amazing how poorly some will play when they feelintimidated by another good player. I have seen some of the bestinternet players thrown completely off their game when they found outthey were playing a pro from the WSOP.I recommend that beginners play a number of holdem websites andmove around using different aliases until you can win on a consistent

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basis. Given, no person can win every tournament they play in, but youshould get to where you can place in the top payout positions 3 out of 5tournaments with 10 players or less before you should expect toestablish yourself. As with any sport practice makes perfect.

Players Who Have Little To Lose:Call or bet against players with small chip stacks frequently. All-ins arecommon due to frustration coupled with the fact that they have very littleto loose and very little to play for. Many times even a semi decent handwill beat someone in this situation. Watch the player carefully todetermine if they are in fact acting out of desperation. If you havenoticed that they have either checked or folded a number of hands whileholding a low stack, this would lead you to believe that when they dofinally bet the last of their chips, they have something pretty good to gowith. If they go all-in right after a big loss, chances are they are ready toleave the table and just want to get it over with.

All-in on No-Limit:If you go all-in on any hand and you do not have the nuts (a hand thatcannot be beat) you might as well be playing a slot machine. Sure, thepocket Aces are the best possible hole cards, but when betting yourentire chip stack before seeing a flop be advised that ANYTHING canhappen. It is wise not to go all-in pre-flop regardless of what you haveunless you are sitting at a very tight table.Some internet players will use the all-in as an attempt to bluff others outof smaller pots. Let them have it, because a small pot is really not worththe risk (commonly calculated as pot odds). If the size of the pot issubstantial, and you have most of your chip stack in it already, AND youhave a decent chance of winning the hand, then you should go all theway. But consider, trying to bluff a large pot with a weak hand willusually result in a loss. As I stated earlier, beware of a player who haschecked a bet, and then comes back with an all-in on the next turnedcard. Many times this is a sucker bet, don't be the sucker.

Finding The Right Table:You want to find a table with loose players. Look for tables where theplayers see the flop at least 60% of the time or better. The worst tableto be at is one that has nothing but tight players seeing the flop 40% orless. Very tight tables lend to very small pots. When there are big potsinvolved you better have the cards and plenty of chips because it isalmost impossible to bluff a tight table. Since you are learning tobecoming a conservative player your mission is to find all of the loosegamblers!When you have found a good table to play, watch a number of hands goaround before you sit down. This gives you an opportunity to observe

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the playing styles of your opponents and will lend to some of the onlinetells I discussed earlier. Targeted the tight players, play more sequencestraights and aggressively steal more blinds. When you see looseplayers in on a hand then YOU should tighten up - slow play, bait andtrap, etc. Let them have the smaller pots and then hit them heavy withan all-in winner. Again, know your opponent, study his habits, and youwill stand a better chance of taking all of his chips.

Conclusion:The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to play Texas Holdemonline or offline is to stay within your comfort zone. You should neverplay for more chips than you are comfortable losing because thepressure will simply be too great for you to play effectively. Poker is amind game. If you stay within your mental limits, the risk becomes lessof an issue and you will play Holdem poker as it was meant to be played– as a FUN game where you are in control of your emotions and youremotions are not in control of you.Often times I see players who enter big money tournaments that theyhad no business being in to begin with. Quite simply the largertournaments with the bigger payouts attract the better players. If youare not at that same level of play as your opponents, you are simplydonating your time and money for a lesson learned. If you cannotconsistently win at a $20 buy-in table, then why should you loose moremoney at the $50 tables? Always know your limits and always playresponsibly.There you have it. Countless hours of internet Texas Holdem havebeen played in order to bring you these game winning observations.Many of the principles I have covered in this eBook may simply beregarded by some as common poker sense, but I feel the need to stressthese principles once again due to the fact that so many Texas Holdemplayers on the internet tend to abandon them. You can effectivelyeliminate the majority of your competition online simply by followingthese guidelines. Create your own unique style of play and mix it upfrequently, and I WILL see you at the final table!

Danny River 2010

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Advanced Strategy Reference Section

Hold'em is basically HIGH card game. The players holding two good high cards have the best chance at the best hand or a draw to the best hand after the flop. Only play strong hands, that will stand a raise or multiple raises, from early betting positions. Play medium strength and other playable hands from the later positions if you have a good chance of seeing the flop at a reasonable price. Play strong high hands MOST of the time, and play them very aggressively. Take all the raises you can get. If you don't thin out the competition, you reduce your chances of winning. Plus, your aggressive play before the flop can add credibility to any strong play you might want to use on the next round if a garbage flop falls and you want to try a steal. Be ready to fold your high pair if you get a lot of action with a threatening flop.Definitions:HIGH CARDS - A thru 10 (Aces, Faces and Tens)MEDIUM CARDS - 9 thru 7LOW CARDS - 6 thru 2SUITED PLAYER HAND (S) - Both cards of the same suit.NUT HAND - An unbeatable hand. Sometimes called a "lock".FLOP, TURN. RIVER - The community cards in the order of distribution. See top illustration.FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other players out as possible.SLOW PLAY - Just check or call along to keep other players in the game to increase the pot odds.CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are bet into. Gladly accept all free cards offered.

Starting Holdem Hands:The starting hands shown here are in general power order groups with names that are easy to remember. More precise power ratings of each of the individual hands is available on the "Best of the Net" page, under "Texas Hold'em".

The Strongest Starting Hands:PAIR of HIGH CARDS - AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010ACE and HIGH CARD SUITED - AK(S), AQ(S), AJ(S), A10(S)FACES SUITED - KQ(S), KJ(S), QJ(S)ACE KING - AK

Medium Strength Starting Hands:FACE TEN SUITED - K10(S), Q10(S), J10(S) MEDIUM PAIRS - 99, 88, 77TWO HIGH CARDS - AQ, AJ, A10 (ace king ranks higher, above), KQ down to J10ACE and MEDIUM SUITED - A9(S), A8(S), A7(S)MEDIUM SUITED CONNECTORS - 109(S), 98(S), 87(S)

Other Conditional Starting Hands:LOW PAIRS - 66, 55, 44, 33, 22ACE and LOW SUITED - A6(S), A5(S), A4(S), A3(S), A2(S)LOW SUITED CONNECTORS - 76(S), 65(S), 54(S) (lowest)

Strategy Tips:Fast play high pairs and very strong hands before the flop. This puts more money in the early pot and encourages weak and garbage hands to fold that could get a lucky flop and beat you.Don't draw to the low end or both ends of a straight. If a 9 8 7 flops, you want to be playing the J 10 and not the 6 5 or the 10 6. (The low part is commonly called the "ignorant" end of the straight.)Unconnected Medium and Low Cards are Usually Unplayable. This includes suited cards that can't flop a straight. Both ends of a straight such as 9 5 fall into this very weak catagory. Play starting low pairs cautiously. 66 down to 22. Usually not from an early seat and from the late positions, only when the price is right. If you don't flop a set (trips or fours) you should usually fold.Play aggressively when you have a two way draw after the flop. If you can make a straight AND a flush or trips etc., usually bet/raise your hand.Bet an Ace or two high overcards after a garbage flop (a three suit "rainbow" with unconnected medium and low cards). Usually fold if someone raises.Watch out for uniform flops, like 8 7 6, they can easily turn into straights that can overtake your high pair or other good hand.Check the raisers chips. Players that are close to all-in often rush the betting just to get all their chips in a sink-or-swim last hand.Beware of Suited Flops that can make a completed flush. In this case, you should usually hold the nut in

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that suit, or have trips or two pair that can fill up..Get caught bluffing once in a while. It is a way to vary your play and not be too predictable. You win pots that you don't deserve when your bluff works. You lose a few chips when it doesn't work but it will get you calls from weaker hands down the line when you have a strong hand and need the action.Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing hands and can pay careful attention. Do they find more hands to play than they fold? Do they bluff? Can they be bluffed? Do they have any "tells" (give away mannerisms) that disclose information about their hands etc.

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Selection A) YOU HOLD A - K :

The probability that the Flop will be...

Expressed in percent (%) is...

The odds against it are...

Note

Q - J -10 0.01 19,599 to 1

* Makes Royal Flush

A - A - A or K - K - K 0.01 9,799 to 1 * Makes 4-Aces or 4-Kings

A - A - K or K - K - A 0.09 1,088 to 1 * Makes Aces Full or Kings Full

Three Diamonds other than Q - J - 10

0.84 119 to 1 * Makes Flush

Two Diamonds with an Ace or King

1.68 58.4 to 1 * Makes Aces or Kings with four-Flush or four parts of Straight-Flush

Two Diamonds with a Pair of 2's - Q's

1.68 58.4 to 1 * Four parts of Flush or Straight-Flush, the Pair is unfavorable

Two Diamonds, not with a Pair of 2's - Q's and not Q - J - 10

7.53 12.3 to 1 * Four parts of Flush or Straight-Flush

Q - J - 10 (not all Diamonds) 0.32 310 to 1 * Makes Straight

Pair less than Kings, with one or no Diamonds

11.79 7.48 to 1 * Unfavorable

Three of another suit 4.38 21.8 to 1 * Danger, even if Q - J - 10

Ace-King and smaller card 2.02 48.5 to 1 * Makes Aces and Kings

Three-of-a-kind 2's - Q's 0.22 444 to 1 * Unfavorable unless no one holds Fourth one or Pair

ANY Flop which includes an Ace or King

32.43 2.08 to 1 * Makes key Pair or better

ANY two Diamonds 10.94 8.14 to 1 * Four parts of a Flush or Straight-Flush

A - A with 2 - Q or K - K with a 2 - Q

1.35 73.2 to 1 * Makes key Three-of-a-kind

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Number of possible Flops: 19,600

Selection C) YOU HOLD Q - J (For related Flops, see Selection A)

The probability that the Flop will be...

Expressed in percent (%) is...

The odds against it are...

Note

Q - Q - Q or J - J - J 0.01 9,799 to 1 * Makes 4-Queens or 4-Jacks

Q - Q - J or J - J - Q 0.09 1,088 to 1 * Full House: Q - Q - J is better (2,177 to 1)

A - K - 10 0.33 305 to 1

* Makes Ace-high Straight -- 3.13% of these will also be four parts of a Straight-Flush

K - 10 - 9 or 10 - 9 - 8 0.65 152 to 1* Makes Straight -- 3.13% of these will also be four parts of a Straight-Flush

ANY Straight when combined with your hand 0.98 101 to 1 * A - K - 10, K - 10 - 9 or

10 - 9 - 8

K - 10 and any other card, or 10 - 9 and any other card (No Straight)

6.04 15.6 to 1

* Open-end Straight -- 16.22% of these include a Pair of Jacks or Queens, 8.11% include a cold Pair

Three suited cards (your suits) 2.24 43.5 to 1

* Four parts of a Flush or Straight-Flush -- 0.03% of these already make Straights, 25% include a Pair of Queens or Jacks

Q - Q - Other, or J - J - Other, (not Full House) 1.35 73.2 to 1 * Makes Three-of-a-kind

ANY Flop without an Ace or King 58.57 0.71 to 1 * Sometimes helpful, but

often hopeless

ANY Flop without an Ace 77.45 0.29 to 1 * Generally helpful

Queens or Jack with smaller pair

1.65 59.5 to 1 * Queens-up or Jacks-up

ANY Flop without a Queen or Jack 67.57 0.48 to 1 * Not good unless a

Straight, four-Straight or four-Flush

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A - A or K - K with a Queen or Jack 0.37 271 to 1

* Makes a very unfavorable Aces-up or Kings-up

Number of possible Flops: 19,600

HOLD 'EM - FROM FLOP TO FINISH

Selection B) YOU HOLD A - Q , AND THE FLOP IS 7 - 4 - 2 :

The probability that the final strength of your hand will be...

Expressed in percent (%) is...

The odds against it are...

Note

Flush 34.97 1.86 to 1* The last two cards will both be Diamonds 3.33% of the time

3-Aces or 3-Queens 0.56 179 to 1 * Strong

Aces over Queens 0.83 119 to 1 * Strong

Aces over Sevens, Fours or Deuces 2.22 44.0 to 1 * Dangerous

Queens over Sevens, Fours or Deuces

2.22 44.0 to 1 * Dangerous

Aces or Queens 13.32 6.51 to 1 * Might win

Three-of-a-kind on Board (No Flush) 0.65 153 to 1 * Slight chances

Number of possible outcomes: 1,081

HOLD 'EM - ABSENCE OF ACES BEFORE FLOP, BY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

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Number of Players

The probability that no player has an Ace, (including yourself) expressed in percent (%) is...

TIf you have one Ace, the probability that no other player has an Ace, expressed in percent (%)...

If you have no Ace, the probability that no other player has an Ace, expressed in percent (%)...

2 71.87 88.24 84.49

3 60.28 77.45 70.86

4 50.14 67.57 58.95

5 41.34 58.57 48.60

6 33.76 50.41 39.68

7 27.27 43.04 32.05

8 21.76 36.43 25.58

9 17.13 30.53 20.14

10 13.28 25.31 15.61

11 10.12 20.71 11.90

12 7.56 16.71 8.89

15 2.70 7.86 3.18

20 0.18 1.12 0.21

NOTE: Your hand will have no Ace 85.07% of the time.

HOLD 'EM - BASIC DATA

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The probability that... Expressed in percent (%) is...

The odds against it are...

You will hold a Pair before the Flop

You will hold suited cards before the Flop

You will hold 2 Kings or 2 Aces before the Flop

You will hold Ace-King before the Flop

You will hold at least 1 Ace before the Flop

5.88

23.53

0.90

1.21

14.93

16 to 1

3.25 to 1

110 to 1

81.9 to 1

5.70 to 1

If you have four parts of a Flush after the Flop, you will make it

If you have four parts of an Open-end Straight-Flush after the Flop, you will make a Straight-Flush

If you have four parts of an Open-end Straight Flush after the Flop, you will make at least a Straight

If you have Two-Pair after the Flop, you will make a Full House or better*

If you have Three-of-a-kind after the Flop, you will make a Full House or better*

If you have a Pair after the Flop at least one more of that kind will turn up (on the last two cards)

34.97

8.42

54.12

16.74

33.40

8.42

1.86 to 1

10.9 to 1

0.85 to 1

4.97 to 1

1.99 to 1

10.9 to 1

If you hold a Pair, at least one more of that kind will Flop

If you hold no Pair, you will pair at least one of your cards on the Flop

If you hold two suited cards, two or more of that suit will Flop

11.76

32.43

11.79

7.51 to 1

2.08 to 1

7.48 to 1

If you begin suited and stay through seven cards, three more (But not four or five more!) of your suit will turn up

If you begin paired and stay through seven cards, at least one more of your kind will turn up

5.77

19.18

16.3 to 1

4.21 to 1

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* Includes unfavorable Full Houses.

Playable Hands in Early Position

Pairs: sevens through aces

Suited: aces with a king, queen, jack, or 10king with a queen, jack, or 10queen with a jack or 10jack with a 10 or 910 with a 9

Unsuited: aces with a king, queen, jack, or 10 king with a queen or jackWhen you are the fifth, sixth, or seventh player to act, you are in middle position, and can safely play smaller pairs such as sixes and fives. You also can add 10 additional suited hands and four more unsuited combinations to your playable repertoire if the pot has not been raised.

Playable Hands in Middle Position

Pairs: fives and sixes

Suited: aces with a 9, 8, 7, or 6king with a 9queen with a 9 or 8jack with an 8

10 with an 89 with an 8

Unsuited: king with a 10queen with a jack or 10jack with a 10

In late position, you have the advantage of acting last or next to last. As a result, you can add a variety of hands to your arsenal. Most are bargain-basement specials that should be played only if the pot has not been raised. Moreover, you'll need enough discipline to release them if the flop brings anything less than an abundant harvest of friendly cards.

Playable Hands in Late Position

Pairs: fours, treys, and deuces

Suited: aces with a 5, 4, 3, or 2king with an 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2jack with a 710 with a 79 with a 7 or 68 with a 7 or 67 with a 6 or 56 with a 55 with a 4

Unsuited: king with a 9queen with a 9jack with a 9 or 810 with a 9 or 89 with an 8 or 78 with a 7

If you are new to the game, have been playing indiscriminately, or have an any-two-cards-can-win philosophy, you may believe that these recommendations are too tight. They're not. In fact, they are somewhat loose. A hand such as Kc 2c, while playable, is a pretty sorry excuse for a Hold'em hand. If you flop a king and there's any appreciable action, it's fairly apparent that someone else has a king with a bigger kicker than yours. If you flop a deuce, you've guaranteed yourself the lowest pair on board. Even if you are incredibly lucky and flop a flush, there's no assurance that it is the best flush. Probably the very best flop that you could hope for is something such as Ac 2h 2u, which gives you three deuces with a strong kicker. You also have a backdoor draw to a flush, and - more importantly - an ace on the board guarantees a call or two

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from any opponents holding an ace.

Still, Kc 2c and lots of the other playable hands in late position are vulnerable from any number of directions, and it takes some degree of skill to navigate your way through the murky waters of a Hold'em pot in a rickety canoe like this one.

You always can raise with a pair of aces, kings, queens, jacks, or tens. In fact, if someone has raised before it's your turn to act and you have a pair of aces, kings, or queens in your hand, go ahead and reraise. You've probably got the best hand anyway. Reraising protects your hand by thinning the field, thus minimizing the chances of anyone getting lucky on the flop.

You also can raise if you're holding a suited ace with a king, queen, or jack, or a suited king with a queen. If your cards are unsuited, you can raise if you're holding an ace with a king or queen, or a king with a queen.

If you are in late position and no one has called the blinds, you can raise with any pair, an ace with any kicker, and a king with a queen, jack, 10, or 9. When you raise in this situation, you're really hoping that the blinds - which are, after all, random hands - will fold. But even if they play, your ace or king is likely to be the best hand if no one improves.

Flops that you're going to love -- While you're not going to like the flop most of the time, there are those rare instances when it fits like a custom-made suit. When you're lucky enough to flop a straight flush, four of a kind, a full house, or the nut flush, your major worry is not whether you'll win, but how much money you can extract from your opponents.

Your first order of business is examining the texture of the flop. Based on the betting pattern prior to the flop, try to determine whether one or more of your opponents has made a hand or has a draw to a hand that would be second best to yours.

Flopping a draw - When you flop a four-flush or a four-straight, you'll have to decide whether to continue with your draw. Here's how to make that decision. You'll need several opponents so that the size of the pot will offset the mathematical odds against completing your hand. How many opponents do you need? If you're facing three or more, it's worthwhile to draw. If you're holding two large cards, such as A-Q, you're probably favored against any lone opponent regardless of whether you make your hand. You also might win by pairing either of your cards on the turn or river. Sometimes, just two big cards will be sufficient to win in a showdown.

If you've got an open-end straight or flush draw, and you're up against two or more opponents, call any bet on the turn. However, if the board is paired, and there's a bet and a raise in front of you, be wary. You might be facing a full house. If you are, you're drawing dead.

You might be facing a set or two pair. Once again, knowing your opponents will help you determine what they might be holding. If you're up against someone who never raises a three-suited board unless he can beat that probable flush, release your hand.

If the turn didn't help and there is a bet in front of you, not only has the cost gone up, but the number of future betting rounds has decreased. You have less opportunity to punish your opponents if you make your hand.

Moreover, many of them probably will fold on the turn, too, leaving you with fewer opponents to punish, if indeed you were to get lucky on the river.

Seven Slick Tips to Improve Your Play on the Turn While the turn is not as difficult to play as the flop, here are some tips for the critical choices you'll face here.

1 Raise when you've got the top two pair on the turn, unless the board is three-suited or otherwise threatening.

2 If you've got an open-end straight draw or flush draw with two or more opponents, call any bet on the turn. However, if the board is paired and there's a bet and a raise in front of you, be wary. You could be up against a full house.

3 Bet, or check (planning to raise), when you're sure that you have the best hand. Make it expensive for opponents who are on the come to draw out.

4 If you hold a draw, you usually should try to make your hand as inexpensively as possible.

5 If you have a hand with which you would call, betting - rather than calling - is a superior strategy if you think there's any chance that your bet will cause your opponent to fold.

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6 Be alert to picking up a draw on the turn. It may allow you to continue playing a hand that you otherwise would throw away.

7 "Should I check-raise or should I bet?" This question comes up frequently. Unless you think your opponent will bet and call your raise, you should come out betting.

Five Tips for Navigating the River Navigating the river can be tricky. Follow this map and you'll avoid the sandbars along the way.

1 Once the river card is exposed, your hand no longer has any potential value. Its value has been realized.

2 Your decision to check or bet if no one has acted, or fold, call, raise, or reraise if there has been action, can be based only on your hand's realized value.

3 When you make two pair, it usually will be the best hand. But if the turn or river brings a third suited card, be careful - your opponent could have made a flush.

4 When it's heads up and the pot is large, it's better to err by calling with the worst hand than by folding the winner.

5 Overcalling requires a hand that is strong enough to beat legitimate calling hands.

Five Tips for Winning Hold'em Play

If you play Hold'em correctly, you'll have incorporated all of these tips into your game.

1 Play few hands from early position. You'll throw lots of hands away, but you'll be saving money.

2 Position is critical in Hold'em. Certain hands that you would fold in early position can be raising hands in late position.

3 Fit or fold: If the flop does not help your hand, consider folding, regardless of how sweet it may have looked before the flop.

4 Many of your opponents will play A-K as strongly as a pair of aces or kings, but it is not. A-K is a powerful drawing hand, but it usually needs help on the flop to win the pot.

5 Hold'em only looks like seven-card stud. In reality, it's a very different game due to the use of community cards, the positional aspect of the game, and the fact that on the flop, you will see 71 percent of your hand for a single round of betting.