Topic: Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tips

[COR]

Sport is defined as physical exertion governed by rules of some sort, so that would rule out poker and chess. Putting them in sports sections is just convenient.

With regards to poker, you should try and adopt a passive strategy as it's alot easier to be a good tight player than it is to be a good aggressive bluffer.

Be willing to fold on a good hand, always be aware of the situation if someone bets big on 2 low diamonds on the flop - tell yourself you're gonna get out of the hand if a diamond comes up and he bets big, and stick to it. It might only cost you a few hundred chips to satisfy your curiosity but you should play as you mean to continue, or else loads of needless raises pre flop or calls on the river will ebb away at your stack.

If you play tight, you will eventually run into monster hands that are very unlikely to be beaten. It's how you play these hands that will determine your stack size by the time the blinds are high and you're at the last table. Once there, then you'll need to read your opponents alot more and be willing to bluff with nothing. By this stage, the lucky idiot who went all in on his first cards should be long gone, so you don't need to worry about someone calling you without a good reason.

There's shitloads of advice you can get, but the best bet is to just play your own game tonight and stick to it and then learn from the experience.

[Ole Gunnar]

I would never play for money online on a public table though, utter madness....

Why?

[dont]

Update time!

Tournament was £20 buy in initially for 1000 chips and for the first hour if you went below 500 chips you could buy another 1000 for £20...I played 1 hand in the first hour with queens in the hole, I doubled through of course.

Second hour onwards is chips on the table only, no more buying in. Now I start to get agressive ending up quite comfortably.

Through to the final table of 10 (48 entrants in total) now playing tight again and seeing a few opponents drop off, down to the final 5 I'm last with the smallest stack so have to go all in, whilst in position, on KQ off-suit.

I'm now out finishing a respectable 5th and winning £160.

Sat in a three £50 - 10 seater no buy in competitions after, coming runner up in one (another draw of £150 and losing the other 2.

A very very good night in all. Only thing now is I'm hooked!!! Cant wait to play live again, so much better than on the PC.

[AdamL]

Update time!

Tournament was £20 buy in initially for 1000 chips and for the first hour if you went below 500 chips you could buy another 1000 for £20...I played 1 hand in the first hour with queens in the hole, I doubled through of course.

Second hour onwards is chips on the table only, no more buying in. Now I start to get agressive ending up quite comfortably.

Through to the final table of 10 (48 entrants in total) now playing tight again and seeing a few opponents drop off, down to the final 5 I'm last with the smallest stack so have to go all in, whilst in position, on KQ off-suit.

I'm now out finishing a respectable 5th and winning £160.

Sat in a three £50 - 10 seater no buy in competitions after, coming runner up in one (another draw of £150 and losing the other 2.

A very very good night in all. Only thing now is I'm hooked!!! Cant wait to play live again, so much better than on the PC.

where an when did u play?

join the RAWK game on Sunday night!

[Ole Gunnar]

where an when did u play?

join the RAWK game on Sunday night!

Where and when will the RAWK game be played?

[Greenoak]

I play freerolls on poker champ
they are every hour

Prize pot is tiny $35 but its free

no deposit to play. In fact i play in 5 mins

[Fiend]

Where and when will the RAWK game be played?

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=114713.0

[Ole Gunnar]

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=114713.0

Thanks. I'm in

[Throxenby]

can anyone help me out here ?
how do yer work out the percentages of say KQ V AJs ?
can anyone give me some tutoring on the subject please ?

[Fiend]

can anyone help me out here ?
how do yer work out the percentages of say KQ V AJs ?
can anyone give me some tutoring on the subject please ?

dunno exact percentage. suspect its about 40/60

[Throxenby]

am actually after finding out how its worked out

[Fiend]

am actually after finding out how its worked out

dunno the maths mate but you learn the approx percentages after a while. You can use this which is a handy tool http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_odds/texas_holdem/index.php

Actual percentage is 38/62

[Throxenby]

cheers

would be happy if anyone could explain how its worked out though, cos go to a tourney once a mont and would like to be able to do the maths rather than have to memorise. its easier to learn the theories than mentally recall all hands

[Fiend]

cheers

would be happy if anyone could explain how its worked out though, cos go to a tourney once a mont and would like to be able to do the maths rather than have to memorise. its easier to learn the theories than mentally recall all hands

Read Harrington on Hold 'em 1 & 2. The best Holdem tournament books by a country mile.

[Dermot]

Read Harrington on Hold 'em 1 & 2. The best Holdem tournament books by a country mile.

New book: Harrington on Hold 'Em; Volume III: The Workbook: Expert Strategy for No Limit Hold 'em Tournaments

Paperback - May 30, 2006

[Fiend]

New book: Harrington on Hold 'Em; Volume III: The Workbook: Expert Strategy for No Limit Hold 'em Tournaments

Paperback - May 30, 2006

Sweet! Going to pre order for this. They pay for themselves

[Dermot]

Sweet! Going to pre order for this. They pay for themselves

amazon

[AdamL]

i've read number one, might have to get numbers 2 an 3 soon. cant see what number 3 will have that the first 2 never covered though...

[Fiend]

3 is just a workbook with loads of problems and solutions. I'm still getting it though. Its so valuable getting into a pro's mind and finding out what he's thinking in different situations. They are also the most well written poker books I've ever read. Dunno whether thats Bill Robertie's input or Harrington himself.

[AdamL]

3 is just a workbook with loads of problems and solutions. I'm still getting it though. Its so valuable getting into a pro's mind and finding out what he's thinking in different situations. They are also the most well written poker books I've ever read. Dunno whether thats Bill Robertie's input or Harrington himself.

i've always thought robertie just did the english?

i bought doyle brunson's 'super system 2' as well. not nearly as good as harrington.

[Fiend]

i've always thought robertie just did the english?

i bought doyle brunson's 'super system 2' as well. not nearly as good as harrington.

Read Super System 1 and thought it was a piece of crap. The only other books I want to get are David Sklansky's Theory of Poker and also his Hold'em for Advanced Players.

Seriously you should read Harrington 2. I learnt so much from 1 but always felt his style of play was impossible because it was so tight. In 2 you realise it's because there are 10 people at the table and early in a tournament. He gets much more looser(aggressive)  in 2 when there are less people on the table or your stack gets lower verses the blinds.

The most important lesson that has won me a fair bit of money is his theory of M.

In short:
M = Your total stack divided by (SB + BB + ante).

There are 3 'zones'
Green Zone: M = 20 or more : You can play anyway you want - tight or aggressive

Orange Zone: M = 10+ : Beware just calling with medium pairs especially in early position. Also your options are limited when getting into hands with 2 or more people and with drawing hands

Red Zone: 5 or less : Your only option is to go all in preflop so select hand or else play position to steal blinds

I always kind of knew this from experience but it's helped me so much in the latter part of tourneys when you cant wait around for AA

[Julio]

Read Super System 1 and thought it was a piece of crap. The only other books I want to get are David Sklansky's Theory of Poker and also his Hold'em for Advanced Players.

if you thought harrington was tight just wait till you get hold of sklansky's stuff.
unbelievable. he wouldnt have you play ANYTHING other than A-A, K-K pretty much.
i saw an interview with an irish lad who came 4th in the world series in 2002 and he said that sklansky was at his table with a good stack of chips and let himself get anted out of the tournament without playing a single hand. now THATS tight.

[bez]

Who has most people got their account(s) with? I use all these..Eurobet, Bet365, Titan, PartyPoker, Ladbrokes. Anyone fancy setting up a private table and have a tournament for RAWK's only? Say 10$ buy-in or something.

Ladbrokes for me, it seems the easiest site to navigate, and their are plenty of cheap tables and tournaments to learn on. $0.05 and $0.10 blind table is ideal to learn on.  the most you can lose is about a tenner in a night!  Which is good for practice.

[Hightown Phil]

Biggest tip I can offer you:

If playing against Hightown Phil, and there's even a slight possibility of a 2-6 straight, he has it. Only play if you know your hand beats it.

Even if you've had it the hand before.

It'll still come out.

[Fiend]

if you thought harrington was tight just wait till you get hold of sklansky's stuff.
unbelievable. he wouldnt have you play ANYTHING other than A-A, K-K pretty much.

I just want to get them because they are more mathematically grounded. He gives you all the equations to work out stuff like what Throxenby was asking earlier in the thread.

His stuff is more suited to cash games than tournaments. Harrington is a tournament specialist.

[PaulF]

cheers

would be happy if anyone could explain how its worked out though, cos go to a tourney once a mont and would like to be able to do the maths rather than have to memorise. its easier to learn the theories than mentally recall all hands

Wikipedia seems to have the calculations or at least links to them. However if you can do binomial calculations in your head at a poker table then you should be putting that brainpower to buying our new stadium.

[AdamL]

betfair poker has a console on it which allows you to click the two cards you've been dealt and it comes up with a little advice, such as for medium pairs such as 6s or 7s: "raise in middle position, but be very wary of playing from an early position - a big reraise will cause you a problem'

The most important lesson that has won me a fair bit of money is his theory of M.

In short:
M = Your total stack divided by (SB + BB + ante).

absolutly. Also important is what Harrington calls 'First in vigourish'. That is when your M is getting low, if you're first into a hand with an all in raise then the likelihood is even hands better than yours will fold.

I used this to my mistake the other day. was in a tournament of 300, down to the last 40 (top 30 placed). the blinds were getting big, 100/200, and my stack was down to juat 1700. Thats just below 6 Ms.

But the blinds were about to hit me. 7 players at the table, i was in 2nd position after the blinds. i wasn't going to hang about, especially seeing as my stack could easily still damage other hands. I got dealt Ah4h, and went all in after the first player folded.

I got called by the button, who turned over A8 offsuit and beat me on a high card. Now i wouldn't mind if I lost to a propper hand, or even a pair of face cards. But A8o is such a marginal hand.

Maybe he saw what I was doing and knew I could be raising with almost anything. Maybe I should have waited for a better kicker than a 4. but i went away a bit miffed after I had been beaten by what i still think was a bad play.

[AdamL]

Just been royally fucked over on the final table of a 250-seat tournament. finished 10th in the end. entered the table as chip leader. my hand came up A9 suited, and i was on the button so i put in a small raise. small blind and big blind both call.

Flop comes up 9 8 4 of mixed suits. The small blind goes all in for about 4/5 of my stack. i figured if he had a pair of 9s, 8s or 4s before the flop he'd have raised in an attempt to take the hand down before overcards landed on the table, and my Ace kicker made me happy. He had to be bluffing, so i called.

sure enough he turns over a 6 and 7 suited. The turn comes, nothing. Then the fuckwit goes and catches a 5 on the river.

The very next hand, I'm now down to a tiny stack and with an M of less than 2. One off the button, the table folds round to me and my hand lands K 4. As good as any i figure, so I go all in for my last 6000 or so. The twat who beat me before calls and the big blind folds. He turns over A 10.

I start to think my luck is in when the flop lands 9 4 3. The turn comes up with a 2.

What are the chances that I'd get beaten on the river with a 5 again? Don't answer that, actually.........

[Dermot]

Just been royally fucked over on the final table of a 250-seat tournament.

U playing on the net?

[Fiend]

What are the chances that I'd get beaten on the river with a 5 again? Don't answer that, actually.........

From his point of view I can see why he went allin first to act. He probably put you on high cards and 984 doesnt look dangerous. He has open ended straight so did a risky semi bluff hoping you fold and with some outs if you call. It's poker. When you called you were ahead but its not so bad a beat.

Shit happens dude. Chin up. Next match...

[Throxenby]

From his point of view I can see why he went allin first to act. He probably put you on high cards and 984 doesnt look dangerous. He has open ended straight so did a risky semi bluff hoping you fold and with some outs if you call. It's poker. When you called you were ahead but its not so bad a beat.

Shit happens dude. Chin up. Next match...

gotta agree with that. TH is a raing game not a calling game. therefore he can justify raising with 8 outs if you've hit or got something. his move has what pokernightlive likes to call fold equity.
and when yer try stealing the blinds theres always, a danger big or small blind actually have a fukin hand. (bastards, hate it when they do)

[bradigor]

I actually won a sit and go tournament online yesterday. Not much of a buy in but a win online for me is a rare thing.

2 main reasons...

1) I get bored easily playing online this is because of reason 2...

2) I play the game by reading people, for me that is a major part to any poker game. You could have the best cards in the world and get called by shite, if you play odds only I feel you can get stun easily, by reading the players reactions you may end up folding a cracking hand, but at least you will not lose you stack. Online this is part of the game is taken away.

I have folded many a cracking hand, and it is about 50/50 as to whether it has been a good fold or a bad fold (saying that there is no such thing as a bad fold IMHO) that however can't be be a bad thing for me, as I can't remember the last time I finished outside the pay places on a live table.

[bradigor]

I put this question to you all, what is the worst hand you can be dealt in poker?

I will give you my answer in a bit.

[Ole Gunnar]

I put this question to you all, what is the worst hand you can be dealt in poker?

I will give you my answer in a bit.

2,7 offsuite for me.
No chance of flush or straight, and a pair of two's or sevens most likely won't win you the pot.

The hand I hate to play though(as I never play 2,7 offsuite) is J,K, I always lose with that hand, I only play that hand now if I got the button, or if they are suited and I can see a cheap flop.

[bradigor]

2,7 offsuite for me.
No chance of flush or straight, and a pair of two's or sevens most likely won't win you the pot.

The hand I hate to play though(as I never play 2,7 offsuite) is J,K, I always lose with that hand, I only play that hand now if I got the button, or if they are suited and I can see a cheap flop.

For me it is any hand you choose not to fold and end up losing. that included having pocket a pocket pair that turns into a full house. Especially if you pocket pair gives you the under hand, for example you may have a pair of pair of tens, on the flop you could get 10 K K. you have a full house 10's over K's. You read the other player you then play and lose because he has K 10 pocket cards.

Online you can't read a player, so it is hard to tell if you could lose a full house to a better over hand. Live however you really can tell that they may be holding a better Fullhouse.

It is also about how you play, slow play, quick raising, check raising.

a 2 7 offsuit i love, because it is decision made, you fold, job done (unless in a position to be forced all in) I particulary hate holding middle pairs offsuit picture cards, (10 Q) (9 J suited) anything like that as they are so tempting to bet big with.

One thing I have learnt is that you should never be afraid to fold and fight again (even if you are fairly confident of the win) only go if you are nearly 100% that you will beat the personm you are in the hand with.

Also play the chips, if you have something decent dealt to you, and you can force the short stack all in, lose the hand and still be in the top two stacks, then it is worth a play. This all depends on table position aswell, I personally will not call someone all in if there is a chance that another player can call it aswell. Ideally if you are on the large blind and everyone else has folded apart from the short stack, that is the best time to attempt to bring someone all in (worst out come is you lose but remain well stacked, you may only win the blinds because the short stack folds, however you could win and send someone out) The othwer time to do this is by being the first person to act (this could be 1st person after the BB, or maybe even further on the table if other fold before your turn) make a small raise to test the water, if all fold apart from the short stack you can try and bring them all in.

You really never want to attempt to bring a short stack all in with a 3rd or 4th person in the action, as you could lose bigger and alllow the Short stack to treble or quadruble through, allow a new chip leader and leave yourself in a worse position.

[AdamL]

i see what you're getting at. from that point of view, position on the table relative to the large stacks is so important. its harded to play when they're on your left and the small stacks are on your right.

my personal biggest problem playing poker, and also probably with everything else i ever do, is impatience. last night playing was the first time ive ever made it to the final table of a 200+ seat tournament in a good few gos trying, whilst in 30 seat tournaments its rare that i dont get there. The difference being in a 30 seat tournament by the time the break comes after an hour there are 3 or 4 people left, and within 1 hour 15 mins the game is over. I was taken out in 10th after 2 and a half hours last night, and i wouldnt be surprised if the table went on for another hour after then, with high Ms for a few players. i consciously told myself to be patient last night, and ended up folding a lot of hands i'd usually have tried to see a cheap flop with in a 30 seat game. worked out in the end like. except for those bloody 5s...

From his point of view I can see why he went allin first to act. He probably put you on high cards and 984 doesnt look dangerous. He has open ended straight so did a risky semi bluff hoping you fold and with some outs if you call. It's poker. When you called you were ahead but its not so bad a beat.

Shit happens dude. Chin up. Next match...

just a thought, what are people's views on my call in that hand? obviously in the end i got beat, but the situation i was in and my reading of how the hand had gone, can anyone criticise any aspect of it?

[AdamL]

You really never want to attempt to bring a short stack all in with a 3rd or 4th person in the action, as you could lose bigger and alllow the Short stack to treble or quadruble through, allow a new chip leader and leave yourself in a worse position.

But then of course the small stack has got 3 hands to beat instead of 1. The real danger with that play is that once the small stack is all in the betting continues between yourself and the other larger stacks. you can co-operate and check the hand down, which is the wisest thing to do (and according to harrington happens regularly in pro tournaments) but more often than not on internet tables some numpty will put you all in, more bothered about winning the chips than knocking out another player.

[bradigor]

just a thought, what are people's views on my call in that hand? obviously in the end i got beat, but the situation i was in and my reading of how the hand had gone, can anyone criticise any aspect of it?

Depends on the blinds at the time mate, if it was enough where you were going to be forced all in in the next couple of hands, then yes I would of called. If it was at a point where it could of gone round the table a couple of times then I would of folded. I would of looked at it this way. Hold out just folding until I get a mammout calling hand and see if I can sneak 8th or 9th for a bigger payout. However if the blinds were going to cripple you, then you had no choice.

[bradigor]

But then of course the small stack has got 3 hands to beat instead of 1. The real danger with that play is that once the small stack is all in the betting continues between yourself and the other larger stacks. you can co-operate and check the hand down, which is the wisest thing to do (and according to harrington happens regularly in pro tournaments) but more often than not on internet tables some numpty will put you all in, more bothered about winning the chips than knocking out another player.

See where you are coming from, and in all honesty I am self tought, so never had lessons read a book or anything, so yes you are correct you do tend to check the hand down. However I have always found that if someone has already called it all in, I will stay away, even if I was holding AA KK whatever. I just do not see the risk as worth taking myself.

[AdamL]

Depends on the blinds at the time mate, if it was enough where you were going to be forced all in in the next couple of hands, then yes I would of called. If it was at a point where it could of gone round the table a couple of times then I would of folded. I would of looked at it this way. Hold out just folding until I get a mammout calling hand and see if I can sneak 8th or 9th for a bigger payout. However if the blinds were going to cripple you, then you had no choice.

the first hand i got beat on was the one where i held A9o, with 9 8 4 on the board with mixed suits, and where the other guy had limped in before hand. he put me all in and it didn't add up, i thought he had a drawing hand at best, and as it turns out he did. at this point i was chip leader, high Ms (off the top of my head blinds were 600/1,200 with 200 antes, my stack was about 45,000, giving me an M of 22ish and could have lasted a good while), the feller who went all in had roughly 38,000 total at the start of the hand.

I suppose looking back i should have considered more carefully my position in the tournament as a whole. I dunno, the thought of seeing my username with '80,000' below it was just too good!

Ah well, i got beat on the river... there will be times, and indeed have been times, when I've done that to someone else. Roll with the punches i guess...