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| Great Poker Advice and Strategy from Phil Gordon. Looking for some professional advice? We've included Full Tilt's series of articles, Tips from the Pro's here Poker Lesson Number 17, Not Playing by the Book Pro Poker Tips |
| Professional Poker Tips and Strategy Advice Learn From The Tips From The Pros We found a fantastic source to help us compile the most important poker tips from some of the top players in the world Poker tips to help improve your game |
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Phil Gordon
Poker Lesson #17
Not Playing By The Book
July 11, 2005
Once I am involved in a hand, many of the actions I take after the flop are
automatic, or nearly automatic. Therefore, the most important decision I have
to make in No Limit Hold 'em takes place before the flop:
Should I play the two cards I've been dealt?
When I first started learning how to play, I reviewed the standard charts that
suggest which two cards to play from each position. But while they provided
useful guidelines, the charts don't tell the whole story.
Poker is not a game that is best played by the numbers. Poker is a game of
situations.
In blackjack, there is always a correct decision to be made - a "perfect
strategy." Once you have compared the strength of your hand against the
dealer's "up" card, the odds will -- or at least should -- dictate whether you
should hit, stand, split, etc.
Poker, however, is a game of incomplete information. There are many factors
to consider that go above and beyond what "the book" tells you to do. Some
of them include:
My opponents' tendencies
My state of mind
My opponent's state of mind
Our respective stack sizes
My image at the table
Computer programs can look up hands in a chart. Real poker players analyze
situations and make their own decisions after processing all of the available
information. I might raise with A-J from early position in one game, and fold
the same hand from the same position in another.
A good chart can help give a very specific set of circumstances, namely:
You are the first person to voluntarily put money into the pot and are going
to come in for a raise of about three times the big blind
You don't know much about your opponents
All the players at the table have an average-size stack
The blinds are relatively small in relation to the size of the stacks
When the above things aren't true, you'll want to look beyond the charts.
If you're a new player, these tables are a great place to start. The more
poker you play, however, the more comfortable you will feel letting your
experience and your instincts serve as your guide.
In Depth Review of Full Tilt Poker
Poker Lesson #17
Not Playing By The Book
July 11, 2005
Once I am involved in a hand, many of the actions I take after the flop are
automatic, or nearly automatic. Therefore, the most important decision I have
to make in No Limit Hold 'em takes place before the flop:
Should I play the two cards I've been dealt?
When I first started learning how to play, I reviewed the standard charts that
suggest which two cards to play from each position. But while they provided
useful guidelines, the charts don't tell the whole story.
Poker is not a game that is best played by the numbers. Poker is a game of
situations.
In blackjack, there is always a correct decision to be made - a "perfect
strategy." Once you have compared the strength of your hand against the
dealer's "up" card, the odds will -- or at least should -- dictate whether you
should hit, stand, split, etc.
Poker, however, is a game of incomplete information. There are many factors
to consider that go above and beyond what "the book" tells you to do. Some
of them include:
My opponents' tendencies
My state of mind
My opponent's state of mind
Our respective stack sizes
My image at the table
Computer programs can look up hands in a chart. Real poker players analyze
situations and make their own decisions after processing all of the available
information. I might raise with A-J from early position in one game, and fold
the same hand from the same position in another.
A good chart can help give a very specific set of circumstances, namely:
You are the first person to voluntarily put money into the pot and are going
to come in for a raise of about three times the big blind
You don't know much about your opponents
All the players at the table have an average-size stack
The blinds are relatively small in relation to the size of the stacks
When the above things aren't true, you'll want to look beyond the charts.
If you're a new player, these tables are a great place to start. The more
poker you play, however, the more comfortable you will feel letting your
experience and your instincts serve as your guide.
In Depth Review of Full Tilt Poker
| Some of the best players in the world have joined Team Full Tilt Poker. The Full Tilt Team includes Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman, Phil Gordon, Erick Lindgren, Erik Seidel, Clonie Gowan, Andy Bloch, and Mike Matusow. It's WSOP Main Event Mania at Full Tilt Poker. This year, they're giving away $1 million worth of free WSOP Main Event seats, and when they say free, they mean it. Completely free... gratis... on the house. Nowhere in the world will you find a guarantee tournament like this - not online, and not in any casino. With 26 WSOP bracelets between them, the Full Tilt Team knows good poker when they see it. See who you'd like to match wits with, then join them at the tables and see how you stack up. You can Learn, Chat, and Play with the Pros at Full Tilt Poker, Where the Pros Live! Complete, in depth Review of Full Tilt Poker available. |
| More Lessons from the Pros Great Poker Playing Tips and Strategies from the worlds best poker players |
| Download the Full Tilt Poker software and enter bonus code: POKERPLAY Limited Time 100% Bonus Offer You can play for fun at Full Tilt Poker and still enjoy all of the features that they offer, including watching and chatting with all of the professional poker players. Where the Pros Live, Full Tilt Poker |
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