(idea) by AT Tue Jul 17 2001 at 5:38:01
How to win at Texas Hold 'Em (the low limit variety)
  • Know the value of your hand. This may seem elementary, but the most important part of the game knowing when your hand is likely to win. Know the poker hands like the back of your hand. Memorize the starting hand rankings in poker books. Understand why an inside straight draw is worse than an outside straight draw.

  • Fold. Often. Don't play trash. Don't even play mediocre hands. And don't hesitate to throw away a hand if you miss your draws, or if things get too wild. Don't feel like you have bought in too heavy to bail, and don't worry about looking weak or foolish.

  • Play your position. Starting in late position gives you a huge advantage: you get to see your opponents actions first, not just pre-flop, but every round. You have advance notice if somebody comes out both barrels blazing. You can force the hand if everybody is limping along too. Take advantage of these hands, and conversely, play more cautiously in early position.

  • Know your opponents. People unfamiliar with poker assume that players study the faces their opponents for that one fatal twitch that reveals he has the royal flush, just like in the movies. This may happen in some games, but at a low stakes club game, just taking note that the fat lady in the corner only raises when she holds the nuts might save you from losing your stack.

  • Don't bluff. Unless you can get away with it. In low stakes limit poker, you rarely can. If you play in bigger games, you don't need my advice.

  • Understand the odds. Mathematics is only half of what poker is about, but its the easiest half to learn. Calculating pot odds is fairly simple with some practice. On each action, calculate the ratio of cards left in the deck that give you a winning hand to those that don't help you (you'll have to make some assumptions here). Then calculate the ratio of money you must pay to stay in the hand to the amount already in the pot. If the first ratio is larger or equal to the second, pony up; otherwise chuck em.

  • Know when to stop. Everybody hits bad cards sometimes, and when things don't go your way for a while, it is easy to make mistakes. If you start getting tired or frusterated, get up and leave.

Recommended reading:
Winning Low Limit Hold'em, Lee Jones
Super/System, Doyle Brunson
and anything by Malmuth and/or Sklansky
I like it! 1 C!