Dealing Poker For Dummies
Like the title suggests, this page is designed to take a
person who knows nothing about Texas holdem and walk them step
by step through the game so they can start playing without
embarrassing themselves. The title should really say Texas
holdem for the ignorant because not knowing about something is
ignorance, not a matter of being dumb. But for dummies is much
more catchy so we went with it.
Just understand that what you don’t know about Texas holdem
doesn’t rank you with the dummies of the population, and after
reading this page you’ll have graduated to a level far above the
dummies stage. If you really study and learn from the details
below you’ll probably advance past the bottom 25% of the poker
population immediately.
Where else can you get a jump on a quarter of the population
by simply reading a page?
My name is Jeremy Martin, and Fred123 is my poker personality (I consider myself a professional no limit texas holdem poker de. Dealing process will vary from one poker variation to another. For detailed explanations for dealing and other rules for different poker games, check out the Poker Rules section of this page. If you want to stay within poker rules when betting, make sure to put out your chips in one single motion. Both of the dealer’s hands beat your hands according to the rankings listed above. That was an easy one. Here’s a more difficult example: DEALER: AH-Joker-8S-6H-4S and QH-JH. YOU: QC-QD-9D-5D-3C and QS-JS. In this example, you would lose. The dealer’s Joker functions as an Ace, giving him a pair that outranks your pair of Queens.
One of the best ways to learn how to play a new game is by
watching other players, but if you don’t understand the terms
the players are using and don’t understand the rules it can take
a long time to pick up on the fine points of the game.
It’s somewhat like trying to learn a new language by moving
to a new country without taking any language lessons.
This page starts with the basics by covering the important
terms you’ll hear at the table and then goes over the possible
poker hands and their strengths. Then you’ll learn the exact
step by step way a game of Texas holdem is set up and how a hand
is played, and as a bonus we’ve included a basic strategy
section.
If your goal is to be able to start playing Texas holdem as
quickly as possible without looking like you’re inexperienced or
don’t know what you’re doing this page will prepare you like no
other resource.
Basic Terms
In order to understand a game at the most basic level you
have to learn some of the common terms. Like many games, Texas
holdem players use a specialized language with terms that aren’t
used in normal conversation or terms that mean something
different than you’re used to.
Here’s a list of common terms used at the Texas holdem table.
- Hole Cards
The two cards dealt face down to each
player. Your two card starting hand is your hole cards. - Burn Card
The dealer places a card in the discard
pile, also called the muck, before dealing the flop, turn,
and river. This card is called a burn card. The phrase burn
and turn refers to burning a card and turning over the next
community card. - Community Cards
The community cards are cards placed
face up in the center of the poker table. These cards are
used in combination with your hole cards to make the best
possible five card poker hand. Every player uses the
community cards. The community cards are made up of the
flop, turn, and river. Some players call the community cards
the board. - Flop
The flop is the first set of community cards
dealt after the first betting round. Three cards are dealt
face up. - Turn
The turn is a single community card dealt
following the betting round conducted after the flop. - River
The final community card is called the river and
it is dealt after the betting round following the turn. - Showdown
After all of the community cards are dealt
and all of the betting rounds have been completed all of the
remaining players show their hole cards and the winning
player receives the pot. When the players show their cards
it’s called the showdown. - Fold
When you fold you turn your cards in to the
dealer face down instead of calling the current bet. - Call
If you decide to remain in the hand you must call
any bet that has been made earlier in the round. This
includes the big blind on the first round of betting. - Raise
A raise is when you not only call the current
bet but decide to place a larger bet. This is all done at
one time, unlike what you often see on television. You don’t
say I’ll call and raise. You simply state that you’re
raising and push the amount of chips forward to cover the
call and the raise. If you say I call and raise it’s a
string bet and this isn’t allowed in poker rooms. - Check
When there hasn’t been a bet on the current
round of betting you may check to the next person. You can’t
check on the first round unless you’re in the big blind and
no one has raised. You must call, raise, or fold on the
first round in any position other than the big blind. - All In
In a no limit Texas holdem game you can push
all of your chips into the pot whenever it’s your turn to
place a bet. When you bet all of your chips it’s called all
in. You can say I’m all in. - Limit Holdem
Limit Texas holdem has a strict bet and
raise limit on each round of betting. The first two betting
rounds are the same size as the big blind and the last two
rounds are played at double this amount. If the big blind is
$40, the small blind will be $20, the first two betting
rounds will be $40 per bet and the last two will be
conducted at $80 per bet. This means that when you bet you
have to bet the amount for the current round. When you arise
you can only raise the current limit. On the first betting
round of the example above, you can fold, call the $40 big
blind, or raise to a total of $80, which is your call of $40
and a raise of $40. A limit game with the above limits is
called a $40 / $80 game. - No Limit Holdem
No limit Texas holdem has a small and
big blind like limit holdem but you can raise any amount up
to the size of your stack of chips. The only restriction is
if you raise you have to raise at least an amount equal to
the last bet of the round. If the last bet was $20 you have
to raise at least $20. If no one has made a bet on the
current round you can raise any amount. - Big Blind
The big blind is a forced bet that a player
must make on every hand of Texas holdem. It’s also the name
of the position for the player who’s forced to make the bet.
The big blind is two seats to the left of the player in the
dealer position. After each hand the big blind moves one
seat to the left. In limit Texas holdem the big blind is
equal to the smaller of the two betting limits. In a $20 /
$40 game the big blind is $20. In a no limit game the size
of the big blind is determined by the house. - Small Blind
The small blind is a forced bet that is
made on each hand of Texas holdem. It also refers to the
position of the player making this forced bet. The small
blind is between the player in the dealer or button position
and the big blind. The amount of the small blind is almost
always half the amount of the big blind. If the big blind is
$20 the small blind is $10. Occasionally you may see a table
with a small blind that is a different amount, but it’s
rare. The small blind rotates one seat to the left after
each hand. - Dealer or Button
The dealer or button is the player
who is the last person to act on every round except the
first one. This player usually has a small round disc in
front of them that looks somewhat like a button. In a poker
room the casino personnel who deal the cards is called a
dealer, but when you hear someone refer to the dealer
position or button they mean the player, not the person
dealing the cards. The dealer button is passed to the next
player to the left after each hand. - Under the Gun
Under the gun refers to the position who
is first to act on the first betting round. This player is
seated immediately to the left of the big blind. - Chips
Chips, or poker chips, are the round things,
usually made of clay, you receive in exchange for your cash.
You use the chips to make bets and when you’re done you
exchange the chips back for cash in the cashier cage area. - Stack
Your stack is your collection of poker chips at
the poker table you use to place bets with. - Position
Position is a term used to describe where
you’re seated at a table in relation to the other players.
Your position changes as the dealer button is passed around
the table. Early position is when you have to act first or
second in the hand and late position is when you have to act
in the last two positions of the hand. Middle position is in
between early and late position. - Nuts
The nuts is a term used to describe the absolute
best possible poker hand in the current situation. If the
best possible hand is an ace high flush, if a person holds
an ace high flush he has the nuts. If you have the nuts
after the river you can’t lose the hand unless you fold.
Many players incorrectly use this term when they have a very
strong hand but not the absolute best possible hand. - Rake
In real money Texas holdem games the casino or
poker room makes money by taking a small amount from each
pot. This is called the rake. Both land based and online
poker rooms take rake. - Ring Game
A ring game is a Texas holdem game that has
players join and leave as they run out of chips or decide to
stop playing. You bring chips to the table and leave with
whatever chips you have left or have won. If you run out of
chips you can buy more and keep playing if you wish. If you
walk into a local poker room or log into an online poker
room and join a game in progress it’s a ring game. - Sit and Go Tournament
A sit and go tournament is a
small tournament, usually with nine or 10 players. You pay a
set buy in and the final three players win prize money.
First place usually receives 50% of the prize pool; second
place gets 30%, and third place receives 20%. When you run
out of chips you’re eliminated from the tournament. A few
online poker rooms run two or three table sit and go
tournaments, but traditionally they’re single table events. - Multi Table Tournaments
Multi table tournaments make
up every other tournament. The events at the World Series of
Poker are multi table events and many online poker rooms run
big events. You pay a fee, receive a set number of chips,
and play until you win all of the chips in play or run out
of chips. Usually somewhere around the top 8 to 12% of the
tournament entrants finish in the money. A few tournaments,
called re-buy tournaments, allow players to buy back into
the tournament for a limited time if they lose all of their
chips. Most tournaments don’t offer re-buy opportunities so
if you lose all of your chips you’re eliminated.
Hand Values
Each game of Texas holdem is dealt using a standard playing
card deck of 52 cards. Each deck has four suits made up of 13
cards per suit. The four suits are spades, hearts, clubs, and
diamonds. In Texas holdem each suit is equal in value.
The ranks of card in each suit from lowest to highest are 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace.
The following hand values are ranked from highest value to
lowest. Go down the list until you find the value of your
highest possible hand. Then do the same for your opponent’s
hand. Whoever has the highest hand on the list wins the hand.
- Royal Flush
A royal flush consists of the top five
cards all in the same suit. The ace, king, queen, jack, and
10 of hearts make up one of the four possible royal flush
hands. The same five cards, all in spades, or all in
diamonds, or all in clubs is also a royal flush. - Straight Flush
A straight flush is five cards in
order, all of the same suit. The 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 all of clubs
is a straight flush. - Four of a Kind
Four of a kind is a hand with four
cards of the same rank. A hand that has the 10 of clubs, 10
of hearts, 10 of spades, and 10 of diamonds has a four of a
kind in 10’s. In the case of two players each having four of
a kind, the player with the higher ranked four of a kind
wins the hand. If the board has four of a kind the player
with the highest other card wins the hand. If the board has
four of a kind and a higher fifth card than any remaining
player the pot is split between all remaining players. - Full House
A full house has three cards of the same
rank and two cards of the same rank that don’t match the
first three cards. If you have three aces and two kings, you
have a full house. If you hear a player say they have a full
house with aces full of kings, the three of a kind is stated
first and the pair is stated second. If two or more players
each have a full house the player with the highest ranked
three of a kind wins the hand. If the three of a kind is the
same the player with the highest pair wins the hand. - Flush
A flush is a hand with all five cards of the
same suit. If two or more players have a flush, the one with
the highest ranked card wins the hand. If two or more
players have the same highest ranked card they compare their
next highest ranked card and so on until one player has a
card of higher rank than the other players. - Straight
A straight is five cards in sequential order
but not all of the same suit. For the purposes of a straight
an ace can be used as the card above a king or below a two.
An example of a straight is 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6 with at least
two different suits. If two or more players have a straight
the one with the highest card in their straight is the
winner. - Three of a Kind
Three of a kind is three cards of the
same rank. If you have the 8 of diamonds, 8 of clubs, and 8
of spades you have three of a kind of 8’s. If two players
have the same three of a kind their next highest card
decides the winner. If two players have different three of a
kind hands the one with the highest ranked three of a kind
is the winner. If a player has a pair in their hole cards
and the board makes them a three of a kid hand it’s called a
set. If the board has two matching cards and you match them
with one of your cards it’s called trips. - Two Pair
Two pair is two cards of the same rank and
another two cards of the same rank that aren’t the same rank
as the first pair. If you have a 7 of spades and a 7 of
hearts and an 8 of hearts and an 8 of diamonds you have two
pair. If two or more players have two pair the player with
the highest ranked pair is the winner. - Pair
A pair of cards is two cards of the same rank.
Two aces or two threes both count as a pair. If two or more
players have a pair the player with the highest ranked pair
is the winner. If two players have the same ranked pair the
player with the next highest ranked card wins. - High Card
If no players have a pair or better the
player with the highest ranked card is declared the winner.
If they have the same highest ranked card their next highest
ranked cards are compared. This continues until one player
has a higher ranked card than their opponent. If all five
cards are the same rank the pot is split.
How to Play
Texas holdem games are available in ring games and
tournaments, but the same basic rules govern how to play both
types of games. If you follow the step by step details below
you’ll be able to play in any type of Texas holdem game.
Joining or Starting a Game
If you join a ring game in progress the dealer and blind
positions will be set from the previous hand. Depending on the
house rules you may have to wait for the big blind to come
around to where you’re seated before you can start playing. Some
places let you post a bet equal to the big blind to start
playing right away.
If you’re seated at the beginning of a tournament or when a
ring game starts the dealer shuffles the cards and then deals
one card face up to each player at the table. The player who
receives the highest card is awarded the dealer button for the
first hand.
Dealing & the Blinds
The first player to the left of the dealer button places the
small blind and the next player to the left places the big
blind. Then the person dealing the cards deals two cards to each
player at the table, one at a time starting with the small blind
and going to the left, finishing once the button player has
received her second card.
Initial Betting Round
At this time the first player to the left of the big blind
folds, calls the big blind, or raises. Play continues to the
left with each player either calling the current bet or blind if
no one has raised, folding, or raising. Play continues until
each player has called the last bet or folded. In a limit game
all bets and raises are the amount of the smaller limit on this
round and the next betting round.
If no one raises the small blind can call the half bet,
called completing the bet, and the big blind has the choice to
check if the pot hasn’t been raised, or fold.
The Flop
After all of the betting action has been completed on the
first round of betting the dealer burns the card on top of the
deck and then turns the next three cards face up in the center
of the table. These three cards are the first of the five
community cards and called the flop.
Each player uses their two hole cards in combination with the
five board cards to make their best possible five card hand. You
can use both of your hole cards with three of the community
cards, one of your hole cards with four of the community cards,
or all five of the community cards and neither of your hole
cards.
After the flop the first person to the left of the dealer
button remaining in the hand can check or bet. In a limit game
the bet must be the smaller limit amount. In a no limit game the
bet can be any amount up to and including the amount of chips
the player has in front of them.
Play continues to the left. Each player may check if no bet
has been made, call if a bet has been made, bet if a bet hasn;t
been made, or raise if a bet has been made. Play continues to
the left until each player has checked or each player has called
the most recent bet or folded.
The Turn
Dealing Poker For Dummies
The dealer burns the top card and deals the next card face up
with the other community cards. This is called the turn. In
limit Texas holdem all bets on the turn and river are at the
higher limit.
After the turn card is dealt the first player to the left of
the dealer button remaining in the hand either checks or bets.
Play continues to the left like it did on the flop with each
player checking, calling, betting, or raising depending on what
has happened before on this betting round.
The River & Showdown
When all of the betting has been completed on the turn the
dealer burns a final card and places the fifth and final
community card face up. A betting round identical to the one on
the turn is completed. After the river betting round all of the
remaining players turn their cards over and the player with the
best hand wins the pot. If more than one player has the exact
same winning hand the pot is split between the players with the
tied best hand.
After the dealer gives the pot to the winning player the
dealer button is passed one place to the left and the blinds
move one place to the left. Once the two blinds pay their forced
bets the next hand starts.
Basic Strategy
It;s one thing to be able to play Texas holdem, but it;s
another thing to be able to do it without losing all of your
money quickly. If you want to not only play your first Texas
holdem game but want to have a decent chance to break even
here;s a few tips to help you get started.
You should know that winning Texas holdem players have been
playing and studying for years in most cases. While you can
learn a few thing that can help you be competitive quickly, this
represents a small part of strategy. If you want to learn more
or become competitive faster you need to check out our strategy
section.
- Play at the smallest limits available. This keeps your
initial investment as low as possible and will keep you from
losing too much as you make mistakes while you’re learning. - Play at the limit Texas holdem tables at first instead
of the no limit tables. While you can still lose money
quickly, a single mistake usually won’t cost you your entire
stack like it can at the no limit tables. - If you can find tables with other new or inexperienced
players it can give you the best chance to win. - Learn about pot odds and start using them to make
decisions at the table. We have an extensive page on them so
you can quickly learn more. - At the most basic level you need to focus on only
playing with your best starting hands. When you start with a
better hand than your opponents you’ll end up with a better
hand more often than they will. Most players play too many
hands, so focus on playing fewer hands and remain patient. - Don’t bluff. If you watch poker on television you see
many players bluffing. As you’re learning how to play forget
about bluffing. When you have a good hand bet and raise and
when you have a poor hand check and fold. You can worry
about bluffing once you become a better player. - A full house is a monster hand and rarely loses in a
Texas holdem game. Flushes are the next most powerful hand,
followed by three of a kind. When you have one of these
three hands you’ll usually win the pot. Many pots are won
with a high pair or a two pair hand, but both of these hands
are vulnerable to better hands. - You can practice playing online at the free money
tables, but the play is so bad it’s difficult to get better
from a strategy standpoint. You still need to try to play
using the best strategy but until you start playing for real
money it can be hard to see if your decisions are right or
not. - Instead of playing at the free money tables take a seat
at the micro limit tables. Many online sites have limit
Texas holdem tables as low as .05 /.10. Even though you’re
only playing with nickels and dimes the play is much more
realistic at these levels and you can work on improving your
game. - Always focus on playing the best game possible. Even if
you’re playing for free or small stakes treat each game and
hand like it’s for thousands of dollars. If you want to be
the best player possible you need to concentrate every time
you play poker. - The best position at the table is the dealer button. You
get to see how the other players play the hand before you
have to play. The blinds and under the gun are the worst
positions. Play fewer hands from the poor positions and more
hands from the best positions. - Always pay attention while playing Texas holdem. Watch
the other players even when you fold your hand. See if you
can figure out which ones are good and which ones aren’t.
You can often learn things about other players by watching
that you can use to make more money against them in the
future.
How to Get Started
The quickest way to get started is by signing up for an
online poker room. Your options depend a great deal on where you
live. If you live in the United States you’ll only find a few
poker rooms available, unless you live in one of the states with
specific laws allowing online play. If you live in the UK or
many other places around the world you’ll have more options.
Once you find a poker room sign up for a free account and
head over to the cashier area. Make a deposit and claim a bonus
if the poker room is offering a sign up bonus. Most bonuses
aren’t placed in your account right away. You have to play a
certain amount of real money hands before the bonus is released,
usually in small increments of $10 or so.
To make a deposit you can use a credit card, a bank wire, or
one of the popular online wallet accounts, depending on where
you live. The cashier area will have additional details about
the methods available to players where you live.
If you just want to play for free you don’t have to make a
deposit, but you should still sign up for a place that lets you
play for real money. This way all you have to do is make a
deposit to switch from play money to real money play.
If you want to play at a local casino or poker room walk in
and find the registration desk in the poker area. Tell them
which game you’d like to play, your name, and ask them where to
buy chips. Most poker rooms want you to buy chips at the cage,
but a few let you buy them at the table.
Most rooms have a list of available games, but if they don’t
ask what the lowest Texas holdem limit game is they’re currently
spreading. If they have a seat available they’ll point you in
the right direction and if not they’ll put you on the list and
call for you when a seat opens up.
Once you get seated simply follow the directions of the
dealer. When the big blind comes around to you place your bet in
front of you and get ready to start playing. If the dealer asks
if you want to play or wait for your big blind you can do
whatever you prefer. If you decide to play slide an amount equal
to the big blind out. Some rooms let you start playing right
away without placing a bet on your first hand.
No one knows the house rules the first time they play, and
they vary from room to room. If you play online the software
takes care of everything so all you have to do is click the
button when the software asks about the blinds.
The main thing to keep in mind is that everyone was a
beginning Texas holdem player at one point. If you don’t know
something simply ask. Casino and poker room personnel are there
to help you and most poker players are friendly enough to help
new players. If you run into a grumpy player just ignore them
and ask someone else.
Even the most seasoned pros make mistakes, so don’t worry
about the ones you’re going to make. Simply understanding that
it’s not the end of the world if you do something wrong can make
your experience more enjoyable. You’ll see players with years of
experience play out of turn, forget to do something like place
the blinds, or get lost in thought. Just correct your mistake
and move onto the next hand.
Summary
Many new players are afraid they’ll do something that makes
them look stupid or foolish at the table. They try to hide the
fact that they’re new to the game from the other players.
While you can do whatever you feel is best, have you
considered just telling the other players that you’re new to the
game? Almost universally, poker players are happy to have new
players at their table. New players usually make mistakes, which
are good for the other players, so most players go out of their
way to make newbies feel welcome.
If you have questions about something ask the dealer. She’s
there to run the game smoothly, and part of that job is helping
the players.
Another option for your first time playing is going to a
local poker room with someone you know who is an experienced
player. Your friend can help you get signed up for a table, buy
chips, and get started.
Of course if you want to play online you’ll be operating
behind a screen name so no one will know who you are, but you
can start playing at the free money tables so even if you make
mistakes it won’t cost you more than your time.
If you've never played poker seriously before, you might wonder why you need a book about it. Why can't you just sit down at the table with a few friends, or visit that friendly casino nearby and learn as you go?
Well you can, but there are better ways to go about it. The school of hard knocks can be expensive, and there's no guarantee you'll ever graduate.
Poker's been around for a long time, and it's never been more popular. With the advent of personal computers, a great deal of research about the game has been done in recent years and some of the tried and true concepts have been changing. Players who don't keep their knowledge up to date will be left behind.
A reference book like this will explain the basic rules of the most popular variations of poker and provide a sound strategic approach so you can learn to play well in the shortest amount of time.
You'll undoubtedly find many poker players who have never picked up a book on the subject. Some even disdain this new breed of studious poker players. A few self-taught players are quite skilled. But the majority of them are not. And even if they've been playing for 20 years, that doesn't mean that they have not been making the same mistakes day after day, month after month, and year after year.
The first two chapters of Poker for Dummies are for people who have never really played poker before, as well as a refresher course for the rest of us. After a bit of poker's colorful history, Chapter 1 provides all the basics one needs to know before dealing out a hand or two.
Betting terms, hand rankings, general rules and etiquette, and what's important to becoming a good poker player are covered in this chapter. You'll learn how casino poker differs from home games, and we'll tell you what your opponents will be like. Don't worry. Al Capone and Doc Holliday are long dead, and the guy who won last year's World Series of Poker won't be sitting down at the low-limit games where you'll be cutting your teeth.
Dealing Blackjack For Dummies
Chapter 2 provides essential strategic considerations that are important for all forms of poker. You'll learn basic poker concepts along with a little bit of probability. Even if you're numerically challenged there's no need to stress out. You needn't be a statistician, and the concepts are more important than the calculations anyway. We'll show you why you shouldn't play every hand your dealt. If you expect to win, you need to be selective - extremely selective in some cases - but when you have a hand worth playing, it is often correct to play aggressively.
Chapter 3 covers 7-card stud, a game that's been popular since the Civil War, and is the most popular version of all the stud poker games. We'll teach you all about antes and betting structure, starting hands to consider playing, and what kind of hands are likely to win. You'll learn that stud requires more patience than most forms of poker, and we'll explain why remembering which cards have been exposed can help you avoid the costly mistake of drawing dead. You'll learn why the first three cards are the most important, and what to consider on subsequent betting rounds.
Chapter 4 covers Texas Hold'em, which is the most popular card game played in casino poker rooms and is the game used to determine the world championship at the World Series of Poker. We'll walk you through he basics, teach you which two-card starting combinations are worth playing, and help you get to know the ins and outs of raising. You'll learn what to look for on each of the betting rounds, and we'll show you a few nifty moves along the way.
Chapter 5 will introduce you to 7-card stud eight-or-better, high-low split. We call it 7-stud/8 for short. It's a game that can have two winners, which occurs when the best high hand and best low hand split the pot. Sometimes there's only one winner. This happens if no one makes a valid low hand or the guy with the best high hand has the best low hand too, and scoops the entire pot. We'll show you how the high-low version differs from 7-card stud, and you'll learn which kinds of hands to be aggressive with, and when to slowdown and apply the brakes.
Chapter 6 shows you how to play Omaha Hold'em. It looks like Texas Hold'em except you have six times as many possible starting hand combinations. Winning high hands tend to be big hands, and since Omaha is usually played as a high-low split game, it features lots of players trying to make high and low hands to split the pot - or maybe even scoop it entirely by winning both ends of the confrontation.
Getting together with the guys, or gals, for an evening of poker? You won't be restricted to those versions of poker played in casinos. Not by a long shot. Poker at home is famous for all manner of games, some improvised right on the spot, and as long as everyone is willing, why not? Chapter 7 is all about home games, and contains enough strategic information so that you can survive in a game neither you nor anyone else at the table may have even dreamed of until it was invented right before your eyes.
All you'll ever need to know about bluffing is covered in Chapter 8, and you'll learn that you don't even need a poker face to do it successfully. You'll learn to recognize the best bluffing opportunities, and we'll tell you all about the different kinds of bluffs. You'll learn why bluffing is critically important to the success of any poker player, and how even an occasional bluff that fails can help you to win money in the long run.
Every business needs accountants and record keepers. Poker is no different, and Chapter 9 discusses the vital importance of record keeping and money management. We'll show you how to assess your own risk tolerance and how to reduce some of the fluctuations inherent in poker. You'll also learn how big a bankroll you should have, and you'll discover how professional players maintain their bankrolls.
Chapter 10 is all about tournament poker. Tournaments are your best opportunity to limit expenses when learning a new game, as well as your best opportunity to win a bundle of money in a hurry. Almost every casino offers poker tournaments. Some are inexpensive, while others feature entry fees of $300, $500, $1,000 or more - all the way up to the main event of the World Series of Poker, where the cost of doing business is $10,000.
Chapter 11 deals with video poker. You'll learn how it differs from regular poker, as well as some of the strategies for beating the more popular video poker games that can be found in casinos all over the world.
Chapter 12 takes you behind the color and glitz of poker's premier event, The World Series of Poker, held each May in Las Vegas at Binion's Horseshoe Casino. You'll learn about no-limit Hold'em, the 'Cadillac of card games,' and we'll also show you how to play in high-roller tournaments affordably.
Chapters 13 and 14 take you right into cyberspace, where you'll learn how the computer can be a shortcut to learning poker, and how you can create a comprehensive self-study course with nothing more complex than your PC and some poker software. You'll also learn where to download, test, and use interactive software to practice and improve.
We'll explain how to improve your poker with Internet play-money games, as well as how to determine if real-money Internet poker is for you. You'll also discover the joys of the Internet newsgroup rec.gambling.poker, and learn about some other cool poker sites too. There are chapters on how to read an opponent and spot their tells, those priceless bits of poker body language that you can use to your advantage every time you sit down to play.
In Chapter 16 you'll discover where to learn more about poker. We'll point you in the direction of other great books (besides this one) and how to embark on a learning plan to improve your game. You'll be introduced to Card Player Magazine, and Poker Digest, two biweekly magazines that thoroughly cover the poker industry and all its aspects in great detail.
Chapter 18 introduces you to some of the legends of poker. We'll introduce you to old-timers like Johnny Moss, who helped popularize poker in Las Vegas when he played a marathon, five-month poker game in the window of Binion's Horseshoe, before he finally broke famed gambler Nick 'the Greek' Dondalos. You'll meet up-and-coming stars too, like Scotty Nguyen who, as a teenager, escaped from Vietnam with the clothes on his back and in 1998 won the World Series of Poker and a grand prize of $1,000,000.
There's also a poker glossary, sidebars with tips from the greats of the game, lots of handy charts full of statistics and probability - so you don't have to work them out yourself, and an index that can take you to any facet of America's national game, poker.
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