----------------------------------- PokerGuru 30.05.2008, 04:59 Mini POKER LESSON 5: When to HOLD or FOLD ----------------------------------- Mini POKER LESSON 5: When to HOLD or FOLD ___________________________________________________________ My beloved poker scholars: This may be the most valuable lesson I have presented to you so far. It is also the most personal, because this is exactly how I, myself, ALWAYS decide how to play my starting hand (hole cards) in Texas Hold'em poker. Without exception! Even if at some time it doesn't "feel right", I assure you that never deviating from it is what has made me and kept me a poker pro with enough success to live my life the way I want to live. It took me a long time, after I started playing seriously, to work this out and then test it over the period of an entire year. The reason it took me so long was because I developed it as my own method and it differs quite a bit from any other method or strategy or chart that I have been able to find. In fact, I threw away and forgot all those other "guides" when I discovered that using my own did this: It more than doubled my yearly earnings year after year without ever needing any change made to it whatsoever. Now I present it to you, my fledgling future pros. As I do so, I promise you that I will swear on anything at all that you are the very first human beings I have ever divulged my secret to. The loyalty and effort you have shown me, along with that special mystique of any PCer who stays a PCer, has convinced me that I would never be able to live with myself if I did not acknowledge how deserving you are of being the ones with whom I leave this special secret I have kept. It makes me very happy to present it to you now, to use however you see fit, to further your ability to achieve a richly independent life -- through brainpower. Of course it will not do it alone. You still have to do what you have been doing -- learning the best way to master all the other aspects of poker. Knowing how to play the first two cards has to be combined with knowing how to play the other five cards! In a variety of situations! That is a good thing about my starting cards strategy -- it will work in ANY situation. Now you can take pencil and paper and individualize the following chart of mine. You can arrange it on a card in whatever way makes it easiest for you to learn and remember. You want to have a picture of it firmly planted in your mind, so you don't have to rely on a paper chart while you are playing. With all that being said, my dear friends, here is probably my own best secret, unveiled: TEXAS HOLD'EM HOLE CARDS: WHEN TO HOLD THEM ____________________________________________ A - Suited: Hold it down to 5 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 8 K - Suited: Hold it down to 5 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 8 Q - Suited: Hold it down to 8 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 10 J - Suited: Hold it down to 8 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 10 10 - Suited: Hold it down to J ---- unsuited: Hold it down to a pair 9 - Suited: Hold it down to J --- unsuited: Hold it down to a pair 8 - Suited: Hold it down to Q --- unsuited: Hold it down to Q (or a pair) 7 - Suited: Hold it down to K --- unsuited: Hold it down to K (or a pair) 6 - Suited: Hold it down to K --- unsuited: Hold it down to K (or a pair) 5 - Suited: Hold it down to K --- unsuited: Hold it down to K (or a pair) 4 - Hold it only if it is a pair 3 - Hold it only if it is a pair 2 - Hold it only if it is a pair ____________________________________________ About Staying with a Pair of 4's, 3's, or 2's --------------------------------------------- Play all 3 pairs the same. Which is: Check: anytime Call: only if the bet is low and there have been no raises Raise: Only if you're working a bluff ----------------------------------- char1984 31.05.2008, 03:57 ----------------------------------- :D :D Thanks for the lesson poker guru and I like to take them and store them in my favorites so I can know right where they are and read them for reminders :D ----------------------------------- PokerGuru 31.05.2008, 12:06 ----------------------------------- :D :smartass: :up: :coolp: :loveit: WOW Char! What a great idea! I'm sure lots of other members are thankful to you for the great idea! I sure am! :idea: ----------------------------------- broxi 31.05.2008, 17:22 ----------------------------------- hi another great lesson thanks guru...one bit i dont understand tho is K - Suited: Hold it down to 5 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 8....... 5 - Suited: Hold it down to K --- unsuited: Hold it down to K (or a pair) ....as it seems to me you are saying at first only hold a k and 8 unsuited at the least but then you say hold a 5 unsuited down to a king....or am i just picking up what you mean wrong as usual lol ----------------------------------- sharon030161 02.06.2008, 16:56 ----------------------------------- whewwwwww. i really need some lessons for sure. ----------------------------------- slotmom 11.06.2008, 00:45 ----------------------------------- Well I have to say I sure learned something again tonight first was at chat and now reading this . Thank you Guru for all your hard work to make us all a better poker player ty ty ----------------------------------- PokerGuru 11.06.2008, 03:39 ----------------------------------- hi another great lesson thanks guru...one bit i dont understand tho is K - Suited: Hold it down to 5 --- unsuited: Hold it down to 8....... 5 - Suited: Hold it down to K --- unsuited: Hold it down to K (or a pair) ....as it seems to me you are saying at first only hold a k and 8 unsuited at the least but then you say hold a 5 unsuited down to a king....or am i just picking up what you mean wrong as usual lol Broxi, my dear one, please forgive me for not seeing your post until now! I am very impressed with you and now know that you really know how to study and learn ..... because it took some concentration to catch what you did! Yes, indeed, I certainly did make a mistake! And I am so glad you caught it. I guess I should have looked at my own notes instead of typing straight from my head. Not only was THAT a mistake, but what I REALLY would like to teach you all....for extra insurance......is to treat 6 and 5 the SAME WAY YOU DO 4, 3, and 2. That is because between the time I first figured this strategy and the present moment, the knowledge of all those playing online poker has grown tremendously! NOW, when I play online, I play no card under a 7 unless it is paired! Thank you for pointing my error out to me and I hope all my PCers will read this new updated post! Your Guru ----------------------------------- Scoo 12.06.2008, 12:57 ----------------------------------- thank you for the lesson ----------------------------------- broxi 19.06.2008, 20:15 ----------------------------------- guru no need to apoligise for not seeing a post as we all know you are busy and always do your best ----------------------------------- Scoo 25.06.2008, 14:04 ----------------------------------- Dear Poker Guru. I'm a low level, fixed limit player. I've always felt intimidated by the no limit play, simply because, even at low limit, some players bring a lot more money to the tables than I do, and they're only to quick to bet the pot, even before a card is shown, then throw it all in at the drop of a hat. I find it all really intimidating. I’ve been to my local bookstore and asked for the best poker book they had. I was given a book by Doyle Brunson, which I think was called ‘Super System’ at a whopping £28. With due respect, it had far to many pages in it for my liking. By the time I was on page 150, I’d forgotten what I’d read on the first 100. I’ve tried other, more simplified, larger paperbacks. One even used the months, and seasons of the year. It was all a bit silly. This lesson is by far the most simple system to follow, and it was free. Thank you very much indeed. Scoo.x.