Getting Started In Hold 'em

by Miller, Ed

• ISBN13: 9781880685341
• ISBN10: 1880685345
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-31
• Publisher: Two Plus Two Pub

Author Biography

Ed Miller grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He received an S.B. in Physics and another in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT in 2000. After a year teaching, he moved to Redmond, Washington to work as a software developer for Microsoft. Looking for a new hobby, he deposited a couple hundred dollars in November 2001 to play $1-$2 and $2-$4 hold 'em online. After losing his initial stake, he sought to improve his game, and he found the books and website of Two Plus Two Publishing LLC. He participated in discussions on the forums at www.twoplustwo.com, and after a few months he turned his losses into wins in a $4-$8 game at a local cardroom. By January 2003, he had moved up to $10-$20 and $20-$40, and in March he left his job to play poker full-time. By then he had swapped roles on the online discussion forums from beginning player seeking advice to expert player giving it. After six more successful months playing in the Seattle area, he moved to Las Vegas, where he currently resides. Also in 2003, Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, the author of The Psychology of Poker, introduced Ed to David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth, and a partnership soon was born. Today Ed usually plays between $10-$20 and $30-$60, but he can occasionally still be found in the $2-$4 to $6-$12 games around Las Vegas.

Table of Contents

About Ed Miller	v
Acknowledgements	vii
Introduction	1	(2)
Part One: Nuts & Bolts	3	(32)
Poker Hand Types	4	(6)
A Few Things to Notice	9	(1)
The Rules of Texas Hold 'em	10	(8)
Betting Rounds	10	(3)
The Play of the Hand	13	(1)
Betting Structures	14	(1)
Common Limit Structures	15	(1)
A Few More Details	15	(3)
An Example Hand	18	(2)
Reading the Board	20	(4)
Which Hand Wins?	24	(3)
Identifying the Nuts	27	(3)
Understanding Hand Strength	30	(5)
How Many Cards Are You Using?	32	(2)
Final Thoughts	34	(1)
Part Two: Limit Hold 'em	35	(78)
Limit Hold 'em Introduction	36	(1)
Hand One - In the Big Blind	37	(8)
Hand Two - In the Small Blind	45	(4)
Hand Three - On The Button	49	(11)
The Value of Position	49	(3)
Pot Equity	52	(1)
Semi-bluffing	53	(4)
The Free Card Play	57	(3)
Hand Four - One Off The Button	60	(7)
Some Basic Preflop Ideas	61	(1)
Preflop Pot Equity	61	(1)
Postflop Strategic Advantages	62	(1)
Putting It Together	63	(4)
Hand Five - Two Off The Button	67	(7)
Are You Suited?	67	(7)
Hand Six - Middle Position	74	(9)
Counting Your Outs	75	(1)
Pot Odds	76	(3)
Implied Odds	79	(4)
Hand Seven - Middle Position	83	(5)
Hand Eight - Early Position	88	(3)
Hand Nine - Early Position	91	(7)
Putting It All Together	98	(8)
Preflop Concepts	100	(2)
Postflop Concepts	102	(2)
General Concepts	104	(2)
Preflop Standards for the Starting Player	106	(5)
Further Reading - Limit Hold 'em	111	(2)
Part Three: No Limit Hold 'em	113	(34)
No Limit Overview	114	(2)
The Goal of No Limit	116	(2)
Understanding Stack Size	118	(4)
Big Stacks, Small Stacks	118	(2)
Your Stack is Only as Big as Your Opponents	120	(2)
Playing a Small Stack	122	(14)
Ultra-Tight is Right	123	(2)
Playing Against Raisers	125	(1)
Sizing Your First Raise	125	(2)
When Others Have Already Entered the Pot	127	(3)
When You Get Reraised	130	(1)
A Few More Profitable Hands	131	(1)
Playing the Flop	132	(1)
Some Comments on Playing This Style	133	(2)
Final Thoughts	135	(1)
Playing a Large Stack	136	(9)
Understanding Implied Odds	137	(4)
A Few Quick Tips	141	(3)
Final Thoughts	144	(1)
Further Reading No Limit Hold 'em	145	(2)
Part Four: No Limit Tournaments	147	(36)
Tournament Overview	148	(9)
How a Tournament Works	148	(1)
How Long Will It Take?	149	(2)
Understanding Prize Structure	151	(1)
Chips Change Value	151	(2)
Classes of Tournaments	153	(1)
Multi-Table Tournaments	153	(1)
Satellites	154	(2)
Sit 'n Go Tournaments	156	(1)
Final Thoughts	156	(1)
Tournament Psychology	157	(4)
Satellite Strategy	161	(7)
Stealing the Blinds	162	(1)
Satellite Psychology	163	(2)
Strategic Summary	165	(3)
Sit 'n Go Strategy	168	(5)
The Value of Folding	168	(1)
Strategic Summary	169	(4)
Multi-Table Tournament Strategy	173	(8)
The Rebuy Phase	173	(2)
The Early Phase	175	(1)
The Middle Phase	176	(1)
The Bubble Phase	177	(2)
The Prize Phase	179	(2)
Further Reading Tournament Hold 'em	181	(2)
Part Five: Miscellaneous Topics	183	(16)
Choosing a Good Game	184	(6)
Good Limit Games	184	(2)
Can a Game be Too Good?	186	(1)
Good No Limit Games	187	(1)
Choosing the Right Seat	188	(1)
Final Thoughts	189	(1)
Evaluating Your Play	190	(5)
Poker is Gambling	190	(2)
Your First Few Months	192	(3)
Being a Smart Loser	195	(4)
Conclusion	199	(2)
Index	201