Poker Tips from the Pros
Strategy articles from world-class poker professionals covering Hold'em, Omaha, Stud, tournament play, bankroll management, and the mental game.
Getting Started in Pot-Limit Omaha
To the uninitiated, the only discernible difference between a game of Omaha and a game of Hold 'em is that players start each hand with four cards instead of two. But what a difference those two extra cards can make throughout the course of a hand. In Hold 'em, your two cards represent one of 169 possible hands. In Omaha, where you must use two of your four starting cards to make...
Pre-Flop Raising Strategy
To limp or not to limp—that is the question. There are some big-game pros who will argue that it's okay to limp into a pot before the flop. They reason that the more flops they see...
Playing from the Blinds in Tournaments – Part 2
There are many factors that come into determining how you play from the blinds in tournaments, including your opponent's position at the table. Throughout a tournament, everyone develops a table image that impacts how people play against them. Depending on your opponent's style of play – and how your opponent perceives you – you might be able to...
Playing from the Blinds in Tournaments – Part 1
If tournament poker is a game of situations, then it's important to know how to play from the blinds. Poker comes down to three basic decisions: fold, call, or raise. Usually, folding the blinds will be your best option...
Recalculating the Average Stack
In a recent WSOP Circuit event, the nine-handed final table started with blinds of 10K – 20K, and there were roughly 3.5 million chips in play. Some quick division would tell you that the average stack was 350K, or about 18 big blinds. This simple calculation could lead you to some bad conclusions...
Building and Maintaining a Bankroll
For most players, the lure of playing in high-stakes ring games or tournaments is a sirens' song that's hard to resist. While there's no doubt that these games can provide huge rewards, the sad truth is that many beginners often leap into the deep end before...
Bubble Play In Tournaments
I had just bubbled in the $2,000 Seven-Card Stud Tournament at the World Series of Poker. I had a drawing hand and I ended up losing all my chips, which was a big mistake.
Playing Large Fields
During the World Series of Poker, players are confronted with massive fields. In the 2007 WSOP, nearly 3,000 players bought into the first $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'em event. Many players who are accustomed to playing in...
How to Win a HORSE Tournament – Part II
To win a HORSE tournament, you have to understand the value of the blinds and antes in each of the games. From my experience I find that you don't win HORSE tournaments as much as you steal them...
How to Win a HORSE Tournament – Part I
If you want to win a HORSE tournament, you have to be good at all five games. You don't have to be the best player at any one game, but you also can't be the worst. If you're really bad at one of the games...
How to Bluff Against a Solid Player
When trying to steal pots in No-Limit Hold 'em, you have to ask yourself questions like: "How likely is it that my opponent has a hand?" and "Does my bet (bluff) make sense in the context of the way the hand played out?" Answering them...
Playing a Short Stack in Multi-Table Tournaments
The key to succeeding in tournament play is being able to handle the ups and downs, because it's not always going to go perfectly. Your chip stack is not always going to shoot upwards, which means you'll often need to make good decisions when...
Playing Heads Up
Heads-up play is one of the most important aspects of poker, and many players could benefit from strengthening this part of their game.
Playing Small and Medium Pocket Pairs in No-Limit Hold'em
In No-Limit Hold'em, small and medium pocket pairs can be bankroll killers for some players. But if you play these hands correctly, they're going to be big winners for you in the long run.
When to Continuation Bet
When you raise pre-flop in a game of No-Limit Hold 'em and are called, you're faced with a decision when the flop hits the board. Should you put out a continuation bet on the flop or should you check and let...
Buying In Short in Pot-Limit Omaha
It's amazing the difference that two cards can make. As opposed to Hold 'em where players have two hole cards at the start of each hand, Omaha starts each player off with four cards, which makes both pre- and post-flop play much more challenging...
Small Pockets and Big Stacks
It's the first hand and you're in the big blind. Five players move all-in. You look down at pocket Aces. What do you do?
Goin' Pro
"Should I quit my job and play professionally?" "Should I drop out of school and play poker full time?" I get these questions all the time and I always give the same answer...
A Calling Hand in Stud Hi-Lo
In Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo, a situation sometimes arises where drawing with a modest chance at the whole pot and an even smaller chance at half the pot is clearly the correct play.
Understanding Implied Odds
Too often, implied odds are invoked as a reason for a play when "wishful thinking" would be the more accurate description of the situation.
Table Talk
Every piece of information you gain at the table is something you can use to your advantage.
Starting from Zero
I had a losing streak there and had to go down to $5/$10. That was tough.
Playing Low
There's no shame playing for lower stakes than you think you can afford.
How Much Luck? How Much Skill?
The fact is, these kinds of events should have less of an impact on your overall results the more you play.
The Weak Lead
And if you check-call, the pro will probably check the turn and then fold to a bet on the river.
Satellite Savviness
The fact is, satellites provide much more than the chance to save some money on a $10K buy-in.
The Pain Barrier – Manipulating Your Opponent
If you're hungry, tired or even a little drunk, you're not likely to play your best.
Finding the Low Cards in Omaha Hi/Lo
You really can't do these sorts of things in Hold 'em.
Looking at the Long-Term
Many refuse to admit mistakes and insist that a bad run is due to bad luck alone.
Playing Small and Medium Pairs in Seven-Card Stud
Small and medium pairs are among the trickiest hands you'll encounter in Seven-Card Stud.
Playing Aces in PLO
Omaha is a game where what you catch with the community cards is usually more important than what you start with.
Playing in Australia
For a serious poker player, the Aussie Millions offers one of best structures of any tournament anywhere.
Playing Mixed Games
It's tough to go back to any one game once you start playing mixed games.
Pot-Size Manipulation
Keeping the pot small will get you pretty good value when you're ahead and help you avoid disaster when you're behind.
Betting out of Position
...by checking, you give control to the late-position player.
How a Pro Thinks Through a Hand
I was half hoping for a King on the river and half not, because it could bust me.
Cash Equity at the Final Table
I needed to win the pot only about 27 percent of the time to justify a call.
Getting Beyond Your Cards
Moving beyond your own cards is a key step in coming to think like a winning player.
The Mindset of a Winner
It's impossible to overstate the importance of money management to your poker career.
Balancing Poker and Life
Don't even consider going pro until you can cover all of your bills for at least six months in advance.
Play More Pots
My overall goal is to pick up a lot of small pots without a lot of resistance.
Heads-Up vs Multi-Way Hands in Omaha Hi/Lo
If you're playing a multi-way pot, you need a very strong hand going one way or the other.