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Poker for Dummies »

Authors: Richard D. Harroch, Lou Krieger, Linda Johnson (Foreword by), Chris Moneymaker
ISBN-13: 9780764552328, ISBN-10: 0764552325
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Date Published: April 2000
Edition: (Non-applicable)

Author Biography: Richard D. Harroch

Richard Harroch is an attorney and avid poker player. Lou Krieger is the author of two guides to Texas Hold 'em, the most popular tournament poker game.

Book Synopsis

Packed with expert tips on how to bluff successfully

Rake in the chips with this savvy guide to poker basics and beyond Whether you're looking for an edge in a friendly weekly game or aiming for the championship in a local poker tournament, this friendly guide shows you step-by-step how to bet, bluff, and play your way to the top, from seven-card stud and high-low splits to Omaha and Texas Hold 'em.

Discover how to:

Understand poker rules
Play popular poker games
Keep a "poker face"
Read your opponents
Participate in poker tournaments
Make the most of video and Internet poker

The Dummies Way

Explanations in plain English
"Get in, get out" information
Icons and other navigational aids
Tear-out cheat sheet
Top ten lists
A dash of humor and fun

Get smart! www.dummies.com

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	Foreword	xxvii
	Introduction	1
	Why You Need This Book	2
	What We Assume about You	2
	How to Use This Book	3
	How This Book Is Organized	3
	Icons Used in This Book	4
	Where to Go from Here	5
Part I	How to Play the Games	7
Chapter 1	Poker Basics	9
	Poker and the American Dream	10
	Where Did It All Come From?	10
	Poker is Good for You	10
	Before You Put on Your Poker Face	11
	Planning and discipline	11
	The object of thegame	12
	Number of players	12
	The deck	13
	Poker chips	13
	The Basics of Play	13
	Hand Rankings	15
	Straight flush; royal flush	15
	Four-of-a-kind	15
	Full house	15
	Flush	17
	Straight	17
	Three-of-a-kind	17
	Two pair	17
	One pair	17
	No pair	18
	Low hands	18
	Betting	18
	Rules of the Road	20
	Going all-in	20
	The forbidden string-raise	20
	How to raise	21
	No splashing	21
	Protecting your hand; cards speak	21
	Table stakes	21
	Time out	22
	Decks and dealing	22
	The finer points: Etiquette	22
	What Will Your Opponents Be Like?	23
	Casual recreational players	23
	Cardroom regulars	23
	Professionals	24
	Proposition players	24
	Playing in a Casino	24
	How to get in a game	26
	Buying chips	26
	Shuffling and dealing	26
	How Casino Poker Differs from Home Games	27
	Tighter than home games	27
	Players are more selective	27
	Games are faster	28
Chapter 2	Essential Strategic Considerations	29
	What Poker Is and Isn't	30
	We Were All Beginners Once	31
	Build a foundation first	31
	... Then you can improvise	31
	Basic Poker Concepts	32
	Understand blinds and antes	32
	Know your opponents	32
	Prepare to win	34
	A Little Probability	35
	A short-term simulation	35
	A long-term simulation	35
	How many bad players does it take to make a good game?	36
	Some Poker Perspective	37
	Why some tactics are important in poker and others aren't	37
	Frequent decisions	37
	Costly decisions	38
	Decisions and subsequent actions	38
	Poker's single most important decision	39
	Starting standards	39
	Hand selectivity	39
	Be aggressive, but be selective	40
	Patience	41
	Position	41
	Coping When All Goes Wrong	42
	Gear down	42
	Narrow the target	43
Chapter 3	Seven-Card Stud	45
	If You've Never Played Seven-Card Stud Poker	46
	A sample hand	47
	Antes, the Deal, and the Betting Structure	48
	Betting	48
	Raising	49
	Double bets	49
	Showdown	50
	Spread-limit games	50
	Know When to Hold 'em and Know When to Fold 'em	50
	What Kind of Hands Are Likely To Win?	50
	The Importance of Lives Cards	51
	The first three cards are critical	52
	Position	52
	Subsequent betting rounds	53
	Seven-Card Stud in Depth	53
	Starting hands	54
	Starting with three-of-a-kind	54
	Big pairs	55
	Small or medium pairs	56
	Playing a draw	56
	Beyond third street	57
	When all the cards have been dealt	58
Chapter 4	Texas Hold'em	59
	Basic Rules	59
	Blind Bets	60
	Hold'em in General	60
	Hold'em only looks like Stud; it plays differently	60
	The first two cards are critical	61
	Position, position, and position	61
	The flop should fit your hand	62
	Beyond the flop	62
	Hold'em in Depth	63
	Small gaps make more straights	63
	Gapped cards	64
	Acting last is a big advantage	64
	Starting Hands	64
	The Art of Raising	67
	You've been raised	67
	When someone's raised after you've called	67
	When should you raise?	68
	Playing the Flop	68
	Fit or fold	69
	Flops you're going to love, flops to fold on	69
	Overcards	71
	Flopping a draw	71
	Multiway possibilities	72
	Playing the Turn	73
	What to do when you improve on the turn	74
	What to do when you don't improve on the turn	74
	Should you continue with a draw?	75
	Should you checkraise or come out betting?	75
	Bluffing on the turn	76
	Playing the River	77
	Realized versus potential value	77
	What do I do when I make my draw?	77
	Top pair on the river	78
	When the Pot Gets Big	79
Chapter 5	Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better, High-Low Split (Seven-Stud/8)	81
	If You've Never Played Seven-Stud/8 Before	81
	Antes, the Deal, and the Betting Structure	83
	Betting	83
	Betting order	84
	Raising	84
	Position	84
	Double bets	84
	Showdown	85
	Know When to Hold 'em and Know When to Fold 'em	85
	What Kind of Hands Are Likely To Win?	85
	The importance of live cards	86
	Starting Standards: The first three cards are critical	86
	Playable Hands	87
	Seven-Stud/8 in Depth	90
	Beyond third street	91
	When everyone has low cards showing	91
	Do big hands equal big profits? Not always	92
	Jamming the pot	93
	When you hold the only low hand	93
	How Seven-Stud/8 Differs From Seven-Card Stud	94
	Hidden Hands	95
	Driving and Braking	96
	When All the Cards Have Been Dealt	98
Chapter 6	Omaha	99
	Playing Omaha/8 for the First Time	100
	Blind bets	100
	The deal and betting structure	101
	A sample hand	102
	Knowing When to Hold 'em and When to Fold 'em	103
	Position, position, and position	104
	The flop should fit your hand	104
	Omaha/8 in Depth	104
	Starting hands	105
	Getting good at hand selection	107
	Acting last is a big advantage	107
	Looking for a flop	107
	The unpleasant experience of being quartered	108
	Beyond the flop	109
	What to Do When You've Been Raised	110
	Flopping a draw	110
	Playing the Turn	111
	How do my opponents play?	112
	What in the world could my opponent be holding?	112
	Where do I sit in relation to the other bettors?	112
	How much will it cost to see the hand through to its conclusion?	113
	Playing the River	113
	When you make the best high hand	113
	When you have the best low hand	114
	Exploring Omaha High-Only	115
Chapter 7	Home Poker Games	117
	Setting Up a Home Game	117
	Rules	117
	Dealer's choice	118
	Betting stakes	119
	Wild cards	119
	Time limit	120
	Food and drinks	120
	Paying up	120
	Game Options	121
	Seven-Card Stud	121
	Texas Hold'em	121
	Omaha High	121
	Omaha High-Low, 8-or-Better	121
	Pineapple	122
	Five-Card Draw	122
	Lowball	122
	Five-Card Stud	123
	Baseball	123
	Black Mariah	123
	Indian Poker	124
	Razz	124
	Crisscross (or Iron Cross)	124
	Poker Etiquette in Home Games	124
	Do...	125
	Don't...	125
	More Information on Home Games	125
Part II	Advanced Strategy	127
Chapter 8	Bluffing	129
	What Is Bluffing, Anyway?	129
	Different Kinds Of Bluffs	130
	The Importance of Bluffing	131
	Keep 'em guessing	132
	The threat of bluffing	132
	The Bluffing Paradox	133
	Not All Bluffs Are Created Equal	134
	Bluffing on the end with a hopeless hand	134
	Bluffing with more cards to come	135
	Bluffing and Position	136
	Bluffing More Than One Opponent	137
	Bluffing Strategies	139
Chapter 9	Money Management and Recordkeeping	141
	What Is Money Management Anyway?	141
	Does money management make sense?	142
	Should you quit while you're ahead?	142
	Should you quit when you reach a stop-loss limit?	143
	The Truth About Money Management	143
	Having a positive expectation	143
	Game selection and money management	144
	The Importance of Keeping Records	145
	What kind of records should I keep?	145
	How to keep records	145
	Keeping up with recordkeeping	146
	How to Figure Your Win Rate	146
	All averages are not created equal	146
	Standard deviation for the mathematically challenged	147
	How the standard deviation works	148
	Using standard deviation to analyze your poker results	150
	How to Reduce Fluctuations in a Poker Game	151
	How Big Should Your Poker Bankroll Be?	152
	A fool and his money...	153
	How professional players maintain their bankrolls	154
	Moving Up to Bigger Limits	155
Part III	Computers, Casinos, and Cardrooms	157
Chapter 10	Poker Tournaments	159
	Why Play Poker Tournaments?	159
	The thrill of victory	160
	Learn new games inexpensively	160
	The game is "pure"	160
	Take on the champs	161
	Poker Tournament Basics	161
	Buy-ins and fees	161
	Betting structures	161
	The prize pool	162
	Satellite tournaments	163
	The Relationship Between Blinds and Betting Structure	164
	The escalating blinds	165
	The end game	165
	Be extremely selective; be very aggressive	166
	Key Mistakes Made in Poker Tournaments	166
	Trying to win too early	167
	Defending your blind too much	167
	Playing too tight	167
	Playing a marginal hand after the flop	167
	Being unaware of other players' chip stacks	167
	Tournament Tips from a World Champion	168
	Cutting a Deal at the Final Table	170
	The fairest way to cut a deal	170
	When the chip count is identical	171
	Issues with Payoff Structures

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Author Biography: Richard D. Harroch

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