THE WORLD'S #1 POKER MANUAL - Card Games

Poker Book, Techniques
The good player continually thinks about poker during the game. He looks at his cards quickly to allow
maximum time for observation and thought. He never wastes precious time by slowly looking at or
squeezing open his cards. When involved in a hand, his thoughts concentrate on strategy. The good
player gains a major advantage over other players by thinking ahead and forming several strategic plans
based on anticipated hands. When an anticipated hand develops, he can make quicker and more accurate
playing decisions.
When not involved in a hand, the good player studies the game, gathers data, and plans future strategy.
Between hands, he analyzes the action of each concluded hand.
Intensive thought and concentration also help to overcome nervousness, which even a good player may
experience when playing in a strange, an unfriendly, or a high-stake game.
Since thinking is the labor of poker, maximum thinking effort should yield maximum returns. How
much is this effort worth in dollars? When a player wins an average of $40 per game, his winning rate is
equivalent to a job paying $15,200 a year.[ 14 ] Average winnings of $150 per game is equivalent to a
$57,000 per year job.
Compare the effort in poker to the effort required in a job yielding similar earnings. For example, a
winning rate of $5 per game is equivalent to a job paying only $1,900 per year; such pay would not be
worth the effort needed to play good poker.
Let us see how thinking pays off. John Finn is under the gun in draw poker. He has a four flush in
hearts and checks. Next is Sid Bennett, who opens for $25. John check-raises to $50. Sid and
Scotty call the raise. Now John draws and immediately looks at his card. He misses his flush. Does
he give up? No . . . by paying attention and thinking, he still has a chance to win that $250 pot.
John stays alert. and this is what he sees and hears:
Sid Bennett draws one card, sticks it in the center of his hand, then quickly looks at it. Is he
drawing a flush, a straight, or two pair? Probably two pair because when Sid draws one card to
the flush or straight he places the draw card at the back end of his hand and then looks at the card
very slowly. That, along with his betting pattern (opens, then reluctantly calls a raise), suggests
that Sid has two pair.
Ted Fehr flashes a black picture card when dealing Scotty's draw card. While ruffling the cards
through his chubby fingers, Scotty exposes the deuce of hearts. Therefore, if he were going for the
flush or straight, he missed it. Scotty slowly squeezes his cards open to look at his new card, then
gives a blowing exhale. He usually inhales when he sees a good draw card.
Now John has a good view of the situation. The opener (Sid with two pair) looks weak with respect
to the two one-card draw hands behind him . . . especially after John raised the first-round bet.
Knowing that Scotty has a busted hand, John sits in a position of strength, despite his worthless
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