Texas Hold Em Poker Odds Calculator

Know exactly what to do-- and what not to do-- for any given situation at the poker table with a hold em poker odds calculator.

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Cashing In: The (Over?) Abundance of New Poker Books

Since 2000 (a number somewhat arbitrarily chosen) there has been a plethora of poker books released. There are, in a nutshell, two different categories that all of these books can be categorized under. These categories being strategy and 'non-fiction'. Obviously strategy books are 'non-fiction', but I am describing books that either tell a story about a professional poker player, playing in a certain event, etc.., bu they do not offer any type of instructions, tips, or ideas to make one a better poker player (though, some could inadvertently do so). These are not the topic here though, because most people do not read those in order to become better poker players. They are generally read for entertainment purposes and any incorrect information will not effect ones poker ability (of course, either will correct information from these books). Strategy books, on the other hand, with incorrect information, can be detrimental to ones bankroll. The problem with this is that beginning poker players will not know what to look for and not only will waste money on the book, but lose money by following advice they didn't know was wrong. Below are some books that are recommended for beginning and intermediate poker players. Before the list is an explanation of why certain books were eliminated.

One type of strategy book, and I use 'strategy' loosely, are the 'inspirational' books posing as strategy books. Though the front covers (and sometimes the contents) will claim to make somebody a great poker player, they are usually filled with anecdotal evidence and anecdotal advice. Any mention of 'poker' could easily be replaced with any profession, sport, etc. Some things that are mentioned in these books are being patient, eating healthy, sleeping enough, not being rude, keeping a good attitude, not letting your emotions effect your decisions. Most people buying these books have finished Kindergarten and know that these are important things to do. I am not saying it isn't important, because it is, but it isn't specific to poker and by doing these things alone, one will not become a better poker player. If one wants to become a good mechanic, their diet and sleep schedule will have an effect on them, but knowing about cars will still make them better mechanics than someone who knows nothing about cars, but happens to have a good attitude and has a balanced diet. There will be some actual strategy in these books, but not enough to make it a good book and the incorrect information will more than cancel out the correct strategy in these books. They are purely filled with fluff, designed to make a profit for the author and publisher (with no concern for the consumer), and though sometimes with a few tidbits of good information, not enough to justify the amount of time spent reading the entire book. Well over half the poker books fit into this category and are not recommended.

The other type of book that was eliminated from the list is those with incorrect information. These are much harder to spot and there can really only be tips given to avoid them. One thing to remember is that just because someone is a poker celebrity or has won a major tournament, does not make them an expert or make them a good writer. The latter doesn't mean that they are bad players, but they might write about what would appeal to more people, hence selling more books, than what would make one a better poker player. Quick and anecdotal evidence is usually enjoyed by people more, but why read poker books to be entertained? Generally one is reading the poker book to become a better player.

Strategy and theory should be the prevalent discussion in the book. There should be tables, charts, simulations, studies, etc... to back up their concepts and ideas. Isolated and anecdotal evidence does not prove anything. The reasoning behind why they recommend an idea or theory should be well documented and be mathematically sound.

The books should also not give many absolutes. People are fairly dynamic and cannot be lumped into a specific category. A particular hand should not always be played the same or even played. Sometimes you will fold with a hand that you will sometimes raise with. This needs to be discussed in any beginners book and especially in a book for advanced players. It should also be mentioned that the concepts that work for no-limit don't always work for limit and the same goes with the different limits. If a poker book says it will teach you about every form and limit of poker, it is either very basic or false.

If a book is recommended below it fits all the criteria mentioned above, but just because a book is mentioned, does not mean that it is not a good book. I have not read every poker book and I am sure that I have not read some that are worth reading. But, all the books below will teach you how to think about the game and understand it better. This is really all one should hope for in a poker book and any book that guarantees or claims to make you a lot of money will not hold up to that lofty claim.

Small Stakes Hold Em: Ed Miller (a definite must read for all limit players)
The Theory of Poker: David Sklanksy
Hold Em Poker for Advanced Players: David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth
Getting Started in Hold Em: Ed Miller
Harrington on Hold'Em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournamtnes, Vol1 and 2: Dan Harrington
No Limit Hold'Em Theory and Practice: David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth
Internet Texas Hold'Em Winning Strategies from and Internet Pro: Matthew Hilger
Pot-Limit and No-Limit Poker; Stewart Reuben and Bob Ciaffone
Middle Limit Holdem Poker: Bob Ciaffone and Jim Brier
How Good is Your Pot-Limit Omaha: Stewart Reuben
How Good is Your Pot-Limit Hold Em: Stewart Reuben

Free Online Poker Games

These are the most popular and highest-rated websites that offer free poker games online.

Holdempoker.com enables players to choose and learn to play Texas Holdem Poker, Omaha, and other poker games for free. You can play Limit, Pot Limit or No Limit and Ring Games and Freerolls, as well as sharpen your skills and strategies on the various micro-limit tables before you start to play for real money. You can download the poker software from their website (versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux available).

Planetpoker.com offers free poker software that allows you to join other players for a game of poker online. While playing, you can earn Planet Points that you can use to buy into tournaments or to redeem merchandise at the Planet Points Store. You can also earn money by referring other people or by becoming an affiliate and linking to the site if you’re a webmaster.

Cardplayer.com is a completely free Play-Money poker site for beginners to experts. However, you have to register on the website, download the software, and subscribe to Card Player Newsletter before you can start playing any free games. The website also offers real prizes.

Pokerstars.com rewards people for choosing to play on the site by giving out Frequent Player Points (FPPs) and the opportunity to participate in exclusive VIP Freerolls. The FPPs can be used to purchase consumer goods at the higher level of the VIP Club and to buy directly into the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, the European Poker Tour, and the main event at the World Series of Poker at the highest level.

Calculating Probability On The Flop In Texas Hold'em Poker

If you want to become a master poker player, you’re going to have to brush up on your math skills. It’s the unfortunate beast that comes with the beauty that is texas hold’em poker. While it’s impossible to calculate every hand’s possible odds, unless you’re the Rainman of course, it’s a good idea to get a feel for how to calculate odds on the fly in order to better educate yourself on what hands to play and when to play them.

In order to calculate probabilities in texas hold’em poker, you’ll need to understand how that is applied to the deck of cards in play. In texas hold’em poker, there are 52 cards to randomly choose from before the cards are dealt. You receive two cards out of that deck of 52 cards. The odds of receiving any card out of the deck on your first card are 1 in 52. This leaves 51 cards in the deck. Now, the odds of receiving any remaining card in the deck on your second card are 1 in 51. Therefore, if you take 52x51 and divide it by the two cards you’ve received, you’ll come up with 52 x 51 divided by 2 = 1326. All this means is that there are 1326 possible starting hand combinations that you can draw from that initial deal. Out of that 1326 possible cards you might draw, there are 169 unique possible pocket pair combinations that you can end up with on the initial deal. This means that out of every pocket pair combination from 2-2 to A-A, there are 169 possible pairs you can make. For those interested in the math: (13 pocket pairs + 78 suited cards + 78 unsuited cards = 169).

That’s the easy part. Now, the hard part comes when trying to decide whether or not your two pocket cards have better or worse odds to win in comparison to your opponents’ cards, without knowing what cards they might hold. Aye, there’s the rub. So, the first thing you want to consider is what two pocket card combinations hold the greatest chances for success before the flop. As always, in texas hold’em poker there are multiple factors to consider when choosing to play a hand, but just knowing what cards hold the greatest odds to win is a good place to start.

Your pocket cards actually lose their power depending on how many players there are at the table. For example, holding an A-A has about an 85% chance of winning if you are only playing against one other player, but the odds dramatically fall to about a 31% chance of winning if you are playing against nine other players. While they’re still the strongest pocket cards to start with, your odds of making the best hand decreases simply because more cards have already been dealt from the hand and are no longer available for you to use. Having said that, there are certain starting hands that, if you hold them, should probably be played through to the flop due to their high-win potential. The following percentages are based on play against only one other player, yet their weight holds up the same no matter how many players are at the table. The best starting hands based on their high probability of winning are, AA (85%), KK (82%), QQ (80%), JJ (78%), TT (75%), 99 (72%), 88 (69%), AK (66%), AQ (65%), AJ (64%), AT (63%), and KQ (62%). This is not to say that you will win the pot every single time with these pocket cards, but it’s definitely the best way to go into the flop strong.

Now, let’s talk about calculating probability on the flop. There is a quick and simple way to calculate the odds of your hand catching a higher value on the flop. First you need to determine the number of outs you have to make a better hand. Outs are simply the number of cards possibly available in the remaining deck that could make the best hand possible. To calculate the outs you need to add up the number of possible cards left that would increase the value of your hand. For example, let’s say your pocket cards are a Ks-6h. The flop comes down as Qs-8h-6c. You have a pair. If you wanted to calculate the odds of getting a three-of-a-kind, you would need to draw one of the two sixes. This means you have two outs available to make your hand. There are two more cards that are going to be dealt, so you would take your two outs, multiply that by two, and then multiply that by two again (or just multiply by four to keep it simple). So, your two outs multiplied by four equals eight (2x4=8). This means you have an 8% chance of drawing one of those sixes in order to make a three-of-a-kind. Not good odds.

Let’s say you have the same pocket cards Ks-6h, but the flop shows Kc-8h-6c. You now have two pair and want to shoot for the full house. You would need to draw one of the two sixes or one of the two kings left in the deck. This means you have four outs available. So, you would take your four outs and multiply that by four (4x4=16). This means you have a 16% chance of making the full-house. Not good, but better.

Now, again with the pocket cards Ks-6h, but the flop shows 10s-8s-2s. You hold nothing, but are shooting for the flush. So, there are thirteen possible spades available in every hand, four of them are already shown, that leaves nine outs available. Take your nine outs and multiply that by four (9x4=36). This means you have a 36% chance of catching another spade to make the flush. Pretty good odds, but since the other players might be holding a spade as well, it’s probably not the greatest hand to play.

Finally, with pocket cards Ks-6h and the flop shows Kh-9h-4h. You’re obviously going to shoot for the flush, so you would need one of the nine remaining hearts (9x4=36) giving you a 36% chance of hitting the hand. However, you could also shoot for the three-of-a-kind, which means the two remaining kings would give you an additional two outs. Adding the two possible hands together would give you eleven possible outs (11x4=44). So, this means you would actually have a 44% chance of increasing your hand strength. Now, those are odds you can win some pots with. See, math isn’t so hard, is it?

Remember, these are just general odds of how many times a specific card might show up next from the deck. Probability is just that, probability, not a guarantee, so don’t take these calculations at their face. You still need to take into consideration how many players are still in the game, your position at the table, and the value of the pot. But, that’s another lesson.

Texas Hold'em Poker – A Novices Guide Part 1

Texas holdem is the poker player’s game of choice and where the big prize money is to be made. Many players want to play Texas Holdem to win and win big.

Here we will cover the basics to get you started on your route to playing Texas Holdem and hopefully winning some big pots.

In its no limit form, it is used now in world class poker tournaments, and is the most popular of all the poker games today by far.

The game is played from two to ten players usually, though it can accommodate up to 22.

Playing the Game

To begin, the dealer will deal 2 cards face down to each player (these are known as a players ‘hole cards’).

The first round of betting will then follow immediately.

As the initial round of betting completes, the dealer will deal the first 3 ‘community cards’ face up (this is also called the ‘flop’). The second round of betting then follows.

At this point, the dealer will deal the 4th community card, again face up (called the ‘turn’ or fourth street). The third round of betting then follows.

The dealer will deal 5th community card face up (called the ‘river’ or fifth street), and the 4th and then the final round of betting begins.

All players use any combination of their 2 hole cards plus the 5 community cards to create the best possible 5 card poker hand.

The highest scoring hand then wins the pot and the hand is completed

Rules and Playing Etiquette

Although it’s a relatively easy game to learn, there is still a great deal of strategy to follow if you aim to win. Let’s start with the basics of the game and the order of play.

Where you happened to be sitting can be crucial in Texas Hold'em.

For example, if you are the last to act on a particular hand, it allows you to watch and react to what opponents are doing.

Keep in mind if your first you are at severe disadvantage as you do not know how to react as the players have given you no indication of how strong or weak their hands might be.

The rule is that the dealer is always the last to act in a given round of Texas Hold'em.

So, in order to keep the game fair, there is dealer rotation around the table.

The ‘dealer’ (or virtual dealer) has the advantage of acting last for any round. After the end of every round the dealer button rotates one player clockwise.

In Texas Hold’em not every player will paying an ante.

Instead, the first 2 players to the left of the dealer must post ‘blind bets’ before the dealer deals the first 2 cards.

They are known as ‘blind bets’ as the player pays the bets before seeing their cards. They therefore enter the game ‘blind’ with no idea how strong or weak their hand is

Actually the first player to the left of the dealer makes a ‘small blind’ bet, and the second player to the left of the dealer makes a ‘big blind’ bet. This works in the following way

The ‘big blind’ bet will equal the small bet, and the ‘small blind’ bet will be about half of the small bet.

For example a $20/$40 game would have a big blind of $20 and a small blind of $10. The first round of betting use the blinds to begin

Therefore, the $20 big blind would be the starting amount players must call to remain in the hand.

Also if no players raise the starting bet, the blinds are not required to re-pay their bet to remain.

That is, if no player raises the starting bet the big blind would not need to pay anything more to stay in, the small blind would have to pay the balance of the $20 bet, which in this case would be $10 to remain.

Also, it’s crucial to remember that players ‘hole cards’ are only as good as the community cards. What does this effectively mean?

It means that having an A-K in the hole is not very good odds for the player.

If the community cards are, say Q-Q-9-9-J. The cards do not match into any hand of value.

Furthermore, it can be assumed some other player could make a full house of queens or nines!

Finally, it’s very useful to watch the flop.

You can gauge the quality of your hand as 5 of your 7 cards can tell you how good your hand is in relation to the others, by watching the way they bet or react.

The Best Hand Does Not Always Win!

This covers the basics of Texas Holdem; the rest is strategy and experience.

Texas Holdem is a game of psychology and not always the best hand wins.

The psychology of Texas Holdem is not learned over night. It takes a long time and you need practice on how to play your cards, or more importantly the players you are competing with.

It is the psychological aspect that makes the game so exciting. In Texas Holdem it’s a brutal battle where only the strong survive but if you can the rewards can be immense.

Good Luck!

2006 World Championship of Online Poker

The 5th annual World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) has arrived!

This year the largest tournament series online will boast 18 events including Razz, two HORSE events and, back by popular demand, Pot Limit Omaha-8.

Our larger HORSE event ($5,200 buy-in) will be hosted by Team PokerStars' own, Barry Greenstein, one of the world's most successful poker players.

In total, the 2006 WCOOP will guarantee $10,000,000 in cash, $3,000,000 of that coming in the main event alone.

http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/news/newsletters/wcoop-2006/