Texas Hold 'Em Fish 'N' Chips: A Beginners Guide

Texas Hold’em

Fish ‘n’ Chips

A Beginners Guide

By

Jim Hodges

Order this book online at www.trafford.com

or email [email protected]

Most Trafford titles are also available at major online book retailers.

© Copyright 2012 Jim Hodges.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Editors-Vicky Gillam, Ken Heslop

ISBN: 978-1-4669-5713-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4669-5714-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012916941

Trafford rev. 10/29/2012

www.trafford.com

North America & international

toll-free: 1 888 232 4444 (USA & Canada)

phone: 250 383 6864 ♦ fax: 812 355 4082

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

FOREWARD

GETTING STARTED

LESSON 1-HAVE FUN!!

LESSON 2-THE HANDS

Element 1: Terms to Get Us Started

Element 2: Standard Poker Hands

2.1 Royal Flush

2.2 Straight Flush

2.3 Four of a Kind (Quads)

2.4 Full House-(Full Boat)

2.5 Flush

2.6 Straight (Wheel)

2.7 Three of a Kind (Trips or Set)

2.8 Two Pair

2.9 One Pair

2.10 High Card

LESSON 3-HAND EXAMPLES

LESSON 4-HOW TO PLAY

Element 1: Terms to Get Us Started

Element 2: Playing the Game

Stage 1-Blinds Posted

Stage 2-Hole Cards Dealt

Stage 3-First Round of Betting

Stage 4-The Flop

Stage 5-Second Round of Betting

Stage 6-The Turn

Stage 7-Third Round of Betting

Stage 8-The River

Stage 9-Final Round of Betting

Element 3: The Rules & Etiquette

3.1 Rules

3.2 Etiquette

LESSON 5-LET’S REVIEW

Element 1: Multiple Choice Quiz

Element 2: Short Answer Questions

Element 3: Crossword

LESSON 6-THREE IMPORTANT FACTORS

Element 1: Terms to Get Us Started

Element 2: Cards You Possess

2.1 169 Possibilities

2.2 Top 10 Best Hands

2.3 The Worst Starting Hands 1. 2-7

2.4 Hands and Ranks

2.5 Common Hand Names

2.6 Common Hole Card Names

Element 3: Chip Stack

Element 4: Table Position

Element 5: Starting Hands to Play

LESSON 7-GAME MANAGEMENT

Element 1: Bankroll Management

1.1 Cash Game Bankroll

1.2 Tournament Bankroll

Element 2: Tracking Results

LESSON 8-HOME GAMES & PRACTICE EXERCISES

Element 1: Terms to Get Us Started

Element 2: On-line Games

Element 3: Home Games

3.1 Establishing a Home Game

3.2 Home Game Structure

LESSON 9-THE PEA PRINCIPLE

Element 1: Perseverance

Element 2: Education

Element 3: Association

LESSON 10-A LITTLE MORE REVIEW

Element 1: Multiple Choice Quiz

Element 2: Short Answer Questions

Element 3: True or False

LESSON 11-LEARNING OUR LANGUAGE

Element 1: Studying the Language A-J

Element 2: Crossword Challenge A-J

Element 3: Studying the Language K-Z

Element 4: Crossword Challenge K-Z

LESSON 12-WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?

Element 1: Following the PEA

Element 2: Play, Play, Play

Element 3: My Top Ten Tips

FISH ‘N’ CHIPS-ANSWER GUIDE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Ken

My friend and poker partner with whom many days and nights have been spent playing, discussing, debating and dreaming.

You have inspired, motivated and kept me honest while keeping the game fun.

You have always kept a smile on my face.

Thank you

INTRODUCTION

I was born in England in 1965 however, due to work opportunities offered to my father, I spent most of my childhood growing up on the South Island of New Zealand. At the age of 14 my parents divorced and I moved to Australia with my mother and brother.

In 1982, the day before my 17th birthday, I joined the Royal Australian Navy (R.A.N.) as an electrical apprentice and began a career which would span the next 23 years. It was during these years that I truly developed a love for cards and a game we referred to as Uckers (a traditional R.A.N. board game that is a cross between Parcheesi and Ludo). Although I played several card games regularly, only one was really considered to be the true Navy game-500, and it was at this game I excelled.

I retired from the R.A.N. in January 2006 and took up a position in a small town called Airlie Beach in North Queensland, Australia better known for its beautiful islands, national parks and tourist hot spots. It was here that I began my second career as a teacher of Computing, Business Administration and Management courses at the local technical college. A life spent in the Defence Force doesn’t always allow the time and the freedom to pursue hobbies and interests or get involved in community groups for a great length of time, and so once settled I took up the interests that had eluded me for so many years. A little fishing, some boating and the opportunity to spend quality time with my family and friends without fear of deployment.

My passion for Texas Hold’em Poker began in November 2007 while watching the late night games on satellite TV and being entertained by the likes of Joe Hachem, Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu and Chris Ferguson to name but a few. I had never really considered poker as a possible hobby, let alone an obsession, and yet the more I watched the more I found myself drawn into the world of poker, its stars and the minor soap dramas which seemed to accompany many of the championship matches.

It was actually during one of those late nights watching yet another drama unfold in a previous World Series match that an advertisement appeared for PokerStars and my wife suggested that I have a look at the site and perhaps join. At this stage I had only a basic grasp of Texas Hold’em rules, strategy and game play but decided that this might be fun. The next day I logged onto the internet and joined the site.

I began playing and found myself increasingly getting drawn deeper and deeper into the world of Texas Hold’em. I quickly realised that this newfound passion was going to require a serious amount of time and energy dedicated to grasping the basic fundamentals, let alone advanced strategies.

So with the vigour and determination that tends to consume me when I get involved in a new project, I took the big dive into the world of poker with the attitude that if I am going to do this I am going to do it to the best of my ability. To achieve my goals I would have to play, read, watch and absorb as much poker as I could comfortably manage. I certainly did not want poker to become all consuming however, I believe that to be successful in anything we must follow what I refer to as the PEA principle-Perseverance, Education & Association. I will discuss this principle in more detail later in the book.

I hear another comment from the peanut gallery of life where any uninformed ignoramus is entitled to an opinion and the right to voice it-Oh, poker is all about luck, just another coin toss, you really don’t require any special skills to win. The knot tightens in my stomach and my heart begins to race as the feeling of blood boiling begins to consume me. I know that my frustration is born of defects in my own character-impatience and intolerance. Both areas I know I need to work on regularly, but give me a break!

The players I have grown to admire and respect in this most challenging of games do not and have not continued to succeed and excel because they are grouped among the luckiest people on this planet. In truth, they are extremely skilled, patient, determined and driven individuals who in most cases have spent years, even decades, refining and honing their art. Sure, luck plays a small part and anybody with any understanding of the game would not deny this, but in the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson:-

I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

For now though, please sit back and enjoy what I hope is a wonderful introduction to the word of Texas Hold’em.

FOREWARD

Fish

To be called a fish in the realms of poker is to be told that you are unskilled, unworthy, plain hopeless or that you have played a hand carelessly, possibly risking money or chips on a long shot.

There is also a phrase among poker players, Don’t tap on the aquarium. It means don’t upset the bad players because they may leave and take your future winnings / earnings with them.

You may also hear the term Donkey, this also has a similar meaning. To be called a fish or a donkey is about as high an insult as you can get when playing poker.

One point I will make on the subject of fish. You are going to come across a wide variety of players from all walks of life and with all kinds of attitude, some great, some not so great. Don’t get discouraged if you come across the occasional player who cannot help being rude, crude or obnoxious. Just remember, it is they who have the issue and you are there to learn-ignore them and move on.

Chips

The game of poker originated in the middle of the 1800’s and was predominantly played on the river boats, bars and in saloons of the midwest in America. Gold dust, nuggets and coins were originally used to bet however this method proved to be inefficient and a substitute for money was soon introduced-The Chip.

The guy who invented poker was bright, but the guy who invented the chip was a genius.

Julius Big Julie Weintraub

(Ex-professional basketball player and gambler)

The original chips used by gambling establishments were made from ivory, bone, wood and even paper in some cases. The trouble with these chips was that they were easily copied and so began many years of innovation, trials and changes in an effort to eliminate this problem.

The humble chip really came of age in the 1940’s with the introduction of plastic. For the first time, cheap and durable chips were available to the masses and as such the popularity of poker rose. Today a standard chip is 39 millimetres in diameter with a weight ranging from 8.5 grams to 20.5 grams. It is made from composite materials and for those used in casinos they often have microchips inserted to prevent forgery.

It is a Chinese proverb that states:

"Tell me and I’ll forget;

Show me and I may remember;

Involve me and I’ll understand."

PLEASE-Get Involved!

GETTING STARTED

The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.

Vincent Lombardi

(American Football coach)

Speaking for myself, the last four years have proven to be an enormous learning curve, one that has been challenging and extremely enjoyable. Through the hundreds of on-line tournaments, cash games, home games, bar games, books and television shows I have learned several very big lessons, lessons which have allowed me to progress from complete poker novice to a poker player who now plays with a regular profit margin.

It is my wish to involve you in the process that I have used, refined and continue to build on in order to learn how to play this exciting game to the best of my ability. This is not simply a book talking about experiences nor is it a set of basic instructions with the empty promise of riches at the end of a rainbow. This book is meant to be used as a guide and a tool, one developed over four years of playing, reading, studying and watching the game I have grown to love. It has been drawn together with the sole purpose of taking you through a step-by-step process I have used in order to improve and make my game successful.

I must mention at this stage, my definition of success. I love poker, the characters involved, the excitement, the thrill of the chase and I love the way the game has given me another common interest with my wife. Poker has brought a small group of our friends together whose hectic lives would otherwise have kept distance between us. Instead, we now make time every three weeks to come together and not only play, but share small moments with each other and then get together on-line each Sunday night, simply do battle and have a laugh. Success to me is about being truly happy in life and the pursuits you undertake. I love every aspect of the game. Could I one day handle playing for a living? I would like to think so. Could I one day be making more money than I am today in my job? I can but chase that dream. Today I am happy in my progress and content at my level. Today I am successful.

If it is your wish to become successful in Texas Hold’em I suggest you begin by reading this book, cover to cover. Do not do any of the exercises, do not follow any of the instructions, simply read the book and get a feel for where this journey is about to take you. Just like in the days when we sat for an exam