Basic Poker Strategy

A guide to Poker strategy for beginner and intermediate players

1. Basic Poker Strategy

3. Player’s Poker Style
Tight aggressive is the most
desirable style. However a player
should be able to adjust his style
to the demands of the table.

4. Poker Player Styles

5. Player Style Needs Flexibility
•When becoming short stacked a player
will need to loosen up
•Playing against very aggressive players,
tighten up
•When playing very tight players, loosen up
•On the money bubble, providing chips
allow, loosen up

6. The majority of poker players
lose money
Players who win consistently
Players who lose consistently

7. Being a winner in poker is not
about winning pots
But making correct decisions

8. You don’t go broke
folding a hand

9. Be a wolf

10. Not a sheep

11. Wolf Vs Sheep Characteristics
Sheep
2.Plays too many
hands
3.Passive when in the
hand.
4.Plays hands
regardless of
position.
5.Calls often
Wolf
2.Plays fewer hands
but committed
3.Aggressive when in
the hand
4.Plays hands
according to
position.
5.Bets or raises often

12. Calling is passive not
aggressive poker
If you are making money just
calling ..then you are not calling
enough

13. Position
4 Types
•Late position (best position)
•Blinds ( good position pre flop but terrible
position after the flop)
•Middle position (Exercise caution)
•Early Position ( Worst position)

14. Position
Late position
Middle position
Early position
Blinds

15. Position Matters
The later the position, the more
information you have on which to
base your decisions

16. In Poker as in any form of
investment, the better
informed you are, the better
your decision making

17. Guide to Position and starting
hands

19. Pot odds and outs
How to calculate outs and the pot
odds required

20. Outs
Outs are, the number of cards left
in the deck, that could improve
you hand to the winning hand

21. Example 1

22. Example 2

23. Example 3

24. Pot Odds
Once you have calculated your outs,
you now have to determine whether
you are getting the correct financial
return for the risk

25. Calculating your odds
The rule of Two and Four
(an easy cheat that skips the
complicated math)

26. Rule of Four
(after the Flop)
After the flop with two cards to come…
Outs x 4 = percentage chance
Example
After the flop you have a flush draw and an
open ended straight draw
Outs = 9 cards for the flush and eight cards
for the straight
17 x 4 = 68%
You are better than 2 to 1 favourite to win

27. Rule of two
(after the turn)
After the turn with one card to come…
Outs x 2 = percentage chance
Example
After the turn you still have a flush
draw and an open ended straight draw,
but now your chances are halved
Outs = 9 cards for the flush and eight
cards for the straight
17 x 2 = 34%
Now you only have a 2 to 1 shot of
winning

28. Calculating pot odds
The higher the risk, the better the
return should be for the increased
exposure to risk

29. Calculating the risk vs return
If you have 4 outs after the flop (rule of four)
4 x 4 =16%
Your chances of winning is 1 in 6 or 5 -1
If you are going to call a bet you would need a pot that
offers you a rate of return commensurate with the risk.
Pot size = 50 chips + bet of 10 chips
Total pot = 60
You would be getting the correct return to take the risk
10 chips to possibly win 60 (6-1 you need 5-1)
However if the bet in the above example was twenty chips
you would not be priced in to call

30. Money not lost buys as
much… as money won
Do not chase straights and draws
unless you are getting the correct
pot odds. Or put another way.
Chasing is risky so always ensure
the reward is equal or better than
the risk

31. To Bluff or not to Bluff
•Good players do not bluff as often as
you think
•Bluff only if the pot is worth it
•Bluff only when you are in position
•Mostly bluff only if you have outs (semi
Bluff)
•Do not bluff into a multi player pot
•Limit your bluffs to one or two a session

32. Rookie Mistakes
•Playing to many hands
•Bluffing to often
•Not knowing or not using pot odds
•Getting “married” to a hand
•Overvaluing Marginally good hands
•Playing out of position
•Overplaying an Ace with a low kicker (ace
rag)

33. Expect to play many, many
hands before you become a
great player
"How long does it take to learn poker,
Dad?"
"All your life, son."
~Michael Pertwee

34. Presentation by
Gerry Roozendaal
Email : [email protected]