Building Poker

Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em

There is an old cowboy song that goes something like, “Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em. I have a sneaky suspicion that the song is more a metaphor about love relationships – but the saying is just as true for playing poker.

Poker is as much about strategy as it is about luck. Any successful player will tell you that you need to know how good of a hand you have. Knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em will determine whether you win big or lose a bundle. In an effort to help out all of my fellow players that are new to the game of poker, I have listed all of the winning hands in the order they win (the first one being the one that can’t be beaten all the way down to the last one being the one that can be beaten by just about anything.)

Straight Flush -This hand is almost impossible to get. A straight flush is a five card sequence of the same suite. (For example: 2, 3,4,5,6 of diamonds; 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack of spades, etc) Ante high if you have this hand.

Four of a Kind - This is four cards of the same value. This hand beats everything but a straight flush. (For example: four cards each with the numerical value of two, etc.) You want to bet high with this hand.

Full House – This hand consists of a pair and three other cards of the same value. (For example: two cards with the numerical value of five and three cards with the numerical value of ten.) This is an excellent hand so you can bet with confidence.

Straight - All five cards are in number sequence. The cards do not have to be of the same suite. (An example of this hand would be: 2 of diamonds, 3 of hearts, 4 of diamonds, 5 of spades, and 6 of clubs.) If you have this hand you can bet with confidence but should consider what other players have bet.

Three of a kind -This hand consists of three cards of the same numerical value. (An example would be three cards of the numerical value of five.) This hand is more common so you should take this into consideration when placing your bet.

Two Pair – If you have two pair then you will be holding two cards of one numerical value and two cards of another. (An example would be: two cards with the numerical value of five and two cards with the numerical value of eight). This hand is also common so bet low or fold.

A Pair - To get a pair you only need two cards of the same numerical value. (For example: two cards with the numerical value of five).

In rare occasions there are no winning hands. In this scenario the person holding the highest cards wins. In poker the ace is the highest card followed by the king, queen, jack, ten, etc.

The main and most obvious reason why it is advisable to play multiply sit-n-goes is that you have a much higher hourly income rate. Well, it would only be an advantage if you’re winning. If you’re losing then it would be another story. You must also remember that when you play multiple table sit-n-goes, you must stagger the times you start them. This will avoid you playing multiple shorthanded tables at the same time. You can’t concentrate if you’re playing multiple shorthanded tables.

Mathematical with his approach, Chris Ferguson or Jesus as he is fondly called is one of the most successful poker players around. To date he has five World Series of Poker bracelets and a record three WSOP circuit events title.

He got the nickname Jesus because of beard and long hair that people say resemble that of Jesus Christ. During games, he is motionless so that his opponents can’t read him. He became famous for throwing card at top speed that can cut through fruits such as carrots, bananas and melons.

Roy hates Queens and this hand shows why. He was dealt with a pair of Queens. The pot is raised and he called. The other players folded. The flop is K-Q-Q. This is turn he said to himself. Roy bet and the other player raises. Roy goes all in. The other player calls and shows pocket Kings. The other player has kings full while Roy has quad queens. Roy though the curse of Queens is over but it turns out it’s not. The river was a king.

Triple aces don’t always win you the pot and this is how David learned the hard way. Before the flop he had pocket aces and he raise without hesitation. Only one player didn’t fold. Flop is A-K-2. David bet and the other player raise him. Craig re-raise and the other player re-raise. Craig then called. The turn is a jack. Craig again bet and he was re-raised. Craig then went all in and the other player called. The player showed his J-T hand. Craig though he had it except the river is a Q giving the other player a straight.

This happened in one tournament. Craig was dealt with pocket Js. He raised before the flop and only one player called. The flop is J-9-9. Craig check but the other player went all in. Thinking his hand is superior, he called. Turns out the opponent had A-K which is weaker than Craig’s full house. But fate has other plans for Craig. Both the turn and the river are 9 with the opponent winning on an ace high.

It is John’s first time in Las Vegas and what better way to commemorate it than having the worst bad beat of his life. He was dealt the famous deuce seven off suit in the Big Blind. He checked. It seems that luck is on his side when the flop turns out to be 2-2-7. The first player declared all in. Thinking he has the stronger hand, John calls. Turns out, the other player had an A-9. Luck turned sour when the turn and the river are both 9s.

Amy picked up a J-4 in the big blind. An aggressive player raised and the rest of the table folded. The flop shows J-4-8 rainbow with one diamond, giving Amy two pairs. Amy went all in and the other player called with a J-7 of diamonds. The turn is 10 of diamonds. One more diamond and Amy’s two pairs is busted. Bad luck is on Amy’s side tonight because the river is a three of diamonds.

In the small blind, Bob picked up QQ. Two players called the big blind. Bob raised four times the big blind. One of the players then called all in. the other one folded and Bob called it. Hands are opened and the other had a 2-3 off suit. Bob is already celebrating when the flop deals A-5-8 rainbow. Other players were chanting for a four. The turn was insignificant. Letting out a sigh of relief Bob is awaiting for the river. It was a four. QQ lost to a small straight.