Your Starting Hand
1. Expect for the very best starting hands, what can happen to any hand that you hold?
Ans : It can be counterfeited by a similar starting hand either one notch higher or slightly lower with an additional draw.
2. How often does this happen?
Ans : Not every time, but a lot in multiway pots.
3. What does this mean?
Ans : You must be careful with many hands that look reasonably good.
4. What if you are in a short-handed pot?
Ans : You have to play these hands out.
5. Since most hands run very close, what is the most important skill ?
Ans : The ability to outplay your opponent.
6. Why do low hands have a playing advantage over high hands?
Ans : Because scare cards often appear, and the holder of the high hand does not know what to do.
7. What is the disadvantage of the low hands ?
Ans : The high hand can force the low hand to call all bets.
8. What do high hands, even those that have made big hands, frequently need in multiway pots?
Ans : Redraws.
9. If third low card come on the river, besides making a low, what else might it make?
Ans : A small straight that can beat a high set.
10. What if this low card also gives the high hands a flush?
Ans : Then it is not so bad.
11. Why is an Ace a key card?
Ans : Because it is needed to make the nut low when there is no Ace on board, it can make the nut flush, and when it makes a high straight, it is the nut straight.
12. If you play an Ace and a lot of people take the flop, what does this mean?
Ans : It is likely not only that one or more of your opponents holds an Ace, but also that someone has an ace-deuce or an ace-trey.
13. In general, what happens if you start with three or fewer coordinated cards?
Ans : Your playing hand will prove to be very costly.
14. What is the exception?
Ans : You hold an ace-deuce, which does not always require all four cards working together.
15. What might be another possible exception?
Ans : A hand like ace-trey-four-ten, with the Ace suited to one of the other cards.
16. Why is it important to have all four cards working together?
Ans : Because many pots get jammed on the later streets, and you often need the extra outs.
Introduction / General Concepts / More Specific Ideas / General Concepts / Position / Low Hands / High Hands / Your Starting Hand / Starting With Big Pairs / When You Are First In / How To Play Your Hand / Play on the Flop / When You Have the Best Hand / High Versus Low in Three-Handed Pots / Loose Games / Multiway Versus Short-handed Play / Scare Cards / Getting Counterfeited / Getting Quartered / Playing Against Steamers / Playing Against Tight, Solid Players / Your Playing Style / Reading Hands / Psychology / Afterthought
