By Bill Peterson

Here is a little known secret about gambling that every beginner should learn and never lose sight of. The worst hand in Texas Holdem Poker, statistically speaking, is the off suited 2 and 7. Here is another secret you should learn and never lose sight of, more money is lost on supposedly good hands than on the 2-7 off suit.

Think about that for a minute and ask yourself this question, “Since everybody knows the off suited 2-7 is the worse hand and very few people ever play it, how much is lost with that hand and how much more is lost with seemingly good hands?” If you learn to lay down a hand when it is going to cost you money you turn a loser into a winner because you have just developed discipline. The pros survive in tournaments because they know when to lay a hand down.

That shows how the difference between what is statistically bad and what is realistically bad are two very different things. Beginners quickly learn what the worse hand in poker is and lay it down, but then get a better hand statistically and refuse to lay it down even when all the signs indicate that they should. That is why I always say, “The off-suited 2-7 is the second worse hand in Texas Holdem Poker.”

The worse hand is any hand you hold onto and play to the bitter end and lose your chips and possibly your seat with. Starting to understand what I am saying? If you are going to be a good poker player you need to play the cards and the other players. Learn the statistics and you are part way to your goal of being a good player. Learn a little psychology and a lot of good old fashioned poker and you will be a good poker player.

If you are a beginner and want to start learning how to determine the strength of a hand, a good way to know if you should even open is to use the power of 19 as taught in Power Point Poker. No one can master the game quickly. It will take you a long time to master it, but think of all the fun you will have along the way. On the other hand, losing is not fun so master some simple techniques that will put you head and shoulders above many other players and practice, practice, practice.

Bill Peterson has been a professional horse player and card player for years. His innovative techniques were developed by thinking outside the box. In his own words, the result of “A life well wasted.” Bill has been teaching the basics of gambling for years and you can read about Bill’s Power Point Poker at Power Point Poker and all of Bill’s horseracing handicapping methods at The Handicapping Store.

“No one can make you a winner but learning the basics and a few little known secrets and techniques can advance you closer to your dream of making a profit at your favorite game. Use my methods and customize them to suit your own style and you will be ahead of 99% of the crowd.”

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By Bill Peterson

If you are just learning how to play Texas Holdem Poker you may be confused by several aspects of the game. At first it seems diabolically simple. But the more you play, the more you realize how complicated it can be.

One of the biggest problems is learning what to open on and when to fold. The problem is that sometimes you have to fold on a hand that you know is statistically a good hand, but because of the other players moves, may be seeming to be a bit vulnerable.

The biggest single mistake that most beginning holdem poker players make is staying on a hand too long. Though pocket rockets may be the best hand in holdem, there are times when you even have to lay them down and concede the pot to someone else rather than get burned. Here is the first thing you should know. “There is more money lost on good hands than bad hands.”

You won’t be tempted to stay too long on a bad hand, but if you have a high pair or some other seemingly good hand, you may stay in the pot long after all indications were that it was time to get out. Worried that the other person is bluffing and feeling bad about laying down a good hand? Ask yourself these important questions, how did the other players in the pot enter, with a bang or a whimper? Is someone slow playing you? How many outs and possible combinations are there on the flop that make a hand that could beat yours?

Are you playing “pot odds’? Pot odds is a simple way to measure risk as opposed to possible return. If you don’t have much in the pot and there is only one possible hand that can beat you, then it may be worth it to hang in there, but if there are several combinations that can beat you and several players hanging in there, it may well be time to lay those cards down.

Another consideration is position, which in Texas Holdem Poker, is critical. If you are the first to bid, then you are in a bad spot and the other players may just be playing you.

A good way to determine if you should even open is to use the power of 19 as taught in Power Point Poker. No one can master the game over night. It takes thousands of hands before you can call yourself a journeyman poker player and thousands of games before you will be ready to call yourself a pro, but learning the basics and developing the strength to lay down a good hand that will cost you money is a good start towards becoming a great poker player.

Bill Peterson has been a professional horse player and card player for years. His innovative techniques were developed by thinking outside the box. In his own words, the result of “A life well wasted.” Bill has been teaching the basics of gambling for years and you can read about Bill’s Power Point Poker at Power Point Poker and all of Bill’s horseracing handicapping methods at The Handicapping Store.

“No one can make you a winner but learning the basics and a few little known secrets and techniques can advance you closer to your dream of making a profit at your favorite game. Use my methods and customize them to suit your own style and you will be ahead of 99% of the crowd.”

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