Poker News

Sam Mudaro the Omaha Guru

Poker is a game of decisions. We are constantly challenged with rendering decisions, most of them while possessing incomplete information in a relatively short period of time. Some of my colleagues would go as far as stating that those who win at poker are those who make the fewest mistakes while forcing their opponents to make more mistakes. There is substantive truth to that statement.

Rendering one decision perfectly every time would keep us way ahead of the game. That decision is to call only when we have the best hand, yet cause our opponent to call with less then the best hand. Indeed if we had perfect information we would never call with anything but the best hand on the river. Perfect information would enable us to make perfect decisions and hence play perfectly. Is there a perfect starting hand? Not all our poker decisions are based on imperfect or incomplete information.

Not all our decisions are made at the poker table. Today I begin a series of articles outlining poker decisions both at the subconscious and conscious level. Before I get into that here is the next chart of 4 cards working together consisting of the two low cards with a pair:

As noted in my last article the red ink would beginto flow. We still see that the K-K is strong and in fact is superior to the 2-2 when low suited, HS and not far behind when back suited, BS. The 8’s and 9’s are still the worst ranked pairs.

The non-suited, NS version only has 3 profitable hands out of the 11 possible combinations. The double suited, DS combination still reigns supreme. Below is an outline of decisions we arrive at before we play our first hand of poker. I will expand upon each of these before we get into actual game decision.

1. What should we consider when deciding whether to play or not play poker.

2. Are all locations the same? How to choose the right location. 3. How do we select the right game to play?

4. What limit should we play and what limit type?

5. What to consider when choosing a table to play at or a seat.

Whether to play poker or not may seem like a simple decision at first. After all there are only two choices, yes or no. Some of the considerations we should reflect on before making our choice are listed below.

Do we have enough knowledge about the game? We all know the basics. Which hands are better than which. But do we fully understand some of the finer points of the game? I believe I may safely say we all, no matter our level of play or how many WSOP bracelets we may have, still have room to learn. It behooves us to improve our game by absorbing as much knowledge as we can. We are fortunate to live in an age of information. The Internet is an almost infinite source of information. If you do not have access to the Internet you may visit a public library. Most offer free Internet access to card holder’s. If computers intimidate you, the library is also an excellent source for reading books and periodicals on poker. Most bookstores now carry a wide selection of poker books for both the beginner and advanced player.

It was not too long ago when today’s pros had to learn from their own costly mistakes. We are privileged to be able to learn from their mistakes through their writings and save both time and money.

In addition to the Internet, books and periodicals such as this, there are a number specialized classes being offered with expert speakers and trainer. A number of instructive DVD’s are also available. Indeed the learning curve has been reduced. So next time when deciding to play poker ask yourself if your time would be better spent by investing in your knowledge.

Some of the other factors we should consider before deciding to play poker are our state of mind, our health, how much time do we have, are we well rested and of course do we have the necessary funds. We will examine these factors next time.

So what have we learned? Getting back to the chart, not all four cards working together involving 2 low cards combined with a pair are profitable. Next time before we go to play poker we may want to improve our

knowledge of the game.

Filed under: Poker News