Table of Contents

About Me ............................................................... xiii

Preface .................................................................... xv
Chapter 1 The Meat ................................................ 1
Introduction ........................................................................................ 1
Quantum Poker................................................................................... 3
The Meat............................................................................................. 4
Money ............................................................................................ 5
Variance ......................................................................................... 7
Math............................................................................................... 8
Qualities of a Pro .............................................................................. 12

Chapter 2 Basic Concepts ......................................... 15

Hand Range ....................................................................................... 16
Implied Odds ..................................................................................... 19
Fold Equity ........................................................................................ 21
Lines and Line Variations .................................................................. 27
Combinatorics ................................................................................... 28
Board Texture ................................................................................... 29
Range Versus Range ......................................................................... 30
Game Selection ................................................................................. 31
Position ............................................................................................. 33
Stack-to-Pot Ratio ............................................................................. 34
Bankroll Management ...................................................................... 36
Action Versus Decision ..................................................................... 37

Chapter 3 Advanced Concepts ............................... 38

Cardrunners EV ................................................................................. 38
Equity Distribution by Street ............................................................ 39
Folding Ranges and Bet Sizing .......................................................... 42
Hidden EV Explored .......................................................................... 53
Calculating Win Rates ....................................................................... 56
Understanding Variance ................................................................... 58
Advanced Multi-Tabling Strategy ..................................................... 61
6-max versus Full Ring ...................................................................... 66
A Brief Recap..................................................................................... 68

Chapter 4 The Unified Theory of Poker.................. 69

The Evolution of Poker ..................................................................... 69
The Unified Theory of Poker ............................................................. 70
Math Breakdown .............................................................................. 71
Factors .............................................................................................. 72
Decision Options ............................................................................... 73
Introducing Enumeration and Permutation ..................................... 75
Enumeration and Poker .................................................................... 78
Adding Enumeration ......................................................................... 79
z and n .......................................................................................... 85
A Action ..................................................................................... 86
Opponent Frequencies ..................................................................... 87
Opponents Response to our Action................................................. 88
Average Function Value and Mean Value Rectangles ...................... 90
Changing Decisions Option Equations .............................................. 95
Updated Fold Equity and Pot Odds Equations............................. 96
(

) .................................................................................. 96

The Enumeration Process ................................................................. 99

Step 1 ........................................................................................... 99
Step 2 ......................................................................................... 103
Step 3 ......................................................................................... 104
A Basic Enumeration Process Example ........................................... 104
How Poker Works ........................................................................... 115
Categorizing Enumeration .............................................................. 118
Adding Uncertainty -

................................................................... 119

Updated Equations Including Uncertainty................................... 123

A Flop Raise Theory Example .......................................................... 123
UTOP Conclusions ........................................................................... 124

Chapter 5 Nuances and Other Concepts .............. 127

Layers of Skill .................................................................................. 127
The Economics of Poker.................................................................. 130
Nits and LAGtards ......................................................................... 133
S Dollars, G-bucks and Beyond ....................................................... 134
Keeping Your Earnings (Rant) ......................................................... 135
Expect to Lose from the Blinds ....................................................... 137

Raising First-in is Best in NLHE ........................................................ 137

Seeing Further than Your Opponents ............................................. 140
Bluffing ............................................................................................ 141
General Statements or Assumptions .............................................. 141
Regs as Fish ..................................................................................... 142
Defying Logic ................................................................................... 142
Captain Hindsight............................................................................ 143
Dont Tap the Glass ......................................................................... 143
Shhhhh ......................................................................................... 144
Ambition ......................................................................................... 144
Hand Values in an Obvious Light .................................................... 145
Repetition and Boredom ................................................................ 145
Why Poker is so Lucrative ............................................................... 146
Where Value Comes From .............................................................. 147
Hope................................................................................................ 148
The Information Call and the Unknown ......................................... 149
Weakness and Strength .................................................................. 149
The Fallacies of the Blocker Bet .................................................. 150
Ego .................................................................................................. 151
Confidence and Indifference .......................................................... 152
Table Captain .................................................................................. 153
Tells ................................................................................................. 153
The Harsh Reality ............................................................................ 154
Choosing Poker as a Profession ...................................................... 155
Equity Calculators Created Common Knowledge .......................... 157
Sympathy and Laziness ................................................................... 159
A Blank ............................................................................................ 160
Poker College .................................................................................. 160
Strong Inner Monologue................................................................. 162
People Decrease Fold Equity .......................................................... 163
Making a -EV Play to Induce ........................................................... 164
Leveling ........................................................................................... 165
Merging Versus Polarizing .............................................................. 166
Books that Helped Me and Books that Will Help You .................... 167
Books that helped me but arent so important now: ................ 167
Books that you must read and changed my life: ....................... 168
Non-poker books that can help with poker or at least life: ....... 169

Forums, Instructional Videos, and Programs ................................. 170

Forums ....................................................................................... 170
Instructional Videos ................................................................... 171
Programs .................................................................................... 172
The Pyramid Effect.......................................................................... 173
Making Life Better .......................................................................... 174
Creating your Fold Equity and Pot Odds Excel Spreadsheets ......... 175
The Art of Reaction ......................................................................... 177
Blind versus Blind Play in Cash Games ........................................... 180
SB ............................................................................................... 181
BB ............................................................................................... 181
Stack Size ................................................................................... 182
Short Stack ................................................................................. 182
30-100 bb Stack ......................................................................... 185
100+bb Stack.............................................................................. 186

Chapter 6 Live Poker ........................................... 188

A Day In The Life Of A Live 5/10 Grinder ........................................ 188
Words That Give Away a Good or Bad Player ................................ 192
Words that give away a bad player: .......................................... 193
Words that could give away a good player: .............................. 194
Common Fish Plays ......................................................................... 195
Moving Your Online Poker Experience to a Casino ........................ 197
Common Live Tells .......................................................................... 202
Live Poker........................................................................................ 203
The Dealer....................................................................................... 205
Pluralist Ignorance, the False Consensus Effect, and the Bystander Effect
Adjusting to the Table..................................................................... 207

Chapter 7 - Hand History Examples ........................ 209

Opponents Calling Ranges ............................................................. 209
Hand History Example .................................................................... 210
KJo against Aggro Opponent .......................................................... 213
Calling Down Only to Fold .............................................................. 215

Chapter 8 - Conclusions.......................................... 218

Glossary ................................................................. 220

205