Education of a Modern Poker Player

by John Billingham, Emanuel Cinca, Thomas Tiroch

Overview

The Education of a Modern Poker Player documents the efforts of a serious amateur as he pursues his ambition of rising through the stakes from NL10 ($10 game) to NL100 ($100 game) and beyond. John Billingham is an English maths professor, and a keen player of games. In the summer of 2009 he discovered online poker and was hooked. A year later he decided to trick a couple of impressionable young poker pros, Austrian Thomas Tiroch (TwiceT) and Romanian Emanuel Cinca (EmanuelC16), into teaching him how to play poker on the promise of writing a book with them. Little did he know what he was letting himself in for. The Education of a Modern Poker Player is the product of JB's cunning plan, and documents his progress from being unable to beat NL10 to establishing himself on NL100. Over the course of this entertaining book, TT and Manu explain how to beat these small stakes games, and illustrate all the important concepts with real example hands. There is a particular focus on Fast Fold Games, such as Rush and Zoom, in which JB eventually became a specialist, and practical explanations of how to take advantage of weak players in this format. The Education of a Modern Poker Player includes: · An extensive set of real example hands · Practical advice on strategies to beat 6max No Limit Hold'em · A basic strategy for Fixed Limit Five Card Draw· Clear explanations of the Mathematics of No Limit Hold'em · Specialist advice on Fast Fold Games (e.g. Rush and Zoom)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781909457119
Publisher:	D&B Publishing
Publication date:	10/15/2013
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

John Billingham is a maths professor who, when he’s not solving equations, has always been keen on games, particularly chess, which he plays to a reasonable standard. After getting hooked on poker, he discovered that he was a huge fish. The Education of a Modern Poker Player documents his progress, under TT and Manu’s expert guidance, from fish to not quite as much of a fish. Emanuel Cinca is a professional poker player, coach and video producer for Pokerstrategy.com, where he has become well-known for his lengthy and sophisticated analyses of members’ hand histories. He will use his recent micro- and small-stakes experience to help TT in his mission to turn JB into a winning poker player. Thomas Tiroch (TwiceT) is a businessman, professional poker player, coach and video producer for Pokerstrategy.com. He has used the money that he won playing poker to finance the many companies he and his business partners have started. Over the course of the book, TT will support and mentor JB through his struggle to master the basics of poker.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Acknowledgements 11

Introduction 15

From ABC poker player to fearsome LAG? (JB) 16

Mathematics and SH NLHE (JB) 17

Poker is Not a Game of Cards (TT) 19

Part 1 Fish 22

A Fish at Play(NL10) 22

Basic Strategy (EC) 27

JB Tries To Play Some Better Poker (NL10) 67

Variance, Normal Distributions and Hitting Coconuts (JB & TT) 80

Risk of Ruin and Bankroll Management (JB) 91

Fast Fold Games (TT) 96

Moving Up to NL25 108

Starting NL50 117

Part 2 Interlude 125

A Basic Strategy for Fixed Limit Five Card Draw (JB) 129

Computers and Poker (JB) 151

Game Theory and Balance (JB) 162

Part 3 Less of a Fish 183

Advanced Strategy (EC) 183

JB Gets Back Down to Business (NL50) 214

Psychology and Mindset (TT) 222

JB Reaches NL100 227

Playing Heads Up (TT) 231

Playing Live 238

NL200 and beyond 243

Part 4 The End? 253

Recommended Reading 259

Online Training sites 262

Glossary 263