Optimal poker theory: how to correctly perceive the game. Theory and practice of playing no-limit Texas hold'em The basics of poker theory

David Sklansky nicknamed Einstein is the author of 13 works on poker and general game theory. He was born back in 1949. In poker world first came while studying at the university, which, by the way, dropped out without receiving a diploma. David got a job at insurance company, where he calculated mathematical probabilities for settlement tariffs, but did not work there for a long time, realizing that it was not his. After quitting his job, he went to Vegas with only one goal - to become professional poker player. His first significant victory was the first place in the razz tournament, the entry fee for which was $1,000.

In just two years from 82 to 83, he managed to become a champion three times World Series and receive the GOLDEN BRACELET.. Until 1991, he participated in various tournaments, took first place there and received good prize money. But after the 91st, David's interest in tournaments disappeared and he increasingly switches to cash tables, almost abandoning the events.

In addition to being a successful player, he is also known as a poker writer. His first poker book was called " win at poker” and was co-written with Dean back in 1983.

In 2004, he received an invitation to poker tournament, in which only poker writers participated and took first place there, defeating the notorious Doyle Brunson in the final. After this event, it increases again interest in tournaments, and increasingly it could be at various events and events. It is worth noting that in total he managed to earn $ 1.4 million in tournaments.

poker theory

The world-famous work " david sklansky poker theory, a book that is still considered one of the best books about poker. " poker theory» this is not a hint how to start playing, it is a tool that will help you learn how to think how professional player, here you can find quite a few subtle nuances, theories, ideas that need to be carefully “chewed”, analyzed and tested in practice. Even after reading it several times, you can always find something new.

« poker theory» Sklansky presents the reader with a general poker theory and the basic concepts that it uses and can be applied in almost all poker disciplines, from draw lowball to the world famous Texas Hold'em. Here you can find a detailed analysis of all factors and stages of distribution, from the ante model to strategies games on the river when the last card on the table is revealed. The author seeks first of all to explain how poker works, and in this way to help each player independently understand what he needs to change in order to make his game even more professional and his strategy effective.

Perhaps this is the main feature of this work, here, unlike most of modern poker literature attention is not focused on Omaha, Hold'em, Stud or Draw, here are described and disclosed those concepts that can be applied with equal success to each type.

Sklansky went to great lengths to explain concept of Fundamental poker theory, and how this theory will affect the game. It also covers many other important topics for both beginners and pros, such as Bluff, tactics rate hikes how important cheating is in poker, psychology, reading opponent's hands, playing face to face, winning probabilities, the importance of seating at the table, semi-bluff and a lot of other important topics. The book also makes it clear that poker is all about calculation and skill over risk and luck, so professional players they can fold even strong cards if they understand that they cannot win with them, unlike beginners. Many experienced poker players reading the book, they will come to the conclusion more than once: “Lord, of course, how could I not notice this?” or “That makes perfect sense!”

If you ask any professional poker player what book a player should keep on the table, he will undoubtedly say “ poker theory”, the strategies outlined and explained in it will help you climb the career ladder in the world of poker.

Important if you are just starting to discover the basics and poker rules better not take it right away poker theory", in order to thoroughly understand what is written in it, you need to use the information in real game and not all beginners can do it. In addition, the text in it is written in a rather complex and not always understandable language, in order to thoroughly master all the points, you will have to read more than once, and possibly not twice, while applying everything in practice.

But those who devoted enough time and effort and were able to master " Poker Theory” will receive a disproportionate advantage compared to people who have not read it. Well if you're born poker genius like, for example, Patrik Antonius then you certainly don’t need books, but this is more an exception that proves the rule than an example. Sklansky says that you can play well with any hand, and you don't have to cheat or hope for luck, just knowing the math is enough.

On the other hand, even novice poker player can use this book as The source of information about the basics of the game, and on the basis of the knowledge gained, hone your skills in the future much faster and in the right direction.

Besides " poker theory» can be used as a kind of encyclopedia, you can always have it at hand while reading others poker books, because with the help of it you can determine the meaning of many concepts and delve into the operation of the mechanisms of the game itself. Of course, there will be no step-by-step analyzes and specific situations here, but you will get much more valuable skills - you will learn to think on your own, choose a strategy independently depending on the situation and use it correctly.

It has already been mentioned how many things are dealt with in the book, many of which were not known to the poker world at all until the release of The Theory of Poker. Here you can find, for example, detailed pot odds analysis(which, by the way, is only in two works, including Theory), effective chances, implied chances and vice versa potential odds. These are quite complex and relatively new concepts.

Besides, how to bluff properly, the author also teaches that how to defend against a bluff. Here, not only technique is opened, but also psychological aspects, for example, how to read opponent's hands. The author tried to take into account the maximum possible number of aspects of the game, without losing sight of anything.

Well, once again it is worth emphasizing, a little work david sklansky poker theory download and read, it must be constantly combined with practice, constantly put the rules into play written on paper. Thus, it will be easier to understand and understand everything stated. True, professionals warn that at first, work will require a lot of time and effort, because in the book huge amounts of information that need to be carefully analyzed. For beginners, the writing language will seem difficult, but in world of professional poker this book is criticized precisely for being written too "simple", without many of the professionalism and jargon from the world of poker.

Do not be annoyed by some repetitive information, because in this way the author is trying to help the reader remember better what is written. If you aspire to become real professional and turn poker into work, you can't do without " Theories n Okera". Nowadays, the book is world famous and has been translated into languages ​​of many countries of the world, including Russian. With the help of the network it will not be difficult find electronic version or order a paper book, here it’s already more convenient and easier for someone.

So, you have decided to dedicate yourself to one of the most popular gambling in the world - poker. Congratulations, but we want to warn you right away: you will have to learn a lot, and the theory of poker is not only the rules of the game and the gradation of the main combinations. This is a whole system of knowledge that you will have to master in order to implement successful strategies and tactics. Where to begin?

Poker theory - first steps

Initially, you need to master card and basic. game theory in poker holdem- that's what a beginner will need initially. This is the most popular type of poker, it is available in all poker rooms and in all tournaments.

Once the theory of poker in will already be known, you can start studying, and other types card game. Keep in mind that each of them has its own characteristics, you won’t be able to become a professional all at once – you will have to learn how to change from Razz to Omaha, from to Hold’em and so on. In any case, poker theory is a wonderful and fascinating world.

Strategies and tactics

After you master ground rules games, start practicing. After the first few months, you will know who the limpers are, or. At this point, it is important to learn how to properly manage your bankroll at each stage of the distribution. Otherwise, you will always get up from the table without money.

The theory of poker is mastered in two ways - constant practice or preliminary training. In the first case, you still spend money, but already losing at the table. Some never master the basic strategies of the game.

By choosing to study with professionals, you are betting on successful poker. famous players and the correct ones can only be learned from a specialist.

The last step in mastering poker theory is using and a special one for pumping your analytical skills. You will learn how to calculate the profitability of your game tactics and will always maintain a positive EV.

Perfectly master the theory of the tight game, which is full of aggressive actions - raises, check-folds, 3-bets. This is the handwriting of a real pro. By playing constantly as a limper, you will not achieve poker heights and will remain somewhere in the middle of the list all the time. In addition, active and aggressive poker always much cooler and more interesting.

David Sklansky is the son of a mathematics professor and a mathematician himself. Even in his youth, he showed a penchant for theoretical research. In particular, he developed a mathematical model for the activities of an insurance agent.

In 1978 - before he became known as successful player, — David has published a small edition of the book "Sklansky on the theory of poker". It was intended purely for professionals and did not bring wide fame to the author. But following the principles he developed, David soon achieved stunning success in practice game. He has won a WSOP bracelet three times and has been on the final tables of tournaments more than once in the company of such bison as Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, etc.

Successes in the practical game prompted David to rework his first book into a more popular version, understandable to the widest range of readers. It became the "Theory of Poker" - a textbook that has gained worldwide fame and fame as a fundamental guide for everyone who wants to master the game of poker and improve their level in it.

Theory and theorem of poker

“Poker Theory” strikes, first of all, with its thoroughness. The author considers the game not only in Texas Hold'em, but also in all major varieties of poker literally from "a" to "z". Starting from how the pot is formed by antes or blinds, and up to the higher mathematics of poker: ways to calculate equity, etc.

It was in The Theory of Poker that Sklansky formulated his famous Fundamental Theorem of Poker. In the original, the theorem is formulated very scholastically and is difficult to understand, but its meaning in a nutshell is: “To win, you must play as if you knew your opponent’s hand.”

It is from this theorem that two main directions in the development of poker theory come from:

1. The art of determining an opponent's cards by the nature of his calls, raises and folds, combined with those signals about the strength of his cards that he gives involuntarily - random movements, gestures, etc. poker psychology.
2. The doctrine of ranges, spectra - i.e. about ways of mathematical formalization of ideas about opponent's cards.

In fact, these two areas are covered by David Sklansky in his book, focusing not so much on the poker player's decisions during the game, but on the logic of his decision making. This is the value of the textbook: it does not tell how to do it; he explains why it is necessary to do so.

Opinions about "The Theory of Poker" by Sklansky

Although The Theory of Poker is marketed as a book for the general reader, many users note that understanding it requires preparation. Not only the experience of playing poker, but also knowledge in the field of mathematics and mathematical logic.

Typical comments on the forums:

“Textbook for universities. Postgraduate Poker. After the very first pages, there was a desire to apply the acquired knowledge”

David Sklansky puts his Fundamental Poker Theorem to the test

“The book is well written, everything is accessible, but it doesn’t immediately fit in my head”

As one of the advantages of Sklansky's book, users note the presence of a poker dictionary; True, one of the readers immediately makes a reservation: “Without it (the dictionary), half of the text would not be understandable at all.”

Where to download, are there any problems with the purchase

“Poker Theory” is a classic of the genre. You can download it not only on specialized poker resources, but also on many literary sites. For example, on E-Reading.Club (http://www.e-reading.club/book.php?book=1028104).

Downloading everywhere is free: taking money for something sacred is a sin!

For an avid card player, poker probabilities are one of the most exciting moments in a tournament.

For those who play poker regularly, it will not be difficult, as they say in school, to memorize such possible scenarios.

Those gamblers who have been familiar with the concept of probability theory since university lavas will be able to perfectly apply the acquired knowledge in practice in poker.

Calculations can be done both on your own and armed with special poker programs, which are offered today in a great variety. But one way or another, you need to think and reason, analyze and make a decision on your own, because no program will help the brain develop and improve.

Below will be the information that will help to calculate the probability in poker with the aim of winning. After the expiration of time, it is important to keep all the data presented in your head so as not to depend on tables on electronic, or, for example, paper.

Only in this way it will be possible to state the fact that success is guaranteed!

Probabilities in poker are measured from zero to one hundred percent. It shows how often this or that development of events can occur during a poker tournament.

Understanding this term and its meaning gives the poker player the opportunity to really assess the situation, analyze the perspective of each action, which can be performed in a specific scenario.

The poker odds table will be a useful hint from which you can get information about what the pot odds are in poker. It is these data that will help you make the right decision during the card competition.

Table variations

There is no single standard, described in one table, armed with which one could consider himself the "master" of poker and win uncontrollably. Everything would be too simple and boring.

Poker is a canvas of mathematical calculations. Which, at the exit, can answer the question of whether it makes sense to take risks or to fold. The calculation of probability in poker depends on how the hand went, and the table is formed based on this.

The following probabilities are known:

• Preflop ;
• with traditional preflop exposures;
• forming a combination with a pocket pair;
• with two card elements in the same suit;
• with 2 cards of different suits;
• with two unpaired cards on the flop in poker.

And this is not the whole list. There is also a table of probabilities in poker, which is called "flop textures". This information will be useful to the participant on the preflop. Here you can get acquainted with the possibility of dropping flops of a specific structure.

So, collect preflop:

• Three cards of the same rank have a probability of 0.24%;
• Combination with a pair in a set (for example, 7-7-2) - 17%;
• Three cards of the same suit - a little more than 5%;
• 2 suited cards - 55%;
• The combination "rainbow" (complete inconsistency) - 40%;
• 3 by increase (one by one) - 3.5%;
• 2 ascending - 40%;
• The absence of cards by seniority in order is more than 55%.

Based on the above data, which appear before the participant in the form of a table, you can independently, having realistically assessed what you see, understand that there is a high probability of hitting a paired flop, but at the same time, a flop with 3 cards of the same rank is more often an exception than a regularly repeating rule.

Armed with a table, you can study the probability of poker combinations in a particular hand and evaluate your own chances of success!

The prospect of improving your own situation?

There is an answer to the question, but it is difficult to call it unambiguous. It all depends on distribution. The theory of probability in poker regarding the improvement of the dropped hand also appears in the form of tabular data.

Below we present the prospects in percentage terms, which will answer the question, what is the probability of combinations in poker to improve the combination in poker flop to turn:

• poker set to Ful haus - 15%;
• Two pair to a Full House combination on the turn - 8.5%;
• combination flush in poker to Flash on the turn - 19%;
• open-ended straight draw to a straight on the turn - 17%;
• gutshot to a straight on the turn - 8.5%;
• a pair to trips on the turn - about 4.5%;
• pair to one of the 2 over cards on the turn - about 13%.

Calculating the probability in poker to strengthen and improve your own positions during the competition makes it possible to decide whether to leave the game or continue to fight for the pot, because the tabular information indicates the real prospects for winning.

More about probabilities

The table of probabilities in poker, based on which the prospect of improving the collection from the flop to the river, appears in the form of the following prospects, expressed as a percentage:

• Set - full house / river - 33%;
• 2 pair - Full House/River - 17%;
• Flush draw - flush / river - 35%;
• Runner-runner draw - flush to the river - a little more than 4%;
• Open ended straight draw - straight to the river - 17%;
• Pair to one of 2 overcards - river - 24%.

The above situations will come to the aid of a poker player when it is necessary to analyze post-flop variations.

The probability of combinations in poker, or rather their improvement from turn to river, is possible in the following percentage of data:

• Set to Full House or even higher - 22.7%;
• 2 pair to full house - 8.7%;
• Flesh-dro before flush - 19.6%;
• Two-way straight to straight - 17.4%;
• "leaky" straight to straight - 8.7%;
• Pocket pair to thrips - 4.3%;
• Pair to one of the over cards - 13%.

Thus, armed with the data presented above, it is possible to assess the prospect of the possibility of improving the set through last card rivera. Analyzing information on different situations, it is worth focusing on the fact that the probability increases significantly when compared with a similar opportunity from the flop to the turn due to the card that has already been released.

One way or another, in order to lead a successful and exciting fight, the calculation of probability in poker must be carried out without fail. Being well versed in this matter, you can safely enter tournaments and play big.

The main thing is that excitement does not play a cruel joke and fails to push a sound mathematical miscalculation into the background.

True connoisseurs are well aware of the rule: the more time it takes to think and reason about card combinations, the better it will affect the professionalism and skill of the poker player.

Poker is a long game. Even a simple calculation, at times, will help to figure out the opponent and understand what cards he has in his hands. Such knowledge allows you to control the situation and correctly follow the right path to victory.

The theory of probability in poker is far from the last role. It allows you to adequately assess your own capabilities and the realities of the competition, its outcome. Possession of information about the probability is an excellent tip, which is designed to come to the rescue and save money if necessary, or will become a reliable support in obtaining a victory and winning a large cash prize.

What about finances? The tremendous pleasure from the process of a reasonable, logical, deliberate competition is incomparable to anything.

AT last years poker has evolved a lot. It has changed so much that many books, videos and other related content are out of date.

The old school players made millions from the exploit, and the modern pros make a fortune based mainly on theory, while the exploit has faded into the background.

In this article, we will look at:

• Fundamentals of a theoretically competent poker game
• Why You Need to Use a Theory-Based Strategy (BOT)
• Examples from Doug Polk's game that demonstrate the importance of theory
• Four Obvious Benefits of a Theory-Based Game

So go ahead!

Fundamentals of a theoretically competent poker game

John Nash developed his game theory while at Princeton University around 1950. Since poker has gained incredible popularity over the past 15 years, the level of players has grown to such an extent that now without fundamental knowledge in the field of game theory, it is not possible to win on a consistent basis.

Mathematically, every decision you make at the table affects your win rate, from the hand you decide to play in any given position to a small check on the river in a modest pot. All this can be measured using the mathematical expectation (MO). If your decision is potentially profitable, then MO is positive (MO+), if not, it can be considered negative (MO-).

A very simple example of applying a theoretically sustained strategy is using an open-raising range. Below is an example of a typical open-raising range for a UTG player (first to decide preflop).

Obviously raising with strong hands in this position is a wise decision, but choosing exceptionally strong hands to raise will make your play predictable. If we add hands like 9s8s or 6h6c to the opening range - we balance him, and it will definitely strengthen our game. With this strategy, from time to time we will be able to hit even a weak flop like in the picture below.

Why it is necessary to build a game based on theory

You may be wondering: why put so much emphasis on theory when we will be making most of the profits from exploiting weak or inattentive players.

There are two main reasons:

• With this strategy, you will win in the long run no matter how well your opponents play.
• Make adjustments to own game easier if you already have basic strategy, from which you can build on (more on this below).

From a COT point of view, reviewing and analyzing your own hands should take into account how the hands actually played - this will determine how balanced your strategy is. Moreover, in terms of IOS, you must know how to act in any game situation and not reduce everything to two cards dealt to you. When analyzing a game, you should be thinking about how you should actually play a given hand.

If you are value betting in certain situations, then you should also include bluff-oriented hands in your range so that your opponent does not adapt to your play. If you only value bet a certain river, your opponent will be able to quickly spot the danger and fold. On the other hand, if in certain situations you resort to bluffing too often, your opponent will sooner or later understand everything and can easily get rich at your expense.

If you're still unsure if a theory-based strategy is the right way to make money, then these hypothetical examples from Doug Polk should help you figure things out:

Examples of using the theory

On the river, you bet $100 into a $100 pot, so your opponent must call to win $200. So your opponent's pot odds are 2 to 1 and he must win at least 33% of the time to break even.

This quick calculation shows the optimal proportion of bluffs in your river betting range: 33% (one bluff for every two value bets). This frequency is optimal because it allows you to steal the pot most often without the chance of running into resistance.

Let's test 4 different bluff-value betting scenarios so you can understand why a 33% bluff and 66% value betting range is the best option from the point of SOT, and why your opponent will not be able to oppose it.

(For the sake of simplicity, let's assume that we always win when Villain calls our value bet and always lose when he calls our bluff.)

Scenario #1 - 0% bluff, 100% value bet:

Your opponent can fold 100% of the time. With your betting range, you will win $100.

Scenario #2 - 100% bluff, 0% value bet

Your opponent can call 100% of the time. Now you will lose $100.

Scenario #3 - 50% bluff, 50% value bet:

If you call 100% of the time, you win $200 on value bets and lose $100 on bluffs. With your betting range, you will only win $50 if your opponent calls every time (50% * - $100 = - $50, 50% * $200 = $100, $100 - $50 = $50).

This scenario shows that avoiding bluffing entirely is more profitable than bluffing 50% of the time.

Scenario #4 - 33% bluff, 67% value bet:

If your opponent calls every time, you again win $200 on value bets and lose $100 on bluffs. But this time you will only lose $100 33% of the time and win $200 67% of the time, so you make a profit of $100 (33% * $100 = $33, 67% * $200 = $133. $133 - $33 = $100).

The bluff to value bet ratio used in this scenario is optimal because:

• You win $100 if your opponent always calls
• You win $100 if your opponent always folds

You make a profit of $100 regardless of your opponent's decision. This win-win scenario is only possible with a perfectly balanced range.. Regardless of which option your opponent chooses, your range will bring the same profit.

Adjusting this ratio to exploit weak players can bring even more profit, but this requires careful and intelligent adjustments based on clear patterns in the opponent's game. If you want to develop and reach new heights, then using a strategy based on theory is a must.

Four Obvious Benefits of a Theory-Based Game

In conclusion, let's look at the four main benefits that COT offers.

It avoids loop thinking.

The outdated doctrine of poker in the 90s is based on the desire to understand what "level of thinking" the opponents are playing.

• At first you study only your own hand
• Then you try to figure out what the opponent might have
• Then you try to imagine what this opponent thinks of your hand.
• Then you analyze what your opponent thinks about what you think he has….
• And so on.

In theory, at one of these stages you should stop - that is, you should conditionally determine the level of thinking of the opponent, after which you adjust your own game to him. But the reality is that this scheme does not work well against weak players. And against more experienced players it, theoretically, can be repeated until the end of time, while both players will try to climb one level of thinking higher.

Patrik Antonius is the last person on earth I should be giving poker advice to. But still, we mere mortals can avoid getting into such a situation if we use a theoretically based bluff strategy. Then we don't have to "rethink" our opponent on the flop with zero equity.

It allows you to get rid of assumptions

Another benefit of COT is that it eliminates potentially false guesses about opponents' play. Of course, if you've been playing against a particular player for a long time, you can draw certain conclusions from his game, but in other cases, unreasonable general assumptions can cost you the pot.

For example, it's extremely unwise to say things like "there will NEVER be a bluff in this spot" or "he ALWAYS folds in this hand." Likewise, you shouldn't assume that an opponent you don't know can't have a certain hand in a range, or that he's only playing tight or loose in certain spots.

A well-thought-out strategy based on theory allows you to ignore these guesses and help build a strong game.

Objective analysis

Many players misjudge how they play a given hand based solely on the outcome of the hand. But the more a person plays poker, the more he realizes that this approach is fundamentally wrong.

Objective analysis is not easy, especially when the raffle ended with a huge success or a complete disaster. If you made a full house on the river and destroyed your opponent, this does not mean that this will happen every time.

Once you have developed the correct COT for a particular spot, you should apply it for the next session to see how well it performs over the long term over the entire range you choose, rather than just two specific cards.

Every successful poker player knows that admitting one's mistakes is a must. successful game. Game theory makes it easier to recognize these errors.

It makes it easier to adjust your own game

Why is theory so important for adjusting your own game strategy? To understand this, let's play a little game.

Let's say you've pocketed everything you know about poker, except for some of the outdated knowledge of the game, and you're about to play your first hand.

Live $1/$2.Effective stacks $200.

The player sits in the big blind with A♦ 9♦
btn is dropping. BTN raises to $7. sb drops. The player calls.

Flop($14) A♠ T♦ 3
The player checks. BTN bets $9. The player calls.

turn($32) J♣
The player checks. BTN bets $21. The player calls.

river ($74) 9♣
The player checks. BTN bets $50. The player calls.

BTN shows A2♣. The player wins $174 with two pair.

How to evaluate the aggression of a player on the button with his weak top pair? How can you exploit it in the future? Without a competent theoretical analysis of his particular hand, this will not be easy.

On the other hand, if you know how to theoretically play A2o in a given situation in the BU, you will know exactly how much he turned away from her. This knowledge will allow you to quickly determine how to exploit a given enemy.

Here are a number of adjustments we can make to crush his aggressive strategy:

• Small exploit: Call his barrels light (but not too much).
• Big exploit: Aggressively attack his check-back range (which seems to be very weak) with big bets for thin value combined with an appropriate amount of bluffs.

Very often, knowing theoretically based hand strategies makes it easier to exploit opponents, because in such a situation you know exactly how much their play deviates from optimal. When you don't know what to eat right almost impossible to understand what is wrong.

Conclusion

The desire to develop a theoretically perfect game strategy seems like a perfectly reasonable impulse, but, in truth, such a game does not yet exist. Whether human or robot, poker has yet to be fully "calculated", we still highly recommend using game theory to maximize your strategy. This means that you have to work on your game both at the table and away from it.