US20110204569A1

US20110204569A1 - Systems and Methods for Playing Texas Hold'em

Info

Publication number: US20110204569A1
Application number: US12/785,417
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard Alan Porter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-22
Filing date: 2010-05-21
Publication date: 2011-08-25

Abstract

The systems and methods of the present disclosure to provide insights, guidelines and training, for playing Texas Hold'em for pleasure or in tournaments. The systems and methods of the present disclosure enable the player to recognize potential common mistakes, avoid repeating the common mistakes, and, by following specific guidelines, maximize the percentages that will enable them to dramatically improve their results when playing Texas Hold'em.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit from provisional application Ser. No. 61/180,452 filed May 22, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the present disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Most people who play cards are either self-taught, learn from a family member, friend, or from TV. They learned the rules of play, but had limited instruction in strategy. In Texas Hold'em, you can play a hand perfectly, and still lose. Further, you can misplay a hand and be saved by a river card.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

A first aspect of the present disclosure is a method for playing Texas Hold'em comprising: dealing the hole cards to each player; and if a players hole cards are equal to or better than a 10/J, a pair of eights, 8/9 suited, an A/8 or better, the player can bid up to three times the big blind in order to see the flop.
A second aspect of the present disclosure is to a method for playing Texas Hold'em comprising: dealing the hole cards to each player; if a players hole cards are equal to or better than a 10/J, a pair of eights, 8/9 suited, an A/8 or better; the player can bid up to three times the big blind in order to see the flop; if a player's hole cards do not meet the criteria above, then the player may be able to ‘check’ to see the flop; if another player should bet, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the criteria above, folds; if all players ‘check’ to see the flop, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the above criteria ‘checks’ to see the turn; if another player bets, then the player having the hole cards that do not meet the above criteria folds; if all players ‘check’ to see the turn, then the player with cards that do not meet the above criteria ‘checks’ to see the River; if any of the players make a bet, then the player having cards that do not meet the above criteria folds; if the player has cards that do meet the betting criteria, they then can bet up to three times the big blind to see the flop and if the bet goes beyond three times the big blind and if the players hole cards are very good (trips, straight, flush or better), then the player meeting the above criteria can bet when warranted up to going “all in”; if the betting does not go beyond the three times the big blind, then the player bets that hand according to the cards at the flop and there after; and, if the hole cards are not very good, then the player folds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the system and methods according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is an illustration of possible several of a plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the aces of the deck according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the King-10 of spades.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 9-6 of spades.

FIG. 20 is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might displayed on the 5-2 of spades.

FIG. 2E is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the King-10 of hearts.

FIG. 2F is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 9-6 of hearts.

FIG. 2G is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 5-2 of hearts.

FIG. 2H is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the King-10 of diamonds.

FIG. 2I is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 9-6 of diamonds.

FIG. 2J is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 5-2 of diamonds.

FIG. 2K is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the King-10 of clubs.

FIG. 2L is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible strategic concepts that might be displayed on the 9-6 of clubs.

FIG. 2M is an illustration of several of the plurality of possible to teaching concepts that might be displayed on the 5-2 of clubs.

FIG. 3A-H are illustrations of the various fronts and backs of the 4 How To cards.

FIG. 4A-B are illustrations of how even the worst poker hand may be converted into a good hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The systems and methods of the present disclosure offer knowledge and insights, as guidelines and training for playing Texas Hold'em. These systems and methods of the present disclosure, enable the player to recognize mistakes, avoid repeating them and by following four specific guidelines; 1) Avoidable Mistakes, 2) Betting, 3) Pattern of play (luck and intuition) and 4) Maximizing Opportunities to achieve good results with their playing of Texas Hold'em.
Before you begin playing, make sure you have the time to play and do not feel rushed. Have a preset limit as to how much chips/money you will be risking. Always bear in mind that every dollar you lose in the beginning may cost you two dollars later on. How this possible: specifically, the dollar that you lost is not available to bet, (net loss one dollar); the second dollar is the dollar you would have won if you had it to play (net loss two dollars total for every dollar lost early in play).

Putting it in Play

Utilizing the systems and methods of the present disclosure, the tournament Texas Hold'em player has one mission and one mission only: Make it To The Final Table. In order to maximize your chances of making it to the final table, the first thing you need to know is that you will not be playing most of the hands. In fact, in the early rounds, you may only see one good hand per hour, or you may see five or six good hands in a row. In order for the systems and methods of the present disclosure to be effective, you must have patience and follow the betting guidelines.
In tournament play, everyone starts out with the same number of chips/amount of money, and when a player loses all of his or her chips/money they are out of the tournament. The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide guidelines for maximizing the probability that a player will survive elimination from the tournament longer than those players not utilizing the systems and methods of the present disclosure. It is important to remember that the longer you continue playing in the tournament, the closer to the chips/money spots in the tournament you get. Again, getting to the final table is your one and only mission.

Before Your First Rounds of Betting

It may be best that you watch and wait until you connect with the cards before you make your first bet. Being connected with the cards, means: that if you had bet the cards dealt to you, you would have won the hand. It has been postulated that the cards dealt to a particular individual tend to run hot and cold (better known as luck). What this translates to is, you should not initiate betting until you have hot cards, as will be described below. After the large and small blinds, are anteed the first time chips/money can be put at risk, by betting, after you have seen your two hole cards. Do not bet until you have a hand that contains at least a 10/J, a pair of 8s, a 8/9 suited connectors Ace/8 not suited, or better, before you make a bet.
At this early stage in the tournament, you are not playing against an opponent, you are playing against yourself. At this stage, unless you have two good hole cards, you should always ‘check’ (agree not to bet) or ‘fold’ your hand, and wait to see better cards. Just because you can bet, based on the hole cards in your hand, doesn't necessarily mean you should bet, based on your hand.
You should take every attempt within the above guidelines to see the flop. Why try and see the flop? Because the more cards you see the more information you get concerning the strength of your hand. With a typical tournament table of 10 players, you will get to see your hole cards, for free, 8 hands out of the 10 hands that constitute a round as described below.
The above is based on the premises that there are 10 seats at the table, and there are 2 people putting in chips/money (one large and one small blind) before each hand is played. The other 8 people do not have to bet until after they see their hole cards. So 8 of the 10 players play for free, seeing their hole cards, until they rotate into position as the big and small blinds.
Each hand starts when the dealer deals each player two cards face down. The dealer changes each hand, as signified by them having the “button”, so in one round each player is the dealer, the big blind, the small blind, and just a player 7 times. Make the most of these opportunities to determine whether you will be committing chips/money to a bet based on the relative strength of your hand (hole cards). At this level, you should not bet chips/money that you cannot replace. Since all players are given the same amount of chips/money at the start, when a player loses all their chips/money, that player is eliminated from the tournament. So if you lose chips/money early, it limits your effectiveness to bet later on. Only bet when your hand meets the criteria described below.

To Make a Bet You Need: (at a Minimum)

In accordance with the systems and methods of the present disclosure, in the initial stages of the tournament you need at a minimum the following hole cards: at least a 10/J, a pair of 8s, a 8/9 suited connector, Ace/8 not suited, Ace/2 suited, or better, in order to make a bet. Betting with these starting cards dramatically increase the chances of winning the hand. During this first phase of tournament play (before you have 2 times your original amount of chips/money), if you have a hand that meets this criteria, bet only up to 3 times the big blind (a blind is chips/money bet before any cards are dealt). If the bet goes higher than three times the big blind, fold, unless you have really good cards, 3 of a kind (trips), straight, flush or better.
Anytime you can see the flop (the three common cards dealt after the initial 2 hole cards), for up to the price of the big blind, you should do so. Your goal is to see the flop for as little money as possible. Getting to see the flop is the best value for your money. The fewer the number of people playing the hand, the better your chances of winning. The secret in getting a good hand is, waiting for it. You should bet small (the minimum bet allowed) at first to conceal your hand, as you will have a chance to bet big later. (They call this limping in.) Winning hands may range from: Ace high, one pair, two pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four of a kind, a straight flush, to a royal straight flush.
Before you bet, make sure you know what hands can beat you. When you have a sure winning hand (not a good hand, but a sure winning hand, bet up to “all in” (betting your entire stack of chips), after the last card (called the river) has been dealt. An example of a sure winning hand can be determined by reviewing all the cards on the board to see the best hand that these cards could possibly constitute. Then compare that best hand with the best hand you have, and determine which one is the winning hand. For example, suppose a player has 3 Aces (one on the board and 2 in his or her hand). Looking at the board, you determined that, there is no possibility for a straight, a flush or a full house; hence no one can beat your three aces.

Play Very Conservatively Until You have Doubled Your Initial Stake

During the initial phase of the tournament, you should take as long as you want before you actively bet. The only chips/money you have to put at risk are the small and big blinds. Remember, every dollar you lose, limits your ability to play, and brings you closer to elimination. The main way that you could lose chips/money is when you put it at risk when you bet. You may wait 20 or 30 hands until you get one that you can bid on, please be patient and wait.
You should play very conservatively until you have doubled your initial starting chips/money. After you have doubled your initial starting chips/money, your goal is to see as many flops, for as little chips/money, as possible. Getting to see the flop is the best value for your chips/money. When possible, you should bet the minimum required to see the flop. As long as you have more chips/money than double the initial stake, you may bet up to 5 times the big blind but should fold if the bet is greater than five times the big blind, unless you have a sure winning hand.
As the elimination of players at your table increases, the number of people playing the hand decreases and, the more flexibility you have to bet, and the better your chances of winning the pot with a lesser hand. When you decide to bet, you should bet small at first, to conceal your hand, as you will have a chance later to bet big. Always know what hands can beat you and know your kicker (the higher tie braking card in 2 equal hands) before you bet.
Remember, the more players playing a hand, the better your cards need to be to win. You should never play average hands. Do not be greedy, remain disciplined and watch the other players be eliminated one by one. In the early stages of the tournament do not lose chips/money chasing cards, as this lost chips/money will be very difficult to replace, as explained below. You will need that chips/money later when you have a real hand, as you can only bet what you have. Remember that any two hole cards can be a winner. It is not always the best hand that wins; sometimes the other person out plays you. You are lead to believe they have a better hand than you, or bet more money than you are willing to match. You fold and they win. Players have won the pot with a 7 and a duce as hole cards, the weakest starting hand in poker. Take your time when you bet. Think it through. Just because you can make the bet, it does not mean you have to bet. Remember start slowly, as you can always go “all in” later.
Some benefits of playing conservatively include, but are not limited to, getting to watch the other players; getting a sense of how the cards are running and mentally playing out each hand trying to anticipate what will happen in each hand.

Why You should Stay for the Flop (2 to 7 Worst Poker Hand)

As an example of why you should stay for the flop whenever possible is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-B. Normally, with hole cards, the 2 and 7 of hearts, it is good strategy simply to fold. However, if you can get to the flop without risking more than three times the big blind, you might get lucky, as illustrated below, and have three of a kind after the flop. Typically, three of a kind is difficult to beat. In this particular situation, at this point, only three of a kind (threes) would win the hand. Of course, the next two cards, including the river, might prevent you from winning, but at this point, the probability of you winning the hand with three of a kind 2s is high.
Remember not to bet any hands until you connect with the cards. (This means that if the cards had been dealt with you still in the hand, you would have won the hand.) Cards tend to run hot and cold; don't start betting until you have hot cards. Be patient. There are always more hands coming. In the beginning, ‘check’ whenever possible, the more cards you see, the more information you get. With a table of 10 players, you will get to see eight hands (your two hole cards) for free. You should make the most of these opportunities to determine whether you will be committing money to a bet. At this stage, don't bet money you can't replace. In other words, don't chase a marginal hand.
If after the flop, you have not made a hand, and are drawing still trying to make the hand, then fold. Don't hope the last two cards will save you. If, however, after the flop you have made a hand and want to try and improve it, Bet.
Every dollar you lose in the beginning limits your ability to make a strong bet and brings you closer to elimination. Remember:

- There is no scarcity of good hands; you only have to wait for them.
- The less chips/money you have, the more cautiously you need to play.
- Don't ever give up; even when you are the short stack (the player remaining at the table with the smallest amount of chips or dollars), you can always double and triple up. Doubling up occurs when a player goes “all in”, and one or more players match that bet, and the “all in” player wins the money equal to their “all in” bet from at least one other person. To pay double his bet, or “doubles up”.

You have to put your chips/money at risk in order for your opponents to win it. If you have not bet, when other people win, you do not lose any chips/money. When 4 or more players go to the “turn” (the sixth card dealt out of a total of seven), make sure you have a strong hand to continue. If you have a strong hand (3 of a kind (trips), straight, flush or better), bet small at first to conceal your hand, you will have a chance later during the betting to bet big. Always know what hands can beat your hand and know your kicker before you bet. As you win more chips/money, keep playing conservatively until you double your initial starting chips/money. After you triple your chips/money, play aggressively and follow the guidelines in the Understanding Texas Hold'em deck of cards, as illustrated below.

What to do, when You're not Getting the Cards

What should you do when you're not getting the cards? You should make good use of this time. Relax and watch the flow of the cards, remember 8 out of 10 hands are free. Watch the other player's body language for ‘tells’ (clues as to how strong or weak their hands are). Do not become frustrated and chase marginal hands but remain patient and disciplined and follow the strategic guidelines articulated in this disclosure. Stay hydrated, stand-up, walk around, and go to the bathroom as required.

Betting

After you have seen the flop, ask your self the following question: am I still trying to make my hand? If the answer is yes, fold. If you have a good hand. (A pair of 10's or better) Ask, am I trying to improve it? If the answer is yes, stay. If 4 or more players go to the ‘turn’ (the sixth card dealt out of a total of seven), make sure you have a very strong hand, (3 of a kind, straight, flush or better), or fold (surrender your cards back to the dealer). Let the other players force each other out of the game. When you have a very strong hand, it is important to know whether to: (1), bet small to conceal your hand, you will have a chance later to bet big, or (2), bet large to limit the other players options to see more cards. Make good use of position (where you are in the betting cycle). Being on the “button”, being the dealer is a great place to be, everyone else has to bet before you and you get a good idea as to the strength of his or her hand. If no one bets and it comes to you, sometimes a token bet will get the other players, who previously passed and did not bet, to fold, when you bet.
Always know what hands can beat you and know your kicker (the higher tie braking card in 2 equal hands) before you bet. As you win more chips/money, keep playing conservatively until you have doubled your initial starting chips/money. After you have doubled your initial starting chips/money, you may play more relaxed and follow the rules in the Understanding Texas Hold'em deck of cards more loosely. At this point, you have the flexibility to change up your style from aggressive to conservative and vice versa, so that your opponents will not be able to predict how you play any given hand.
There are only a small number of hands that determine the outcome of the game. Wait for a good hand and play it wisely. Don't gamble by chasing cards. Bet and play smart. Why should you play this way? Because it improves your chances to win!

The Mental Game

In general, playing not to lose just to delays the inevitable, you just get eliminated slower, but you will be eliminated. In Texas Hold'em, there are three things you need to be successful Skill, Cards and Luck! It is important that you learn to play the person, calculate the hand, and take advantage of position. Try to see as many flops as possible for the price of the big blind. When you have a good hand, do not give them a free draw, bet something each round. Specifically, when you have a good hand, medium to high pair (10 and up), three of a kind or better, bet enough chips/money (normally 2 to 3 time the big blind), that the other players fold and you win the pot. If, however, you have a strong to very strong hand: 3 of a kind (trips), straight, flush or better you may want to check (not bet in order to see how they play their hands). By not aggressively betting but incrementally adding your strong hand, you keep the pot size growing since more people are betting. If you play conservatively all the time, other players may avoid playing against you. When you do choose to play a hand, they know you have a relatively good hand. Your style of play says to them that you only bet good hands. This approach provides information and helps to establish a style of play. To counteract this, as you make chips/money, open up your game to a more aggressive approach. Once you have double or triple your initial chips/money amount, change how you play, adopt another style for a while, and then change back. It is advisable that you do not reflect unduly on misplayed or missed hands. You should learn from your mistakes and move on.
As a short stack, you want to choose when to play/go all-in, rather than having to play until the blinds take all your chips/money. Specifically, as the blinds and antes whittle away your chip count, when you have enough chips/money for 2 rounds (10 people per round) start looking for a very good hand to bet “all in” with your chips/money. You want to choose the time to go “all in”, rather then wait until you run out of chips/money and you are forced to go “all in” by the circumstances dictated by the amount of chips/money you may have. When you go “all in,” the other players may see your bet as a desperate move rather than a calculated choice to commit on the 2 cards that you were dealt. While the short stack can be viewed as a disadvantage, it does have certain advantages including that you can go “all in” with a good hand and not have every other player expect it.
Remember, an approach that yields good results is to bet on what cards you HAVE and not on what cards you might draw. When you have a lot of chips/money, go for the blinds and antes. As an example, when you have a big stack of chips/money, you may bet so much chips/money that most of the other remaining players cannot afford to call your bet. This enables you to win the blinds antes, and reduces the number of cards your opponents can see.
Making bets that force you to keep chasing a hand is not productive. This means don't start betting with a marginal hand, and follow it up with a bet, by chasing cards after the flop trying to make a hand with the turn and river cards. Some times this occurs when betting your marginal hand and another player re-raises you and you see you have lost some money and try 1) to get lucky with a draw or 2) try to bluff your way out of a bad situation. It sometimes only takes one misplayed hand to end your chances for success.
Observe how other people bet to enter the hand, particularly how much they bet and where they are in position. The best position often is the last player to bet during a round of betting, as the last player to bet has the advantage of seeing how other players value their hands.

10 Big Mistakes to Avoid

The 10 largest mistakes that you should avoid include, but are not limited to, 1) playing marginal hands; 2) overvaluing your hand and staying with it; 3) trying to make a hand after the flop (chasing cards); 4) thinking that they are bluffing; 5) over betting your hand; 6) over valuing aces; 7) with a good hand, betting too much, too soon; 8) betting the hand before you have it; 9) keep betting a losing hand; 10) and not folding soon enough. Do not make the mistake of playing too Many Hands. The reason to play this way is to win.

The Deck

The “Understanding Texas Hold'em” deck contains 52 playing cards, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-M and 4 How To Cards, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A-H. Each playing card has a short Strategic Guideline printed in the center of the card addressing one of the following 4 topics:

- (1) Avoidable Mistakes
- (2) Betting
- (3) Patterns of Play (Lady Luck and intuition)
- (4) Maximizing Opportunities

Understanding Texas Hold'em, The System

This system enables a person to greatly improve his or her Texas Hold'em skills. Follow the strategic concepts on these cards and watch your winning percentage grow. Focus on the following strategic concepts: when to bet: by limiting the cards that can be used to open, this reduces wasted money and improves your chances of winning that hand. By seeing the flop, this provides you with five of the seven cards available. By knowing your weaknesses, (see strategic guidelines) you avoid money/chip losing situations. Follow the strategic guidelines and reap the rewards.

Using the “Understanding Texas Hold'em” Deck

In order to get the most out of the Texas Hold'em deck, divide the deck into four suits. Pull out the cards that relate to your mistakes. For example, King of clubs, “don't bet until you have it.” The five of diamonds, “the longer you think, the less sure you are.” Four of hearts, “ask before going All-In, ‘do I want to risk it ALL on these cards?’” Jack of spades, “folding saves you money, you don't have to win again.” The ace of spades, “there is always another hand” and the ace of hearts, “the best hand does not always win.” You should pick 3 to 6 of these cards to work with the next time you play. Also take along the five How To Cards. Bring the deck with you and on your breaks look over the cards to refresh your memory. Remember; do not make the mistake of playing too many hands. The reason to play this way is to WIN!
A description of the systems and methods of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. As illustrated, the system and methods begins at 20 with the dealing of the hole cards. If a player's hole cards are equal to or better than a 10/J, a pair of eights, 8/9 suited, ace/8 unsuited, ace/2 suited, or better, at 22, the player can then bid up to three times the big blind to see the flop at 24. If not, at 26 the player checks to see the flop. If someone else should bet, then the player folds at 28.
If at 26 everyone checks to see the flop, then the player checks to see the turn at 30. If another player bets, then the player folds at 32. If all players checked to see the turn, then the player checks to see the River at 34. If any of the players bet, then the player folds at 36.
Returning to 24 where the player can bet up to three times the big blind to see the flop, if the bet goes beyond three times the big blind, at 38, and if the hole cards are very good (jacks or better) at 40, then the player can bet when warranted up to go “all in” at 42. If at 38, the bet does not go beyond the three times the big blind, then the player bets that hand according to the cards at the flop and there after at 44. If at 40, the hole cards are not very good, then the player folds at 46.
It is anticipated that the above flow diagram may be incorporated into a software program for any device, such as for example, a computer, used for training that would enable potential Texas Hold'em players to learn the systems and methods taught in the present disclosure. It is believed that there are a plurality of well-known devices that incorporate appropriate electronic components such as, for example, processors, reviewing screens, and related structure are capable of being used to serve as the platform for such training exercises and that the utilization of such would be known to those skilled in the art.
One representative illustration of the Texas Hold'em card deck will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2A-M. It should be understood that strategic concepts placed on each card could be placed on any of the cards and that the strategic concepts could be modified. However, it is intended that the following description be representative of all the permutations and combinations that might be available.
As shown in FIG. 2A, strategic concepts include, but are not limited to, “Be Patient There Is Always Another Hand” on the ace of spades; “The More Flop You See, the Better” on the ace of diamonds; “Do Not Chase after Cards Trying to Make a Hand” on the ace of clubs; “The Best Hand Does Not Always Win” on the ace of hearts.
As shown in FIG. 2B-2D, strategic concepts currently depicted on spades are illustrated in FIG. 2B and include, but are not limited to, “Always Be Aware of What Hands Can Beat You” On the king of spades; “Do Not over Bet Your Hand” on the Queen of spades; “folding saves you money You Don't Have To Win Again” on the Jack of spades; “Use Your Position in the Betting To Influence the Action” on the 10 of spades; “Don't Bet Because You're Bored” on the nine of spades; “When You Bet Make It Count” on the eight of spades; “You Can Only Lose What You Put at Risk” on the seven of spades; “Play the Player As Well As the Hand” on the six of spades; “Learn Your Tells and Change Your Behavior” on the five of spades; “Aces Count Only As One Pair. Do Not over React to Them” on the four of spades; “The More People Playing the Hand, The Harder for You to Win” on the three of spades; and “A Small Number of Hands decides the Game” on the two of spades.
As shown in FIG. 2E-2G, strategic concepts depicted on hearts include, but are not limited to, “Wait until You Connect with the Cards Before Betting” on the King of hearts; “Cards Come in Streaks Right The Streak” on the Queen of hearts; “Luck Can Trump Talent” on the Jack of hearts; “Force Players out A Timely Bet” on the 10 of hearts; “Luck Increases As We Take Advantage of Opportunities” on the nine of hearts; “When Re-Raised Stop and Think Why before You Bet” on the eighth of hearts; “After the Flop, Are You Playing to Make a Hand or to Improve Your Hand, Play Wisely” on the seven of hearts; “Don't Bet Too Much, Too Quickly” on the six of hearts; “You Need Luck to Win Big” on the five of hearts: “Ask, Before Going All-In, Do I Want to Risk It All on These Cards” on the four of hearts; “Pay to See Their Cards When You Need to Know What They Have” on the three of hearts and “Not Every Day Is Your Day Stop When It's No Longer Fun” on the two of hearts.
As shown in FIG. 2H-2J strategic concepts depicted on the diamonds include, but are not limited to, “When You Bluff the Convincing” on the King of diamonds: “Review Their Bid, Before You Make Yours” on the Queen of diamonds; “Don't Take Chances, Make Calculated Choices” on the Jack of diamonds; “Big Hand! Bet to Entice Others to Stay” on the 10 of diamonds; “Get the Most You Can from Each Pot. Don't Raise to Fast” on the nine of diamonds; “Don't Keep Looking at Your Hole Cards” on the eighth of diamonds; “Go All-in to Limit Another Player's Choices” on the seven of diamonds: “Learn to Act Conceal Your Emotions” on the six of diamonds; “The Longer You Think the LESS Sure You Are” on the five of diamonds; “Watch and Learn How Other People Bluff” on the four of diamonds; “When a Short Stack Goes ALL-IN, Cover When You Can” on the three of diamonds; and “Don't Get Caught Between Two Warring Stacks” on the two of diamonds.
As shown in FIG. 2K-2M, strategic concepts depicted on the clubs include, but are not limited to, “Don't Bet It, Until You Have It” on the King of clubs; “Don't Be Too Slow to Bet or Raise” on the Queen of clubs; “Every Time Someone Bets-They Provide Insights into Their Hand” on the Jack of clubs: “When You Have a Very Strong Hand Get Them to Bed First” on the 10 of clubs; “The Longer You Play the More You Will Win” on the nine of clubs; “Learn to Bet, to Conceal And Deceive” on the eight of clubs; “When You Start Losing PLAY TIGHTER Until the Cards Change” on the seven of clubs; “Win the Blinds & Antes. Lots of Little Pots Equal One Big Pot” on the sixth of clubs; “A Losing Hand Teaches a Lesson. Learn them” on the five of clubs; “Use Your Chip Stack As a Weapon” on the four of clubs; “Low on Chips? Know How Many Blinds/Antes You've Left. Bet accordingly” on the three of clubs; and “Don't Let the Last Hand Affect the Next” on the two of clubs.
While the above is merely a representative, illustrative example of one of a plurality of possible arrangements with respect to the card arrangement and with respect to the internal arrangement of the strategic concepts.

Representative Example

The following examples represent the results of actual tournament play in which the inventor of the present disclosure came in first place in the tournament. The following are representative hands chosen to illustrate various concepts of the systems and methods of the present disclosure. Not all of the hands are presented, only those representative hands useful in illustrating the various concepts of the present disclosure. In this particular tournament, there are nine people at each table.

First Representative Hand Follows

In one hand, I was dealt the 4h and 6h, in for big blind. Everyone checked to get to the flop, no additional chips/money at risk. The flop was 9d 3d 10d. All those remaining in the hand checked. The turn card was the 6c. Again, everyone remaining in the hand checked to get to the river. The river was the Ah. At this point, I folded, as my hand did not meet the criteria for betting more than the big blind. The strategic concept illustrated by this particular hand is that you should stay in as long as the cards are checked (free), even though your cards are not very good, because you never know what is going to come up in the flop, the turn, or the river. (Remember the example above with respect to the 7, 2 hole cards, a terrible hand, made all the better by a great flop.)

Second Representative Hand Follows

In another hand, I was dealt the Jh and Jd, a strong hand, but not an over powering hand. I was the fifth person with a chance to bet, the first 4 players checked. None of the previous four players had bet which indicated that they most likely had weak hands, so I bet in order to keep them from seeing the flop and discourage them from trying to make a good hand (with the other 5 cards). Since I had not bet often at this point, when I bet, the other players took notice. My bet was $1,150 because betting a good hand quickly makes it relatively more powerful, since this bet was before the flop; there were no queens, kings or aces on the board to create competition for the hand. However, my approach to prevent them from seeing the flop was unsuccessful.
The flop was 10c 2c 2s. At this point, I bet another $500. After the $500 bet, the other players folded Since the other players have relatively little chips/money invested in the hand, it is easier for them to fold the hand and call, since, based upon my prior betting approach, they believed that 1 had a winning hand. When they did not fold when I bet $1,150, my next bet of $500 was enough to make the remaining players in the hand to think that 1 had made a value bet designed to get more chips/money from them, thus, they folded. One strategic concept in this particular hand was to establish that I had a strong hand early in the betting. Another strategic point was to see the flop and, if the flop significantly strengthens my hand, raise my original bet.

Third Representative Hand Follows

In a later hand, I was dealt the 10h and everyone remaining in the hand checked to get to the flop, no additional chips/money at risk. The flop was the Js As 6h. Again, all the players remaining in the hand checked. Next, the river was the 4s. At this point, I folded. One strategic point in this particular hand was that after you see the river, only bet if you have a strong hand, in other words, don't chase cards.

Fourth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Qh and 2d. At this point, I folded. Having just the Qd & 2d. One strategic concept in this representative hand was that my hand did not meet the criteria for betting more than double the big blind.

Fifth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the As and the 6s. Everyone checked to get to the flop, no additional chips/money at risk. The flop was the 8c 4d 3d. All those remaining in the hand checked. The turn card was the 7c. Again, all those remaining in the hand checked to get to the river. The river was the 3h. At this point, I folded. One strategic concept in this representative hand was that if you don't have a winning hand after the river, FOLD. Typically, as in this particular case, you would clearly not have a winning hand since anyone who had an 8 or a 4, as a hole card would beat your pair of 3s.

Sixth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Kh and the Qh, a hand that met the betting criteria. Before the flop, I bet $150. The flop was the Qs 10d 3c. At this point I bet $350 to get to the turn. The turn card was the 9c. At this point, I bet $100 to get to the river. At this point, I had a pair of queens. The river was the 7h. This did not significantly increase my chances of winning the hand. At this point, several players remaining in the hand bet $500 to increase, the pot to $2,755. At this point, I folded. One strategic concept to learn from this particular hand is that when re-raised; fold, unless you have a certain winner. In this case, it was my judgment that a pair of queens was not a certain winner and then I would be needlessly putting chips/money at risk.

Seventh Representative Hand Follows

1 was dealt the 2c and the 2h. At this point, there were only 2 other players, the big and small blinds. The big blind checked, the small blind limped in and 1 bet my pair of 2's. I called a bet of $150 to get to the flop. They showed weakness and my 2's and the 7's made for the winning hand. The flop was the Kd 7s 7c. All those remaining in the hand checked to get to the turn. The turn was the 6h. Again, all those remaining in the hand checked to get to the river. The river was the Jd. Again, all those remaining in the hand failed to raise by checking. My pair of 2s combined with a pair of 7s was good enough to win $400. One strategic concept to learn from this particular hand is that sometimes you get lucky just by staying in for relatively a small price.

Eighth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Kh and the 5s. All those remaining in the hand checked to get to the flop. The flop was the Ks Ad 7s. Again, all those remaining in the hand checked to get to the turn. The turn was the Qh. Once again, all those remaining in the hand checked to get to the river. The river was the 2h. At that point, I had a pair of Kings, a strong hand but not a clearly winning hand. At this point, one of the other remaining participants showed 2 aces and wins the $750 pot. This left me with $2,680. One strategic concept to learn from this particular hand is that kings lose to aces and that sometimes you use your judgment to override some guidelines and that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. This is where luck comes in.

Ninth, 10^th, 11^th, and 12^thRepresentative Hands Follows

In the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth representative hands, I was dealt the 2s and the 5c, the 10d and the 5c, the 8h and the 5h, and the 7h and the 6d. In each of these hands, I folded. One strategic concept to learn from these hands include, but is not limited to, that cards come in streaks and be patient do not chase the cards.

Thirteenth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt to the Jc and the 10c everyone checked to get to the flop. The flop was the As 8s 3s. At this point, in my judgment, I had a low probability of obtaining a winning hand therefore I folded. Strategic concepts that can be learned from this particular hand include, but are not limited to, always be aware of what hands can beat you, do not over bet your hand, folding saves you chips/money you don't have to win again, folding is always an option and you can only lose what you put at risk.

Fourteenth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Kh and the 8c. All players that remained in the hand checked to see the flop. The flop was the 10c 6h 4h. Again, all players that remained in the hand checked to see the turn. The turn was the Kc. I now have two Kings, a decent hand. Again, all players are remained in the hand checked to see the river. The river was the Qd. In this particular hand, I lost to two pairs on the river card. One strategic concept to learn from this particular hand is that after the hand has been lost, move on don't think about the hand.

Fifteenth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Kh and the 8h. All players that remained in the hand checked to see the flop. The flop was the 5h 2d 2c. At this point, I folded rather than risk losing chips/money. This pot was worth $1,205. Strategic concepts to learn from this particular hand include, but are not limited to, that you should play conservatively when the pot is this low and that you must be prepared for a big hand.

Sixteenth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Js and the Jc. I bet $1,000 before the flop, as this is a hand that meets my criteria for betting. The flop was the Ac 8h 5h. With a $2,205 pot, all those remaining in the hand folded. At this point, I had a cushion, as I had between $2,000 and $3,000 dollars and, thus, I did not have to so strictly follow the guidelines, but I still played the hand conservatively. Strategic concept to learn from this particular hand include, but are not limited to, do not be afraid to bet a good hand, strongly and early. Follow the strong first bet with a strong second bet as reinforcement. Carefully watch the other players with respect to how they bet and how much they commit to the pot.

Seventeenth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Qc and the 4d. All players that remained in the hand checked to see the flop. The flop was the As 7s 4h. At this point I folded. Strategic concepts that can be learned from this particular hand include, but are not limited to, having been dealt 2 marginal cards and being next to last in chips, when the flop provided no additional strength, no winning hand was reasonably foreseeable, so folding was the prudent choice, as folding is always an option.

Eighteenth and Nineteenth Representative Hands Follows

I was dealt the 9c and the 3s. At this point in the tournament, since this hand did not meet the criteria for betting, I folded.
Next I was dealt the Kd and the 7s. Again, at this point in the tournament, this hand did not meet the criteria for betting I folded. The eventual pot was $1,705. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by these two hands include, but are not limited to, remain patient and don't chase cards.

Twentieth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Ac and the 5d. All players that remained in the hand checked to see the flop. The flop was the Ad Ah 8h. At this point I bet $1,230. All the players that remained in the hand checked to see the turn. The turn was the Qs. Again, all the players that remained in the hand checked to see the river. The river was the 7s. I won the $2,925 pot with three aces. Many times people bet this type of hand by ignoring the pair on the board and checking, and sometimes they try and steal the pot by betting to convince the other player that they have the third card. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, when you have a real strong hand; play slow, and then bet it big.

Twenty-First Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the 5d and the 5h. All the players remaining in the hand checked to see the flop. The flop was the 9h 8h 2h. At this point, I bet $1,375. At this point all the other players remaining in the hand folded and I win the pot of $4,300. Before this hand I had only $3,325 and was the short stack, meaning that I had the least amount of chips/money of those remaining at the table. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, with the increase in your chips/money, you now have some breathing room to enable you to open up your game and use your chip stack to force the remaining players at the table to make difficult decisions from a relative position of weakness.

Twenty-Second Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the 6h and the 3h. I bet $100 and one player called for $100. The flop was the Kh Ks 5s. We both cheeked to see the turn. The turn was the 10h. We both checked to see the river. The river was the 3s. In a hand like this, where there are only 2 players, and the other player keeps checking, it leads one to believe that the pair is good. In two-handed games all pairs are powerful. I win the $4,425 pot with a pair of kings and a pair of threes. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, when the other party keeps checking they most likely have a weak hand. If the other party had bet at any time, I would have folded and they would have won the hand. In this particular hand, the other party missed the strategic concept of ‘making them pay to see a card.’

Twenty-Third Representative Hand Follows

With three players left on the table, I was dealt the 6c and the 6h. The first player has $4,760, I have $4,325, and the third player has $4,065. They fold and I have $4,675.

Twenty-Fourth Representative Hand Follows

1 was dealt the dealt the Ac and the 7d. All remaining players checked to see the flop. The flop was the As Qh, Jh. I checked to conceal my pair of Aces. The other two players also checked to see the turn. The turn was the 3c. I bet $400 and they fold and I have $4,875. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, when down to players, bet and play more aggressively.

Twenty-Fifth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt 7d and the 3s, not exactly a powerful hand. I am the big blind, so I checked to see the flop. The flop was the Ah Qc, 6s. At this point, I folded.

Twenty-Sixth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Ah and the 8s. A good hand in 3 handed Hold'em. At this point, I bet $300. At this point, I bet around 20% of their chips/money. They folded ($5,000). Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, slow and steady movement, don't go for the possible big hand, wait for the sure one and make them pay to see a card.

Twenty-Seventh Representative Hand Follows

1 was dealt the 8c and the 3d. The Flop was the Ad Kc 3c. At this point, I fold. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, fold the low pair and wait for a better hand. In other words, don't chase cards.

Twenty-Eight Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Ks and the Js. The flop was the Kd Qc 3s. At this point, I am on a roll. I decide to bet the Kings. In an attempt to make them pay $600 (20% of their chips/money) to see another card, I bet $600 and they fold. I win ($5,225). Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, ‘make them pay to see another card.’

Twenty-Ninth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the 9D and the 9c. The flop was the Qs 8s 3h. The turn was the 10h and the River was the 2d. The pot goes to $3,755. They are betting on their pair of 5's. I am betting on my pair of 9's. The Turn and River do not help. I win ($7,165) Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, during Heads-up play all pairs, and AK, KQ is a very strong starting hand.

Thirtieth Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Ks and the 7d. They fold. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, the need to wait for a good hand.

Thirty First Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Jd and the 3s. The flop was the Kc 10s 5s. I fold. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, remember to take your time, they have to catch you, don't give them easy chips/money. You can only lose what you put at risk.

Thirty Second Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Jc and the 6c. The flop was the Jd Js 2h. At this point I have three jacks, so I decide to bet slowly and then spring the trap. The turn was the Kh. At this point, they have $6,210. The River is the 3d. At this point the pot increases to ($7,150). I let them bet first and I win ($10,840). After this hand, they have $2.235 left. Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include but are not limited to, let them bet first!

Thirty Third Representative Hand Follows

I was dealt the Ah and the 7s. The flop is the Qd 7d 6c. At this point, they had a pair of 7s with a Queen kicker and I had a pair of 7s with an ace kicker. The turn is the 3s. The River is the Ac. At this point, they go “all in” with a pair of 7s. I call with aces and 7s. I win with aces and 7s. Game over! Strategic concepts that were demonstrated by this hand include, but are not limited to, know your kicker, in heads up play all pairs are powerful and when the short stack has to go all-in, call them.
The description of the embodiments of the present disclosure is given above for the understanding of the present disclosure. It will be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for playing Texas Hold'em comprising: dealing the hole cards to each player; and if a players hole cards are equal to or better than a 10/J, a pair of 8s, a 8/9 suited connector, Ace/2 suited, Ace/8 not suited, or better, the player can bid up to three times the big blind in order to see the flop.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: if a players hole cards does not meet the criteria of claim 1, then the player checks to see the flop.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: If another player should bet, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the criteria of claim 1 folds.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: if all players check to see the flop, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the criteria of claim 1 checks to see the turn.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: if another player bets, then the player having the hole cards that do not meet the criteria of claim 1 fold.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising: if all players check to see the turn, then the player with cards that do not meet the criteria of claim 1 checks to see the River.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising: if any of the players make a bet, then the players having cards that do not meet the criteria of claim 1 fold.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: if the player can bet up to three times the big blind to see the flop and if the bet goes beyond three times the big blind and if the players hole cards are very good, then the player meeting the criteria of claim 1 can bet when warranted up to go “all in”.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising: if the betting does not go beyond the three times the big blind, then the player bets that hand according to the cards at the flop and there after.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising: If the hole cards are not very good, then the player folds.

11. A method for playing Texas Hold'em comprising: dealing the hole cards to each player;

if a players hole cards are equal to or better than a pair of eights, 8/9 suited or an ace/8 or better, the player can bid up to three times the big blind in order to see the flop;

if a players hole cards does not meet the criteria above, then the player checks to see the flop;

if another player should bet, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the criteria above folds;

if all players check to see the flop, then the player having hole cards that do not meet the above criteria checks to see the turn;

if another player bets, then the player having the hole cards that do not meet the above criteria folds;

if all players check to see the turn, then the player with cards that do not meet the above criteria check to see the River;

if any of the players make a bet, then the player having cards that do not meet the above criteria folds;

if the player can bet up to three times the big blind to see the flop and if the bet goes beyond three times the big blind and if the players hole cards are very good, then the player meeting the above criteria can bet when warranted up to go “all in”;

if the betting does not go beyond the three times the big blind, then the player bets that hand according to the cards at the flop and there after; and if the hole cards are not very good, then the player folds.