Learn Texas Holdem

Poker is a game about decisions. Money is won or lost based on the decisions that are made. In no-limit Texas hold'em, entire bankrolls can be wiped out by one or two incorrect decisions. Famed poker author David Sklansky's fundamental theorem speaks to this. The theorem essentially states that every time you play a hand in a way that is different from how you would have played it if you could see your opponent's cards they gain, and when you play it the same way, they lose. When your opponent plays a hand differently than he would have if he knew your cards, you gain and when he does not, you lose.

While the merits of this theorem are open to debate, it illustrates the importance of decision-making. What Sklansky is saying is that every time you make a decision based on incorrect information, you are creating negative expected value for yourself. While this may be mathematically correct, the more practical reality is that every time you make an incorrect decision you are creating negative expected value for yourself. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can increase the likelihood of making a correct decision in no-limit Texas hold'em.

Increase Decision Making Power in Texas Hold'em Tip No. 1: Collect Information

You should constantly be collecting information as you play your no-limit Texas hold'em games. Note which players are tight and which ones are loose, which ones are on a winning streak and which have been solid players. Know how big a pre-flop raise it typically takes to win the blinds, to get one caller, to get multiple callers. You'll usually be sitting out most of the hands, use the time when you don't have any decisions to make to prepare for the times when you do.

Increase Decision Making Power in Texas Hold'em Tip No. 2: Think Ahead

If you've raised pre-flop, nothing that comes out on the flop should surprise you. You may not act right away, but you should be prepared for every eventuality. Remember that no-limit Texas hold'em is a game where your entire stack may be at risk at any time, so as soon as you reach for chips to call pre-flop you should be thinking about what happens if an opponent pushes all-in on the river.

Increase Decision Making Power in Texas Hold'em Tip No. 3: Take Your Time

WSOP champion Chris Ferguson makes it a point to count to 15 before making any decision, no matter how trivial. This not only standardizes his play, thus concealing any information about his hand, it gives him time to notice if he overlooked anything. Making it a habit to take your time before decisions can reduce the likelihood of careless errors.