« Back to Phil Gordon

Not Playing Poker By The Book

By Phil Gordon, July 11, 2005

Phil Gordon

Once I am involved in a hand, many of the actions I take after the flop are automatic, or nearly automatic. Therefore, the most important decision I have to make in No Limit Hold 'em takes place before the flop:

Should I play the two cards I've been dealt?

When I first started learning how to play, I reviewed the standard charts that suggest which two cards to play from each position. But while they provided useful guidelines, the charts don't tell the whole story.

Poker is not a game that is best played by the numbers. Poker is a game of situations.

In blackjack, there is always a correct decision to be made - a "perfect strategy." Once you have compared the strength of your hand against the dealer's "up" card, the odds will -- or at least should -- dictate whether you should hit, stand, split, etc.

Poker, however, is a game of incomplete information. There are many factors to consider that go above and beyond what "the book" tells you to do. Some of them include:

  • My opponents' tendencies
  • My state of mind
  • My opponent's state of mind
  • Our respective stack sizes
  • My image at the table

Computer programs can look up hands in a chart. Real poker players analyze situations and make their own decisions after processing all of the available information. I might raise with A-J from early position in one game, and fold the same hand from the same position in another.

A good chart can help give a very specific set of circumstances, namely:

  • You are the first person to voluntarily put money into the pot and are going to come in for a raise of about three times the big blind
  • You don't know much about your opponents
  • All the players at the table have an average-size stack
  • The blinds are relatively small in relation to the size of the stacks

When the above things aren't true, you'll want to look beyond the charts.

If you're a new player, these tables are a great place to start. The more poker you play, however, the more comfortable you will feel letting your experience and your instincts serve as your guide.

You can play with Phil Gordon at his own table at on-line poker room Full Tilt Poker.

FULL TILT POKER

$100 FREEROLLS

Available only to member of this site

Any player signing up using the bonus code 100FULL can play at this exclusive freeroll. More details here...

Register here

Open a new account at Full Tilt Poker, write in the a promotion field the following code:

'100FULL' Download & Play

 

Full Tilt Poker News

  • Win your way to the WPT with Full Tilt Poker

    Play in the WPT qualifiers offered by Full Tilt Poker and you’ll get the chance to pick up a $12,000 package for the LA Poker Classic or the Bay 101 Shooting Star. Buy into the satellites directly and you’ll gain entry to a WPT Celebrity Invitational freeroll.

  • Phil Ivey at the 2009 WSOP

    Though many found Phil Ivey’s 7th place finish at the 2009 WSOP final table disappointing, the fact remains: his WSOP run was a formidable one, and had it not been for a couple up slip-ups, we may well have seen a different champ.

  • Full Tilt Your Way to Vegas

    If The WSOP is just around the corner, but for many Vegas is a very long way a way; a visit to Full Tilt Poker could make it that much closer.

Bonus and Promotions

Full Tilt Poker has nice offers and great promotions, where we give away tons of money. Free poker play and freerolls are available to all players!!!

This Full Tilt Poker deposit bonus can only be used by new players when they sign up for a new player account.

Full Tilt’s SNG Madness is back! - SNG freeroll

If you’re a Sit’n Go specialist, you’ll be glad to learn that Full Tilt Poker’s SNG Madness is back! From June 19 to June 21st, you’ll be able to participate in this rather unique promotion, to secure your share of a $125k overall prize-pool. All you need to do is to play in your favorite SNGs all weekend and you’ll qualify for the promotion.