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Trying to understand the math of poker

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  1. stilwrkin8t7 stilwrkin8t7 is offline

    Stoughton, MA
    United States

    Posts: 27
    Joined: Nov 06

    Nov 22nd, 2006 (11/22/2006 10:58am)

    I've only been playing poker for a few months now (pokerstars)and absolutely have a love hate relationship with the game. Playing $1 and $3 tournies is all im ready to handle right now ,but hopefully someday ill be playing like shipp itt and bigdog. My question to you poker pros is the math. I dont understand pot odds and all the nubersa associated with making the call when I'm on a nut draw with chips in the pot. Can anyone explain in sort of simple terms if there is a simple explaination for it. Thx guys ..this site rules
  2. grapsfan grapsfan is offline Head Curmudgeon

    Rosemount, MN
    United States

    Posts: 7,980
    Joined: Jun 05

    Nov 22nd, 2006 (11/22/2006 11:01am) in reply to stilwrkin8t7

    This topic is in every poker book...maybe you could get one? I think Phil Gordon's Little Green Book does as good of a job with it in terms of summarizing and simplifying the math as any. Harrington & Sklansky do the best job, IMO, with taking the math one level further down, but it's better to start simple.
     
  3. Staple Gun Staple Gun is offline

    Lake Orion, MI
    United States

    Posts: 3,166
    Joined: Aug 05

    Nov 22nd, 2006 (11/22/2006 11:03am) in reply to grapsfan

    Sklansky's theory of Poker does the best job of laying the framework on which all poker calculations are based.

    HoH and some others are better for NLHE though.
  4. Suthereader Suthereader is offline

    Pensacola, FL
    United States

    Posts: 1,505
    Joined: Oct 06

    Nov 22nd, 2006 (11/22/2006 12:24pm) in reply to stilwrkin8t7

    Go to pokerstars site map and see if you can print out the Pokerstars odds chart...that way you can have it as a reference tool ...also you can start to commit the big three to your memory which are the drawing odds for the inside straight, the open ended straight and the flush...There are other scenarios besides these 3 so be sure to print it out...

    You do need to get a book that explains the math to you in more detail...there are implied odds in addition to pot odds...and there are times when you can throw the odds right out the window when someone gets pot committed...then you have to figure when that person considers himself pot committed (this pot committed is more for tournament play, but occasionally applies to cash games)....Hope this helps....good luck at the tables..
  5. No1CeLtSfAn34 No1CeLtSfAn34 is offline

    Herndon, VA
    United States

    Posts: 867
    Joined: Aug 06

    Nov 22nd, 2006 (11/22/2006 12:30pm) in reply to stilwrkin8t7

    Phil Gordons Little Green Book does a great job of the math. He makes it so easy for you to understand. Also, if you want to improve your tourney game in general, you need to buy all 3 Harrington On Hold'em books. The Harrington and Phil Gordon books are my personal favorites. All cover the math, but based on the math alone, I'd recommend Phil Gordon's.
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