By Sherri Schaefer

Introduction

Poker popularity has soared as Texas Hold’em matches have been televised such as the World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker, the Legends of Poker, and Showdown at the Sands. People are sitting down in poker rooms everywhere or going online to experience the fun and excitement of live poker.

Why Play Poker?

The number one reason for playing poker is social. Many people like to hang out and play cards as a way of getting together with their friends and making new ones. Limit Texas Hold’em allows you to keep the game friendly and fun by sticking with lower stakes.

Another reason people play poker is for the entertainment value. Poker is a competitive game. Limit Texas Hold’em is a game of wits and skill. Many people find this enjoyable. The skills necessary to become a good poker player apply well to other areas of life. Poker will improve your judgment, logic, and strategy skills.

Most people play poker for fun, but some people make a considerable amount of money playing. These people are few and far between as most people are not willing or able to put in the amount of time and dedication needed to make poker a profession. For the average person, the desire to win more is definitely a reason to improve your poker skills.

Texas Hold’em is one of the few forms of wagering where you can actually win by simply being good at the game. The reason for this is that you are not playing against the house, the casino, but against other players.

You should not play poker or Texas Hold’em if you have a gambling problem. Anytime you play with real money, you are at risk of losing it. Poker should not be viewed as a means to “strike it rich” and losses should not be viewed as money that needs to be won back.

This Course

This course is designed for beginners as well as anyone who wants to learn more about Limit Texas Hold’em and the strategies involved in playing. There are no special requirements involved just the desire to learn and have fun.

This course will teach you the four key skills in being a good poker player:

• Math – How percentages, outs, and pot odds figure into strategy.

• Discipline – Developing a playing style and gaining an advantage.

• Psychology – Observing players and their style of play to determine what kind of hand they have and what their next action will be.

• Risk-versus-Reward – Understanding the risk level compared to the possibility of winning the pot.

I look forward to seeing you in class and helping you to explore this fun and exciting game.

Lessons

Click here to see course syllabus