Poker cheat sheet

Hand Rankings (Highest to Lowest)

• Royal Flush: A K Q J 10 (Applies to , , as well)
• Straight Flush: 9 8 7 6 5 (Consecutive cards, same suit)
• Four of a Kind: 7 7 7 7 (Four cards of the same rank)
• Full House: 8 8 8 K K (Three of a kind + a pair)
• Flush: K 10 7 4 3 (Any five cards, same suit)
• Straight: 5 4 3 2 A (Five consecutive cards, any suit)
• Three of a Kind: 3 3 3 (Three cards of the same rank)
• Two Pair: J J 4 4 (Two different pairs)
• One Pair: 10 10 (Two cards of the same rank)
• High Card: A (Highest card plays if no hand is made)

Standard Deck Composition

• Total Cards: 52, spread across four suits:
• Spades
• Hearts
• Diamonds
• Clubs
• Each Suit Contains: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King (13 cards per suit).

Betting Terms

• Action: Betting activity (check, call, fold, raise).
• Ante: Forced pre-flop bet, in addition to blinds.
• All-In: Betting all chips.
• Big Blind: Forced bet by the player two seats left of the dealer.
• Check: Not betting, without folding.
• Community Cards: Shared cards for all players.
• Draw: Incomplete hand with potential.
• Fold: Discard hand and exit the pot.
• Gutshot: Specific card needed for a straight.
• Heads-Up: Game between two players.
• Hole Cards: Individual player cards.
• Kicker: Deciding card in a tie.
• Muck: Discard hand unseen.
• Nuts: Best possible hand.
• Overcard: Card higher than any on the board.
• Open ended straight draw: (OESD) is a draw to a straight missing either the first or last card in the sequence.
• Tilt: Poor play due to emotions.

Texas Hold'em Betting Rounds

Preflop

• Begins with blinds and antes.
• Players receive two hole cards.
• Betting starts left of the big blind with options to fold, call, or raise.

The Flop

• Reveals three community cards.
• Betting starts from the player left of the dealer, with options to check, bet, fold, call, or raise.

The Turn (Fourth Street)

• Reveals the fourth community card.
• Same betting options as the flop.

The River (Fifth Street)

• Reveals the fifth and final community card.
• Final betting round with the same options.

Showdown

• Remaining players reveal their hands if two or more players are left after the river betting.
• The best five-card hand wins.

Poker Positions Explained

• UTG (Under The Gun): First to act pre-flop, directly left of the big blind.
• Early Position (EP): Next two players after UTG.
• Middle Position (MP): Following two seats after early position.
• Cutoff (CO): Right of the dealer, has a tactical advantage in betting.
• Dealer/Button: Acts last post-flop; rotates clockwise each hand.
• Small Blind (SB): Left of the dealer; posts the small blind.
• Big Blind (BB): Left of the small blind; posts the big blind.

Starting hands

This table shows exactly how likely you are to be dealt a given starting hand. This is extremely helpful when estimating the strength of your starting hand.

Higher pair

This table shows how likely you are to be behind with a given pocket pair.

Specific hand

The following chart shows the probability of getting a certain hand (7 out of 52).

Improving on the Flop

This table summarizes the probabilities and odds of improving your hand on the flop for various starting hands in poker.

Improving on the Turn

This table simplifies the improvement chances on the turn for various poker hands, showing the probability in percentage and the corresponding odds.

Improving on the River

This table summarizes the probabilities and odds of improving your hand on the river for various starting hands in poker.

Top Tells

• Eye Contact: Reveals confidence or discomfort. Quick glances at chips may indicate a strong hand.
• Time to Act: Immediate actions might show strength; delays can suggest bluffing or uncertainty.
• Handling Chips/Cards: Nervous handling hints at insecurity; confident movements suggest a strong hand.
• Attentiveness: Distracted behavior might signal a weak hand; intense focus indicates planning or strength.
• Table Talk: Excessive talking or specific conversational patterns can reveal nervousness or attempt to mislead.

Tips for Managing Tells

• Consistent Betting Actions: Avoid patterns in how you bet with strong or weak hands.
• Mind Timing Tells: Adjust the speed of your actions to avoid giving clues.
• Avoid Acting: Overacting can reveal information. Maintain a stoic demeanor.
• Observation: Pay close attention to others' tells while concealing your own.

Hiding Poker Tells

• Delay Card Checks: Wait to look at your hole cards until it's your turn to act. This limits opponents' time to read your reactions and keeps you focused on their behavior.
• Consistent Bet Sizes: Avoid varying your bet size based on hand strength. Apply a tight-aggressive playing style to conceal your hand, making your strategy unpredictable.
• Observation Over Action: Use the time before your turn for observing opponents rather than revealing anything about your own hand through premature reactions.
• Strategic Hand Play: Play fewer hands, but don't link your bet size directly to hand strength. Occasionally reverse your betting pattern to confuse opponents trying to analyze your play.
• Force Decisions: Your bets and raises should make opponents decide, giving you information while you represent strength regardless of your actual hand.

Basic Strategies

• Position Matters: Being on the button is best
• Play Tight but Aggressive: Balance is key
• Watch Your Opponents: Poker is about the cards and reading opponents

Tips for Tournaments

• Play Tight Early: Avoid big risks in initial levels.
• Conserve Your Stack: Focus on preserving rather than expanding your stack early on.
• Treat Like Cash Games: Apply similar strategies regarding positions and gameplay.
• Aggressive at the Bubble: Exploit players aiming to fold into the money by being more aggressive.
• Monitor Stack Sizes: Adjust your strategy based on the varying stack sizes of opponents, especially when facing potential all-in calls.

Heads-Up Tips

• Know Your Foe: Observe and note opponents' tendencies.
• Position Matters: Leverage position, especially with the button.
• Be Aggressive: Bet strongly on good hands and draws.
• Stand Your Ground: Play back against aggressive opponents.
• Smaller Preflop Raises: Adjust raise size when on the button to manage risks against aggressive three-bets.

Bankroll Management Tips

• Track Your Play: Keep detailed records of wins and losses.
• Patience is Key: Bankroll growth is a marathon, not a sprint.
• Leverage Bonuses: Use welcome bonuses and promotions to boost your bankroll.
• Treat as Investment: Approach poker with a business mindset; avoid unnecessary reloads.
• Smart Game Selection: Play in profitable games; avoid tough competition when possible.

Links

• Probabilities in Texas Hold'em
• How to Play Texas Holdem Poker
• Board Game Geek: Standard playing cards
• Poker Tells
• How do you hide your tells?
• Poker Hand Range Calculator