Decide to Play Great Poker: A Strategy Guide to No-Limit Texas Hold Em

500 Pages·2011·2.65 MB·English

by  John Vorhaus

More Praise from the Pros

“Trust me, this book will open your eyes
again and again. It’s packed with so many
good tactics that you’ll read it more than
once!”
—Phil Hellmuth, Jr., 12-time World Champion of Poker
and two-time WSOP Main Event Champion
____________________________
“A revolutionary approach to playing no-
limit Texas hold ’em. If this book doesn’t
improve your game, you aren’t paying
attention.”
—Doyle Brunson, 10-time World Champion of Poker
and World Series of Poker Main Event Champion
____________________________
“Annie is one of the smartest people I
know, and not too bad at poker either. If
you’re still learning (and I know I am),
you’re sure to profit from reading this
book.”
—Tom “Durrrr” Dwan, Internet high-stakes phenom
and winner of the largest TV poker pot in history—$1.1
million
____________________________
“The brilliant mind of Annie Duke
channeled through the magic voice of
John Vorhaus—how could Decide not
rock?”
—Vanessa Rousso, 2009 NBC National Heads-Up
Poker Championship runner-up
____________________________
“You have to understand the game before
you can kill it. Decide takes care of the first
part.”
—Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, co-auther of Kill ElkY
and author of The Raiser’s Edge, 2008 WPT Player of
the Year
Decide to Play
Great Poker
Other Books and DVDs by Annie Duke

How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won
Millions at the WSOP (with David Diamond)
Masters of Poker DVDs by Annie Duke:
Advanced Texas Hold ’em Secrets ... How to Beat the
Big Boys (DVD)
Beginner’s Guide to Texas Hold ’em (DVD)
Conquering Online Poker (DVD)
Girl’s Guide to Texas Hold ’em (DVD)
Texas Hold ’em Supercourse (DVD)

Other Books by John Vorhaus

The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You’re Not
Creativity Rules: A Writer’s Workbook
The Pro Poker Playbook: 223 Ways to Win More Money
Playing Poker
Killer Poker: Strategy and Tactics for Winning Poker Play
Killer Poker Online: Crushing the Internet Game
Killer Poker Hold ’em Handbook: A Workbook for Winners
Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino and Beyond
The Strip Poker Kit: The Games Where You Get to See a
Whole Lot More of Your Friends
Killer Poker Online, Vol. 2: Advanced Strategies for
Crushing the Internet Game
Killer Poker No Limit: A Winning Strategy for Cash
Games and Tournaments
Killer Poker Shorthanded (with Tony Guerrera)
Under the Gun (novel)
The California Roll (novel)
The Albuquerque Turkey (novel)
Decide to Play
Great Poker

A Strategy Guide to
No-Limit Texas Hold ’Em
Annie Duke
and
John Vorhaus
HUNTINGTON PRESS
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Decide to Play Great Poker
A Strategy Guide to No-Limit Texas Hold
’Em

Published by
Huntington Press
3665 Procyon St.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Phone [phone]
email:
Dedication

This book is dedicated to my mother, Deedy
Lederer, who was the smartest, quirkiest,
and quickest intellect I have ever known. Her
passion for games lives on in her children.
—Annie

♠ ♠ ♠

To my grandchildren, Evie and Liam. I can’t
wait to teach you what beats what.
—John
Acknowledgments

From Annie:
It turns out that writing a book is really hard. Actually, it’s
not the writing of the book that’s so difficult—it’s the
finishing of the book. Especially a book of this nature that
exposes one’s intellect so nakedly. This book took me two
years to finish. I have so many people to thank for kicking
me in the ass to get it done, because without them, I would
have never found the courage to ship this thing.
First and foremost, I have to thank my brother, Howard
Lederer. Without him, this book would never have been
written, for it’s my brother who instilled the love of poker in
me and taught me to play the game. So much of what’s
contained in this book grew from the seeds sown in many
long deconstructions of poker sessions, back when I
started playing in Billings, Montana. My brother spent
seemingly endless hours on the phone with me listening to
hand after hand I had played, giving me his input as to the
lines of play I had chosen. It was through those sessions on
the phone that I learned this game and began my journey as
a professional player and teacher. Without him, I would
never have become the player I became.
I am incredibly grateful for having worked with the most
amazing co-author I could ever ask for, John Vorhaus, who
lent such a readable and light touch to the dense theory
contained herein. He created a breezy read of material that
could have been a slog. More important, in the end he
delivered an ultimatum that finally got me to finish, and I truly