Hi Everyone:

We have updated and expanded our the book the Fundamentals of Poker. The book is now 99 pages instead of 72 pages and it's written for someone who would be new to casino poker. Here's the Amazon page for the expanded edition:

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-...%2C136&sr=1-14

and below is the "Table of Contents."

Best wishes,
Mason


............Table of Contents


Introduction 1

A Brief History 3

General Guidelines 5
...The Basics of Poker 5
...The Rankings of Hands 6
...General Advice 9
...Poker Etiquette 12
...Elemental Poker Concepts 14

Seven-Card Stud 17
...How to Play 17
...Strategy Tips 19
...Starting Hands 22
...Starting Hand Quiz 23
...Play on the Later Streets 25
...Spread Limit Strategy Changes 27
...Selected Odds 28

Limit Texas Hold ’em 31
...How to Play 31
...Strategy Tips 33
...Starting Hands 36
...Starting Hand Quiz 38
...Play After the Flop 40
...A Sample Hand 43
...Spread Limit Strategy Changes 45
...Selected Odds 46

No-Limit Texas Hold ’em 49
...How to Play 49
...Strategy Tips 50
...Starting Hands 54
...Starting Hand Quiz 56
...Play After the Flop 59

Other Games 65
...Limit Omaha Hold ’em 65
...Omaha Eight-or-Better 68
...Pot-Limit Omaha 70
...Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better 74
...Razz 76
...Ace-to-Five Lowball Draw 77
...Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw 80

Conclusion 85

Glossary 87

Recommended Reading 91

And here's an excerpt from the no-limit hold 'em section:

Starting Hands


The starting hand categories in no-limit hold ’em are mostly the same as in limit hold ’em. That’s because both games are forms of Texas hold ’em, and the first two cards dealt are the same. But that doesn’t mean how you play these hands are the same. In fact, in some cases the betting strategy is quite different.

Category No. 1: Big Pairs. In no-limit hold ’em, this means aces, kings, and queens, and they are the best possible starting hands. But the big pairs can also be dangerous hands, particularly for someone new to no-limit hold ’em. That’s because, unimproved, they tend to win many small pots, but if a lot of money goes in on a later street, they’re frequently the second-best hand.

This means that big pairs should be played aggressively preflop either raising or reraising, and they should often be bet unimproved on the flop and sometimes on the later streets. But again, keep in mind that if a lot of money goes in on a later street, unless your big pair has improved, your best strategy may now be to fold.

Category No. 2: Small and medium pairs. These are any pair jacks or smaller with the larger pairs in this group being stronger than the smaller ones. However, in most situations, these hands should always be played. The exception would be the smallest pairs in early position. If you are first one in with a playable pair, it’s usually best to raise three to four times the size of the big blind.

Another time to play these pairs is after someone else has raised. But now the call is not automatic. In most of these cases, you need to flop a set to continue on. So, to call the raise, make sure the raiser has plenty of chips — twenty times his initial raise is usually a good guideline. Now on those occasions you do flop a set, your opponent will have plenty of chips to pay you off to make up for all the other times you call preflop and then fold to a flop bet.

Category No. 3: Two high cards. Two high cards, which are two cards ten or higher, range from very strong hands like the AK, marginal hands like the KJ or the AT.

So, while ace-king, and to a lesser extent ace-queen, hands should be played aggressively, the weaker ones should be played cautiously if played at all. That’s because it’s easy for some of these hands to make second best hands while difficult for them to make very strong hands. Plus, if you do make a very strong hand, it’s hard to get action.

Category No. 4: Suited Connectors. To quote Harrington on Cash Games: Volume I, “The suited connectors form an ideal group of hands for diversification and deception.” This means that they are hands which can be played from any position, and you should frequently raise when playing them if you are the first one in. However, in early position, they should only be played occasionally, and if someone else has already limped into the pot, you should do the same with most of these.
However, if someone else has already raised, you prefer that there already be another caller. In addition, if you play a suited connector against only the raiser, be sure, as with a small pair, that your opponent has plenty of chips so that these hands can get the large, implied odds that they need to be profitable.

Category No. 5: Other sometimes playable hands. Other hands that are sometimes playable can include ace-little suited (A4), king-little suited (K3), unsuited connectors (T9), suited and unsuited one-gappers (97), and suited and unsuited two-gappers (96). However, to play any of these hands, it’s best to be in late position, preferably on the button. Now you can raise in an attempt to steal the blinds (but only do so if the blinds are tight players) or you can call if several players are already in and there is little raising in the game.

I am happy to see this, will get it for sure. I know Texas Holdem, it is the other games I want to (re)learn. When I started playing poker in the 70s in the Army, we played mixed games, so many variants that I have forgotten how to play most and don't even remember all the games. I guess 7 card stud was most popular, but also 5 card draw and stud and a bunch of crazy games like Deuces, Jacks and the Man with the Axe. I remember 8s or better. Also, Acey Ducey, where I won my biggest pot ever back then. But the standard mixed games of today are ones I usually never heard of back in the day, like Razz or 7-2 triple draw. No one had even heard of Texas Hold Em back them and I don't remember Omaha. The game I learned in the modern era was Hold Em.

No mention of regular 5 card draw (high) in the book?

No.

Best wishes,
Mason

I really liked these books.

They got to the essence of each game.

Though as Mason states they are for those new to casino poker.

Just on category 2 of the excerpt, is there a disclaimer somewhere earlier than what is quoted tweet indicates the level of our stack? It may well be the case that villain's opened to $12 in a 1/2 game and is $300 deep, but if we've just bought in for a $100 minimum then it's problem