Socrates Taught Me to Keep Asking Questions

Hi. Come on in. I had planned on having the Scandinavian delicacy lutefisk today. Fortunately, my head cleared in time to abandon that plan. (If you must know what it is, ask the nearest Norwegian.) Meanwhile, dig into that pot of chicken stew and dumplings. It's extra yummy.

Most players, especially those new to our beloved game, seem to enjoy the Socratic method of teaching and learning.

Therefore, I have another question or two today for the inside of your head. You'll always want to keep this question in mind: "How big is the pot?"

Keeping track of the pot size in a general manner will be sufficient. You don't need to know exactly how much is in it; an estimate will do. If it's $48.50, your estimate of $50 will be close enough. I have learned, while teaching many players over the years, that pot odds and drawing odds, and their relationship to one another, are a mystery to many players.

Today's question is actually three questions in one: What are the odds against making this hand; what are the pot odds; and am I then justified in drawing to this hand? Let me simplify things.

In most poker books, you will find a list of the odds against making any particular hand. Now, what are the pot odds?

Let's say that there is $40 in the pot. Your opponent bets $10. Now, with $50 in the pot, if you want to call the bet, you have to put in $10. The pot is giving you 5-1 odds. If the odds against making your hand are less than 5-1, mathematically you have a good bet. However, this doesn't mean that you'll win the pot if you make your hand. You might make your hand and still lose.

Let's now say that you have a hand that is 5-1 against making, and there is $20 in the pot after your opponent bets $10. The pot is giving you 2-1 odds – not a good bet.

Everyone in America knows that you "never draw to an inside straight"; they learned it from the movies. But they don't know the reason. Pot odds and drawing odds are the reasons. It's because an inside-straight draw is about 11-1 against making, and the pot usually won't be offering you those odds. Now, if the pot was giving you 18-1 odds, you could draw to inside straights all day and make money.

From talks we've had in the past, we've learned that without information, you're not making decisions – you are guessing. You don't want to make guesses – you want to make decisions, which are based on information, which you get from asking questions inside your head.

Another question: (I love questions. They help keep my head on straight.) I've been asked why I don't put more emphasis on conservatism in the play of hold'em, like I do for seven-card stud. It's simple. Because it would be a waste of time and energy. Advising a hold'em player to be conservative could be equated to telling Phil Hellmuth to be humble at the poker table. It probably won't happen in the forseeable future.

In the game of hold'em, especially as it's being played today, the conservative (tight) player is at a disadvantage. The game requires more gamble than seven-card stud. In stud, you begin with three-sevenths of a hand, so you already have a better idea of where you are than in hold'em, in which you start with only two-sevenths of a hand.

The cliché "any two cards can win" is embraced by many hold'em players so strongly that it seems like they hate throwing away any hand. The truth is that any two cards can win, provided a player catches a good flop for those two cards. That's all the knowledge many (especially new) hold'em players need to thrust their money into the middle.

They'll occasionally win a big pot with rag cards, while throwing off big bucks in the attempt. But that's OK. Hold'em players as a group have poor memories and eternal optimism.

Telling hold'em players to tighten up would be like telling children to stop running and playing. Hold'em players like to play. That's why they're not in a stud game waiting for the nuts. What fun is that?

You really went for those dumplings. It was my grandma who taught me the proper balance of chicken to dumplings. Take a baggie full of stew for your breakfast tomorrow. And kill the light on your way out.

Roy West, best-selling poker author, continues giving his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas for both tourists and locals. Ladies are welcome. Roy's toll-free 800 number is 1-800-548-6177 X 03