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The Poker Professionals Association

Research Chapter

27

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Levels of play

To most players, it appears that virtually all poker pros are destined to eventually play in the world series of poker or appear at the final table on TV on WPT.

The fact of the matter is probably much different for the thousands of Poker Professionals playing cash poker at all levels.

We expect they are, for the most part, content with making a good living at a game they love.

We also expects that many excellent players have carved out a very profitable niche at a level of play where they excel and make an extraordinary income, probably more than if they moved up a level or two.

We expect there are proficient expert poker players at virtually all levels of play and that poker is even now being very generous to these quiet pros. Perhaps you have even donated a bit of money to these players by underestimating their skills while waiting for your bigger game?

For your reference in relationship to the current topic, the poker point system is attached below.

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POKER PRO POINT SYSTEM

With the point system we assign each card a specific relative value or points. As expected, the Ace receives the highest value; however, you will note that cards rankings from 8 down receive no value, unless paired, connected or suited.

For learning purposes, we are using Texas Hold'em Poker game primarily because it is currently the leading money game both for tournaments and live play and it the easiest to use to demonstrate the point system, as only two cards are dealt each player initially. Naturally we will cover the use of the Point System in other primary poker games in later research chapters.

Individual Card Point Values:

• A= 6 points
• K= 5 points
• Q= 4 points
• J = 3 points
• 10=2 points
• 9 = 1 points
• 8 = 0 points
• 7 = 0 points
• 6 = 0 points
• 5 = 0 points
• 4 = 0 points
• 3 = 0 points
• 2 = 0 points

Pairs receive an extra value of 8 points.

Suited cards receive an extra value of 3 points.

Connected cards receive an extra value of 2 points.

Suited cards are written with a small "s" as: KJ's

Connected cards refers to directly adjacent cards such as: KQ or AK or KQ or QJ, not KJ or AQ.

Examples of values of first two cards dealt in Texas Hold'em:

• AA=20 points (6 points for each ace plus 8 points for a pair)
• KK=18 points (5 points for each king plus 8 points for a pair)
• QQ=16 points (4 points for each queen plus 8 points for a pair)
• AK's=16 points (6 points for the ace, 5 points for the king plus 3 points for being suited and 2 points for being connected)
• JJ=14 points (3 points for each jack plus 8 points for a pair)
• KQ's=14 points (5 points for the king, 4 points for the queen plus 3 points for being suited and 2 points for being connected)
• AK=13 points (6 points for the ace, 5 points for the king plus 2 points for being connected)
• AQ's=13 points (6 points for the ace, 4 points for the queen plus 3 points for being suited)
• T,T=12 points (2 points for each ten plus 8 points for a pair)
• AJ's=12 points (6 points for the ace, 3 points for the jack plus 3 points for being suited)
• AT's=11 points (6 points for the ace, 2 points for the ten plus 3 points for being suited)
• KJ's=11 points (5 points for the king, 3 points for the jack plus 3 points for being suited)
• KQ=11 points (5 points for the king, 4 points for the queen plus 2 points for being connected)
• 9,9=10 points (1 point for each 9 plus 8 points for a pair)
• AQ=10 points (6 points for the ace, 4 points for the queen)

It is interesting to note the value difference of 3 points between AQ's and AQ. This demonstrates the importance of suiting and is helpful in evaluating the correct value of a AQ starting hand. Suited it is definitely playable while unsuited it can be a marginal hand often played for more than it's worth.

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CHAPTER 28