Table of Contents
Introduction xi
1 Be a wolf, not a sheep 1
2 Make money, not friends 4
3 Location, location, location 7
4 Look before you leap 10
5 You shouldn't shop for champagne if you are on a beer budget 13
6 You never get a second chance to make a first impression 16
7 A change in attitude is better than a change of latitude 19
8 Your cards are important—but so are your opponent's cards 22
9 Poker is a marathon, not a sprint 25
10 They're showing you nothing, but telling you everything 28
11 Peer pressure is for wimps 31
12 Rags to riches 34
13 Trust your gut 37
14 There's safety in numbers 40
15 Know when to say "when" 44
16 A fool and his money are soon parted 47
17 Don't allow ego to take the place of logic 50
18 Reputations are earned, not inherited 53
19 It's not what you have, it's what they think you have 56
20 Healthy poker equals winning poker 59
21 The eyes have it 62
22 Jabs can win a fight just as easily as a knockout punch 65
23 Don't be the table sheriff 68
24 Test the waters 71
25 Poker isn't a schoolyard fight; swing first 74
26 Take breaks 77
27 Play the man, not the cards 80
28 Dress for success 84
29 Beware the player who has nothing to lose 88
30 Take notes on your opponents 91
31 Believe in yourself 94
32 Charisma can change the course of history 96
33 Monitor your progress (or lack thereof) 99
34 Lie, cheat, and steal—its legal 102
35 Have a strategy—but know when to abandon it 105
36 Be a ninja—never let them see you coming 108
37 Stay cool under pressure 111
38 Expand your horizons 114
39 Admire the pros, don't mimic them 117
40 Avoid being the small fish in a big pond 119
41 Raise in the beginning for free cards at the end 123
42 Show one, show all 126
43 Playing well means laying down winners 129
44 Financially speaking, charity tournaments are terrible 131
45 Walk it off 134
46 Be the trapper, not the trappee 137
47 Bluffing should complement your style of play, not define it 140
48 Act like you've been there before 143
49 Toke the dealer 146
50 Chop once, chop always 149
51 Nobody rides for free 152
52 A chip and a chair 155
Glossary of Poker Terms 158
