Mastering the

Fundamentals
of No-Limit
Hold’em
with Jonathan Little
 The Rules of
No-Limit Hold’em
You win the pot if you make…
• Everyone else fold before the showdown.

• The best hand at the showdown.

• Showdown: When all betting rounds are complete and all remaining
players compare their hands.
Four Rounds of Betting
• Preflop – First two private hole cards

• Flop – Three shared community cards

• Turn – One shared community card

• River – One shared community card

Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Preflop
• Each player is given a chip stack.

• The dealer shuffles the deck of cards and deals each player two cards face-down.

• The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind.

• The player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind.

• The player to the left of the big blind can either fold, call the
amount of the current bet (the amount in the big blind),
or raise to any amount.

• The player to the left of that player then has those same options.

• This proceeds until all players have folded or called the previous bet.
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Flop
• A 3-card flop is dealt.

• The player to the left of the dealer can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a check, player to the left can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a bet, the player to the left can either fold, call that amount,
or raise to any amount.

• The player to the left of that player then has those same options.

• This proceeds until all players have folded or called the previous bet.
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Turn
• A 1-card turn is dealt.

• The player to the left of the dealer can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a check, player to the left can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a bet, the player to the left can either fold, call that amount,
or raise to any amount.

• The player to the left of that player then has those same options.

• This proceeds until all players have folded or called the previous bet.
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - River
• A 1-card river is dealt.

• The player to the left of the dealer can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a check, player to the left can either check or bet any amount.

• If facing a bet, the player to the left can either fold, call that amount,
or raise to any amount.

• The player to the left of that player then has those same options.

• This proceeds until all players have folded or called the previous bet.
Hand Rankings
 Hand Rankings
• Royal Flush A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit A♣-K♣-Q♣-J♣-10♣
• Straight Flush 5 cards of the same suit in order J♣-10♣-9♣-8♣-7♣
• Four of a Kind 4 cards of the same rank 4♣-4♠-4♦-4♥-J♣
• Full House 3 cards of the same rank + 2 cards of a different rank 3♣-3♠-3♦-7♥-7♣
• Flush 5 cards of the same suit K♦-J♦-7♦-5♦-2♦
• Straight 5 cards in order 6♠-5♠-4♦-3♦-2♥
• Three of a Kind 3 cards of the same rank 7♣-7♥-7♦-3♣-2♥
• Two Pair 2 cards of the same rank + 2 cards of a different rank Q♣-Q♠-2♣-2♥-J♠
• One Pair 2 cards of the same rank 8♥-8♠-A♣-K♠-5♦
• High Card Everything else A♣-Q♦-J♠-4♥-3♣
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• Which hand wins?

• A♠-K♠ or 8♦-7♦
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• A♠-K♠ has K♠-K♣-A♠-J♣-6♠ for one pair.

• 8♦-7♦ has 8♦-7♦-6♠-5♥-4♣ for a straight.

Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• A♠-K♠ has K♠-K♣-A♠-J♣-6♠ for one pair.

• 8♦-7♦ has 8♦-7♦-6♠-5♥-4♣ for a straight.

• 8♦-7♦ beats A♠-K♠.

Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• Which hand wins?

• Q♣-10♣ or 9♠-8♠
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• Q♣-10♣ has K♣-Q♣-J♣-10♣-4♣ for a flush.

• 9♠-8♠ has K♣-J♣-9♠-8♠-6♠ for King-high.

Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• Q♣-10♣ has K♣-Q♣-J♣-10♣-4♣ for a flush.

• 9♠-8♠ has K♣-J♣-9♠-8♠-6♠ for King-high.

• Q♣-10♣ wins.
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• Which hand wins?

• K♠-K♦ or 8♣-2♣
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• K♠-K♦ has K♠-K♦-K♣-6♠-5♥ for three of a kind.

• 8♣-2♣has K♣-J♣-8♣-4♣-2♣ for a flush.

Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Compare your best five-card hand to your opponents’ hands to see who wins the
pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• K♠-K♦ has K♠-K♦-K♣-6♠-5♥ for three of a kind.

• 8♣-2♣has K♣-J♣-8♣-4♣-2♣ for a flush.

• 8♣-2♣ wins.
When There is a Tie
• When both players have a full house, the highest three of a kind wins.
• J-J-J-2-2 beats 9-9-9-A-A

• When both players have the same flush, the higher flush wins.
• K-8-6-5-4 beats Q-J-10-8-4.

• When both players have a straight, the higher straight wins.

• J-10-9-8-7 beats 5-4-3-2-A.
When There is a Tie
• When both players have three of a kind, the highest three of a kind wins.
• J-J-J-3-2 beats 7-7-7-A-K

• When both players have two pair, the highest pair wins.
• A-A-2-2-3 beats J-J-10-10-2

• When both players have one pair, the highest pair wins.
• 3-3-6-5-4 beats 2-2-A-K-Q

• When both players have a high card, the highest card wins.
• Q-J-8-6-5 beats J-10-9-8-4
When There is a Tie
• When both players have the same hand four of a kind, three of a kind, two pair,
one pair, or high card, you compare their kickers (side cards).

• The player with the highest kicker wins the pot.

• Board: K♣-J♣-6♠-5♥-4♣

• A♠-K♠ or K♦-Q♦
• Q♣-10♠ or Q♠-8♠
• K♠-3♣ or K♠-2♠

• If all five cards are the same, then the pot is split.
Rules of the No-Limit Hold’em - Showdown
• Board: Q♣-J♠-10♣-7♥-7♣

• Which hand wins?

• Q♠-9♠ or Q♦-2♦

• Q♥-10♥or 9♠-8♠

• K♠-K♦ or Q♦-J♦

• Practice!
Effective Stack Size
Think in Terms of Big Blinds
• Calculate your stack, and your opponents’ stacks, in terms of big blinds.
Effective Stack Size Practice
• With 10,000 chips at 100/200 blinds you have:

• 10,000/200 = 50 big blinds

• With 15,000 chips at 200/400, you have:

• 15,000/400 = 37.5 big blinds

• With 1,200,000 at 50,000/100,000, you have:

• 1,200,000/100,000 = 12 big blinds

Preflop
Strateg
Starting Hands
The Best Starting Hands
The best starting hands are: Example:

• Big Pocket Pairs K♣-K♠

• Strong Big Cards A♣-Q♠

• Medium Pocket Pairs 8♣-8♦

• Suited Aces A♦-8♦

• Suited Connectors 8♠-7♠

• Weak Pocket Pairs 3♣-3♥

The Worst Starting Hands
The worst starting hands are: Example:

• Junky Connected Cards 8♣-6♠

• Junky Suited Cards J♦-3♦

• Big and Little Card Q♣-2♠

• Unconnected Low Cards 8♣-2♥

Relative Hand Strength
 Three Main
Reasons to Bet
Three Main Reasons to Bet
• Value
• You want worse hands to call
• Can be with a premium hand or a decent, but marginal hand

• Protection
• You want hands that have the potential to improve to fold

• Bluff
• You want better hands to fold
• Can be a pure bluff or a semi-bluff
When Everyone Folds to You
Ranges
• In all spots, you are playing your range, not a specific hand.

• The same goes for your opponents.

• Realize that you will play many hands in the same manner.

• This makes it impossible for your opponent to

know which hand you have.
How to Read a Hand Ranking Chart
• Pairs

• Suited Hands

• Off-Suit Hands
When Everyone Folds to You
• Raise or fold.

• Do NOT open limp.

• Raise to 3bbs when you have more than 50bbs.

• Raise to 2.5bbs when you have fewer than 50bbs.

When Everyone Folds to You
When You Get 3-bet
When You Get 3-bet, Consider…
• Your opponent’s strategy
Looser range = play more hands

• The 3-bet amount

Smaller 3-bet = play more hands

• Your position
Later position = play more hands

• Your opponent’s position

In position = play more hands
Cutoff vs. Button 3-bet Cutoff vs. Big Blind 3-bet
When Facing Limpers
When Facing Limpers, Consider…
• The number of players you are against

• Your opponent’s strategy

• Your position

• Raise over one limper to 4.5bbs

Tricky Limpers
• Limps with some portion of premium hands to trap.

• Most limp/3-bet with only their best hands.

• Most are only tricky from early positions.

Straightforward Limpers
• Usually have junky ranges that do not contain the best hands.

• Raise with a range similar to your initial preflop range.

Exception: You can call more often with
• Suited Connectors
• Suited Aces
• Small Pairs
Multiple Limpers
• The first limper’s strategy is most important.

• Unsuited marginal hands go down in value.

• Bluffing may be viable if you expect them to fold frequently.

• Raise over multiple limpers to

3.5bbs + 1bb for each limper
• If there are 4 limpers, raise to 3.5 + 4 = 7.5bbs
• If there are 7 limpers, raise to 3.5 + 7 = 10.5bbs
When Someone Raises
Before You
When Someone Raises Before You Consider…
• Your opponent’s strategy
• Tight, Aggressive (TAG) – Play as described
• Loose, Aggressive (LAG) – 3-bet and call more often
• Tight, Passive (Nit) – Fold more often
• Loose, Passive (Calling Station) – Fold more often

• The raise amount

• Continue more against smaller raise sizes

• Your position
• Continue more as your position improves
Range Composition
• Polarized
• Premium hands and hands not quite good enough to call

• Linear
• Premium and strong marginal hands

• Condensed
• Decent, but non-premium hands
When Someone Raises Before You
When Someone Raises Before You
When Someone Raises Before You
Adjust! – CO vs HJ RFI
Default Vs. Tight Raiser Vs. Loose Raiser
When There is Lots of Action
When There is Lots of Action, Consider…
• How many players you are against

• Your opponent’s strategy

• The raise amount

• Your position
When There is Lots of Action
• When multiple players put substantial money in the pot, they
will usually have strong ranges.

• In order to continue, you need an incredibly strong hand.

Postflo
p
When to Bet and How Much are Determine By
• Range Advantage

• Nut Advantage

• Position
Range Advantage
• Compare your entire range to your opponent’s entire range.

• “Whose range connects better with the flop?”

Range Advantage
• UTG raises and the BB calls.
• As-Ks-Jh

• UTG raises and the BB calls.

• 7s-6s-5d
Range Advantage
• Bet frequently when the flop favors your range.
• When your range has more than 58% equity

• Check frequently when the flop favors your opponent’s range.

• When your range has less than 54% equity
Board Types
Board Type Example Range Advantage

High Cards A-K-J Yes

Uncoordinated Q-5-2 Yes

Low Cards 7-4-3 Somewhat

Middle Cards 8-7-6 No

Nut Advantage
• Determine who has proportionally more nut hands in their range.

• “Whose range has more nut hands on this board?”

UTG raises and the big blind calls.
• On A-K-J, UTG has more premium hands.

• On 8-6-6, the big blind has more premium hands.

• When your range contains more premium hands, apply more aggression.
UTG BB
Position
• Bet more often from in position and
check more often from out of position.

• You raise from the hijack and someone calls.

• Bet more often against the big blind.

• Check more often against the cutoff.

Flop Strategy
When You Have the
Range Advantage
Bet Frequently!
• It is usually fine to bet small, 1/3 pot, with your entire range.

• Bet large, 3/4 pot, when your opponent’s continuing range

contains mostly decently strong hands.

• You will not have the range advantage

as the preflop caller from the big blind.
When You Do Not Have the
Range Advantage as
the Aggressor
Four Types of Postflop Hands
Hand Category: Rough Example:

Premium Made Hands Nuts to Strong Top Pairs

(Win a big pot)

Draws Nut flush draws to overcards

(Steal a big pot)

Marginal Made Hands Marginal Top Pairs to Strong Ace-highs

(Get to showdown cheaply)

Junk K-high and worse

(Possibly improve cheaply)
Four Types of Postflop Hands
• Apply pressure with your premium made hands and draws.

• Play passively with your marginal made hands and junk.

Multi-Way
Multi-way
• As more players see the flop, someone is more likely to have a
strong hand.

• If it is not you, it is probably someone else.

• Proceed cautiously!
Turn Strategy
Bet/Call on an Uncoordinated Flop
• The flop bettor should have a wide betting range.

• So the flop bettor’s range is similar to their preflop range.

• The caller’s range will strengthen because they

folded all their junk to the flop bet.

• This will make ranges closer in strength.

• The flop bettor will often check the turn.

Check/Check on an Uncoordinated Flop
• When the preflop raiser checks, they will often have a marginal
made hand.

• If the caller is out of position, they have their

entire range because they will often check the flop.

• If the caller is in position, they will have a range that

does not contain their premium made hands.
Check/Bet/Call on an Uncoordinated Flop
• The flop check/caller will lack their best made hands.

• The flop bettor should have premium made hands and draws due
to being against mostly marginal made hands.

• The flop bettor will often keep betting the turn.

Bet/Call on a Coordinated Flop
• The flop bettor should have a range containing their best made
hands and draws.

• The caller’s range will strengthen because they

folded all their junk to the flop bet.

• This will make ranges closer in strength.

• The flop bettor will often continue betting the turn.

Check/Check on a Coordinated Flop
• Flop bettors would bet their best made hands and draws.

• So both the flop bettor will have marginal made hands and junk.

• This should result in the turn frequently being checked.

• If the preflop caller was in position, he will also have mostly

marginal made hands and junk.

• The in position player can bet strong

marginal made hands on the turn.
Check/Bet/Call on a Coordinated Flop
• The flop bettor should have their best made hands and draws.

• The flop caller should have mostly marginal made hands.

• The flop bettor should often continue betting the turn.

When There Was a Flop Raise
• The raiser will usually have their absolute best made hands and
some amount of draws.

• The caller may be lacking the best premium made hands or may
have their entire continuing range.
Multi-way When There Was a Flop Bettor
• The flop bettor will usually have premium made hands and draws.

• The callers will usually lack premium made hands.

• The flop bettor should check their strong, but non-nut hands on the
turn, especially when it completes obvious draws.

• The flop bettor should keep betting on safe turns.

Multi-way When There Was a Not a Flop Bettor
• Ranges will lack premium made hands and some draws.

• Bet with your best made hands and draws.

• Consider bluffing when in position if it is clear your opponents do

not like their holdings.
River Strategy
The River is Unique
• Now you either have the best hand or you don’t.

• You should bet hands that are likely best when called as well as
some amount of bluffs.

• Bet small with your strong, but still marginal value

hands and a small portion of bluffs.

• Bet large with your premium made hands

and a larger portion of bluffs.
Multi-way on the River
• Consider who has the range advantage and nut advantage.

• When lots of draws complete, check your non-nut made hands.

• When the draws complete, bluff your busted draws.

• When there is a bet and a call, overcall tightly.

When You Get Raised on the River
• Unless you know your opponent is a strong player who is capable
of bluffing, assume they have a premium hand.

• Do NOT call with marginal made hands.

Stack Size
Adjustme
nts
Medium Stacked Strategy – 25bbs - 50bbs
• Hands that make strong top pairs go up in value.

• Speculative hands go down in value.

• Getting all-in with your strong hands is inevitable.

Short Stacked Strategy – 12bbs - 25bbs
• When someone raises, you should go all-in or fold quite often.

• If someone raises and you have a strong hand with fewer than
10 times their initial raise amount, tend to go all-in or fold.

• This usually results in you going all-in or folding when

someone raises when you have 25 big blinds or fewer.
Very Short Stacked Strategy – 12bbs and fewer
• Go all-in or fold any hand you want to play.

• Going all-in is risky, but it is your best option.

• Hanging around with a short stack will make it difficult

for you to get a medium or large stack.

• Use our all-in/fold app when you are folded to.

Tourname
nt
Adjustme
Typical Tournament Structure
• Roughly 1 in 7 players get in the money.

• Everyone else loses their buy-in.

• When you get in the money, you get at least 1.5x

your buy-in back.

• In a 500 person $100 buy-in tournament, 75th place

may pay $150 whereas 1st place may pay $10,000.

• While cashing is relevant, winning is

most important.
Payout Implications
• Make sure you pay attention to the structure!

• As the big stack

• As a middle stack

• As a short stack
Bankroll
Managem
ent
Variance
• You will experience large upswings and downswings!

• Get used to it!

• Keep at least 3,000 big blinds for cash games.

• Keep at least 50 buy-ins for tournaments.

• Move up and down accordingly.

Continued
Learning
Keep Learning!
• Your journey is not over!

• Continue to working hard to improve your skills and you

will see your win rate increase.

• Check out my Cash Game and Tournament

Masterclasses at PokerCoaching.com/premium
Keep Learning!
• Diligently study the quizzes and homework challenges.

• Make a point to participate in the live webinars with

some of the best poker players in the world.