The Yellow Brick Road

No-limit hold'em is considered by many to be the Cadillac of poker games. Players who are anxious to learn about no-limit hold'em need a path to follow, but the path to improved no-limit hold'em play has obstacles to overcome. Those who recognize and conquer the obstacles along the way will become better players.

Let's relate our no-limit hold'em path to the Yellow Brick Road in the film classic The Wizard of Oz. Our quest in traveling down the Yellow Brick Road is to learn more about no-limit hold'em and find poker's know-it-all, the Wizard of Odds. "Oh, we're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Odds." Come along and improve your no-limit play.

Our first encounter along the Yellow Brick Road is with a scarecrow. We discover that he plays poker, but doesn't have a brain. He plays every pot, calls every bet, and hopes to get lucky. His chances of winning are slim and none. No matter what some people might say, you need a brain to succeed in poker.

Poker, especially no-limit hold'em, is all about making good decisions. The object of the game of poker is not to win pots - it's to make correct decisions. (I love that pity maxim - preached for years by Mike Caro, the "Mad Genius of Poker.") Over time, if you make enough good decisions at the poker table, you will be rewarded. If you make poor decisions, you will be punished. That's the way it should be in poker.

Thinking is everything in poker. Every time it's your turn to act, you are faced with a decision to bet, fold, call, or raise. You should watch every action your opponents take. You should always be asking yourself, "Why are they betting (or calling or raising)? What do they have?" You should become an information sponge. Gather your data and make your decision. Use your brain to make correct decisions. In order to learn to think at the table, the scarecrow is joining us on our journey.

As we move down the Yellow Brick Road, we come across a tin man. We discover that he loves poker, but has no heart. There is a saying in no-limit poker: "You can't win without heart." To be a top no-limit player, you have to pick up (steal) antes and blinds. You also need to move over the top of an opponent (reraise) when you think he is trying to pick up a pot with a marginal hand - even though you might not have a hand at all. This takes "heart." The tin man needs some heart to make him a better player. Come along, Mr. Tin Man.

A little farther down the Yellow Brick Road, we meet up with a poker-loving lion. He is a cowardly lion, and thus a weak poker player. He lacks courage to play a pot and make any moves. Our lion friend likes to play tournaments. Most of the time, he goes out like Broomcorn's Uncle (antes himself broke). In the green felt jungle, this style - meekness and lack of courage - is doomed to fail.

In the world of no-limit poker, the real lions, those who have the best results, are the aggressive players. They "attack" and prey on the weak. (Those who show weakness at the table will be attacked and eaten for dinner.) When the lions take control of the table, their opponents fear them, giving them carte blanche to pick up pot after pot. If you expect to win in no-limit hold'em, you can't sit back and wait for aces and kings all the time. You need to vary your play and show some courage to succeed. Join us, Mr. Lion. You will become a better player.

As we proceed down the Yellow Brick Road, we encounter the Wicked Witch of the West. She cackles, "Hello, my poker-playing little darlings. Ah-ha-ha-ha-haaa." The Wicked Witch is a nightmare, and the worst enemy of many players - because she loves to dole out bad beats.

Bad beats are a part of the game. To be successful in poker, you have to accept bad beats without stressing out, cracking up, or going on tilt. The Wicked Witch loves to watch you steam and go through your bankroll. She tests your mental toughness. "Ah-ha-ha-ha-haaa. Did you like that little two-outer I just put on you? Ah-ha-ha-ha-haaa." After running into the Wicked Witch, your mission is to remain calm and cool. Don't let the Wicked Witch get to you. Strengthen your resolve when you take a bad beat. Doing so will lead to better results.

In no-limit poker, you have to think, have heart, overcome adversity, and show courage to be successful. Going down the Yellow Brick Road will make you a better player.

"Oh, we're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Odds."

Take care.

Mike Sexton is the host for the online poker site PartyPoker.com - whose flagship tournament, the PartyPoker.com Million, is an event on the World Poker Tour.