Foreword by Daniel Negreanu Swayne’s ADVANCED DEGREE in Hold’em CHARLEY SWAYNE CHARLEY SWAYNE Swayne’s ADVANCED DEGREE in Hold’em ECW Copyright © Charley Swayne, 2009, as President of Advanced Degree Poker, LLC Published by ECW Press, 2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4E 1E2 416.694.3348 / info@ecwpress.com All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any process — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the copyright owners and ECW Press Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Swayne, Charles B Swayne’s advanced degree in hold ’em / Charley Swayne ISBN-13: 978-1-55022-866-3 ISBN-10: 1-55022-866-6 1. Poker  I. Title  II. Title: Advanced degree in hold ’em GV1251.S93 2009                  795.412                  C2008-907550-1 Cover and Text Design: Tania Craan Typesetting: Florence Aliesch Printing: Transcontinental   1  2  3  4  Printed and Bound in Canada Carol has never seen one hand of poker, not even on television When I proudly showed her my WSOP Academy instructor website she asked, “What’s a wooosop?” No man has ever had a more wonderful wife than Carol, or better sons than Joe, Brian, and Chuck CONTENTS Foreword by Daniel Negreanu vii Introduction The Swayne PATL Matrix 13 Reading Opponents and Their Hands Part I – General hand strength Part II – Physical changes Part III – Postflop hands 26 Deception 44 Boardology 49 Playing the Blinds 61 Test 66 The Numbers Chapter Part I – Probability and hand frequency Part II – The Swayne hand pyramid Part III – Odds, probability, pot odds, and Expected Value Part IV – Preflop 72 Relative Strength 106 Test 120 27 31 36 72 74 77 88 Which Hands to Play Part I – The Advanced PATL Matrix Part II – Win Factors Part III – Win Factor adjustments for position Part IV – Win Factor adjustments for passive/aggressive Part V – Hands you may consider playing Part VI – Horse adjustments Part VII – Pot size 131 Test 228 10 Betting 238 11 No Limit 274 Final Exam 344 12 Ultimate Texas Hold’em 351 13 Preface/Postface/Conclusion 364 Bibliography Acknowledgments Author/Seminars 379 Appendices Appendix A – Endnotes Appendix B – Boardology Appendix C – Winning Probabilities for Specific Hands and Flops Appendix D – Hobby, Profession or More! Appendix E – Test and Final Exam Answers Glossary 133 138 183 187 197 212 216 381 382 383 394 395 411 413 415 Foreword You know they say that poker is a game that takes five minutes to learn but a lifetime to master It may take a little more than five minutes to learn, but it does indeed take a lifetime to master When I first started playing Hold’em, books and training devices were few and far between We are straight up spoiled today! There is an abundance of poker training tools out there that claim to make you a better all-round player; however only a few give you a serious return on your investment As you may know, I’m constantly trying to learn more about the game and add more weapons to my poker arsenal Most of the stuff I read is commonplace and a dime-a-dozen However, Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em really grabbed my attention through several cutting edge concepts The PATL (Passive Aggressive Tight Loose) and Advanced PATL matrices, Swayne’s Win Factors and Relative Strength Evaluations (just to name a few) are a direct result of Charley’s extensive academic background and thorough understanding of the game Charley’s innovative concepts not only will give you the opportunity to become a great poker player, they will allow you to play with unmatched confidence I was so impressed with his school of thought that I asked him to join my Poker VT team at the very start It turned out to be Foreword vii quite the good decision Not only does Charley have an in-depth, easy-to-use mathematical strategy, he and I developed the everso-challenging N-SPAT (The Negreanu-Swayne Poker Aptitude Test) seen on Poker VT So why would I back Charley’s book? The answer is quite simple Swayne’s Advanced Degree is like nothing I have ever seen before and offers readers of all experience levels, even the weak little fish, the tools necessary to become a better Hold’em player Contrary to what you may believe, I’m all for feeding the fish knowledge After all, it’s better for the competitive nature of the game I love Daniel Negreanu April 2009 viii Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Appendix D Hobby, Profession or More! I ask you take a minute to read this, even though you may not want to There is a chance someone you know, and maybe even you, could be or become one of the 2,000,000 Americans addicted to gambling Check off any that apply: p Have you ever put off having a meal because you were playing? p Has it ever been difficult for you to leave the casino or internet site? p Do you continue to play when you are tired? p Has life at home ever been negatively affected because of your playing? p Do you continue to play when you are down trying to recoup losses? p Do you play trying to pay your bills? p Have you ever borrowed so you could play? p Have you ever stolen so you could play? p Have you ever sold something so you could afford to play? p Have you ever hidden how much you play from others? There is a difference between being driven to become a world class player and being a compulsive gambler If you have three checks you need to know there is a chance you are compulsive Four, you are borderline Hobby, profession or more! 411 Five or more checks and poker has become golf balls What to do? The first step is to realize you are addicted You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge You are addicted Accept you have a problem You do, but you are not alone Once you accept you have a problem, realize you need help, now Then get help, now It is available and for free What a deal If you did check off more than three above, I ask you to contact Gamblers Anonymous today It doesn’t help to wait Addiction doesn’t go away by itself or with time It gets worse Gamblers Anonymous provides — and yes, you can remain anonymous — substantial help to gamblers all over the world They are experts at helping you, with numerous self-help group meetings as well as helpful online resources www.gamblersanonymous.org or Gamblers Anonymous International Service Office P.O Box 17173 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.386.8789 412 Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Appendix E Test and Final Exam Answers Test 1 C A D B A C D C D 10 D 11 A 12 C 13 B 14 C 15 B 16 A 17 D 18 B 19 C 20 A 21 B 22 C 23 D 24 D 25 B 26 C 27 D 28 A 29 B 30 A 31 B 32 B 33 B 34 C 35 A 36 C 37 B 38 A 39 D 40 B 41 C 42 A 43 B 44 A 45 D 46 A 47 D 48 B 49 A 50 A 51 B 52 C 53 C 54 B 55 D 56 A 57 D 58 B Test A B B A B D D B A 10 B 11 C 12 A 13 C 14 A 15 B 16 C 17 D 18 C 19 D 20 C 21 A 22 A 23 B 24 D 25 B 26 B 27 A 28 A 29 B 30 D 31 A 32 C 33 D 34 E 35 D 36 A 37 A 38 D 39 E 40 C 41 E 42 C 43 B 44 A 45 D 46 C 47 B 48 C 49 B 50 A 51 E 52 B 53 B 54 A 55 D 56 C 57 E 58 A 59 B 60 D 61 A 62 B 63 E 64 A 65 E 66 B 67 A 68 C 69 B 70 D 71 C 72 C 73 D 74 C 75 D 76 D 77 A 78 D 79 D 80 D 81 D 82 E 83 A 84 A 85 E 86 E 87 E 88 C 89 A 90 B 91 E 92 A 93 D 94 C 95 B 96 B 97 C Test D E D D D D E E E 10 C Test and final exam answers 413 11 D 12 E 13 E 14 E 15 E 16 C 17 C 18 E 19 B 20 E 21 E 22 E 23 E 24 E 25 E 26 D 27 B 28 B 29 B 30 D 31 A 32 A 33 D 34 C 35 C 36 E 37 E 38 E 39 D 40 D 41 D 42 E 43 E 44 D 45 D 46 E 47 D 48 A 49 C 414 50 C 51 D 52 E 53 D 54 D 55 E 56 A 57 D 58 E 59 C 60 D 61 D 62 A 63 E 64 D 65 E 66 A 67 C 68 A 69 C 70 A 71 B 72 B 73 E 74 C Final Exam C C B C A C A C E 10 C 11 D 12 D Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em 13 B 14 C 15 E 16 B 17 B 18 D 19 E 20 E 21 C 22 C 23 A 24 C 25 B 26 C 27 D 28 C 29 A 30 B 31 A 32 C 33 D 34 A 35 C 36 C 37 C 38 B 39 C 40 B 41 A 42 B 43 B 44 A 45 C 46 C 47 D 48 E 49 C 50 C 15 total outs (3 Aces, Kings, and hearts) gives you a 32.6% chance of making your hand with one card to come The pot size is $1,300 and you have to invest $300 to see the next card (32.6)($1,300) – (.674)($300) = $221.60 51 D 11 total outs (8 cards for the open-ended straight draw and cards for the overcard pair) gives you 23.4% chance of making your hand on the turn The pot size is $1,200 ($150 in blinds + $450 in pre-flop raises + $600 from your opponent’s bet on the flop) and you have to invest $600 (.234) ($1,200) – (.766)($600) = -$178.80 Glossary 2nd pair Aces full of tens Aces up Act Advertise Aggressive All in American Airlines Ammo Ante Back door Backraise Bad beat Bankroll Behind Belly buster Bicycle Big bet Big blind Big Foot bet Big slick Big stack Blank Blind Blocker Bluff Board Boardologist A pair of whatever is the 2nd highest card on the board Three of a kind Aces with two tens A pair of aces with another pair Tens up would mean a pair of tens with another pair lower than tens To make a play; fold, bet, or raise To represent a certain hand, usually by the way a person is betting A player who raises more than most others When a player puts all of his remaining chips in the pot Aces, usually meant as pocket Aces Chips Money, not the blinds, put into the pot before play begins Making a hand on the turn or river secondary to your primary draw A player calls Another raises Then the player who originally called reraises A loss to a player who received a miracle river card How much money you have available to play A player is behind if another player has a better hand An inside straight Also known as a gutshot The straight A 5, also known as a wheel A bet in the second two rounds of betting, which are twice as much as the first two rounds in limit The position two to the left of the dealer Also, the amount which must be put in the pot from the Big Blind A very large, but less than all in, bet An Ace and a King as hole cards A player who has more chips than anyone else at the table A card, usually on the turn or river, which probably doesn’t affect the hand; also known as a brick or rag A forced bet before play; made by the two players to the left of the dealer A card in your hand which prevents an opponent from having the nuts Betting to pretend you have a good hand when you don’t The community cards on the table A person who studies the board GLOSSARY 415 Boardology Boat Brick Broadway Brunson Bullet Bullets Bully Burn or burn card Burton arrow Button Call Calling station Calling two bets Cap Capped Cards speak Case card Catching air Caught speeding Chase Check Check-raise Chopping Clock Cold call Collecting bullets Collusion Come over the top 416 The study of the board A full house Three cards of one rank and two of another A turn or river card which probably doesn’t affect the hand; also known as a blank or rag An Ace high straight A and a T An Ace Hole card Aces An aggressive player, usually the player with a large stack of chips A card the dealer puts in the muck after dealing all players their cards but before dealing the flop A card put in the muck before exposing the turn or river card A method of showing suggested preflop hands to play depending on position; the result resembles an arrow The white puck placed in front of the player who assumes the position of the dealer Betting the same amount as the previous bettor A loose player who stays with many hands by calling, not raising A passive/loose One player raises and then another player re-raises The next player who has not yet bet calls two bets Also termed cold calling The maximum number of raises allowed during a round of betting You are no longer allowed to raise once the dealer announces capped Whatever you have is what counts, not what you say you have The fourth card of a specific rank If you have pocket Aces, with one on the board, if another comes that is the case Ace Missing completely, usually on the flop A bluffer gets caught To stay in a hand with only a draw A player does not bet when it is his turn to so Checking, allowing another to bet, and then raising With regard to a dealer tip, it means ½ of the chip goes to the dealer; preflop, with only the blinds remaining, it means both the blind players take back their bets and no hand is played A request for the dealer to tell a slow player to speed up his play on a hand One player raises and then another player re-raises A cold call is when the next player calls both raises Also termed calling bets Trapping an aggressive player by slowplaying Players working together to cheat others To raise or re-raise Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Community cards Completed hand Connectors Counterfeit Covered Cowboy Crabs Cracked Customer Dead man’s hand Dead money Dead money grab Deep stack poker Defending the blind Dog Dominated hand Donkey Double belly buster Dout Drawing dead Drawing hands Duck Early position End connectors Face Family pot Fast playing Fifth street Fish Floating Floor Cards placed in the middle of the card table for all players to use as part of their hands, the board A hand that has already been made Hole cards in sequence: AK, KQ, QJ, JT, T9, 98, 87, 76, 65, 54, 43, 32, A2 Your lower pair, of the two pair, is no longer playable as there are two higher pair on the board An all in bet is “covered” by an opponent who has more chips than the bet A King Hole cards are a pair of threes You have a big hand at the start, but someone outdraws you An opponent who calls, usually against a better hand Aces and eights Money left in the pot by the players who have folded An attempt to win the pot with an aggressive bet, usually by a player in late position without a made hand When each player starts off with a stack of chips which is a large multiple of the initial big blind If each player started off with a stack of chips equal to 250 times the big blind, this would be an example of deep stack poker Calling or raising when you are seated at either blind A player with a low chance of winning the hand A player who has a lower pair or kicker than another player His hand is dominated A poor player A draw to a double inside straight, that is, there are two possible straights which can be made An out which may give another player a better hand A discounted out No matter what card you get, you can’t possibly win A hand which needs another card or cards to be a possible winner A Players immediately to the left of the button I refer to the small blind, big blind, and seat in a 10-handed game as early position Hole cards in sequence at the end: AK, A2 K, Q, or J A pot where all the players are in Aggressive play The last betting round; the river A poor player Usually inexperienced Calling with nothing with the intention of stealing the pot on the turn or river Used primarily in no limit The casino pit boss GLOSSARY 417 Flop Flopping a set Flush Flush card Flush draw Fold Four flush Four of a kind Fourth street Free card Freerolling Full house Good drawing Gutshot Hand pyramid Hare Heads up Heater High pair Hole cards Hook Horse Implied odds In the dark Inducing a bet Inside straight draw Isolate Jam Kicker Kicker trouble King crab Lady Late position Lay down 418 The first community cards dealt Three in number You have a pair in your hand, and one of those cards is dealt on the flop Five of the same suit A card of a suit needed to make a flush You have four suited cards and need the fifth on the turn or river to make a flush Get out of the hand You have four cards suited cards Four cards all of the same rank Quads The turn card It doesn’t cost you anything to see the next card, as everyone checked Preriver, having the nuts with a draw to an even better hand A hand with three of a kind and another pair In this book ATs, A9s, KJ, KTs, QJs, QTs, AQ, AJ, KQ, QTs and 99 An inside straight; also known as a belly buster A modification and extrapolation of the Burton arrow, showing all possible 169 hands A term used to describe fast or aggressive play Only two players left in the hand Winning several hands in a row A rush A pair matching the highest card on the board The two cards you are dealt face down A Jack The last one who bets or raises Estimating the future pot size and using that estimate to determine if you will stay in a hand Checking or betting without seeing your cards; also betting or checking before you see the next card or cards dealt Checking a strong hand trying to get an opponent to bet A drawing hand where only one card of a specific rank can compete the straight Using aggressive betting to attempt to get heads up Aggressive play; raising or re-raising A card used to decide ties The higher kicker wins Two players have paired a card on the board, but one does not have a high kicker Hole cards are a King and a A Queen The button or close to the right of the button Seats 8, and the button in a 10-handed game To get out of a pot, usually on the turn or river Folding your cards Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Lead To be the first to bet Limit The maximum bet or raise Limit hold’em means you must bet or raise a specified amount Limp To call Limp in Calling, not raising preflop Limp-raise During the same round of betting calling and then re-raising after a raise Loose A player who plays more hands than most others Made hand A hand which is not on a draw, which can stand alone Middle connectors Hole cards in sequence more than three from the end: JT, T9, 98, 87, 76, 65, 54 Middle position The seats in the middle of the table relative to the dealer I refer to seats 4, 5, and in a 10-handed game as middle position Middle stack A player’s chips are about the average of those at the table Miss A player was drawing and did not receive the card he wanted Monster The best hands In this book AA or KK After the flop, an extremely good hand Muck To fold your hand Also the pile of discarded cards in front of the dealer Multiway A pot with more than two players in Multi-table Playing several tables at the same time Newbie A beginner No cap In limit, when it is you and just another player, allowing each of you to keep raising as long as both wish to so No limit A player may bet any amount Nut bluff A player going all in or making a big bet when he has the nuts, hoping to get a call Nuts A hand that cannot be beaten Off suit Hole cards not suited On the button The last person to act in the last three rounds of betting One from end connectors Hole cards in sequence one away from the end: KQ, 32 One gap connectors Hole cards separated in sequence by one rank: AQ, KJ, QT, J9, T8, 97, 86, 75, 64, 53, 42, A3 One gap suiteds Hole cards suited separated in rank by one, such as AQs One gap unsuited Hole cards separated in rank by one, such as AQ Open-ended straight You have four cards in sequence and you could make a straight with a card above or below your cards Outs Cards which will allow a player to improve his hand Overcall You call a bet that has already been called Overcard A hole card higher than any on the board Overpair A pocket pair higher than any card on the board Overlay When the pot odds are in your favor; when the Truth Drawing Numbers are in your favor GLOSSARY 419 Overs Paint Passive PATL Pocket Pocket rockets Position bet Post Pot equity Pot odds Premium hand Put Quack Quads Rabbit card Rabbit hunting Rag Ragged flop Rainbow Rake Read Represent Re-raise Ring game River Rock Rounder Royal or royal flush Royal straight flush Runner runner Rush 420 Two hole cards higher than any on the board A face card A player who raises less than most others Pronounced “paddle.” A box-like representation showing passive, aggressive, tight, and loose The cards in your hand; does not include any of the community cards Hole card Aces A player either bets or raises because he has good position To put a required bet in the pot Blinds are posts If a player enters the game out of turn he may choose to post and play the next hand Ratio of your share of the betting in a round to how often you expect to win if you play to the river The ratio of how much a player must bet to the size of the pot A top hand In this book AKs, AQs, QQ In other books the top 10 hands Inferring a player has a good or bad hand or on a specific hand; also known as a read A Four cards all the same rank After all the players have folded preriver, the next card that would have been dealt After all players have folded preriver a request to the dealer to show the next card A turn or river card which probably doesn’t affect the hand; also known as a blank or brick A flop without an A or face card, not suited, with no straight draw possible A flop without any two cards suited The house take on each hand Inferring a player has a good or bad hand or is on a specific hand; also known as putting a player on a hand To make it appear you have a hand Similar to advertise To raise after another player has raised Spelled in other books as reraise A game with all or almost all of the seats filled The fifth and last community card dealt A passive/tight player A professional poker player An Ace high straight flush Same as a royal flush An Ace high straight which is also suited The turn and river cards Usually indicates you made your hand because of the turn and river cards Several good hands in a short period of time Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Scare card A card on the turn or river which could give anyone a good hand Semi-bluff Betting on a drawing hand which has a good chance of becoming the best hand Set Your pocket pair turns into three of a kind with one of the community cards Shorthanded Fewer players than allowed at the table Short stack A player who has less chips than anyone at the table Show one, show all In a live game, at the end of a hand, if you show your cards to one player, you must show them to every player Showdown After the river when all remaining players show their cards Side pot A player has run out of chips, but is still in the pot A side pot is the pool of money the remaining players bet Slowplay To play a strong hand as though it were a weak hand Small ball A style of play in certain no limit tournaments focused on low risk Small bet The first two rounds of betting have a limit for a bet These are called small bets Small bet poker The same thing as small ball A style of play in certain no limit tournaments focused on low risk Small blind The player to the left of the dealer button An amount smaller than the big blind to be put in before betting starts Smooth call To call without raising; the term is usually used when slowplaying Snowing A stone cold bluff from preflop all the way to the river Snowmen Hole cards are a pair of eights Soft playing Failure to get the most money from your opponents Normally done when an opponent is a friend Splash the pot Throwing chips in so that some go into the pot Split pot The pot won by two or more players which must be split between all winners Split two pair Your hole cards are two different ranks and the board pairs both Squeezer A very tight player Stack The number of chips a player has Staying ahead of the rake Trouble making a profit because of the house take Steal To get opponents to fold with aggressive betting, not good cards Steal the blinds To win the blinds with a bluff, usually done in late position Steel wheel Straight flush high Straddle The player to the left of the big blind doubles the big blind bet before any cards are dealt Straight Five cards in sequence which not also form a flush Straightforward play Betting when strong; checking when weak Straight draw Drawing on the turn or river to make a straight GLOSSARY 421 Straight flush Five cards in sequence which also form a flush Street One of the last two betting rounds The turn is 4th street The river is 5th street String bet Putting an amount of chips in equal to a call, then putting more chips in to raise Usually not allowed Strong hand Not a premium or monster hand; but next in line In this book AJs, KQs, AK, JJ, TT Structured A player may only bet or raise a fixed amount during a betting round Suited connectors Two suited cards also in sequence Swayne hand pyramid A method, in the shape of a pyramid, showing all 169 possible hands Swayne PATL matrix A box-like representation showing Passive or Aggressive and Tight or Loose Swayne Win Factor A number for preflop hole cards indicating the chances of winning or losing with the hand Table personality The style of play at the table, directly related to one of the PATL’s quadrants Table texture Same as table personality but may also refer to the cards shown on the board Tell An action or mannerism which lets an opponent know something about the person’s hand Ten year old boy hand Jacks and fives Texture Usually refers to the cards shown on the board Sometimes means the style of play at the table Thin bet A low bet in no limit on the river Third base In the casino game Ultimate Hold’em, this position bets or checks after all others at the table have checked or bet Three gap suiteds Hole cards suited separated in rank by three, such as ATs Three gaps Cards separated by three in sequence, such as T6 Three of a kind Three cards of the same rank Tight A player who plays less hands than most others Tilt Playing poor cards or too aggressively when upset Toke A tip to the dealer Tortoise A style of play in certain no limit tournaments which is slow and steady and focuses on low risk Treetop An Ace high straight Trips A card in your hand with a pair on the board which makes three of a kind Truth drawing numbers The minimum number of bets in the pot for you to consider betting on the turn or river Turn The card turned up by the dealer after the flop Two gap suiteds Suited hole cards separated in rank by two, such as AJs 422 Swayne’s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Two gap unsuited Two gaps Two pair Under the gun Underpair Value bet Weak Weak tight Wheel Win Factor Wired pair Woolworth Zero board Hole cards separated in rank by two, such as AJ Cards separated by two in sequence, such as T7 Two cards of the same rank and another two cards which have the same rank but one different than the first The first player to act One of your hole cards pairs on the board, but there is a higher card on the board Betting or raising with a strong hand in order to build the pot Same as passive A tight player who folds quickly if he doesn’t hit Same as passive/tight The straight A Used to determine whether or not to play a preflop hand A pair in your hand Hole cards are a and a T The board is not paired and shows no possible straight or flush draws GLOSSARY 423 Charley Swayne is a professional teacher and seminar instructor at some of the top universities in the world As a lifelong learner, he has combined his education and lessons of mathematics, statistics, total quality management, industrial engineering, operations research, entrepreneurship, finance, economics, investments, marketing, leadership, strategy and even ethics, to construct a full blown course on Texas Hold’em He teaches poker with Daniel Negreanu on pokervt.com and has, with Daniel, created the N-SPAT (the Negreanu-Swayne Poker Aptitude Test) He has created a course at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, “Strategic Thinking Using Game Theory” (Game Theory means poker) Charley is also a frequent speaker at the World Series of Poker camps This book contains the results of years of study and application of the psychological and mathematical aspects of Texas Hold’em Much of what is presented has never been published before More of a university textbook than the traditional poker book, it is the most comprehensive book on the market for the serious poker player or for one who wants to become world class This book was created with significant contributions from Joe, Brian, and Chuck Swayne “Charley Swayne has created a book that is great for limit and no-limit players which balances the mathematical and psychological aspects of a winning hold’em strategy It includes exceptional original research on the combining effects of playing style and drawing hands on win rates Highly recommended.” —Howard Schwartz, Gambler’s Book Shop, Las Vegas “The graphs and charts make some difficult concepts easy to comprehend.” —Paul Wasicka, second-place finisher in the 2006 World Series of Poker, Main Event ($6.1 million) “Charley’s book will give you the confidence to believe you are the best.” —Sam Chauhan, author of the bestselling book Mind’s Power Unleashed “Swayne’s book is a comprehensive, easy-to-read summary of the state of the art of the game He is a born teacher, and his students will have a leg up next time they sit at the table.” —James McManus, author of Positively Fifth Street, and fifth-place finisher in the 2000 Main Event ECW Press • $29.95 ecwpress.com ISBN: 978-1-55022-866-3 52995 Annie Duke and Charley Swayne 781550 228663 ... world class Introduction Low Lim it Making a living by being a good player Is it possible to make a living playing hold’em by being good? Yes, but it is a grind if you are only winning big bet... course I am covering my tail Neither Advanced Degree Poker, LLC, I, my sons, nor this book guarantees you anything I not guarantee you will win Everything in this book is for your information only... you are a beginner there are several books in Appendix A which will give you all the basics Swayne s Advanced Degree in Hold’em Knowledge and skill Certain skills and specific kinds of knowledge