Welcome to the first ever edition of the series Hand Range Break Down!

I hope it will be a pleasant journey for us learning the ropes of the great game of Texas Hold'em or just poker.

Since the series are mainly for new and learning poker players, I think it is appropriate to start with something very basic. A very easy and logical concept that many new players tend to overlook.

"I DON'T CARE HOW MANY CHIPS YOU HAVE!".

In the series I'll be mostly talking about tournament texas hold'em. There is so much thrill and excitement that makes tournaments the preferred format for the vast majority of players. Although I consider myself a cash game player, I enjoy tournaments as much as everybody else.

Hotel Rio - Pavilion Room, WSOP (photo: Jayne Furman)

Let's say a friend of mine, a tournament poker player, makes it to the second day of a big event. And I ask him:

     - What is your starting stack for day two?
     - I got 287 600 chips.
     - I DON'T CARE HOW MANY CHIPS YOU HAVE!
     - Dude, what's wrong with you? You just asked me...

    Actually the information I am looking for is different. Yes I want numbers, but there is only one true measure for a tournament stack. It is measured in big blinds. For example, if the blinds structure of the first level of play in day two is 25 000/50 000, this puts the fate of my friend's tournament life entirely in the hands of Lady Luck. He is down to his last 5 big blinds and some change. But if the blinds for this level are 3000/6000 - he still has a very healthy stack, which is close to 50 big blinds (~48bb). That makes a huge difference, while the chip count stays the same, doesn't it?

    WSOP chips (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

    Another example of the bad habit of referring to your tournament stack size in terms of chips is when someone asks me the following question:

     - I am on the Big Blind (BB), looking at Ace Ten suited (ATs) and a guy from the High Jack (HJ) pushes all-in 11 000 chips. Everybody folds. Should I call?
     - Yes, you should definitely call! Please, call someone who is able to divide your chips by the big blinds. Then tell me exactly how many big blinds the other player is pushing and how many big blinds you have. And then, maybe, I'll be able to help you.

    In this example, if you are playing 2500/5000, your opponent is pushing only 2 big blinds (2.2bb). It is a 100% call, even if you haven't looked at your cards. But if the blinds are 100/200, it is a very easy fold most of the time. Yes, there are times when you should call with ATs when someone is pushing 55bb. Because in poker only the effective stack size matters. And if you are sitting with a very short stack of chips then you should consider calling, to try to double up and better your chances in the tournament.

    In poker it is very important to always think and talk about your stack size and bet sizes in terms of big blinds. It is a very easy to learn skill and after some practice it becomes second nature. It will for sure change your game for the better. But you probably shouldn't go too far by announcing your bets to the dealer using big blinds :-)

    Please feel free to leave a question, critique or comment bellow. Good luck and remember:

    “Winning is not everything – but making the effort to win is.”