The Poker Test
Before you begin a few things you should know:
1. Two Phases- Our Test is broken down into two phases. Phase 1 will identify the core aspects of your game and how much improvement is necessary. Phase 2 will measure Specific components of your game.
2. Answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you do not know the answer do not guess just to put an answer. Guessing when you truly do not know the answer will not help to identify your areas that need improvement. Also, don't cheat.....usually when it comes to Poker Math people will find a way to cheat. That does you absolutely no good and will not improve your game.
3. Answer completely honest. If you are asked how you play a hand in a certain situation you should answer honestly even if you think your answer is not correct. The purpose of this test is to identify your weak areas and advise you on how to strengthen them. If you don't answer honestly then you will not get a "true" answer.
4. Consider the results. Many times players are not easily willing to accept there weaknesses or the level of weakness. If you are naive enough to believe your game does not have room for improvement, then your game will never improve.
5.You will be allowed to save your results at the end. Have your email, pin, and confirmation code ready if you want to save these results to our database. This will allow you to pull up your results at anytime.
This is Phase 1 where we identify the core aspects of your play.
1. You have in the Under the Gun position. Do you:
Call the Big Blind
Raise
Call intending to Re-raise if anyone raises
Fold
2. If you started a tournament with $10,000 chips and knew that you would double that within one hour, would you prefer to: (keep in mind that all answers have the same net result)
Pick up many small pots
Win a few big pots
It really doesn't matter to me
3. You fold in middle position. The board flops . Do you:
Regret not playing because you folded a full house
Not care because a folded hand is a folded hand
Play the next time you get it
I don't pay attention to what comes on the board
4. You hold on the button and the board reads . Your opponent check raised you on the flop and then bet the pot on the turn. The river card comes as a giving you a flush while pairing the board. Your opponent has $9,000 remaining in chips to your remaining $7,500 in chips. He bets out $3,000 into an $18,000 pot. Do you:
Call $3,000
Raise (not all in)
Raise ALL-IN
5. You have on the button and the blinds are $300/$600. You raised it to $1,800 and got 3 callers for a total of $7,200 in the pot. The position of the callers are are BB, SB, and Cutoff. The flop is and the SB bets $2,100 and the BB calls, cutoff folds. There is now $11,400 in the pot with a bet of $2,100 to you. You have a stack of $6,300. Do you:
Call
Raise (not all-in)
6. You have on the button with one limper and one raiser to you. (note: the big blind and small blinds have not yet acted) Do you:
7. Do you listen to music when you play?
Yes
No
If allowed by host
8. When you play a session of poker, do you:
Play with extreme focus (no drinking or watching TV)
Drink and gamble for fun more than money
Think of it as entertainment with a chance to win money
Each time is different
9. When you find yourself in a situation where you should either raise or fold. Do you:
Typically raise
Typically fold
Call as a compromise
10. Suppose you have on the button with three other players in the pot. The flop comes . The first player bets half the pot and gets one caller to you. Do you:
Call to see one more
Call because you think you have the best hand
11. Do you "consistently" think about your next move before the cards hit the board. (ex. do you have a strategy if the board hits your and and a strategy if it misses)
Sometimes
I do think about it but I seldom stick with it
12. You have on the button with three limpers to you. You raise the size of the pot and all three limpers call. The flop comes . The first player to act bets twice the size of the pot. One player folds and one calls. It is now to you, do you:
13. You are playing in a very large tournament with over 6,000 people and an entry fee of $10,000 (of which you paid from your poker winnings). You have on the button. Five people go ALL-IN before you. Do you:
Go ALL-IN
14. You are now in a very large re-buy tournament with over 6,000 people and an entry fee of $5,000 with one possible re-buy of $5,000. You have on the button. Five people go ALL-IN before you. Do you:
Go ALL-IN and re-buy if you lose
Go ALL-IN and leave if you lose
15. In a typical NL game what is your flop percentage including the blinds (times you see the flop)
10%-15%
20%-25%
25%-30%
More than 35%
Not sure
16. After playing at a table for a while (at least 30 minutes), do you start to classify each player by their play style. (ex. aggressive, passive, loose, tight)
Never thought about that
17. Do you have a favorite hand that you play that is considered "weak" or "marginal"? (ex. , , or )
Only if its suited
18. You just completely outplayed the most annoying player at the table by bluffing him into giving up a big pot. Do you:
Turn over your cards for him to see
Quietly muck your cards
19. Same situation but instead of it being the most annoying player at the table it is someone you respect. Do you:
20. Do you play weak or marginal hands because you "have a feeling"?
21. Do you play cards just because they are suited (ex. or )
22. You make a bet on the river with the nut hand. Your opponent stalls for a minute while making his decision. Then he looks at you and ask "If I fold will you show me what you had?" Do you:
Answer "YES"
Answer "No"
Tell him you will show either way
Ignore him
23. When you have a forced bet (SB or BB) do you think of that as:
Your money
Money in the pot
Money you must defend
24. The blinds are 400/800 and you are in middle position with and no players to you. You have four players behind you that are left to act. You are sure that if you raise at it to at least $2,400 most players will fold unless they have a strong hand. Your only concern is the player in the small blind. He is extremely aggressive and capable of coming over the top and putting you all in. Currently you have $12,000 in chips and he has $21,000. He is also the only player at the table with more chips than you. Do you:
Raise 3 times the BB
This is Phase 2 where we measure specific components of your game. There will be answers to the Double-Gut, Poker Math, and Betting. We have chosen to provide to only these portions because they are factual (proven calculations) and not open to circumstances or opinions.
Playing Ace King
If you want to be a successful poker player you must learn how to play Ace King and how to play against it. Ace King is the most overplayed, underplayed, and misplayed hand in poker.
1. Do you think of as:
A made hand
A strong drawing hand
A hand to bluff with
A hand you lose with
2. How much of a favorite as opposed to if it were ?
3% 6% 8% 11%
3. In a heads up match between vs. . Which is the pre-flop favorite?
About even
4. In a heads up match you have vs. . Who has the pre-flop advantage and by how much?
by 9% by 9% by 18% by 18%
5. What's the biggest advantage of playing Ace King?
If you hit an Ace or King you will have top pair with kicker
If you completely miss you can easily get away from the hand
If you hit a straight it will probably be the best hand
6. If you have against 3 opponents and the flop comes . The first player leads out and bets half the pot. You have two players behind you to act. Do you:
Fold Call Raise because you think you are leading Raise as a bluff
Observation and Tells
One of the most important aspects of poker that you will ever learn is the secret of "tells". A tell is a signal or indicator into your opponents mind. It can give you clues as to what your opponent has in his hand, what he is planning on doing or what he has just done. When you have an idea of what is going on in your opponents head you have a huge advantage before the cards are even dealt.
1. Players that make a big bet and then seem uninterested in the game usually:
Have a weak hand
Have a strong hand
Have a marginal or drawing hand
Is probably focused on something else
2. What is the usually considered the most "honest" part of the human body as it refers to poker?
Hands Mouth Eyes Feet Nose
3. When a player's hands have a small tremble they usually:
Made a big hand Drawing to a big hand Bluffing
4. When a player licks his lips he usually has:
Has a good hand Has a drawing hand Bluffing
5. You are in a hand with 2 other players and the board comes . The first player double checks his hands and then leads out with a bet double the minimum bet. What does his double checking and leading with a bet tell you about his hand?
He has made a low flush
He has an Ace
He has one club in his hand
He completely missed his hand
Double-Gut Straight Draw
Double-gut straight draws are extremely important in No-Limit for many reasons. They give you the same odds as an open ended draw but are much more concealed and usually have much bigger payouts. You must be able to decipher an open ended straight draw from a double-gut straight draw. If you learn how to spot double-gut straight draws in your hands and your opponents hand you will have one of the most valuable tools that can take you to the next level of winning poker.
1. If you have which cards give you a double-gut straight draw.
2. If you hold how many double-gut possibilities are there? (don't duplicate suits)
0 1 2 3 4
3. Suppose you hold and the flop comes giving you a double-gut straight draw. What one card must you get to make the nut straight?
4. If you hold how many double gut possibilities are there? (don't duplicate suits)
5. On the flop the board comes . You now have a double-gut straight draw. Which cards are you holding?
Bluffing ability
Your ability to bluff is one of the most important aspects of poker, otherwise, you will only be playing when you believe you have the best hand. Learning to find the right situation to bluff is key. Once you have figured out how and when to bluff it will be virtually impossible for an opponent to play against you with a consistent strategy. You will also be able to more clearly determine when your opponent is bluffing you.
1. Which of the following statements best describes why you bluff?
To make a player lay down a hand that is better than mine
Because I missed my drawing hand and don't want to lay down my hand
Because even if it doesn't work it will give me a table image that will help me pick up pots later in the game
I don't bluff enough to answer
2. How often should you perform a scratch bluff? (bluff regardless of cards)
1%-5% 6%-10% 10%-15% Never
3. Which of the following hands are you most likely to semi-bluff with by check-raising?
Flush Draw Straight Draw Middle Pair None All I don't bluff
4. Suppose for a second that you did not look at your hole cards but you knew you were going to bluff. The flop comes , the turn , the river . Which round do you believe would be the most effective to bluff by making an oversized bet?
Pre-flop Flop Turn River None
5. Same situation as before except you had looked at your hole cards and it was .Now which round would be the most effective?
Board: Flop , Turn , River
Tilt Factor
Your tilt factor is your ability to "keep your cool" when things don't go your way. It is important to be able to control your temper and emotions at the poker table, otherwise you could play into someone else's plan of manipulating those emotions. Be sure to answer this part completely and honestly.
1. You have with two other players in a hand. While mucking a hand another player accidentally expose one of his cards which is the . What effect does this have on you?
Makes you angry because now you will have to change your play
Makes you happy because you now know how many "true outs" you have
Makes you more aggressive
Makes you less aggressive
Has no effect on your play
2. You have just taken the worst "bad beat" of your life by a completely terrible player that sucked out on the river. This player really believes he made a good move on you and remarks to the table " I knew I could win because he was weak". Which are you most likely to do?
Openly belittle his play to the table
Quietly belittle his play to yourself
Get up from the table and take a break
Play through any emotions you have
Do nothing and continue to play
3. Suppose you are in a tournament as chip leader with about $300,000 in chips. You are in a hand with two players with low-stacks that are all in. Player 1 is an average player that has $1,000 in chips. Player 2 is an obnoxious (brat-like) player with $1,500. If you knew that you were only going to win against one of them which player would you prefer to beat and put out the tournament?
Player 1 (win $1,000 ) Player 2 (win $1,500 ) It wouldn't matter
4. You are heads up with arrogant player for a big pot where he is all in. You hold and he has . The board is flop , turn and then the river . He then openly says "Good race- we were about even the whole time" . Do you :
Explain his ignorance
Openly belittle his statement
Get up from the table to take a break
Ignore him and continue to play
5. You are in a heads up match with the same player an hour later. He has made a bet that is 3x the big blind. You decide to bluff and move all in for 4x the pot. You are holding . He thinks for a second and then folds but shows you his cards. He has and as he mucks says " I know I had you beat". Do you:
Ignore and muck Show your hand Muck and belittle his play Show and belittle his play
Betting
Betting is a very important part of poker. It is your biggest tool against your opponents and one of the few important aspects that you can control. Proper betting is necessary when playing serious poker. If you find that you are weak in this area, we do offer Value Calculators that can show you the proper bets.
1. When re-raising a bet what is typically considered "proper" to not give other players pot odds?
Raise the exact amount of the raise
Double the pot
3x the raise plus one bet for each caller
4x the raise
2. You have . The flop is giving you an open-ended straight draw. There is currently $900 in the pot. Which of the following is the maximum bet that you can call and still be considered a "profitable call" to see just the turn?
$125 $175 $225 $300 $350 $600
3. You have . The flop is , the turn . There is $1400 in the pot and you suspect your opponent to have a low pair such as 3's-6's. Which is the maximum bet that you can call and still be considered a "profitable call" to see the river?
$475 $800 $225 $375 $600 $100
4. Which of the following is most likely to effect your betting amount?
Amount in the pot
Amount of chips I have
Amount of chips my opponent has
None of those matter
5. Suppose you are in a tournament and the blinds are currently $200/$400. In the pot there is a total of $1,000 comprised of $200 from the Small Blind, $400 from the Big Blind, Under The Gun limps for $400. It is now your turn to bet. What is the minimum you can raise to not give your opponents pot odds.
$400 $1,000 $1,800 $3,000 $3,600
Poker Theory
Poker Theory refers to how you view the game of poker and how it influences your decisions. You should always spend time thinking about your moves and why you made them.
1. Which of the following do you believe to be the MOST important in becoming a successful No-Limit player?
Discipline Courage Controlled Aggression Luck Poker Math Skills
2. How much time do you spend "preparing" for poker? This includes reading books, magazines, watching videos, playing mock hands...etc. One hour for every:
None 1 hour of play 5-10 hours of play 10-15 hours of play
3. Although all of the following are important, which do you pay the MOST attention to when playing a session?
Following your poker goals
Your chip stack relative to other stacks
How much is in the pot
Your position
Your cards
My "luck for that day"
Table image
4. You have against two opponents. The flop comes and ____. If you could put any card in there, which card would you choose.
5. Suppose you had been playing in a tournament for about an hour when you notice the player in Seat 6 is cheating by looking at Seat 7's hole cards each time he leaned over for a sip of drink. Do you:
Call out the player for the entire table to hear
Wait for a break and talk to Player 6 (cheating player) one-on-one
Wait for a break and talk to Player 7 (player being cheated) one-on-one
Say nothing
Tell the tournament director in private
Call the tournament director to the table and openly tell him
Make a general statement about all players protecting their hands
PokerMath
Although no one expects you to have a degree in Math just to play poker there are a few concepts that you must familiarize yourself to be successful. Terms such as Hand Odds, Pot Odds, Implied Odds and EV (Expected Value) should become common poker language to you. Knowing math in poker can give you a tremendous advantage and guide you into making the correct decision in marginal situations. If you find that you are weak in this area, we do offer Value Calculators that can show you the proper bets.
1. There is $120 in the pot and your opponent bets $20 making the pot $140. What are your pot odds?
4:1 6:1 7:1 8:1
2. You are up against one player and suppose your opponent has , which of the following hands has the highest percentage of beating that hand?
3. By the numbers, you will get a pocket pair 1 out of every ____ hands.
9 12 16 20 24
4. If you have a pocket pair you will flop a set 1 out of every ____ hands.
3.5 7.5 11 14.5 22
5. If you have any two suited cards, the odds of flopping a flush is:
13:1 27:1 69:1 95:1 118:1