Johnny Hale


I have played with all the great players at the Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I also hosted the inaugural event of "The Seniors" World Championship Of Poker at the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It has been fun for me to play with all the greatest players of my lifetime here and to host The Seniors World Championship of Poker at Binions Horseshoe. We did that during the World Series of Poker.

No, I have never won the WSOP Championship, but I was given the only bracelet ever awarded to a player for being the best all around player at the World Series of Poker.

Binions Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas

Yes, I have won "The Seniors" World Championship of Poker.

My wife Carol and I want to extend a great big thank you to all who have helped with raising funds through The Seniors World Championship Of Poker charity tournaments and the wine tasting fund raiser. Carol, who is the president of The Seniors Charities, through her tireless efforts has been able to obtain IRS charity status and all contributions to The Seniors Charities are now tax deductible.

The Oklahoma Johnny Poker Tip

Last week I was talking to you about the math of poker and was telling you how easy the math of poker really is.

You’ve heard all your life the various sayings of poker.

One saying that I am almost positive that you have heard many, many times is that you should “never draw to an inside straight!” For the moment I think it's important to explain an inside straight draw to people. If your hole cards are 45o and the board contains Q78T, you are drawing to an inside straight, where you need a six, and only a six, to make your straight.

Well, I have to tear down your life long belief that you should never draw to an inside straight. Here is my advice to you.

Always draw to an inside straight when the odds are correct.

Now, remember the math you've already learned and look at this exact situation.

There are four sixes in the deck and you have one time to catch it. Consider the following. You are playing 10/20 stud and the pot holds $300. You are positive that the other player has only one pair or so and that you have a good chance to win the pot if you can hit the six. It will cost you $20 to draw for the card. You are getting 15 to 1 plus if you hit it and more money will come into the pot in the final betting round.

If you have been watching the cards and you have not seen a six, but you have seen a total of 12 cards this means that there are 40 cards that are a mystery to you (deck of 52 minus 12 cards you know about equals 40 unknown cards). The odds now become 36-to-4 or 9-to-1 against you making the inside straight, but the pot is laying you 15-to-1 plus the extra implied odds if you catch the six.

Make the play or quit playing poker!

You are getting 15-to-1 and it cost you just 9-to-1. Now let's take a look at the numbers.

Make the draw ten times and you will hit it one out of ten, but expect to lose nine times: 9 x 20 = $180. But the one time you hit your six you'll receive $300 plus the extra bets.

Hopefully you can you see that you have a dead even bet to win $300 for a risk of $160? You are getting almost 2-to-1 on the money.

True, I set the conditions up to prove the point but in the games of Stud, Omaha or Hold’em poker you will find many, many similar situations that will occur day after day during a poker game. Just watch for the opportunities, seize the moment and take the money on home.

Carol says that I have watched enough football and it is time to go play some poker.

Remember to be happy and to STAY LUCKY!!

Editors Notes: Oklahoma Johnny is the author of the book Gentleman Gambler and the founder of The Seniors World Championship of Poker and The Seniors Charities. You may contact Johnny by e-mail a: Oklajohnny@aol.com or through his website at www.seniorpoker.com.