Once you have mastered the basic charts and put in several thousand hands, you will be ready to move on to the intermediate strategy. The intermediate charts are more complex than the basic ones, and decisions will be based on reads you have on your opponents. These reads are obtained via player stats from a heads-up-display or HUD. The next chapter will outline how to set up a concise and effective HUD which is similar to the one I employ in my own play. It includes every pertinent stat needed to utilize all strategies covered in this book.
In Chapter 7, I will introduce you to the intermediate charts and walk you through how to use them in a step-by-step fashion. They are set up similarly to the basic charts, so the learning curve should not be that great. It is important to make sure that you spend time learning them, as they will be the basis for the rest of the strategies outlined in the book.
The charts used in tandem with the HUD are designed to provide a baseline for read-based play. As you read through the book and gain a firm grasp of the strategy, most of the plays and adjustments will become so automatic that you will be able to stop using the charts completely. In fact, your goal should be to move beyond relying on them as soon as possible.
My advice is to STOP now and not read any further until you have put in the necessary time learning and employing the basic strategy.
Condensed Basic Charts
