Poker Tips

Now you have the general idea of how to play Poker, it would be worthwhile learning these tips.

Don’t Play Every Hand – Do Fold More

Almost certainly the first mistake a new poker player makes is that they play far too many hands. When you first start playing poker you want to be in the action and play the game, and this means that just to be part of the action you end up staying in hands that aren’t very good. The drawback being that playing more hands doesn’t mean winning more, it usually means losing more. If you find you’re staying in half or more the hands you’re dealt and wondering where your chips or money is going, you need to reevaluate the starting hands that you are playing.

Drunk and Poker Don’t Make a Good Cocktail.

I have played several evenings with friends and come away having won easily, not because I had good hands all night but because the other players have been drinking. If it’s a fun light hearted evening amongst friends and the money is low then its all part of the fun but while you may be more relaxed after 2 drinks, it may lead to you playing looser and less sharply, even if you consider yourself not drunk.

Don’t Bluff Just For Bluffing Sake

Although bluffing is all part and parcel of poker its not wise to bluff all the time. Bluffs only work in certain situations & against certain people, and if you know a player always calls to the showdown, it is literally impossible to bluff that player. It’s better never to bluff than to bluff “just to bluff.”

Don’t Stay Loyal to a Hand Just Because You’re Already In It

Another familiar mistake new players make is to think that because they have put money in the pot they have to stay in till the end. This isn’t true, you’re just throwing more money at bad money. There may be cases when pot odds warrant a call, but if you’re sure you’re beaten, and there’s no way your hand can improve to be the best hand, you should fold right away. The money you’ve already put in the pot isn’t yours anymore, and you can’t get it back, so fold and learn by it.

Don’t Call at the End of a Hand to “Keep Someone Honest”

This one follows the last tip. A lot of players look at another player’s final bet, look at the hand, and think they know they are beat but want to keep he other player honest as they throw in a final call. Sometimes it may be worth it to see if a player really has the hand if you’re not sure and you’re gaining information that will help you later on, but if you really feel a player has the hand he’s representing and you’re beat, why give them another pile of your money? Those bets will add up over an evening.

Don’t Play When Mad, Sad, or in a Generally Bad Mood

If your not in the best mood and sit down to play when your sad or in a bad mood you will be playing emotionally, not rationally — and you won’t play your best. Also, if during a poker game, you lose a big hand or get sucked out on and feel yourself going on tilt, stand up and take a break until you feel calm later on. Other players will sense your mood and take advantage of it.

Pay Attention to the Cards on the Table

I remember when I first started playing, I found it hard enough to remember how to play and pay attention to my own hand. But once I got that down, it was incredibly important to learn also to look at what’s going on at the table. To figure out what the best possible hand would be to fit the flop and to notice flush & straight possibilities.

Pay Attention to the Other Players

As you play, one of the best things you can do is to watch the other players and then watch some more. Even when you’re not playing in a hand. If you know if one player always raises in a certain position, and another has a poker tell when he bluffs, and a 3rd folds to every re-raise, you can use that information to help you decide how to play against them. Once you know that player 3 always folds to a re-raise on a river, that’s when you can bluff & steal a pot.

Don’t Play at Too High Limits

When you first start out although tempting to jump on the big tables as you think you might get lucky or that you will win a few hands and walk away with doubling your money. You wont. Start low and work up the game instead of jumping in at the top and falling to the bottom very quickly. Don’t even consider moving up from the low levels until you have been winning consistently. Just one evening having a good night on a low table doesn’t mean its time to move up the ranks. Not only do the stakes rise when you move up the game but the skill does of fellow poker players. Its better to be the best on a low table than to be eaten alive on a higher game. Ponder on one thing, if you are winning lots at a low level why move when your making money.?

Separate Credit Card

This has two advantages. By keeping your bankroll separate you can monitor easier how well you are doing (or not doing). Secondly if someone does manage to steel access to your card they only get access to your bankroll not your income and other money.

Cashout

As tempting as it is to keep your money in your poker site account, it only takes a moment of weakness or a run of bad cards with bad play to leave you with nothing. A profit isn’t a profit unless you cash it out.

Keep taking the notes

When your not in a hand instead o your mind wondering, keep watching the players. You should take notes on the players all the time, not just when they play against you.

Track your results.

How do you know how well you are doing if you don’t track your results. The poker sites have stats on how many flops you have seen etc but how about you taking notes on what tournaments you have played, how you faired etc .

Investigate new sites.

Not only does a new site have bonuses to give away, it will also give you the opportunity to play the game you want when you want. They all have different tournaments schedules but also run different specials at different times.

Poker Tips

Recent Posts