More and more people are playing online poker, despite its legal issues. Whether you are a pro veteran, a newbie who just starts playing, or somewhere in between, you want to improve your poker game continuously so that you can win more than you lose. Without the correct strategies, you can make sure that you will be outplayed by other players who also eager to take your money. Your game strategy, combined with the right tools such as pot odd calculators, lots of practice, and luck will make you a better poker player. Here are some helpful tips to help improve your poker skills:
Play tight. This is the best advice for beginners, period. Think about it, poker is a game of statistics; unless the game is rigged, players who happen to hold the best hand at the beginning will win most of the time. The idea of playing tight is to allow you make an easy decision whether to fold or hold your cards in every betting round. Hands like A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and alike, are considered to be the best starting hands in poker. Meaning that if you’re playing only these kind of hands, you will make money at the end of the day. However, many newbie players are not patient to wait for these cards to come, therefore they are playing garbage hands that only empty their bankroll. So next time you sit in an online poker room, choose a room that is full of loose players who will unconsciously give you their money.
Pay attention to your position. Poker is also a mind game that requires concentration, great memory, and a skill to bluff. It is a fact that player who act last will have a greater advantage over other poker players who act before him. This is because he has a chance to observe others’ reaction before he has to make any decision, therefore it is a good idea to play more hands in late position and throw away most of your hands when you are in early position. Having said this, sitting on the left side of a solid player is a lot better since you can see what his action is before you have to put your chips at the table. Again, the idea of this poker strategy is to allow your decision making process a lot easier in every betting round.
Pay extra attention on drawing hands. Drawing hands mean if you need one more card to make a great combination like flush, straight, or full house. You have to know at all times how many cards will help you make that great combination and beat your opponents. Unfortunately, not all drawing hands are treated equal. For example, 5-6-7-8 will have a greater chance of making a straight than 5-7-8-9. The reason is obviously clear, 5-6-7-8 will make a straight with 4 AND 9, giving you two outs, as opposed to 5-7-8-9 that will make a straight ONLY with 6. Knowing poker odds at all time will definitely make your job a lot easier whether to fold or hold your hand. This is the guideline, if your chance of getting your out is bigger than the pot odds, you should to call. On the other hand, if your chance of getting your card is smaller, you need to fold immediately.
So there you have it. If you apply these strategies, you will win more money than you lose. There is no reason to say “I am a bad poker player” to yourself. Yes, luck plays a role in poker, but again, poker is a game of statistics. There are certain percentages whether or not your hand will win at the end and as far as I know, nothing can prevent those numbers from happening. Like I said earlier, experience will help you play better, and nobody can teach you experience. You have to earn it by yourself. When you do, it is guaranteed you will play poker a lot better. Believe it or not, an experienced player’s instinct is 70%-80% right!! Imagine being able to “guess” your opponents’ cards and get it right 8 times out of 10.
