Poker Tips
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This article is brought to you by our friends at PartyPoker.com.
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ONE: Don't play too many hands
If you learn one thing about poker, make sure it's this: You don't need to
play every hand you're dealt. There are 169 starting hands in Texas Hold'em,
and at least half of them aren't worth playing. Those that are worth playing
generally consist of pairs, suits and high cards. Watch the pros play and
you'll see that they often fold when they get a hand they don't like.
There's no rush – winning takes time, so play the good hands and shake off
the bad ones.
TWO: Choose your opponents carefully
It might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people join games,
only to realize too late that they're batting out of their league. If you
want to be the best on the board, avoid playing against experts, sharks,
card sharps and pros. Instead, play on
tables with betting limits that give you a chance of winning – but won't
bankrupt you if you don't! And if you find yourself consistently outplayed,
get out of there!
THREE: Change your style of play
Confuse your opponents. Sure, wearing a wig and sunglasses is one approach.
But online, that's not going to cut it! After a while players can identify
their opponents' playing styles. So, make sure you vary your style of game.
Although this strategy works best with No-Limit games, you can also use it
on small-limit games. Variety is the spice of life – and the key to
successful poker!
FOUR: Know when to hold and fold
You got to know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away,
And know when to run.
Kenny Rogers knew what he was talking about – his legendary song "The Gambler" might be a metaphor for life, but there's a heap of poker wisdom in those lyrics, as well. So, if you're in too deep, fold. Don't keep betting without any thought for the cards on the board or your opponents' play. Or to put it another way, don't be a "calling station" (someone who always bets, however bad their hand).
FIVE: Study the opposition
Playing poker in the real world gives you a great opportunity to read your
opponents and learn their "tells." And you don't need to wire them up to a
lie detector to do it, either! Just watch them as you're playing, or better
yet, after you've folded. Then, you've got nothing to lose and will be
seeing things much more clearly. Does he always stack his chips a certain
way when he's got a good hand? Does she touch her hair when she's got a bad
one? The better you can read your opponents, the better your chance of
winning.
SIX: Wager to learn
Play to gain a better understanding of your opponents' hands and see how
they react. Use re-raises to test the strength of your opponents' hands or,
if you have the nuts on the flop, you can check to see how others will play.
Eventually you should be able win pots and players will be studying you!
SEVEN: Empathize
Walk a mile in someone else's shoes…. Learning to empathize is a good life
lesson that is equally applicable to poker. Getting inside your opponents'
heads will help you figure out how they might play in similar circumstances.
After a hand, ask yourself why they acted as they did. Your empathetic
skills will improve as you learn to study the personal playing styles of
your opponents.
EIGHT: Player position is crucial
Seating position is at the heart of the game and crucial in determining how
you play. Whatever the strength of your hand, you will almost always play
more cautiously when sitting to the left of the dealer because you have not
yet seen how your opponents will bet. All good poker players know "it's
where you're at.
NINE: Take notes
Don't forget that playing online at
PartyPoker.com allows you to use our Player Notes facility. As online
players often come and go, a reference guide is very useful. Your notes on
players are saved, even if you haven't played against them for some time. In
a world of change, note-taking can mean the difference between winning and
losing!
TEN: Bring enough money to the table
You don't want to be left holding the nuts without enough money to make a
raise. Generally, poker players say that you should take at least 20 times
the big blind to the table. When
playing online at PartyPoker.com, that figure should be increased to 40
times the big blind. You wouldn't drive across the Mojave with your gas tank
on low – don't play poker without enough money!
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