In the article below, we present a guide to poker where you will find the most necessary tips and tricks to start or continue your poker adventure. For decades, poker had been the preserve of those who had the pocket money to go to the local casino or who had a group of friends/family with whom they could organize local tournaments. The rewards could range from trivia to large sums, and poker help was hard to come by.
But at the dawn of the new millennium, the number of people with access to the internet has increased. With it, the interest in online poker is estimated that today there are more than 100 million players active all around the world.
With 5G and technological advancements making mobile gaming even better, you might think that the already high number of gamers is not going to stop growing!
So now is the best time to start playing this exciting game, and if you are completely new to the game, this poker guide will teach you the basics and how to get more comfortable with the game.
Reduce the Number of Hands you Play
The more hands you play, the greater your chances of losing. It’s nobody’s fault; it’s just mathematical! Indeed, if you look at the odds in poker, you will find that a low percentage of hands represents a high percentage of success in poker games.
So the more you just play those (strong) hands, the more likely you are to win the pot. Also, note that the more hands you play, the more you reveal your playing style to other players, becoming easily predictable.
Another Poker Tip: Change Your Style
There are several kinds of poker players. There is the one who is looking for thrills and will play adventurous moves. As for the lock, it would not attempt an uncertain blow for the world. But also the player who will follow the odds to the letter without ever varying in style, regardless of the context or the opponents.
So try not to get locked into one of these genres. Try to adapt your game to your opponents until you can mislead your partners. In this way, you can better hide your hands and surprise them when the time comes.
Be Careful
This third poker tip is essential to this card game. Because while knowing the odds or the poker strategy will reduce your chances of losing, it is only by being vigilant that you will win more hands.
Learn to read the gestures and facial expressions of your opponents. But also learn not to be fooled like Erik Seidel facing Johnny Chan in the 1988 WSOP Finals, who took a (mock) look from Johnny Chan upwards for a sign of weakness.
Especially to the Response Time of Players
Online poker certainly hasn’t changed the way the earth turns, but it has taught us to pay more attention to player response times. Indeed, in an online poker room, we cannot visualize our opponent; we cannot see their gestures or their facial expressions. So we have very few clues available.
We quickly realize that the response time of players at a poker table is an important and easily assimilated factor. On the other hand, take care to relativize your deductions according to the poker game’s context and your intuition.
A player can be slow because he has a bad hand and would like to play it anyway. But he can also be slow because he knows he has the best hand and wants you to believe he isn’t. This poker tip should therefore be used with care.
Bet Smart
The most common mistake in poker is betting too big, too hard. There are times when you are sure to win the pot, but unfortunately, even with an Ace Quadruple, it is possible to be beaten by a Straight Flush out of nowhere.
It is more successful to win little and loses less than to win a big shot and lose ten equally big ones in the long run. It’s mathematical.
One note, though: if you have an Ace Royal Straight Flush, forget all of our poker tips and bet everything you have!
Pay Attention to the Position of the Players
Positions also called speaking turns, are very important in poker. Indeed, you will not bet in the same way whether you are before or after your main opponent. For example, if you are at the end of the round, you will have seen all your partners bet, and you can then react.
But if you are at the start of the turn, it will be up to you to act (or not, depending on your strategy). It will then be more difficult for you to anticipate other players’ reactions, bets, and raises. Beware of those who will try to make you bet more than a reason to raise you behind.
Adapt Your Bets to the Game
One of the poker tips is how a player wagers because that has a lot to do with how other players behave.
If you bet too big at a small table, then neither player will call you, and you will win small until a tile hits you.
If you bet too small at a high table, then the reverse will happen. They will bet hard and will bully you 9 out of 10 times.
Take Breaks
Without referring to Jean-Claude Duce and talking about a competitive one, you may still have to play more sporting games. In this case, don’t hesitate to take breaks, especially when you start to get into a bad streak.
Remember the basic principle of casinos: “a player who loses one will bet 2 to try to win 4” … and will ultimately lose everything!
Use the Bluff Wisely
Bluffing is not playing poker! Bluffing in poker is one technique available to a poker player, but not the only one.
Among our poker tips, we recommend that you only bluff when you need to. Also, be aware of the moments when another player is trying to make your bluff.
Make sure your bluff is successful before you embark on this business because nothing is more unsettling than having to show a small pair of deuces after making several raises.
Leave Your Problems at the Door
You don’t play well when you are preoccupied or when you are not focused. The best way to show the greatest attention and concentration is to avoid playing when problems are on your mind.
Instead, go for a jog or a few lengths in the pool.
And then, beyond improving your game and your technique, don’t forget that poker is a game. You are there, in an online poker room or around a table, to have FUN!
Conclusion
Our ten tips for playing better poker will help you improve your game over the long term and make better decisions because every player tends to make certain mistakes that are easy to correct. We all sometimes sin out of enthusiasm or just thoughtlessness, but luckily these flaws are not irreversible.
