Five Tips for Beginning Poker Players
by Dougie Goguen | Dec 20 2011
Find out how you can make your poker game stronger with five easy-to-understand concepts.
New players find it hard to find good online poker advice - there's so much in the way of contradictory information on forums and blogs that it can be overwhelming. That's why we created this list of five very basic things any player can do to improve their game right off the bat.
Play free online poker at Bodog today! 1. Be willing to fold.Yes, it can be agonizing to watch hand after hand pass you by, but the best thing any poker player can do to improve their win rate is to not play marginal hands. Take a look at your position and be honest about your cards each and every time. The best poker players know when and how to play their hands and when to fold.
2. Bluffing is not its own reward.Even if you've been passed by multiple times and are itching for action, if there is no reasonable reason for you to be involved in a hand, don't bother. That said, if you have a chance of stealing the blinds because everybody else has checked and you're the last person in the rotation, it's a great way to pick up some extra chips without much work. Just don't get caught doing this too often or you'll find your legitimate poker play hampered by others.
3. In a bad mood? Stop playing.Your mood affects your poker game more than you known and even the best poker players have found themselves going into tilt without much pushing them that way. If you're in a bad mood, go for a walk, play some video games, do anything but put your money on the line in a game that requires you to be focused and mathematical.
4. Watch every hand.Yes, even the hands you're not playing in. One of the best things any new player can do is observe each and every card as its hits the board and the hands it opens up. By figuring out how cards interact with one another and the players when you're not involved, you're going to find it easier to calculate your next move when you are.
5. Watch the other players.This is part of the previous advice: if you're not involved in a hand, watch the opposition. Every play they make gives away information about them. They may be the sort of player that chases flushes or they could be wishy-washy on the river. Every piece of information that you collect, you can use later in the game.
Play in Bodog's online poker tournaments and win a lot for a small buy-in.In addition to these basics, you should remember that you shouldn't give up. Yes, it's trite but it's also very true. Manage your bankroll as much as you want, but if you've bought into a game, play it to the end. If nothing else, you get valuable information on how to play better in later games or you might just get them on the rebound.
