10 tips for playing poker online and in casinos

Tip 1: Learn the Rules and Variants

So before you can play better, you must know the rules inside and out. InTexas Hold’em, each player is dealt two cards, known as hole cards. Next, five community cards are dealt face-up on the “poker table.” The idea is to try to make the best five-card hand you can, using any combination of your two pocket cards and the five community cards.

Familiarise yourself with:

·     Hand rankings: A flush beats a straight, three of a kind beats two pair, and so on. Answering the what-beats-what question is not something you want to be seen second-guessing.

·     Rounds of betting: Preflop, flop, turn, and river. Each stage brings new decisions.

·     Positions: Small blind, big blind, dealer button, determine when to bet and play.

But every poker variation, from Texas hold’em to Omaha or seven-card stud, involves the same mechanics, and most serious players should learn how to playTexas hold’em at least. Call it the “gateway game” to the broader, lavish poker world.

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Tip 2: Start with Fewer Hands

And among the most common mistakes beginners make? Playing too many hands.

The volatile action of poker makes it tempting to play every flop. But patience is the hallmark of successful card players. Rather than sploshing around every pot, watch for the hands with considerable potential.

Starting hand guidelines:

·     Strong hands to flip over: Aces (AA), Kings (KK), Queens (QQ), Ace-King (AK).

·     Hands to play in Late position: Suited connectors, middle pairs (77-99).

·     Fold the junk: Hands such as 7♦ 2♣ or 9♥4♠ might seem delightful, but they’re long-term losers.

Bear in mind that poker is not about quantity. Sometimes, sitting patiently, even folding 20 or more hands in a row, is the best course of action.

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Tip 3: Play Aggressively When Entering Pots

If you’re going to play a hand, play it with assurance. Limping in (just calling the big blind) is a habit of inexperienced newbie players. Raise your good hands instead. When you probably have the best hand, it is a way of building the pot. This also puts pressure on weaker players and generates errors.

For instance, if you have A♠ K♠, you will raise pre-flop. Limping only gets you in trouble; raising gives you control.

The most glamorous side of poker isn’t wearing sunglasses or dressing in loud colours at the table: It’s projecting strength and confidence through intelligent, aggressive play.

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Tip 4: Pay Attention to Position

In poker, who you sit with can be as important as what you hold.

·     Early position (blinds, under the gun): You act first with the least amount of information. Play tighter here.

·     Both players in the cutoff and on the button: You'll be last to act here, being able to see the entire board. Open up & apply the pressure.

Texas Hold’em “On the button,” or the player who must act last in a hand of Hold’em, is the most powerful seat at the table. Before deciding, you’ll be able to see what everyone else does.

Hint: The profitability of even marginal hands can be transformed when you’re playing them from late position. Position is a concealed gift, and experienced players use it to take control of the table.