Long strategy articles on Texas Hold'em are not always easy to digest. You want to learn how to play the game well, but if you are a new Hold'em player, the theory of reverse implied odds from late position isn't going to go down too well right at the start.
So, to help you build a strong foundation for when it comes to solid poker strategy, here is a quick guide to the top 5 tips for Texas Hold'em players. If you can remember the tips in this Texas Hold'em guide and learn from them, you should drastically improve your chances of winning money, so pay attention!
Have a game plan in every hand.
As soon as you are dealt a hand in Texas Hold'em, you should evaluate the situation and think about what you are going to do with the hand. It is easy enough to think about how you are going to play each individual betting round as you get to it, but this can often leave you in a very sticky spot later on down the line.
You should always try and think about what you expect to gain from each play you make. If you feel that playing on the turn is not going to be very profitable for you, then you should think twice about making a call on the flop. Playing poker profitably is all about making a series of well thought out plays, and not about making quick decisions without thinking to the future.
Learn to let hands go.
The community cards can totally change a hand. What you thought was the best hand on the flop could easily be a losing hand on the turn, so learn to accept that a hand can be turned on its head from one round to another. The last thing you want to do is get attached to a hand and lose a load of money simply because you couldn't bring yourself to fold when you know you should.
For example, pocket Aces can cause no end of trouble for some players. If there are four cards of the same suit on the board and you don't have a flush, do you still think that you have the best hand when your opponent is raising you? You won't be able to consistently win money from the game if you can't stop yourself from leaking chips by calling with losing hands (and if you know they are losing hands).
Play aggressive poker.
There are two ways to win a hand in Texas Hold'em – you can either go to a showdown with the best hand or you can force your opponent to fold. If you never make bets or raises, you are completely missing out on one method for winning, so learn to feel comfortable playing an aggressive style of poker.
I am not suggesting that you go out betting and raising at every opportunity, but if you feel that you have a strong hand then you should be happy to bet and raise with it. If you only ever check and call, you are giving your opponents the right to walk all over you and make a better hand than you. Be prepared to stand your ground and make bets when you feel that you have the best of it, it's key to becoming a winning poker player.
Don't let bad beats affect you.
There is nothing more frustrating in poker than losing your entire stack to players that have no skill, yet have all the luck in the world to compensate. There will be times where you get your money into the middle with by far the strongest hand, only to see your foolish opponent hit the exact cards they need to take the pot away from you. It's no use trying to ignore it, as bad beats will happen and you will lose money because of them.
However, this is all part of poker, and you should try your best to not let it affect you. You should be happy that you made the right play, and so the outcome of the hand should not matter. If you become too frustrated, you will only be shooting yourself in the foot by playing badly and losing even more money. Remember that all that matters at the end of the day is how well you play your hands, not about how lucky you get.
Practice makes perfect.
You can sit around reading poker strategy all day, but there really is no replacement for actually putting in the hours at the tables and practising what you have learnt. Don't just take peoples' word for it, take what you have read and use it during a game to see how effective it is.
The more you play poker, the better you will get.
|
