Poker is a card game where players place bets and raise them when they have strong hands. It is a very competitive game and can become extremely expensive if you aren’t careful. However, it is not impossible to improve your poker skills and start winning more money. The key to success is to learn from the pros and make smart decisions.
Playing in position
To maximise your chances of winning, it’s important to always play poker from position. This is because you’ll get to see your opponents act before you do, which gives you a better idea of what type of hand they have and what they are likely to do on later streets.
In addition to playing in position, you should also try to cut the deck more than once. This allows you to make sure the cards are well mixed up and gives you a higher chance of finding a good pair. You can also use this method to increase the size of your pots, meaning you’ll be able to win more money.
Don’t play with ego
Inexperienced players often fall into the trap of playing with their egos. They might think they are the best in the room, but that isn’t necessarily the case. They can easily be beat by a more experienced player with a strong hand. Therefore, it is important for new players to always play poker with money they are comfortable losing.
Be aggressive when it makes sense
As a beginner, you’ll need to be more cautious than most other players at your table. However, this doesn’t mean you should be passive and never bet. Instead, be active when you have strong hands and try to bluff when it makes sense.
If you’re in EP, you should have a tight opening range and only open with strong hands. Similarly, if you’re in MP, you can loosen up your range slightly but should still play fairly tight.
Finally, if you’re last to act, don’t be afraid to call. This will allow you to control the size of the pot and get more value from your strong hands. On the other hand, if you have a weak drawing hand, you can fold and avoid getting trapped by your opponent’s bets. This will save you a lot of money in the long run.